audiobriefs
9:32in productionCh. 1 · First to remember/ 9:32 · ceiling 15 min
Synths & drum machines

Oberheim OB-1

Oberheim

The first programmable synth wasn’t about flexibility—it was about getting off the bench and onto the stage without losing your sound.

The Oberheim OB-1 is a monophonic analog synthesizer introduced in late 1977. It was the world's first completely programmable synthesizer, offering eight preset memories. It features two VCOs with selectable and continuously-variable waveforms, a switchable 2- or 4-pole VCF, and two ADSR envelopes—one for the filter and one for the VCA. Its design built upon technology from the Polyphonic Synthesizer Programmer.

Synths & drum machinesSynthesisHardwareThe seventiesSynthesis across the network →
Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 1:10
    First to remember

    It was the world’s first completely programmable synthesizer—eight presets changed everything.

  2. 2:16
    Waveform by hand

    Two VCOs with continuously variable waveforms give precise, tactile timbral control.

  3. 4:26
    Filter and envelope

    Switchable filter poles and dual ADSR envelopes let you sculpt and shape in real time.

  4. 6:03
    One voice, fully armed

    Monophonic design means no chords—only focused, uncluttered lead lines and basses.

Worth your time?

Yes. Use the whole thing.

4/ 5
What works
  • storing and recalling full analog sound settings
  • switching between 2- and 4-pole filter modes
  • shaping tone with dual ADSR envelopes
What does not
  • support chords
  • offer modulation routing
  • include an LFO
  • respond to velocity or aftertouch
Use it if
  • live performers needing preset recall
  • players who prioritise hands-on waveform and filter control
Skip it if
  • producers needing polyphony or layered textures
  • users requiring modern DAW integration or automation
The written brief1 min read

What it is and what it was built for

The OB-1 is a monophonic analog synthesizer introduced in late 1977. It was built as a live-performance replacement for SEM-based instruments, using programmability to eliminate manual patching between sounds.

How it works, in terms a player would use

Two VCOs offer pulse or saw waveforms, each with continuous waveform control from square to narrow pulse, or triangle to sawtooth. A switchable 2- or 4-pole VCF shapes tone. Two ADSR envelopes—one for the filter, one for the VCA—control dynamics and timbre. Eight program memories store and recall full sound settings.

What it does better than anything else

It stores and recalls full analog sound settings faster and more reliably than any prior monosynth. It was the first to do so—making live setlist changes practical without rewiring or knob-twisting.

What it does badly

It does not play chords. It offers no modulation matrix, no LFO, no velocity or aftertouch response, and no patch editing while playing. Its eight memories are fixed—not expandable, not editable mid-performance.

What people made with it

The sources do not state what people made with it.

Who should use it, and who should not

A performer who values preset recall over polyphony or modulation depth. Not for producers needing layered textures, sequenced automation, or modern workflow integration.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you need programmable monophonic analog synthesis with immediate waveform and filter control. No—if you need polyphony, real-time modulation routing, or more than eight presets.

Same bench · Synths & drum machines4 of 119
8:29
Novation Digital Music SystemsNovation · 1992The MM10 is a 1992 portable keyboard controller made by Novation Digital Music Systems. It was built to operate with the Yamaha QY10. It has no sound engine. It runs on batteries. It has full-sized keys. It forms, with the QY10, the first completely portable modern music workstation.
8:19
Mutable Instruments BraidsMutable InstrumentsBraids delivers radical timbral variety in minimal space—but with no internal editing, no tuning stability guarantees, and no analogue circuitry. It is a selector, not a synthesizer.
8:40
Mutable Instruments CloudsMutable InstrumentsClouds is a granular audio processor for Eurorack that transforms live input into dense, overlapping grains. It records continuously into a short, variable buffer (up to 8 seconds), allows freezing that buffer to isolate a sonic space, and provides hands-on control over grain position, size, pitch, density, timing distribution, and envelope shape. A diffuser blurs transients using all-pass filters. It supports 40–60 concurrent grains and operates in stereo with extensive CV control, dry/wet blending, feedback, and reverb-like effects during freeze mode. It does not store or recall samples, nor does it support offline processing or waveform editing.
10:15
Doepfer Dark EnergyDoepferA compact, monophonic, fully analog synthesizer released in 2010 as a stand-alone version of the Doepfer A-111-5 Eurorack module. It features dual LFOs capable of audio-rate FM (~5 kHz), a 24 dB/octave low-pass VCF, and a triangle-based VCO. The VCF can function as a sine oscillator when the VCO is disengaged and resonance is maxed. All sound generation and modulation are analog; only USB/MIDI contain digital components. It has no polyphony, no patch memory, no velocity or aftertouch, and no audio input. Superseded by the Dark Energy II in 2012.
Up next in Audio

Parker Fly

Parker · 10:27

A carbon-fibre exoskeleton guitar that trades wood’s warmth for weightless resonance — and forces you to choose between acoustic clarity and electric grit.

Play nextBack to Synths & drum machines
10:27