Answer 10 questions — get a personalised checklist and synths that match your exact requirements.
0 / 10
01 / 10
What's your budget?
Set a ceiling before browsing. Include cables and an audio interface if you need one.
Under €500
Entry-level — great starting territory
€500 – €1.000
Mid-range — serious features available
€1.000 – €2.000
Professional instruments begin here
€2.000 – €3.500
High-end — flagship territory
Over €3.500
Top-tier — no compromises
02 / 10
Analog, digital, or hybrid?
Analog uses real electrical circuits — warm, organic. Digital is precise and stable with a wider palette. Hybrid combines analog signal path with digital oscillators or processing.
Analog
Warm, organic — real circuits, classic character
Digital
Precise and stable — huge variety of sounds
Hybrid
Analog filter or VCOs with digital oscillators or processing
03 / 10
Normal synth or semi-modular?
Normal synths are fully wired internally — plug in and play. Semi-modular synths have patch points where you rewire signal flow with cables, like a mini modular system.
Normal synth
Self-contained — no cables needed, just play
Semi-modular
Patch points for deep routing and Eurorack integration
04 / 10
Built-in effects?
Reverb, delay, chorus on board means plug in and sound complete. No effects means a dry, raw signal — you add processing in your DAW or outboard gear.
Yes — built-in effects
Complete sound straight from the synth
No effects
Raw signal — I handle FX in my DAW or outboard
05 / 10
Built-in keyboard or desktop module?
Keyboard synths are self-contained — play straight away. Desktop modules have no keys — connect an external MIDI keyboard to play them.
Built-in keyboard
Self-contained — play it right out of the box
Desktop / module
No keys — I'll use an external MIDI keyboard
06 / 10
Arpeggiator and / or sequencer?
An ARP auto-plays held notes in repeating patterns. A sequencer lets you program your own step-by-step melodic patterns. Both help you make music without a DAW.
Both
ARP and sequencer — maximum standalone power
Sequencer only
Program my own melodic patterns
ARP only
Auto-arpeggios — no programming needed
Neither
I use a DAW for all sequencing
07 / 10
Screen or no screen?
A display shows parameter values, patch names, waveforms — very helpful for learning. Screenless synths are fully hands-on with one knob per function.
I want a screen
See what the synth is doing — great for learning
No screen
Pure hands-on — knob per function, ears only
08 / 10
Presets or start from scratch?
Presets are factory sounds — switch them instantly and play right away. Without presets you design every sound from zero, which teaches synthesis much faster.
Presets please
Ready-made sounds — play and explore immediately
No presets
I design every sound myself — deeper learning
09 / 10
Are chords important to you?
Mono plays one note at a time — classic for bass and leads. Paraphonic plays multiple notes through a shared filter. Polyphonic gives every note its own independent voice — full chords.
Not really
One note at a time — bass, leads, solos
Sometimes
A few notes together — paraphonic is fine
Yes, chords matter
Full independent chords — true polyphony
10 / 10
Do you want aftertouch?
Aftertouch = press harder on a held key to modulate vibrato, filter, or volume. Mono aftertouch affects all held keys equally. Poly aftertouch tracks each key independently — very expressive, rare and expensive.
Not needed
I won't use key pressure for expression
Mono aftertouch
Same pressure for all held keys — standard
Poly aftertouch
Per-key pressure — rare, premium, very expressive
// Your results
Your synth checklist.
Your top 3 matches — mismatches are highlighted on each card.