Nicolas Melis – Melodicolas

1. Favourite knob or fader or switch on a piece of gear and why?

One of my favorite knobs is the filter cutoff on the Moog Matriarch. There’s something incredibly satisfying about how responsive and musical it is—just turning it slightly can completely transform the mood of a sound. It’s one of those controls that feels alive under your fingers. It really connects you to the instrument, and that tactile element is a big part of why I love working with hardware.

Moog Matriach cutoff

2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?

I’d say the Sequential Prophet Rev2 is almost perfect for me. It’s incredibly versatile, sounds fantastic, and it’s become a core part of my workflow. Honestly, I wouldn’t change anything about it — it just works.

Sequential Prophet Rev2

3. What setup do you bring on holiday or tour or commute etc.?

I don’t get much holiday time during the year, so when I do, I like to spend it swimming, relaxing, and enjoying good food. But if I happen to find a piano around, I’ll definitely play — can’t resist that!

4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?

One software I really wish existed as hardware is the Valhalla plugins—especially their reverbs like VintageVerb and Supermassive. They’re my favorite effects plugins, and it would be amazing if they came in a hardware pedal or rack unit form.

As for hardware that hasn’t been emulated yet, honestly, I can’t think of any off the top of my head. These days, so many classic and unique pieces have great software versions. That said, nothing quite replaces the hands-on experience and vibe of the actual hardware, so I still love both worlds.

5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?

I definitely regret selling my Sequential Pro 3. It’s an incredible synth with so much depth and character. I also regret selling my Roland Jupiter-4, which had a warm, unique sound that’s hard to find. And I have to say, I regret selling my very first synth, the Roland Super JX10 — it was special as my entry point into synthesis.
As for regretting buying, nothing really stands out. Every piece of gear I’ve invested in has brought value in some way.

Racks of keyboards

6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?

The Sequential Prophet Rev2 has been a huge source of inspiration for me. Its rich sound and deep modulation capabilities really spark creativity and let me blend my classical background with electronic textures seamlessly. It’s become a central part of my music-making process and always pushes me to explore new sonic territories.

Nicolas Melis

7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?

If I had to start over, I’d begin with a computer and dive into learning synthesis through VST plugins first. It’s a great way to explore sounds and concepts without a big upfront investment. After that, I’d probably invest in a good used polyphonic synthesizer with a quality keybed to practice and bring those ideas to life more expressively.

8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?

In general, my old analog synths can be a bit annoying because they require regular maintenance, and unfortunately, I don’t have a tech nearby to help with repairs. Despite that, their unique sound and character make them irreplaceable in my setup—I just have to accept the extra care they need.

MiniMoog

9. Most surprising tip or trick or technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?

One cool trick I like with the OB-6 is using the second oscillator as an extra LFO. If you set Oscillator 2 to a low frequency and turn off keyboard tracking, you can use it to modulate things like the filter or pitch via the X-Mod section. It adds a nice layer of movement that makes the sound feel more alive. I know many people already know about this, but it’s one of my favorite things..

Sequential Prophet Rev2 on top and OB-6 below

Artist or Band name?

Nicolas Melis

Genre?

I don’t think I’ve defined a specific genre for myself yet. I’m really drawn to cinematic music that combines synths and piano — if that makes any sense. I’m also inspired by a mix of styles like IDM, dark ambient, glitch, and experimental electronic — all of which have that deep, atmospheric feel I really enjoy.

Selfie?

Nicolas Melis

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Cyprus, but I’ve also spent many years in Germany — both places have shaped who I am, musically and personally.

How did you get into music?

I got into music at a very young age, starting with classical piano. Growing up practicing almost every day really shaped the way I connect with music. I eventually went on to study Piano Performance in Classical Music as well as Contemporary Improvisation in Germany.

Those studies gave me a strong foundation, both technically and artistically, and over time, my curiosity pushed me toward synthesizers and electronic music. Blending that classical background with modern technology has become a defining part of my musical identity.

