Music Production Forum

Since I first saw it demonstrated on the BBC TV programme ‘Tomorrow’s World’ in 1980, I have been fascinated and obsessed with the Fairlight CMI, a remarkable machine that changed the way we make music and whose DNA remains in the way we use computers in music to this very day. Its inventors should, in my very humble opinion, be held in the same regard as Bob Moog, Tom Oberheim, Dave Smith, Ikutaro Kakehashi, et al, such was their impact on the way we make music and how it shaped modern culture. Since 2013, I’ve been involved with restoring and repairing Fairlight CMIs and have become somewhat intimately knowledgeable about them. I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to mee…

Image-Line has introduced FL Studio Web, a browser-based version of the popular digital audio workstation. … Read More FL Studio Web Now Available In Your Web BrowserView the full article

Black Octopus Sound has released Christmas Gift – Starter Deck Sampler, a huge free sample pack available for a limited time, and a 100% discount for a full Starter Deck of your choice. I downloaded the pack out of curiosity, expecting little more than a generous teaser, but this is a proper sound library. Black [...] View post: Black Octopus Sound releases Christmas Starter Deck Sampler with 3 GB of FREE sounds View the full article

Developer Majetone is offering Pantomime 4, a virtual synthesizer with plenty of character, free for a limited time during the holidays. To download this, head to the Pantomime 4 product page, scroll down, and enter your email address. Once you sign up for the Majetone mailing list, a 100% discount code is automatically applied at [...] View post: Majetone offers Pantomime 4 virtual synth FREE for email subscribers View the full article

Happy Holidays, everyone! Before we get ready for the new year, it’s time to look back at my personal gear highlights of 2025. Spoiler alert: no synths this time! I mostly write about synths at GEARNEWS. But I don’t want to waste your time with yet another list of the best synths of the year (apart from a pair of stunning groove machines that no recap of 2025 can do without). So here’s my list of the other things I found exciting or interesting this year, outside of my main area of focus... The post Highlights of the Year: My Favorite Gear of 2025 appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

ginTronic shared this sneak preview of the transparentSea – a creative multi-effect device that features stereo delays, modulation, and 'tempo-sync magic'.… Read More ginTronic transparentSea Creative Multi-Effect Sneak PreviewView the full article

HoRNet Plugins has released HoRNet TapeLite, a free tape saturation plugin for macOS and Windows. TapeLite is a straightforward tape machine emulation designed to add non-linear behavior to clean digital recordings. There’s no trial period and no copy protection for this one. You just create a free HoRNet account, download the freebie, and keep it [...] View post: HoRNet Plugins releases FREE HoRNet TapeLite tape saturation plugin View the full article

On Saturday, The Crow Hill Company launched its new Tuned Gongs library for Vaults, which is now available for free download. The Vaults range of plugins runs on macOS and Windows in AU, VST3, VST, and AAX formats. Tuned Gongs features four… wait for it… tuned gongs that the dev suggests were cast for gong [...] View post: Tuned Gongs is a new FREE library for the Vaults plugin View the full article

A few days ago, I mentioned that we hadn’t seen many sample packs on our freebie desk over the last few weeks. Now, a few days later, as the saying goes, when it rains, it pours, and we’re amid a shower of free sample packs with more on the way. The latest offerings are two [...] View post: Sounds of Horror and Junk Store Finds: Get two free and unusual sample packs View the full article

KuramaSound has released AnalogChannel, a free VST3 channel strip plugin for Windows that combines several Airwindows (among others) DSP algorithms into one convenient workflow. AnalogChannel feels like a curated compilation of some of the best free DSP algorithms around, wrapped into a single, practical signal chain. The developer behind KuramaSound has pulled together faithful ports [...] View post: KuramaSound releases FREE AnalogChannel plugin for Windows View the full article

Just in time for the holidays, Universal Audio’s Holiday Freebie adds a little sparkle to our plugin collection. Instead of discount codes or time-limited demos, here’s something tangible: a completely free plugin from a selection of genuine studio classics. It’s the perfect gift for anyone looking to experiment with new sounds between Christmas and New Year’s or refine their mix with a fresh character. The best part? Universal Audio offers ten high-quality tools to choose from, ranging from the legendary LA-2A compressor to the modern PolyMAX synth. What are you waiting for? ... The post Holiday Freebie: Universal Audio is Giving Away Legendary Plugins! appeared first on…

Shattered Glass Audio has released Phoenix LT, a free analog tube preamp simulation plugin for desktop platforms and iOS. This release caught my attention because Phoenix LT is essentially the successor to the discontinued SGA1566 preamp. In my opinion, SGA1566 was one of the best free tube preamp plugins on the market for years, and [...] View post: Shattered Glass Audio releases Phoenix LT, a FREE tube preamp plugin for desktop and iOS View the full article

PSP AudioWare has released PSP stereoAnalyser2, a free stereo metering plugin for macOS and Windows, just in time for the holiday season. This isn’t a “free for a limited time” promo that later turns into a paid product, either. PSP stereoAnalyser2 is a permanently free plugin, and it’s essentially an updated and improved version of [...] View post: PSP AudioWare releases PSP stereoAnalyser2 plugin for FREE View the full article

OB-Xf is an open source project from the Surge team, aiming to recreate the sound of the classic Oberheim OB-X.… Read More Free Software Synth Inspired By Oberheim OB-XView the full article

