Synth Icons with Andy Whitmore

Send us Fan Mail A fast countdown of the 11 most valuable synthesizers of all time — famous owners, iconic tracks, and the wild prices behind the GX-1, CS-80, Moog modular systems, Jupiter-8 and more. Welcome to the top 11 most valuable synths of all time . From the Yamaha CS-80 to the legendary Yamaha GX-1 , this episode counts down the rarest, most iconic synthesizers ever made — the ones with t...

Send us Fan Mail A straight A/B test: iconic riffs played first on the Roland Cloud JD-800 plug-in, then on my real vintage JD-800—same parts, same context, no tricks. Can you hear a difference? Roland JD-800 plug-in vs real JD-800 hardware sound comparison. In this episode I do a proper A/B test: the Roland Cloud JD-800 versus the original vintage Roland JD-800 hardware . Here’s the format: for e...

Send us Fan Mail Pure nostalgia and pure presets: the Korg M1 — one of the most recognisable keyboards of all time — and 21 famous parts you’ve definitely heard on records . This is the talky companion to my YouTube riffs video. In the video I reveal the song name + the preset before I play each part, so this isn’t a guessing game. It’s more like: here’s the sound, why it matters, and what to list...

Send us Fan Mail Watcher • Carpet Crawlers • Invisible Touch • Mama • Follow You Follow Me • I Can’t Dance — live-style JD-800 patch recreations + parts Tony Banks used the Roland JD-800 throughout Genesis’ 1990s tours—here are my closest recreations of his live patches, with the parts transcribed and played in Tony’s live style across six iconic songs. Tony Banks’ Genesis JD-800 live tour patches...

Send us Fan Mail The Minimoog Model D is one of the most recognisable synth sounds ever recorded — from funk basslines to prog leads and classic pop hooks. In this episode, I’m doing a straight-up A/B comparison: a Vintage Minimoog Model D versus the 2016 Reissue , playing 21 famous riffs, leads, basslines, and effects back-to-back so you can hear what’s changed… and what hasn’t. To keep these rif...

Send us Fan Mail Yamaha CS-80 — 28 Famous Riffs You Know (But Didn’t Know Were CS-80) The Yamaha CS-80 is one of the most expressive analog synthesizers ever made — and its sound is hiding in plain sight across classic pop, rock, TV themes, and film scores. In this episode, I’m playing 28 famous riffs you definitely know , all recreated on the Yamaha CS-80 . From lush string pads and bold brass li...

Send us Fan Mail In this Synth Icons episode, Andy Whitmore powers up the legendary Roland Jupiter-8 to uncover 20 hidden 80s synth gems. From shimmering pads and string intros to bold brass, sequences and moody bass lines, every sound you hear comes straight from Andy’s own Jupiter-8 – no plugins, no emulations, just authentic analogue. 🎧 Riffs & tracks featured: Queen – I Want to Break Free...

Send us Fan Mail The Roland Juno-106 has been quietly sneaking onto hit records for decades. In this Synth Icon episode, I put it front and centre and show you why it became a true studio workhorse. I’ll play you 15 famous basslines, pads and leads from artists like Underworld, Daft Punk, Madonna, Tame Impala, The Weeknd, Com Truise, Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (Stranger Things) and more – all...

Send us Fan Mail In this Synth Icons episode, Andy Whitmore dives into the digital, glassy world of the Roland D-50 – with 20 iconic riffs you definitely know, but maybe never realised were D-50. Every sound in this episode comes from a real D-50, using classic factory presets like Pizzagogo, DigitalNativeDance, Staccato Heaven, Glass Voices, Metal Harp, Cathedral/pipe organs, Shakuhachi, Griittta...

Send us Fan Mail In this Synth Icons episode, Andy Whitmore fires up the real Yamaha CS-80 to recreate some of Vangelis’ most iconic moments – this time with the full effects chain rebuilt. Big reverbs, delays and chorus bring the CS-80 right back into that huge, cinematic Blade Runner / Chariots of Fire space. Across the episode you’ll hear eight classic Vangelis riffs , all played on an original...

Send us Fan Mail Paste this into the main description box: In this Synth Icons episode, Andy Whitmore puts the Sequential Prophet-5 Rev 3.2 through its paces with a stack of famous riffs – from moody pads to punchy bass lines and full-on synth leads. You’ll hear classic parts from Radiohead, D Train, Cameo, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Phil Collins, Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Daryl Hall & Joh...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Synth Icons , we funk things up with one of the most instantly recognisable keyboards in music history — the Hohner Clavinet D6 . With its sharp, percussive tone and rhythm guitar-like attack, the Clavinet became a cornerstone of funk, soul and rock throughout the 70s and early 80s. I recreate 12 classic riffs that defined its legendary sound — all played on a r...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Synth Icons , we shine a light on one of the most underrated classic analog synths of all time — the Roland Jupiter-4 . Before the Juno-60 and Jupiter-8 stole the spotlight, this synth helped shape the sound of early synth-pop with its raw, punchy tone and lush analog character. I recreate 15 famous Jupiter-4 riffs from legendary artists including Duran Duran, D...

Send us Fan Mail The Korg M1 is one of the most iconic keyboards ever made — the sound of late-’80s and early-’90s pop, dance, and film music. In this episode of Synth Icons , producer and synth collector Andy Whitmore recreates 13 legendary riffs that defined the era. From the unmistakable Piano 16’ and Universe sounds to classic hits by House, Madonna, Inner City, and Pet Shop Boys , you’ll inst...

Send us Fan Mail The Yamaha DX7 is one of the most iconic synthesizers of all time, shaping the sound of pop, rock, funk, electronic, and film music throughout the 80s and 90s. In this episode, I recreate 21 legendary riffs that defined decades of music — from Berlin and Toto to Michael Jackson, Vangelis, Madonna, Phil Collins, Sade, Daft Punk, and more. All played note-for-note on the original DX...

Send us Fan Mail 🎧 Can you tell the difference between the legendary Yamaha CS-80 and today’s best software emulations? In this blind test, I compare the real CS-80 with recreations from Arturia, Softube, Cherry Audio, and XILS Lab — and the results might surprise you! 🎹 You’ll hear iconic sounds made famous by Vangelis, Michael Jackson, Toto , and even Doctor Who , but only one of them is the t...