Synth Icons
🎹 Synth Icons is the podcast where legendary keyboards come back to life. Hosted by producer and synth expert Andy Whitmore, each episode dives into the world’s most iconic synthesizers — from the lush analog power of the Yamaha CS-80, to the digital sparkle of the DX7, to the unmistakable sounds of the Korg M1.
Andy recreates famous riffs, compares hardware to modern software emulations, and reveals the stories, sounds, and production secrets behind the instruments that shaped pop, film, and electronic music.
If you're a synth enthusiast, a producer, or just love classic hits, Synth Icons lets you hear the legends for yourself.
👉 Follow for more synth deep-dives, blind tests, and studio stories.
🎧 Watch the full video versions on YouTube → @AndyWhitmore
Synth Icons
The Minimoog Model D A/B: What Changed From Vintage to Reissue? (21 Iconic Riffs)
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The Minimoog Model D is one of the most recognisable synth sounds ever recorded — from funk basslines to prog leads and classic pop hooks. In this episode, I’m doing a straight-up A/B comparison: a Vintage Minimoog Model D versus the 2016 Reissue, playing 21 famous riffs, leads, basslines, and effects back-to-back so you can hear what’s changed… and what hasn’t.
To keep these riffs true to the records, I’m using light, “record-style” effects where needed (chorus/delay/reverb), but the core sound is always the Minimoog. Both synths are treated the same, so the comparison stays fair.
Format
- Each riff is played on both Model Ds (quick-fire, short, and punchy).
- Each chapter is labelled Definitely (documented Minimoog) or Likely (strongly associated / commonly credited as Moog/Minimoog).
Your call: which one wins — Vintage or Reissue?
Definitely
- Intro
- Parliament — Flash Light (Bass)
- Rush — Tom Sawyer (Intro/Bass) — BONUS (originally Oberheim OB-X era)
- Pink Floyd — Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Lead)
- DEVO — Smart Patrol / Mr. DNA (Effects)
- Michael Jackson — Rock With You (Lead)
Likely
- Madonna — Holiday (Lead Line)
- Madonna — Holiday (Bass)
- Rick Wakeman — Catherine of Aragon (Bass Melody)
- Dr. Dre — Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang (Lead)
- D-Train — You’re The One For Me (Bass)
- Madonna — Borderline (Lead Line)
- Madonna — Borderline (Bass)
- Gary Numan — Are “Friends” Electric? (Theme)
- Gary Numan — Are “Friends” Electric? (Lead Line)
- Michael Jackson — Workin’ Day and Night (Bass)
- Michael Jackson — Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough (Bass)
- Chaka Khan — We Can Work It Out (Bass)
- Barclay James Harvest — Victims of Circumstance (Lead)
- Stevie Wonder — I Wish (Bass)
- Stevie Wonder — Isn’t She Lovely (Bass)
- Stevie Wonder — That Girl (Bass)
- Outro
If you enjoy these quick-fire, famous-riff shootouts, check out my other classics (M1, D-50, CS-80, DX7, Prophet, Jupiter series and more) — and tell me which synth you want next.
🎧 More Synth Icons episodes:
· Hohner Clavinet D6 – Famous Riffs You Instantly Know
· Roland Jupiter-4 – Famous Riffs You Know (But Didn’t Realise Were Jupiter-4)
· Korg M1 – Famous Riffs You Know (But Didn’t Realise Were M1)
🔧 Work with Andy
· Production, mixing & mastering: https://www.andywhitmore.com/
· Studio: https://greystokestudio.com/
📲 Connect with Andy
· YouTube: @AndyWhitmore
· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andywhitmore2014/
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· TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andywhitmore9583