welcome

“Your finest feature was your final one, Scot!”

There are a couple of big things to talk shop about this issue, the first of which feature together, plus accompanying videos, sound files, software, you name it. Like everyone else, I could blame COVID for its delayed publication; in fact, f*ck it, let’s blame COVID. COVID. The resulting feature is very much a ‘why hasn’t anyone done this before?’ effort in terms of the fact that not only are we revealing which synth sounds are the most popular (ever) but also showing you how to make them using software you already have, namely the ‘mighty’ cm Plugin Suite. It’s quite apt that we’re running this amazing feature in this issue because the top 20 entries were written by long-suffering cm contributor Scot Solida, which leads to the other piece of less joyful news: that he is retiring, so this will very much be his last contribution. Scot has been writing for the magazine for almost as long as I have, having contributed ‘everything synth’, including his columns, historical gear pieces, reviews and so much more. We’ll certainly miss him and hope to tempt him back for the odd piece one day. In the meanwhile Scot, your finest feature was your final one – it’s certainly a great way to bow out. So long and thanks for all the synths!