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Behringer's latest synth clone is based on the Octave Cat from the 70s
Behringer hasn't been shy about its plans to clone some of the most iconic synthesizers ever made. In November alone, the company debuted the Poly D based on the Minimoog Model D, the Wasp Deluxe based on EDP Wasp and the TD-3 based on the Roland TB-303. Not wanting to let the calendar flip before it could tease its next revival, Behringer showed off the CAT synth earlier this week -- a Eurorack-compatible instrument based on the Octave Cat that debuted in 1976. The original was used by acts like Chemical Brothers, Devo and many more.
Orba is a tiny, fun and surprisingly expressive instrument
I am simultaneously deeply fascinated by and deeply skeptical of strange niche instruments. As fun as a classic Stylophone is, for instance, it's pretty tricky to make decent-sounding music with. Even quirky controllers like Roli Blocks have a hard time finding a foothold in my life. But I still can't resist their allure. So of course when I heard about Orba, the new instrument from Artiphon, I had to check it out.
Elektron's Model:Samples groovebox is $100 off for the holidays
Elektron's synths, samplers, drum machines and grooveboxes are known for their top-notch sound and unique sequencing features. Once thing they're not known for, though, is being affordable. The Model:Samples is the big exception to that rule. And it's getting even cheaper for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Most retailers have knocked $100 of the price, bringing the Model:Samples price to just $299 -- making it perhaps the best bargain in grooveboxes right now.
The Organelle music computer is nearly $100 off this weekend
Here's a sweet deal on a gift that could make sense for the more adventurous music-makers in your life. Critter & Guitari is running a sale on the Organelle M that drops the price from $595 to $499 from now through December 2nd. At that price, the music computer may be hard to resist -- it's a do-it-all instrument that can stand in as a synth, sampler, sequencer, drum machine or virtually anything else if you have the right code.
Roland’s JU-06A stuffs iconic '80s sounds in a tiny portable synth
There are a few instruments that really defined the sound of the 80s: The Yamaha DX7 and the gated snare chief among them. But just as important was Roland's Juno line of analog synths. They were (at the time) reasonably priced polyphonic synths that found their way into studios with the Cure, Madonna, A-ha, Duran Duran. It's no surprise then that one of the first entries in Roland's portable Boutique series attempted to emulate the classic Juno-106. It's also no surprise that it's the first entry in the Boutique line to get a sequel.
Korg launches a line of DIY music gear with a $100 synth
Korg may have showed off a prototype back at Super Booth in May, but now the NTS-1 synth is official. The $100 DIY instrument is part of the company's Nu:Tekt line, a series that will "focus on DIY instruments, effects and utilities." The company already has some gear that bears that name, but it seems like this new product is a relaunch of sorts.
Etsy buys music gear marketplace Reverb to expand its reach
Etsy is expanding its online shopping empire, albeit not in the way some would have expected. The company plans to acquire Reverb, one of the largest marketplaces for musical instruments, for $275 million. This is a chance to expand into a "new vertical" with a business that follows a similar strategy, Etsy said. It intends to run Reverb as a stand-alone business and help it grow through improved search, a stronger community and easier buying and selling.
Teenage Engineering ships its delayed modular synth and keyboard
Teenage Engineering announced it was adding modular options to its Pocket Operator line back in January. A month later, the company cited manufacturing issues when it cancelled pre-orders for the 170 analog synth and the 16 keyboard designed to be used with it. In an email this morning, Teenage Engineering says those two pieces of gear are shipping via its website. Indeed both are now listed as in stock when you add them to your cart.
Blipblox is a synth made for kids that adults will like too
Blipblox is a synthesizer designed for children. The company behind it, Playtime Engineering, even calls it a toy. And it certainly looks like one. It's made out of bright, glossy, primary-colored plastic. The large knobs and buttons are clearly meant for the clumsy hands of a child. Oh, and it's covered in crazy blinking lights that are mostly there for show. But if you start digging a little deeper, you'll find more than just a plaything.
The new Organelle is a synth built around a Raspberry Pi
It's a niche company, but Critter and Guitari was a big name during the portable synth renaissance, and back in 2016 it released its flagship instrument, the Organelle. Now, it's had a pretty significant upgrade.
The best multi-effects pedal for new guitarists
When I first started playing guitar way back in 1995 (or maybe it was 1994?) the idea of a digital multi-effects pedal was still pretty new. The Zoom 505 was the biggest game in town, if you wanted a pile of effects in a compact package for a reasonable price. It was also the first pedal I ever bought. But, if I'm being honest, a lot of the sounds you got out of it were not great. And it could be a little confusing to operate at times. Thankfully things have come a long way since the mid '90s.
