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 now updates the modwave to Mk.II with some subtle increases in specs over the original. A necessary update or just a makeover?
A leak from an online retailer appears to suggest a new line of MIDI 2.0-ready keyboard controllers from KORG with impressive specs.
In the latest Bob Moog Foundation raffle, you could win a lovely Memorymoog for your donation signed by its previous owner, Dominic Milano.
UVI Falcon 3 delivers a significant upgrade to their flagship instrument with new features, workflows, effects and a revamped preset library
The Oberheim renaissance continues with the GForce Software Oberheim OB-X, an officially endorsed rendition of the first OB synth.
In their effort to bring top-quality synths to the masses, Cherry Audio's PS-3300 delivers a recreation of one of the rarest Korg synths ever.
Alesis seem to deliver e-Drum kits that keenly balance quality and budget and the new Nitro Max kit, with its mesh heads, is no exception!
Summer is usually quiet after the flurry of releases during the Spring so let's check out the best software synthesizers of Summer 2023
In an exclusive first look, IK Multimedia's Pianoverse delivers more than just a piano sample library, and in some rather strange places!
The JUNO-60 gets its v2 update as part of Roland Cloud's ongoing version 2 rollout with improved graphics, browser and modifications.
Groove Synthesis expands their 3rd Wave offering with a new desktop version for those of us with a little less space (and budget!).
Arturia's flagship analogue polysynth gets a long overdue firmware update that adds a ton of new features, bug fixes & many user requests.
After announcing the demise of the original Montage back in July of this year, Yamaha tease its supposed replacement with new images & audio!
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!