“My goal is to make synthesizers for $9.90 so we can make them accessible to kids in poor countries”: Behringer’s synths are cheap – but it wants to go furtherAccording to Behringer’s CEO, the budget-friendly gear brand wants its prices to be even more affordable.
Uli Behringer, who founded the brand in 1989, wants its products to be more accessible to young people in particular, and has hopes that his low-cost classic synth remakes will allow children to experience iconic gear they may otherwise have not been able to afford. Across the years, the brand has released a vast number of products inspired by brands like Roland, Universal Audio, Boss, and more.

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In a new interview with Sweetwater, Behringer explains, “It’s very, very fascinating for me to see how young people now rediscover this, and how they use these synths in a very different manner, right? And how they start to explore the gift of music and through that, then start to play other instruments or try other synthesizers and hopefully have a lifelong relationship with music. That, to me, bringing these synths to children is something that I feel very passionate about.”
He goes on to add, “As you know, we have synthezisers starting at $49. My goal is to make synthesizers for $9.90 so we can make these accessible to kids in poor countries, right? And not just a VST, but actually a little hardware device you can plug in your headphones. We’re looking at the next synthesizer for $9.99 and potentially give them away for free, as we have done before, we donated the 1500 synthesizers and actually tried to figure out where the areas are where people never get anything. So we spent the year figuring out the most rural areas around the world, from Nepal to Latin America. We made it a point to find out where these little schools and orphanages are, and it was a great experience when you see the videos that come back and the pictures come back with smiling kids. That’s something I want to do for the rest of my life.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the Swiss founder explained that he is not motivated by money: “We have not invented synthesizers, nor will we ever claim [to], but hopefully people will remember us for having brought all these jewels back to life,” he says. “But only a few people can afford those, and I think it’s important to make them available, accessible to people who do not have deep pockets. That’s something we feel strongly about, and that’s the purpose why we exist.” He adds, “You have to have a purpose. You need to have a reason to get up. And it can’t be money, can’t be business.”
Though Behringer’s budget creations are loved by many, the brand has also faced criticism over the years for its gear emulations – including from the manufacturers of its original inspirations. Despite this, Behringer has reiterated that it follows the correct legal procedures. On its popular Facebook page, a post made back in January said: “IP refers to legally protected rights over creations, such as trademarks or patents. Unless these protections are registered, the content is typically in the public domain and free to use.
“This system is intentional. Society thrives on progress, and limiting rights to a few individuals or companies would stifle creativity. Imagine if only one company could produce cars or guitars – innovation would stall, and access would be restricted. If companies want to protect their IP, they must file for trademarks, patents, or other legal measures. At Music Tribe, we’ve done this with around 100 patents to safeguard our innovations.”
Find out more about the brand or view its full product range over at Behringer.
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