Secret LFO Trick for Roland JD-08

Those of you who have a JD-08 may have discovered the free-running rate on the LFO only goes up to 100, and it is far short of the buzzy audio rate speed that makes for cool buzzing lead sounds.

Turns out there’s a secret trick that allows you to pass that 100 rate, and push it to the extreme.

First, you need to dive into the System menu to set the JD’s MIDI clock source to Internal.

After that, press and hold Common, and then press Effect, to switch the JD to its hidden Internal Tempo setting. The default is 120.0. Crank it up to 300.0 (the maximum).

After that, press Common and Effect again to exit that menu system.

Press Common, and go to LFO, and set LFO 1 to Sync - ON.

Exit the Common menu system, and go to the pitch control section. Nudge the Pitch LFO control up some, to help preview the sound when you start modding it.

Go to the LFO 1 control section, and while playing notes, start turning up the LFO Rate. Up until 1/32 or so it sounds like the normal LFO speed. Once you pass it and get into 1/64, you enter proper audio rate territory.

While designing our N R G! Hands Up Soundset for Roland JD-08, we use 1/64t a lot, because it hits the high rate buzzy sweet spot many classic Tune Up! and Groove Coverage sounds hit in their classic tunes.

You may find it useful for genres other than Hands Up and Eurodance, so, have fun!

You can hear how it sounds in action below

How To Install Soundsets on the Roland JD-08

Having trouble installing soundbanks on your new Roland JD-08? Watch this video to get full step-by-step instructions to help you get your new patches uploaded and ready to play!

Dawnchaser is a Pacific Northwest-based electronic music producer, mountaineer, documenter of all things adventure, mountain, and travel-related, and manager of Kulshan Recordings. If he’s not in the studio writing music about adventures, he’s out on one.

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Roland JD-08 Review 2022

ROLAND JD-08 REVIEW 2022

So, at last Roland has come out with a boutique for the legendary 90’s digital classic the JD-800. As always, early reactions to the synth are mixed, and frequent complaints about its size abound. It also garners a lot of praise. But how is the synth really? Is it a faithful recreation, or merely a pale photocopy? Is it a worthy synth for modern music production? Let’s dive in and take a look.

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JD-08 OSCILLATOR SECTION

According to the Roland site, the JD-08 contains all the original waveforms from the JD800. So if you’re looking for all the OG waveforms, you will not be disappointed. Everything is on display here, from 3 different kinds of Sawtooth waves, to multiple widths of Pulse and Square waves, triangle, sine, and numerous digital and sampled waveforms of everything from guitars to pianos, to folk instruments from all over the globe. There’s even a couple human voice type waves in there, which is fun.

The oscillators are all bright, crisp, and clean, and word on the street is that the sound of the JD-08 is a bit brighter than the original, so you can get an even crisper tone from it for modern productions.

You can layer up to 4 waveforms at once using each of the Tone buttons, and because of the architecture of the synth, each Tone can have its own independent Envelopes applied to it, so you can create really cool morphing and evolving textures that few other synths are capable of.

It lacks Pulse Width Modulation though, so the various fixed-width pulse waves and squares are all you get. There’’s no pulse sweeps or subtle modulations to be done to these. Which makes sense, given that the waveforms are technically all samples stored on the synth. But it’s still annoying for those of us accustomed to analog and VA synthesis.

That limitation aside, the sheer number of possible waveform combinations and the ability to independently modulate each one makes this synth a true powerhouse for any genre.

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JD-08 FILTER SECTION

The filter here is fairly typical of other Rolands, in that it has a bright resonance, and sounds quite nice. It doesn’t properly self-oscillate like a Moog though, so achieving squelchy round Moogy basses and acid sounds will be a bit challenging (it’s doable, but a lot of it will come from how to set the Filter Envelopes, since the filter has only one slope type).

The Hipass and Bandpass filters are great though, and allow for added tonal exploration that are a joy to work with on all kinds of patches. The bandpass is particularly nice for aggressive FM type squelches and squishes.

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JD-08 AMPLITUDE SECTION

This is where things get interesting. All 3 envelopes are accessed using this single set of controls, and you have to button-push to dive into each one - and that’s on a per-Tone basis. So if you’re making a 4-layer patch with different layers of modulation for each Tone, you’ll be menu diving a good 12 times to get it all set up.

That said, the level of granularity for sound sculpting with these extended envelopes is intense. You get extended decay AND sustain parameters, allowing you to create wild evolving textures and pads that shimmer and sweep in ways few other synths can pull off.

