Music Production Forum

While Jeff Mills is inseparably linked to the Roland TR-909, Richie Hawtin catapulted another iconic sound into the techno cosmos: the acid-laden, organically flowing sound of the Roland TB-303. He reduced electronic music to rhythm, space, and texture. Under his alter ego, Plastikman, Hawtin became one of the most influential figures in minimal techno. His productions have had a lasting impact on the sound of clubs, studio setups, and electronic music in general... The post Techno Legends Use This Gear: Richie Hawtin aka Plastikman appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

This summer, KRK will welcome a fresh flagship series of monitors. With sights set on defining the “next-generation” of studio monitoring, KRK’s V Series Five builds upon the success of the V Series Four. Designed for musicians, producers and engineers, the series serves as a step-up in refined clarity, control and reliability – and debuted this week at NAMM. KRK’s output has been pretty strong the last few years; 2025 introduced the affordable Kreate Series, while 2024’s Rokit Generation Five were a plug-and-play dream. Now, the V Series Five will push KRK and parent company Gibson’s monitoring game to a new level... The post KRK debuts new flagship studio monitoring lin…

dBdone has released Pentimento, a free (paid upgrade available) texture layering plugin for macOS and Windows, developed in collaboration with music producer and YouTuber Taetro. Pentimento is designed to layer textures and sound effects on top of existing audio using envelope-triggered dynamics instead of MIDI input. So, instead of sequencing notes or programming patterns, you [...] View post: dBdone releases Pentimento texture layering plugin with FREE version View the full article

Wavetick has introduced Sounds on Demand, a new pay-as-you-go model for buying samples that sits alongside its existing storefront and optional subscriptions. Instead of locking users into a monthly plan, the new system is built around credits that you can buy whenever you need them. Each credit can be exchanged for individual sounds from a [...] View post: Wavetick introduces new Sounds on Demand pay-as-you-go model View the full article

Amazing NAMM deals from exhibitors Behringer, Hercules and Arturia. NAMM 2026 is currently underway, and just like every year, it’s a dizzying show with the latest and greatest musical instruments on display. While most of the gear on the show floor is so new, much of it hasn’t been released (or sometimes doesn’t even have a name yet!) I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight some of the deals on at Thomann from NAMM exhibitors... The post NAMM Deals of the Week appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

NAMM news so hot we couldn't sit on it......… Read More NSFW: Bluetooth Buttplug Speaker Debuts At Winter NAMM ShowView the full article

At the 2026 NAMM Show, Behringer is previewing the JT-2, a new Euro-format rack monosynth, based on the voice and look of the Roland Jupiter-8.… Read More Behringer Previews Roland Jupiter-8 Inspired JT-2 At The Winter NAMM ShowView the full article

At the 2026 NAMM Show, Behringer is previewing their knockoff of the Roland Juno-60, the JN-80.… Read More Behringer JN-80 Previews Roland Juno-60 Knockoff At The Winter NAMM ShowView the full article

Noise Engineering has released Multi Repetitor, an algorithmic trigger sequencer for Euroack systems.… Read More Noise Engineering Intros Multi Repetitor Algorithmic Percussion SequencerView the full article

Has Polyend finally come up with a use for AI that musicians won't hate? … Read More Polyend Endless Effects Pedal Lets Anyone Create New Effects With ‘Vibe Coding’View the full article

Sound design is the creative process of capturing and manipulating audio so it supports a specific mood in music, film, games, or any other medium. It is one of the cornerstones of modern music production, and every genre uses sound design in different ways. So if you are looking for the best sound design plugins, start by asking yourself two simple questions. What kind of sounds do you want to create? And how far do you want to push them? With those questions in mind, Native Instruments offers a full ecosystem of instruments and effects for every stage of the process. These plugins take you from raw ideas to finished, expressive sounds. Whatever your goal may be, whether…

Korg has shifted the relationship between acoustic and electronic with the Phase8, its new acoustic synthesizer, which debuts at NAMM 2026. The finished instrument,which was first teased at Superbooth 2024, comes with 13 precisely engineered steel resonators that vibrate at the frequencies of a chromatic scale. Eight of them can be installed on the synth at one time... The post Korg’s Phase8 acoustic synthesizer lets you use sticks, stones, and magnets to create sounds appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

SampleScience is a name we know very well around BPB, and their latest release is the Cozy Piano, a FREE intimate upright piano plugin for macOS and Windows. We’ve covered many SampleScience releases over the years, including VHS Noise Generator, Virtual Handpan, and the Sega Master System sound chip emulation. If the mention of a [...] View post: SampleScience releases Cozy Piano, a FREE intimate upright piano plugin View the full article

Developer Overloud Audio Tools has released Rafa Sardina Spaces Free, a free REmatrix library. Before we get into Rafa and his reverbs, you should note that you’ll need REmatrix or the free REmatrix Player to use this library. REmatrix Player is a free IR loader, available in AU, VST, AAX, and Standalone formats for macOS [...] View post: Overloud Audio Tools releases Rafa Sardina Spaces FREE REmatrix library View the full article

