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.
The Korg Poly-800 is about as ‘80s as they come. Here’s how it broke the $1000 price barrier and became a runaway hit.
Suzuki’s new Omnichord OM-108 combines the best of the old models with modern new features. And yes, you can play the Gorillaz on it.
You don’t have to splash out for Eurorack to get some of its benefits. Here are some of the ways that modular has changed traditional synths for the better as well as recommendations for Eurorack ...
Cutting, scratching and soldering: Mixing console experts Audiotonix announce USB-powered educational STEAM two-channel mixer kit.
Two full-range speakers and two subs join the Pioneer DJ XPRS2 series, expanding the AlphaTheta arsenal to six units.
It’s a sad day as Sequential announces the end of the Prophet X: “We'll be waving goodbye to new Prophet X units.”
Virtual analogue gets a bad rap but it has plenty to offer above and beyond traditional analogue. Let’s dive into the history of VA, look at where it excels and try to dispel some myths along the way.
Denon DJ has two standalone DJ systems on sale right now. Hercules, AKG, UDG and Decksaver get in with fantastic deals as well. Can your credit card handle it?
The latest from the leftfield plugin company is AudioThing Dub Filter, an emulation of the Altec 9069B high-pass filter made famous by reggae legend King Tubby.
The VCS3 launched one of the most influential musical instrument companies ever, the groundbreaking EMS. This is their highly experimental story.
In the late-‘80s, D-50-style sample synthesis was too expensive for most. Enter the Kawai K1. Is this 8-bit oddity still relevant today?
D16 Group Sigmund 2, the sequel to the company’s digital delay, ups the modulation count to one per delay line and beefs up the filter section in the process.
England’s Novation have been shining bright in the synthesizer firmament for 30 years. Here is the Bass Station maker's star-studded story.
Roland’s little silver box became a must-have synth on the used market - but was it a failure the first time? All about Roland's TB-303.
A surprising number of synths use the same oscillator and filter Curtis chips. Yet they don’t sound the same. Why is that? Read on to find out.
Transform your synthesis and sound design with synth effects. The modulation and delay sections in these five instruments can take your sounds into wild new territories. Are you ready for the ride?
The Korg KingKorg Neo sees the underrated 2013 virtual analogue synth get a cosmetic refresh to match the company’s recent roster of digital synths. Is it worth taking a second look at it?
The Roland JX-3P can certainly hold its own against the competition. Did you know that it actually started life as a guitar synthesizer?
A Groovebox or DAWless jam must-have? Roland SH-4d is an interesting sound machine for any genre. Now a bit cheaper and our review!
Chris Hugget, designer of the Wasp, pioneered a hybrid analogue/digital synthesis and perfected it in instruments for EDP, OSC, Novation and more.
Korg’s sample-based workstation the M1 is one of the best-selling synthesizers of all time - but is it still relevant in the 21st century?
Brian Eno Turntable II is the musician and producer’s latest work. Is this colour-changing record player worth £20000?
The force behind Transit look to shake up physical modelling with the new Baby Audio Atoms soft synth. Available now!
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1010music’s Nanobox Battery Case adds rechargeable power to the Nanobox series.