As a keyboard player, the creative possibilities are endless with the right synth. It’s your chance to step away from preset voices and create your signature sound exactly as you want it.

• Best Virtual Analog Synth Vst
• Best Virtual Synths
• Korg
• Best Analog Synth Vst
• Analog Synth Kit
• Best Virtual Analog Synthesizer
• Top Virtual Analog Synth

We are taking a look at some of the best synthesizer keyboards available in 2020 and giving each a short review. If you are new to the world of synths, try one.

Here are the best synthesizer keyboards 2020:

• Well, to be blunt, we think the Moog Sub Phatty is the best damn synth you can buy for under a thousand bucks. Hands down, when you put everything together and add it up (sound, features, feel, usability, flexibility, price) we can’t find another synth, especially an analog synth, that can touch it in this price range.
• Apr 11, 2019 The 21 best high-end hardware synthesizers 2020: keyboards and modules for $/£600 and above.

1. Sequential Prophet X

The Prophet range from legendary high-end synthesizer builder Dave Smith has been a front runner in this market forever it seems. Formerly known as Dave Smith Instruments, the company is now called Sequential and the Prophet X is the best Sequential synth to date.

Mar 16, 2020 It does come at a cost, but if you have the money, it’s worth it. Omnisphere 2 is the best synth VST out there right now. Arturia Pigments 2. The best newcomer. Arturia is renowned for incredible attention to detail, so when they say Pigments was 20 years in the making, you can expect it to be one of the best synth plugins money can buy.

The Prophet X combines analog with sample-based synthesis in a collaboration with 8Dio. 8Dio is a company known to be experts in what they call deep sampling.

At the heart of the Prophet X, you have a 61-key, semi-weighted, 32-note polyphony synth with two high-resolution digital oscillators. Although being digitally controlled, everything runs through analog filters for a truly authentic experience.

The synth engine provides the classic sine, saw, or pulse waveforms that you expect from a Prophet, this time with even more flexibility. You can manually change the width of any waveform or use one of 4 LFO’s, 4 loopable envelope generators, or the 16-slot mod matrix to add texture.

The sample engine runs on 150gb of sample content from 8Dio with an additional 50gb of space to upload your samples.

The Prophet X also comes with a poly step sequencer which lets you record 6 notes per step for up to 64 steps. A dual effects engine provides two effects per layer and there are some stunning phase, flang, distortion effects, and much more. As far as connectivity goes, you name it, it’s got it along with 3 OLED displays making it great for studio or stage work.

There is no denying the Prophet X is an absolute beast. It’s impossible to cover all the complexities of this synthesizer in a mini-review.

The collaboration with 8Dio is a success, no one does deep sampling as well as they do. A direct result of that collaboration is that the Prophet X has some beautiful piano voices, something that many synths are lacking.

The 16 slot mod matrix along with the onboard LFO’s and effects are capable of shaping some incredible patches and creating unique rhythms and textures.

Anyone from an EDM producer to a Hollywood movie composer could gain massively from adding a Prophet X to their arsenal. The only issue is that price, it’s not to suggest it isn’t worth every penny but for the average musician, it’s certainly a big investment.

2. Novation Summit

The Summit is a new offering from Novation who are known for making the Peak, a long-time top-rated synthesizer. The Summit, in a nutshell, contains 2 Novation Peak synth engines so it’s massively powerful.

It’s a semi-weighted 61-key, 2 part, 16 voice polyphonic synth with some amazing analog credentials. It has a true stereo analog signal path with dual analog multimode filters, analog VCA’s, and analog distortion.

This is a synth that the purists will love. It uses 3 digital oscillators per voice with a noise generator. It allows 2 LFO’s per voice with an amp envelope and 2 mod envelopes. The state variable filter allows pre-filter overdrive and post-filter distortion.

The Summit offers 16 modulation slots per patch and an abundance of mod sources. The onboard effects are per part and include analog distortion, 3 chorus types, and 16 types of delay.