What still drives you to make music?

What still drives me to make music is the need to express things I can’t put into words. It’s a way of processing emotion, time, and experience. That feeling when a sound or a chord progression clicks into place and evokes something real — that’s still magic to me. Also, I’m always curious to explore new sounds and techniques, and that curiosity keeps pulling me back to the studio.

How do you most often start a new track?

When I start something new, I usually begin by improvising on the piano. That’s where I discover ideas. I record what feels interesting, and from there I build on it. I haven’t released any original music yet—just a few classical interpretations like Bach and Satie on a synth—but I’m working on my own material and hope to share it in the future.

How do you know when a track is finished?

For me, a track feels finished when it communicates the emotion or atmosphere I had in mind—when nothing feels unnecessary and everything has space to breathe. I tend to strip things down rather than add more, so it’s often about knowing when to stop:)

Show us your current studio

Studio 1
Studio 2

Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?

The best creative advice I’ve heard is: “Don’t wait for inspiration—just start.”

Creativity often shows up once you begin, not before. Showing up consistently, even when you don’t feel inspired, is what leads to breakthroughs.

Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.

Lately, I’ve been focusing on growing my YouTube channel, but I’ve found it a bit challenging to get my Instagram followers to make the jump over there. If you enjoy synths, vintage keyboards, and creative performances, I’d really appreciate your support!

🎬 Check out my YouTube channel here :
https://www.youtube.com/nicolasmelis
Every like, comment, and subscription means a lot — thank you! 🙏

Also check out my bandcamp:
https://nicolasmelis.bandcamp.com/album/bach-on-a-synth


Anders Remmer – Dub Tractor

1. Favourite knob or fader or switch on a piece of gear and why?

Moog Delay

The time knob on any analogue delay stomp box, follow closely by the feedback knob.

2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?

The Elektron Digitone (I). I would change nothing, because it’s the limitations, that make it such a great creative tool.

Elektron Digitone

3. What setup do you bring on holiday or tour or commute etc.?

My Akai MPC Live II. Or my laptop running Logic.

4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?

I’m a big fan of granular synths, so it would be nice to have something like the Tasty Chips GR-1 as a plug in on the AKAI (Force/MPC).

5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?

Akai Force

It would have been nice to have kept the Roland W30, it has a very gritty 12-bit sound. Maybe I’ll very soon regret not buying a second spare Akai Force, because they are not produced anymore, and I’m not sure they’ll make a Force II.

6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?

Well, the list is very long, starting with my first samplers, the one in the Amiga 500 and the Roland W30 way back in the nineties. But the last few years it has been the Elektron Digitone. My latest album (“Wait”) has some tracks that are made entirely on the Digitone. Generally, there is nothing like a good sine wave to get me inspired, so I love digital synhts with nice sine waves, like the Blofeld or the Digitone. I also get a lot of inspiration from stomp boxes, like the Cosmos Drift Station or the Strymon Nightsky.

Strymon Nightsky

And of course delay boxes, of which I have a few (my favorites being the Moog MF 104 and the Jahtari rebuild of the Korg Monotron delay).

Jahtari

Oh and I almost forgot the Tasty Chips Granular GR1. I love all things granular…

Tasty Chips Granular GR-1

7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?

An MPC. The sampling workflow is second to none, and the plug in synths are usefull (I use the Juno 106 replica and the electric piano, which can be turned into a sine wave plus noise synth).

8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?

The Digitone. It happens so often that I get completely lost because I accidently change the wrong notes on the sequencer and loose some of the programming (every note on the sequencer can have a different sound set up).

9. Most surprising tip or trick or technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?

The digitone surprises me all the time, I find some clever way of doing something and then the next time I use it, I have forgotten what I did. So I’m sorry: No tips and tricks.


Artist or Band name?

Dub Tractor

Genre?

Sine wave

Selfie?

Where are you from?

Nivå, north of Copenhagen.

How did you get into music?

Spending long summer days inside listening to cassettes.

