The Akai Miniak is another 2009 introduction that seems to inspire love/hate reactions.
Love it or hate it though, the MIniak packs a lot of punch into a tiny synth.
The Akai Miniak lets you create programs with up to eight multi-timbral voices, each with three oscillators. You can create complex sounds using the Miniak’s two multimode filters, three envelope generators, two LFOs, stereo effects and 40-band vocoder with gooseneck microphone.
The MINIAK also has a sequencer with step and dynamic real time phrase sequencing, a drum machine/rhythm sequencer and an arpeggiator.
It has an estimated street price of $499, too, which means you get a serious amount of synth power at a fair price.
http://vimeo.com/5510797
The $519 Moog Etherwave Plus theremin isn’t a keyboard or a synth per se, but it features control voltage outputs:
- Pitch & Volume CV Outputs – so you can control a different CV parameter with each hand
- Gate Output – so you can trigger envelopes and other events
Control Voltage outputs mean that the Etherwave Plus is destined to become part of your ultimate control-voltage based monster synthesizer.
And it’s still one of the best theremins that you can buy.
At the 2009 NAMM Show, Roland introduced the VP-770 Vocal & Ensemble Keyboard.
The big keyboard manufacturers have put out a lot of uninspired keyboards over the last few years, but the Roland VP-700 isn’t one of them. It’s a unique synth that targets a specific niche: real-time vocal synthesis.
The VP-770 lets you create realistic backing parts, futuristic electronic vocal textures and even emulations of large-scale gospel choirs.
It’s not limited to that though, as Ed Diaz demonstrates in the official Roland intro video.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=6DD6299EA914AC98
While the big gear manufacturers put out some great synths in 2009, it was a excellent year for the smaller synthmeisters, too.
In 2009, Dave Smith, above, introduced his new Tetra synthesizer.
The Tetra retails for $799, which isn’t cheap for a four-voice synth. But the Tetra packs an amazing level of power into a tiny box. The Tetra offers four great-sounding voices, multitimbral control and individual outputs.
If you think of the Tetra as a modern take on the class Sequential Circuits Prophet, but with an updated architecture, that $799 starts sounding like a deal.
Finally, 2009 brought the Doepfer Dark Energy analog synthesizer.
The Dark Energy is an analog semi-modular mini synth that features both USB and MIDI interfaces.
The sound generation and all modulation sources are 100% analog, only the USB and Midi interface contains digital components.
It’s available for 400 Euro as a synth module. You can also get it as a module for a Doepfer modular synthesizer.
Check out the video introduction from Angelspit’s Destroyx, above.
Can 2010 Top 2009?
Those are our picks for the 10 coolest new keyboards and synths of 2009. All-in-all, a good year!
We’ll have to wait until the 2010 NAMM Show in January to see if 2010 has a chance of beating 2009.
In the meantime – let us know what you think of our picks. Do you think any of our picks shouldn’t have made the cut? Did we miss any great new synths?
Great. Another useless piece.
Meh, x10. Gimme back my Stylophone.
Meanwhile, a happy 2010 to all readers from the UK. (It looks much the same as 2009.)
Meh to Dave Smith?
Unbelievable!
Sorry, I didn't realize that he was available for purchase.
Sorry, I didn't realize that he was available for purchase.
Sorry, I didn't realize that he was available for purchase.
Happy New Gear to everyone!
Happy New Gear, too!
The Miniak and the Dark Energy have me drooling.
Seems like last year was a good year for synths. I wonder what they'll have at the NAMM Show.
The Miniak and the Dark Energy have me drooling.
Seems like last year was a good year for synths. I wonder what they'll have at the NAMM Show.
CAN'T YOU GUYS SEE THAT AKAI MINIAK IS NOTHING BUT ALESIS MICRON IN MORE EXPENISIVE PACKAGE?!
kOT CAN'T YOU SEE THAT THE WE THINK THAT'S A FEATURE?
kOT CAN'T YOU SEE THAT THE WE THINK THAT'S A FEATURE?
wot a crok
Feature? But please tell me why?! It's the same engine but they put it into midi keyboard. Is repacking sooo good?
Feature? But please tell me why?! It's the same engine but they put it into midi keyboard. Is repacking sooo good?
The Micron's hardware was a weak spot on an otherwise good synth.
The Micron's hardware was a weak spot on an otherwise good synth.
Wow Roland got a lot of great nods this year! PS the reason why keytars can't "officially" be called keytar (besides the inherent lameness of the moniker) is that it's copyrighted, like Kleenex. Damn shame…
But isn't it easier to buy Alesis Ion or relase rack or desktop version of Alesis' synth? I feel like there are lot of people fooled by Akai's brand new synth. And even more expensive. If you need new hardware – it's okay but there is nothing cool in syntesizer when it's just packed.
It's still extremaly powerful engine but Micron was relased in 2004! How cool is that!
But isn't it easier to buy Alesis Ion or relase rack or desktop version of Alesis' synth? I feel like there are lot of people fooled by Akai's brand new synth. And even more expensive. If you need new hardware – it's okay but there is nothing cool in syntesizer when it's just packed.
It's still extremaly powerful engine but Micron was relased in 2004! How cool is that!
Wow Roland got a lot of great nods this year! PS the reason why keytars can't "officially" be called keytar (besides the inherent lameness of the moniker) is that it's copyrighted, like Kleenex. Damn shame…
Wow Roland got a lot of great nods this year! PS the reason why keytars can't "officially" be called keytar (besides the inherent lameness of the moniker) is that it's copyrighted, like Kleenex. Damn shame…
Well, "shoulder synthesizer" is sure catchy.