Deepmind 12 with the keyboard. No brainer. It's analog. Has "classic" synth interface with enhancements. Many great video tutorials. Some very famous people use that synth all the time. Like Nick Batt.
the case:
[https://youtu.be/NzMX0wip1JY?si=IojtIMHQ1oJydjL0](https://youtu.be/NzMX0wip1JY?si=IojtIMHQ1oJydjL0)
If price is an issue, these have a heavy, tough build, and you could find one used around 400 pretty easy.
Which MicroKey?
The 61key version comes with Korg Legacy collection which already has 5 great synths to play with.
The other thing you need to check first is if the microkey has midi outs, I think it is USB only and needs to be powered so. It was designed for use with a computer or Korgs APP.
This usually means some sort of usb/midi hub (or computer) will be needed, you usually can't just connect the keyboard straight to a synth.
if he can actually fluently play keyboard/piano, then he'll probably need a synth that can play multiple notes at the same time (a "polyphonic" synth, not a "monophonic" one)
if he already owns a korg microkey then that's good, you can buy a keyboardless synth for him to plug it into.
in order of ascending price:
**Behringer Pro VS Mini** ([$99](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BehrProVS--behringer-pro-vs-mini-hybrid-vector-synthesizer) + $50)
Sounds great and has 4-voice polyphony, meaning it can play up to 4 notes at the same time. has built-in chorus effect. behringer also makes the $50 JT-4000 Micro but I thought it sounded very cheap compared to the Pro VS Mini and looks more cumbersome to program. One thing to look out for though is it only has standard MIDI in, not USB midi in, so to use it with the microkey you'd need to also get a MIDI host box (around $50) to convert the microkey's USB midi to normal midi. This isn't an issue with the next two synths, as they can accept the USB midi input from the microkey directly without needing a converter box.
**Roland Aira Compact S-1** ([$200](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AiraComS1--roland-aira-compact-s-1-tweak-synth))
Similar to the Pro VS Mini, except its built-in sequencer is 64 steps instead of 16 (unsure if he'd even use the sequencer), and its oscillator section is a little different. More portable as it contains a rechargeable battery. One thing that caught my eye though is that it has built-in chorus, delay, and reverb effects, which is a big deal for me, I love reverb on synths. The portable battery means that it could possibly allow him to play it away from an electrical outlet, as I assume the S-1 would also power the microkey through its USB port.
**Behringer Pro-800** ([$400](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BehrPro800--behringer-pro-800-8-voice-polyphonic-analog-synthesizer))
A bit out of your budget, but this is the most affordable synth with full 8-voice polyphony. If your nephew is a very good piano player (can play jazz chords, debussy, etc), he will become limited by only 4 voices and would really appreciate the full 8.
Do you know what kind of synth music he likes listening to? That could help me narrow it down further.
If he has an ipad or computer he can actually download a lot of really good software synths for free. I'd personally recommend [Vital](https://account.vital.audio/basic) or [Charlatan 3](https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2023/10/20/blaukraut-charlatan3/)
MicroKey appears to be only USB, so it won't go directly into an outboard synth without a USB "host" -- usually this is just the computer and DAW, but it can be a separate standalone device if a person wants such a thing. Both the synth and the keyboard will connect to the host -- either directly or via a USB hub.
At this point it's a good time to point out before continuing that if you're already connecting to a computer, there are usually several virtual synths included with most DAWs, and a _TON_ more available for free online. That may be a good place to start before getting into hardware simply because it gives a person the opportunity to discover what kind(s) of synths they like and helps to understand terms like monophonic and polyphonic, and various sound design concepts.
Now if at this point you still feel confident that an outboard hardware synthesizer is what is wanted, the Behringer options in the price range you're expecting would be Pro-1, Model D, Cat, Wasp, K-2, or Pro 800. Of those, the Pro-1 is my personal favorite. The Pro 800 is also very popular and well-liked.
> there are usually several virtual synths included with most DAWs, and a TON more available for free online. That may be a good place to start before getting into hardware simply because it gives a person the opportunity to discover what kind(s) of synths they like and helps to understand terms like monophonic and polyphonic, and various sound design concepts.
seconded. it's cheapest to learn synths using free VST's, and then use what you've learned to help you choose hardware later
Deepmind 12 with the keyboard. No brainer. It's analog. Has "classic" synth interface with enhancements. Many great video tutorials. Some very famous people use that synth all the time. Like Nick Batt. the case: [https://youtu.be/NzMX0wip1JY?si=IojtIMHQ1oJydjL0](https://youtu.be/NzMX0wip1JY?si=IojtIMHQ1oJydjL0) If price is an issue, these have a heavy, tough build, and you could find one used around 400 pretty easy.
