Synth Icons
🎹 Synth Icons is the podcast where legendary keyboards come back to life. Hosted by producer and synth expert Andy Whitmore, each episode dives into the world’s most iconic synthesizers — from the lush analog power of the Yamaha CS-80, to the digital sparkle of the DX7, to the unmistakable sounds of the Korg M1.
Andy recreates famous riffs, compares hardware to modern software emulations, and reveals the stories, sounds, and production secrets behind the instruments that shaped pop, film, and electronic music.
If you're a synth enthusiast, a producer, or just love classic hits, Synth Icons lets you hear the legends for yourself.
👉 Follow for more synth deep-dives, blind tests, and studio stories.
🎧 Watch the full video versions on YouTube → @AndyWhitmore
Synth Icons
Korg M1: 21 Iconic Riffs You Know (But Forgot Existed!)
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Pure nostalgia and pure presets: the Korg M1 — one of the most recognisable keyboards of all time — and 21 famous parts you’ve definitely heard on records.
This is the talky companion to my YouTube riffs video. In the video I reveal the song name + the preset before I play each part, so this isn’t a guessing game. It’s more like: here’s the sound, why it matters, and what to listen for.
Important note: these are M1 recreations / M1-style parts. That doesn’t automatically mean the original record used only a Korg M1 — many tracks were layered with other synths, samplers and effects. The goal here is to spotlight the signature M1 character: Piano 16’, Organ 2, Choir, pads, and that famous Slap Bass.
If you want a Part 3, tell me what to include: artist + track + the exact section you want recreated (timestamp appreciated).
Intro
Black Box — I Don’t Know Anybody Else — I01 Piano 16'
Robin S — Luv 4 Luv — I17 Organ 2
N-Joi — Anthem — I01 Piano 16'
Sabrina Johnston — Peace — I01 Piano 16'
Nightcrawlers — Surrender Your Love — I17 Organ 2
Kraze — The Party — I01 Piano 16'
49ers — Touch Me — I01 Piano 16'
Sandra — Hiroshima — I00 Universe
Tasmin Archer — Sleeping Satellite — I30 Lore
Law & Order Theme — I46 Slap Bass
Madonna — Vogue — I01 Piano 16'
Aerosmith — Janie’s Got a Gun — I46 Slap Bass
OMD — Sailing on the Seven Seas — I00 Universe (not confirmed)
OMD — Pandora’s Box — I23 Choir
OMD — Call My Name — I23 Choir
Awesome 3 — Don’t Go — I01 Piano 16'
Dream Frequency — Feel So Real — I01 Piano 16'
M.A.N.I.C. — I’m Comin’ Hardcore — I01 Piano 16'
Jaydee — Plastic Dreams — I17 Organ 2
Playahitty — The Summer Is Magic — I17 Organ 2
Whigfield — Gimmie Gimmie — I17 Organ 2
Summary
A fast, talky companion to my YouTube riffs video: 21 instantly recognisable Korg M1-style hooks with the presets explained and called out up front.
🎧 More Synth Icons episodes:
· Hohner Clavinet D6 – Famous Riffs You Instantly Know
· Roland Jupiter-4 – Famous Riffs You Know (But Didn’t Realise Were Jupiter-4)
· Korg M1 – Famous Riffs You Know (But Didn’t Realise Were M1)
🔧 Work with Andy
· Production, mixing & mastering: https://www.andywhitmore.com/
· Studio: https://greystokestudio.com/
📲 Connect with Andy
· YouTube: @AndyWhitmore
· Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andywhitmore2014/
· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AndyWhitmoreMusic
· TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@andywhitmore9583