Best Tabletop Synthesizers in 2022

Last update: December 16, 2022

Can a synthesizer sound like a piano?

A synthesizer can sound like a piano if it is programmed to do so. Many synthesizers have a wide range of sounds that they can imitate, and a piano is just one of them. While some people may prefer the sound of a real piano, others may find that a synthesizer can provide a more versatile range of sounds.

Can you play chords on synthesizer?

Yes, you can play chords on a synthesizer. To do so, you will need to use the synth's built-in chord mode, or you can create your own chords using the synth's oscillators and filters.

Do I need an audio interface for a synthesizer?

If you want to use a synthesizer with your computer, you will need some sort of audio interface. The audio interface will convert the analog audio signal from the synthesizer into a digital signal that can be understood by your computer. Without an audio interface, you will not be able to hear the sound of your synthesizer through your computer speakers.

Do I need to learn piano to play synth?

No, you don't need to learn piano to play synth. However, knowing how to play piano can help you understand synth music and make creating synth sounds easier. If you don't want to learn piano, there are plenty of other ways to create synth sounds.


Arturia MINIBRUTE 2S | MIDI USB Desktop Analog Synthesizer/Step Sequencer Review:


I never had the original. I do have a fantastic Microbrute. Due to its size, the 2S now essentially rules my system, along with the 6U Rack Brute affixed to it. The Link system is undoubtedly excellent and was well designed.The 2S can be used in numerous ways, including with the patch bay and even with simple semimodular prewiring. It can be sequenced, and the strong sequencer has 4 control tracks. Of course, it's a monosynth with a variety of hidden abilities. It can also function as a drone machine, which was an unexpected but welcome discovery. Naturally, it works well with my Eurorack system, and I frequently cross patch the two.The only thing I would have liked to have seen is a separate, dedicated MIDI and/or CV sequencer. The internal sequencer may currently be transferred to MIDI Out, but meh.



Korg minilogue XD 4-voice Analog Synthesizer Review:


Introduction: Before purchasing the Minilogue xd, I thoroughly researched synthesizers and the numerous possibilities on the market. I DO know how the Minilogue xd stacks up against rival products at this price point, despite my relative inexperience with electronic music production and synths.Early in September, I bought this item from a different website. I can pretty much duplicate any non-experimental sounds I want using the Minilogue xd after a few weeks of watching video tutorials and plowing through the user manual. That ought to tell a lot. The variety of the factory preset sounds makes them excellent starting points for developing your own original pads, leads, basses, etc. Users have an absurd degree of control over sound design with this device/instrument. Additionally, the Minilogue xd's analog sound is notably "fatter" than that of any other softsynth I've used. Numerous music producers appear to be in agreement, and it appears that the resurgence of analog technology is as a result of this.(PROS) The Minilogue xd's best qualities are:-Digital Effects; after creating any patch, you can modify your sounds with digital reverb, delay, etc. This gives sound personalization a completely new level, and as far as I can tell, it's an unusual feature for synths in this price range.-Sequencer; extremely user-friendly and intuitive right from the get. It is simple to understand and simple to program. There's not much else to say.Hardware knobs and switches are a deal-breaker for me if they don't "feel" correct. This may not be significant to some. The Minilogue xd has smooth-feeling knobs and switches. They feel sturdy and unquestionably aren't plastic or inexpensive. Everyone I've shown my Minilogue xd to agrees that the knobs feel amazing, however some of my friends didn't enjoy the switches, so this is largely a matter of taste.-DAW/Omnisphere Controller: This synth's lesser-known benefit allows Omnisphere users to use the Minilogue xd as a hardware controller for both their DAW and the Omnisphere softsynth by downloading the necessary MIDI controller drivers from KORG's website, plugging it into their computer, and using the Minilogue xd as a hardware controller for their DAW. I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds that turning knobs is more entertaining and time-efficient than using a mouse or keyboard for sound design. It takes a lot of time and effort to set up and assign each parameter on standard MIDI controllers for third-party plug-ins, so the fact that it works with the best plug-in I possess is undoubtedly a significant plus.-Waveform Visualizer: Having a visual representation of the sounds has been a tremendously helpful learning tool. For people with more synthesizer knowledge, it's definitely not a selling feature, but for me as a newbie, it was a valuable tool. Additionally, the product looks incredibly cool and comes across as more trustworthy.-Price Point: Based on reading countless reviews and comparisons, speaking with seasoned synthesizer fans, and consulting with a few business people, there aren't many alternatives as powerful as the Minilogue xd available at this price. According to raw acoustic capability, the Minilogue xd is the best product you can get at this price, as far as I'm aware.Things I dislike include:The Minilogue xd only has a CV in/out and sync-in/out capability for modular extension and experimentation, which may disappoint those interested in delving deep into the world of modular synthesis.-Complexity



