Top 10 Desktop Hardware Synths For Trance Producers

If you've been feeling like VSTs aren't quite cutting it for achieving the sounds you want for your Trance productions, or just want a slightly different sound than everyone else, here's a list of the 10 best desktop synths for the genre. This list contains mixed Virtual Analog, Digital, and Analog synths. The ranking is in no particular order, but you can listen to the soundset samples of each by various studios, to decide which sound suits your tracks the best.

---

Roland JP8080

The original Trance synth (along with its sibling, the JP8000). Made famous for its signature SuperSaw sound, it first came to prominence following the release of Rank 1’s iconic classic “Airwave”. Subsequently used by nearly every major Trance artist for pads, leads, and occasionally, basses. Nearly all the controls are laid out on the front panel, making this a very easy to use, friendly synth for the novice hardware user.

Polyphony - 10 voices

Oscillators - 2 Roland Analog Modeling DSP oscillators: Saw, Square (PWM), Triangle (PWM), Super Saw (7 de-tuned Saws), Triangle Mod, Feedback OSC

Filter - Resonant 12/24dB/oct low/band/hi pass, 12-band formant filter bank

Effects - 3 onboard effects: Delay; Multi-FX including Chorus, Flanger, Distortion and Tone control

Memory - 384 preset and 128 user patches; 192 preset and 64 user performance

Arpeg/Seq - Onboard Arpeggiator and real-time Phrase Sequencing (RPS) capability

Keyboard - None

Control - MIDI (2 parts)

---

Access Virus TI2

Another legendary Trance synth, as much an icon of the genre as the JP80x0. The TI series expanded on the older Virus models with improved DSPs, higher polyphony, added effects, more complex routing options, and more effects. Useful for virtually any genre, and can be used to produce almost 100% of a track, it’s a true studio workhorse. And with an abundance of knobs and front panel controls, it’s easy to use and fun to sculpt sounds with. The TI2 boasts an additional 25% processing power over the first TI, making it extremely useful for long, complex pads, and sounds no other hardware synth can achieve.

Polyphony - Over 90 voices

Multitimbral - 16 parts

Oscillators - 3 osc + subosc + noise, FM, Sync

Waveforms - Sine / pulse / saw / hypersaw / wavetable / granular / formant

Filter - dual LP/HP/BP/BR with envelopes and addtional multi-pole analog emulations (includes Minimoog 4-pole emulation)

LFO - 3 LFOs, multiple options plus mod matrix 18 slots

Envelope - Amp / Filter / 'LFO as envelope' option

Sequencer - none onboard

Arpeggiator - Up / Down / Random / Chord / Multiple additions, editable in software to any variation

Effects - Reverbs, Delays, EQs with Q and freq control, Tape Delays, Distortions (multiple), Phasers, Flangers, Chorus, Analog EQs, Vocoder.

Memory - 128 patches in each of 30 banks plus USB storage / Librarian with additional free patchbanks provided regularly by Access

Control - MIDI, USB, 16-part multitimbral in Multi or sequencer modes

---

Waldorf Q

Another amazing VA full of character. It’s a classic you hear in abundance in DuMonde and Ace Da Brain records, and its unique Waldorf Sound makes it distinct from the Virus and JP synths most commonly used, and its polyphony and tone make it great for bright pads, sharp leads, and punchy basses.

Polyphony - 16 to 32 voices

Oscillators - 3 per voice (sawtooth, triangle, sine, PWM, new oscillator algorithms, waves and a noise generator)

Memory - 300 single programs, 100 multi programs

Filter - 2 12dB/24dB Filters (Low pass, band pass, hi pass, notch, comb, ring mod and more; FM and distortion)

VCA - 4 envelopes (ADSR with loop and one shot function, bipolar)

Arpeg/Seq - Arpeggiator: Many user patterns (accents, timing, swing, glide, chords and more); Sequencer: 100 user patterns; 32 steps per pattern, polyphonic

Control - MIDI (16 parts), CV

---

Access Virus C

The 3rd iteration of the Virus series. Where the TI series has HyperSaws, and higher polyphony, this has (according to users) a slightly fatter and heavier low end, making it ideal for basses, and thick pads demanding more low frequency content. It was commonly used in Psytrance between 2002-2005, and you can hear it in the basslines and acid squelches of the genre during that period.

