Buy the Orange OR60

Wampler Pedalhead ‘machine learning’ power amp pedal

The legend that is Brian Wampler has teamed up with Synergy Amps to unveil the Wampler Pedalhead. Built as a pedalboard-ready solution, this 240-watt stereo power amp (equivalent to 60W of valve power) serves as the the engine that pumps life into rigs with digital effects or preamp pedals. It features six distinct power amp models, a built-in IR loader and full MIDI support. These features aim to deliver a responsive, tube-like playing feel whether you’re running straight into a PA system or powering a conventional guitar cabinet.

We’re awaiting more info on this one but we’re stoked. Want to be first in line? Sign up to our newsletter and we’ll keep you posted!

Shop All Wampler Pedals

Sire NAMM 2026 booth tour: new models, swirl finishes & intriguing prototypes

We dug into Sire’s latest Larry Carlton guitars and Marcus Miller basses in our NAMM 2026: Day 2 roundup — and it’s well worth a read. There’s a ton of cool stuff to catch up on, including new entry‑level models, fresh additions to the L, S and T Series, plus plenty more eye‑catching updates.

But if you’d rather grab a cuppa and let Pete and Lee walk you through it all, you’re in luck. They cover the whole lot in the video below, and there’s even a surprise cameo from Marcus Miller himself!

Shop Sire NAMM 2026 Guitars

Boutique Distribution: Tone King Royalist preamp pedal, new Synergy RV module & SYN-20IR combo

We teased the Tone King Royalist preamp pedal in our day 2 roundup, and promised more details would follow. We’ve stuck to our word, with Lee and Pete putting this tidy little preamp through its paces at the Boutique Distribution stand.

This magical, valve‑driven box distils those classic late‑’60s and ’70s Marshall tones into a compact, direct‑ready pedal. You get two identical channels, each with its own 3‑band EQ, tone‑shaping switches, built‑in reverb and plenty more to tweak. The boys were seriously impressed, and we can’t wait for these to hit the shelves.

A quick shout‑out to Synergy, too. Their latest gear makes a brief appearance at the end of the video, including the new RV module inspired by the Orange Rockerverb — ideal if you’re a Synergy player craving a hit of vitamin C. They also revealed the SYN-20IR valve combo, which can take any compatible two‑channel module for a killer grab‑and‑go gigging rig.

Shop Tone King Amps & Pedals

Shop Synergy Amps & Modules

HILS Guitars: HN3 Baritone, T-style & S-type headless models, acoustic prototype

We’ve been stocking HILS guitars for a couple of years now — pretty much since they first burst onto the scene — and they’ve been nothing short of a revelation. They’ve absolutely nailed the modern headless formula at prices everyone can get behind, and for NAMM 2026 they’ve rolled in with a fresh batch of models.

Highlights include the HN3 Baritone (tuned B‑to‑B straight outta the box), an “evil” 8‑string multi‑scale prototype, plus new HNT1 T‑style and HNS1 S‑type headless guitars — both of which are already live on our site in a variety of colours. But the biggest curveball? A multi‑scale acoustic prototype. And yes, it looks every bit as cool as it sounds. Check ‘em all out in our video below:

Shop All HILS Guitars

Seymour Duncan: MortalCoil, 50th anniversary JB/Jazz & Slash 3.0 pickups

When it comes to guitar tone, few names carry more weight than Seymour Duncan. And for 2026, the maestro and his team have cooked up some serious treats for tone chasers:

• MortalCoil multi-voice active humbuckers: Seymour Duncan’s answer to the Fishman Fluence is here. These pickups pack three precision‑engineered voices: a tight, modern‑metal MC1 mode with fast, controlled attack; authentic JB and Jazz‑inspired passive tones; and a clear, articulate single‑coil voice. An ultra‑versatile upgrade for just about any guitar — and they look the biz too.
• 50th Anniversary JB/Jazz set: The iconic JB/Jazz duo turns 50 in 2026, and Duncan are marking the milestone with a limited‑edition anniversary release. Built with historically accurate components (including butyrate bobbins and rough‑cast magnets), this set is a faithful recreation of the earliest production models.
• Slash 3.0 pickups: Slash’s signature arsenal gets an upgrade. The 3.0 set delivers more punch and aggression while keeping that unmistakable Slash clarity intact, with rough‑cast Alnico 5 magnets and a vintage‑inspired construction.

Shop New Seymour Duncan Pickups

Warm Audio Fluff Drive Ryan Bruce signature pedal

Warm Audio have turned up to NAMM with the limited‑edition Fluff Drive, the first‑ever signature pedal from YouTuber and tone connoisseur Ryan “Fluff” Bruce. It’s his modernised, metal‑ready take on an iconic ’80s scream machine — keeping the attitude of the original but completely re‑engineered to hit harder, track tighter and stay composed when the gain gets silly.

The feature set reads like a riff‑lord’s wishlist: a redesigned low‑boost for punchier bass response, a switchable mid‑enhance circuit that can sit before or after the drive, plus a fully variable noise gate to keep your chugs clean and your breakdowns surgical. Warm Audio have packed it with proper analogue goodness too — JRC4558 op‑amps, discrete transistors, JFETs and internal voltage‑doubling for extra headroom. And because looks matter, it comes in Teal or White — pick whichever flavour best matches your board (or your beard).

Below, you can watch Lee catch up with Ryan as he breaks down the design, the tweaks and the downright filthy tones this pedal can unleash. And keep your eyes peeled — there’s more “Stuff with Fluff” coming this spring. He’ll be visiting Guildford for fewer sheNAMMigans and a whole lot more tone talk!

Shop Warm Audio Fluff Drive Pedals

Experience every highlight from NAMM 2026

Our NAMM Show 2026 coverage continues tomorrow. Bookmark the Andertons Blog to stay in the loop, and hit the sign‑up button on our main NAMM page for instant alerts as new releases drop.

For real‑time updates straight from the Anaheim show floor, follow us on YouTube and our social channels — we’re posting live all weekend:

• Subscribe to Andertons Music Co. on YouTube
• Check out our NAMM 2026 playlist on YouTube
• Follow @andertonsmusicco on Instagram
• Follow @andertonsmusicco on TikTok
• Follow us on Facebook

Quick links: browse all NAMM 2026 products

Jump straight in with these quick links to every NAMM 2026 category:

• NAMM 2026 Electric Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Acoustic Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Bass Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Pedals
• NAMM 2026 Amps
• NAMM 2026 Recording Gear
• NAMM 2026 Synths
• NAMM 2026 Keyboards & Pianos
• NAMM 2026 Live & PA Gear
• NAMM 2026 Drums

Shop All NAMM 2026 Releases

The post NAMM Show 2026: Day 3 Roundup appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Shop Chapman NAMM 2026 Guitars

Tone King Royalist preamp pedal

The Tone King Imperial, one of last year’s hottest products that even snagged ‘Effects Pedal of the Year’ at the first-ever Andertons TV Awards, is now getting a royal brother — the Royalist. While the Imperial channelled classic Fender vibes, early chatter on social media suggests the Royalist might be leaning firmly into Marshall‑inspired territory. And honestly, one look at those control knobs is enough to confirm the suspicion.

Much like the Neural Quad Cortex Mini, this feels like a strong contender for a NAMM 2026 ‘Best in Show’ nod. We’re still waiting on the full specs, but as soon as they drop, we’ll update this blog. And keep an eye on YouTube too… there’s definitely more intel on the way.

Shop Tone King Amps & Pedals

Yamaha Guitars: Chris Buck Signature, Pacifica SC Models & 60th Anniversary Revstar

Yamaha has hit NAMM 2026 in full force with what might be one of the most anticipated signature guitars in years. The Revstar Chris Buck RS02CB captures the tone, feel and stripped‑back vibe of the modern blues-rock star’s USA‑built Yamaha Custom Shop Revstar — finally bringing his coveted setup to the masses.

Built around a chambered Mahogany body paired with a TonePros intonatable wraparound bridge, the RS02CB focuses on resonance, simplicity and touch sensitivity. Custom‑voiced P‑90‑style pickups and straightforward volume/tone controls keep things honest, while a carbon‑reinforced neck makes it ready for life on the road straight out of the box. It comes with a gig bag, too!

Beyond the Buck signature, Yamaha has also unveiled an entirely new line of single-cut Pacifica ‘SC’ models across the Standard Plus and Professional ranges, all sporting SH pickup configs and vibrant finishes. And to top it off, they’re celebrating 60 years of guitar‑making with a limited‑edition Revstar RSP20B, showcasing a stunning Flamed Maple top and a Göldo tremolo — a fitting tribute to six decades of craftsmanship.

Shop New Yamaha 2026 Guitars

Sire: new models, updates, entry-level guitars & swirl finishes!

Sire have always punched above their weight, and for 2026 they’ve doubled down with a huge wave of updates. We’re talking ‘New Gen’ Marcus Miller basses, fresh F Series models and major additions to the Larry Carlton lineup. They’ve even introduced some uber-affordable models and a crazy-cool swirl finish across the range. We’ve done our best to break it all down below:

2026 Marcus Miller basses

• New Generation V7, P7, V7 Vintage & V3: Seven years after Gen 2, Sire’s flagship basses get a serious overhaul — improved comfort, upgraded materials, more flexible electronics and refined aesthetics for an extra premium feel.
• F10 DX & F10 DC: Following the mighty F10’s debut last year, Sire are expanding the lineup with the F10 DX (a premium spec including a wooden finger rest and hard case) and the F10 DC, a double‑cutaway design for enhanced upper‑fret access. The DX even comes in headless form.
• Entry‑level V1 Series: Sire are taking aim at beginners with their ultra‑affordable V1 bass. Despite the price, you still get their trademark rolled fingerboard edges, making it ideal for first‑time bassists looking for comfort and quality.