Korg is working on a new DIY digital synth, no soldering required
When it comes to tiny synthesizers, Teenage Engineering's Pocket Operators immediately come to mind. Korg may give the company more competition later this year though, and it may take a more DIY approach to do so. At Superbooth 2019 last week, Korg showed off a prototype NTS1 Digital Kit, a diminutive digital synth that's "the evolution" of the development board it released last year for the Prologue's oscillators and effects. Details are scarce for now, and the only thing Korg is saying officially is that it's a prototype.
Korg's Volca Nubass is a vacuum tube analog synthesizer
Korg debuted its Nutube tech a couple years back, but so far the tiny vacuum tubes have only surfaced in select products. Nutubes have been used in a distortion pedal and a mini guitar amplifier head, one of which was made by another company. Now Korg is putting the tiny Nutubes to work in its line of compact analog synthesizers with the $200 Volca Nubass.
Elektron turned its Digitone groove box into a proper synth
If you're into synths and grooveboxes at all, chances are you're familiar with Elektron's Digitone. It's part of it's mid-range "Digi" line of instruments, and it's loaded with all sorts of gorgeous FM sounds. It's not quite as cold as the classic FM synths of yore like the DX7, but it's still capable complex digital tones, metallic chimes and retro pads. The Digitone Keys is basically the same instrument, but with a keyboard attached.
Uno Drum is a $250 drum machine loaded with features
IK Multimedia surprised many last year expanding beyond its normal niche of portable MIDI controllers and iPhone recording interfaces by launching an actual synthesizer. And, not only that, it turned out to be quite a capable competitor to the Volca's of the world. Now the company is expanding its line of standalone instruments with the Uno Drum.
Moog introduces the Matriarch: A four-voice semi-modular analog synth
Like it has in years past, Moog is unveiling its latest synthesizer during Moogfest. The company's annual music and culture festival kicks off today in Durham, North Carolina, and when it does, Moog will be building the new Matriarch patchable four-note paraphonic analog synth on-site. A progression from the Mother-32 and Grandmother before it, the semi-modular Matriarch is loaded: built-in sequencer (256 steps), arpeggiator, stereo ladder filters and stereo analog delay. The company says you'll be able to make some noise instantly though, with "no patching required."
Elektron Model:Samples review: A powerful groovebox for beginners
Note: The video above mistakenly states that the Novation Circuit does not have velocity sensitive pads. The review below correctly reflects that it does. Synthesizers and samplers are starting to look more and more like consumer electronics. That's been driven in large part by companies like Korg and Roland building small, affordable devices that make instant gratification a priority. Price and ease of use are finally being treated with the same importance as sound quality, which is key for reaching budding electronic musicians and producers. Elektron, on the other hand, has always been one of those companies that focused on making high-end toys for "serious" musicians. Even its relatively affordable instruments -- the Digitakt and Digitone -- cost around $750. But the Model:Samples is different. It's a legitimate entry-level device that tries to deliver everything special about Elektron gear at a beginner-friendly price.
Moog's Sirin is an analog bass synth capable of soaring leads
Moog's DFAM percussion and Mother-32 semi-modular synthesizers are Eurorack-friendly instruments that can expand your sonic tool kit for around $600. As part of a week-long "House of Electronicus" event in LA, the company is debuting another $599 analog synth: the Sirin. This new instrument is based on Moog's Taurus Bass sound engine, but a pair of oscillators have been tweaked to achieve pitches way above middle C, hitting notes up to D8. In other words, this bass synth can do a lot more than just lay down some angry low-end tone, it can also produce soaring leads.
Fender’s acoustic-electric hybrid is a technological wonder
I'll admit that when I opened the guitar case of the Acoustasonic Telecaster I immediately thought of the toy guitar my parents gave me when I was four years old. With a small hole in the center of the body, it looks unlike anything out there. Well, except that plastic toy that somehow snuck its way into the recesses of my memory. Then I picked it up and strummed and... no this is not a plaything. This is a seriously impressive instrument that will more than likely win over skeptics once they start playing.
The latest Stylophone is much more than a tiny toy synth
The Stylophone line of tiny analog synths has been around for decades. The greats like Bowie and Kraftwerk have used them on iconic tracks, so they're not just limited to hobbyist use. At NAMM this week, Dubreq unveiled the latest, and the most powerful, version of the Stylophone to date: the Gen R-8. The same overall look is here from previous models with controls up top and a touch pad down below, but the Gen R-8 is larger than the "toy" synths that came before it. This is more comparable to the size of a compact keyboard synthesizer.
