Korg’s Opsix is an approachable, hands-on FM synth

Posted on 11/11/2020 by Engadget

It feels like FM synthesis is having something of a renaissance recently. It makes sense with the sounds of the ‘80s and ‘90s being increasingly in vogue. Elektron has the Digitone and launched the beginner friendly Model:Cyles earlier this year. And...

Moog’s Werkstatt-01 synth is back and it’s more affordable than ever

Posted on 29/10/2020 by Engadget

Moog is once again shipping the Werkstatt-01 analog synthesizer, and it'll leave you less light in the pocket this time around. The kit had a short commercial run back in 2014. It cost $329 back then, but Moog is now flogging it for $199. As such, th...

Teenage Engineering is making Capcom-themed pocket synths

Posted on 28/10/2020 by Engadget

Teenage Engineering has teamed up with Capcom for its latest series of pocket-sized synths. The PO-128 Mega Man and PO-133 Street Fighter models, which each cost $89, include samples and animations from the respective game franchises. The Street Figh...

Moog celebrates 100 years of Theremin with the Claravox Centennial

Posted on 22/10/2020 by Engadget

2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the Theremin. It was way back in 1920 that Lev Sergeyevich Termen, better known as Leon Theremin in the west, first demonstrated one of the most important electronic musical instruments ever. At this point it’s sou...

Novation and Aphex Twin’s limited-edition Bass Station II embraces the weird

Posted on 20/10/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

Novation’s Bass Station II is considered a modern classic in the synth world. And, the company deserves a lot of credit for constantly issuing updates and expanding its feature set. In fact, even though the core three-oscillator analog sound engine i...

Elektron’s Analog Four and Rytm get both design and software upgrades

Posted on 25/09/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

Elektron’s Analog Four MKII and Analog Rytm MKII are both serious high-end instruments. They’re $1,399 and $1,699 respectively. But, despite being at the top of the Elektron heap, they’ve been missing some of the big features that make its more affor...

Moog Matriarch and Grandmother synths get retro ‘Dark’ makeovers

Posted on 24/09/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

The Grandmother and Matriarch quickly became staples of the modern Moog era when they were released. Their designs are undeniably retro, but the color scheme didn’t really fit in with any of the company’s legacy products. So today the two flagship se...

Jamstik Studio is the MIDI guitar you might actually want to use

Posted on 21/09/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

The Jamstik Studio MIDI Guitar is, as the name implies a guitar. But to be clear, if you’re just looking to buy a guitar, there is no reason to get one. It’s serviceable, but nothing special. The mahogany body and rosewood fretboard feel decent enoug...

Arturia’s PolyBrute is a beastly analog synth with infinite control

Posted on 15/09/2020 by Engadget RSS Feed

Arturia’s analog Brute series covers a good amount of ground. From the tiny and affordable MicroBrute (a gnarly mono synth built for bass), to the DrumBrute (a performance-friendly love letter to drum machines of the ‘80s), all the way up to the Matr...

Moog’s new coffee table book is filled with tips for synth nerds