The first big surprise of NAMM is the Casio SAMPLER, an SP-404-like machine with a built-in microphone, 64GB of memory and retro Casio sounds. Casio is such a perplexing company. It goes along, releasing wave after wave of home keyboards, and then suddenly drops something completely out of left field. There was the CT-S1000V vocal synthesis keyboard (which I still really want), the Millennium Falcon groovebox thing, and now this, the Casio SAMPLER... The post Casio SAMPLER: Future Retro Handheld Beat Maker – Is This the SK-1 Reborn? appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

The D Mini is finally here with three analog oscillators, a sequencer, and that lovely filter, all in a very tiny package. Back in 2022, Behringer announced the Model D Soul, a tiny, Volca-like take on its excellent Model D analog synth. Our Robin wrote about it and mused on how much of a synth’s functionality you could lose before it became not really a synth anymore. Behringer said the mini synth was ready to go at the time, and they were just waiting for chips. And then… nothing... The post Behringer D Mini: Fancy a Tiny Model D With a Sequencer for $99? appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

We all know the drill by now with DAWJunkie: we get a nice freebie, with the option to upgrade to a fully-featured big brother for just $1. Their latest freebie is LeadOff Jr, a free wavetable synth for macOS and Windows. We’ve had Lil Miss Doubler, Lil Bottom Jr, and more recently, Craze. This time [...] View post: DAWJunkie releases LeadOff Jr, a FREE wavetable synth for macOS and Windows View the full article

Developer Beyerdynamic presented us with Headphone Lab, a free plugin that brings the studio to your DT headphones. We all know the pitfalls of mixing in headphones and untreated spaces, but, as bedroom producers, most of us are used to making the best of imperfect situations. Besides the fatigue and the fact that even the [...] View post: Beyerdynamic releases Headphone Lab, a FREE plugin bringing the studio to your DT headphones View the full article

The new Kurzweil SP8 is more than a stage piano: Boasting the powerful V.A.S.T. synthesis engine, organ modeling, and even a 6-operator FM synth, it could be the only keyboard you’ll ever need on stage. Kurzweil has announced the SP8 at NAMM 2026. The successor to the SP7 series sports a fresh new look similar to the K2061/2088 synths. But that’s not all: The stage piano has grown into an all-in-one stage keyboard that contains all the sounds typically required for a gig... The post Kurzweil SP8: The Only Keyboard You’ll Ever Need on Stage? appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

The Serendipity D-Thing+ and L-Thing offer new ways to play the Moog DFAM & Labryinth synths.… Read More Serendipity L-Thing vs D-Thing+ Give You New Ways To Play Moog DFAM & LabyrinthView the full article

Behringer’s JUNO 6/60 remake makes an appearance at NAMM 2026 with a new name, JN-80, fuelling expectations for an imminent release! Just like the BMX and JT-2, which were spied on the Behringer stand at NAMM 2026 yesterday, their JUNO 6/60 homage has finally surfaced publicly but is now sporting a new name, the JN-80, leaving us in no doubt what this synth claims to be... The post Behringer JN-80 – Their JUNO6/60 Clone Edges Closer appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Key features include mixer setup memories, MIDI support, a tripod mount and dedicated apps for iOS, Mac & Windows. … Read More Roland GO:Mixer Studio For Social Media Content CreationView the full article

Anaheim, Calif. – The exhibition portion of 2026 NAMM Show launches at the Anaheim Convention Center today with its showfloor open through Saturday, Jan. 24. Over 3,500 brands from the music-making world are expected to present their latest products, including those from a variety of DJ-related categories (playback, accessories, content creation, pro audio, lighting, and [...] The post NAMM ’26: Debuts for DJs Abound in Anaheim appeared first on DJ LIFE Magazine. View the full article

Polyend has released Synth 2.0, a major firmware update that expands the sound design depth, performance workflow, and creative potential of the Polyend Synth.… Read More Polyend Synth 2.0 Update Adds Dirt Synth Engine & MoreView the full article

Roland has announced Zenology GX for iPad, bringing the same advanced engine behind Roland’s flagship instruments, like FANTOM and JUPITER-X, to Apple's popular tablet platform.… Read More Roland Brings Flagship Zenology GX Synthesizer To iPadView the full article

Reason Studios has announced new purchase and licensing options for Reason DAW and Reason Rack.… Read More Reason Studios Announces New Pricing For Reason Rack & DAWView the full article

Here's an in-depth review and demo of the Korg phase8, an electro-acoustic instrument, based on the concept of acoustic synthesis.… Read More Korg Phase8 Review & DemoView the full article

The MPC XL Akai's next-generation large-format MPC, replacing the previous-generation MPC X and X SE.… Read More Akai MPC XL Review & DemoView the full article

Casio has introduced the Dimension Shifter - a wearable wireless controller that translates your motions into control over any effects that have an Expression In jack.… Read More Casio Intros Dimension Shifter Wireless Expressive ControllerView the full article

Polaris is designed to let you create sequences quickly, using a 16-step grid, using both samples and synthesis. … Read More Meteaure Polaris Now Available In App StoreView the full article