The Pitch envelope section of this cuts back on a couple of the usable parameters/ changes their effects a bit, but other than that, these envelopes behave the same across all sets of parameters, giving you individual tonal control for everything.

It does take some getting used to though, and wrangling the Decay and Sustain amounts, levels, and slopes so you can make normal trance and house sounds takes a time to get a feel for. Your patience will be rewarded here.

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JD-08 LFO SECTION

Now this is nice. 2 independent LFOs give you a lot of nice options for sound manipulation. Initially they are free-running LFOs, but if you dive into a submenu, you can clock them for easier-to-manage rhythmic effects. That the LFOs can be linked to most of the front panel controls is super nice.

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JD-08 MODULATION SECTION

Between the LFO, the Envelopes, and the Bias section (which is more or less a more granular Volume control for each Tone), there’s not too much else to say about the Mod section.

There’s no internal Mod Matrix, so besides going into submenus to set various parameters to Key Follow, or Velocity, there’s not much else by way of Modulation controls here. It’d be nice if it were like the Virus TI, where you can modulate all the FX parameters, or like the Blofeld, where you can make almost anything a source to modulate against other sounds, to create crazy massive FM sounds. This synth is more primitive in that regard.

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JD-08 EFFECT SECTION

The effects on this synth are where it really shines. The Distortion is crunchy and gnarly (and comes in multiple flavors, which is cool), the Phaser is spectacular, and has enough granularity in the controls that you can use it on almost anything (it far surpasses the Rev2, JP8080, and Blofeld with its Phaser by a long mile). The Chorus is nice and expansive, and offers a lot of control. The Spectrum control (glorified 6 band EQ) helps add a lot of character to sounds, and the Enhance effect is also nice. The Delay is solid and highly flexible, and the Reverb is quite nice. It’s no Virus TI reverb, but it is definitely wide and spacious and plenty usable if you need reverb for patches in a live or DAWless setting.

The FX on this thing definitely add a big plus to the synth.

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JD-08 UNISON SECTION

Honestly? We barely understand what the Unison actually does on this synth. As far as we can tell, it multiplies and stacks some extra voices of the sound being played, but that’s about it. There’s no Detune or Pan Spread control, so activating Unison doesn’t really allow for creating notably wider sounds. The sounds become a bit fatter, but they also reset back to the initial value with each new note, so the sound takes on a phasery washy kind of quality (similar to the Blofeld).

It’s good for big trance leads and pads, but for plucks, unison doesn’t really help much, unless you want that phasery sound.

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CONCLUSION

So how does the JD-08 stack up?

In our design work on sounds for it, we found virtually no difference between the sounds of the JD-08 and its ancestor the JD800.

One issue we encountered that’s important to note is that existing JD800 soundbanks (both for the hardware and the VST) will not work on this synth. The JD-08 stores its patches in a master backup file that is proprietary to the synth, and patches can only be loaded and dumped in a single master backup file. That limits the number of soundbanks you can buy for it, and also means you can’t load in individual patches from several banks to build your own custom collections. You can save your own patches, but if you save them to the original set of patches that the synth came with, you will lose them or be forced to do a separate backup and juggle backups to use your own sounds and 3rd party soundsets. Maybe Roland will eventually release a workaround for this, or fix this in a future firmware update. But right now, banks go on the synth in an all-or-nothing fashion. That’s a definite strike against it.

Now, on other technical matters, what it lacks in PWM and certain modulation capabilities, we found it more than makes up for in flexibility and expanded sound design capabilities that put it in territory that surpasses other synths in its price range.

The FX, the USB-C connectivity, and ability to act as an audio interface and even do audio over USB make this a seriously powerful synth, in a tiny package. We’ve heard demos of the other boutiques, and we think this is a real contender for Best Roland Boutique.

Where many of the other boutiques are tiny digital emulations of older analog synths, this is a digital recreation of a digital synth, and it expands the connection capabilities of the original to territory the original can’t hope to achieve. It’s all digital and it isn’t ashamed of it. It can be powered via USB or batteries, and is small enough it can fit into a backpack or tote bag (or even a particularly large pocket). The built-in speaker is no great shakes. But how many people are buying it for that to begin with?

This is a synth you hook up to a laptop for music work while on a plane, train, or bus, or hook up to a larger keyboard and PA system to play out for some monster pads and leads (and it even punches pretty hard on basses too) at a live gig.

For $400, this isn’t merely a bargain. It’s a powerful synth on its own merit (with a few quirks) and is a welcome addition to the Roland Synth Pantheon.

If you make dance or ambient music of any flavor and need a travel-sized synth with more voicing than a Virus TI, that works well as a solid all-arounder, the JD-08 is one of the best you can get.

