The work from home edition 2020 has not been the year any of us were expecting it to be. Tours and festivals have been canceled, clubs have closed and musicians the world over have found their plans upended. While the music-making world has felt the shockwaves as global culture ground to a halt, one glimmer of positivity has remained – despite the cancellation of trade shows and temporary closure of a lot of shops, it’s actually been something of a vintage year for electronic music gear. From boundary-pushing synths to revived classics, cutting-edge production tools to instruments that put a new spin on retro designs, 2020 has seen the launch of some of the most exciting hardware, software, and studio gear we’ve tried in years.
Whether you’re on the hunt for a new instrument to explore, taking some time out to re-kit your studio, or dreaming of your next gear purchase once things get back to normal, this year’s Gear Of The Year rundown has you covered.
SYNTHESISERS OVER £ 1000 WINNER
Sequential
Pro 3
Bu hikaye Future Music dergisinin January 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Future Music dergisinin January 2021 sayısından alınmıştır.
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SONIC DESTRUCTION
From overdriven signal paths to rhythmic malfunctions, there’s plenty of creativity to be found by doing things just a little bit wrong
Feed Me
EDM producer Jon Gooch revives his cartoonish Feed Me moniker. Danny Turner finds out how the use of live instrumentation changed his production approach
Exploring Akai MPC
Leo Maymind takes a detailed look at an iconic groovebox whose influence helped shape modern hip-hop and much more besides
Liars
Dissolving the contours of rock and electronics, Danny Turner charts the making of Liars’ 10th album with Angus Andrew and Laurence Pike
Jean-Michel Jarre
The pioneering musician who introduced generations to futuristic sounds the first time around is at it again. He joins Matt Mullen to talk experiments in VR gigging, spatial audio and more...
Noise
With roots as far back as 1913, noise is the genre that’s also a state of mind
1010 Music Bitbox mk2 £549
Rob Redman finds out whether this updated sampler box of tricks contains any more surprises
Erica Synths and Sonic Potions LXR-02 £499
Rob Redman braces himself for another resurrected blast from the past
Modal SKULPTsynth SE £169
Modal are back with an update to their SKULPT synth. Bruce Aisher takes a listen to see if it can rustle up a big sound
Reason Studios Reason 12 £399
Now in both DAW and plugin realms, Reason gains a sampler and refreshed Combinator. Si Truss investigates
