24/09/2025
There are people who thought that Focusrite’s purchase of Sequential in 2021 would mean a lessening of quality for subsequent releases – like a big company can’t be as focused and 100% on its game as a smaller group of R&D experts just concentrating on designing great synths.
It’s the same group of people who cast similar aspersions when InMusic snaffled up Moog Music and started releasing cheap Moogs like the Messenger. Those same people will certainly jump on Sequential’s latest release, Fourm, and cite it as their ‘I told you so’ synth moment.
That’s because Fourm’s specs are limited and it has a price tag that puts it in Behringer territory at $999.99. Its four notes of polyphony is, well, not even the number of digits on a typical hand, and those slim keys might be a chore to wrestle with. Fourm’s other specs can be seen as pretty basic too – two oscillators, little in the way of effects, and a typical subtractive signal path.
However, the only problem with this particular bandwagon jump is that it turns out that Fourm delivers way more than its asking price promises. Built like a tank with an all-steel chassis, the synth's intuitive, Pro One-esque workflow makes it a breeze to program, and the Prophet-lineage 4-pole resonant filter oozes classic Sequential character. Fourm also introduces native polyphonic aftertouch to the Sequential line with its newly-designed “Tactive” keybed - a strikingly generous addition for a synth at this price point.
Where Fourm really stands out is the sound – which has all the character you’d expect from pure analogue – the modulation, and hands-on controls allow you to take that sound on many a sonic journey. You might think your VA softsynth will handle much of what is on offer – and probably more in terms of polyphony – but it won’t deliver the richness and punchiness that you get here.
Quite simply, if you’ve ever yearned for a Sequential but been put off by their prices, then this is the analogue synth you need to audition. Bottom line: it’s one of the best analogue polys for the price, in any way, shape or form.
