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Arturia's MicroFreak is an affordable synth that lives up to its name
Arturia already has a compelling low-cost analog synth in the MicroBrute. And an affordable analog drum machine in the DrumBrute Impact (that FM drum sounds bonkers). Now it's adding a digital synth at the same $349 price point and, well, it's a weird one. The MicroFreak has 11 different oscillator modes, including seven that were designed in collaboration with Mutable Instruments, which is renowned for its Eurorack synth modules. In fact, Arturia claims this puts the power of Mutable Instruments' much loved Plaits unit in a standalone synth. Oh, and there's nothing stopping Arturia from adding more oscillators down the road through firmware updates.
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.
Yamaha's Sonogenic keytar is equal parts instrument and party trick
Keytars, almost by definition, are charmingly goofy. How could they not be? They're wearable pianos that lend themselves well to pageantry. Racks of meticulously prepped synths come with a sort of gravitas that doesn't exist when keys are slung across a musician's body, making the person as much a part of a show as the music. It's all just a little more fun.
Elektron is making its powerful music-making sequencers more affordable
Elektron has a reputation for building high-end synths, samplers and grooveboxes with matching high-end prices. It's "affordable" options -- the Digitakt and Digitone -- have a list price of $759. Yikes. For NAMM 2019 though, it's making a legitimate play for a more budget conscious consumer with the unfortunately named Model:Samples. It has a list price of $449, but we're already seeing it for as little as $399 on some sites.
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.
iRig Micro Amp delivers classic guitar tones with your phone
IK Multimedia is making it easier to bring a mini music studio on the road, especially if you have a newer iPhone. It just introduced an iRig Micro Amp that produces 15W while touting a USB interface, giving you a reasonably powerful yet portable amplifier with tone processing on iOS devices, Macs and PCs of all stripes. You don't need a headphone jack here, folks. It's larger than the company's earlier Nano Amp, but still compact enough that you can toss it in your backpack for impromptu practice sessions.
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.
Teenage Engineering is making modular synths for the masses
Modular synths are all the rage right now. And it's not just the usual players either. Korg and Stylophone recently dipped their toes in the modular world. And now Teenage Engineering is getting on the bandwagon. The company is best known for its portable music creation tools like the OP-1 and OP-Z, not to mention the damn near disposable, but kinda awesome Pocket Operator line. This year it's making it first modular system and also its first analog synth with the Pocket Operator Modular series.
Korg introduces Volca Modular and Volca Drum synths
Korg's popular Volca line is getting larger and weirder with two additions: Modular and Drum. The affordable and portable line of battery powered synths has covered a lot of ground since first being introduced in 2013. There's a drum machine, a pair of analog synths, an FM-flavored love letter to the '80s, a mixer and even a model dedicated entirely to the kick drum. But for 2019 Korg is reaching much farther afield.
Korg Minilogue XD synthesizer review
When Korg introduced the Minilogue in 2016 it was a game-changer. It's a true analog polyphonic synth for around $500, and frankly, there isn't much else like it on the market. And even three years later it's still one of the best values out there in analog synthesizers. But the market is moving fast, and Korg isn't about to let the competition lap it. So it's introducing the four-voice Minilogue XD, which takes the best parts of the entire 'logue lineup -- Microtunings and the sequencer from the Monologue, the MULTIdigital Oscillator from the flagship Prologue -- and combines them in one stunningly affordable package.
