Once I’d heard ‘Are Friends’ Electric?” by Tubeway Army, I knew synthesizers would be a huge part of my life. Despite drums becoming my main instrument for many years, I dabbled and lusted after countless pieces of gear and started using computers to help me make my own music with a Commodore 64 and a copy of Electrosound.
Over the years, I eventually progressed to more professional tools and began to truly indulge my love of electronic music making, slowly building a collection of gear that covered most synthesis methods, from sampling to physical modelling and beyond. However, my love of the gear that soundtracked my formative years was strong and I was fortunate enough to be asked to work with the inventor of the Fairlight CMI on their more recent projects. This then led to me restoring Fairlight CMI’s, something I still do to this day.
My home studio is now filled with classic vintage gear of the 80s and 90s, as well as modern classics. In recent years, I have been producing podcasts for Sound On Sound, as well as writing articles for them and I also present a weekly live stream for the Pro Synth Network. I still drum, albeit now on e-Drum kits, which are far easier to move around and a lot quieter when practising! You can often find me delivering seminars & lectures and at various synth shows around the world, talking about and demonstrating iconic synths.
KORG's plugin collection, including classic KORG synths and their latest instruments, is now available at Plugin Boutique with discounts!
Analogue Solutions announces the most amazing 8 voice, 16 VCO poly since the Oberheim Eight Voice. Hot on the heels of AMPLE, come MAXIMUS!
Cherry Audio's Harmonia sees the team set aside their interests in synths of old and refocus on something new, exciting and rather unique!
Arturia's Acid V has been revealed as their next synth plugin. Does the world need another copy of the synth that refuses to die?
Continuing the tradition of dropping the keyboard from their line of synths, Sequential's newest synth gets the treatment along with an MPE update!
IK Multimedia's UNO Synth delivers a new level of control and performance with the UNO Synth Pro X. More of the same or is it "The One"?
In a fairly low-key announcement today, Yamaha announced the discontinuation of their flagship synthesizer, the Montage, and its replacement.
Behringer decided to try a different delivery style over the weekend, teasing two possible future products and updating us on another
Cherry Audio continue down the vintage synthesizer path less travelled with their recreation of a lesser-known but much-loved classic.
Now available for immediate dispatch, Synclavier return with the launch of Regen, a powerful desktop digital synthesizer in a unique format.
GForce Software return to their roots and drag M-Tron Pro into the 21st century, not so much kicking and screaming but wowing and fluttering!
Hot on the heels of the wavestate SE, KORG finally deliver the 61 key version of the opsix they originally teased at NAMM in 2020.
Ever wondered what it's like to own a Yamaha DX1? Want to know how to recreate the sound? Rob takes us under the hood of The King of FM...
SUPERBOOTH
Arturia introduce the MicroFreak Stellar Edition along side new firmware introducing sample import & playback, 3 new granular engines and more!
The Yamaha DX7 went on sale for the first time on May 29th, 1983. To mark this significant anniversary, we take a look at how it came to be.
The Nopia is a clever box from Argentina that could be helping you make great tunes in a flash. We take a quick look at this prototype!
Cherry Audio's Novachord delivers a modelled taste of one of the earliest synthesizers ever, the Hammond Novachord, and a Solovox to boot!
SUPERBOOTH
The Sonicware LIVEN range is further bolstered by Texture Lab, another unique and interesting tabletop device with granular sampling and FX.
SUPERBOOTH
Oberheim finally deliver the hotly anticipated OB-X8 Desktop, a table top version of their highly acclaimed OB-X8 hardware synth.
SUPERBOOTH
British synth manufacturer UDO reveal the Super Gemini, a 20 voice, dual layer, binaural, analog hybrid synth featuring polyphonic aftertouch.
SUPERBOOTH
To celebrate two decades of the biggest selling synth of all time, KORG release the microKORG Crystal with see-through clothes and case!
SUPERBOOTH
A few short years after releasing the first iteration of their Mono synth, Norand rock up with a V2 and a raft of notable improvements.
Harnessing the power of Analogue Solutions Colossus just got easier with the release of the Colossus Quartz, a Colossus divided in four!
Following on from their excellent recreations of a Minimoog, Juno 106 and SH-101, Softube tackle the definitive analogue poly, the Prophet 5.