Music Production Forum

The RD-78 – Behringer‘s hotly-anticipated emulation of Roland’s classic CR-78 drum machine – has finally arrived. The brand first teased a CR-78 emulation all the way back in 2022, when it shared images of a PCB (printed circuit board) to its Facebook page. It shared the images alongside a clue of “in the air tonight”, alluding to Phil Collins’ use of the machine on his famed 1981 hit of the same name. Behringer later confirmed that the RD-78 was “up and running” in January 2024, with another post on social media... The post The RD-78 – Behringer’s recreation of the “granddaddy to all drum machines”, the Roland CR-78 – has finally arrived appeared first on MusicTech. View…

Native Instruments will bring its Maschine 3 software to its Maschine+ hardware controller this spring, it has been confirmed. In a new community blog post, NI’s Chris La Pietra – Product Lead for Maschine, Kontrol, and NKS Hardware Partnerships – has revealed that the launch is currently a “top priority” for the brand, and has shared some of the other features it is currently working on releasing this year... The post Native Instruments says bringing Maschine 3 to Maschine+ is a “top priority” appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

After a typically long gestation period, it seems Behringer’s RD-78 has finally made it into production! The Behringer RD-78 has finally broken cover and will be available to order in the next day or so. Finally delivering on a product that was first teased a few years ago, the RD-78 sets out to emulate the classic Roland CR-78, the world’s first programmable drum machine. Such was the impact of the CR-78, it transcended the typical organ accompaniment wooden box and allowed users to program their own beats via an extra add-on device. Its sounds were still somewhat mired in the old analogue style, but there were hints of what was to come... The post The Behringer RD-78 Br…

Squarp Instruments has taken a major step forward with the new Hermod+ 2.0 firmware, adding a host of new features to the Eurorack sequencer. At the heart of the update is an expanded internal modulation engine that now offers even more flexibility and creative control. The update should be of particular interest to users who work with extensive automation in their tracks. With this free update, the French developers have significantly expanded the potential of Hermod+, while also integrating some workflow improvements and bug fixes... The post Hermod+ 2.0 Update: More Modulation, Better Automation and Streamlined Workflow appeared first on gearnews.com. View th…

Upon opening Wavea’s Flite plugin in your DAW, you will lay eyes on a pink and purple amorphous arm, the backdrop to Flite’s beautiful and minimalist plugin design. But is there more here than eye candy? The answer comes quickly; beneath the slick exterior, Flite is a powerful hybrid multi-sampler and synth with a lot to give... The post “At $99, this endearing plugin could easily become a firm favourite”: Wavea Flite review appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

The Vintage Computer Festival SoCal, scheduled for February 15-16, 2025 in Orange, California, will feature two computer-based vintage MIDI sequencing workstations… Read More Vintage Computer Festival SoCal To Feature Vintage Mac & PC MIDI Sequencer LabsView the full article

Universal Audio’s plugins are renowned for their stunningly accurate emulations of classic analogue gear, delivering that rich, warm sound producers and engineers have cherished for decades. And more often than not, these plugins come with premium price tags – but not this time. As part of Plugin Boutique’s 13th anniversary celebration sale, you can grab a selection of UAD bundles at jaw-droppingly low prices, with discounts of up to 96%... The post Enjoy up to 96% off Universal Audio UAD plugin bundles in Plugin Boutique’s 13th anniversary sale appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Native Instruments announces plans for Maschine+ 3, including Kontakt 8 support and the much-requested bounce-to-audio feature. When Native Instruments announced at NAMM this year that it was bringing Play Series functionality to Akai Professional MPC devices, the Maschine+ user community lost its collective mind. Perhaps in response to this, NI has posted to the Community section of its website to address this issue and provide a roadmap for all that’s coming to Maschine+ in 2025... The post Maschine+ 3 Is Coming: Get Excited for Kontakt 8 Support, New Effects & Stem Separation appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article Native Instruments Maschine+ · Sourc…

