Synth

There's no doubt that ambient music is currently seeing a resurgence. It could be the well-timed Mort Garson and Laurie Spiegel reissues that piqued interest or even documentaries like Sisters With Transistors. Maybe it's the fact a pandemic effectively canceled band practice for the foreseeable future. Either way, we're here to embrace these soothing sounds. If you haven't dabbled in the ambient artform, it's incredibly easy and fun to zone out making lush landscapes. Without the need for bandmates, musicians can take their own spin on beat making, sound design, field recording, looping and create something all their own. Today we’re gonna take a look at some of the popular tools that will help you create your own ambient sounds. Continue reading →

The world of synthesizers is a vast landscape with lots of options. One of the reasons for its explosion in popularity is that music makers are afforded the freedom to create any kind of rig they can dream up. For some though, this can be a barrier to entry. With the release of the Moog Sound Studio, the historic brand is giving new and old synth enthusiasts all the tool they to start creating music instantly. On the surface, the Moog Sound Studio appears to simply be two different bundled options, the Mother-32/DFAM ($1399) and DFAM/Subharmonicon ($1449). These entries into Moog's semi-modular synthesizers lineup are world-class instruments that have been adopted by knob tweakers and patch-friendly artists all over the world. The best part? You don't need to understand modular synthesis to make interesting sounds with these instruments. Continue reading →

With NAMM's Believe in Music Week less than a few days away, pro audio brands around the world are starting to announce new gear releases. One of the first drops of the NAMM 2021 season comes from Sequential who have just launched the Prophet-5 and Prophet-10 desktop modules. Back in October, Sequential reintroduced the legendary Prophet-5 synthesizer, in addition to a Prophet-10. For the new Prophet-5 ($2499.00) and Prophet-10 ($3299.00) desktop modules, Sequential founder and designer Dave Smith managed to fit the big sound of the full-scale synthesizers into a smaller form factor. Just like the classic version, the Prophet-5 desktop module features five voices while the Prophet-10 has, you guessed it... 10! Continue reading →

One of the most exciting releases we’ll surely see in 2020 is the Moog Subharmonicon, the brand's latest addition to its semi-modular synthesizer line. Everyone with a Mother-32, DFAM, and three-tier rack can now experience the semi-modular feng shui of this trinity of synths all jamming in harmony (or chaos).I got to have a first look at the Subharmonicon at the 2018 Moogfest when it was introduced as one of the DIY kit builds. Only 120 were produced for the festival. Ever since, I’ve seen synth heads on muffwiggler and the Moog forums asking when a full production model would be released and we’re elated to report that it’s here and it’s fantastic. Continue reading →

Throughout the past few years, Moog Music has been busy creating semi-modular synthesizers that have become instant classics upon their release. The Moog Matriarch and Grandmother have become the perfect tools for a wide array of musicians, as both have something to offer those just starting out and those who have been creating patches for decades. If you were to quickly scan the Matriarch and Grandmother with a less than critical eye, the differences between the synths might not standout. The Matriarch builds off the Grandmother's semi-modular design, using the same oscillators, arpeggiator/sequencer, ADSR envelope generator, and ladder filter in its make-up. You'll notice a lot of the same colors and controls, but from there, things start to become different. Continue reading →

Here at Vintage King, Halloween is one of our favorite times of the year. Not just because we get to wear all black and stuff our faces with candy, but because we get to revisit some of our favorite horror movies and spooky soundtracks from the 1980s. To celebrate the spirit of Halloween, we spoke with synth lord and certified super-villain Protovolt to find out what makes a classic horror score. Known for his sick retro scores and insane synthesizer collection, Protovolt is easily one of the raddest dudes on the internet, and an aficionado of all things 80s. Read on to learn about Protovolt’s favorite tools for writing retro-inspired scores, his custom arcade cab modular synth, and what his death scene would be like if he was in a horror movie. Continue reading →