What is multiple masters?

Multiple masters is a font technology created by Adobe Systems in the mid-1990s. It allows type designers to create a single font file that can generate multiple variations using different parameters such as weight, width, and optical size. These variations, called instances, are generated on-the-fly by adjusting the values of these parameters.

Multiple master fonts provide designers with greater flexibility and control over their typography, allowing them to create custom variations that fit their specific needs. This technology was particularly popular in the early days of digital font design, but has largely been replaced by newer technologies such as OpenType variable fonts.

Examples of font families that use multiple masters include Adobe Garamond MM, Skia, and the now-defunct Multiple Master font family from Apple.