2026 Larry Carlton electric guitars

• L Series: A new L5 set‑neck model joins the range as “the most traditional and fundamentals-focused option in the L Series”, according to Sire. Meanwhile, the L7 DX brings the bling with full body binding and a rock‑solid Gotoh bridge.
• S Series: That eye‑catching swirl finish arrives in the S lineup via the S7 SW, serving pure ‘Superstrat’ swagger. Prefer something classic? The S7 Ashtop delivers with its gorgeous Swamp Ash body (the grain looks killer).
• Q7 Series Hollow: For players craving modern ergonomics with added warmth and airy resonance, the Q7 Hollow offers a fully chambered Mahogany body and a gorgeous carved Maple top.
• T Series T7 SW: The contemporary Tele‑style T7 also gets the swirl treatment, bringing bold stage presence to the T‑shape silhouette.
• Entry‑level S1 & X1: Sire round things out with affordable options for new players — the S1 (a versatile HSS S‑style) and the X1, a modern metal‑friendly model with sleek looks and a beginner‑friendly price tag.

Shop Sire 2026 Instruments

Reverend 2026 guitars & basses

Reverend Guitars have gone all out at NAMM 2026 by overhaulin’ almost their entire lineup. The range has been completely reorganised into streamlined families built around their unique offset body shapes, making it easier than ever to find your dream Reverend guitar or bass.

There are upgraded pickups and fresh configurations across the board, new lightweight ‘Air’ variants with semi-hollow bodies, as well as smooth‑feeling Wilkinson trems on selected models. And for the shred‑inclined, Reverend has even rolled out a handful of Floyd Rose–equipped guitars!

Shop Reverend 2026 Guitars

New Jim Dunlop, MXR & Way Huge pedals

With so many brands under the Dunlop umbrella, their NAMM booth always brings a buzz. And for 2026, boy have they delivered. Here’s what they’ve unleashed in Anaheim:

• Jim Dunlop Iron Maiden Killers Cry Baby Wah: A collector’s edition wah celebrating one of metal’s most iconic bands. It features a custom tread inspired by the Killers album artwork, honouring the Cry Baby’s role in shaping that unmistakable early‑Maiden sound.
• Jim Dunlop Cry Baby BB535 1994 Reissue Wah: A faithful revival of the first commercially available modded wah, bringing back its expressive, throaty growl and hands‑on tweakability. The six‑position frequency selector ranges from sharp bite to deep roar, with an adjustable boost offering up to +16dB for extra punch.
• Way Huge Jumbo Fuzz Swollen Pickle XXX: Marking 30 years of glorious fuzz, the XXX edition cranks out the same high‑gain saturation and filthy, hairy lows the Pickle is famous for — now with extra “mad scientist” tweaks from Mr. Huge for even more sonic control.
• MXR EVH Modern High Gain pedal: Originally developed with Eddie Van Halen back in 2015, this updated version pushes even hotter, molten distortion tones. A new 55Hz/80Hz switch lets you choose between a thicker or tighter low end, making it easy to dial in the right flavour for any rig.

Shop Dunlop NAMM 2026 Pedals

Ibanez: NAMM 2026 booth tour, more signature guitars on the way

We’ve already dived deep into Ibanez’s 2026 range in our NAMM Show 2026 early releases blog. But now that Lee and Pete have wandered through their labyrinth‑like booth, it’s only fair we give them a bit more spotlight. After all, when a brand unveils over 100 new models, it deserves the extra coverage. Highlights include the new Alpha Series multi‑scale guitars (which have been causing a proper stir online) and the seriously cool Mode Series basses.

The guys also swept through several signature models that are likely to land later this year, for Kiko Loureiro, JB Brubaker (August Burns Red), Nita Strauss and Nili Brosh, plus longtime Ibanez heavyweights Andy Timmons, Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. Oh, and keep an eye out for the prototype Tim Henson electro‑classicals with some jaw‑dropping finishes.

So, grab a cuppa and settle in — this video is a long one and it’s bound to give you a serious case of G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)…

Shop Ibanez 2026 Gear

Warm Audio Retro 64 Dynamic Microphone

Warm Audio always turns up to NAMM with something cool, classy and usually indestructible — and the new Warm Audio Retro 64 dynamic mic continues that tradition with style. At first glance, it looks like it’s wandered off a 1960s TV studio set, but don’t be fooled by the vintage swagger. This is a modern, road-ready live mic built for today’s stages. And with its matte black finish, retro grille and hammer-like construction, the Retro 64 delivers instant broadcast character.

Under the hood, the Retro 64 is all about practical performance. Its custom-tuned humbucking dynamic capsule is voiced specifically for front-of-house use, with a focused upper midrange that helps vocals and instruments punch through dense mixes without needing heroic EQ. The top end is gently rolled off to keep harshness and feedback at bay, while tight off-axis rejection controls spill from drums, amps and monitors.

Where the Retro 64 really wins is versatility. It’s equally happy on lead and backing vocals, guitar cabs, snare, toms and acoustic instruments, making it a genuine stage workhorse rather than a one-trick retro prop. Add the internal shockmount for reduced handling noise and Warm Audio’s famously rugged build, and you’ve got a mic that looks like it belongs in the past but performs exactly where you need it.

Buy the Warm Audio Retro 64

Catch every moment from NAMM 2026

NAMM 2026 isn’t easing up, and neither are the announcements. Bookmark the Andertons Blog to stay up to speed, and sign up to our mailing list on the main NAMM page for instant gear alerts.

For real‑time coverage, follow us on YouTube and social media — we’re sending updates live from the floor in Anaheim:

• Subscribe to Andertons Music Co. on YouTube
• Check out our NAMM 2026 playlist on YouTube
• Follow @andertonsmusicco on Instagram
• Follow @andertonsmusicco on TikTok
• Follow us on Facebook

Quick links: browse all NAMM 2026 products

Explore every NAMM Show 2026 category with these quick links:

• NAMM 2026 Electric Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Acoustic Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Bass Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Pedals
• NAMM 2026 Amps
• NAMM 2026 Recording Gear
• NAMM 2026 Synths
• NAMM 2026 Keyboards & Pianos
• NAMM 2026 Live & PA Gear
• NAMM 2026 Drums

Shop All NAMM 2026 Releases

The post NAMM Show 2026: Day 2 Roundup appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Buy the Quad Cortex Mini

Sterling by Music Man: Cutlass Plus, StingRay Baritone & more

The folks at Sterling by Music Man haven’t been sitting still. After teasing their first ’26 models on social media a couple of days ago, the full lineup is now live and available to pre‑order. Here’s what they’re showing off at NAMM:

• Cutlass Plus: It’s a cranked-up Cutlass, basically. You get a slick roasted Maple neck, rock-solid locking tuners and a versatile HSS pickup config. The standout feature? A push/push mid boost on the volume knob — perfect for cutting through the mix when it’s solo time.
• StingRay Baritone: Built to go low, with a 27.5” scale length and B standard tuning straight out of the box. Other highlights include a vintage‑style tremolo, powerful ceramic humbuckers and a rather lovely Toluca Lake Blue finish.
• Luke HSS: Staying true to the full‑fat Music Man recipe, this one features the instantly recognisable body shape and comfy V‑shaped neck Steve Lukather favours. It ups the flexibility with an HSS setup and a 12dB onboard push/push boost, just like the Cutlass Plus.
• StingRay Short Scale bass: A proper little tone machine. Thanks to its 30” scale, this StingRay is an absolute joy to play — and it sounds the business too. The neodymium humbucker delivers that signature ’Ray growl, plus there’s a built‑in push/push volume boost. Yep, we’re definitely seeing a pattern here, Sterling (and we’re into it).
• ‘Kokiri Forest’ Richardson signature guitars: Any Zelda fans feeling a bit of nostalgia right now? Jason Richardson’s latest sig models arrive in a lush, gaming‑inspired green finish that feels like it’s been pulled straight outta Hyrule. Looks aside, these modded 6-string and 7-string Cutlass guitars are just as hyper‑ergonomic as ever — fast, precise and built for modern shredders (no Master Sword required).

Shop New Sterling by Music Man Guitars

Blackstar amps: ID:X Floor, TV-10 amps & Artist FR cabs

Blackstar have clearly been a busy bunch. This morning, they lifted the covers off not one, not two, but three digital floor modellers, a pair of retro-style valve heads, plus two new FRFR cabinets. Here’s a closer look at what they’ve brought to NAMM:

• ID:X Floor One, Two & Three: Play live on the reg? These amp and FX modelling pedals are gonna save your back and give you stellar tone direct to FOH (sound engineers will love you). They come equipped with 12 awesome amp models, 35+ effects, 99 patches and USB-C connectivity — with no deep menu diving needed. Choose the ultra‑portable Floor One or step up to the Floor Two or Floor Three for a built‑in expression pedal and a few extra footswitches.
• TV-10 A & TV-10 B valve heads: Remember those TV-10 combos that launched about 18 months ago? Well, Blackstar have now introduced head versions! The American‑voiced TV‑10 A and British‑style TV‑10 B deliver classic low‑wattage, single‑ended Class A tube tone and take pedals beautifully. Partner them up with the new Celestion‑loaded TV-112 A and TV-112 B matching cabs for a complete, portable boutique‑style rig.
• Artist FR 1×12” cabs: These powered FRFR cabinets are designed to give digital modeller users the dynamics and feel of a real guitar amp, without killing any clarity. That’s where features like whizzer cones, active 3‑band EQs and Presence controls come into play. They also include built‑in kickstands for easy tilt‑back floor monitoring. And best of all, they’re super budget‑friendly. The Artist FR Standard is great for home use and smaller gigs, while the Artist FR Special is better suited to rehearsals and larger stages.

