My Music Production Hardware & Software Wishlists

Music Production Wishlist - Hardware Arranger Keyboards Ketron EVENT KORG Pa5X (Professional Arranger) Yamaha Genos2 Controller Keyboards Arturia Keylab 88 MkII Expressive E osmose Native Instruments Komplete Control S88 MK3 Digital Pianos Roland GP-9 Digital Piano Yamaha AvantGrand N3X Bösendorfer Grand Piano 214VC Drum Machines & Grooveboxes Ableton Ableton Push Synthesizers Arturia PolyBrute Noir Edition Behringer Odyssey Poly D UB-Xa KORG Modwave Native Wavestate Moog Etherwave Theremin Minimoog Model D Subsequent 37 Roland D-05 JUNO-X JUPITER-X JUPITER-80 Sequential Prophet X Workstations KORG Nautilus AT Roland FANTOM 8 EX Yamaha MONTAGE M8x Music Production Wishlist - Software Bitwig Bitwig Studio boz Digital Labs New York L Bundle D16 Group Phoscyon2 Punchbox TotalBundle Emergence Audio Viola Textures FeelYourSound ChilloutEngine - turns your chord progressions into relaxed keys, smooth basslines, memorable hooks, and lovely arpeggios ChordPotion - MIDI plug-in that turns any chord progression into new riffs and melodies in real-time HouseEngine - turns your chord progressions into expressive piano rhythms, deep basslines, catchy melodies, and sparkling arpeggios MelodicFlow - create and play stunning melodies, basslines, and riffs quickly Sundog Song Studio - experiment with new scales, harmonies, and melodies easily TranceEngine - turns your chord progressions into uplifting melodies, driving arpeggios, deep basslines, and memorable hooks Fors Opal - Rhythm machine & drum synthesizer Superberry - Delicious superwave GForce Software M-Tron Pro - Complete KORG Modwave Native Opsix Native Wavestate Native Minimal Audio Current - virtual instrument, effects suite, and content platform built for endless hours of inspiration Rift - deeply creative multi-effect plugin Modartt Steinway Model B PlugInGuru (many !) Pro Tools - makes music creation fast and fluid, providing a complete set of tools to create, record, edit, and mix audio Pulse Audio Vivid Strings reFX Nexus Rhizomatic Plasmonic - captures the complex acoustic resonances of Physical Modeling, expands on it with more familiar elements of Subtractive Synthesis, and adds a few unique twists Rob Papen EXPLORER-9 Albino-3 - Legacy The legendary Virtual Synthesizer Go2-X - Insane easy to use power Synthesizer LowSane - LoFi FX with additional Filters and the ‘Disrupt Sphere’ BIT-2 - The Ultimate Virtual Analog Synthesizer BLUE-III - Cross-fusion Virtual Synthesizer RevSane - Algorithm Reverb with ‘Disrupt Sphere’ Predator-3 - The Hybride Powerhouse! RoCoder - Vocoder and much more! DelSane - The coolest Delay in this Galaxy! RP-Distort 2 - PowerHouse Distortion FX with Disrupt Sphere! Punch 2 - Power drum machine with synthesis and sample-based BLADE-2 - Cutting-edge Additive synthesis and more Quad - PhaseDistortion and WaveShaper synthesizer| RAW - Cutting-edge EDM synthesizer with a focus on ‘distorted sounds. XY-Transfer - XY-modulation FX multiprocessor BIT - Ultimate virtual analog synthesizer Vecto - Four-oscillator vector synthesizer Go2 - The power of limitations synthesizer RAW-Kick - Edgy Kicks for contemporary dance music. MasterMagic - Adds a touch of magic for your Mix or Master. SubBoomBass-2 - The ultimate bass synthesizer. BLUE-II - Cross-fusion synthesis at its finest. RG - Electric and acoustic guitar grooves. RP-VERB 2 - Most intriguing in RP-VERB 2 – alongside the great sound – is the new ‘Reverser’ section! RP-Reverse - Reverses the incoming audio in a creative way. RP-EQ - Silky smooth-sounding channel, and mastering EQ. Punch-BD - Based on the BD module of the multi-award-winning Punch virtual drum synth, RP-Delay - Delay insanity. Reverser, 6 lines, 8 filters, 4 LFOs, and more. RP-Distort - Wicked FX unit that will distort or alter your tracks. RP-Amod - Spice up your vocal track, liven an instrument, and even beef up your drums. Sonic Academy - EDM production tutorials in Ableton Live, Cubase, Logic Pro, FL Studio & Reason Kick 2 - multi award winning kick drum plugin Spektro Audio ACDGEN - Advanced Pattern Generator Polyform - Polyphonic MIDI Processor Spectrasonics Keyscape Omnisphere 3 Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano SRM Sounds Max Richter Piano Steinberg Absolute 6 136 GB of content and 7,800 presets Instruments Backbone - Drum Re-Synthesizer Groove Agent 5 (including Prime Cuts, Future Past Perfect, Rock Essentials) HALion 7 Retrologue 2 Synthesizer (incl. Sounds of Soul) The Grand 3 – VST Piano Suite HALion instruments Amped Elektra Anima Auron B-Box Dark Planet Electric Bass FM Lab HALion Symphonic Orchestra HALiotron Hot Brass Hypnotic Dance Model C (Organ) Olympus Choir Micro Skylab Studio Strings Tales The Eagle The Raven Triebwerk Trium World instruments World Percussion Voltage Synthogy Ivory II Grand Pianos Ivory III Grand Pianos The Crow Hill Company Small String Gestures String Murmurations Toontrack EZbass - two bass libraries, mix-ready presets, bass grooves and a wealth of features for creative songwriting EZdrummer 3 - seven kits, percussion, mix-ready presets, drum grooves and a wealth of features designed with the creative songwriter in mind u-He Hive 2 Repro UVI IRCAM Prepared Piano 2 IRCAM Solo Instruments 2