Just don’t try to use MIDI CH 4 or 5 for connecting it to your PC (trust us on this one)

Hear it in action:

Dawnchaser is a Pacific Northwest-based electronic music producer, mountaineer, documenter of all things adventure, mountain, and travel-related, and manager of Kulshan Recordings. If he’s not in the studio writing music about adventures, he’s out on one.

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Top 10 Keyboard Hardware Synths For Trance Producers (Updated 2026)

TOP 10 KEYBOARD HARDWARE SYNTHS FOR TRANCE

In the market for a solid, awesome keyboard synth to take your Trance productions to the next level? Did you read our previous article about the Top 10 Desktop Hardware Synths For Trance, and wonder what else is out there for live play?

Whatever your reason, here's a list of 10 keyboard synths ranging from tiny budget synths all the way up to monster flagship units. This list contains virtual analog, digital, and analog synths. This list is in no particular order, but you can listen to soundset samples of each to decide which keyboard suits your music best.

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Novation Ultranova / Mininova

The successor to the legendary SuperNova II (its engine is even based on the SNII), this is a solid all-arounder workhorse synth that can make any type of sound you need, and it’ll fit right in the mix with ease. While minimal on knobs and front panel controls, its submenus are logically arranged, and there’s a free VST Editor/Librarian from Novation to help you create, edit, and save patches. If you’re looking for a JP8000 alternative with more polyphony (and FX), or want that classic Nova trance sound in a more modern synth, this is a great choice.

The only differences between the UltraNova and the MiniNova are the size difference, and the Mini will not double as an interface/ sound card. Otherwise the two are functionally the same and sound identical.

Polyphony - Up to 18-note polyphony (dynamic voicing)

Multitimbral - Mono-Timbral (1 Part)

Synthesis Method - Based on Supernova II
Waveforms include: Square, sine, tri, sawtooth, pulse, 9 x saw:pulse combinations. 20 x digital waveforms. 36 x wavetables

Effects- Distortion - up to 2 instances. Compressor - up to 2 instances. Chorus/Phase - up to 4 instances. Delay - up to 2 instances. Reverb - up to 2 instances. Gator. EQ. 12 band vocoder.

Arpeggiator - 33 patterns. Chord function - lock up to 10 notes

Patch storage up to 512 on hardware (ships with 300 factory patches)

Controllers - 8 x touch sensitive encoders. 1 x large smooth encoder (with back-lit filter lock buttons). 1 x large patch select/speed dial encoder. 2 x volume & monitor mix dials. 39 x LED lit/indicated buttons. 1 x Pitch wheel (LED lit). 1 x Modulation wheel (LED lit)

37-note keyboard with velocity and aftertouch

Connections - XLR dynamic mic input. 2 x ¼" jack inputs. 2 x ¼" jack outputs. 2 x ¼" jack aux outputs. 1 x ¼" jack headphone output. SPDIF digital output on RCA connector. Expression pedal on ¼" jack input. Sustain pedal on ¼" jack input. MIDI in/out/thru. 12 volt power input. USB port (UltraNova can be powered via USB). Kensington Lock port

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Sequential Prophet Rev2

No doubt the more seasoned persons among you will recognize this name. Dave Smith Instruments (now Sequential) have been long been pioneers in the music world. While their Prophet 5 and 10 are true icons, and nearly every big name has (or did in the past) use a DSI synth in their music, their synths remain relatively underutilized in Trance. A scant few like Above & Beyond and Tritonal use a Prophet 08, and Zombie Nation used a Prophet 5, but Prophet users in Trance are far and few between. So this makes the Rev2 perfect for this list, since it hasn’t been used to death in a million records, and has enough features and flexibility to make a solid all-arounder for big uplifting anthems (we recommend the 16 Voice version, to experience the real power of this synth).

Polyphony - 8 or 16 voice polyphony (8 voice version is expandable to 16 with installation of additional voice card)

Oscillators - 2 digitally controlled analog oscillators (DCOs) per voice (plus sub octave on oscillator 1) with selectable sawtooth, triangle, saw/triangle mix, and pulse waves (with pulse-width modulation). Glide (portamento): separate rates per oscillator. White noise generator. Analog VCAs. Hard sync

Filters - 1 analog Curtis low-pass filter per voice, selectable 2- and 4-pole operation (self-resonating in 4-pole mode)

Envelopes - 3 envelope generators: filter, VCA, and assignable (four-stage ADSR + delay); Envelope 3 can loop.

Sequencer - Polyphonic step sequencer with up to 64 steps (6 notes per step), and ties and rests. Separate 16 x 4 gated step sequencer. Each layer can have a separate sequence.

