The earth-shaking foundation of hip-hop: Jermaine Dupri on his love for the 808 sound
For Jermaine Dupri, the 808 is more than gear; it’s the soul of his sound. Here’s how its iconic punch powered hits from Kris Kross to Mariah Carey.
808-Day celebration – dive into videos, history, sounds, and more
The Roland TR-808 gets celebrated each year on the 8th of August. Here's a roundup on some interesting articles we've gathered.
The immortal TR-808 – an icon of analog sound and fashion
The TR-808 didn’t just mark Roland’s leap into the 1980s; it redefined what a drum machine could be. With its bold design, tweakable analog sounds, and easy TR-REC programming, it became the heartbeat of countless genres, from pop to hip-hop, and remains an icon in music technology today.
One machine, many genres
From pop ballads to electro, techno, and trap, the Roland TR-808 has powered countless genres since its debut. Born on stage with Yellow Magic Orchestra and immortalized in “Planet Rock,” its deep kicks and crisp snares still influence music today.
How the Minimoog makes sound – a short primer on subtractive synthesis and signal flow
Curious how analog synths work? This quick primer uses the Minimoog Model D to explain subtractive synthesis and signal flow, from oscillators and filter, to envelopes and modulation. Understand how raw waveforms become rich, expressive sounds.
Kitty Liv: Soulful expression with the Minimoog Model D – Podcast Ep. 2
In this Patch & Tweak Podcast episode, singer and multi-instrumentalist Kitty Liv talks with host JoE Silva about soulful songwriting, analog gear, and how the Minimoog Model D becomes a voice of its own in her emotionally driven creative process.
The WASP: British budget genius and cult legend
Meet the Wasp: bold, buzzy, and brilliantly ahead of its time. Explore this cult classic with exclusive photos, and a look at Cherry Audio’s Yellowjacket, a modern tribute to the Wasp’s legendary sound.
Vintage poly-patching: The unique KORG PS-3300
A cool look into one of the most advanced semi-modular synths ever. Discover the story of the rare KORG PS-3300 with exclusive photos – plus a look at Cherry Audio’s PS-3300 software synth.
From shock to perfection: The iconic Yamaha GX-1 and CS-80
Discover incredible details of Yamaha’s groundbreaking GX-1 and the legendary CS-80 with exclusive photos – plus the Cherry Audio GX-80, blending both classics in a single software synth.
The question of polyphony – an introduction to the synthesizer
Explore polyphony in Part 3 of our synthesizer intro series: how many notes your synth can play at once, why it matters, and how it works. From monophonic classics to polyphonic giants and paraphonic tricks, learn how voice architecture shapes your sound.
Rhodes Chroma: The power beneath the surface
Discover the story of the rare Rhodes Chroma with exclusive photos not found in Synth Gems 1 – a cool look into one of the most advanced synths of its time.
Alex Ball: From Guitar to Godular
Composer and synth enthusiast Alex Ball joins Nadia Struiwigh to talk creative workflows, why hardware still wins, and how his journey from guitars to modular has shaped his music – and his YouTube success.