I’d always loved music but it was hearing Prince - and more importantly seeing his video for “1999” with the prominent placement of Oberheims - that I fell in love with synthesizers. My first was a Korg Poly-800 and I haven’t looked back since. These days my studio is full of mostly Japanese synths from the 1980s (I live in Japan, after all) but really, I love all kinds. Analog, digital, whatever.
My musical tastes tend towards the electronic. The first record I released was a Chicago acid throwback in 1993. Since then, I’ve done techno, breaks, drum and bass, dubstep and even Krautrock but the genre I keep coming back to is ambient. Leave me alone with a droning synth and I’m endlessly happy.
In this special report on AI synthesis, we try to answer the question: could an AI-powered soft synth someday mimic a Roland Jupiter-8?
Always independent and always unique; we take a look at The History of Korg Synthesisers. The rebel company that did things their way...
Baby Audio BA-1 is the plugin company's first software instrument, an emulation of Yamaha’s criminally overlooked 1980s mini synth CS01.
Monosynths to Modulars, Junos to Jupiters; The History of Roland Synthesisers takes in some of the most famous synth & drum sounds of all time...
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The Bastl Instruments Bestie is a mini analogue mixer that’s been designed to overload with up to 20dB of additional gain possible on every channel.
In this series, we look at the Big Three Japanese manufacturers that have changed music. First up: the history of Yamaha synthesizers.
These five great synth clones sit at the centre of the synthesizer Venn diagram between authenticity, reliability and affordability.
For every synthesizer that makes an immediate splash there are some that don’t make waves. Here are our picks for the most underrated synths.
Think you don’t need a hardware sampler? Sonicware’s Liven Lofi-12 sampling groovebox says otherwise and it makes some pretty convincing arguments.
Japan’s domestic vintage synthesizer market is surprisingly cheap. We tell you the best tips and tricks for buying synthesizers from Japan.
Customize your Moog semi-modular synthesizers and 6mm shaft compatible Eurorack modules with Moog’s handy Knob Kit for Knurled Pots.
If you're searching for a versatile, affordable audio interface with premium audio processing then the Universal Audio Volt 476P could be for you.