Synthesizers

Paul Nagle concludes his look at Clavia's groundbreaking new Nord Modular.

It was 1973 and everyone was playing Minimoogs, and ARP Odysseys. So why did the Keio ORGan company produce a little synthesizer with the most unorthodox controls imaginable, call it the MiniKORG 700, and try to convince the keyboard cognoscenti that it was worth buying? Gordon Reid explains...

Clavia's latest product is something else; an affordable modular hardware synth whose selection of modules and signal routing is user-definable in software, offering the synthesist staggering scope for sound design. In the first of this two-part review, Paul Nagle cross-modulates his joy input with Rapture envelope and goes into self-oscillating ecstasy...

Between the extremes of the broad brushstrokes of subtractive synthesis and the painstaking detail of additive, there have existed many hybrid styles of synthesis combining the speed of the former with the precision of the latter. Paul Wiffen traces the development of this middle ground through its successes and heroic failures.

Roland's Jupiter family yielded one or two shining examples of what an analogue polysynth should be.

If you'd love a modular synth, but couldn't possibly afford a real one, it's possible that virtual salvation is at hand.

Korg's new module makes the synthesis technology of their flagship Trinity workstation range more affordable — but at what cost?

Writer and electronic musician Paul Nagle successfully combines a day job with live performance and regular CD releases. Paul White zooms up the M6 and comes in for a landing at his well-stocked studio.

The ball of S&S synthesis had been thrown, and most of the big names in synthesis caught it and ran with it, scoring some notable goals in the process. Paul Wiffen continues his chronicle of modern synthesis with a look at the state of play from the late '80s to the present day.

Not all analogue classics have keys. The Xpander was an early module that packed in more features than its moderate size would lead you to expect, and left a legacy still discernible in modern synth design.

Anyone in any doubt as to the popularity of Depeche Mode should see this man's studio. Alan Wilder, formerly the programming powerhouse of the group, and now striking out on his own, has poured the profits of his years with the Mode into this astonishing home setup. Here he talks about the studio, his new album, and his days with Depeche.

Paul White finds a few ways around the restricted breath-control facilities of the Yamaha VL70m.

For the synth afictionado, the ARP Odyssey is up there with the Minimoog in terms of its power and sonic quality. Gordon Reid explains why he loves his Ody...

Apart from a few MIDI-supported commands, the Doepfer MS404 is completely analogue — so there are no patch memories, no SysEx, and no storable front-panel settings. Chris Carter explains why you'd nevertheless be mad to overlook it...

Quasimidi are delivering on their promise to provide new goodies for owners of the 309 dance box. Derek Johnson raves a bit...

At the January NAMM show in 1987, Roland launched their D50, which mixed synthesis and sampled sounds in one package, a compbination which has remained popular to the current day. Paul Wiffen examines how S&S evolved into the most widespread form of sound generation on the market.

Spinets, Hammonds, massed choirs? Nope. Derek Johnson takes a trip with a module that does just what it says on the tin.

Access's strangely-named Virus is another digital synth emulating the analogues of yesteryear — but this one might be the best of the bunch so far. Paul Nagle brings you a sneak preview of the first Virus to hit the UK.

Yamaha have taken their MU90R, wired in a VL tone generator and put three-part harmoniser in the effects section. The result is the MU100R. Christopher Holder gets virtual.

Commercial physical modelling synths first appeared in 1994, but until now, nobody has produced one that offers truly multitimbral operation together with decent polyphonic performance. Korg's new Z1 does — and for well under £2,000. In this, the first UK review of the finished instrument, Goron Reid laughs wildly and plays lots fo chords — because he can.

If you're tempted to try out the whole Spectrum of bass sounds, Peavey have updated and old favourite, and Nick Rowland has the lowdown...