Korg Monotron Delay Analog Ribbon Synthesizer Review:


I got the Monotron Delay to become comfortable with the fundamentals of synthesizers and determine what I liked before spending money on a more feature-rich synth because I have a background in classical piano and a hankering for analog synth noises. I have the Duo as well, but the Delay is much more enjoyable. Don't be deceived by its toy-like appearance; it is actually a pocket beast that is capable of making some of the gritty, filthiest, and most dismal space-trash-compactor sounds you have ever heard. It allows for a surprising amount of sound exploration, and the limited control options are more of a benefit than a hindrance because they let you to get a thorough understanding of everything you're doing.It makes some entertaining noises on its own, but you'll probably get tired of it pretty quickly. When combined with another instrument that can create predictable sounds, it really shines. On the ribbon synth, you can't truly carry a melody because it isn't discretized or fixed to any scale, but you could always bring in another Monotron that allows you to play scales. I enjoy using it to jam by passing my standard 88-key piano through it, utilizing the delay feature as a filter on top of the piano sounds, and layering the LFO for extra cosmic noise. I've also had a lot of fun using it to operate my friend's sequencer. When used in conjunction with a keyboard, the delay becomes physically addictive since the feedback loop encourages you to keep up with your rhythm and allows you to bend the loop for amusing effects. The amount of base noise is a touch bothersome, and there is no option to adjust the parameters to achieve a clean-sounding output after passing a clear sound source through the delay, which would make for a lovely contrast. But I suppose that the Delay's purpose is different. It's more about turning the cutoff knob as the feedback loop-trapped LFO ray-gun sound intensifies in order to sound like a rocket launching a slow burn into an alien atmosphere.To make the dial indication indents easier to see, I painted them white. Great battery life. Bring your own input and output aux wires. While the onboard speaker is suitable for tinkering, a subwoofer makes the experience more enjoyable.



Korg Volca Keys Analogue Loop Synth Bundle with Power Supply and Austin Bazaar Polishing Cloth Review:


I want to begin by clarifying that the most of my criticisms are not intended to turn off potential consumers. Without a doubt, this is the best polyphonic synth available for the money. This instrument offers too much functionality for too little money to pass up if you're new to the field and want to try your hand at analogue synthesis. You should interpret this review as recommendations for people who already own analog equipment (specifically midi controllers like the BSP).Let's begin with the advantages:1) Wonderful noises This tiny item can definitely produce sounds that you can use as the basis for your music.2) Includes all the vanilla-style filters you'd anticipate, in addition to more: frequency, resonance, attack, decay, etc.3) Is lightweight and portable4) may be programmed and performs admirably when used alone or in conjunction with other volcas (as is its primary function per design)The disadvantages are largely problems I faced with the Beatstep pro just before I broke it by spilling beer on it (the BSP):1) It is practically difficult to use the midi clock functionality with this device. The only option to use the clock is to make the volca the primary clock, which is problematic because the volca clock runs TWICE AS FAST as the majority of midi clocks typically do. As a result, in order to get your BSP to work with the device, you must either make adjustments by having your instruments play only 8th notes or by having your volca play loops that are roughly one and a half notes long.The Volca's MIDI clock in feature will go off randomly and drive you insane if you try to utilize it.No keys. This is not a problem for me. I can play them both as a single instrument using my MIDI keyboard, which I can simply plug into the box. This is just something to be aware of because the device's keyboard is completely useless. (You can do some cool things with both chords and bass if you use the midi keyboard AND set the in-synth keyboard to the bass register.)3) At least one additional note of polyphony is required (than 3). I vehemently disagree with the idea that piano players will rate this product higher than "synth fans," who will only give it 4.5 stars on Amazon. At the very least, 6-7 note polyphony is required for piano players. Six chords would be required in polyphony to play two basic triad chords on top of one another. This prevents you from playing 7th or 9th chords, which is essentially half of the appeal of using a piano (not counting the rhythm potential)In conclusion, this gadget has fantastic effects but not the best control, much like the timbrewolf, a wonderful LFO synth with poor effects. Although its inability to get along with other devices is my biggest complaint about this computer, it is still well worth the price at less than $200.PS: Just connect your device to a midi output device to prevent practically all of the issues I mentioned. ($70-$300 fix)



