Picks

Plectrums? Plectra? Take your pick. (Ho ho)

These were a Christmas present from the miniMinx. They're made of wood, and I'm amazed by just how thin the lighter ones are. I prefer the slightly heavier ones, though, and it's very gratifying playing with something natural rather than plastic (although I guess they won't last as long).

Just in shot, at the top left of the picture, is a recent acquisition, the Roland JX-08 (see Extra). This is a boutique version of the JX-8P, first produced in the mid-eighties, and it sounds phenomenal.

When I was around seventeen years old, I went to a party, and the host had an earlier Roland analogue synth. I wasn't ever much of one for parties - I liked them more in principle than practice - and the guy who owned the instrument was kind enough to let me mess around on it for a while.

That was the first time I ever got my hands on a proper synthesiser. Nearly forty years later, the joy of making electronic sounds is as strong as ever!