Fracture Sounds is back with the next addition to the free Blueprint series, Dream Zither. Even though these Blueprint instruments are free, I feel like a salesman because I go on about how good they are so often. But if you haven’t tried them yet, please do, they are epic. Dream Zither is the 25th [...] View post: Fracture Sounds releases Blueprint: Dream Zither, a FREE ethereal plucks library for Kontakt Player View the full article

Edu Prado Sounds has made their Hapi Drum available for free download as a Christmas gift, and you can run the virtual instrument on the free Kontakt Player. Native Instruments’ free Kontakt Player is a sampler for macOS and Windows, available in VST3, AU, and AAX formats. The Hapi Drum (also known as a steel [...] View post: Edu Prado Sounds drops FREE Hapi Drum for Free Kontakt Player View the full article

Soundtrack Loops has launched the SCHAR “Get Ready For Me” Remix Contest, a free-to-enter competition inviting producers worldwide to reimagine the latest track from electronic artist SCHAR (Scharliina). Remix contests don’t always catch my attention, but this one stands out thanks to the quality of the prizes and the clear focus on creativity instead of [...] View post: Soundtrack Loops launches SCHAR “Get Ready For Me” remix contest with impressive prizes View the full article

This week, these three companies are offering the kind of deals that producers love. Waldorf is offering the versatile Nave synth at half price, D16 is offering its popular effects and instrument plugins at significantly reduced prices, and Universal Audio is tempting buyers with the large UAD Signature Edition, which includes 63 cool effects and synthesizers. These three promotions are very different from each other, but they all have the same effect. They make you want to try out new tools and bring fresh sounds to your studio... The post D16, Universal Audio, Waldorf: 3 Ultimate Software Deals! appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

The OB-1 belongs to the timeless elite of classic mono synthesizers. It ranks among the very best and shares its place in the top 10 with legends such as the… Read More The post Oberheim OB-1 – unique lead-synth with memories appeared first on GreatSynthesizers. View the full article

You finish a mix. Inside the DAW it slaps — punchy, wide, energetic. You export it… and suddenly it sounds flatter, quieter, and less exciting. Good news: you didn’t imagine it, and you didn’t suddenly forget how to mix. This is a very common technical + perceptual problem, and it usually comes down to a few fixable issues. Let’s break down why it happens — and how to prevent it. View the full article

Acustica Audio has released STONE, a free tone-shaping channel strip plugin for macOS and Windows. STONE is an Acqua plugin inspired by rare British broadcast and studio hardware from the 1960s and 1970s, and it’s permanently free with no limitations or demo mode. If you’ve followed Acustica Audio for a while, you’ll know that, coming [...] View post: Acustica Audio releases STONE, a FREE tone-shaping channel strip View the full article

Embertone has released E.L.V.E.S., a free virtual choir instrument for Kontakt, available for a limited time during the holiday season. E.L.V.E.S. stands for “Embertone Lyrical Voice Elevation System, although the name very much serves the purpose of being an acronym for elves. This is a playful holiday sample library designed to sound like a tiny [...] View post: Embertone offers E.L.V.E.S. festive choir instrument for Kontakt FREE for a limited time View the full article

Your best microphone is surely the one you have with you when inspiration strikes. And, as many singers, rappers and vocalists will understand, a creative idea for a melody or phrase might spark while you’re on a walk, on the train, or even in a laundry room. These are noisy places, and microphones on modern smartphones and earbuds are probably going to pick up some background noise, even if they capture your voice very effectively... The post How to easily remove background noise from vocals with one click appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Plugin Boutique is currently offering the ROYAL 2 virtual bass guitar plugin by UJAM for just $9, down from the regular $119 price tag. That’s a massive 92% discount, available until January 4th (and you also get a free gift with your purchase). ROYAL 2 is part of UJAM’s Virtual Bassist series. It shares the [...] View post: ROYAL 2 virtual bassist plugin by UJAM is only $9 at Plugin Boutique View the full article

InnerMost47 shared this video demo of Obsidian Neural, a plugin that brings AI-generated samples to your DAW. … Read More Obsidian Neural Brings AI-Generated Samples To Your DAWView the full article

Acadie is based on the Omnichord OM27, and features a sequencer, arpeggiator and polyphonic synthesizer.… Read More Acadie Automatic Chord Machine For Eurorack, Inspired By Omnichord OM27View the full article

Plugin Boutique is currently offering Wavesfactory Trackspacer for just $29, down from $59 in a 50% off deal. The holiday promo for the dynamic EQ and sidechain compressor plugin will expire on December 31, 2025. Trackspacer is a 64-bit only release for macOS (VST, AU, AAX) and Windows (VST, AAX). Wavesfactory describes Trackspacer as similar [...] View post: Wavesfactory Trackspacer is Now Just $29 in 50% Off Plugin Boutique Deal View the full article

Looking for some inspiring new tools to kickstart your 2026? We’ve tracked down a mighty deal from Plugin Boutique, featuring 10 UJAM plugins all tailored for modern production. This new UJAM bundle is on offer until 4 January, and features virtual instruments and effects for guitar, bass, drums, piano, and more. Offering over 200 styles, more than 3000 phrases, and “deep sound design tools”, you’ll be sure to hit the ground running in the new year... The post Get 10 UJAM plugins for just $79 in this Plugin Boutique bundle deal “tailored for modern music production” appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

NoirSonance has made its entire plugin catalog available as pay-what-you-want, with a minimum price of zero, meaning you can grab everything completely free if you like. We’ve covered NoirSonance plugins on Bedroom Producers Blog several times in the past, including the free EQ6 and EQ6 (b) equalizers and a trio of compressors released earlier this [...] View post: All 12 plugins by NoirSonance are now FREE with optional donations View the full article