The Analog Synth Studio boasts one of the best collections of functional, wonderfully maintained vintage synths you will find in a college setting.

Photograph of our synth table featuring from left to right: a Yamaha mixer, a Buchla 200, an Electrocomp, a Pittsburgh Modular, a Buchla Easel, and an ARP 2600.

Highlights include a Buchla 200 series modular synth, a Buchla music easel, an ARP 2600, a Putney VCS3, and a Pittsburgh Modular Cell[90] Foundation system, among others. You can find more information about our synthesizer collection on the ‘studio 4’ page of online gear repository.

Tempest Baum and Gabriel Baskin, members of the Oberlin Synthesizer Ensemble, in rehearsal in studio 4
Members of the Oberlin Synthesizer Ensemble in rehearsal

Our majors begin their degree studies in this room, learning the history and fundamentals of music technology.

A view of the rack of FX units, samplers, and other technology as well as the main workstation featuring a Mac M1 Ultra Studio machine.

Access to this rare collection provides the unique opportunity to learn music technology through the instruments that shaped the industry.

Photograph of the analog synth studio featuring many of our vintage and newer collection of synths, the main workstation, and part of the rack of vintage FX units, samplers, and other rack mount hardware.

The Oberlin Synthesizer Ensemble meets in the analog synth studio under the supervision of faculty advisor Tom Lopez.

Members of the Oberlin Synthesizer Ensemble sitting and standing around our synth table with Professor Tom Lopez.
Members of the Oberlin Synthesizer Ensemble rehearse with Professor Tom Lopez