Resource: Playtronica
I often see posts on social networks asking for free online pianos and keyboard resources. While there are many out there, one of my personal favorites is an incredible curated collection of online synthesizers and web piano apps called Playtronica. This amazing free website hosts links to 54 online tools - all of which can be used with or without a USB MIDI keyboard. If you ever teach your students ANYTHING about synthesis, this site should be at the VERY top of your list of resources in my opinion. The collection is vast and covers some famous synths as well as innovative synthesis tools tht can provide your students with hands-on experience playing some of the most iconic patches as well as programming their our sounds. The only thing that they ask in return for accessing all of these terrific free resources is your name and email. Here is a quick look at three of my favorite online synths that are included in their list.
As someone who grew up in the 70’s and 80’s, the Yamaha DX7 was (and still is) one of the most iconic synths ever created. I didn’t have enough money to afford one so I bought the DX100 (which was a mini version of the same keyboard). The Yamaha DX7 was one of the first to employ FM synthesis, a groundbreaking technology developed by John Chowning at Stanford University. It was able to effectively mimic acoustic instruments like brass and bells, making it REALLY popular. The DX7's preset sounds became iconic, heavily influencing the music of the 1980s. Notably, its electric piano sound was a key feature in pop music and power ballads, with the synthesizer being used in 40% of Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers in 1986. The only downside was that it was pretty difficult to program. When you plug a USB MIDI keyboard into this online tool, you effectively have an iconic synth at your fingertips - for FREE. Definitely check this one out.
The Viktor NV-1 is a surprisingly powerful online synth that also runs in your browser. You can use a mouse, your QWERTY keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard to play it. It has three oscillators, two envelopes (one for amplitude, one for filter), a filter, LFO, reverb, delay, compressor, and loads of controls. There are also LOTS of presets and you can also access other users sounds as well. One of the added benefits of this being online is that you can share any of your patches with others - which is pretty cool. I love the design of this synth and it is a perfect interface to teach basic synthesis with multiple oscillators.
How could I not highlight one of my favorite online synths - the iconic Roland Juno 106. This was the very first synthesizer I ever owned and I absolutely LOVED it. This online version has every one of the sounds that you know and love and it works surprisingly well. This interactive synth allows users to experiment with the iconic sounds using either a QWERTY keyboard or a USB MIDI keyboard. It features authentic recreations of the synth's controls and sound characteristics, making it a valuable tool for music enthusiasts and producers. I used to love fiddling around with the controls - even if I didn’t know exactly what I was doing. Definitely feel the nostalgia when I play with this one.
I hope that you find this resource useful - even if you only use it once or twice with your students. Aside from all of the synths, you’ll also find link to some very popular music making tools like aQWERTYon, Soundtrap, Chrome Music Lab, and others. Let me know what you think!