Shop Blackstar 2026 NAMM Gear

Korg Phase8 acoustic synth

The Korg booth is never short on surprises, but NAMM 2026’s real curveball is the wonderfully strange new Korg Phase8. This isn’t your usual “yet another synth” situation. Phase8 is an eight-voice acoustic synthesizer that ignores the rules and blurs the line between electronic control and real-world vibration. It’s the brainchild of Tatsuya Takahasi, the genius behind the Monotron and the original Volcas that kick-started the mini-synth craze. In other words, he’s a bit of a legend.

Instead of pretending to be acoustic, Phase8 actually is. Each of its eight voices drives a vibrating steel resonator, so you’re shaping genuine movement rather than a digital impression of it. Touch it, pluck it, mute it or introduce “found objects”, and Phase8 pushes back with feedback, noise, shimmer and organic texture that standard oscillators simply can’t fake.

It ships with 13 chromatically tuned resonators (with eight installable at any one time), and you can swap and tune them to create your own scales and temperaments. With envelope shaping and modulation, those resonators can snap into tight percussive hits or bloom into long, ghostly sustains. Under the hood, Phase8 is also a serious compositional tool. The built-in polymetric sequencer supports classic step programming and unquantized live recording, plus per-voice step skip, trigger delay and full panel automation.

And yes, it plays nicely with the rest of your gear. MIDI, USB-MIDI, CV and sync I/O make Phase8 feel right at home in DAW-based, hardware, modular or hybrid setups. Its sequencer can even drive external synths while the resonators do their thing.

Buy the Korg Phase8

Fender Custom Shop event

The Andertons crew were lucky enough to get an invite to Fender’s very exclusive Custom Shop event last night — and it did not disappoint. The room was packed with hand‑crafted Custom Shop guitars, all set against a backdrop of classic muscle cars, hot rods and glowing vintage neon signs.

Safe to say, there were more than a few jaw‑dropping instruments on display. And yes, this writer is slightly jealous they got to see it all up close!

The even better news? A handful of these beauties will be heading to Andertons later this year. It’s a bit of a lottery as to which ones we’ll receive, so for now, the best move is to bookmark our Fender Custom Shop guitars page and keep an eye out over the coming weeks and months.

Shop Fender Custom Shop Guitars

RANE System One Motorised Standalone DJ System

RANE turning up to NAMM without something disruptive would feel suspicious — and the new System One proves they’re not breaking tradition. It’s a standalone, motorised DJ system that politely acknowledges laptops and then carries on without ‘em, delivering a club‑ready, all‑in‑one setup with high‑torque platters, deep Engine DJ integration and full Serato support. It’s built for open‑format DJs who want real turntable feel without dragging an entire studio into a cramped booth!

At its core are a pair of 7.2-inch aluminium motorised platters with proper torque and inertia, so scratching and nudging behave naturally instead of feeling like you’re moving files around a screen. Because it runs Engine DJ, you can stay completely laptop‑free while still getting modern workflows: fast browsing, RGB waveforms on a 7-inch touchscreen, RGB pads with OLEDs, onboard sampling, lighting control and RANE’s OmniSource flexibility for playing from USB, SD, internal SATA, cloud storage or streaming platforms. And if you do want a computer, System One drops straight into Serato DJ Pro.

Creatively, System One refuses to stay in the “two‑deck” box. Standalone Stems let you pull tracks apart on the fly for instant acapellas, instrumentals and mashups, with dedicated pad modes, Stem FX and over 25 Main FX turning transitions into actual performances. Add the MAG FOUR crossfader, adjustable channel faders, 24‑bit audio, full pro I/O, Bluetooth, dual mics and built‑in SoundSwitch lighting control — and you’ve got a system equally at home in clubs, weddings or livestreams.

Buy the RANE System One

Martin Guitars: New Standard Series acoustics & Molly Tuttle signature models

Martin has kept the momentum going at NAMM 2026 with a handful of new additions to their Standard Series and two signature models for modern Bluegrass icon Molly Tuttle:

• Super HD‑28 & Super D‑18: These deeper‑bodied versions of Martin’s celebrated dreadnoughts deliver extra power, richer harmonics and a fuller low‑end — all while staying true to the classic Martin look and feel.
• Molly Tuttle signature D‑18 & D‑X2E: Inspired by Molly’s treasured 1943 D‑18 and finished with her own touches — including striking Moon Phase fingerboard inlays. Both guitars feature a 1 11/16″ nut width, a spec coveted by Bluegrass players for quick, clean flatpicking.

Watch Lee and Pete react to these, plus the Road Series models we covered in our early NAMM 2026 releases blog, in our Martin tour video:

Shop Martin NAMM 2026 Acoustics

Don’t miss a thing from the 2026 NAMM Show

The NAMM launches won’t be slowing down any time soon, so make sure you bookmark our blog for all the latest news as it happens. You can also sign up to our mailing list via our main NAMM Show 2026 page to get new gear alerts straight to your inbox.

Better yet, follow us on YouTube and socials for live updates direct from the show floor in Anaheim:

• Subscribe to Andertons Music Co. on YouTube
• Check out our NAMM 2026 playlist on YouTube
• Follow @andertonsmusicco on Instagram
• Follow @andertonsmusicco on TikTok
• Follow us on Facebook

Quick links: browse all NAMM 2026 products

Get stuck in with these quick links to every NAMM Show 2026 category:

• NAMM 2026 Electric Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Acoustic Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Bass Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Pedals
• NAMM 2026 Amps
• NAMM 2026 Recording Gear
• NAMM 2026 Synths
• NAMM 2026 Keyboards & Pianos
• NAMM 2026 Live & PA Gear
• NAMM 2026 Drums

Shop All NAMM 2026 Releases

The post NAMM Show 2026: Day 1 Roundup appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Buy the Neural Quad Cortex Mini

PRS SE Ed Sheeran Cosmic Splash Limited Edition Baritone

Release date: 20th January 2026

Ed Sheeran and PRS have teamed up to create probably the most eye-catching guitar you’ll see at NAMM 2026. The new PRS SE Hollowbody I Piezo Baritone “Cosmic Splash” blends Ed’s chart‑topping musicality with his off‑stage passion for painting, resulting in an instrument that’s as inspiring to look at as it is to play.

Limited to just 1,000 pieces worldwide, each model is wrapped in artwork taken directly from one of Ed’s 2025 Cosmic Carpark paintings — a vibrant, swirling design that gives this baritone serious stage presence before you even hit a note. Even the inlays get the Sheeran treatment, nodding to his upcoming album cycle with classic media icons: Play, Pause, Rewind, Fast‑Forward and Stop.

With a 27.7″ baritone scale, PRS/LR Baggs piezo system and a pair of PRS 85/15 “S” pickups, the Cosmic Splash is built to roam across genres and textures. And because PRS and Ed clearly know how to spoil fans, each guitar ships with an 8″ x 8″ autographed print of the exact artwork featured on the body.

Buy the PRS SE Ed Sheeran Cosmic Splash

Akai MPC XL standalone sampler & sequencer

Release date: 20th January 2026

The Akai Professional booth is always a must-see for producers, and for 2026 it’s all about the MPC XL. Far more than a sampler, this is a next-gen standalone production powerhouse with an 8-core processor, 16 GB of RAM, 256 GB SSD storage and MPC OS 3.7 — letting you run multiple plug-ins, audio tracks and stems without a computer.

The standout features? MPCe pads with 3D sensing, a performance touch strip, 16 Q-Link knobs with OLEDs, plus a 10.1-inch multi-gesture touchscreen. Build complex sequences, launch clips, remix stems and time-stretch samples — all from the hardware. And with eight line outputs, mic and instrument inputs, USB-C audio, and CV/Gate, it easily slots into any studio, modular rig or DAW-less live setup.

AKAI’s MPC legacy is legendary, powering artists like Liam Howlett (The Prodigy), J Dilla, Madlib and, famously, Fred Again. MPC XL carries the torch forward with modern power and workflow. Whether you’re upgrading from a vintage MPC or looking for a central brain for your studio, this thing is designed to keep up with today’s producers, performers and beat makers.

Buy the Akai MPC XL

Warm Audio Fluff Drive Ryan Bruce signature pedal

Release date: 20th January 2026

Warm Audio will rock up to NAMM 2026 with the limited-edition Fluff Drive — the first‑ever signature pedal from YouTuber Ryan “Fluff” Bruce. It’s his modernised twist on an iconic ’80s scream-machine, keeping the attitude of the OG but with a full rebuild under the hood so it hits harder, stays tighter and behaves better in high‑gain chaos.

The feature list reads like a metalhead’s wish‑fulfilment: a modded low‑boost for punchier bass, a switchable mid‑enhance circuit you can place pre or post drive, plus a fully variable noise gate to keep your chugs surgical. Warm Audio haven’t skimped on the guts either — we’re talking proper analogue goodies like JRC4558 op‑amps, discrete transistors, JFETs and internal voltage doubling. Oh, and it comes in Teal or White — so you can choose the flavour that looks best on your board.

Shop Warm Audio Fluff Drive Pedals

Schecter 50th Anniversary Guitars

Release date: 19th January 2026

Believe it or not, it’s Schecter’s 50th anniversary this year. The brand that began as a plucky repair/mod shop has come a long way! They unveiled a stunning USA Custom Shop model earlier this month to mark the milestone. And now, they’ve followed it up with four more limited-edition 50th anniversary guitars — all dressed in a bold and brilliant Gold Burst finish. Hard to think of a better colour for the occasion, really!

These are some of the most souped-up Schecter Diamond Series guitars we’ve ever seen. 7-piece necks, X-jumbo stainless steel frets, TonePros locking tuners, plus Schecter USA pickups as standard. The 50th anniversary Avenger and C‑1 FR‑S models go even further, packing Sustainiac systems and Floyd Rose tremolos — perfect for players ready to explore the outer edges of what a guitar can do.

Shop New Schecter Guitars

ESP Guitars 2026: fresh signature, LTD & E-II models

Release date: 16th January 2026

ESP Guitars have clearly been very busy. The company’s just unleashed around 50 new E-II and LTD Series axes for us to drool over. And perfect timing too, with the LTD line celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. We can’t wait to see how Lee and Pete react when they hit the ESP booth at some point this NAMM weekend!