Polyphony - 32 voices

Oscillators - 3 Osc per voice plus 1 Sub-Osc: Sawtooth, variable pulse, sine, triangle, oscillator sync. 5 FM Modes: 64 digital FM spectral waveforms.

LFO - 3 LFOs with 68 waveforms

Filter - 2 independent resonant filters; lowpass, hipass, bandpass, band reject, parallel, split & 2 serial modes with up to 36dB/voice (6-poles), overdrive/saturation.

VCA - 2 ADSTR envelopes

ModMatrix - 6 Sources, 9 Destinations

Effects - 98 simultaneous effects: 16 Phasers, 16 Choruses, 16 Distortions, 16 Ring Modulators, 16 Parametric EQs, Delay, 32-Band Vocoder, Surround Sound.

Memory - 1024 programs (256 User / 768 ROM / 128 Multi)

Control - MIDI (16 multitimbral parts)

---

Moog Slim Phatty

When it comes to Trance, Analog Monosynths rarely take center stage. The lack of polyphony, and the tone drift can make using them difficult, and when they have Mono out instead of Stereo out, that makes using them for wide leads nearly impossible.
That said, the Slim Phatty, being compact AND the last synthesizer the founder Bob Moog designed, has that classic, magic Moog sound, and its true analog oscillators and filters make it fantastic for super fat, intense basses with just enough unpredictability to make it endlessly useful for unique, distinctive basses that cut through in a mix and add more character than any sterile vst or sample. Almost no one in the Trance world is using them, either, which gives you an extra reason to pick one up.

Polyphony - Monophonic

Multitimbral - No

Oscillators - 2 VCOs, both 16', 8', 4', 2'

Waveforms - Continuously variable: triangle through saw and square to narrow pulse.

LFO - LFO with triangle, square, sawtooth, ramp

Modulation - Mod Source: LFO, Filt. EGR or Sample and Hold, and Osc. 2 or Noise. Mod Destination: Pitch, Osc. 2, Filter, Wave.

Filter - 1 Low Pass VCF: 24dB/Oct Moog Ladder with overload and ADSR.

Envelope - 1 Volume amp with ASDR

Effects - None

Sequencer - None

Arpeggiator - Up, down, ordered. MIDI-syncable

Keyboard - None

Memory - 100 presets, all can be overwritten by user

Control - MIDI In/Out/Thru; USB; and CV: Pitch CV In (1 V/Oct) Filter CV In Volume CV In Keyboard Gate In

Weight - 5.75 Lbs (2.6 kg)

---

Waldorf XT

Another underutilized legend. The XT was Waldorf’s wavetable synth, in a Halloween color scheme (for some reason), and when it came to evolving sounds, cutting leads, and exciting soundscapes, it was king. While not as well-known or used as its cousin the Q, it was an excellent synth, and makes a worthy addition to any studio.

Polyphony - 10 voice (expandable to 30)

Oscillators - 2 oscillators per voice of DSP wavetable synthesis; 1 Ring Mod; 1 Noise Source

Memory - 256 internal patches, 64 external card

Filter - 6/12/24 LP/HP, FM Filter, Sin (x)-LP, Dbl LP/HP, 24/12 BP, Band Stop, Waveshaper

VCA - 1 VCA, VCA ADSR, 1 Free Envelope

LFO - 2 LFO's, sine, tri, square, random, S&H

Effects - Chorus, Flanger 1 & 2, Autowah BP, Autowah LP, Overdrive, Delay, Amp Mod

Keyboard - none

Arpeg/Seq - 16 steps, 128 patterns

Control - MIDI (8-parts)

---

Clavia Nord Lead 2X

An icon of Trance, the Nord Lead 2X (and the 2) really stands alone. The unique Nord Sound made it a feature in countless tunes throughout the 90s and early 2000s, featuring in tracks by San Van Doorn and Protonica, and other Nord synths appeared in E-Type’s, Armin van Buuren’s, The Thrillseekers, and numerous other big artist’s songs.

