Love Synthesizers’ First Love is an FM synth you can learn without words, numbers or a manual

Love Synthesizers has begun shipping First Love, an award-winning standalone FM synthesizer with an intuitive touchscreen interface that uses no text or numerical readouts and champions interactivity.

Winner of Best Innovation Award at Superbooth 2024, the First Love pairs a touchscreen with physical knobs and buttons for an approachable way into FM synthesis. Users shape sounds by dragging them on screen and watching them change as they do so. The company says the interface is designed to be learned “by feel and by ear” without a manual or any music theory. Players can assign physical controls, draw their own routing paths and sketch illustrations to save as presets.

“The first few minutes you spend with an instrument matter,” says founder Kári Halldórsson. “We wanted someone who has never touched a synthesizer to feel comfortable experimenting and exploring on their own.”

Under the hood

The First Love has a four-part multitimbral engine that runs in polyphonic or monophonic modes. It offers FM synthesis with wave shaping, morphing envelopes, effects and extensive modulation. The pressure-sensitive performance pads respond to velocity and aftertouch. Built-in scale creation and microtonal tuning let players define their own tuning systems, a feature film composer Úlfur Hansson has praised as tactile, fast and intuitive.

As a fully standalone system, the synth includes built-in speakers and an optional battery. Players can build complete pieces without a computer through the synth’s live looping and riff sequencing features, with the ability to edit loops and sequences while the instrument keeps playing.

For connectivity, there is DIN5 MIDI, sync and USB, plus ¼” TS and TRS audio outputs in either 2x stereo or 4x mono configurations.

Creative director and co-founder Markús Bjarnason describes the instrument as “both approachable and deep,” and says players can work on simple ambient waveforms or move to complex, multi-voice rhythmic arrangements.

Background

Founded by musician and inventor Kári Halldórsson in 2023, Love Synthesizers believes technology should inspire creativity rather than complicate it, empowering people to explore, create and share music through thoughtfully designed instruments.

Pricing and availability

The First Love is available now in the UK, US and EU through authorised retailers following a pre-order period. The full production run is limited and prices vary depending on the retailer, but range between around £420 and £590.

Learn more at LOVE Synthesizers.