Music Production Forum

Music producers have access to a huge amount of raw material to work from. For example, Komplete 15 Ultimate Collector’s Edition includes over 150,000 sounds, and that’s before you start making your own patches. This is an embarrassment of riches. So, how do we ensure that all these options are a benefit rather than a problem? There’s only one answer: organization. With an organized approach to sound management, you’ll spend less time searching for the right sounds, and more time turning your musical ideas into reality. Thankfully, organizing your sound library doesn’t have to be a chore. In this guide we’ll show you five simple tips that you…

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to upgrade your studio with SSL plugins, the time is now! Other fantastic offers are coming from IK Multimedia, Sonible, and Zynaptiq this week. SSL is currently offering awesome deals on its X-series plugins. X-Limit, X-Gate, X-ValveComp, X-Phase, and X-Saturator are all on sale with discounts of up to 94%! I guess that’s what they call a no-brainer. Don’t miss this opportunity to add these acclaimed audio tools to your plugin folder. These SSL plugin deals * are good through February 24... The post Up to 94% Off: Awesome Software Deals from SSL, IK Multimedia & More appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full arti…

Universal Audio’s Apollo series has become a benchmark in the audio interface world, thanks to a combination of top-spec audio converters, innovative modelling preamps, and flexible on-board digital signal processing (DSP), all backed by a large library of excellent plugins. But with manufacturers such as Antelope Audio, Heritage Audio, Apogee and others increasingly encroaching on UA’s skilfully-manicured lawn, Apollo’s unique selling points no longer look so unique... The post Is Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Gen 2 really a “disappointing” update to the audio interface range? appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Nearly two years after it was first announced, Soma Laboratory’s FLUX synth is finally shipping. The highly anticipated instrument reimagines expressive electronic performance by allowing musicians to control sound entirely through hand motions. Unlike traditional synthesizers, FLUX eliminates the need for physical touch, using magnetic sensors and handheld bows to shape pitch, volume, and synthesis parameters in real time... The post FLUX, Soma’s wild theremin-inspired synthesizer controlled by hand motions, is shipping now appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Most music production setups include a laptop or a computer — but these don’t usually come with the dedicated inputs and outputs required by those working with sound. That’s where an audio interface enters the picture. At its core, an audio interface is essential hardware that converts analogue signals into digital audio. Among other uses, the digital audio can be recorded by your DAW while providing low-latency monitoring through outputs for your monitor speakers or headphones… The post Best audio interfaces for for studios, bedrooms and podcasters in 2025 appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

At the start of 2025, I attended a series of workshops by Brian Eno, run by the School of Song. Sharing his thoughts on creativity, studio methods, and plenty of personal anecdotes, it offered us a rare chance to hear from the master himself on a spectacular music career and a lifetime’s worth of incredible musical advice. Here are 10 lessons I took away from the sessions — and which you can learn from, too... The post Brian Eno’s music-making workshop gave me these 10 crucial lessons appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

This video showcases 38 free plugins perfect for music production, cinematic compositions, and more. Explore a variety of free instrument and effect plugins, offering new sonic possibilities, unique processing tools, and inspiring creative FX. Compatible with any DAW, these plugins are a valuable addition to any producer's toolkit...

The Bob Moog Foundation is excited to announce its lead raffle for 2025, featuring a fully restored Oberheim Matrix-12 synthesizer signed by Tom Oberheim, Marcus Ryle, and Michel Doidic. Ryle and Doidic were the principal designers of the Matrix-12. This Matrix-12, valued at $20,000, has a unique provenance having been owned by Doug Curtis, inventor… Read More Bob Moog Foundation Announces Fundraising Raffle for a Signed Oberheim Matrix-12 SynthesizerView the full article

Fancy winning an Oberheim Matrix-12 synthesizer signed by Tom Oberheim himself? Well, here’s your chance. The Bob Moog Foundation – the nonprofit organisation set up in 2006 following the death of synth pioneer Robert Moog – has announced a fundraising raffle, with the winner taking home a signed Oberheim Matrix-12 valued at $20,000... The post Here’s your chance to win a signed Oberheim Matrix-12 synthesizer worth $20,000 appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Pluginomat offers the Beastverb ($69 value) reverb plugin by Beastsamples as a free download for a limited time. Beastverb is a 64-bit-only plugin for Mac and Windows in VST3 and AU, with AAX support on the way. Reverb is an invaluable tool for creating atmosphere, depth and dimension in a mix, and there is an [...] View post: Beastsamples offers Beastverb reverb plugin for FREE in limited time offer View the full article

Jog on Janice is a brand-new service offering expertly crafted custom websites that display everything a fan, booking agent, management team, and A&R exec needs to see and hear on one page. BPB readers who purchase a custom website before April 1, 2025, can use the code JOJBPB20251 to get an exclusive £50 discount on [...] View post: Jog on Janice offers BPB readers an exclusive £50 discount on custom artist website design View the full article

Drum patterns are the foundational element in so many styles of music we listen to every day. We’ve selected some of the best budget drum machines for creating basic rhythms, no matter what you’re trying to create. Traditionally, programmable drum machines were always rather expensive. It was only when instruments like the Roland TR-606 and the Korg KPR-77 were launched in the early 1980s that these instruments became more accessible to musicians... The post The Best Budget Drum Machines for Music Production appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

RipplerX is a physical modeling synthesizer - for Linux, Mac & Windows - that the developer says is capable of sounds similar to AAS Chromaphone and Ableton Collision.… Read More Free & Open Source Physical Modeling Synth, RipplerXView the full article