LFOs - 4 LFO’s with key sync per LFO

Modulation - 8-slot modulation matrix, 22 sources, 53 destinations, 5 additional dedicated sources: mod wheel, pressure, velocity, breath controller, footswitch

Arpeggiator - Programmable arpeggiator with up, down, up+down, random, assign modes. Selectable note value: 16th note, 8th note triplet, 8th note, dotted 8th note, quarter note. One, two, or three octave range. Re-latching arpeggiation. Note repeat

Controls - 5-octave keyboard with semi-weighted action, velocity, and aftertouch. 55 knobs and 35 buttons enable deep and comprehensive editing with little to no menu diving.. Spring-loaded pitch wheel and assignable mod wheel

Memory - 512 Factory Programs (4 banks of 128) and 512 fully editable User Programs with 2 layers (2 separate sounds) in each Program

In/Out - MIDI In, Out, Thru. Main stereo audio output: 1/4″ unbalanced. Output B stereo audio output: 1/4″ unbalanced. Sustain pedal input: accepts normally on or normally off momentary footswitch.

Pedal/CV input - responds to expression pedals or control voltages ranging from 0 to 5 VDC (protected against higher or negative voltages). Headphone output: 1/4″ stereo phone jack.

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Korg MicroKorg XL

A thoroughly underrated mini synth that punches far above its weight. Based on the sound engine of the Korg Radias, its tiny cheap-feeling plastic frame hides synthesis and sonic capabilities that rival synths hundreds of dollars more expensive. Between its unison mode and extra waveform features, it’s capable of a wide variety of tones, and its many distortion and FX options (except Reverb, strangely) can turn it into a powerhouse synth that could serve as a primary synth for tech trance or hard trance producers.

Voice polyphony - Maximum 8 voices (when using Vocoder, it is 4 voices)

Synth 2 oscillators + noise generator

Oscillator 1 Waveform - 8 types (Sawtooth, Pulse, Triangle, Sine, Formant, Noise, DWGS, Audio In), Modulation: Waveform, Cross, Unison, VPM

Oscillator 2 Waveform - 4 types (Sawtooth, Pulse, Triangle, Sine)
Modulation: Ring, Sync, Ring+Sync

Tone Generator System MMT (Multiple Modeling Technology)

Program Multi Timbral Maximum 2 (when using Layer, Split, or Multi)

Waveshape Type - Drive, Decimator, HardClip, OctSaw, MultiTri, MultiSin, SubOSCSaw, SubOSCSqu, SubOSCTri, SubOSCSin, LevelBoost

Multimode Filters Filter 1 - -24 dB/oct LPF ~ -12 dB/oct LPF ~ -12 dB/oct BPF ~ -12 dB/oct HPF ~ Thru

Filter 2 - LPF, HPF, BPF (switchable)

Vocoder - 16 channel vocoder, adjustable level and pan for each channel, Formant Shift function, Formant Hold function

Keyboard - 37 notes (Natural Touch mini-keyboard, velocity sensitive)

Controller - Pitch bend wheel, Modulation Wheel

Effects - Timbre 2 band EQ Master effect 2 units, 17effect algorithms.

Arpeggiator - Six types: UP, DOWN, ALT1/2, Random, Trigger, Individual step on/off function

Programs - 128 programs (A/B banks x 8 genres x 8 category)

Inputs - [AUDIO INPUT 1] (1/4” phone jack, unbalanced, with MIC/LINE switch) – Rear Panel
[AUDIO INPUT 1 (MIC)] (XLR jack / balanced) – Front Panel

Outputs - [L/MONO, R] (1/4” Standard phone jacks / unbalanced)
[Phone] (1/4” Stereo Standard phone jacks)

MIDI In/ Out: USB Type B

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Moog Sub 37

For a more unconventional Trance synth, the Moog Sub 37 (and Subsequent 37) is a standout unit. It’s paraphonic (in Duo Mode), and comes from the newer generation of Moogs, so it has a somewhat brighter, more in-your-face tone, but it has that analog grit and warmth that makes it perfect for basslines, midbasses, leads, and plucks. Pair it with a quality reverb, delay, and chorus, and you have a killer keyboard that can shake windows from their frames, or peel the paint from your walls. It can even manage rudimentary SuperSaw-like sounds with its 3 oscillators, and the detuning and modulation capabilities that make it able to do detuned leads that will add serious dirt to your lower layers.