A hefty batch of new ESP signature guitars join the catalogue, including the long‑awaited Joe Duplantier (Gojira) LTD JD-I offset, a brutally cool 7‑string baritone V for ESP newbie Jack Simmons (Slaughter to Prevail) dubbed the JS-7, plus a pair of 20th‑anniversary LTD tributes to the late Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom) — the Arrowhead SE and Sawtooth SE.

As for the Japanese‑crafted E‑II range? The Horizon FR‑II returns with two striking new finishes: Andromeda II Satin and Gun Metallic Black. And ESP’s also resurrected the curvy early‑’90s Maverick as a full‑blown E‑II model, complete with 27 frets, a Floyd Rose Original trem and passive Seymour Duncan pickups.

Shop ESP 2026 Guitars

Vox Amps: hand-wired AC combos, pedals & more

Release date: 15th-16th January 2026

Vox have absolutely brought it this year, unveiling a seriously exciting range of gear. Headlining the launch is a new family of hand-wired AC amps, joined by two overhauled Valvetronix combos (an Andertons fave) and a fresh update to the popular Pathfinder practice amp.

But a pair of vintage‑inspired analogue pedals are perhaps the biggest surprise. First up, there’s the Vox VFZ‑1 — taking cues from the iconic Mk1.5 Tone Bender for snarling silicon‑based fuzz with a distinctive Germanium‑style character. And then there’s the VTB‑1 Treble Booster, which pays homage to Vox’s ultimate partner-in-crime — the legendary Rangemaster Treble Booster. It’s purpose‑built to drive a good valve amp into glorious, singing saturation with loads of bite.

Shop Vox 2026 Products

Boss & Roland: GX-1, GX-1B, CUBE Street Mini & FSC-10 footswitch caps

Release date: 15th January 2026

Boss and Roland have gone into 2026 meaning business. Two new multi-FX units, their smallest CUBE amp ever, plus some handy footswitch toppers that make their pedals even easier to use:

• Boss GX-1: A grab-and-go pedalboard with 23 pro-level AIRD amp models and 140+ killer effects. It comes loaded with 99 ready-to-play presets and 99 user slots for your own custom patches. And you can even play along with songs from your mobile device thanks to built-in Bluetooth.
• Boss GX-1B: Same as the above, just for bass! It’s equipped with 16 amps and over 130 effects, so there’s loads to play with. It works with the Boss Tone Studio app too, so you can access powerful practice features and sound-editing tools from your phone or tablet.
• Roland CUBE Street Mini: The dinkiest CUBE to date, with up to seven hours of playtime via its rechargeable battery. You get dual channels, built-in FX, Bluetooth audio, plus a handy onboard tuner. And don’t let its size fool you — its integrated 2.1 speaker system delivers wide sound and awesome projection!
• Boss FSC-10 Footswitch Caps: These clever little add-ons make hitting the right switch easier than ever. They’re compatible with a wide range of Boss pedals featuring metal footswitches. Plus, they’re transparent to let any cool LEDs shine through.

Shop New Boss & Roland Gear

Martin 2026 Road Series acoustics

Release date: 14th January 2026

Martin’s Road Series has been reimagined for 2026, now split into two clear families — Retro and Modern:

• Retro models: These honour Martin’s storied heritage, pairing traditional solid tonewoods with vintage‑style tuners, classic fingerboard inlays and timeless rosette designs. With both satin and gloss finish options — plus a standout “Plus” model featuring a Torrefied Spruce top, Granadillo back and sides and LR Baggs electronics — the Retro lineup is crafted for players chasing the feel and character of Martin’s most beloved acoustic designs.
• Modern range: As the name suggests, these acoustic are built for today’s performers. They offer a contemporary twist while maintaining that unmistakable Martin DNA. Striking rosettes, ergonomic cutaway options and stage‑ready electro‑acoustic features make them ideal for musicians who want smooth playability and reliable performance at home, in the studio or on stage.

Shop Martin 2026 Guitars

Bad Cat ‘Mod Shop’ Hot Cat 50 amps

Release date: 14th January 2026

The Bad Cat ‘Mod Shop’ Hot Cat 50 has landed. And it’s not just a refresh — it’s a total reinvention. With 50 watts of blooming, punchy power, this revamped valve beast feels bigger, bolder and more expressive than ever. Bad Cat’s opened up the mids, expanded the tone stack and reworked the presence circuit to dish out sweeter harmonics and a silky-smooth response.

The clean channel breathes with glassy American shimmer in Low mode, then kicks into a cranked AC/JTM‑style growl when switched to High. Flip over to the drive channel and the Hot Cat 50 shows its teeth. Gain Low delivers classic ’80s British crunch, while Gain High engages an extra tube stage that turns the amp into a tight, roaring high‑gain monster. Four killer voices — one purr‑fect amp!

Choose the head and partner it up with your favourite cab. Or grab the combo for a gig‑ready rig right out of the box. Whichever you choose, a two‑button footswitch and cover are included.

Shop New Bad Cat Amps

Fender Quantum LT & HD Audio Interfaces

Release date: 13th January 2026

Fender’s come out swinging with the new Quantum LT Series — a trio of interfaces designed to make recording feel easy. These things deliver proper studio-grade results while keeping the workflow slick, thanks to low‑latency drivers and some seriously impressive MAX‑HD mic preamps. And as everything hooks up seamlessly with Fender Studio Pro, you get direct monitoring and full control over each Quantum LT mixer right from the software — no menu-diving, no stress. Here’s how each model in the lineup stacks up:

• Quantum LT 2: A compact, bus‑powered little powerhouse. You get a MAX‑HD mic preamp, an instrument input, flexible monitoring options and near-zero latency — ideal for mobile recording and home studios.
• Quantum LT 4: Need more? The LT 4 steps things up with expanded I/O, dual MAX‑HD preamps, Fender instrument inputs and loopback for streaming. Perfect for creators, duos or anyone levelling up their studio game.
• Quantum LT 16: A full 16‑in / 8‑out USB‑C interface with eight MAX‑HD mic pres, eight extra TRS line inputs for outboard gear, DC‑coupled outputs, MIDI I/O, standalone mic‑pre mode and Fender Studio Pro bundled in. If you’re tracking a band, this is your guy.

Fender also dropped the Quantum HD range, aimed squarely at pros, producers and players who want the absolute best in low‑latency performance and top‑tier audio conversion. There are two models to choose from:

• Quantum HD 2: A high‑performance interface for project studios, musicians and content creators who want uncompromising clarity. We’re talking 32‑bit/192 kHz converters, MAX‑HD preamps with +75 dB of gain and ultra‑low latency that keeps everything feeling tight and responsive.
• Quantum HD 8: If you’re recording multiple instruments or running a bigger setup, the HD 8 gives you loads of I/O, the same high-end converters, MAX‑HD preamps and seriously efficient drivers.

Shop Fender Quantum Interfaces

PRS Guitars: new amp, electrics, updates & colours

Release date: 13th January 2026

The folks at PRS Guitars have kicked off 2026 with a bang, introducing two new Maryland‑made electric guitars and a gig‑friendlier version of one of their most popular amps. They’ve also refreshed their SE Series with upgraded hardware and added some cool new colours across the entire range. Here are the highlights in a nutshell:

• DGT Semi-Hollow: Inspired by one of David Grissom’s Private Stock treasures, this gorgeous guitar offers everything players adore about the Core PRS DGT, but adds the airy, resonant magic of a semi-hollow body.
• S2 Vela HHT: Takes the offset S2 Vela design up a notch with dual DS-01 humbuckers and a trem for extra versatility. It’s also available in a wide selection of satin and gloss finishes.
• Archon Classic 50 Combo: This valve-powered, Celestion-loaded combo serves up everything from sparkling, 3D cleans to rich edge‑of‑breakup tones and searing high‑gain crunch. With a tube‑driven FX loop, it plays beautifully with pedals too.
• SE Series updates: Many 2026 PRS SE models now come with new pickup rings and ‘Wing’ tuning‑peg buttons, bringing them visually closer to their American‑made counterparts.

Shop PRS 2026 Gear

DSM & Humboldt Dumblifier Overdrive Special pedal

Release date: 9th January 2026

DSM & Humboldt is a small outfit out of Santiago, Chile that’s always punched above its weight. They’ve had a number of hit products over the last few years, from the original Simplifier analogue amp and cab sim to its kitted-out MKII upgrade. Not to mention the dual‑amp, stereo powerhouse Simplifier X!

Now, they’ve taken on one of the most elusive tones in guitar history — the Dumble Overdrive Special. Their new Dumblifier pedal captures the amp’s legendary feel using the same proven analogue modelling tech that put them on the map. It’s not just the tone — it’s the bloom, the compression, the touch sensitivity and the singing sustain that make those amps so mythical.

You get clean and overdrive channels, a footswitchable preamp boost (PAB), plus a raft of tone-shaping controls and switches that even let you choose your fave emulated speaker and cab size combo. Add in a stereo FX loop and onboard reverb, and you’ve got a seriously versatile pedalboard centrepiece. Lee and Pete ran it through its paces — and let’s just say, they came away very impressed…

Buy the DSM & Humboldt Dumblifier

Ibanez 2026 range: new Alpha Series guitars, Mode basses & more

Release date: 9th January 2026

The Ibanez booth is always a NAMM Show highlight. And calling it a “booth” hardly does it justice. It’s more like a sprawling labyrinth packed with their latest creations (you could easily lose half a day exploring every corner). For NAMM 2026, Ibanez will be showcasing 100+ new electric guitars, basses and acoustics. And you won’t have to wait for Lee and Pete’s video tour, as you can check out Ibanez’s ’26 range right here.

