Synth Power Up

It’s no secret that we love a good retro synth over here at FM. Nothing gets us hot under the collar like an old-fashioned, VCO-packing behemoth, preferably clad in plenty of wood panelling and boasting an impenetrably complex voltage controlled modulation system… Still, we’ll freely admit that for all their warmth and character, the analogue classics can’t hold a candle to today’s most leading plug-ins when it comes to flexibility, complexity and sheer sonic power.

It’s these qualities we’re celebrating in this month’s cover feature. We’ll explore some of the cutting-edge techniques made possible by modern synthesis technology, and show you how you can use these to add power, depth and complexity to your own music.

To make the most of the tutorials, be sure to grab the latest videos, audio examples and tutorial files from