Synth Icons with Andy Whitmore

Send us Fan Mail Andy Whitmore compares the Rhodes Clav Pro directly with an original Hohner Clavinet D6 across 16 iconic riffs from Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, Bill Withers and more. Can the software really capture the sound and character of the real vintage instrument? Can Rhodes Clav Pro really capture the sound and character of a genuine vintage Hohner Clavinet D6? In this episode of Synth Icons with Andy Whitmore, I compare Rhodes Clav Pro directly with my original Hohner Cl...

Send us Fan Mail Andy Whitmore recreates 23 iconic synth riffs, sequences, bass lines and pads on an original vintage Roland Jupiter-4. The Roland Jupiter-4 was Roland’s first polyphonic synthesizer—and one of its most distinctive. Andy Whitmore recreates 23 famous synth parts associated with The Human League, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, Gary Numan, Simple Minds, Spandau Ballet, The Cars, Styx, LCD Soundsystem, Sharon Van Etten and more, using an original vintage Jupiter-4. The Roland Jupiter-...

Send us Fan Mail Twenty famous riffs and keyboard parts from Prince, Van Halen, Rush, Eurythmics and more, recreated on an original Oberheim OB-8. Andy also explores the history of the OB-X, OB-Xa, OB-SX, OB-8 and modern OB-X8. In this episode of Synth Icons with Andy Whitmore, I recreate 20 famous riffs and keyboard parts using my original vintage Oberheim OB-8. You’ll recognise many of these songs immediately—but you may not realise how many classic recordings featured an Oberheim synthesiz...

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, Griitttarr and more. No other synths, no samples – just the D-50 doing what it does best. 🎧 Tracks & ...

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 CS-80, focusing on brass, strings, flutes and pads – with no soft synths and no emulations, just ...

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 & John Oates – all played on Andy’s own Prophet-5, with no other synths in the chain. The episode fini...

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 real Clavinet D6, no software, no emulations. 🎧 Featured riffs include: Stevie Wonder – Superstition...

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, Depeche Mode, The Human League, Gary Numan, Michael Jackson, Heaven 17 and more. Expect shimmering b...

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 instantly recognise how the M1 shaped the sound of a generation. Every riff is performed on the origina...

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 DX7 — no software, no emulation. From the lush E.Piano of Elton John’s Sacrifice to the haunting Sy...

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 true analog hardware. Play along, make your guesses, and see if your ears can spot the genuine CS-80 a...

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 each track you’ll hear two quick clips—first the plug-in, then the real JD-800—using the same riff/...

Send us Fan Mail That “wait… I know that song!” moment — but it’s all Wurlitzer electric piano. 🎹⚡️ In this episode, Andy plays 11 instantly recognisable Wurly riffs as short solo snippets — no backing tracks, no full songs, just the hook. From Supertramp, The Beatles and Marvin Gaye to Ray Charles, Queen and Beck, this is the Wurlitzer doing what it does best: bark, bite, and that warm, chewy midrange that cuts straight through a mix. Play along: try to name each riff before it’s revealed, t...

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 (strings intro, solo + sequence stabs)Howard Jones – What Is Love? (brass & synth solo)Duran ...

Send us Fan Mail That “wait… I know that song!” moment — but it’s all clavinet. 🔥 In this episode, Andy plays 10 instantly recognisable clavinet riffs as short solo snippets — no backing tracks, no full songs, just the hook. From pop and disco to rock and deep funk cuts, this is the clavinet doing what it does best: snappy, percussive, and ridiculously funky. Play along: try to name each riff before the title is revealed, then tell Andy your score — and which one surprised you most. Track lis...

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 recreated live on my Juno-106 in the studio. No samples, no stems, just the real hardware with so...

Send us Fan Mail Roland Jupiter-8: 40 Iconic Riffs You Know (But Didn’t Know Were Jupiter-8) Andy Whitmore explores 40 iconic riffs played on the legendary Roland Jupiter-8, recreating famous brass hooks, pads, leads, basses and sequences from classic tracks by Europe, Harold Faltermeyer, Billy Idol, Duran Duran, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Journey, The Human League, Depeche Mode and more. In this episode, Andy dives into the unmistakable sound of the Roland Jupiter-8 by recreating 40 famous r...

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 lines to flute-style leads and expressive glides, this is a tour of just how wide-ranging — and music...

Send us Fan Mail A keyboard-focused breakdown of Dark Side of the Moon, using the original Richard Wright instruments: Hammond C3, Wurlitzer 200A, EMS Synthi AKS and Steinway piano. Hear The Dark Side of the Moon as a keyboard-focused journey, recreated on the original instruments associated with Richard Wright’s parts on the album. In this episode, I break down the signature keyboard sounds of Dark Side of the Moon using Hammond C3 with Leslie 147, Steinway Model O grand piano, EMS Synthi AK...