The biggest buzz? The all-new Ibanez Alpha Series. These multi-scale monsters (available in 7 and 8-string configs) are all about ergonomics and massive tone, with sculpted contours, stainless steel frets, Fishman Fluence pickups and a host of modern features made for tech metallers.

Other standouts include fresh Japanese-built RG and S Series additions to the Prestige range, the AS7328 Artcore baritone semi-hollow, plus the Layer Delayer pedal — sure to be a big hit with the ambient crowd. Don’t miss the new Mode Series basses either, which blend classic offset styling with cutting-edge upgrades. Lee managed to get his hands on some of the headline models recently…

Shop Ibanez’s 2026 Range

Taylor 2026 Next Generation & Gold Label acoustics

Release date: 8th January 2026

Taylor has levelled up its 300, 400 and 800 Series Grand Auditorium electro acoustic guitars, pushing each model even closer to perfection. Every guitar in the updated lineup now comes fitted with Taylor’s Long‑Tenon Action Control Neck and a newly evolved form of Scalloped V‑Class Bracing.

The enhanced neck‑to‑body connection boosts stability and sustain, while the re‑voiced bracing unlocks a fuller low end and a more open response on the higher strings. Together, they make these guitars feel richer, more dynamic and more expressive than ever.

Each model also comes equipped with Taylor’s brand‑new Claria pickup and preamp system. It delivers a remarkably natural amplified tone, with a versatile Mid‑Contour control to boot.

Shop Taylor 2026 Guitars

Victory MKX Lunchbox amp head

Release date: 5th January 2026

Building on the success of their no‑expense‑spared flagship amp — the MK Overdrive — Victory has unveiled the MKX lunchbox head. Sitting proudly at the top of their compact amp lineup, the UK-built MKX is without a doubt their ultimate do-it-all valve head. It’s made for players who demand authentic tube‑driven gain stages and raw, organic tone.

From clean to mean, the MKX delivers a huge sonic spectrum that spans almost every genre and playing style. It comes with two onboard digital reverbs, dual master volumes, switchable Hi and Low power modes and an effects loop — giving guitarists the flexibility to shape their sound in any situation. In short, it’s a pint-sized powerhouse!

Shop Victory MKX Amp & Cabs

NAMM 2026 rumours & predictions

NAMM season always brings its fair share of wild guesses, teasers and eyebrow‑raising hints — and honestly, we love every minute of it. Here are a few brands we reckon might drop something juicy this year…

• Chapman Guitars: Head honcho Rob “Chappers” Chapman hinted at “a couple of things that might surprise us” in a recent YouTube video. We can’t wait to see what they’ve been working on!
• Friedman Amps: Dave Friedman and Pete Thorn have joined forces to unleash the IR-Load, which they’ll be showing off in style at NAMM (and we believe will become widely available later this year). To quote Pete’s Insta post: “if you want and need IRs, load AND stereo FX and reamp, all in one box, the IR-Load does it.” We like the sound of that!
• Sterling by Music Man: These guys have just lifted the lid on their 2026 lineup via social media, with pre-orders opening on the 22nd as NAMM kicks off. The Cutlass Plus is back with a fresh look, featuring a cool mid boost circuit and roasted neck. There’s a Steve Lukather ‘Luke’ HSS model in the pipeline, also sporting an onboard boost. Plus, a short-scale StingRay is joining the range.
• Behringer: This musical powerhouse likes blindsiding the industry with out‑of‑the‑blue launches. They made their first NAMM appearance in a decade last year and brought some absolute bangers (like the LM Drum). We’re sure they’ve got more goodies up their sleeve.
• Valeton: These digital wizards have been on a serious roll. Their pocket-sized GP-5 multi-FX, amp & IR loader pedal scooped up two Andertons TV Awards last year. And in December, they raised the stakes with the GP-50, adding dual footswitches, a bumped-up screen and a built-in looper. We now know what’s coming next, with Valeton teasing their big NAMM 2026 products on their socials — the GP-150 and GP-180…

Stay in the loop for NAMM 2026

The NAMM launches will only keep coming, so to avoid any FOMO, we recommend bookmarking this blog for all the latest NAMM news. You can also sign up to our mailing list via our main NAMM page to get new releases delivered straight to your inbox as they drop.

Even better, follow us on YouTube and across our social channels to catch everything happening live from Anaheim:

• Subscribe to Andertons Music Co. on YouTube
• Check out our NAMM 2026 playlist on YouTube
• Follow @andertonsmusicco on Instagram
• Follow @andertonsmusicco on TikTok
• Follow us on Facebook

Quick links: browse all NAMM 2026 products

Jump straight into the action with these quick links to every NAMM 2026 category:

• NAMM 2026 Electric Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Acoustic Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Bass Guitars
• NAMM 2026 Pedals
• NAMM 2026 Amps
• NAMM 2026 Recording Gear
• NAMM 2026 Synths
• NAMM 2026 Keyboards & Pianos
• NAMM 2026 Live & PA Gear
• NAMM 2026 Drums

Shop All NAMM 2026 Releases

The post NAMM Show 2026: Early Releases, Rumours & News appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Walrus Audio Pedals

Browse Walrus Audio Pedals

Tap Tempo Sync

Any Walrus pedal with a tap tempo switch can sync up with another tap tempo pedal. This means rather than setting an accurate tempo for each individual pedal, you can use a Walrus pedal’s switch to set it for both, saving yourself a few extra very precise taps.

You’ll find this nifty feature in the ARP-87 digital delay, Monument tremolo, Julianna chorus and Mako MkII delay. This function normally works with any tap tempo stompbox. Simply connect the two with a patch cable and you’ll be right on beat.

Eons Five-State Fuzz Adjustable Noise Gate

Walrus first introduced the noise gate with the gritty, thick-sounding fuzz Jupter V2 pedal and they’ve carried that functionality over to the super flexible Eons. A lot of pedals aim for the  stuttering ‘dying battery’ effect but there aren’t many that cover all the fuzz flavours the Eons packs in.

The Eons has an internal trim pot gate control you could use either to dial down the fuzzy aggression or implement hard cut-offs. This way you don’t have to power the pedal from a noisy non-isolated source or use a virtual battery to achieve the same effect.

Fathom Reverb’s Huge Momentary Burst

Create a massive surge of decaying reverb with the Fathom reverb. This effect is great during a crescendo or intense finale to a song. Not only is the Fathom a super adaptable reverb, but it can also turn your tone into a chaotic, swampy, beautiful noise.

With your Fathom turned off, press both the bypass and sustain switches at the same time. This will turn the pedal on abruptly (yet still smooth in transition) and hit you with a trail of reverb longer than where you’ve set the decay knob.

Mako and Melee distortion/reverb ramp up

Ramp is a feature that’s normally exclusive to an effect like tremolo as is the case with the Mako MkII, but Walrus Audio have implemented it into their unique reverb/distortion generator pedal, the Melee.

Essentially, ramp means to increasingly speed up the rate of the tremolo, or intensify an effect like reverb. Hold down the bypass to progressively accelerate the effect to make for some extremely climatic moments in your playing. If applied to tremolo you can adjust the build time, so the ramp will take longer hit peak speed the lower your set the base tempo. Let go of the bypass for the rate or intensity to drop back down again to where you’ve set your controls.

Smart Momentary Bypass

Smart momentary bypass has been a consistent feature in Walrus Audio’s pedals since the Lillian phaser and ambient Slö reverb. Simply hold down on the bypass switch for as long as you’d like to activate the effect. It’s a feature that a lot of companies have adopted, as it simply makes it possible to inject a short burst of the effect without the need to press twice on a pedal.

Ambient, texture-like sounding pedals like the Lillian and Slö benefit greatly for momentary bypass. You’re able to create a bed of trailing phaser or reverb and then add layers of playing on top as it floats underneath a lead line.

Want to learn more?

I hope you get to use these fun effects to their fullest potential! Enjoyed this read? Make sure to have a browse of our Industry and Learn articles.

Shop All Walrus Audio Pedals

The post Walrus Audio Pedals: 5 Amazing Hidden Features appeared first on Andertons Blog.

How to use guitar pedals with a synth

Guitar pedals take a plain, dry signal and twist it in ways you never thought possible. Because both stompboxes and synths use 1/4” jacks, the process is simple to assemble and achievable for anyone with a bit of space at home. If you’re a gigging musician, you can incorporate pedals into your live set-up for that extra wow factor. For Modular & Eurorack Synth users, think of a pedal as another module to add to your sound.

Synth keyboards usually have basic in-built effects such as reverb, delay and chorus. In most cases, they simply don’t sound as good or aren’t as diverse as guitar pedals. Stompboxes come in a an amazing variety, from containing very specific modulated voicings to housing an array of parameter controls – both if you pay ‘boutique’ prices. There are so many brands and combinations of effects out there, it’s incredible what you can discover.

Guitar pedal brands to look out for

Eventide Audio

Shop All Eventide Audio Pedals

The Eventide H9 has everything you need in one small box. It combines the whole Eventide stompbox range into one compact pedal. A huge amount of effects and parameters are at your disposal including delay, pitch shifting, reverb and a whole host of modulations. The only downside is the relatively simplistic interface, so if you’re after a specific effect check out Eventide’s other pedals such as the Timefactor or Space.

Strymon

Shop All Strymon Pedals

Strymon are Eventide’s biggest rivals in multi-setting FX with the likes of the BigSky, Mobius and Timeline. These are the ultimate guitar pedals and cannot be praised enough. All are designed from the ground up to work with synths too, and offer a sheer, transparent sound.

Meris

Shop All Meris Pedals

Meris are known for their Eurorack modules (see F.A.Q. below), so they know how to make pedals work well in conjunction. The Meris Ottobit Jr. in its simplest description is a bit crusher, offering those game console stutters and 8-bit noises. But, as it’s based on their Eurorack module, there’s so much more to it. Use it to control swells, pitch and sequencing. Meanwhile, the MercuryX is the perfect pedal for those ambient Blade Runner reverb expanses. As with everything else in this bracket, it’s costly, but it’s the only reverb you’ll ever need.

