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.
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...
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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!
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The Sonicware LIVEN range is further bolstered by Texture Lab, another unique and interesting tabletop device with granular sampling and FX.
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Oberheim finally deliver the hotly anticipated OB-X8 Desktop, a table top version of their highly acclaimed OB-X8 hardware synth.
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British synth manufacturer UDO reveal the Super Gemini, a 20 voice, dual layer, binaural, analog hybrid synth featuring polyphonic aftertouch.
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To celebrate two decades of the biggest selling synth of all time, KORG release the microKORG Crystal with see-through clothes and case!
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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.
UVI bolster their vintage instrument sample collection with KAWAI Vintage Legacy, an homage to a quirkier side of 80s digital synthesis
An ingenious design for a much sought after desktop conversion kit from Tall Dog Electronics for KORG's hugely successful Pi-based synths
Kodamo serve up a new twist on digital synthesis with their bitmask synthesizer, the MASK1, a synth with interesting sonic abilities.
Whilst we wait for their LinnDrum-based drum machine, the Behringer PR team have sneakily revealed their Behringer BMX sampling rhythm box
Behringer reveal the Neptune-80, their take on the Roland classic Juno 6/60 with the usual Behringer twist and the internet is divided!
Roland release a new free update for the SP404 Mk.II delivering a slew of useful new features including multitrack support and more
Of all the classic Roland synth emulations, one had been notably absent until now. Cherry Audio's Mercury 6 gives us a Jupiter 6 emulation!
GForce Software continue updating their classic synth titles, this time turning their attention to the Minimonsta with Minimonsta 2.
Korg add a kit version of their outstanding ARP Odyssey FS reissue, allowing users to assemble their own version of this analogue classic.
Behringer have teased a new prototype via their Facebook page this afternoon, the JT-2, a single voice unit in a Eurorack form factor
In surprise news, a newly revived muSonics claims that they have "acquired" STG Soundlabs and released a new, revised 902 VCA Module!
With a long tradition of limited versions of their hardware synth in black, the Arturia PolyBrute Noir Edition now joins this exclusive club.