Korg Volca Bass Analogue Bass Machine Bundle with Power Supply and Austin Bazaar Polishing Cloth Review:


The quality of this small gadget genuinely astounds me. I've created Roland TR-909 and 808 replicas, which are also excellent but expensive machines. However, for less than $175 including shipping, I can obtain almost the same sounds as the big boys. Now that I have a Volca Beats, Bass, and Digital FM, I can create music that is beyond my wildest fantasies in my tiny home studio with very little experience. The Korgs are the best portable synths ever created, in my opinion, if they withstand the test of time. All of mine are fed into a cheap mixer (an Alto ZMX862) that I bought right here on Amazon, after which they are all plugged into my 200 watt drum amp and a 1000 watt Rockville PA speaker, giving the impression that a whole band is performing in my room. Every time I activate these devices, I'm in wonder because I can produce a unique sound with just a few turns of a knob or a press of a button. At least the three Korg Volca instruments I now own, I can't speak about the others, but I wouldn't think twice about buying any of them.



Korg Volca Digital Sample Sequencer Bundle with Power Supply and Austin Bazaar Polishing Cloth Review:


I want to begin by clarifying that the most of my criticisms are not intended to turn off potential consumers. Without a doubt, this is the best polyphonic synth available for the money. This instrument offers too much functionality for too little money to pass up if you're new to the field and want to try your hand at analogue synthesis. You should interpret this review as recommendations for people who already own analog equipment (specifically midi controllers like the BSP).Let's begin with the advantages:1) Wonderful noises This tiny item can definitely produce sounds that you can use as the basis for your music.2) Includes all the vanilla-style filters you'd anticipate, in addition to more: frequency, resonance, attack, decay, etc.3) Is lightweight and portable4) may be programmed and performs admirably when used alone or in conjunction with other volcas (as is its primary function per design)The disadvantages are largely problems I faced with the Beatstep pro just before I broke it by spilling beer on it (the BSP):1) It is practically difficult to use the midi clock functionality with this device. As a result, in order to get your BSP to work with the device, you must either make adjustments by having your instruments play only 8th notes or by having your volca play loops that are roughly one and a half notes long.The Volca's MIDI clock in feature will go off randomly and drive you insane if you try to utilize it.No keys. This is not a problem for me. I can play them both as a single instrument using my MIDI keyboard, which I can simply plug into the box. This is just something to be aware of because the device's keyboard is completely useless. (You can do some cool things with both chords and bass if you use the midi keyboard AND set the in-synth keyboard to the bass register.)3) At least one additional note of polyphony is required (than 3). I vehemently disagree with the idea that piano players will rate this product higher than "synth fans," who will only give it 4.5 stars on Amazon. At the very least, 6-7 note polyphony is required for piano players. Six chords would be required in polyphony to play two basic triad chords on top of one another. This prevents you from playing 7th or 9th chords, which is essentially half of the appeal of using a piano (not counting the rhythm potential)In conclusion, this gadget has fantastic effects but not the best control, much like the timbrewolf, a wonderful LFO synth with poor effects. Although its inability to get along with other devices is my biggest complaint about this computer, it is still well worth the price at less than $200.PS: Just connect your device to a midi output device to prevent practically all of the issues I mentioned. ($70-$300 fix)



Korg, 0-Key Mixer Accessory (MONOTRONDUO) Review:


I got the Monotron Delay to become comfortable with the fundamentals of synthesizers and determine what I liked before spending money on a more feature-rich synth because I have a background in classical piano and a hankering for analog synth noises. I have the Duo as well, but the Delay is much more enjoyable. Don't be deceived by its toy-like appearance; it is actually a pocket beast that is capable of making some of the gritty, filthiest, and most dismal space-trash-compactor sounds you have ever heard. It allows for a surprising amount of sound exploration, and the limited control options are more of a benefit than a hindrance because they let you to get a thorough understanding of everything you're doing.It makes some entertaining noises on its own, but you'll probably get tired of it pretty quickly. When combined with another instrument that can create predictable sounds, it really shines. On the ribbon synth, you can't truly carry a melody because it isn't discretized or fixed to any scale, but you could always bring in another Monotron that allows you to play scales. I enjoy using it to jam by passing my standard 88-key piano through it, utilizing the delay feature as a filter on top of the piano sounds, and layering the LFO for extra cosmic noise. I've also had a lot of fun using it to operate my friend's sequencer. When used in conjunction with a keyboard, the delay becomes physically addictive since the feedback loop encourages you to keep up with your rhythm and allows you to bend the loop for amusing effects. The amount of base noise is a touch bothersome, and there is no option to adjust the parameters to achieve a clean-sounding output after passing a clear sound source through the delay, which would make for a lovely contrast. But I suppose that the Delay's purpose is different. It's more about turning the cutoff knob as the feedback loop-trapped LFO ray-gun sound intensifies in order to sound like a rocket launching a slow burn into an alien atmosphere.To make the dial indication indents easier to see, I painted them white. Great battery life. Bring your own input and output aux wires. While the onboard speaker is suitable for tinkering, a subwoofer makes the experience more enjoyable.