Polyphony - Monophonic / Duophonic
Timbrality - 2

Oscillator - 2

LFO - 2

Synthesis type - Analog subtractive

Filter - 1 selectable 6, 12, 18 or 24dB/octave low-pass

Attenuator - ADSR

Aftertouch expression - yes

Velocity expression - yes

Storage memory - 256 patches

Effects - none

Keyboard - 37 keys

External control - MIDI, CV/Gate

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Novation Summit

A newcomer on the scene, the Summit is the Novation Peak’s bigger sibling, with more polyphony and a generous keyboard for playing epic sounds in realtime. Its Oxford oscillators are digital, and based on a new design that recreates much of the magic of pure analog, without the more annoying quirks of true analog. Its signal path after the oscillators is all analog though, and that gives it a special character untouched by any other. Trance artists who use this will certainly stand in a class of their own with this synth.

Polyphony - 16 note polyphony (dependent on voices used per note). 2-part-timbral. Layered, Split, Dual Bi-Timbral Modes. 5 Voice Modes - Mono, MonoLG, Mono2, Poly, Poly2

Oscillators - 3 oscillators, 1 noise generator with HP filter control, 1 ring modulator, 2 LFOs, 1 amp envelope and 2 mod envelopes (ADHSR + looping), 1 filter

Waveforms - Sine, tri, sawtooth, square / pulse, plus 43 wavetables of 5 waveforms per row

Filter - 1 state variable OTA filter per voice, 12/24dB slope, Low-pass / band-pass / high-pass / dual filter (separation of each 12dB filters), dual filter: LP > HP, LP > BP, HP > BP, LP + HP, LP + BP, HP + BP, LP + LP, BP + BP, and HP + HP, Pre-filter overdrive, Post-filter distortion

Modulation - 16 modulation slots per patch, 2 sources per destination per slot

Mod Sources - Direct (depth), Modulation wheel, Aftertouch (polyphonic and channel AT), Expression pedal 1, Expression pedal 2, Keyboard velocity, LFO1 positive, LFO1 bi-polar, LFO2 positive, LFO2 bi-polar, Amp envelope, Mod envelope 1, Mod envelope 2, Animate 1, Animate 2, CV mod input bi-polar, Bend Up, Bend Down

Mod Destinations - Oscillator 1-3 frequency, v-sync level, shape amount and level, Noise source level, Ring modulator output level, Overall synth output level, Filter drive, distortion, cut-off frequency and resonance, LFO 1 and 2 frequency, Amp env / mod env 1 / mod env 2 attack, decay and release, FM Osc 1 -> osc 2, osc 2 -> osc 3, osc 3 -> osc 1 and noise -> osc 1, Osc 3 -> filter cutoff frequency, Noise -> filter cutoff frequency

Effects - FX are per part, Analogue distortion, 3 chorus types, Delay with 16 types of delay sync, LP and HP damping, slew and stereo

FX Mod Matrix Source - Direct (depth), Mod wheel, Aftertouch, Expression pedal 1, Expression/breath pedal 2, Velocity, Keyboard, LFO 1 +/-, LFO 2 +/-, LFO 3 +/-, LFO 4 +/-, Amp envelope, Mod envelope 1 & 2, Animate 1 & 2, CV +/-, Bendwheel +/-, Bend up, Bend down

FX Mod Matrix Destinations - Distortion level, Chorus level, Chorus rate, Chorus depth, Chorus feedback, Delay level, Delay time, Delay feedback, Reverb level, Reverb time, Reverb low pass, Reverb high pass

Misc - FM controls on front panel, Global LFO 3 & 4, Arpeggiator with key latch – 33 patterns. Patch storage - up to 512 on hardware (ships with 256 factory patches). All knobs (excl. volume), sliders and most buttons transmit and receive MIDI cc commands for external control and mapping. Microtuning with Scala table import and table tuning creation. Manual mode. Multi pot mode: Relative, Pot pick-up, Snap

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Alesis Andromeda A6

If there were ever a Holy Grail Synth in the trance world, this just might be it. The Virus and the JP8000 may be more popular, but the A6 commands a degree of respect few others do. And for good reason. It’s 100% analog. It’s got 16 Voices of polyphony, and comes loaded with plenty of knobs and features. It’s a sound designer’s dream, and it makes fabulous trance tones like no other. Sadly, it was expensive to build, notoriously finicky, and prone to needing a lot of repairs. As such, it proved to be Alesis’ undoing in the early 2000s. You can still find these synths floating around in the market, and if you can afford it, and are willing to maintain it, this synth can give you an edge unlike any other.

