This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (January 2020)

The following is a list of notable synthesizers.

Year Manufacturer Synthesizer Notes Ref.
1963 Buchla Buchla Model 100 Series [1]
1965 Moog Music Moog synthesizer First commercial synthesizer [2]
1970 Moog Music Minimoog First synthesizer sold in retail stores[3] [4]
1970 Buchla Buchla Series 200 [1]
1978 Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 First fully programmable polyphonic synthesizer [5]
2008 Dave Smith Instruments Prophet '08 [6]
2017 Dave Smith Instruments Prophet Rev 2 [7]
1983 Yamaha DX7 First commercially successful digital synthesizer [5]
1987 Yamaha DX7II [8]
1983 Yamaha DX1 [5]
1987 Yamaha TX81Z [5]
1988 Yamaha DX11 [5]
1985 Yamaha DX21 [5]
1981 Roland TB-303 Important to the development of acid house [9]
1982 Roland SH-101 [5]
1982 Roland Juno-6 / Juno-60 [10]
1981 Roland Jupiter-8 [11]
1983 Roland JX-3P [11]
1984 Roland Juno-106 [10]
1985 Roland Alpha Juno [12]
1987 Roland D-50 First synthesizer with digital reverb [13]
1991 Roland JD-800 [14]
1981 Korg Polysix [10]
1980 Oberheim OB-Xa [15]
1988 Korg M1 Bestselling synthesizer in history [16]
1990 Korg Wavestation [14]
1979 Fairlight Fairlight CMI [5]
1971 ARP ARP 2600 [14]
1972 ARP ARP Odyssey First duophonic synthesizer (capable of playing two notes at once) [5]
1975 Moog Music Polymoog [17]
1969 EMS VCS3 [5]
1976 Yamaha CS-80 [5]
1978 Korg MS-20 [5]
1981 PPG Wave [5]
1991 Korg 01/W [18]
1997 Propellerhead Software ReBirth One of the first software synthesizers that could be played in real time via MIDI [19]
1996 Roland JP-8000 Supersaw technology helped popularise trance music. [20]

References

  1. ^ a b "Buchla 200e: Part 1". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  2. ^ McNamee, David (2 August 2010). "Hey, what's that sound: Moog synthesisers". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 January 2020.
  3. ^ PINCH, T. J.; Trocco, Frank; Pinch, T. J. (2009-06-30). Analog Days: The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer. Harvard University Press. ISBN 9780674042162.
  4. ^ Bernstein, Adam (2005-08-23). "Robert Moog Dies; Created Electronic Synthesizer". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2018-12-03.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "The 14 most important synths in electronic music history – and the musicians who use them". FACT Magazine: Transmissions from the underground. 2016-09-15. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  6. ^ "Dave Smith Instruments Prophet 08". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  7. ^ "Dave Smith Instruments Prophet Rev 2". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  8. ^ Vail, Mark (2014). The Synthesizer. Oxford University Press. p. 59. ISBN 978-0195394894.
  9. ^ Hamill, Jasper. "The world's most famous electronic instrument is back. Will anyone buy the reissued TB-303?". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-03-26.
  10. ^ a b c "The Roland Juno Series - Back To The Future". MusicTech. 2016-07-15. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  11. ^ a b "The History Of Roland: Part 2". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2020-01-28.
  12. ^ "Roland Alpha Juno 1 & 2". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  13. ^ "The History Of Roland: Part 3". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
  14. ^ a b c Solida 2018-11-05T11:10:00Z, Scot. "The 10 greatest synthesizers of all time". MusicRadar. Retrieved 2020-05-04.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Solida 2018-11-05T11:10:00Z, Scot. "The 10 greatest synthesizers of all time". MusicRadar. Retrieved 2020-01-20.((cite web)): CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Vail, Mark (February 2002). "Korg M1 (Retrozone)". Sound on Sound. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  17. ^ "Moog Polymoog". Sound on Sound. July 1998. Archived from the original on 2015-05-24. Retrieved 2020-01-20.
  18. ^ "The History Of Korg: Part 2". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  19. ^ Vail, Mark (2014). The Synthesizer. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195394894.
  20. ^ Scarth, Greg (2014-11-24). "Ten Of The Best: First Vintage Synths". Attack Magazine. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
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