Music Production Forum

From the Odyssey to the 2600 to the Omni, ARP ruled the synthesizer market in the 1970s and left an indelible mark on the world of music. This is the history of ARP Instruments and its synths. At one point in the 1970s, ARP Instruments was the top-selling synthesizer company in the world. They had bested Moog, their products were beloved by artists like Herbie Hancock and Edgar Winter, and one of their instruments (and engineers!) had even appeared in a movie… The post The History of ARP Instruments: American Giants appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

AudioThing shared this preview of JUNE, a software emulation of the Roland JUNO-60. … Read More AudioThing JUNE A Virtual Roland JUNO-60 For iOS, Linux, Mac & WindowsView the full article

From @synthandsoftware - PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT SynthMaster 3 Player is a stripped down version of SynthMaster 3 tailored towards users who prefer tweaking existing presets over designing sounds from scratch. It comes with all factory presets of SynthMaster One, SynthMaster 2 and SynthMaster 3 software synthesizers. It is much more than a ROMpler though: Users can edit layer voice, […] The post New SynthMaster 3 Player appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

Parallax Audio is now offering the Virtual Sound Stage v2.0.2 virtual instrument spatializer for free download. The plugin is for macOS (Intel CPU and Apple Silicon – M-Series) and Windows (x86 64-bit, Windows 10 or higher). The Windows formats are VST3 and AAX, while for macOS, it’s available in VST3, AU, and AAX. Parallax Audio [...] View post: Get Parallax Audio’s Virtual Sound Stage 2 virtual instrument spatializer for FREE View the full article

Plugin Boutique is currently having a sale on iZotope’s vocal effects powerhouse, VocalSynth 2. The plugin usually retails for €251, but you can now purchase it for €20.63, which is a whopping 91% discount. This offer lasts until the end of the month. If dull vocals are a common feature in your projects, this beastly [...] View post: Get VocalSynth 2 at 91% percent OFF in huge SALE at Plugin Boutique View the full article

The Usual Suspects have announced JE-8086, a free Roland JP-8080 emulation that works on macOS, Windows, and Linux. The Usual Suspects have already given us some epic emulations, including Xenia (Waldorf Microwave II/XT) and OsTirus (Virus Ti), and the news that a Roland JP-8080 emulation is on the way will be music to the ears [...] View post: The Usual Suspects announce JE-8086, a FREE Roland JP-8080 emulation (COMING SOON) View the full article

Black Rooster Audio is offering its limited VPRE-73 Halloween Edition for free this month. However, there is a three-step process to claim the plugin. Here’s how it works: Visit any product/bundle detail page on blackroosteraudio.com. Set your star rating & write your review. Send a screenshot alongside your registered e-mail to info@blackroosteraudio.com. After that, you [...] View post: Get Black Rooster Audio VPRE-73 Halloween Edition for FREE in LIMITED time offer! View the full article

Over the last 20 years, iZotope Ozone has grown into one of the most capable all-in-one mastering solutions there is. The new 12th edition brings with it some rather novel new processors and further enhancements to the AI-driven features first seen in Ozone 8. Is it now the undisputed master of mastering? Let’s find out... The post iZotope Ozone 12’s AI assistant is cool, but the Stem EQ is the real star appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

The “comeback” of the 1990s is evident in many areas. In addition to fashion, music is also included, of course. Boom Bap dominated the hip-hop scene at that time, alongside G-Funk. Today, we’ll show you the equipment, plugins, and other ingredients you need for authentic-sounding boom bap – a perfect match, so to speak! In the late 1980s and 1990s, the “Golden Era” boom bap sound was prevalent in hip-hop. The term refers to the distinctive drum sounds – the rich “boom” of the kick and the crisp “bap” of the snare – without the 808 bass typical of today’s sound... The post Boom Bap Beats Like in the 90s: Here’s What You Need – Perfect Match! appeared first on gearnews.com…