Polyphony - 20 Voices

Oscillators - 2 VSM oscillators: sine, triangle, sawtooth, pulse and noise

LFO - 2 LFO's (triangle, sawtooth, random) control OSC 1 or 2, filter, pulse-width, ADSR envelope

Filter - 12 dB/oct 2-pole lowpass, 24dB/oct 4-pole lowpass / bandpass / highpass (both with cutoff, resonance, env amount, env velocity, key tracking, ADSR envelope)

VCA - ADSR envelope and Amplifier Gain control

Keyboard - 49 keys (velocity sensitive)

Memory - 99 patches (59 preset, 40 user), 99 performances, 10 drum kits

Control - MIDI (4 parts), and all knobs and controls are MIDI

---

Waldorf Blofeld

Perhaps one of the rare synths deserving of the title Most Obscure Modern Classic. Well-beloved in sound designer circles, it’s a descendent of the Waldorf Q, Micro Q, XT, and Microwave series (and includes a number of their wavetables and filters), it is easily one of the most versatile synths on the market. What it lacks in user-friendliness and front panel accessibility, it makes up for in creating clean, fat plucks, basses, evolving pads and soundscapes, and gnarly basses. Users can upload their own wavetables into the synth, and with 25 voices of polyphony (not fixed, though), it works well in Trance. And hardly anyone in the Trance world is using it, so it’s perfect for creating sounds no one else is making.

Polyphony - 25 voices maximum (Poly, Mono, Dual or Unison modes)

Multitimbral - 16 parts

Sampler - 44.1kHz mono with 60 Mb RAM

Oscillators - 3 oscillators per voice (128' to 1/2') plus noise, frequency modulation, ring modulation

Waveforms - All Q Oscillator models: sine, saw, triangle, square with PWM; 68 digital 16-bit wavetables from Microwave II/XT/XTK

LFO - 3 LFOs per voice with square, sine, saw, triangle, S&H, random with delay and fade in/out

Modulation - Modulation Matrix with 16 Slots, freely programmable

Filter - 2 independent Multi Mode Filters per voice: Low pass, High pass, Band pass, Notch, Comb; 12 or 24 dB/oct modes

Envelope - 4 Envelopes per voice, ADSR, AD1S1D2S2R, One Shot, Loopable

Effects - 2 Effect units with Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Overdrive, Decimator, Delay, Reverb

Vocoder - None

Sequencer - None

Arpeggiator - Programmable, 16 steps, Up, Down, Alt Up, Alt Down, Random

Memory - 1,024 sounds, 128 multi sets

Control - MIDI IN (plus OUT on Keyboard), USB

---

Novation Supernova

Another piece of Trance history, the Supernova is one of those synths you hear everywhere, but might not immediately recognize. It’s versatile, flexible, and lacks a singular character just enough that when you use it, people in the know won’t groan and go “Guuh, they used a _”. You CAN hear it in tracks by ATB, and Ace Da Brain.

Polyphony - SuperNova: 20 voices, expandable to 32

SuperNova II: 24-, 36-, 48-voice models plus additional 12- or 24-voice expansion boards

Oscillators - 3 (sqaure, saw, variable width pulse) and noise

LFO - 2 with control of VCA, VCF & pitch; saw, square, tri, sample/hold

Filter - Hi/Low/Band pass, 12/18/24 dB/oct ranges, resonant self-oscillating filter with overdrive

Effects - Distortion, reverb, chorus, flange, phaser, delay, pan, tremolo, 2-band EQ, comb filtering

Memory - 512 expandable to 1,024 patches; 256 performances

Control - MIDI (8 parts)

Clavia Nord Lead 3

Another classic, that you can’t pass up. It sounds different from other Nords, which you may or may not like, but it has higher polyphony and an expanded oscillator section relative to the others, which makes it even more useful for fat leads and wide pads.

