
Produced from 1986-88, the ESQ-1 features three DCOs per voice and 32 waveforms, as well as benefitting from a four-pole analogue resonant filter, ring modulator and oscillator sync, making it slightly less metallic-sounding than Roland D-50 or a Yamaha DX7. If you don’t have the cheese for one of the more famous digital powerhouses and want something that’s got a bit more grime, the Ensoniq ESQ-1 is a savvy pick. Listen to any classic ‘90s house or techno track, and you’ll immediately recognise this one. While the M1 was released too late in the decade to be a pioneering synth of the ‘80s, it was by all means the dominating sound of the ‘90s, mainly due to the prevalence of its piano and organ sounds in the ever-popular electronic tracks of the era. It also helped to establish the idea of the digital workstation as we know it today – everything comes back to this thing in one way or another.

Released in 1988 as a comprehensive music workstation to tackle the market, the Korg M1 was a digital powerhouse by all standards, utilising PCM samples and AI synthesis to replicate every classic synth sound you could ever think of. Read all the latest features, interviews and how-to columns here.
