The iconic synthesizer manufacturers that revolutionized music production from analog classics to digital powerhouses.
Roland has produced some of the most iconic synthesizers and drum machines in music history, including the TR-808, TB-303, and Juno-106. These instruments essentially created entire genres — hip-hop, electronic dance music, and acid house all owe their characteristic sounds to Roland.
Behringer has democratized access to classic synthesizer sounds by producing affordable clones of legendary instruments like the Minimoog, TB-303, and TR-808. Their Model D and RD-8 have brought analog synthesis within reach of musicians worldwide regardless of budget.
German manufacturer Waldorf produces synthesizers celebrated for their crystalline wavetable sounds and sophisticated digital oscillators. The Blofeld and Wave synthesizers are prized for creating evolving textural sounds that are nearly impossible to achieve with conventional synthesis.
Swedish company Elektron has built a devoted following with their Octatrack sampler and Analog Four synthesizer, emphasizing deep parameter control and live performance capabilities. Their instruments are the backbone of countless techno and experimental electronic music setups.
Make Noise is a leading manufacturer of Eurorack modular synthesizer modules, creating unconventional and experimental instruments that push the boundaries of what synthesis can be. Their Maths module is considered one of the most versatile and creative modules in the modular synthesis world.
Tom Oberheim's synthesizers, including the OB-X and OB-Xa, produce a rich, fat sound that defined 1980s pop and rock production. Artists from Van Halen to Prince relied on Oberheim's distinctive oscillator character for their signature tones.
Yamaha's DX7, launched in 1983, became the best-selling synthesizer ever and introduced FM synthesis to mainstream music production. The distinctive FM sounds — electric pianos, bells, and basses — are deeply embedded in the sonic identity of 1980s popular music.
Dave Smith's Sequential Circuits created the Prophet-5, the world's first microprocessor-controlled polyphonic synthesizer in 1977. The Prophet series remains among the most revered instruments in music production, with warm, lush pads that define classic pop and rock sounds.
Korg synthesizers from the MS-20 to the Minilogue have shaped decades of electronic music production. Their M1 workstation synth became the best-selling synthesizer of all time in the 1990s, and Korg continues innovating with affordable analog instruments.
Robert Moog's eponymous company invented the modern synthesizer in the 1960s, creating instruments that redefined what music could sound like. The Minimoog Model D remains the most influential synthesizer ever built, its warm analog tones heard on countless classic recordings.
French company Arturia has earned tremendous respect both for accurate software emulations of classic synthesizers and for innovative hardware like the MicroBrute and PolyBrute. Their MiniBrute gave a generation of musicians affordable access to genuine analog synthesis.
Native Instruments revolutionized music production with software synthesizers like Massive, which became central to the dubstep and bass music explosion of the 2010s. Their Komplete suite has become the industry standard collection of software instruments for professional producers.
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