Polyphony - 24 voices

Oscillators - 2 oscillator groups each with Six waveforms: sine, saw, triangle, square (pulse with width modulation), noise, synced noise, dual sine; 2- and 4-op FM and differential FM; osc-sync; ring-modulation; variable unison.

LFO - 2 per voice, syncable to MIDI. Triangle, saw, square, smooth and stepped random, and triple-peak sine waveforms. Seperate vibrato effect.

Filter - 2 multi-mode filters (series or parallel). Lowpass, Bandpass, Highpass, LP-HP, LP-LP and Classic mode. 1-, 2-, or 4-pole.

VCA - ADSR envelopes for amplitude and filter; Amplifier Gain control

Memory - 1,024 patches, 256 performances

Control - MIDI IN/OUT/THRU (4-parts)

Date Produced - 2001

---

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.

The Greatest Time To Be A Music Producer

Much is being written about the shaky situation the music industry is in right now. Algorithms sucking the soul out of music discovery. Homogenization. Market oversaturation. Low artist royalty payouts from streaming services. Much has been said on the negatives in the industry, but little has been said about one important fact of life as a music producer today:

There has never been a better time to be a music producer than right now.

Most of us from the recent electronic music generation of the post-Trance and post-Dubstep explosions of the late 90s and late '00s can't remember, but back in the 60s, it was Modular or nothing.

To make one plucked sawtooth wave sound for a funky bass noise, you’d have to use multiple patch cables to route audio from a single oscillator unit to a filter unit, to an ADSR unit, and then to any additional effects to get the sound you wanted... and for more complex sounds, the numbers of modules increased geometrically super fast.

Now, a basic saw wave is the Initialize sound on most VSTs and hardware synthesizers.

And even in the 1970s and 1980s, when standalone analog and digital keyboard synthesizers became semi-affordable and mainstream, you had to be a reasonably good keyboardist to make anything decent with them, and you’d need a complex recording studio to record your live riffs in.

Nowadays you can hook up any synthesizer made after the implementation of MIDI to your computer, fire up your DAW, and open up a MIDI Out or vst interface for your synthesizer, set the MIDI channel assignments, and you can paint notes into your keyroll, and never need to touch the actual hardware (unless sculpting sounds by hand is your thing), and still get that full hardware sound.

In the old days, artists like The Beatles and Jean-Michael Jarre would have to route their monster setups into a complex mountain of recording equipment and spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to record it in a song.

Now, the musicians behind the BoJack Horseman theme can hook up a Jupiter-4 to their computer, and trigger sounds off it from ProTools, and they can do it in their living room. Yours truly has 4 synthesizers, all routed into FL Studio through a single audio interface. Takes 15 minutes to record a riff, and doesn't cost anything more than the mocha I picked up on the way back home from a climb.

40 years ago, such a thing would be the realm of the super rich; a distant dream for the average music producer.

And that's to say nothing of the wealth of tools musicians have now for propagating their music and advertising themselves. In the old days, massive record labels handled all the photography, videography, PR, and websites and things for musicians. And it all cost a fortune to run.

Now, an artist on even a meager budget can do all those things, or find friends or semi-pros that can assist in some of those areas, and create an end result just as slick and professional as the big leagues. A decent Wordpress or Squarespace website doesn't cost much to setup and run, and you can run your own merch store online. Social media also makes connecting with fans easier (or, did, before recent algorithm changes). And digital technology has made professional-grade photography and videography affordable to anyone with an iPhone 6 or later (or equivalent Android phones), and Youtube tutorials on filming techniques make quality video making better and easier than ever.

It's true royalties have shrunk in the last 18 years, but the industry is continually in flux, and every day the laws regarding royalty collection and artist representation changes, and things are beginning to bounce back for artists and producers. It is also true that the industry is heavily saturated, and sounds have been steadily homogenizing for the last 8 years, but thanks to the rapid spread of the internet, global markets have expanded rapidly - and niche markets to promote music in with it. So no matter what you write, there's an audience for it.

