Korg made waves (pardon the pun) in 1985 with the release of the DW-8000, which offered a combination of analog filters and digital wavetables. It was unlike anything else with analog oscillators at the time and went on to become a cult favorite among fans.
We've already heard mushrooms making music, but it would seem that the sky is literally the limit when it comes to synthesizers.
The SOMA Lyra-8 is a pretty nifty drone synthesizer that can be bought pre-built or as a DIY kit for those who want to assemble their own version.
A while back we featured an article on synthesizer kits for do-it-yourself enthusiasts who like to get their hands dirty. While this is a niche aspect of a hobby that is already intimidating to many people, it is also extremely rewarding.
Learning how to play the piano and playing a synthesizer are two very different things. However, this doesn't mean that there are no benefits to becoming better at the piano if you mostly work with synths.
Currently on Kickstarter and seeking a goal of $4,865 in funding is Synth Bird by the Swedish collaborative workspace called Rumtiden Idea Lab.
"Terrifying" is usually not a word associated with synthesizers unless someone like Look Mum No Computer and Furby's are involved. However, there's a new contender, named Love Hultén, who threw their hat in the ring with the VOC-25.
Early in December Aodyo Instruments launched a Kickstarter campaign for their affordable hybrid monophonic synthesizer, the Anyma Phi. According to Aodyo, it will allow users to create "new sound universes" that are inspired by the real world, where objects collide, vibrate, and resonate.
t's easy to forget that it is not musicians that are struggling due to the current pandemic, but also stage crews. Live entertainment simply would not be possible without their hard work.
We've mentioned a lot of do-it-yourself synthesizers in previous articles and thanks to a Swedish engineer named Johan von Konow there is now one more. On his website, he describes LEET as his vision of a new kind of modular affordable synth that you can build yourself.
Going DAWless can be great for creativity and there are now many portable synths on the market that make doing so a lot easier. Phones and tablets have also steadily been getting more powerful and at this point, there are plenty of great app options available for portable music-making.
If you are a Moog Subharmicon owner and want a new look for your synth without having to risk any DIY modifications you are in luck. Oversynth recently released a new collection of overlays for this synth featuring large fonts along with high contrast graphics.
Korg has recently announced that FM synth fans have a new bit of hardware in the form of the OpSix to look forward to. According to Korg, the OpSix will cause users to rethink everything they know about FM synthesis.
Norand, a synth startup from France, recently revealed more about their upcoming Norand Mono synthesizer.
In previous articles, we have looked at ways to give soft synths a more analog sound and one of the most effective ways is through saturation. With the right plug-ins, it is possible to recreate the sound of tracks that were mixed using analog mixing desks.
