David Ellis begins a two-part excursion into the E&MM archives to discover a myriad of bizarre musical instruments that somehow never quite made the big time. How many of them can you remember?

Following last month's list of synthesis casualties, David Ellis delves deeper into the archives and finds yet more mysterious products of human ingenuity. Some of them are quite spectacular.

Roland, Yamaha, OSCar, Syrinx, Teisco and Moog

Looking for the hardest, heaviest, thickest and fattest analogue synth line? Strictly monophonic? Step this way, because Peter Forrest is about to unveil his unique guide to the analogue synthesiser’s unique feature: Unison Mode, in which all the oscillators gang together and hit you over the head

The Enduring Appeal Of Classic Synths

In The Digital Age

The digital revolution has not quite killed off the analogue synthesizer, and vintage or vintage-style instruments have an enduring appeal. Julian Colbeck looks at why this should be so.

Alto Saxophone

A plastic classic

Time travel by synthesizer: David Mellor takes a look at the classic Moog MiniMoog.

You ask us to review very old and strange instruments. We do it, naturally.

PART 1: New England Digital's Synclavier is the world's most expensive musical instrument, bar the odd 300 year old Stradivarius. But more than that, it can be a recording studio, a post-production system, a music engraver, a scientific research tool... and more. The Synclavier is at the leading edge of musical technology. David Mellor sets out on a voyage of discovery.

The missing sync?

The vintage advantage

Yesteryear's Gear: Roland Juno synths

classic analogue synthesizers for today's acid sounds

Follow-up to issue 1

Martin Russ reflects on a cult phenomenon: Kawai’s K5 additive synthesizer.

Tony Wride takes a stroll down nostalgia lane and discovers two companies that can turn your prized antique into a thoroughly modern MIDI instrument.

A survey of trendsetters

Kenton MIDI Retrofits

With analogue technology enjoying a renaissance, there's a growing demand for MIDI updates to old equipment. Vic Lennard talks to Kenton Electronics about the Ins and Outs of retrofitting.

A personal look at one of the few modular synths available by Ian Boddy who examines, in depth, the systems capabilities.

The life story of the original sampling keyboard — the Mellotron.

Secondhand Polysynth Guide

Whether you can't afford to indulge yourself in this month's Polysynth Checklist or simply prefer something that's now out of production, E&MM's guide to things secondhand could save you a lot of time and trouble.

Ensemble keyboards

Bass Pedals

Think of those things on the floor under the organ. Now chop them up a bit and separate them. We dance on the result