Keyboards

Roland's latest high-end arranger is the company's first for three years, yet it looks strikingly similar to its predecessor. Does it have anything new to offer in an increasingly sophisticated market? Simon Trask arranges some time with the G1000...

Paul Ward reintroduces an instrument now widely neglected on account of its 'digital' tag, and argues that it still has much to recommend it.

Roland have finally released the rackmounting version of their much-vaunted JP8000. And what is this? A mic input? Paul Ward adopts his best Kraftwerk pose for a spot of modern nostalgia.

When such an established name in the world of electronic pianos comes out with something new, you'd be wise to sit up and take notice. Yamaha's latest offering, the P200 promises up to 64-note polyphony, state-of-the-art on-board sounds, and a brand new fully weighted 88-note keyboard. Interested? Paul Farrer finds out if it has all been worth the weight.

Prepare to shed a tear in another near-miss tale of a desirable analogue synth swept aside by the rise of digital technology.

The Minimoog rides again thanks to Welsh company Moog Music Limited. But how close does it sound to the original? We at SOS knew opinion would be split, so we got five of our regular synth reviewers, all previous or current Mini owners, to give us their views.

Roland have repackaged their techno-centric Groovebox, the MC505, adding a keyboard and removing some of the performance features. The result is the JX305. But have they thrown out the baby with the bathwater? Derek Johnson finds out...

There's a new star in the current galaxy of groovy dance-oriented synths, but does it outshine the rest? Derek Johnson and Debbie Poyser investigate Quasimidi's most comprehensive dance music creation tool yet.

The last few years have seen a rise in the number of sample-based keyboards and modules dedicated to reproducing the distinctive tones of the Hammond organ in a portable, low-cost, MIDI-friendly package. Nick Magnus checks out the latest keyboard offering from Hammond themselves.

Simon Lowther introduces the clan of classic American analogue synths, the Oberheim OBs.

It's certainly borrowed (for the purposes of this review), and it's unquestionably blue, but is it old or new? Synth Guidance Counsellor and long‑time K2000 owner Paul Ward checks out Kurzweil's VP makeover of this legendary workstation.

Korg have upgraded their well-established Trinity range of sample-based workstation synths with a new board offering the sonic capabilities of a Z1 polysynth.

If you thought home keyboards were all about cheesy organ presets and bossanova backbeats the chances are you are just like Paul Farrer, but as he takes the wraps of Yamaha's new baby and rotates his baseball cap by 180 degrees he is astonished to find that he was completely and utterly wrong...

Gordon Reid is bitten by the memory of a brilliant, but deeply flawed trio of Italian synthesizer designs that could have been the last word in affordable analogue.

The high quality converters and resonant filter imbue the 16-bit Emax II with a musicality and sonic character second to none.

Korg's latest i-series keyboard is the new flagship of the range, updating the i3's spec and adopting the Trinity's touchscreen graphical display. Simon Trask gets in touch with the i30...

It's true; the Minimoog's back! Manufactured in Cardiff by a new company, they're designed to resemble the original as closely as possible. Long-standing Mini owner Steve Howell attended the UK launch.

A synth company that produced as many classic and well-loved instruments as did Moog Music is surely allowed the odd turkey! Gordon Reid waxes critical over one of them.

Yamaha's new flagship workstation mixes 'n' matches several of the company's existing synthesis technologies and throws in a new one for good measure. But have they over-extended themselves? Simon Trask spends some time with the EX5 to find out...

Paul Nagle concludes his look at Clavia's groundbreaking new Nord Modular.

It was 1973 and everyone was playing Minimoogs, and ARP Odysseys. So why did the Keio ORGan company produce a little synthesizer with the most unorthodox controls imaginable, call it the MiniKORG 700, and try to convince the keyboard cognoscenti that it was worth buying? Gordon Reid explains...