December 26, 2025 · 4 min · James M

Arturia Pigments 7

Arturia Pigments 7 - A Sonic Canvas for the Modern Creator Arturia’s Pigments has long been beloved by producers, sound designers, and musical adventurers for its bold combination of synthesis power and visual clarity. Pigments 7, the newest iteration of this flagship software synthesizer, continues that tradition - adding fresh expressive tools, workflow refinements, and creative content that invite both deep exploration and instant inspiration. https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/pigments/overview At its heart, Pigments is an all-in-one synth engine built to blur the line between imagination and sound. It brings together six distinct synthesis engines - including wavetable, virtual analog, granular, sample, harmonic and the increasingly explored modal engine - all within a responsive, color-coded interface designed for playful experimentation. ...

December 17, 2025 · 3 min · James M

Yamaha MODX M8 vs Arturia AstroLab 88

Overview Two 88-key instruments that sit on very different creative axes: Yamaha MODX M8 - a synthesizer/workstation built for deep sound design, layering, and performance without a computer. Arturia AstroLab 88 - a stage keyboard with a massive curated sound library drawn from Arturia’s Analog Lab/V Collection, optimized for instant playable tones. Instrument Philosophy Yamaha MODX M8 A self-contained synthesizer/workstation blending multiple sound engines - sample-based AWM2, FM-X (frequency modulation), and AN-X (virtual-analog style) - into one performance instrument. It’s built to do sound design, real-time modulation, layering, effects, and sequencing all internally. ...

December 16, 2025 · 4 min · James M

Yamaha MODX M8 vs Yamaha Montage M8X

Synth-shopping is one of those delightful rabbit holes where technology, creativity, and philosophy collide. Yamaha’s MODX M8 and Montage M8X share the same genetic code - three powerful sound engines - but they live in different worlds when it comes to feel, performance depth, and long-term ambition. If you’re torn between them, this breakdown should make your choice a whole lot easier. For day-to-day impressions of the Montage M8X after six months of real-world use, see The Yamaha Montage M: 6 months in real-world usage. ...