What still drives you to make music?

Curiosity.

How do you most often start a new track?

Either with a sequence (an ostinato) or with a beat. If I start with a beat, the track never turns into anything.

How do you know when a track is finished?

I never know.

Show us your current studio

Akai MPC Live II

The core of the studio: The Force and the Digitone.

Force and Digitone

Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?

Listen to your music at very low volume (or from another room).

Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link

Dub Tractor: Wait (Touched Music UK, 2023)


Jérôme Vergez – Minimanalog

1. Favourite knob or fader or switch on a piece of gear and why?

SSL Console Faders
SSL G serie console faders

My favourite fader is the motorized fader of the first SSL I touched. I wasn’t 20 years old when I had the chance to work as a sound assistant on a SSL G serie console… I’ve always had this fascination for analog consoles, especially SSLs. But I also love fiddling with the Cutoff of my Moog!

2. Do you have an ‘almost’ perfect bit of kit? What would you change?

Verbos modules are almost perfect except their price… They are so perfect when they are combined all together.

Verbos Electronics Eurorack
Verbos Electronics Eurorack

3. What setup do you bring on holiday or tour or commute etc.?

I don’t really have a fixed setup. I like to change following desires or projects. On holiday, I usually only bring one machine, like a synth, a mini modular or a drum machine.

4. What software do you wish was hardware and vice versa?

Nothing in particular. The software and hardware offerings are so wide.

5. Is there anything you regret selling… or regret buying?

I am constantly buying and selling… I have even sold and bought back up to 3 or 4 times the same machine… I really have to stop doing this. Today I’m trying to stabilize my setup by keeping only the essential parts.

6. What gear has inspired you to produce the most music?

The eurorack modular modules are the most inspiring instruments for me. There are so many possibilities that you can build the instrument you want according to your style and your objectives. I can’t stand the idea of empty spaces in my case. I try to stay on a certain size of case with modules that I like to exploit at 100%.

Eurorack modules

7. If you had to start over, what would you get first?

Starting over would mean buying a powerful MacBook with Ableton Live as you can produce whatever you want on a laptop. And since I need a knob box and real cables to be inspired… I would buy a Moog Sirin.

Moog Sirin
Moog Sirin

8. What’s the most annoying piece of gear you have, that you just can’t live without?

My Synthi A. This is by far the most inspiring. It is known for being a synth of research and experimentation, but used in a more classical way it produces sounds with extremely rich harmonics. Before realizing my dream and acquiring one in good condition, I think I had all the clones, copies, or modules inspired by this synth.

EMS Synthi A
EMS Synthi A

9. Most surprising tip or trick or technique that you’ve discovered about a bit of kit?

When I discovered that you could use a spring reverb like a drum machine, simply by turning off the power and plugging it back in.

Knas Ekdahl Moisturizer
Knas Ekdahl Moisturizer

Artist or Band name?

Jérôme Vergez

Genre?

Ambient, Minimal, Techno, EBM

Selfie?

Jérôme Vergez

Where are you from?

Toulouse, France.

How did you get into music?

When I was 18, I got my hands on a Roland S50 sampler, and it was already too late, I was infected.

What still drives you to make music?

I’m always looking for something. A quest that still doesn’t seem to me to be finished, a work that is never finished. That’s why I always have trouble finishing my titles. I have to focus on one task at a time, and move forward step by step, preventing myself from referencing the things from the previous stages.

How do you most often start a new track?

I don’t have any rules. It can be a sample, a patch on my modular, a bass line, an idea that’s lying around… etc.

How do you know when a track is finished?

Never! That’s the problem (see above…)

Show us your current studio

Jeromes Studio
Jeromes Studio
Jeromes Analog Synth Rack

Best creative advice that you’ve ever heard?

To not necessarily try to respect the rules that can be heard or found on the web and not to fall into habits (especially those of others…).

Promote your latest thing… Go ahead, throw us a link.

https://linktr.ee/jeromevergez