Technology

Music makers: from pocket synths to standalone beat machines, we’ll help you make some noise

We’ve rounded up a selection of customs builds and limited-edition electronics to help sharpen up your musical game, whether you’re a seasoned professional, occasional dabbler or someone who appreciates elegant design.

Ibong Tiririt

Published on August 16, 2023

A collaboration between electronic artist Richie Hawtin, aka Plastikman, and Latvian instrument maker Erica Synths. Bullfrog is pitched at those starting out in the rich world of synthesis (a bit like Moog’s Sound Studio), allowing for the straightforward construction of sound and signal modules, connected with patch cables or the device’s bespoke voice cards. This way, novices can work out the building blocks of sound design.

Fender has launched its first ever signature fuzz pedal, and the collaboration is a welcome swerve to the leftfield. The Fender Shields Blender is a collaboration between the iconic American manufacturer and Kevin Shields, guitarist and frontman with My Bloody Valentine. The pedal takes the original 1970s design and adds a few subversive circuits that’ll help you replicate the sounds – if not the style – of the famously reclusive and innovative Irish musician.

Deceptively simple yet with limitless depth, Critter and Guitari’s 5 Moons multitrack recorder appears to be crafted from a solid block of wood. Controls are kept to a bare minimum whilst labelling is non-existent; this is an instrument designed to be learned and used intuitively, not by digging through a manual (all the instruments you need are printed on the back panel). Samples can be looped, layered and bounced together, effectively creating an infinite number of tracks and endless ways of experimenting.