The Summit is housed in a metal case with wood ends and the front panel is remarkably well laid out for such a complex machine.

Listing the price as the only thing in the con list is because we can’t find anything else. The Summit has some of the very best patches I’ve ever heard, especially the cinematic pads/textures.

The Peak synth was incredibly powerful so an engine running 2 Peaks seems limitless. You could easily, without exaggeration, play this synth every day for a year and create a new sound every time. Even if you aren’t considering buying one just yet please go try one out.

3. Roland JD-XA

The Roland JD-XA is a 49-key analog/digital hybrid synthesizer, max polyphony is 4 voices for analog and 64 voices for digital. The keys are velocity-sensitive with aftertouch that can create some great effects if used correctly.

It’s a great starting point for composition too as it comes with a very nice 16-track sequencer, not all synths have this. Onboard effects are abundant, global and insert, including some lovely reverbs, delays, and EQ so you have full control of your sound.

It also comes with lots of connectivity, USB for MIDI functions, CV/gate outputs, an analog dry output jack, a click output jack, foot pedal jacks, and of course the main output jacks.

This is a modern synthesizer keyboard that delivers beautiful analog and digital performance. One of the best things about this synth is that it brings out the players creativity because there are so many ways to shape the sound.

The 16-track sequencer also inspires creativity when recording/composing or used as a live performance tool. The JD-XA is a synth that any serious keyboard player would love to have. It’s powerful, versatile, inspiring, and beautiful to play.

It’s not outrageously priced for a 49-key synthesizer but it’s not cheap either. As a pure synth, there are some better options but as a centerpiece of your production/studio setup, features like the 16-track sequencer could push the JD-XA to the top of your list. One of the very best modern synthesizers available.

4. Korg KingKORG

The KingKORG is one of my personal favorites. It’s a semi-weighted 61-key analog modeling powerhouse. One of the reasons it’s so good is that it’s cheaper than most of the big-name 61-key synths but still delivers supreme quality. It has a full analog vacuum tube driver circuit and a built-in vocoder.

The sound engine is Korg’s XMT (Xpanded modeling technology) and it delivers a huge variety of tones. There are 3 oscillators and 3 master effects sections. The front panel is very intuitive, everything is clear and easy to use on the fly.

While you do have a lot of sound-shaping options there are around 200 presets which set this synth apart. The presets might be frowned upon by purists but the reality is they sound amazing and the option to turn on the tube amp takes them to another level.

Synthesizers aren’t exactly beginner keyboards but the KingKORG is the best example of an entry-level, powerful synth. It’s not entry-level in terms of quality or sound but it’s the most intuitive and easy to use synth on our list.

Best Virtual Analog Synth Vst

For anyone who performs a lot or produces multiple tracks daily (beatmakers, etc) this is the perfect synth. You have more than enough keys to deal with any style without using the transpose button and you can find/edit the highest quality leads, basses, and pads on the fly.

With the KingKORG you don’t need to understand complex things to deliver a complex sound, it’s beautiful. I’d go as far as saying this could be the best Korg synth I’ve ever played and that’s a big statement. You literally will not find another synthesizer under (or around) $1000 that beats this.

5. Moog Sub Phatty

Moog have long been associated with high-end synthesizers. The Sub Phatty isn’t the flagship Moog synth but it’s a little powerhouse that can transform your music.

One of the best things about the Sub Phatty is how simple it is to use with a nice, clean front panel and free editing software. It’s essentially a 25-key analog synth with a 31 knob panel that lets you easily control and shape some of the most classic Moog tones.

The sound engine comes from 2 variable oscillators running through a high-gain mixer. Inside the mixer, you have a pink noise generator and a sub-oscillator, what this does is adds real grit and depth to the sound.

Moog launched their multi-drive circuit with the Sub Phatty, it can either add warmth and round off your tone or turn it into a screaming analog monster. There’s not a whole lot of connectivity on offer but this is as close to a “plug and play” Moog as you will ever get.