Moog DFAM (Drummer from Another Mother) Semi-Modular Analog Percussion Synthesizer Review:


Although I've never had one, I've always had a fascination in Moog. So, when I saw this model's low price, I knew I had to get it. I love it!After experimenting for a day or two, I realized that there were a ton of noises on TV, in ads, and in movies that were probably created by Moog. I learned a lot about this kind of synthesizer from it, which was very wonderful.I grew up playing Bach Two Part Inventions with great passion. Although there are features that attempt to address this, this machine is essentially monophonic (plays one note at a time), therefore do not try it. In addition, I absolutely adore playing bass lines for rock (and other) music, and boy does Subsequent shine in this instance! What a Time!So you need one of these if you're a keyboard guy and want to play bass in a band. You need one of these if you play keyboards in a band and want to add some wild new sounds. Order now if you want insane noises for a scary movie. Not so much for you if you want to rock the congregation before you start the large organ if you want to play a Bach Prelude as part of the service.



Korg microKorg 37-Key Analog Modeling Synthesizer with Vocoder Review:


Having additional patch banks and external speakers is, in my opinion, well worth the extra expense because I've always wanted a Microkorg. People frequently bemoan the fact that the Microkorg employs a digital synth engine and counter that in that situation, you might as well use a DAW. That may be the case, but I contend that there is enjoyment to be had from: 1. a tactile interface (which the Microkorg makes incredibly easy to get used to because everything is written there on the board); 2. an instrument that is simple to set up and use (accentuated by the addition of speakers.)Having said that, I can see if individuals find the price to be prohibitive when compared to purchasing a MIDI interface and DAW. The Arturia Microbrute is a good analog option if you're looking for something in that price range. But for me, the MicroKorg's advantage over the Microbrute was the variety of noises it can produce.


Do you need a speaker for a synthesizer?

A synthesizer is an electronic musical instrument that creates sound by generating electrical signals. Synthesizers can imitate the sounds of other instruments or create new, unique sounds. They are often played with a keyboard, but they can also be controlled with a variety of other devices, such as a guitar or a drum. Most synthesizers have a built-in speaker, so you don't need an external speaker to hear the sound. However, if you want to connect the synthesizer to a larger sound system, you will need an external speaker.

How much does a good synth cost?

A good synth will cost you anywhere from $200 to $2000. You can find cheaper options, but they won't have the same features and quality as the more expensive options. If you're just starting out, you'll probably want to spend around $200 on a good synth. But if you're a more experienced musician, you may want to invest in a more expensive option.

Is a synthesizer better than a keyboard?

There are pros and cons to both synthesizers and keyboards. It depends on the person's needs as to which is better. Synthesizers can create a wider variety of sounds, while keyboards typically have weighted keys which some people prefer.

Is buying a synthesizer worth it?

There's no simple answer to this question – it depends on what you're looking for in a synthesizer. If you're just starting out, you may want to consider a less expensive model. But if you're looking for a high-quality synthesizer with a lot of features, you may need to invest in a more expensive one. Ultimately, it's up to you to decide whether buying a synthesizer is worth it.

Is learning synthesizer hard?

Learning a synthesizer can be easy or difficult, depending on the person. If someone is already familiar with music theory and instruments, then learning a synthesizer may not be as difficult. However, if someone is new to music altogether, then learning a synthesizer may be more challenging. There are a variety of online tutorials and lessons that can help someone learn a synthesizer. Ultimately, the amount of effort put into learning a synthesizer will determine how difficult it is.

Should I get a MIDI or a synth?

If you're looking to produce electronic music, you might be wondering whether you should get a MIDI controller or a synthesizer. Here's a quick rundown of the pros and cons of each to help you make a decision. MIDI controllers are great for live performance, as they give you the ability to control multiple parameters of your sound in real time. They're also relatively affordable, and you can find models to suit any budget. The downside is that MIDI controllers don't generate sound on their own - you'll need to connect them to a computer or external sound module to actually