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 riffs true to the records, I’m using light, “record-style” effects where needed (chorus/delay/reverb)...

Send us Fan Mail A real Roland Jupiter-4 playing 20 classic riffs across 8 famous songs — no plug-ins, no software, just the original vintage synth. Hear 20 classic riffs across 8 famous songs, recreated on the original Roland Jupiter-4. In this episode, I focus on the real sound of one of the most distinctive vintage analogue synths of the early 80s, known for its raw tone, punchy filter, unique arpeggiator and unmistakable character. From The Human League and Depeche Mode to Simple Minds, T...

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 recreated (1990s). In this episode, I recreate Tony Banks’ Roland JD-800 live patches as heard o...

Send us Fan Mail Andy Whitmore recreates 13 famous Hoover riffs on the real Roland Alpha Juno-1, using the legendary “WhatThe” preset that helped define rave, hardcore, jungle and techno. In this episode, I recreate 13 famous Hoover riffs on the real Roland Alpha Juno-1, using the legendary “WhatThe” preset that became one of the most aggressive and recognisable synth sounds in dance music history. The Hoover sound helped define rave, hardcore, jungle and techno — from early ’90s class...

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 listen for. Important note: these are M1 recreations / M1-style parts. That doesn’t automatically mean...

Send us Fan Mail Andy Whitmore explores the underrated Yamaha CS-40M, recreating 27 classic synth parts from 9 famous songs by The Stranglers, Duran Duran, Ultravox, Simple Minds, Landscape, Section 25, Bill Nelson and Our Daughter’s Wedding. In this episode, Andy dives into the characterful sound of the Yamaha CS-40M — a classic 2-note duophonic analogue synth first released in 1979. It originally cost around £650, which is over £4,000 in today’s money, and good examples now sell for roughly...

Send us Fan Mail Iconic JD-800 riffs you know—Faithless, Prodigy, Depeche Mode, Prince, Genesis—plus hardware vs plug-in A/B comparisons and patches programmed from scratch. Take a tour through the punchy, glossy world of the Roland JD-800 with a stack of iconic riffs and signature hooks you’ve definitely heard before… but maybe didn’t realise were JD-800. You’ll hear Faithless, The Prodigy, Depeche Mode, Prince, Genesis—plus a few deeper cuts. For this episode I programmed most of the sounds...

Send us Fan Mail A blind Hoover sound test comparing the real Roland Alpha Juno-1 against Roland Cloud Zenology Pro. Can you tell which one is the real hardware? Can you tell the difference between the real Roland Alpha Juno-1 and Roland Cloud Zenology Pro? In this episode, I turn the classic Hoover sound comparison into a blind test. You’ll hear the same famous Hoover riffs played twice — one version is the real Roland Alpha Juno-1, the other is Roland Cloud — but you won’t know which is whi...

Send us Fan Mail You know these riffs — but do you know which synths played them? I recreate 10 iconic tracks/hooks on the original (or closest practical) keyboards: DX7, Korg M1, JD-800, JP-8080, Jupiter-4, Prophet-5 and more — with quick narration before each performance. This is a performance-based recreation: I’m playing the parts, rebuilding the patches, and giving a quick intro to each track — then straight into the music. Accuracy note: Some originals are well-documented; others vary b...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I play 20 of the greatest synth riffs ever, recreated on the original synths and classic keyboards that helped make them famous. From huge dance anthems to 80s synth-pop classics, rock keyboard hooks and legendary soundtrack themes, this episode brings together some of the most recognisable synth sounds in modern music. Featured tracks include: Darude – Sandstorm Faithless – Insomnia The Prodigy – Charly Robin S – Show Me Love Queen – The Show Must Go On Unde...

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 the biggest reputations and the most stratospheric values. You’ll hear the famous owners, classic so...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I perform 20 of the greatest synth solos using real hardware from my studio collection, including the Yamaha CS-80, Minimoog Model D, Roland Jupiter-8, Prophet-5, Yamaha CS-40M, EMS Synthi AKS, Yamaha DX7 and Roland JD-800. This episode focuses on proper synth solo moments — not just riffs, hooks or backing parts — where the synthesizer steps forward as the lead instrument. Featured tracks include Queen — I Want to Break Free, Tina Turner — Nutbush City Limit...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I recreate 20 of the greatest keyboard and synth parts from Michael Jackson songs, performed on original vintage synthesizers and keyboards associated with those classic recordings. From the analogue warmth of the Minimoog, Yamaha CS-80 and Roland Jupiter-8, to the digital sounds of the Yamaha DX7, Roland D-50 and Korg M1, this episode follows the evolution of Michael Jackson’s iconic keyboard production across Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad and Dangerous. Featu...