Polyphony/Multitimbral Parts - 16/16

Waveform Memory ROM/RAM - N/A

Filter Types/Resonance - 4-pole/2-pole multimode/Y

Single Programs ROM/RAM - 256/128

Multitimbral Performances ROM/RAM - 128/128

Portamento - Yes

Number of Keys - 61

Number of Keyboard Zones - 16

Left Hand Controllers - (2) wheel; (1) ribbon

Aftertouch (Poly/Channel) - Y/Y

Number and Type of Controller Inputs - (2) switch; (1) pedal up to 16 steps

Number of Sequencer Tracks/PPQN - 1/16

Sequencer/Memory (Notes) - 16

Arpeggiator - Yes

Number of Effects Processors/Effects Programs - 2/28

Number of Outputs/Type - (4) 1/4" bal mains + aux/16 indiv outs

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Roland JD-08

And here we come to a newer synth on the list. The JD-08 from Roland. It’s their boutique take on the 1991 classic digital synth the JD800, and despite the tiny size, it packs a lot of power. Where the original could only muster 24 Voices of polyphony, the JD-08 can manage 128.

While not strictly a “keyboard” synth by default, the additional purchase of the Roland K-25M keyboard turns this into a minikey synth in the same vein as the Mininova or MicroKorg XL, and thus merits inclusion on this list. Right out of the box it comes with all the original waveforms and presets from the JD800, and it comes with the added bonus of USB-C connectvity, a 3.5mm stereo analog out port, and a headphone jack, and it can function as its own audio interface. So you can pack this synth in your backpack and take it on the road. And it can be powered via USB or batteries, giving you even more flexibility for where and how you use it. It seems to be a little bit brighter in sound than the original, which makes it perfect for more modern productions (and means sounds need less processing to fit in the mix). This synth it is digital through and through, and is proud of it.

Number of Keys: 25 (with optional K-25M keyboard)

Polyphony: 128 notes (dependent on patch load)

Presets: 64 x Original JD-800 Presets, 21 x Factory, 171 x User

Oscillators: 4 x Tone Palettes

Waveforms: 108 x Waveforms

Envelope Generator: Multi-phase Time-variant Envelope

LFO: 2 x LFO (triangle, sawtooth, square, pulse, noise)

Filter: Multimode Lowpass/Bandpass/Highpass

Effects: Distortion, Phaser, Spectrum, Enhancer, Delay, Chorus, Reverb

Arpeggiator: Yes

Sequencer: 2-part, 8-note per part, 64-step, 128 patterns

Analog Inputs: 1 x 1/8" (mix in)

Analog Outputs: 1 x 1/8"

Headphones: 1 x 1/8"

MIDI I/O: In/Out/USB

Other I/O: 1 x 1/8" (clock in)

USB: 1 x USB-C

Power Supply: USB bus power / 4 x AA batteries (included)

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Nord Lead 4

In the continuing tradition of excellence, Clavia brings us the Nord Lead 4. A powerful synth with a distinctive sound, it has less polyphony than the Lead 3, but comes with more Unison options, FX, and a number of extra modulation features that make it especially attractive for deeper sound design than most of its predecessors. You can find it in the studios of legends like Giuseppe Ottaviani and Tinlicker (and even Deadmau5).

Oscillator - OSC 1 generating sine, triangle, sawtooth, fixed and modulateable pulse waveforms and 128 wavetables. OSC 2 generating triangle, sawtooth or fixed and modulateable pulse waveforms or noise. OSC MOD section with Hard- and Soft sync plus 3 different Frequency Modulations of OSC 1 from OSC 2.

Polyohony: 20 dynamic voices (dependent on Unison)

Filter - Multi-mode filter with 12 dB (2-pole) low pass, 24 dB (4-pole) and 48 dB (6 pole) low pass, band pass, high pass, Ladder M and Ladder 303 characteristics. Cut off, Resnance, envelope amount, envelope amount controlled by velocity. ADSR envelope. Filter keyboard tracking can be set to off, 1/3, 2/3 or 1/1. Adjustable Filter Distortion.

Amplifier - ADSR envelope, velocity control on/off, gain control

Mod Section - LFO 1 generates a square, triangle or any of 4 different types of saw- and inverted sawtooth waveforms. LFO 1 can be routed to Filter Frequency, Osc Mod, Osc Mix, Osc 2 Pitch, Amplitude and FX section. The modulation amount can be set as positive or negative/inverted. The LFO 1 rate can be synchronized to the Master Clock. The LFO 1 section is used to control the rate, range and directions for the arpeggiator.

