Music Production Forum

Unstable from Morphoice is a free polyphonic synthesizer inspired by the legendary Yamaha CS-80 analogue synthesizer. The developer, Morphoice, describes Unstable as “in no way intended to be a CS-80 emulator, but still probably closer to the real hardware than anything out there”. In recent weeks, unstable is the second classic Yamaha-inspired synth after BaconPaul’s [...] View post: Morphoice releases Unstable (early beta), a FREE CS-80-inspired poly synth VST View the full article

Softube Essentials Collection is a bundle that includes five high-quality plugins: Tape, Model 84 Polyphonic Synthesizer, British Class A, FET Compressor MK II, and last but not least, Wasted Space. And for a limited time, you can get this $691 bundle for only $89 and save 87% on Plugin Boutique. Let’s check out the plugins [...] View post: Get 5 Softube plugins for $89 on Plugin Boutique for a limited time! View the full article

Developer Full Bucket Music has released Paralogy, a free Crumar Trilogy and Stratus emulation for macOS and Windows. Full Bucket Music is back with another vintage synth emulation after ending 2024 with Broken Mini (Minimoog) and Ragnarök 2.0 (custom synth built by Hans Peter). With this latest release, Björn (Full Bucket) turned his attention to [...] View post: Full Bucket Music releases Paralogy, a FREE Crumar Trilogy and Stratus emulation View the full article

The KORG collection 5 is clearly a must-have for any producer and sound designer. And now you can get it for half the regular price! This week’s edition of software deals also includes bargains from Cherry Audio, Toontrack, and ujam. The post Software Deals from KORG, Cherry Audio, Toontrack & More appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

The Behringer RD-78 isn't a straight copy of the original CR-78. Instead, it appears to essentially take the sequencing interface from their RD-8 and pair it with the drum voices of the CR-78.… Read More Behringer RD-78 Drum Machine Offers Updated Take On Roland CR-78 View the full article

While many producers lean on the well-known parameters of their favorite synths for pads, basses, and leads, some of the best parameters of your favorite soft synths often fly under the radar. Massive X is a synth with a lot going on under the hood, sometimes in obscure menus, and these hidden gems allow you to inject subtle motion, unpredictable variation, and experimental textures into your patches. This article breaks down five of Massive X’s most underrated parameters and shows how they can take your sound design to the next level. Whether you’re exploring custom noise layering, creating evolving modulations, or adding dynamic textures to your tracks, these tools are …

Arturia’s compact analogue drum machine gets a retro makeover. Introducing the DrumBrute Impact 1984. Arturia has never been one to shy away from a product makeover, and now it’s the turn of the DrumBrute Impact to get a shot in the arm visually. The DrumBrute Impact 1984 gives this little powerhouse a more retro visual feel with an all-new white case. Colour scheme aside, the DrumBrute Impact 1984 is identical to its darker brother in every way. Released after the successful DrumBrute, the DrumBrute Impact was a smaller, punchier device with a slightly reduced specification but retaining its hefty Brute-powered sound. Featuring 10 tweakable sounds, the Imp…

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