Sometimes one is all you need. These are the best single-oscillator synths on the market today.
5 of the Best Single-Oscillator Synths
The Best Single-Oscillator Synths
In our capitalism-powered world, we’re conditioned to believe that more is always better. I’m here to tell you, however, that this isn’t always true. At least when it comes to oscillators. Sure, with two or three you can do all kinds of detuning tricks but sometimes you don’t need that. Who’s making basslines with chords?
Today, let’s celebrate the best single-oscillator synths available today because sometimes simple is best. And often more affordable!
The Best Single-Oscillator Synths: Behringer MS-1
Roland’s SH-101 single-oscillator monophonic synthesizer came out at a time when the conventional wisdom was that no one wanted monos anymore with so many incredible polys hitting the market. Boy, did it prove them wrong. The 101 appealed to a new generation of musicians making synth pop and new wave, and later techno.
Prices on original 101s are climbing ever higher, so unless you’re well-endowed in the wallet, you may want to consider Behringer’s take on the plastic fantastic synth. The MS-1 MKII gives you a single 3340 VCO with four simultaneous waveforms, a gloriously squelchy filter that lets you pull off acid-adjacent sounds, a 32-step sequencer, arpeggiator and even a shoulder strap and modulation handle.
Behringer MS-1 MKII is available from our affiliate partners Thomann* and Sweetwater*.
The Best Single-Oscillator Synths: Arturia MicroFreak
When Arturia debuted their MicroFreak in 2019, the synth world didn’t really know what to do with it. But I think that was the point. Not only proudly digital, it was also monophonic, an unusual combination to say the least. Not only was it monophonic though, it also only had one, lonely oscillator. And yet it’s become something of a modern classic precisely because it is so unusual.
The decision to make the oscillator multimode is the real key here. With models borrowed from Mutable Instruments and Noise Engineering plus many more, and spanning pretty much the entire synthesis spectrum, from VA and FM to granular, physical modeling and all points in between, it’s a real sound designer’s dream. Plus you get a capacitive touchplate keyboard, which can yield unusual performances and sequences.
If you want weird basslines, freaky leads or experimental effects, think MicroFreak.
Arturia MicroFreak is available from our affiliate partners Thomann* and Sweetwater*.
The Best Single-Oscillator Synths: Roland JU-06A
Perhaps the most famous single-oscillator synth ever, Roland’s Juno-6 was intended as an affordable alternative to the Jupiter-8. To get the price point down, the engineers not only shaved off voices, they also reduced oscillator count to a single DCO. To thicken things up, they dropped a chorus circuit onto the end of the signal chain and the rest was history.
It was inevitable that Roland would put the Juno into a modern digital format, and that’s what’s happened with JU-06A, the Boutique refresh with features from both Juno-6/60 and 106 combined inside. You get both filter models (switchable from the front panel), the 106’s highpass filter with bass boost, envelope-controllable pulse-width modulation of the 60, plus the 60’s arpeggio as well as chord memory and onboard sequencer.
Roland JU-06A is available from our affiliate partners Thomann* and Sweetwater*.
The Best Single-Oscillator Synths: Moog Mother-32
Has it really been 11 years since Moog’s Mother-32 came out? I remember when it debuted, thinking that Moog had turned a corner in its releases. Here was something a little different that both embraced the company’s culture and traditions and, with its Eurorack compatibility and semi-modular structure, appeared to be trying new things.
Looking at the Mother-32 now, we can see a solid Moog synth that makes a great introduction to the company. You get a single VCO with saw and square waveforms, a classic Moog Ladder filter with high- and lowpass modes, an LFO and envelope generator plus a 32-step sequencer. It may seem simple but the patchbay really opens things up. And of course it sounds wonderful, Moogy in all the right ways.
Moog Mother-32 is available from our affiliate partners Thomann* and Sweetwater*.
The Best Single-Oscillator Synths: GS Music Bree6
For the last recommendation of the best single-oscillator synthesizers, let’s take a trip down to Argentina and check out Bree6 from GS Music. With a synthesis signal flow that recalls the classic Juno series but with a sound all its own, Bree6 is a beautiful analog synth that is very much worthy of being called one of the best single-oscillator synths.
Available in both key and desktop versions, the six-voice Bree6 gives you a single analog VCO plus dedicated sub oscillator, sawtooth and pulse waves, a 4-pole ladder-type lowpass filter with resonance control, two envelopes and built-in stereo analog chorus and delay plus MPE support.
While the specs might not be immediately impressive, this is very much a case of wait until you hear it. After all, a piano is just hammers, strings and wood. And yet it sounds so beautiful. Bree6 is cut from the same cloth: a single-oscillator synth that is so much more than the sum of its parts.
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