I have had a keen interest in synthesizers since I was 16 years old back in 1980. It was same yar and shortly after I discovered an album called “Oxygene by French composer Jean-Michel Jarre. For the next few years I remember stopping by music stores in Copenhagen, Denmark at my way back from work, drooling over synthesizers and spending long time checking them out and testing them. Unfortunately back then I could not afford buying a synthesizer, and it took more than 25 years to finally buy a synthesizer! I the mean time I did however, keep exploring and buying lots electronic music, but’s that’s for another article.
Early Days
I did however start experimenting with composing electronic music back, back in 1982 when I was one of the first people in Denmark to get a brand new Commodore 64 home computer. I had prepaid the C64 to an English computer store several months before it arrived via mail. Still even after waiting several months, when it did arrive, it took another month or so, before it finally became available in Denmark. Anyways the Commodore 64 had the “SID” 6581 sound chip, which was really a 3-voice synthesizer, with 4 classic waveforms including noise), plus VCA’s, 3 envelope generators, synchronization of the oscillators, ring modulation, and programmable filters (low pass, bandpass, high pass). In 1987 I bought the Commodore Amiga 500 home computer, lightyears ahead of its time, with an improved 4-voice sound chip, better graphics, GUI operating system and a mouse!
First Purchases
Fast forwarding to 2007, where I finally bought my first synthesizer, the Yamaha CS6x, a powerful 5-octave 64-note polyphony keyboard synth. However my son was born that year, so it took me several years to finally start using and appreciate the Yamaha CS6x and a Yamaha PSR-36 I bought same year.
Collecting and Composing
2015 was the year I started using my current two synthesizers, purchasing more synths and other music production equipment, well actually starting collecting synths, In May same year I released, for the first time, an electronic music composition called “Mars Befall” available for free on YouTube, one I made with the Reaper DAW. Should you take the time to check out my over 130 original electronic music compositions on YouTube, please keep in mind, I composed those without actually knowing how to play a keyboard, so purely by ear! I created, and still do, create music purely for my own enjoyment and artistic enjoyment. Actually many of my early compositions, could upon listening to them today, use a bit of rewriting and remastering.
My Collection
My current music production equipment includes 40+ synthesizers, two electronic drum machines, 17 effect units, and 5 mixers. These are, by the equipment definition, all hardware. I also have a large collection of VST plug-ins. Anyways my hardware “toys” are located in two different areas of my house, my main “home music studio”, and my secondary “home music studio” in my sunroom. Here’s list of my current equipment, and note each piece contains a link to a page containing detailed information.
Synthesizers and other Electronic Keyboards: Alesis Ion, Alesis QuadraSynth Plus, Alesis S4 Plus, Behringer Deepmind 12D, Behringer VC340, Behringer Solina, Casio CT-6000, Casio CZ-1, Casio HT-700, Casio XW-P1, E-Mu TurboPhatt, Kawai K1, Kawai K5000S, Korg DS-8 (Now working after I repaired it, although several keys are still not working), Korg DW-8000, Korg EX-800, Korg M1R-EX, Korg Karma, Korg Minilogue (For sale), Korg Miniloque XD Desktop, Korg Radias, Korg Triton Rack, Korg Wavestation XR, Kurzweil K2000 (For sale), Kurzweil K2000R (For sale), Kurzweil K2600X, , M-Audio Venom, Novation Nova, Quasimidi Sirius, Roland D-550, Roland Gaia SH-01, Roland JD-XA, Roland Super JD-990, Roland JX-3P, Roland JP-8080, Roland SA-09 (Under repair by me) Roland SH-201, Roland SH-32, Roland System-8, Roland TR-707, Roland XP-30, Roland XV-3080, Siel Orchestra, Yamaha AN1x, Yamaha CS6x, Yamaha EX5, Yamaha MX49, Yamaha PSR-36, Yamaha Reface CS, Yamaha TX802, Waldorf Rocket, Waldorf Streichfett.
Drum Machines and Sequencers: Arturia Beatstep Pro, Behringer RD-8 mkII, and Roland TR-707.
Effects: Behringer Xenyx 2442FX (Mixer but has 100 built-in effects), Boss GS-10 multi types and effects, Boss RCE-10 Chorus, Boss VF-1 multi types and effects, Flamma FC05 multi modulation type pedal, Flamma FS05 stereo multi modulation type pedal, Joyo D-Seed II stereo multi-type delay pedal, Joyo Vision stereo multi modulation effect pedal, 2 x Koogo Mini multi-type modulation pedal, 2 x M-Vave Classic Delay Pedal, Roland VT-3 Voice Transformer (Using it for instrument effects), Strich Rhythm Loop pedal, Vivlex Time-Maker multi-type delay pedal, Walrus QI Etherealizer Pedal.
Mixers: Roland M-480 48 Input Line Mixer, Behringer Xenyx 2442FX, Fostex 2016, Samson PL-1602, and Samson PL2404.
Miscellaneous: Alesis IO2 Express USB Midi Interface, Monarch MME-80 Midi Expanders
