Guide to Hamamatsu, home to Yamaha, Roland, and Kawai, Japan’s true synthesizer city. See legendary synths at Yamaha, Korg’s first prototype, and hunt for treasures at Sonix and Hard Off, or stop by Kawai’s showroom. This UNESCO City of Music is a pilgrimage for synth fans.
What makes a synth inspiring to play? Artists like Suzanne Ciani, DiViNCi, Dorit Chrysler, Larry Heard, and Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith share thoughts on interface design – from tactile control to visual flow – and how it influence their creativity, expression, and performance.
What makes a synth feel right to use? Here are thoughts from five instrument creators on design, usability, and how we connect with electronic instruments. Not rules, but perspectives that might spark ideas or offer a new way to think about music-making tools.
Arabic music’s rich scales demand synths beyond Western tuning, like the mythic Juno-106A, vintage Korg Sigma, modern Minilogue XD, and vintage Casios. Explore how these instruments, hardware mods, and modern microtonal tools support authentic Arabic melodies and traditions in electronic music.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In this second part of our synthesizer introduction, we explore how core building blocks, such as VCOs, filters, envelopes, and modulation, work – using classic instruments like the Jupiter-8, Alesis Andromeda, Crumar DS2, and Moog Sonic Six to illustrate key concepts.
Synthesizers may seem wildly different, but most follow the same core ideas. This beginner-friendly guide breaks down the basic building blocks – LFO, VCO, VCF, ENV, VCA – and shows how signal flow, control voltages, and front panel design come together to create sound from scratch.
Looking to create lush pads, evolving textures, and immersive soundscapes? These synthesizers – ranging from expressive hybrids to analog and digital engines – are made for ambient music. Explore some inspiring hardware options for spacious, atmospheric sound design.