The Sub Phatty has somemixed opinions because it’s so easy to use, some more advanced players think thatmeans inferior sound. We can tell you definitively it does not!

The only loss through making it so clean and simple to use is some more precise fine-tuning/shaping capabilities. The sound it generates is 100% authentic Moog and perfect for anyone who just wants to add that sound to their work.

The editor software does let you go deeper into tweaking the sound but on stage, you won’t always want to use a laptop. If you want something that can generate phat basslines and aggressive lead lines with no fuss, this is it.

6. Korg microKORG

The microKORG has been around for a while and it’s not going anywhere for good reason. It’s still a favorite amongst producers and performers because it packs such a big punch in such a small package. Much of the love for this small synth comes from its outstanding vocoder capabilities.

The microKORG has 37 velocity-sensitive mini-keys with split and dual-mode available. The sound engine is built on 4 voices and 2 oscillators with a noise generator and multi-pass filter.

The 8-channel vocoder is the real star of this synth, running on one oscillator and noise generator. Each channel can be panned and leveled individually and a formant shift function adds some extra dirt. It’s a straight-forward synth but it’s now enjoying its 15th anniversary so Korg did something right with this one.

The microKORG is somewhat of a legend amongst keyboard players. This is most likely the best budget synth under $500 that you could find. It’s not the most powerful sound engine by any means but it’s powerful for its size that’s for sure.

Despite not being the best sounding synth it does have an iconic sound which compensates for lack of quality. The vocoder is fantastic and it’s worth buying for that alone.

It’s not going to be the main part of your setup in the studio or on stage but no matter what keyboards you have got already, the microKORG will add something.

7. Arturia MicroFreak

The MicroFreak is a new algorithmic synth from Arturia who usually focus on analog or soft synths. On first sight, it’s a strange-looking instrument and that is a pretty fair assessment. Like the name suggests it’s a mini synthesizer that’s extremely portable.

The flat key-bed has 25 keys with 4-note polyphony when the paraphonic button is engaged. The MicroFreak comes with a single 12-mode digital oscillator. The 12-mode oscillator emulates many classic analog/digital oscillators so you have plenty of range to play with.

The 12 modes are great when searching for a new sound, before you change completely just try hitting the other modes and it might surprise you.

The analog filter is digitally controlled and can switch between low, high, and bandpass modes. It can be further fine-tuned via the cutoff and resonance knobs. There is a single LFO which is quite average but easy to use and works well enough.

The MicroFreak made it onto our list to offer something different. It’s weird, it’s strange, it’s different but it’s a lot of fun! You can come up with a lot of very cool sounds very quickly, that along with its compact size make it very interesting indeed.

This is a synth that you’d buy in addition to other synths or keyboards, I wouldn’t suggest you buy this as your main synth. But it won’t break the bank, it sounds great, albeit not to the level of the larger synths, and it’s just fun to use.

What is a Synthesizer?

A synthesizer is an electronic instrument that generates audio signals that are then converted to sound. A synthesizer can emulate real instruments like pianos and strings or create a whole world of weird and wonderful electronic sounds.

Synths are made up of connected modules like oscillators, filters, loopers, etc. The modules can be used all together or in any variation to shape the final output of sound. A synth doesn’t need to have a keyboard, sound can be created with modular synths just by sending your signal along the desired path.

If you have ever seen a large modular synth rack, with patch cables everywhere it can look quite intimidating. Essentially, all of those cables are just a physical representation of the signal path your digital keyboard would emulate, except you are seeing it now. So it’s not as complex as it may look, although, adding a keyboard makes it much more approachable for many musicians.

How to Choose a Synthesizer?

This is like choosingany instrument, you have to think about a budget and what your end goal is.Think about what you are hoping to create with this instrument.

The biggest difference between choosing a synth and choosing something like a MIDI controller is that with a synth it’s far easier to end up out of your depth. As we mentioned above, synths are not as complicated as they first seem but it’s still a big leap from a digital piano, etc.

