VINTAGE SYNTHESIS

Tips and techniques for bringing retro synth sounds into the modern age,

It sounds funny to say, but retro-inspired synth sounds are as relevant today as in their heyday, if not more so. Synthesisers from the 1970s and 80s are now more coveted than ever, and here in late 2017, those instruments still soundtrack our visits to the cinema or nights in watching Netflix.

While it’s far too expensive for us mere mortals to fill our home studios with original 70s and 80s synthesisers, you can fill your hard drive with virtual replicas of said classics. Purists and snobs may scoff at this approach, of course, but with the quality of software available nowadays, plus the knowledge of those original synths’ inner workings, you can easily get that vintage sound in the box – and fool others into thinking you’ve got a synth museum at home! With the recent Blade Runner sequel and Stranger

Things both having hit our screens earlier this year, it’s the perfect opportunity to examine those classic electronic instruments, find out how they tick… and recreate their sounds in software! This issue, we’re giving you the tools and the knowledge you need to do just that.

Flip the page and you’ll be introduced to this issue’s amazing giveaway – the full, commercial version of AIR Music Tech’s synth Vacuum Pro, as sold for £160! Once you’re up and running with its vintage talents, we’ve got seven pages of classic synthesis techniques and patchbuilding for you to eyeball (p30), before diving into a multisampling masterclass (p40). Add to that our CS-80 Sessions video (p46), and you’re truly in vintage heaven!