Electro-Harmonix

Shop All Electro-Harmonix

The Electro-Harmonix Operation Overlord is an overdrive pedal designed to work with synths, which is a rare thing. It can add that little bit of dirt needed for more of an old-school sound. Stereo too, so if you want to run a stereo-only setup (see F.A.Q. below) it’ll bounce nicely with a ping-pong delay. Don’t forget to check out other units such as Nano Q-Tron, Bad Stone, and String9.

Bang for your buck

MXR Phase 90

The classic MXR Phase 90 is simple, yet effective. One knob controls the speed of the phaser, so it’s not for those who love to delve deep into the variety a pedal provides, but you’ll get a straight up cool modulation.

Boss CH-1 Super Chorus

The Boss CH-1 Super Chorus is the standard chorus for absolutely anything. It’s not particularly beautiful or articulated, but it does a good job in layering stunning chorus and is an excellent starting point for anyone getting into the experimentation process.

Crazy sounds

The Earthquaker Devices Rainbow Machine is a completely mad pitch shifter, chorus and echo in one. It also has a unique voicing thanks to the ‘magic’ button. Just think ’60s sci-fi TV shows – Earthquaker specialise in those crazy mishmash effects. It’s worth checking out the Afterneath reverb and Data Corruptor for more intriguing sounds.

Electro-Harmonix’s Super Ego

The Super Ego is designed to make your electric guitar sound like a synth. So putting this on top of a synth can only be a good thing, right? The possibilities with this thing are close to endless. It has 11 modes and an expansive EQ.

F.A.Q.

Is it complicated to add guitar pedals to a synth?

No. Because both guitar pedals and synths use 1/4” jacks, the process is simple to assemble and achievable for anyone with a bit of space at home.

Do I need pedals with stereo input/output?

The majority of guitar pedals have mono in/out, so, if you have a stereo synth and you want to keep that stereo sound, you’ll need to ensure that the pedals you use also have a stereo in/out.

What is a Eurorack?

Eurorack is a modular synth format, meaning that all Eurorack synth components are designed to work seamlessly with one another.

Do guitar pedals sound better than built-in effects?

Synth keyboards usually have basic in-built effects such as reverb, delay and chorus, but, in most cases, they simply don’t sound as good or aren’t as diverse as guitar pedals. Stompboxes come in an amazing variety, from containing very specific modulated voicings to housing an array of parameter. There are so many brands and combinations of effects out there, it’s incredible what you can discover.

How can I avoid background noise when using a guitar pedal with a synth?

Synths produce around 20dB more than electric guitars. When you run a loud synth into a guitar pedal the signal can become distorted or noisy. The easiest solution to turn down the volume on the synth, but you may find the noise-to-level ratio is still too great.

This is most common in fuzz pedals, which don’t react well to a low impedance. If you do have a pedal you think might cause problems, use an attenuator or reamp to adjust the signal. A DI box following on from the effects pedals could be a worthwhile addition.

Where can I put all the pedals!?

There are two appropriate options: create a conventional pedalboard like a guitarist, or keep them on top of the synth/on a dedicated stand. The former is great if you don’t need to change lots of settings as you can keep it on the floor, out the way. But the latter lets you twiddle and experiment on the fly.

Want to find out more?

Check out some of our other blogs on all things pedals, synths, you name it!

• The Best 5 Guitar Effects Pedals for Synths
• Guitar Multi-Effects vs. Single Pedals
• How to Use Modular Synthesizers
• 5 Ways To Make Your Guitar Sound Like A Synth

The post Using guitar pedals with a synth appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Key Features That Set It Apart

Firstly, feel is an important feature of any keyboard, and the MODX8+ delivers with Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action, providing a satisfyingly realistic piano feel across all 88 keys. Having the authentic feel of a properly weighted action can make a huge difference in playability and comfort, especially for players who have extensive experience on acoustic pianos.

Sound-wise, the instrument combines two powerful sound engines: AWM2 (Advanced Wave Memory 2) for realistic acoustic instruments and FM-X for complex synthesized sounds. This dual-engine approach means you can access natural-sounding pianos and orchestral instruments alongside vibrant, highly customisable electronic synth sounds and effects.

With 256-note polyphony, the MODX8+ can handle complex arrangements without voice stealing, which is crucial when layering multiple sounds or using the sustain pedal extensively. There’s plenty of internal memory too, for additional samples or any other custom sounds you’d like to import.

Setting Up for Live Performance

• Organising Your Setlist:
  As briefly mentioned earlier, modern workstations like the MODX8+ excel at live performance organisation. You can create custom setlists that automatically load the right sounds for each song, complete with any splits, layers, or effects you need, eliminating the need to hunt through hundreds of presets during a performance. Spending a little time before your gig organising sounds logical; it takes away a lot of stress when you’re on stage. Group similar sounds together, use descriptive names, and create smooth transitions between sections. Also, many players find it helpful to have a few “emergency” sounds readily available for unexpected requests or technical issues. It can’t be overstated how useful this feature can be for busy session musicians or stage keyboardists. Being able to smoothly transition through all the perfect sounds with each song can be a game-changer for reliable performance.
• Weight and Portability: Top in its class:
  One of the MODX8+’s biggest advantages is its relatively light weight for an 88-key workstation. At less than 14kg it’s manageable for most players, though you’ll still want a quality keyboard stand and possibly a flight case for regular transport. The weight savings compared to older workstations and other flagship models is significant. Other models in its class weigh close to 20kg or even more, making a big difference in transport. The MODX8+ strikes a good balance between comprehensive features and practical portability.
• Power and Connectivity:
  Modern workstations typically offer pretty extensive connectivity options, including multiple audio outputs, MIDI in/out, USB connections, and pedal inputs. The MODX8+ includes all of these, making it easy to integrate into existing setups or connect to recording equipment. Use the multiple outputs to send different live sounds through to separate channels on a mixing board or connect it to your DAW via MIDI as a powerful production tool – the MODX8+ can wear whatever ‘hat’ you need.

MODX8+ vs. MODX6+

The MODX8+ has a little brother, the MODX6+, offering similar functionality. But how do the two compare?

While both instruments share the same sound engines and basic feature set, the key differences (no pun intended) lie in the keyboard action and portability. The MODX8+ offers full 88-key weighted action, whereas the MODX6+ has a smaller range at only 61 keys and only features a semi-weighted action. The MODX6+ wins when it comes to portability though, coming in at just 6.6kg and being 40cm shorter in width.

The choice between them will generally come down to your playing style and portability needs. If you’re primarily a pianist or need the full range for classical or jazz applications, the MODX8+ is the clear choice. The feel is much more authentic and the smaller key range can occasionally be restrictive for these styles. For players who prioritize portability and a more synth-like feel, you won’t go wrong with the 6.

Comparing top Keyboard Workstations: Korg, Roland, Arturia and Nord

• Korg Kronos:
  The Korg Kronos has been a workstation benchmark for years and has recently been relaunched by Korg with a new, revamped version offering faster startup times and an impressive array of sounds catering to highly diverse musical styles. The Kronos is known for its versatility, offering a whopping 9 sound engines. The variety of sounds available is enormous, but it can be overwhelming for some players. The Kronos weighs substantially more than the MODX8+ and comes with a higher price tag, but it offers more advanced sampling capabilities and a wider range of synthesis types. The Kronos is the ultimate choice for sound variety if you don’t mind the complexity, with an unparalleled library at its disposal. However, if you want something more portable and still highly versatile at a lower price point, the MODX8+ will be a better fit for you.
  

Making the Right Choice – What’s the best workstation for you?

Ultimately, choosing a master keyboard workstation comes down to your specific needs, playing style, and budget. The Yamaha MODX8+ represents an excellent middle ground if you’re looking for a balanced machine, offering professional features without the extensive complexity or cost of some other flagship models.

If you’re primarily a pianist who needs access to other sounds for variety, the MODX8+ provides the weighted action and comprehensive sound library you need. If you’re a serious synth-lover or want the most extensive options for sound design, the Fantom or Kronos might be worth the additional investment.

Ease of transport is a significant factor too. If you’re regularly lugging around your keyboard, the MODX8+’s lighter weight becomes a significant advantage. For permanent installations, weight might be less of a concern than having the most comprehensive feature set.

The current keyboard market offers more top choices than ever before, and the MODX8+ stands out as a particularly well-rounded option that balances features, quality, and value.

Final Thoughts

Master keyboard workstations have evolved dramatically over the past few decades, becoming more powerful while simultaneously becoming more user-friendly. They’re amazing pieces of technology with more capability than you’d expect within a single instrument, and the Yamaha MODX8+ is no exception, delivering professional-level sound and functionality in a package that won’t break your back or your budget.

The key to getting the most from any workstation is understanding your performance needs and taking time to learn what your instrument can really do. Put in the time, and you’ll be able to create magic with these things.

Check out our full range of workstations & arrangers to find the best keyboard for you.

Useful Links!

All Nektar Products

All Midi Controllers

All Pad Controllers

All DAW Controllers

Synth 101 Guide

How to Choose a Live Microphone Guide

The post What Is a Master Keyboard Workstation? Comparing Yamaha, Korg, Roland & more appeared first on Andertons Blog.

How VRM Works in the Yamaha CLP-875

The CLP-875 doesn’t just play a recorded note; it calculates what the piano would sound like in any given moment. Here’s what it considers:

• Which keys are being pressed
• How fast and hard you’re playing
• Pedal positions, including half-pedaling and re-pedaling
• How notes interact and overlap
• How the entire piano body would resonate
• The temperature of the instrument

The result is a performance that feels acoustically alive, evolving with each nuance of your playing.

