-Analog synth market sees nearly 20% growth in total retail sales since 2010-
CARLSBAD, Calif. – December 6, 2016 – Following three decades of digital interfaces and sampler dominance, a new generation of musicians desiring
a return to warm, pure sounds are fueling a resurgence in analog synthesizer retail sales.
In the past five years alone, Moog Inc., Korg USA Inc., WMD and other
brands who will present their synths and electronic products at the 2017
global music products
NAMM Show, have helped drive the analog synth market to a 19.9% growth
in total retail sales.
The
data, provided by 2016 NAMM Global Report, underscores a re-emergence
of players captivated by the tactile playing experience of analog
control
surfaces as musicians favor working knobs, faders and other features in
lieu of digital displays and computer interfaces.
“Players
are realizing that an analog synth is much more of a real,
honest-to-goodness musical instrument,” says Dave Smith, founder of San
Francisco-based
Dave Smith Instruments. Nate Tschetter, Manager of Music Product
Marketing at Yamaha adds, "Many are choosing analog because it’s
immediate, and while analog is definitely ‘in,’ it’s more about the
ability to create unique sound and having it sound good."
Tatsuya
Takahashi, Korg Synthesis Chief Engineer and designer of the company’s
minilogue synth, understands the importance of unparalleled usability
and musicality. “Whenever I design a synth I try to break down
barriers between man and machine - the musician needs to be inspired
physically and emotionally to create their own music. It's evident that
this thinking has resonated with current trends
that turn away from difficult and complicated systems, often inside of
computers, in favour for dedicated hardware that often do less
functionally, but are great at what they do in a musical way.”