The C116 is a compact voltage controlled oscillator that they say is designed to provide all the essential features expected from an oscillator, without taking up too much space in your system.… Read More Corsynth MU VCO Now Available To Pre-OrderView the full article

Play features seamless one-to-one hardware integration with the Launchkey’s encoders, pads, and buttons, providing an immediate, instrument-like workflow.… Read More Novation Play For Launchkey mk4View the full article

In this edition of Synth Journal: Robot Rocket recreates Daft Punk’s iconic vocal effects, the Track8 audio and MIDI arranger is finally almost ready, and GS Music releases an ultra-rare special edition of the e7 polysynth for a good cause. Want to recreate Daft Punk’s iconic vocal effects? Throughout their career, the French duo used a bunch of different vocal effects and vocoders to create their signature sound (read developer bjango’s excellent blog post to find out which one was used for which song). One box they often came back to is the Digitech Talker, a vocal effects pedal from the ‘90s that’s becoming increasingly hard to get. It’s all over “Human After All” and …

KV331 Audio has launched a stripped-down version of its flagship modular software synth, SynthMaster 3. This simplified rendition, SynthMaster 3 Player, is tailored towards users who prefer tweaking existing presets over designing sounds from scratch. It comes with all the factory presets of SynthMaster One, SynthMaster 2, and SynthMaster 3, and there’s a free version of the new Player available too... The post KV331 Audio’s new SynthMaster 3 Player is made for those who prefer tweaking presets over designing sounds from scratch appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Steinberg has announced that its hardware products are to be re-branded as Yamaha, as part of a restructuring of both companies’ product development systems. The first hardware products jointly developed by Yamaha and Steinberg were launched in 2008 – notably the MR816 audio interfaces and CC121 Cubase controller – and as a result, a range of Steinberg-branded audio interfaces and controllers have since been manufactured by Yamaha. Now, with this hardware product re-brand, the companies aim to provide users with a “refined, integrated product experience” that brings software and hardware under one roof... The post Steinberg hardware products are being re-branded as Yamaha…

NoiseWorks Audio is once again giving away TranSplit, its innovative transient and body balancing plugin, completely free for a limited time. The plugin normally costs €49, but you can grab it right now at no charge from the NoiseWorks website. If you’ve missed it the first time around (it was briefly free back in June 2023), [...] View post: NoiseWorks offers TranSplit transient shaper for FREE for a Limited Time View the full article

Drum beats are the backbone of practically every style of popular music, so having an understanding of programming basic drum patterns and different types of drum beats is an essential for producers and beatmakers of all kinds. In this guide to basic drum patterns we’ll show you how to make the seven types of drum beats every producer should know, covering drum beat patterns for funk, rock, jazz, hip-hop, house, trap and drum ‘n’ bass. To make these beats, we’ll use sounds available in NI 360 Essentials and Komplete: Studio Drummer, Battery 4, and 24K Drums. Studio Drummer and 24K Drums are Kontakt instruments, and can be used with the full version of Kontakt 8 or the fre…

Getting a balanced mix might sound simple… until you actually try it. Between the EQs, compressors, reverbs, and endless plugin options, it’s easy to lose perspective and end up with a muddy or harsh mess. The good news? With a clear system, you can make mixing far easier — no matter your experience level. In this post, you’ll learn five proven steps to achieve a clean, balanced mix that sounds professional in any genre. These are the techniques I wish I’d learned 25 years ago — they would’ve saved me years of frustration… The post 5 Steps to a Perfect Mix EVERY Time appeared first on EDM Tips. View the full article

SoundMorph has launched its annual Halloween Sale, offering up to 90% off across the entire store. The promotion runs until October 31st, and this year’s theme, Halloween Treasure Hunt, encourages you to explore the site and uncover massive discounts on everything from cinematic sound libraries to software tools. You can combine these SoundMorph deals with [...] View post: SoundMorph launches Halloween Sale, combine with BPB’s 70% OFF code for insane savings View the full article