Want to build classic FM sounds from the 1980s and beyond? Here are some of the best Yamaha DX7 Alternatives to take you to FM heaven. Previously, we’ve discussed the illustrious History of Yamaha synthesizers, and we’ve looked at both the DX7 and DX1 in detail: The History of Yamaha The Yamaha DX7 Owning a Yamaha DX1 Here, we’ll look at more modern alternatives for creating the famous FM sounds from some of our favourite records and getting more involved with FM synthesis and building your own sounds... The post Classic FM Synthesis: Yamaha DX7 Alternatives appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Paralogy by Full Bucket Music brings the Crumar Trilogy and Stratus synths to your DAW for FREE! Travel back in time to the early 80s with this free software synth. Full Bucket Music is one of the most productive developers of free software synths, specializing in great-sounding emulations of lesser-known classics that tend to slip under the radar of commercial developers. Their latest release is no exception. Paralogy emulates the Italian-made Crumar Trilogy and Stratus synths from the early 1980s... The post Full Bucket Music Paralogy: FREE Software Synth Emulates the Crumar Trilogy & Stratus appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Plugin Boutique offers Steinberg’s Backbone drum designer (normally €149) for free with any purchase in February 2025. Backbone is a 64-bit-only release for macOS (VST3, AU, AAX) and Windows (VST3, AAX). The plugin is free with any paid purchase on Plugin Boutique, but free products don’t count for the giveaway. The promo ends on March [...] View post: Steinberg Backbone Drum Designer is FREE With Any Purchase on Plugin Boutique View the full article

As one of music production’s most ubiquitous and long-running pieces of software, few were expecting surprises from the eighth iteration of Native Instruments’ Kontakt, but that’s just what they got. In a series of firsts, the acclaimed sample player has introduced new ways of handling MIDI, performing with samples, and synthesising sounds. Together with a modernised user interface, it would seem that a new vision for Kontakt is emerging. No longer is this just a creative facilitator, it’s now also an idea generator... The post Native Instruments Kontakt 8: A leap forward or a stumble sideways? appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Synthesist Alba Ecstasy shared this live Berlin School style performance, Berlin School Reveries.… Read More Berlin School Reveries (Live Performance)View the full article

Sunday Synth Jam: Synthesist Pasquale Lello (Lo-fi Pask) shared this ambient synth jam, recorded on a Teenage Engineering OP-XY while waiting at the airport: Here’s what shared about the technical details: “It’s incredible how easily ideas take shape with Teenage Engineering OP-XY. Last night, while working on another project, this ‘ambient’ experiment was born. I… Read More Ambient Synth Jam At The Airport, With A Teenage Engineering OP-XY SynthesizerView the full article

If you think Walter Murphy's 'A Fifth Of Beethoven' epitomizes everything cheesy about the '70s - think again!… Read More The Electro-Classic Orchestra Plays Walter Murphy’s ‘A Fifth Of Beethoven’View the full article

The video discusses the Rings into Clouds combo, offers plenty of musical examples, and highlights why the two modules are still some of the most popular in Eurorack.… Read More Mutable Instruments Rings Into Clouds, A Classic Modular ComboView the full article

MiniBrute V offers 8-voices of polyphony, 168 presets, an arpeggiator, built-in tutorials and more.… Read More Arturia MiniBrute V Recreates Hardware Monosynth As Polyphonic Virtual InstrumentView the full article

Want to create music like Armin van Buuren and Ruben de Ronde? This guide offers insights into achieving a similar sound. While demonstrated in Ableton Live, the techniques are applicable to other DAWs like FL Studio and Logic Pro X, allowing you to produce trance and house music inspired by artists like Armin van Buuren, Dim3nsion, and others. You can download this Ableton project for free here https://cme.sh/3loQls

Fingerlab has introduced DM10 Drum & Synth Machine, a sequel to their award-winning DM1 Drum Machine from 2012.… Read More Fingerlab DM10 Drum & Synth Machine For iOS View the full article

AudioThing has introduced SX1000, an emulation of the JEN SX1000, a vintage Italian synth released in 1978, for iOS, Linux, Mac & Windows.… Read More AudioThing SX1000 Recreates Vintage Analog Synth As Plugin For iOS, Linux, Mac & Windows View the full article

