Best online piano lessons 2023: Apps, websites and software for piano players
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Synths
All the latest keyboard and synth news, reviews and tips on MusicRadar
Latest synths news
6 of the best new DAWs in 2023
Ableton, Bitwig, Logic and FL Studio all received major updates this year, but who'll take our crown?
What’s the biggest selling electronic music gear of 2023, we hear you ask? Reverb has the answer and it might not surprise you…
Teenage Engineering dominates, with the OP-1 topping the overall and used charts once again
The bad, the good and the ugly: How AudioPilz's meme-fuelled Bad Gear became YouTube's funniest music tech series
Florian Pilz joins us to talk about his rise to YouTube stardom and pick out five of his baddest bits of "bad gear"
The SoundForce SFC-08 could be the most affordable route to owning a ‘hardware’ Oberheim OB-X, though you’ll need to bring your own synth plugin
This bespoke MIDI controller looks like a beauty
8 of the best new plugins in 2023
Gear of the Year continues with our round-up of the finest soft synths, effects processors and mixing tools that 2023 had to offer
Arturia's V Collection X gets a Yamaha CP-70 electric piano emulation, along with 5 other new instruments, classic plugin rebuilds and three expansion packs
The big-value synth bundle has had its annual update
"Our prices range from 'not for the faint of heart' to 'if you have to ask, you can't afford it'": The 6 most expensive synthesizers that you can buy right now
Won the lottery? Love synths? Come with us…
Bearcubs: "Your musical ideas aren’t precious creatures. It’s OK to completely mangle and destroy a sound"
Jack Ritchie tells us about the analogue synths, effects plugins and production techniques that inspired the production of his latest EP, Watching People Play Tennis Out The Window
Latest synths tuition
How to design a punchy, radio-ready synth bass sound
Recreating the impactful bass sound of pop hits like Jax Jones’ Whistle needn’t be difficult. Let’s learn how…
How to make a Gorillaz‑style synth string patch
We show you how to use a retro sound in an über-contemporary setting as synth strings get the Gorillaz treatment
How to make '80s stereo synth stabs
Ever wondered how you can make your short and snappy synth sounds even more interesting? It’s all about the stereo
Play Like a Pro: Mono synth skills and technique
Playing a mono synth demands a different technique to conventional keyboard playing. Here's how.
Play Like a Pro: How to control software with your keyboard
Set your controller keyboard up to master your software
How to create the 'perfect fifths' synth pad
Get your fifths and ninths in order as we explore one of the most identifiable pad sounds around
Quick Tips: What is control voltage and how does it work?
Get to know the CV/Gate system, the pre-MIDI method that synths, sequencers and music tech gear uses to communicate
How to recreate the sound of the Solina String Ensemble
We bolster our guide to 15 essential synth sounds with one of the most useful patches in any synthesist's arsenal: synth strings
How to make synth sweep FX for EDM drops
We’ve all heard white noise sweeps with their cutoff frequencies steadily climbing. In this tutorial, we look at a more original take
Latest synths reviews
Cherry Audio Harmonia review
- £43
- €48
- $49
If you like to get creative with your synthesis, Cherry Audio has a new and exciting design for you. We get re-addicted to additive
Sonic Charge Synplant 2 review
- €149
- $149
An esoteric classic gets an AI-powered update. We plant a seed to see what grows…
Expressive E Osmose review
- £1699
- €1968
- $1777
Is the long-awaited MPE synth from Haken Audio and Expressive E your studio’s future centrepiece?
AJH Synth MiniMod Keyz review
- £2795
- €2998
- $3216
An integrated Eurorack system with the benefits of a Minimoog, and more? We say ‘yes, please’ to the MiniMod Keyz
Sound Particles SkyDust 3D review
- £166/333
- €186/373
- $199/399
It’s the first 3D synth but will SkyDust 3D clutter up your mixes or scatter magic dust across them? We journey through time and space…
GS Music e7 review
- £1600
- €1846
- $1600
This first poly from Argentina already sounds like a classic but has one or two tricks up its sleeve
Cherry Audio Octave Cat review
- £43
- €48
- $49
Emulating a key ’70s synth scene disruptor, Cherry Audio’s new creation adopts feline tendencies. We take a prowl…
Roland Gaia 2 review
- £766
- €869
- $769
Roland’s ‘hands-on’ virtual analogue returns with some fresh tricks up its sleeve. But does it still have one foot stuck in the past?
Kurzweil K2700 review
- £2969
- €2999
- $2755
With its vast array of synthesis and performance technologies, Kurzweil continues its legendary workstation ethic, through an updated workhorse
Intellijel Cascadia review
- £2025
- €2369
- $2175
With this coast-crossing, platform-hopping, semi-modular synth, Intellijel aims to win a torrent of new fans. We get into the flow