If you need something for performing/producing and all you care about is the end sound then something like the KingKORG is perfect. You get the high-quality sound without needing to understand the complexities of oscillators and mod sources.

If you want to have complete control and create your signature sound from scratch then go wild, look towards instruments like the Summit or Prophet X but be prepared to spend big.

What are Synth Keyboards Used for?

Synth keyboards areused for a wide range of projects. Some of the most iconic film scores evermade were created on legendary synthesizers. They are widely used by producers,performers, and DJ’s both in the studio and on stage. They are not generallyused if your main focus is the sound of real instruments, piano, Fender Rhodes,etc.

Synths are most commonly used for adding lead lines or bass lines to tracks in multiple genres from pop to funk. They can also be used to thicken up a track by adding a synth pad underneath it.

If you like any form of electronic music from EDM to techno to Dubstep then you have heard synthesizers being used.

Conclusion

When you play digital pianos you don’t need to think about LFO’s or analog signal paths, etc. It’s just about playing and let’s be honest, learning your instrument properly is a never-ending journey as it is. When you start to add synthesizers to the mix it opens up a whole new world with endless sonic possibilities.

Our advice would be to keep it simple and walk before you run. In other words, if you are still getting to grips with the basics of the keyboard then don’t dive head first into a high-end synth.

Start simple and learn properly, that way you will develop a stronger understanding of how different modules work, waveforms, envelopes, and so on.

If you feel like your grasp of the basic keyboard is strong enough then don’t be put off by the look of a complex synth. Once you get started it will change how you make music and you won’t stop!

James is a writer and musician with a passion for audio production. He is a lover of all things tech, especially the latest keyboards, synths, DAW’s, virtual instruments, and effects plugins. Musical interests include jazz, funk, hip hop, blues, and rock.

It’s been a while since I surveyed the market for free software synths, so I thought I’d give it go and see what’s new and what has stood the test of time. Some of these instruments were released as prototypes or were the early experiments of developers just entering the market.

Free stuff is not always actually free. Often you will follow a link only to find out that it’s a free “demo”. Aren’t all demos supposed to be free?? In other cases, free software is dangled like a carrot in order to get your email address or to entice you into buying other products, preset libraries, add-ons, etc.

Well, business is business, and I suppose everyone needs to make a buck. I really don’t mind spending a few dollars for some shareware now and again to support a budding developer. But it behooves even the most experienced consumer to proceed with caution when the word free is thrown around.

What follows are some awesome sounding instruments in no particular order that are indeed free with very few strings attached. And if you can stomach a little extra spam, some of these may prove valuable additions to your stockpile of synths.

1. TyrellN6 by u-he

• Virtual analog with classic architecture, plus extras.
• Two oscillators, noise, ring modulator.
• Two LFOs with eight waveforms that are host-syncable.
• Audio source mixer with authentic overdrive and filter feedback.
• Twin filter related to Diva (early model).
• Unison with up to eight voices.
• Analog-type ADSR envelopes, loopable or LFO-triggered.
• Small modulation matrix with depth modulation from a second source.
• Chorus effect with three modes.
• MIDI learn / unlearn for hardware control.
• Resizable UI from 70% to 200%.
• Skinnable UI.
• Over 580 factory presets.

This thing is responsive as hell and sounds sweet! I love the stained and grungy aesthetic of the interface. It’s really hard to believe it’s free. But it serves its purpose I suppose because it truly whets the appetite for more stuff from u-he.

2. Dexed

Dexed is an emulation of the classic FM synth: Yamaha DX7.

From the Github page:

“Dexed is a multi-platform, multi-format plugin synth that is closely modeled on the Yamaha DX7. Dexed is also a midi cartridge librarian/manager for the DX7. Do not expect this to be a perfect clone of a DX7 since this will take years in the open source world and multiple collaborators before getting there … Since Dexed is modeled on the DX7, the Yamaha DX7 Operating Manual can be used as a reference documentation.”