Solid State Logic’s (SSL) Native X-Saturator analog-style saturation plugin is available for just $10 until February 25, which slashes 92% off the $119 list price. The deal is available at both the SSL and Plugin Boutique web stores. However, if you buy from Plugin Boutique, you can also pick up the site’s February gift, a [...] View post: SSL Native X-Saturator is Just $10 until February 2 View the full article

Here's a take on the Blade Runner Main Titles, from the soundtrack by Vangelis.… Read More Vangelis’s Blade Runner Soundtrack On The UDO Super GeminiView the full article

After his successful exciter and transient shaper FeenstaubTX, developer Variety of Sound is back with his second instalment in the Feenstaub series, the FeenstaubTC tube compressor. Note that the plugin is 64-bit, VST3/VST2 and Windows only. Whenever Variety of Sound releases a plugin, people get excited. And for a good reason, I might add. In [...] View post: Variety of Sound released FREE FeenstaubTC tube compressor for Windows View the full article

The RipplerX synth, in its various stages, began life as a research project studying physically modeled drums. The first iteration used the open-source Sai’ke Partials as a reference and developed into a synth heavily inspired by AAS Chromaphone and Ableton’s Collision. RipplerX is built with JUCE and is available in AU, VST3, and LV2 formats [...] View post: RipplerX is a FREE and open-source AAS Chromaphone-inspired synth plugin View the full article

AFT SonicDecloner v1.1 adds recursive subfolder scanning, with unlimited depth, formatted CSV reports for easier data analysis and more.… Read More Free AFT SonicDeCloner Update Adds Deeper Scanning, Formatted CSV ReportsView the full article

Polyend shared this video intro to Synth's smart grid, which allows you to play three synths at once.… Read More Polyend Synth: Smart Grid Setup & Instant ChordsView the full article

Free Kontaktina and Waves Audio are offering the TrueVerb plugin for free in a limited-time offer. The reverb plugin (currently $35, list price $99) is a macOS and Windows release for VST, VST3, AU, and AAX. TrueVerb is an OG plugin, as Waves dropped it back in 1997 as part of the Waves Native Power Pack. [...] View post: Waves Audio offers TrueVerb for FREE in Limited Time Offer View the full article

A new sound library lets you play a collection of one-of-a-kind, historically significant keyboard instruments, including instruments played by Chopin, Mozart & Beethoven.… Read More New Sound Library Lets You Play Chopin’s Piano & Other Rare Keyboard InstrumentsView the full article

Make Noise has introduced a new Eurorack Module, MultiMod, that lets you create 8 variations on a control signal, and control the relative phase and speed of the variations.… Read More Make Noise MultiMod Lets You Create ‘A Flock Of Related Modulations Signals’ From A Single InputView the full article

Moog released some of its most iconic synthesizers after Bob left in the late 1970s. These are the classic Moog synths made without Bob… The post Classic Moog Synths of the ‘70s and ‘80s: Moog Without Bob appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Dreamwave has released Tarantula, a free chorus plugin inspired by classic chorus effect boxes. The plugin offers four chorus modes, plus a standard triangle wave LFO and hyper triangle LFO. The hyper triangle LFO produces a more prominent chorus effect and is ideal for synth leads that sound slightly thin. Each chorus mode is inspired [...] View post: Dreamwave releases FREE Tarantula classic chorus plugin View the full article

Potato Audio, seemingly a new developer, has released a new plugin called CHOPLIFTER, and with that, they are kindly doing an exclusive promotion for BPB readers. CHOPLIFTER is a “creative multi-band audio gate sequencer” for Ableton Live, which you can get for 30% off for a limited time. To reduce the price from £19.96 to [...] View post: Get 30% Potato Audio’s CHOPLIFTER Multiband Gate for Ableton Live View the full article

The term “pads” can be a confusing one for newcomers to music production – it’s not analogous to an acoustic instrument like a guitar or a bell, and it’s not onomatopoeic like a growl or a “wub”. So what are pads in music? In this guide we’ll explain what pads are, give you some examples of pads in music, teach you how to create your own pad using a combination of synthesis and sample-based sounds, and use that pad in the context of an atmospheric DnB beat… The post What are pads in music production? A guide to creating lush soundscapes first appeared on Native Instruments Blog. View the full article

Deductibles? Write-offs? Do the complexities of taxes make your head spin? You’re probably not alone. Whether you’re a full-time musician or a part-time artist trying to make sense of your earnings and expenses, navigating taxes can feel like a daunting task. Luckily, Rick Beato is here to break it all down in the simplest way possible, answering even the dumbest tax questions you might have. In a new video, the producer and YouTuber sits down with his accountants Alan Friedman and Evan Kalish, who walk him (and us) through everything a musician needs to know about getting their taxes in order… The post Rick Beato – and his accountants – break down how taxes wor…

Erica Synths continues its mission to bring back the Eurorack modules by Hexinverter Électronique. Next up are four drum modules: Mutant Bassdrum, Mutant Snare, Mutant Hihats, and Mutant Clap. When Hexinverter Électronique folded in 2023, Erica Synths announced it would team up with the Canadian developer to bring back several Hexinverter modules in revised editions. The mission to resurrect Hexinverter began with Mutant Machine, Mindphaser, and the Mutant Brain MIDI to CV interface. Erica Synths also brought back the Mutant Rimshot module in 2024... The post Erica Synths Resurrects Hexinverter Drum Modules appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

In his latest video, synthesist and composer Anthony Marinelli talks with Herman Gillis, creator of the classic Sherman Filterbank. … Read More The Story Of The Sherman Filterbank With Creator Herman GillisView the full article

Optigan has released Pizzicato Pop, a new sound disc for the '70s lo-fi optical sample playback keyboard, the Optigan.… Read More New Sounds For Old Samplers: The Pizzicato Pop Optigan DiscView the full article