The best instruments invite you to play before you read the manual. This hub gathers our synth coverage, from boutique desktop modules and drum machines to software that recreates forgotten classics.
New to it all? Start with the beginner guides at the bottom. Already deep in? The new gear section is where we track fresh releases from small and large makers alike.
New Synths, Drum Machines and Samplers
Fresh hardware from makers big and small.
- Erica Synths KONSTRUKT-8 Assembled Ships Ready to Play Out of the Box
- UDO DMNO ON: The Domino Synth Goes Desktop, and You Pick the Knobs
- ASM's Leviasynth Desktop Is a Real Digital-Analog Hybrid
- AnalogFX Larynx: A Rare Dutch Voice Gets a Keyboard
- Torso Electronics: S4 Sculpting Sampler
- The Nonlinear Labs C25 Is Built Around Your Hands
- Buchla Ziggy
- Intermynd Instruments DS-8 Drumstream
- Flexur: Sound Workshop Is Reviving a Forgotten 1930s Synthesizer
- Meris Ottobit X Turns '80s Bitcrush and VHS Decay Into a Pedal
- Roland RE-201 Space Echo
Teenage Engineering
The Swedish studio behind the OP-1 and the Pocket Operators.
- Teenage Engineering: Every Product Explained
- Is Teenage Engineering Moving Beyond Synths? What the Official Store Says About the OP-1
- Teenage Engineering EP-2350 FX-MIC: The Riddim Mic Goes Solo
- APC-2: Teenage Engineering Built a Record Cutter
Software Instruments
Plugins and apps worth installing.
- Imaginando COLAPSO Turns the Light of 22 Elements Into a Synth
- Cherry Audio Revives the Pentaphonic, a See-Through 1981 Synth Almost Nobody Owned
- Music Mouse Returns The Best Interface in Music Software Is 40 Years Old
Who Made It
The producers behind classic records and the gear they used.
Beginner Guides
Where to start if you are building a first setup.
- The Best Synthesizers for Beginners: 5 Keyboards Worth Learning On
- The Best Drum Machines for Beginners: 6 Beat Boxes Worth Learning On
- Best MIDI Controllers for Beginners: 6 Worth Buying
- Home Studio Starter Gear: 7 Essentials for Producers
- The Best Audio Interfaces for Home Recording: 5 Worth Buying
- Gifts for Music Producers: 10 Ideas That Get Used Right Away
Setting up a room to record in? See the Home Studio hub.