From Juno-60 to Prophet-5 – Gilles Coudert’s Ultimate Synth Story & Shocking M1 Swap!

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 –    / @gcoudert  
🎙️ Host: Ian Dixon – The Digital Lifestyle / TDL Synth Chat

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