In a method of synthesizing an optical signal, a multi-bit digital representation of a desired optical E-field is generated. The multi-bit digital representation has a resolution of N1-bits, where N1 is an integer greater than 2. At least two analog drive signals are synthesized based on the multi-bit digital representation. Each analog drive signal exhibits excursions between 2M discrete states (i.e. has a resolution of M-bits), where M is an integer greater than 2. An electrical-to-optical (E/O) converter is driven using the analog drive signals to generate an output optical E-field at an output of the E/O converter. An error is detected between the output optical E-field and the desired complex E-field waveform, and at least one parameter adjusted so as to minimize the detected error.