Binaural Sampling + VRM = Next-Level Headphone Experience

When using headphones on the CLP-875, Yamaha employs binaural sampling, a technique that captures the sound from the player’s perspective, creating a 3D-like audio image resulting in a much more natural experience.

When this is combined with VRM:

• You hear subtle resonances as if you’re sitting in front of a 9-foot concert grand.
• It becomes easier to forget you’re playing a digital instrument.
• Long practice sessions are less fatiguing and more emotionally engaging.

Why VRM Matters for Real Pianists

VRM isn’t just a flashy feature, it’s something experienced pianists genuinely feel and appreciate. One of the most noticeable benefits is expressive pedalling: both the soft and damper pedals respond with nuanced precision, allowing for subtle dynamic shaping and authentic half-pedalling effects. Chords decay naturally, with rich overtones that fade organically rather than cutting off or sounding artificially looped. Perhaps most importantly, sympathetic resonance, the subtle vibrations of un-played strings are realistically recreated, which is essential when playing Romantic or Impressionist repertoire, like Chopin’s nocturnes or Debussy’s tone poems. All of this contributes to a heightened sense of emotional feedback, where even the quietest passages are filled with the ambient depth and colour you’d expect from a concert grand.

What’s New in the CLP-875?

• The CLP-875 improves upon VRM implementation in meaningful ways:
• Full-body resonance modeling: Includes rim, frame, and cabinet effects.
• Improved decay simulation: More natural sound fade.
• Greater realism under dynamic pedaling: Half and repedaling are hyper-accurate.
• Tighter integration with GrandTouch key action: Making the touch and sound feel fully unified.

Our Line Up:

We have some beautiful finishes of the 875 that’ll fit perfectly into any environment from a classic black, or a gorgeous Rosewood, all the way to a gleaming white and a more subtle white birch.

Shop The Yamaha CLP-875 Range

Summary:

In summary, the Yamaha CLP‑875 is a standout addition to the Clavinova line, offering a remarkably authentic piano experience that bridges the gap between acoustic tradition and digital innovation. Its GrandTouch keyboard, with wooden keys and synthetic ebony/ivory tops faithfully replicates grand piano touch, while VRM beautifully simulates the intricate resonances of strings and body, delivering a depth and warmth that feels truly organic. Ultimately, the CLP‑875 with its blend of realism, expressiveness, and convenience stands as a compelling choice for pianists seeking the soul of a concert grand in a digital format. It doesn’t just recreate piano sound, it redefines the experience for today’s musicians.

You should also check out our other blogs and guides.

If you’re just starting out or looking to get a piano for a beginner, check out our Best Beginners Pianos and Keyboards guide. Travel to shows a lot? Make sure to read our guide to the best stage pianos.
We also have our Ultimate Guide to Midi Keyboards & Controllers if you’re looking for more of a controller and lastly, we can’t forget our Synthesizer Buyers Guide to help you buy the best companion to your new piano.

Check out our other blogs and keep up to date with the latest news!

The post Yamaha CLP-875: What Is Yamaha’s VRM Technology? appeared first on Andertons Blog.

What Is a Synthesizer?

Before we jump into our list of essential synth terms, there’s one burning question we should first take a look at: What exactly is a synthesizer?

Essentially, a synthesizer is an electronic instrument that creates sound by generating and manipulating audio signals. Whereas electric guitars instruments make sounds with vibrating strings or air columns, synths use components like oscillators, filters, and amplifiers to sculpt sounds entirely from scratch – or even mimic other instruments.

Synths are closely associated with genres like dance, industrial, and electro, but they’re actually super versatile tools with plenty of uses – look hard enough, and you’ll find them in just about every genre. Lush pads in ambient music, quirky beeps in indie pop, soaring melodies in prog rock, right up to atmospheric textures in the harshest black metal or face-melting EDM basslines. Synths can do it all.

Famous Synthesizers

Since breaking out in the ‘60s, a handful of synth brands have achieved bona fide legendary status, thanks to their innovative designs, iconic sounds, and endless popularity. Names like Moog, Korg, Roland, Nord, Yamaha, Sequential, and Arturia have all shaped synth evolution, each offering their own take, their own leap forward.

Over the years, these powerhouse brands have done much more than drive synth development, though – with their powerful offerings, they’ve literally been the catalyst for whole new genres. How would Pink Floyd have sounded without their vintage analogue synths? Take away Roland’s legendary drum machines, and a whole generation of drum and bass would vanish with it!

Synth 101

In a little while, we’ll give you a complete rundown of all the essential terms you need to know if you’re going to break into the world of synths. But first, let’s put a few of these terms into context. Cutting through the jargon is one thing, but understanding how it all fits into synth design and usage, and how everything interacts with each other, is vital if you want to start making tunes as soon as possible.

The Building Blocks of a Synth

At the heart of every synthesizer is an oscillator. This component is responsible for creating the initial sound. Oscillators generate waveforms, which are basically different types of sound shapes, each offering its own character. There are four basic waveforms that you’re most likely to come across: sine, which has a smooth, almost pure tone; square, with a hollow, woody sound that introduces some odd but interesting harmonics; saw, which is a great choice for basslines and leads owing to its bright and buzzy edginess; and triangle, which sounds like a softer version of a sine wave, but with a bit more warmth. Many synths have multiple oscillators, so you can blend multiple waveforms together to create all manner of different sounds.

Once the raw waveform is generated, the voltage-controlled filter (VCF) and voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) get to work. The filter acts like a sculptor, cutting or boosting frequencies to mix up the tone, such as by removing harsh high-end or adding resonance. Then there’s the amplifier, which controls the volume and dynamics of your sound to add expressiveness or punch. Together with the waveform, these features give you total control over the tone and intensity of your initial sound, ready for further refinement.

Shaping Your Synth Sound

Once you’ve got your basic tone up and running, it’s time to start tinkering! This is where sound-shaping modulation tools come into play, adding motion, character, and complexity to your tones. One of the most important is the envelope, often labelled ADSR – that stands for Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release. These parameters change how a sound behaves over time, including how quickly it starts (attack), how soon it fades (decay), how long it holds (sustain), and when it trails off (release).

Next up is the LFO, or Low-Frequency Oscillator. The oscillator we talked about earlier creates the notes you hear, but an LFO moves too slowly to generate pitch. Instead, this one modulates other parameters. Want your pitch to wobble, or your filter to rhythmically pulse? That’s LFO territory.

Types of Synthesizers

Synths come in many flavours, so to find the right one for your needs, it’s important to know exactly how they differ. First, there’s monophonic vs polyphonic synthesizers. A monophonic synth can play only one note at a time, which works great for basses and leads, whereas polyphonic synths can play multiple notes simultaneously, making them a great tool for chords and rich pads.

Then there’s the little matter of how your sound is generated. Analog synths use electrical circuits to create warm, organic tones, while digital synths use computer algorithms to craft more precise, complex sounds. Hybrid synths sit somewhere in between, taking the flexibility of digital and combining it with some good old analogue warmth.

Finally, let’s talk synthesis methods. The most common is subtractive synthesis, where you start with a harmonically rich waveform and subtract frequencies to leave behind only your desired tone. Additive synthesis, as the name suggests, is the exact opposite of this, adding sounds by stacking multiple waveforms together to build a complex tone. Frequency Modulation (FM) synthesis is a method of modulating one oscillator with another for a more complex, metallic timbre. Then there’s wavetable synthesis, which is a little more complicated. This one involves sampling a stored waveform and repeatedly reproducing it at different rates, each time producing a different frequency or pitch. Each reproduction, called a wavetable, imparts different characteristics, and by modulating through different wavetables, you end up with a modern, harmonically rich digital sound.

Controls & Interfaces

Of course, getting the most out of a synth doesn’t just mean creating a wicked tone – you need to control it too. One of the most popular creative tools is the arpeggiator, which automatically plays the notes of a chord in a rhythmic pattern to add movement to your melodies. For more complex patterns, there’s also the sequencer. This lets you program a series of notes or rhythms to play back automatically, which is perfect for looping basslines, leads, or even full-blown compositions. Then there are features like glide (or portamento), which lets you smoothly slide the pitch between notes, rather than jumping directly from one to another, creating a more flowing, expressive sound. Finally, with the all-important sync, you can make sure your synth stays perfectly in time with the rest of your setup, be it another synth, a drum machine, or even your digital audio workstation (DAW).

Once you start getting into the swing of synth, you’re going to hear the word patch used – a lot! Just to confuse you a little more, this could actually mean two different things: it can refer to a preset sound, which is a pretty essential way of saving all those tasty chainsaw bass tones you create, or the process of patching – connecting modules together to create your own signal paths and modulations.

Synth Communication

Of course, when you’re using modular synths or creating a signal chain, you need everything to speak to each other, and that brings us nicely to arguably the most important part of synth control – communication. Most modern synths use MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) to send note and control data between devices. But in modular setups, you’ll also often encounter an analogue control method called CV/Gate. With CV, or Control Voltage, you can modulate almost all parameters like pitch, filter cutoff, or amplitude by sending varying voltages between modules, giving you hands-on, analogue-style control over your synth’s behaviour. Gate works alongside CV by controlling the timing, sending a signal that tells the synth when to start and stop a note – think of it like an on/off switch for each sound.

Synthesizer Effects

Once you’ve got your sound shaped and sequenced, it’s time to finish things off with a little sauce. Effects are an essential part of synth construction, taking raw ideas into a polished, finished product. Depending on how you use your effects, you can do everything from gently enhancing your sound to transforming it into something completely unrecognisable!

Reverb adds space and depth to create a feeling of stereo width, and it can make your synth tone play nicely with other instruments, too. Delay creates echoes, helping to fill empty space, add movement, and build suspense. If you want to thicken things up a little, chorus is a good option, adding depth and fullness to your sound with subtle detuning. And if you want to turn up the nasty, don’t sleep on distortion! We all know about guitar distortion pedals and how they can transform guitar tone into a raging beast, but the effect absolutely has a place in the synth world too. All that digital perfection sometimes leaves things sounding a little too clean and sterile – but a little grit and aggression can mess things up in the best possible way!