German electronic music label Bureau B has announced Krautrock Eruption, a new book and accompanying album collection that they say offer an introduction to German Electronic music from 1970-1980.… Read More New Book & Album, Krautrock Eruption, Explore German Electronic Music From 1970-1980 View the full article

Fracture Sounds has been releasing great Kontakt libraries as of late, including several quality freebies as part of their Blueprint collection. And today, we’ll look at their 16th addition to the series, Blueprint: Bass Guitar. With this library, they’ve sampled a Fender Precision Bass (or P-bass for short) in detail, using both picked and fingered [...] View post: Fracture Sounds releases FREE Blueprint Bass Guitar library for Kontakt Player View the full article

Ovasenpai just released the Catharsis: Dubstep, Tearout & Riddim Bundle on Glitchedtones, which features seven packs at an introductory price of $10.11. The current Catharsis: Dubstep, Tearout & Riddim Bundle deal is down from the list price of $133.51, representing a 92% off discount. The promotion will wrap up on February 5, 2025. The sample [...] View post: Catharsis Dubstep Loops and Sample Bundle Includes 7 Packs at 92% Off for $10 View the full article

With NAMM 2025 behind us, I take a look at the synth-related high and low points of another momentous week in Anaheim and beyond! My colleague Lasse has already covered the post-NAMM synth-specific event, “Buchla & Friends”, so I will be looking at NAMM specifically, just in case any of you were about to leave a comment scalding me for leaving that excellent event out! … The post The Best and Worst of NAMM 2025 in Synths: Tops and Flops appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Orchestral Tools has introduced Svara, a virtual instrument that brings the sounds of a 'Bollywood' style orchestra to your DAW.… Read More New Virtual Instrument, Svara, Brings ‘Bollywood’ Orchestra To Your DAWView the full article

Want to transform your voice into a robot or heavenly synth choir? Look no further than these five best hardware vocoders. The vocoder may not be the most versatile instrument on the planet. But what it does, it does very well: it lets you sing through a synthesizer. Whether that be robot-style like electro classics of the 1980s, heavenly choirs like ELO or Air, or something a little more experimental, if your song is calling for a vocoder then nothing else will substitute. Although the heyday of the vocoder in terms of popularity may be gone (the Autotune era shows no sign of ending), there are still plenty of applications for a good synth song. And it doesn’t…

Dance music thrives on groove. Whether it’s techno, EDM, drum and bass, or any other genre, the bass and percussion are always at the forefront of the mix. Artists who want to excel in these genres must give these layers the proper attention if they want their tracks to not only sound great on large systems but also energize a dance floor in a live setting. Hannes Bieger, a German melodic techno producer and live performer, knows this well. His recent album, Galaxies, released on his own Elektrons label, is a masterclass in melodic techno production… The post Drum processing in melodic techno with Hannes Bieger: Club-ready percussion made fast and easy first appeared on N…

Komplete 15 Select – £89 / $99 / €99 Komplete 15 Standard – £539 / $599 / €599 Komplete 15 Ultimate – £1,079 / $1,199 / €1,199 Komplete 15 Collector’s – £1,619 / $1,799 / €1,799 Upgrade pricing also available, native-instruments.com For a generation of music makers, Native Instruments’ Komplete has reigned as the heavyweight champion of plugin bundles. Over that time the library has grown from a meagre 9 products to a sprawling 140 instruments, with almost 170,000 sounds on offer and a terabyte of disk space required. Few products can claim to be the best, and fewer still can hold onto that title – but after 22 years on top, Komplete 15 still comes out swinging… The pos…

Tiptop Audio, in collaboration with Buchla USA, has announced two more modules in its series of Euro-format reissues of classic 200-series modules.… Read More Tiptop Audio & Buchla Intro Programmable Pulser Model 242t & Quad Sample And Hold Model 264tView the full article

Nozoïd let us know that they've introduced the Kagouyar, a semi-modular polyphonic virtual analogue synthesizer.… Read More Nozoïd Intros Kagouyar Polyphonic SynthesizerView the full article