Music Production Forum

The Casio DG-20 is fun.....but not a great instrument.… Read More Casio DG-20 Guitar Synth Vintage Gear ReviewView the full article

Sequentix has announced that the Cirklon2 sequencer is now available without a waiting list, after several years.… Read More Sequentix Cirklon2 Sequencer Now Available View the full article

Impact Soundworks released the freely downloadable Orchestral Hit System: High Intensity Transients sound library for Kontakt Player. Orchestral Hit System: High Intensity Transients can be downloaded for free, but the developer welcomes any donations to help with download bandwidth costs (suggested price $5). The library is compatible with the free Kontakt Player version 7.8 upwards. [...] View post: Impact Soundworks releases the FREE Orchestral Hit System for Kontakt Player View the full article

Are you in need of a new piano sound in your DAW? Take a gander at this offering from Imagiro, called the Shearwater Piano for macOS and Windows. It’s a virtual instrument in VST3, AU, and AAX format made from a piano meticulously sampled by professional engineers at the Shearwater studio in England. According to [...] View post: Get Shearwater Piano Lite virtual instrument by Imagiro for free View the full article

Why bother with physical keys when you can get the same synthesizer inside your DAW? Go native with the best hardware to software synth ports. With digital synthesizers becoming increasingly more complex and chip-reliant, and computer power always increasing, we’ve reached a point where we can comfortably run synthesizers inside our DAWs as plugins. I’m not talking about emulations (although those are getting better all the time). I mean one-to-one ports from the hardware to the software, so completely identical that you can swap presets between them. What a world. What’s more, manufacturers are starting to release these ports with the original synth still in the shops. Y…

The new album From A Place To Bury Strangers, Synthesizer, features a record cover that you can turn into a DIY synthesizer.… Read More Here’s A Hands-On Demo Of The Record Cover That’s A Working SynthesizerView the full article

Imagine being able to recall every potentiometer setting, switch position, even cable patch routes. Adamsynths Warthog claims to be able to do this plus integrate with your DAW. There’s no denying that modular is fun to play and experiment with. For many, the lack of presets is part and parcel of the experience. Like life, it’s transient and impermanent. For others, though, the lack of recall is a bug, not a feature. One such person is Adam Minski, the founder of Adamsynths. The post Adamsynths Warthog: The First Modular Synthesizer With Total Recall and DAW Integration? appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Softube offers all new Subscriber Club members an exclusive 15% off sign-up code and two free plugins. There are no subscription fees; to become a member, you need only provide your email address. The free plugins featured are Wasted Space and Fix Phaser (combined cost of $108). The exclusive discount code and free plugin offer [...] View post: Join the Softube Subscriber Club and get two FREE plugins View the full article

The legendary sample editor ReCycle just got an overhaul and is now back for free! Younglings might not recognize how huge this is for a lot of the veteran producers out there, but this piece of classic software is now over thirty years old. Want to change up your workflow and tweak a piece of [...] View post: Reason relaunches classic sampler ReCycle for FREE View the full article

In this week’s edition of Synth Journal, we check out Tubbutec’s new hardware controllers for his synth mods, a massively powerful delay module for Eurorack, and a fascinating mini documentary about the life and work of Wendy Carlos… The post Wendy Carlos Documentary, Tubbutec Controllers and a Monster Delay Module: Synth Journal appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

A lot of music producers hold themselves to this lofty standard – thinking they need to design every sound from scratch. There’s this belief that the best artists, the ones they admire, are creating everything from an initialized preset, and if they’re not doing the same, then they’re somehow failing at self-expression. That mindset leads to the idea that relying on presets is “cheating.” But that couldn’t be further from the truth, and no one knows this better than Saad Ayub… The post Sound design in Massive: Saad Ayub’s essential techniques first appeared on Native Instruments Blog. View the full article

Behringer Grind is the latest addition to the semi-modular Crave series. Combining a digital multi-engine oscillator section with an analog filter, Grind is the first synth of the series that’s not entirely based on a Moog design. Grind is now available at Thomann* – but you better hurry! A couple of days ago, Behringer surprised us with the latest addition to its semi-modular series. Grind is a cross between the multi-engine module Brains and the fully analog Crave. However, its selection of oscillator algorithms differs slightly from Brains. With 24 digital sound engines, Grind can produce a wide range of hybrid sounds. The post Behringer Grind: Brains Meets Crave – Ava…

From @synthandsoftware - Redesigned 16A Offers Thunderbolt™ 4 / USB4 connectivity and new CueMix Pro™ app Press Announcement MOTU is now shipping a complete redesign of its popular 16A rack-mounted (1U) audio interface for macOS, Windows and iOS. The 32×34 16A connects to a Mac, PC or iPad with 40 Gbps Thunderbolt™ 4 or USB4 — another industry […] The post MOTU Ships Redesigned 16A Audio Interface appeared first on Synth and Software. View the full article