The interface is a little cluttered and is more functional than it is aesthetically pleasing, but there are a ton of sonic possibilities with this for those willing to dig in.

3. MiniSpillage

Best Virtual Synths

“MiniSpillage is a free professional quality drum synthesizer plugin featuring high-resolution 64-bit DSP processing.
MiniSpillage includes three exclusive drum synthesis algorithms along with distortion effects and resonant filters.”

• Bass Drum – Single oscillator bass drum synth with pitch sweep, internal FM and harmonic controls.
• Wood Drum – Flexible wooden drum model synthesizes natural and synthetic timbres from log drums to toms.
• Hi-Hat – Six oscillators closed and open hi-hat generator with a noise source and dual resonant filters.

This is a great free option for those that want to create their own drum sounds with modulation, filtering and distortion effects.

4. Crystal Synth by Green Oak

This is one is a bit frustrating and takes a while to get anything remotely usable. The interface is on the clunky side. But a little patience can be rewarding.

5. Lokomotiv

Lokomotiv is an analog retro synthesizer that is impressive from the first launch. Its austere interface is surprisingly responsive and sounds immediately great.

Oscillator:

• Mathematically generated high definition Oscillator without using wavetable or interpolation.
• Silky smooth 9X detuned sawtooth wave.
• Pulse wave with self PWM.
• Shape morphing sub-oscillator.

Filter:

• MG ladder modeling multimode filter featuring Zero Delay Feedback technology.
• Routable filter Drive (Pre/Post).

Modulator:

• Natural Curved ADSR Envelope generator.
• One-shot LFO which can be used as envelope.

Specification:

• 1X OSC (Saw+ Pulse) + One Sub OSC, Noise Generator.
• 1X multimode Filter with Drive.
• 1X LFO, 1X Envelope Generator.
• Eight polyphonic voices, Mono and Legato mode supported.
• 64 Factory presets included.
• Native 64-bit, Mac and Windows OS supported.

6. Digits from Extent of the Jam

This one sports a subdued color palette with beefy growls, preset chords and brass sounds. A bit of crackling when parameters are modified, but worth the time to download for sure.

7. Spitfire Audio – LABS

Not long ago, Spitfire Audio released an ongoing series of completely free instruments called LABS. These are very, very simple sampled instruments with just a handful of controls and they sound really, really good. So far the collection includes:

• Charango
• Electric Piano
• Amplified Electric Cello Quartet
• Drums
• Strings
• Soft Piano

Korg

If you’ve used any of the Spitfire Sample Libraries before, you know how well they’re recorded, and these instruments are no exception. While you won’t get the flexibility or deep sampled variety of a full-scale library, you will get a great sound that can be slightly varied to taste. While these are sampled instruments as opposed to synths, they’re free and so good that I felt they warranted inclusion.

8. TAL NoiseMaker

This is one my of favorite choices. The interface is accessible, clean and to the point and thick, beefy sounds are possible from the get-go. Really nice!

From the developer: “TAL NoiseMaker is an improved version of TAL-Elek7ro and has a completely new synth engine and a lot of improvements in sound and usability. The synth also includes a small effect section with a reverb, chorus and a simple bit crusher effect. A display shows the knob and slider values. This allows more control over the synth. A ring modulator and a syncable triangle are also part of this synth.”

Best Analog Synth Vst

TAL NoiseMaker includes new filter types and the self-resonating 6 dB low pass and notch filter. Its improved amplitude ADSR is very suitable for slow pads and for really fast envelopes. 128 factory presets included, 80 made by Frank “Xenox” Neumann.