Things are tough (as they've always been for the majority of musicians), but in general, there's never been a better time for us electronic music artists. Even as we struggle against economic and socio-political forces over which we have little control, it does well to remember that we've come a long way for the better - and the future isn't set in stone.

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.

How To BREAK Writer's Block For GOOD: The Grounding Aesthetic

Writers Block, and Finding Your Sound. Two of the biggest struggles an artist (especially one just starting out) can face.

Wouldn't it be nice if there were a way to fix both at once, with no special extra effort?

Well...

There's one simple trick you can use to never run out of ideas for music, and come into your own musically. It's free and you're already doing it.

It's called the Grounding Aesthetic.

To put it simply, the Grounding Aesthetic is the defining motif/ theme that runs through your life. That informs your decisions. That motivates and inspires you. That makes you you.

It's a product of your upbringing, your current lifestyle, where you grew up, and where you are now as a person.

That right there can be the basis for all the content for your music, and how you portray yourself as an artist, and since you'll (presumably) never stop being yourself, your creative well will never run dry.

And it goes beyond lyrical content or genres. The individual sounds and effects you use in your songs can be inspired by those things that make up the core of your being.

Far be it from me to tell you what's what when it comes to sound selection. But I know that choosing sounds not just for how cool they sound when flipping through presets, but for how they relate to the overall thematic elements your song is trying to convey will bind the song together better. And you'll find songs just flow from there.

And that is the Grounding Aesthetic.

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.

What To Know Before Buying Hardware Synths

What was your first glimpse into the world of hardware synthesizers? Was it a producer's masterclass, and their wall of modulars that caught your eye? Does your favorite artist use hardware? Did you wander through a music store, and play around on a display synth, and decide you just had to have one?

No doubt you may be prowling through Sweetwater's or Reverb's offerings, and feeling a little overwhelmed. Maybe you want one, but aren't sure if hardware is for you.

In today's article, I'll break down some hardware basics, things to know, and how to help you decide what, if any, pieces of gear you should get.

1. Know Why You're Getting Gear

Let's get the big question out of the way first: what do you want hardware for? Do you have a specific need for hardware, that VSTs and samples can't provide?

Hardware synths aren't cheap (not good ones, anyway). There's no two ways about it. Beyond the actual synth itself, you are also looking at TS cables, MIDI/ MIDI-USB cables, patch cables (if you're going modular), and possibly a newer/ bigger audio interface to accommodate the synth. Before you get a synth, you need to ask yourself if you're willing to take on those extra costs.

Hardware isn't a magic bullet that will immediately make you sound instantly better. If you're not writing good music without hardware, you still won't write good music with it. It certainly helps if you've been producing for a few years, and have a few songs/ remixes out on a record label or two, before you start browsing for gear. Otherwise you're wasting time and money on equipment you likely don't need.

If you've been at it a while though, and feel like gear is the next natural step for your tunes, it's time to decide what type of synth you want.

Which brings us to...

2. Analog vs Digital

Just to clear the air here: I don't hold Analog on any magic pedestal compared to Digital. They both serve their purpose and have their own special characteristics that will suit different needs at different times.

The only reason we're covering it here now, is because there are certain aspects of analog synthesis you need to be prepared for before buying one.

Namely:

Analog synths frequently tend to be a lot more expensive than digital synths. Especially polyphonic analogs (more on that in a bit). They also tend to be much more limited with effects, voicing, and waveform options.

Analog synths, especially Moogs, often require extensive warmup times before they're properly in tune, and can be used for music that requires stable tone.

You may not be able to store patches and presets on slightly older Analog synths, so making and storing patches requires more time and a photographic memory to do.

However, Analog synths have certain timbral characteristics that make them desirable for music production. The analag signal generation and filters can lend a certain warmth and personality to a sound that a fully digital signal might not. This is because of the inherently imperfect nature of generating an audio signal from a voltage-controller oscillator. There are slight and subtle imperfections in the sound that give analog its warmer, "fatter" character. The filters, being analog, often sound smoother than digital filters, so you can make sweeps and sounds with much

That said, digital has more pros than cons - especially these days.