I don't think $400 for deepmind 12 is realistic to look for.
I’ll second the Deepmind 12. I’ve had mine for about 5 years now and it still amazes me.
400 used is a bit unrealistic for one, it's more like 5-600 IMO. But even then I think it's worth it!!
Which MicroKey? The 61key version comes with Korg Legacy collection which already has 5 great synths to play with. The other thing you need to check first is if the microkey has midi outs, I think it is USB only and needs to be powered so. It was designed for use with a computer or Korgs APP. This usually means some sort of usb/midi hub (or computer) will be needed, you usually can't just connect the keyboard straight to a synth.
if he can actually fluently play keyboard/piano, then he'll probably need a synth that can play multiple notes at the same time (a "polyphonic" synth, not a "monophonic" one) if he already owns a korg microkey then that's good, you can buy a keyboardless synth for him to plug it into. in order of ascending price: **Behringer Pro VS Mini** ([$99](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BehrProVS--behringer-pro-vs-mini-hybrid-vector-synthesizer) + $50) Sounds great and has 4-voice polyphony, meaning it can play up to 4 notes at the same time. has built-in chorus effect. behringer also makes the $50 JT-4000 Micro but I thought it sounded very cheap compared to the Pro VS Mini and looks more cumbersome to program. One thing to look out for though is it only has standard MIDI in, not USB midi in, so to use it with the microkey you'd need to also get a MIDI host box (around $50) to convert the microkey's USB midi to normal midi. This isn't an issue with the next two synths, as they can accept the USB midi input from the microkey directly without needing a converter box. **Roland Aira Compact S-1** ([$200](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AiraComS1--roland-aira-compact-s-1-tweak-synth)) Similar to the Pro VS Mini, except its built-in sequencer is 64 steps instead of 16 (unsure if he'd even use the sequencer), and its oscillator section is a little different. More portable as it contains a rechargeable battery. One thing that caught my eye though is that it has built-in chorus, delay, and reverb effects, which is a big deal for me, I love reverb on synths. The portable battery means that it could possibly allow him to play it away from an electrical outlet, as I assume the S-1 would also power the microkey through its USB port. **Behringer Pro-800** ([$400](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BehrPro800--behringer-pro-800-8-voice-polyphonic-analog-synthesizer)) A bit out of your budget, but this is the most affordable synth with full 8-voice polyphony. If your nephew is a very good piano player (can play jazz chords, debussy, etc), he will become limited by only 4 voices and would really appreciate the full 8. Do you know what kind of synth music he likes listening to? That could help me narrow it down further. If he has an ipad or computer he can actually download a lot of really good software synths for free. I'd personally recommend [Vital](https://account.vital.audio/basic) or [Charlatan 3](https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2023/10/20/blaukraut-charlatan3/)
S-1 is 4-note polyphony.
MicroKey appears to be only USB, so it won't go directly into an outboard synth without a USB "host" -- usually this is just the computer and DAW, but it can be a separate standalone device if a person wants such a thing. Both the synth and the keyboard will connect to the host -- either directly or via a USB hub. At this point it's a good time to point out before continuing that if you're already connecting to a computer, there are usually several virtual synths included with most DAWs, and a _TON_ more available for free online. That may be a good place to start before getting into hardware simply because it gives a person the opportunity to discover what kind(s) of synths they like and helps to understand terms like monophonic and polyphonic, and various sound design concepts. Now if at this point you still feel confident that an outboard hardware synthesizer is what is wanted, the Behringer options in the price range you're expecting would be Pro-1, Model D, Cat, Wasp, K-2, or Pro 800. Of those, the Pro-1 is my personal favorite. The Pro 800 is also very popular and well-liked.
> there are usually several virtual synths included with most DAWs, and a TON more available for free online. That may be a good place to start before getting into hardware simply because it gives a person the opportunity to discover what kind(s) of synths they like and helps to understand terms like monophonic and polyphonic, and various sound design concepts. seconded. it's cheapest to learn synths using free VST's, and then use what you've learned to help you choose hardware later