Synth Music
Synth music is a contemporary style of music using the latest in technologies such as Synthesiser Keyboards,Vocoders etc..
Leading musicians in this field include the likes of Vangelis, Mike Oldfield, Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, David Arkenstone, Gandalf, Ian Boddy, John Dyson, Mark Shreeve, David Wright, Robert Fox, Yanni, Suzanne Ciani, Enya, Jan Hammer, Kitaro, Tomita, Wendy Carlos, Klaus Schulze and the list goes on...
Other favourites include Bekki Williams, Andy Pickford, Mark Dwane, Mars Lasar, Iotronica, Claudio Merlini,2002, and Robert De Fresnes.
Getting Started
What do you need to create your own Synth Music? It varies from either buying a Music Keyboard with a builtin 16 track sequencer,speakers and hard disk/floppy disk, or if you already have a computer such as a PC/MAC, you can buy music creation software by companies such as Roland,Steinberg, and others. Alternatively you can combine both and more to create your own music studio, if you have the money.
Synthesisers,etc...
You will find that you can buy either Online through places like amazon or your local retailer like argos, but the high-end synthesisers, you normally have to buy from a specialist dealer (e.g. DV247.com or Professional Music Technology or Gear4Music) for brands such as KORG,Roland,Yamaha,MOOG, Novation, Nord, Sequential, Modal, Waldorf, Behringer, Arturia etc...
In regards to Vocoders you can get them built in with your Korg microKORG XL + Synthesizer/Vocoder or Arturia Microfreak Vocoder Edition or Novation MiniNova Synthesizer, or you can buy software such as IL Vocodex and a Mic.
In regards to Theremins they can be in the form of hardware (such as Moog Etherwave Theremini Miniature Theremin ,Dubreq Stylothone Theremin) or VST Instruments such as Spook Keys/Super Spook Keys.
The latest enhancements in the arena, have brought out an enhanced version of MIDI, called MPE, leaders in this area as it is a recent development, are ROLI, Linn, and a few others.
As of 2020, we now have MIDI 2. Some manufacturers such as Korg (Keystage MIDI Keyboards 49/61), Roland (A-88MKII) and Native Instruments (Kontrol S-Series MK3) have put support for MIDI 2 in their most recent Keyboard Controllers.
Another new development, is that Behringer have started doing new versions of old classic synths, such as the Korg MS20 (Behringer K2), Moog model D, Arp Odyssey, etc.. Plus some completely new synths, such as the Neutron, and the latest Behringer Mini/Micro Synths, Pro-VS Mini, JT-4000 Micro. Plus the new Roland Aira Compact range.
Music Creation Software
You can buy music creation software online through a variety of online stores including amazon, or you can try your local music shop (e.g. DV247.com or Professional Music Technology or Gear4Music).
Leading brands include Steinberg,Sony,Cakewalk,Image Line FL Studio, Avid Pro Tools, Apple(Logic Pro/Garage Band),UVI, Arturia, Native Instruments, etc..
You can add instruments to most software in the form of VST/AU/AAX(newer Avid format)/CLAP(newer open standard for plug-ins and hosts from U-he and Bitwig) from various companies such as Steinberg, Tone2, Image Line,Arturia,UVI, Native Instruments, etc...For sampling there is Halion, Kontakt, etc...
Newer versions of DAW's are now starting to support MPE and MIDI 2 (such as the now available Cubase 13 Pro) and a lesser known MultiTrackStudio.
Some of the latest DAWs (such as Cubase 12/13 pro, PreSonus Studio One 6.5 and others) are also supporting Dolby Atmos