Arpeggiator: Range: 1 - 4 octave. Modes: up, down, up/down, random, Poly. The Arpeggio rate can be synchronized to the Master Clock. LFO 2 generates a square, a regular and inverted sawtooth, LF filtered noise and random staircase waveforms. LFO 2 can be routed to Filter Frequency, Osc Mod, Osc 1 and/or Osc 2 Pitch, Pan and Pulse width. The modulation amount can be set as positive or negative/inverted. The LFO 2 rate can be synchronized to the Master Clock. Modulation Envelope (Attack, Decay/Release) for Osc Mix, Osc Mod, Osc 1 and/or 2 Pitch, FX section and LFO 2 amount. The modulation amount can be set as positive or negative/inverted. The Modulation Envelope can be manually triggered by the Impulse Morph buttons. Patterns: the cyclic waveforms of the LFOs can be replaced by a pattern behavior. There are 128 different patterns, grouped in 6 different styles.

Performance - Voice modes: Poly, Legato with portamento, Mono, True Unison 1, 2 & 3. Four program slots for layering possibilities.

Effects - FX section with continuous Drive/Modulation control. Crush, Drive, 2 different Talk effects, Compressor and Comb Filter. Selectable Delay or Reverb. Delay times at up to 1400 ms can be manually set or synchronized to the Master Clock. Reverb has three algorithms, Room, Stage and Hall with adjustable brightness.

Number of keys - 49-key octave velocity sensitive keyboard with octave shift buttons (+/-2 octaves).

External Control - 3 momentary Impulse Morph Buttons, 7 combinations. Keyboard Split with 2 slots for the upper and lower section. Modulation Wheel, Pitch Stick (with no dead zone at zero crossing), Programmable Pitch bend range, up to +/- 4 octaves, Separate up/down bend range: -12 or -24 semitones, + 2 semitones, 1 pedal input for sustain, 1 pedal input for expression pedal.

User Interface - 3 character LED display, 29 knobs and 20+ buttons for program and performance editing

Memory - Programs (single sounds): 4 x 99 locations. Performances (multi sounds): 99 locations

Audio Out - 4 outputs. Each slot can be assigned to its own output. Headphones output. High resolution low noise 24 bit DACs.

MIDI Features - All control knobs and switches send and receive control change messages. System exclusive bulk dumps. One program or all programs. Master Clock will sync to incoming MIDI clock. Soft Thru.

Connections - 4 Line Level Audio Outputs - ¼", 6,35 mm jacks, unbalanced. Stereo Headphone Output - ¼", 6,35 mm stereo jack. Sustain Pedal - ¼", 6,35 mm jack. Use a momentary pedal, like e.g., Roland DP-2, DP-6, Yamaha FC-4, FC-5, Fatar VFP1-25 etc. Control Pedal - ¼", 6,35 mm TRS stereo jack. Use a Yamaha FC-7, Roland EV-7, Roland EV-5, Korg EXP2 or Korg XVP10. USB connector with MIDI capabilities. MIDI In & Out - 5 pin DIN connectors

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Waldorf MicroQ

Waldorf returns, this time in the form of the MicroQ! Based on the legendary Q, this synth condenses the Q’s keyboard and controls into a more compact package for traveling musicians and artists with smaller studios. Some say it sounds different from the Q, but we think whether or not it does is irrelevant - it sounds awesome. Interesting note: its voicing can be expanded, and can be found in different versions with different voice counts.

Polyphony - 25 voices, expandable up to 75 voices Oscillators - 5 oscillators per voice (Pulse with Pulse Width Modulation, Sawtooth, Triangle, Sine, 2 wavetables with 128 waves each and sub-oscillator per alt-wave); Noise generator

Memory - 300 single programs, 100 multi programs, 20 drum-maps

Filter - 2 Filters (including FM and distortion): Low Pass (12dB/24dB), Band Pass (12dB/24dB), High Pass (12dB/24dB), Notch (12dB/24dB), Comb Filter (positive/negative feedback)

VCA - 4 envelopes, enhanced ADSR configuration with loop and one shot function, bipolar; different trigger modes for each envelope, poly, mono, dual, unison, manual trigger etc.

