Devin Belanger’s Synth Regret Playlist

Behringer TD-3, Electron Digitakt, Electron Digitone, Minimoog Voyager, Moog DFAM, Sequential Pro 2

Join Devin Belanger as he mixes a playlist of regrets, unearthing synths that slapped hard but just didn’t vibe with his studio flow. From the Electron Digitone to the nostalgic Minimoog Voyager, this Canadian musician lays it out, showing that sometimes even the fanciest gear just doesn’t fit the beat of your own mixtape.

Synths That Didn't Dance to Devin's Beat

In a video filled with synth nostalgia, Devin Belanger, a.k.a Miles Away, opens up about the synths that somehow missed hitting the right notes in his Vancouver studio. Despite their popularity and hype, sometimes gear just doesn’t gel with your personal workflow, and as Devin points out, it’s all about finding what resonates with your own creative juice. His latest video spills the beans on synths that, while fantastic in their own right, ended up gathering dust in his collection.

Delusions of Electron Grandeur

Devin takes us on a humorous journey beginning with his purchase of the Electron Digitone and Digitakt. Imagine a story of excitement and letdown, akin to expecting a summer blockbuster and getting a boring soap opera instead. These grooveboxes, highly praised by many, just didn’t groove with his setup. Devin admits that despite testing the waters, he couldn’t dive into the Electron workflow. It was like trying to make fresh beats with yesterday’s mixtape. The convenience and speed of using his existing samples in a DAW just overshadowed the promise of the Electron street cred.

"The Digitone and Digitakt were some of the shortest-lived synths in my studio."

Sequential Pro 2: Almost a Hit, But Not Quite There

With high hopes and a love for Sequential’s magic, Devin snagged a Pro 2, expecting it to be his next hit. Though filled with powerful features like the modulation matrix, it felt like a synth with an identity crisis – a hybrid not settling into any vibe comfortably. It has its strong points, with one of the best sequencers in the biz, but it didn’t fit his studio’s jam session. Like a pair of shoes that look perfect in the store but never quite fit the walk, the Pro 2 had to find a new home.

Moog DFAM: Fun Until the MIDI Party Got Crashed

"The DFAM just kind of sat on the shelf and gathered dust."

The Moog DFAM brought joy like few others with its sound and sequencer, described as fun like a street festival. But as the party’s DJ, Devin needed MIDI compatibility to link up with his DAW workflow. Without it, this synth was like a street food stall with all flavors but no cutlery. Struggling to integrate it into his setup meant it joined the lineup of ‘toys’ that didn’t mesh with his serious studio gear, despite being a blast standalone.

Behringer TD-3: The Acid Trip That Wasn’t

Acid sounds in music aren’t for everyone, and Devin found that out with the affordable Behringer TD-3. While it nails that retro vibe, in Devin’s studio, it just didn’t strike the right note. It was like trying a new snack and realizing you should’ve just gotten the usual at the corner store. The sequencer, too mind-bending for his taste, didn’t mesh with his DAW workflow. A cool piece of gear, but not the one for Devin’s musical adventures.

"Great synth if you're after that acid sound, but ..."

Minimoog Voyager: The Old School Romantic Comedy

"It didn't stay very long in my studio, but it was actually a happy ending."

Saving the most surprising for last, Devin turns to the legendary Minimoog Voyager—a synth that sounded celestial but lacked modern connection conveniences like MIDI. It’s like buying a vintage car without realizing you have no garage. It was lovely but impractical for his EDM-oriented process. Yet, it had a happy ending. Instead of just filling his studio, it traded places for an OB6, a synth tethered tightly to Devin’s creative core, becoming indispensable in his tracks. Streetwise choice, if ever there was one.