More built-in FX, more waveform options (including wavetables, and Super/HyperSaws), more routing and modulation options, much higher voicing, and higher likelihood of proper integration with your DAW via USB (or at least a VST interface controlled by MIDI data).

And so we go on to...

3. Monophonic vs Polyphonic

When you come from the VST world, it's easy to forget that there was once a time when synthesizers could only play one note at a time, due to the limitations of the oscillators. That time is long past, but Monophonic, Duophonic, and Polyphonic synths are all still around, still being made, and will likely be around forever. So how to choose?

First and foremost, a monophonic synth can only play one note at a time. No chords, or lush harmonic strings or pads will be (easily) gotten from a mono synth. They tend to be analog synths, and so thick basslines and distorted leads are what mono synths are most commonly used for.

A duophonic (sometimes called paraphonic) synth can only play two notes at a time. They're not super common, but they pop up occasionally.

A polyphonic synth can, as its name denotes, play many notes at once. A poly synth will typically range from 4-100+ voices, depending on the complexity of the patch. With a few exceptions, poly synths tend to be digital, and as such can create sounds and timbres no analog synth can generate. You can also write lush choir and string and pad sections, create sounds with long release tails, and layer chords in ways no mono synth is capable. As an added bonus, most poly synths have a Mono feature enabled, allowing you to turn the poly synth into a mono synth for specific sounds.

And due to the generally digital nature of poly synths, patch storage and recall is a feature of all poly synths, allowing you to store and bring back up presets and sounds you made, for future use.

4. Effects

Effects are a somewhat divisive issue in the synth community. Some love them in their synths, others prefer you only play and record synths dry (then use outboard effects).

Again, it largely boils down to personal preference, and the type of gear you're looking at. Analog synths tend to be more minimal on effects. You might get a Distortion effect, maybe a Chorus, and perhaps a Delay effect, if it's slightly newer. Moogs are famously minimalist in this department. Digital synths usually come with a full battery of effects ranging from Distortion, to Delay, Reverb, Flanger, Chorus, Phaser, possibly Saturation, and multiple types of distortion. Digital synths with lots of effects tend to be more expensive, but in most cases, the effects tend to be quite good (the Virus TI2 has some of the best onboard effects on the market).

When considering buying hardware, considering the onboard effects as well as the filters and oscillators will also be worth investigating.

5. Finally...

Do your homework. There are hundreds of synths out there, each with their own special timbral characteristics and features, and it would be impossible to try and list them all here.

As a general rule of thumb though, based on genres, these are features you'll need to look for to find a good synth you'll get lots of use out of:

Trance: Polyphonic, with 5-100 voices. Some kind of Unisono Spread/ SuperSaw detune feature to create wide, complex trance synths. Good onboard reverb and delay are nice but not necessary. A good Chorus effect will serve you well. The more modulation options, the better.

House: Depending on the subgenre of house, a Monophonic or Duo/Paraphonic synth will serve you well, although a Polyphonic synth for bigroom house producers will do you a lot of good. Fat Analog warmth for basslines and leads is helpful, as is decent distortion capabilities. Analog filters will definitely be a plus.

Dubstep/ Riddim: Polyphonic Digital, for sounds requiring wavetables and lots of modulation, as well as high enough voicing counts to handle complex wavetable modulation. Onboard reverb/ delay not quite as essential, but solid distortion is a must. The more modulation options the better.

Drum & Bass: Depending on the style of DnB, a good Mono or Para synth will serve you well for Reese basses, deep sub basslines, and intense leads. Either Analog or Digital will work equally well, although the added warmth from Analog distortion might add a nice touch to the basslines.

Techno: Largely depends on style of Techno, but an Analog Mono or Duophonic synth will sound just right for techno. All the warm fat low end and oddball lead sounds will be done quite nicely by an Analog Mono. A Digital Poly or Paraphonic synth will also do super nicely, but the extra voicing and tons of added features are a bit on the overkill side.

With this guide in hand, I hope you can go forward and make a better, more informed hardware purchase.

Play on!

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.