Modulation - 3 LFOs up to audio range;

Modulation Matrix with 16 slots, freely routable, pre-routed modulation destinations, sources selectable

Effects - 2 effects per program, up to 5 effects in Multimode (Effects: Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Distortion, Delay, 5 FX, Vocoder)

Arpeg/Seq - Arpeggiator with 16 preset plus 1 user pattern, including accents, timing information, swing, glide, chords and more

Control - MIDI In/Out/Thru (16 parts)

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WALDORF IRIDIUM

Another Waldorf made the list, but this time it’s from this decade, and it’s a monster. What the Iridium lacks in the overwhelming polyphony of the older Qs and MicroQs (and Blofeld), it makes up for in absolutely absurd modulation capabilities and synthesis types, and unlike past Waldorf synths, each oscillator in Waveforms mode can be Supered by stacking up to 8 waves per-oscillator, so you can do SuperSaws, SuperPulses, SuperSines, whatever. So if you just turn them up to 7 ‘kernels’ as they’re called in the Waveforms section, and start detuning, you can get really nice JP-8080-esque SuperSaws, without eating into polyphony (or if you want to go nuts and dial them all up to 8, that makes them even bigger!). And because there’s 3 you can work with, you can create super huge SuperSaws spread across 3 octaves, for absolutely massive leads and pads. The onboard effects are also world-class, and with the addition of a recent beta OS update, you can even get shimmer reverb loaded onto your patches, for super wild epic textures the old legends could have only dreamed of. If you have some cash to burn and want a super majestic synth that will carry your tunes into the future, get your hands on this bit of kit.

Polyphony: 16 Voices

Dual Timbral: Split or Layered Mode with Separate Stereo Audio Outputs

Oscillators: 3 Digital Oscillators Per Voice, Each Capable of Five Synthesis Algorithms
Wavetable: Waldorf Style with Latest Additions from Nave Including Speech Synthesis and Wavetable Generation from Audio
Waveform: VA Waveforms with Hard-Sync, Warp, and PWM, as Well as Tunable Noise
Particle: Sampler in Traditional and Granular Mode Using Multisamples or Live Input
Resonator: Exciter Using Multisampling Plus Filterbank Sound Model
Kernel: 6 Internal Kernel Operators per Osc Using Various FM, Ring-Mod, AM, or Wavetable Based Audio-Rate Modulations

Filters: Two Digital Stereo Filters featuring SVF, Raiser, Nave, Largo, PPG, and Quantum model filters in 12/24 dB slopes. Incl LP/BP/HP type filters
Digital Former: Additional Digital Algorithms per Voice Like Comb, High-Pass, Band-Pass, and Notch Filters (Nave, Largo, or PPG models), Bit-Crusher, Drive, and more

Modulation: 6 LFOs in Poly and Global Mode, and 6 Loopable ADSR Envelopes, with 40 slot mod matrix and Control Assignments

Effects: 5 freely-assignable FX slots per-layer, with Phaser, Flanger, Chorus, Reverb (incl Shimmer with 4.1.0 beta 2 OS update), Drive, EQ, and More
Main Output: Compressor

Step Sequencer: Step Recording, Parameter Automation, and Scale-Based Pitch Quantization

Tuning: Microtonal Pitch Configurations Capable of Importing Skala SCL Files

Arpeggiator: Yes

Chord: Chord-Play Mode with Hold and Latch

Unison Mode: Yes

Presets: Module-Based Preset System for Effects, Oscillators, and Complex Modulators

Controls: Single-Function Potentiometer and Encoder Controls for Intuitive Editing
Pad Button Matrix: 4x4 Pads for Sequencer, Arpeggiator, Sampler, or Live Performance Control
Supports Polyphonic Aftertouch.

Automation of Sound Parameters from MIDI Inputs via MIDI CC Learn

Function: Context-Sensitive High-Resolution Capacitive Multitouch Display

Spectral Analyzer: Spectrum Analyzer and Oscilloscope

Memory: Internal Flash Memory: 4 GB for Presets, Samples, and Wavetables
Up to 7000 Sound Patch Capacity Organized by Banks, Attributes, Author, and Patch Number
Favorites Lists for Quick Recall of Sound Patches
Preloaded with a Wide Variety of Patches by Acclaimed Sound Designers
Preloaded with More than 1 GB Sample Data

Main Output: 2 x 1/4" / 6.3 mm
Headphone Output: 1 x 1/4" / 6.3 mm and 1 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm
Inputs: 2 x 1/4" / 6.3 mm
4 CV Continuous Control Inputs Including CV Gate, CV Clock, and CV Start Inputs for Connecting Eurorack Modules or Compatible Devices
 

Sampling: Recording of Samples from Audio Inputs or Self-Recording of Audio Outputs

USB:

Computer: USB Type-B
Controller: USB Type-A

MIDI:

Connectors:
Input: 5-Pin DIN
Out: 5-Pin DIN
Thru: 5-Pin DIN

SD Card Slot: Export and Import of Presets, Samples, Wavetable, and Software Updates, and import of Nave Presets

Dawnchaser is a Pacific Northwest-based electronic music producer, mountaineer, documenter of all things adventure, mountain, and travel-related, and manager of Kulshan Recordings. If he’s not in the studio writing music about adventures, he’s out on one.

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