Features:

• Three Oscillators. Osc 1, +/- 24 semitones, fine tune, phase control (saw, pulse, noise). Osc 2, +/- 24 semitones, fine tune, phase control (saw, rectangle, triangle, sine). Sub Osc (rectangle).
• Osc 1 PM for pulse waveform.
• Osc 2 FM controlled by Osc 1.
• Osc 1 & Osc 2 sync to sub osc (saw, pulse, rectangle, triangle (bipolar sync)).
• Adjustable master tune and transpose.
• Up to six voices.
• Portamento in mono and poly mode (off, auto, on).
• Ringmod modulates Osc 1 with Osc 2.
• Self resonating 4x oversampled filters (24 dB LP, 18 dB LP, 12 dB LP, 6 dB LP, 12 dB HP, 12 dB BP, Notch).
• Filter ADSR (negative and positive).
• Volume ADSR
• Routable ADSR, modulates Filter, Osc 1, Osc 2, PW, FM (negative and positive)
• Two LFO’s with different running modes: free, sync to host, triggered by note. Modulates filter, Osc 1, Osc 2, FM, PW, LFO rate, Panorama and Volume. Sine, Triangle, Saw Square, S&H, Noise. Positive and Negative modulation. Phase control.
• Adjustable Velocity-dependent control over volume filter contour and cutoff.
• Adjustable Pitch Wheel control over Cutoff and Pitch.
• One pole HP filter.
• Detune, detunes notes randomly.
• Juno chorus with different modes.
• A built-in reverb and delay.
• Adjustable filter drive.
• Bitcrusher affects Osc 1 and Osc 2. It’s a pre-filter stage effect.
• MIDI Learn for all knobs.
• Panic button.
• Easy to use, no hidden panels.
• 256 great presets (Presets by Frank “Xenox” Neumann, The Unshushable Coktor, Alexandra Sendy, TAL, Patrick Kunz).

9. Thump by Metric Halo

Thump is a unique audio processor that allows you to synthesize low-frequency audio to add low end to a track or generate another sound entirely. Thump looks at the pitch and dynamics of its audio input and uses this information to control its oscillators. You can add low end to drums, augment a bass or even create synthetic drones.

Thump is ideal for beefing up a kick drum, adding low end to percussive tracks, recreating classic drum synth sounds and more. You can use Thump’s envelope driven, percussive sub-harmonic synth for the following things (among others):

• Build low-octave support for bass drum, tom, snare and other percussive tracks.
• Create kettle drum sounds from regular drum tracks.
• Recreate the sounds of classic drum synths like the TR-808.

The effect of Thump is similar to generating a sine wave or other waveform on a gated track that is side-chained to a transient on another track such as a kick. But Thump allows more control, two oscillators that can be changed on the fly and more pitch specific envelope control. If you like kicks that are thick as hell and challenge the range of human hearing, you will like Thump a lot.

NOTE: the instrument requires a transient input to be activated so you would use it like an insert rather than a standalone synth.

Analog Synth Kit

10. Synth 1 by Daichi Laboratory

While the interface is a bit nasty and pixelated, Synth 1 by Ichiro Toda is modeled after the Nord Lead 2 Red Synth and sounds decent. It doesn’t take long to get a few usable sounds and the onboard arpeggiator is great for experimenting. (Manual)

11. PG-8X by Martin Lüder

“The PG-8X is a virtual synthesizer, inspired by the Roland JX-8P with the PG-800 programmer. The synth architecture is a standard 2-oscillator -> Filter -> VCA design. These elements can be modulated by a common LFO and one of two envelopes. The PG-8X is patch compatible with the JX-8P and can read and write JX-8P Sysex data”. (Manual)

Conclusion

While these instruments may not be the best things in life — they are free. And it has been my experience that there is something to be learned from every piece of software, as there is from all types of music. Experimentation and exploration yield untold rewards for the adventurous, and freeware is a great place to start your journey or a means to unshackle yourself, at least temporarily, from the financial constraints that plague us all.

—–

Check out my other articles, reviews, interviews and my video tutorial series, Synthesis 101 available exclusively on The Pro Audio Files.

Best Virtual Analog Synthesizer

Follow me on Twitter: @PMantione
Instagram: philipmantione

3 FREE Max for Live Devices

Top Virtual Analog Synth

Download three free Max for Live Devices from Phil Mantione.