Welcome to this week's episode of TDL Synth Chat! In this episode, I'm joined by Gilles Coudert, who takes us through his incredible synth journey — from his first keyboard in the late '70s to modern classics like the Korg Kronos and Prophet-5 Rev4. We dive deep into the Yamaha DX7, Roland D-50, DW-8000, and many more, sharing stories, regrets, and nostalgic memories from decades of synth exploration.

🎹 Gilles talks about the synths he loved, the ones he regretted selling, and how the DX7 changed his musical direction. We also discuss the evolution of FM synthesis, the return of vintage hardware, and why modern musicians still turn to classic gear for inspiration.

⚡ Don't miss this jaw-dropping story: Gilles reveals how he once traded a mint Roland JX-8P with programmer and a pristine Korg DW-8000 — both with hard cases — for a broken Korg M1! It's one of the biggest synth trade regrets you'll ever hear, and his reaction says it all. If you've ever sold a synth you loved, this story will hit hard!

⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:41 Gilles joins the show 02:31 Early influences and first instruments 04:04 Discovering synths through Jean-Michel Jarre and ELO 05:21 First synth – Roland Juno-60 06:49 Discovering (and initially disliking) the DX7 07:54 TX81Z and moving to the UK 08:24 Rediscovering the DX7 through live bands 10:52 TX802 and FM synthesis in the '80s 12:11 Comparing DX7 versions and sound differences 13:18 Using the Kronos to emulate DX7 sounds 14:09 Falling back in love with the DX7 17:46 Programming FM sounds and the Howard Massey book 20:26 Adding effects to bring old synths to life 22:36 Roland D-50 memories and reverb overload 24:08 Limited storage and patch cartridges 27:04 Upgrading to the SCR7 ROM 32:02 Prophet-5 Rev4 – why it's a desert island synth 33:42 The Jupiter-X experience and Roland's "abandonware" 36:22 Hardware vs software – why tactile synths still matter 39:05 Comparing OP-6, DX7, and Kronos FM engines 41:16 The TX7 workflow 41:47 DW-8000 and classic Korg sound design 43:25 Synth regrets – swapping a JX-8P and DW-8000 for an M1! 46:05 The M1 and D-70 debate 48:19 Dream synths and the Fairlight CMI 50:45 Desert island synth choice 52:26 The limitations that shaped 1980s synth music 54:03 Creative workflows and restricting synth choices 56:01 From Atari ST to modern DAWs 57:29 Wrap up and where to find Gilles online

🎧 Guest: Gilles Coudert – [The 80s Fan on YouTube] 🎙️ Host: Ian Dixon – The Digital Lifestyle / TDL Synth Chat

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