2012 was an interesting year in synths and electronic music gear.

2012 brought a resurgence of analog gear, a major Windows release that holds promise for new types of music apps, a growing acceptance of mobile music making tools and many surprising announcements.

The most talked about stories of 2012 at Synthtopia reflect these changing technologies. But more importantly, they reflect the debate over how new technologies fit into music-making.

Check out the list and let us know what you think!

The 10 Most Talked About Stories Of 2013

1. Is Making Music On iOS Really ‘A Bag Of Hurt’? – We asked “What do you think about the state of iOS music making? Is it ‘a bag of hurt’ – or is it time for mobile musicians to put up or shut up?” Readers weighed in.
2. What’s The Best DAW In The World? (2012 Poll) – hundreds weighed in on our DAW poll.
3. Open Mic: What’s The Worst Synth You’ve Ever Played? – maybe there’s no such thing as a ‘bad synth’, but some synths are harder to love than others.
4. Which Apps Should Add AudioBus Support Next? – AudioBus was one of most anticipated apps for the year for iOS and was an instant hit. But users want more…..
5. Open Mic: What Synth Would You Buy, New Or Vintage, If Money Was No Object? – a simple question, but it’s surprising now much variety readers brought to the answers.
6. Has The iPad Made Digital Synth Keyboards Obsolete? – iPad music software continued to be the most controversial topic covered by Synthtopia, as demonstrated by the rabid discussion on this post. Some readers still want us to change the sitename to AppTopia. The ‘apptopia’ domain name is already taken, though, so we’re sticking with the synth theme.
7. What Would You Like To See In Ableton Live 9? Readers weighed in with 100+ comments.
8. Auria 48-Track Audio Recorder For iPad Now Available – Here Are The Details – Auria brought 48-track recording and mixing to the iPad. Some readers were impressed by what Auria could do, while others viewed it as handicapped, compared to existing DAWs.
9. Worst Music App Promo Ever? Remember – “There’s No Need To Waste Time Learning Boring Music Theory Or Any Of That Nonsense!”
10. Solvent On Aphex Twin, Indie Music & Vintage Gear – this studio interview hit the sweet spot for Synthtopia readers and had a heaping dose of glorious gear to boot.