IK Multimedia’s TONEX is now 85% off at Plugin Boutique until October 12, bringing the price down from $199.99 to just $29.99. If you’ve been holding off on trying one of the most realistic amp modeling platforms around, now’s a great time to jump in. TONEX is built around IK’s “AI Machine Modeling” technology, which [...] View post: IK Multimedia’s TONEX is 85% off at Plugin Boutique until October 12 View the full article

Roll out the red carpet – Cherry Audio has released its own Korg Trident-inspired emulated synth. Pushing the boundaries of the original ‘80s tech, the Trident Mk III offers a versatile “orchestra-in-a-box” experience, already earning itself the title of a “Swiss army synth”… The post Cherry Audio releases Korg-inspired Trident Mk III synth plugin appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Church Bells is the latest Decent Sampler library from Joonas Ylänne, the developer behind AV‑Ylänne, and it’s one of those brilliantly unexpected additions. If you’re not using Decent Sampler, you’re missing out on a world of free sounds, many of which are brilliantly unexpected. Decent Sampler is free to download in AU, VST, VST3, and [...] View post: AV‑Ylänne releases Church Bells, a versatile FREE library for Decent Sampler View the full article

Benedict Roff-Marsh has released The Indie Musician’s Guidebook, a free ebook for independent artists, available now on Ko-Fi as donationware. The author reached out directly to let us know that the guidebook is once again available online after being tied up in publishing limbo for years (by the way, Benedict, if you’re reading this, I [...] View post: Benedict Roff-Marsh releases The Indie Musician’s Guidebook as a free ebook on Ko-Fi View the full article

These Blueprint releases from Fracture Sounds are incredible, as they provide us with ridiculously high-quality sounds for free, and they are compatible with the free Kontakt Player 8 (and later versions). Their latest release is the free Blueprint: Brass Ensemble library. To download Brass Ensemble, you’ll have to create an account or log in to [...] View post: Fracture Sounds releases the FREE Blueprint: Brass Ensemble library for Kontakt Player View the full article

“It’s not a toy; it’s a serious, pro-level instrument, just in a smaller form factor. No pun intended.” That’s Sequential product designer Carson Day assuring me that the brand’s latest synthesizer, Fourm, is ready for the big time… The post Why Sequential’s Fourm has a whole new mode of expression appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

The Oxford Synthesiser Company OSCar is a 2-oscillator hybrid monosynth, with digital oscillators and a resonant multi-mode filter.… Read More OSC OSCar Getting Official Reissue From PWM Instruments (Sneak Preview)View the full article

Cherry Audio today introduced the Trident Mk III, a new software synthesizer based on the Korg Trident keyboard, originally release in 1980. … Read More Cherry Audio Intros Trident Mk III Software SynthView the full article

The update is massive and makes the microKorg 2 a much more powerful and interesting synth. … Read More Free Update Gives New Superpowers To The Korg microKORG 2View the full article

Starting now and for a limited time only, you can score some excellent synth deals at Thomann! Save up to 15% on controllers and synthesizers from Novation, KORG, and Yamaha… The post Awesome Synth Deals at Thomann: KORG, Novation, Yamaha! appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Alex from Germany, the creator behind MIDI Pusher MK2, has released MIDIpushr, a free browser-based virtual MIDI controller that lets you play and send chords directly to your DAW or hardware synths. Funny timing with this one. Just the other day, while watching the awesome “How to Orchid” marketing video for the Orchid ORC—1 chord [...] View post: MIDIpushr MK2 is a FREE browser-based MIDI chord player for your DAW View the full article

Desired Sounds has released Sonic Bass ONE, a free virtual bass guitar plugin for Windows and macOS. The developer describes it as a synthesized electric bass, and after spending a bit of time with it, I’d say it sits somewhere between a realistic electric bass and a classic synth bass. It’s punchy enough for electronic [...] View post: Desired Sounds releases Sonic Bass ONE, a FREE virtual bass guitar plugin View the full article