Essential Synth Terminology List

• Additive Synthesis: The opposite of subtractive synthesis, additive synths build sounds by layering multiple sine waves, each representing a harmonic of the desired tone.
• ADSR: Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release – the four stages of an envelope that shape how a sound evolves over time, from the moment a key is pressed to when it’s released.
• Amplifier/VCA (Voltage-Controlled Amplifier): Controls the final volume of a sound, typically in response to a control voltage or envelope.
• Amplitude: More typically referred to as volume, amplitude is the strength or height of a waveform, which directly affects how loud the sound is.
• Analog/Analogue: Analog hardware and signals use electrical circuits to generate and shape sound. When it comes to synths, this means analog waveforms are infinitely variable, as they aren’t bound by the limitations of digital’s binary signals. As a result, some say analog synths have a warmer and smoother character than digital alternatives. Analog vs analogue comes down to your location, with analogue being the preferred British spelling.
• Arpeggiator: An arpeggiator is a type of sequencer that plays the individual notes of a chord in a cascading pattern, be it ascending, descending, or something a little more random. This adds movement and variation to your melodies.
• Attenuator: A control that reduces the strength of a signal, often used to fine-tune modulation depth or output levels.
• Chorus: An effect that thickens a sound by duplicating it and slightly detuning or delaying the copies, simulating multiple instruments playing at once.
• Clock: A rhythmic pulse that acts as a timing reference, which you can use to synchronise sequencers, arpeggiators, and other time-based modules or gear.
• CV: Control Voltage is a control method you can use on almost any parameter, like pitch or filter cutoff. Synths typically use a rule of 1 volt per octave, with octaves increasing in voltage the higher they get.
• Cutoff: The frequency point at which a filter begins to reduce or eliminate certain frequencies. This is a common tool for controlling synth parameters, drastically affecting your sound when employed.
• Delay: An effect that plays a copy of a sound after a short, definable period, often with feedback, to create space-filling echoes or rhythmic repetitions.
• Digital: The opposite of analogue, digital synths use computer-based processing to generate and shape sound. They offer high precision, greater flexibility, and more complex features – but possibly at the cost of reduced warmth and smoothness (compared to an analogue synth).
• Distortion: Adds grit, warmth, or aggression by clipping the waveform and generating additional harmonics.
• Envelope: Shapes a sound’s dynamics over time using Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Release phases to control volume, filter, or pitch behaviour.
• Eurorack: Eurorack is a physical modular synth format with standardised dimensions and power. Developed in the ‘90s, it’s now the most popular form of modular synth equipment, allowing users to build flexible, custom synth systems from a wide range of modules.
• Filter/VCF (Voltage-Controlled Filter): A filter alters tone by reducing or boosting certain frequencies, using voltage inputs to control its behaviour. Filters tend to focus on certain frequency ranges, each imparting a different effect:
  • Low Pass: Only frequencies below a specified cutoff point can pass through the filter
  • High Pass: Only frequencies above a specified cutoff point pass through the filter
  • Band-Pass Filter: Allows only frequencies within a defined range to pass through
  • Notch Filter: Also called a band-stop filter, this filter does the opposite of a band-pass and blocks frequencies within a defined range, often used to scoop out certain undesirable frequencies.
• Frequency Modulation (FM): Frequency modulation uses a controlled voltage to affect an oscillator’s waveform, affecting parameters like pitch, and volume. FM synthesis, on the other hand, uses the frequency of one waveform to modulate another waveform, creating harmonically rich and complex tones in the process.
• Gate: A signal that tells the synth when to start and stop a note, essentially acting as an on/off switch for sound generation.
• Glide/Portamento: Smoothly slides the pitch between notes instead of jumping directly from one to another. This is often used for expressive leads and bass lines.
• Hybrid: Combines analogue warmth with the versatility of digital components into a single synthesizer to offer the best of both worlds.
• LFO (Low-Frequency Oscillator): A slow-moving oscillator that’s typically used to modulate parameters like pitch, filter, or volume over time.
• MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): A digital communication protocol that allows electronic instruments and software to send and receive performance data.
• Modulation: The act of altering a synth parameter over time to create changes in your signal. By using an LFO, envelope, or external source, you can modulate almost any parameter, changing settings like volume, pitch, and width, and adding movement and expression to your sound.
• Monophonic: Refers to a synth that can only play one note at a time, often used for basslines and leads.
• Noise: A non-pitched, static-like sound source, often used for percussive hits, effects, or to add texture.
• Oscillator (OSC): The sound source of a synth that generates a repeating waveform, forming the core of the instrument’s tone.
• Patch: A saved or manually created configuration of synth settings, routing, and modulation that defines a particular sound.
• Patching: Physically or digitally connecting different modules or components to create a custom signal or modulation path.
• Polyphony: How many notes, or voices, a synth can play at the same time. This can be further broken down into the following categories:
  —- Monophonic: One voice at a time
  —- Paraphonic: Two voices that share a filter, envelope, and amplifier
  —- Duophonic: Two voices that have their own filters, envelopes, and amplifiers
  —- Polyphonic: Capable of playing multiple voices simultaneously, allowing for more complex chords and harmonies. The number of possible voices ranges from 4, 8, or 16 for analogue synths up to 128 (or even higher) for digital synths.
• Pulse: A waveform characterised by a sharp, buzzy tone, often used for its rhythmic energy and adjustable pulse width.
• Pulse Width: How long it takes for a waveform to travel from its highest to lowest points, or peak and trough. This can be adjusted to create an interesting phaser effect.
• Resonance: Boosts the frequencies at the filter’s cutoff point, emphasising certain tones and adding squelch or sharpness.
• Reverb: An effect that simulates sound reflecting off surfaces in spaces of varying size, creating a sense of real depth and ambience.
• Sample: A pre-recorded audio clip or waveform that can be played back and manipulated within a synth or sampler.
• Saw: A waveform known for its bright, edgy character that’s rich in harmonics – great for cutting leads and thick basses.
• Self-Oscillation: The feedback that’s generated when a highly resonant filter begins producing its own tone, often used creatively in sound design.
• Sequencer: A tool that plays a programmed series of notes or patterns in a loop, controlling a synth automatically.
• Sine: A smooth, pure waveform with little to no harmonics, often used for sub-bass or mellow tones.
• Square: A hollow-sounding waveform with odd harmonics that’s often used in chiptune or retro synth sounds.
• Subtractive Synthesis: The process of shaping sound by filtering out the unwanted parts of a waveform to sculpt a desired tone.
• Sync: Keeps multiple synths, sequencers, or effects units running in time with each other, often using MIDI or clock signals.
• Triangle: A soft, rounded waveform that sounds like a mellow version of a sine wave. Useful for gentle leads and pads.
• Unison: When multiple voices play the same note slightly detuned from each other, creating a thick, lush sound.
• Waveform: The shape of a sound wave, which determines its starting tonal character; common types include sine, square, triangle, and sawtooth.
• Wavetable Synthesis: A synthesis method that uses a table of stored waveforms, allowing you to scan or morph through different timbres for dynamic sound shaping.

Summary

There’s no denying it; synths can feel a bit overwhelming when you’re just starting out. But with a little knowledge under your belt, that maze of sliders, knobs, and blinking LEDs will soon become your own playground of endless possibilities. And by understanding the key synthesizer terminology, you’re already well on your way to dialling in some killer tones.

It’s important to remember there’s no ‘right’ way to use a synth. Whether you’re crafting vintage pads, filthy basses, or mind-bendingly glitchy sequences, experimentation is the name of the game. The more you explore, the more you’ll realise just how powerful your synth can be.

So go forth and tweak, patch, modulate, and mangle! Your perfect sound is out there, waiting for you to make it. And if you’re looking for the perfect synthesiser to help get you there, don’t forget to check out our full selection of synths and workstations.

The post Synth 101: a Guide to Synthesizer Terminology appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Hiwatt Super-Hi & Noel Gallagher’s Custom 100 Reissued

We’re thrilled to see the return of Hiwatt to the fore of the amp world, and they’ve used NAMM 2025 to show off some super exciting stuff for the coming year. More affordable versions of the Super-Hi heads (designed with Mike Fortin) will be welcome news to fans of the Brit sound meets high-gain chunkiness.

Arguably the biggest news is the hand-wired Custom 100, a reissue of an amp first built for Noel Gallagher. According to Arv from Hiwatt: ‘It’s about as classic British sound as you can get.’ Could this be part of Oasis’ backline for the 2025 reunion tour? We’ve got our fingers crossed!

Believe The Hype: Dumble at NAMM

The tone you’ve all been waiting for. And so have we! Lee & Pete got the chance to plug in & crank a Dumble Special Overdrive, in a room full of Dumbles no less. In the Captain’s own words: “I am now officially qualified to tell you if your digital Dumble patch actually sounds like a Dumble. It doesn’t by the way…”

NAMM 2025: People at NAMM!

(above) It’s Dee from Alvarez! 

(above) Luckily Zach Person always has at least 3 pairs of sunnies on him. Cheers Zach.

(above) It’s only bloody Dagan of PMTV fame! Nice to see you dude.

(above) Bacci showing off guitars that we couldn’t even dream up. Insane.

(above) Nice to bump into the legendary Philip Sayce!

(above) Great to see Paul D himself. Hello YouTube!

(above) Joko Reantaso absolutely tore it up at the Sire stand!

(above) The legend that is Tim Pierce.

More NAMM 2025 Stuff From Andertons Music Co.

• Keep an eye on our blog for daily NAMM 2025 updates
• Browse all NAMM 2025 releases
• Andertons Music Co. NAMM 2025 Videos
• Sign up to our mailing list

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