Originally posted on April 17th, 2010

Though legendary analog synthesizers such as the Sequential Circuits Pro-One and Korg MS-20 remain popular despite the rise of software and digital synthesis, many musicians are not willing or able to invest thousands of dollars to buy analog music gear. Besides the aforementioned synths, however, there are plenty of more affordable options for those looking to add analog equipment to their studio setup.

Originally posted on January 10th, 2010

Last edited on January 15th, 2010

Though there are plenty of successful alternative electronic musicians who use nothing but software or digital synthesizers to create their music, there are also those whose music is defined by sounds produced by vintage analog equipment. While it may be a matter of opinion which devices sound better: true analogs or their hardware and software emulations, the fundamental differences between analog and digital circuitry mean there are also corresponding differences in the sounds they can produce.

The following list of the top five pieces of analog music equipment has been generated based on the information currently available in the Alternative Electronics gear database. This list is created dynamically based on the number of bands currently known to have used each piece of gear and is therefore subject to change as more information becomes available.

Originally posted on September 19th, 2009

Last edited on April 17th, 2010

Since their introduction to the consumer market, hardware synthesizers have always been relatively expensive -  even back in the 1960s and 1970s synths cost thousands of dollars. In 1981, the Pro-One from Sequential Circuits became the first synth to retail for under $1,000 - which after accounting for inflation would still add up to more than $2,300 today.

While hardware synthesizers can still often cost thousands of dollars (not to mention tens of thousands for large modular setups), not all synths are that expensive.

The following table lists the top ten hardware synths most widely used by bands in the database with an average eBay closing price of less than $400. Average prices at other retailers are listed as well as a list of the bands that have used each synthesizer. The table is generated dynamically, so it is subject to change as price and band information becomes available.