December 5, 2025 · 3 min · James M

Roland Fantom EX

About The Roland Fantom EX is a series of professional-grade synthesizer workstations aimed at musicians and producers. It’s known for its versatility, high-quality sounds, and powerful features. Here’s a breakdown of its key characteristics: Sounds Diverse sound library with over 7,000 tones covering various musical styles. Roland’s sound engine technologies like ACB (Analog Circuit Behavior) for realistic analog sounds, ZEN-Core for sample-based sounds, V-Piano for superior piano tones, and SuperNATURAL for rich and expressive acoustic instruments. Access to premium sound content through Roland Cloud for further sonic exploration. Hardware and User Interface Comes in three models: Fantom 6 EX, 7 EX, and 8 EX, differing in the number of keys. User-friendly interface with a combination of buttons, knobs, sliders, and a large, dynamic color touchscreen for intuitive control and sound shaping. Option to personalize the interface with custom images. Workflow and Features Onboard sampling and composition tools for creating and arranging musical ideas. TR-REC step sequencer for programming drum beats and rhythmic patterns. Real-time recording with piano roll editing for capturing and editing musical performances. RGB pads for triggering sounds, samples, and launching clips. Various effects processors for adding depth and character to sounds. Here are some additional points to consider ...

June 17, 2024 · 4 min · James M

Yamaha Montage M

About The Yamaha Montage M was released in the UK on 10th October 2023. It is the next-generation flagship synthesizer from Yamaha, building on the success of the original Montage. It boasts several improvements and new features designed to enhance the sound, control, and workflow for professional keyboardists. Here is a summary of the key aspects of the Yamaha Montage M Three Powerful Engines - Like its predecessor, Montage M features three sound engines: AN-X, AWM2, and FM-X. These engines offer a vast sonic palette, allowing you to create warm vintage analog tones, cutting-edge FM sounds, and ultra-realistic acoustic instruments. Increased Polyphony - A significant upgrade is the 400-note total polyphony, a jump from the original Montage’s 256 notes. This allows for more complex and layered sounds without worrying about dropped notes. New AN-X Virtual Analog Engine - This engine offers a fresh take on virtual analog synthesis, providing more detailed control over sound shaping. Improved User Interface - The Montage M features a redesigned user interface with new easy-edit pages and shortcuts, making sound creation and editing more intuitive and efficient. Additional Knobs and Encoders - More physical controls give you more immediate access to tweak parameters and add dynamics to your performance. VCM Rotary Speaker Effect - This new effect accurately emulates the classic sound of a Leslie speaker cabinet, adding warmth and movement to organ and electric piano sounds. Powerful USB Audio Interface - The Montage M functions as a 6-in/32-out USB audio interface, allowing you to record audio directly to your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for seamless integration into your studio workflow. Overall, the Yamaha Montage M is a premium synthesizer workstation offering a powerful combination of sound quality, versatile sound engines, improved control options, and seamless studio integration. It caters to professional keyboardists who demand the best in performance and production capabilities. For my long-form impressions after living with the M8X, see The Yamaha Montage M: 6 months in real-world usage. ...

June 16, 2024 · 4 min · James M

Music Production: Analogue vs Digital Synths

Overview Analog & digital synthesizers are both electronic instruments that create sound, but they differ in how they generate and manipulate that sound. Here’s a list of the key differences. Analog Synths Use electrical circuits to produce sound waves These circuits can be influenced by various knobs and sliders, creating a warm, rich sound with subtle imperfections Pros Warm, organic sound, sought-after for genres like classic electronic music, “hands-on” approach to sound design Cons Can be expensive, limited in features compared to digital synths, less polyphony Digital Synths ...

April 20, 2024 · 2 min · James M