I constantly get asked about a good starter synth by students. I pains me to say but up till now the only synth I could recommend for the price was the MicroKorg. Korg released the Monotron a while back and whilst they are good fun they can hardly be used in a serious application.
Now Korg have announced the Volca series of analogue synths, complete with full midi control, analogue circuitry and portability due to the battery power and small package size. Korg have announced 3 models, a drum machine, bass synth and lead synth. They can be connected together and even be synced with Korg's iOS apps. With midi control they can sync with your sequencer or be operated by tap tempo for live work. The bass and drum machine particular look and sound very similar to both Roland's TR909 and TB303, both of which are only available in emulation form or at eye-watering prices on Ebay. The best feature by far has to be the price, at £120.
