In this video I’m talking to anyone who’s been thinking, “Yo, should I even buy an analog synth… and if yes, which one do I start with?” I’ve spent over 3 months with my first truly analog synth, the Behringer Poly-D, and it literally changed the way I make beats. I break the video into three parts: first we do a quick demo and cook up a beat with it, then I explain why hardware feels different from software, and finally I tell you why I think the Poly-D is one of the best starter analog synths for producers. In the cookup, I’m tuning the synth (because it’s fully analog), building a vibe with textures, then using the built-in arpeggiator/sequencer and syncing it to Ableton via MIDI clock. I also show how I’ll still use software effects to “spark up” the sound, and how I’m thinking about layering, EQ’ing lows, and sidechaining the recorded sub bass to an 808 so the low end hits clean. The big takeaway is: hardware slows me down in a good way. No presets means I’m forced to think, create patches from scratch, and actually perform parts in real time—imperfections, automation, filter moves and all. It’s more haptic, more alive, and honestly it brought a lot of fun back into my music.