Behringer today announced that its 2-XM, a Euro format knockoff of the classic Oberheim Two Voice synthesizer, is now shipping.… Read More Behringer 2-XM, A Euro Format Oberheim 2-Voice Copy, Now ShippingView the full article

Usually priced at $69, Joey Sturgis Tones is now giving away their free JST Extra Spice plugin. Extra spice comes in VST3, AU, and AAX formats and works with macOS and Windows. Most BPB readers probably have a thick folder of saturation plugins at this point, but one can never have too many, right? Distortion [...] View post: Get JST Extra Spice saturation effect for FREE View the full article

After a three-year wait, the announced Behringer 2-XM is now available for order. The visually very close clone of Tom Oberheim’s SEM Two voice synthesizer can now be added to your shopping list. As expected, the Behringer 2-XM combines authentic VCO, VCF and VCA circuits with modern modulation capabilities in a semi-modular design. The duophonic analog synthesizer is based on two independent voices, each with two oscillators. These can be operated separately in split mode or combined in unison mode, allowing a total of four oscillators to be used simultaneously. Synchronization of the oscillators provides additional sonic variety, while two multimode filters with low-pas…

This week’s edition of Software Deals includes some great offers on effect plugins, software instruments, and expansion packs from XLN Audio, Pulsar Audio, and TC Electronic. Don’t miss this opportunity to save! If you’re really quick, you can save up to 40 % on software instruments, expansion packs, and effect plugins from XLN Audio at Thomann. The entire XLN Audio catalog is on sale for a couple of days more, including Addictive Drums 2, Addictive Trigger, Addictive Keys, and all ADpaks. For example, you can get the AD 2 Custom Collection that lets you choose your own combination of ADpaks, MIDIpaks, and Kitpiece Paks for just $89 / €99 – a 40 % discount! The XLN Audio …

Tiptop Audio & Buchla have released the latest module in their series of reissues of classic 200 Series modules in Eurorack format, the Quad Sample & Hold Model 264t.… Read More Tiptop Buchla 264t Quad Sample And Hold Model Hands-On DemoView the full article

The Arturia MicroFreak Vocoder Edition is available again! The striking limited edition of the popular hybrid synth comes with a gooseneck microphone. Arturia originally released the MicroFreak Vocoder Edition back in 2020 to celebrate the release of the firmware update that brought a 16-band vocoder to the tiny hybrid synth. More than four years later, the special edition is now available again. While it’s identical to the regular version in terms of features (with the current firmware, all MicroFreaks have vocoder functionality), the MicroFreak Vocoder Edition sports a striking white paint job and comes with a special gooseneck microphone that provides access to the “hi…

Welcome to the BPB Community Weekly Freebie Thread for March 31-April 6, 2025! 😊 Read the Thread Guidelines 💬 This section of our community is where BPB readers can share links to the latest freeware news and deals with fellow music producers in the comments. Thank you for contributing! To keep the discussion helpful and relevant, [...] View post: 💬 🔥 Weekly Deals & Freebies Thread View the full article

Welcome to the BPB Community Weekly Production Thread for March 31–April 5, 2025! 😊 This week’s topic is: Finishing Tracks. Feel free to ask our team and fellow BPB readers for help about techniques, ideas, workflows, and tips for finishing your songs. Thank you! Last week’s topic was EQ. Read the Thread Guidelines 💬 This section [...] View post: 💬 🎹 Weekly Production Thread: Finishing Tracks View the full article

Fors is the Swedish software development duo of Ess Mattisson and Felisha Ledesma, founded in 2020. Their latest release is Sala, a free shimmer reverb for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Mattisson and Ledesma set out to create custom tools that sound great and provide speedy results with minimal effort. Something that began as a personal [...] View post: Fors releases Sala, a FREE shimmer reverb for macOS, Windows, and Linux View the full article

Lancaster Audio teamed up with Aurora DSP to create Pulse 2 for Mac and PC. It works in all major DAWs and is the only freeware impulse response loader for Pro Tools. At its core, Pulse 2 does what any good IR loader should: it provides structure and a speedier way to get the best [...] View post: Lancaster Audio releases Pulse 2, the only FREE IR loader for Pro Tools View the full article

For years, fans of the legendary OP-1 Field have been waiting for a software version – now it seems to be happening! Teenage Engineering has announced that they will be releasing the popular synthesizer as OP-1 Field VST. The software version will bring all the familiar synthesizer engines, sampler, tape mode and even the effects section into a DAW-compatible environment. But there is a catch: the price* remains the same as for the hardware OP-1 Field. According to Teenage Engineering, this is a 1:1 emulation of the original OP-1 Field. Not only does it offer the familiar synthesizer engines and effects, but it also retains the intuitive design and tape mode – only direct…

House music thrives on its groove, with that human swing adding energy in the studio and on the dance floor. But DAW-based drum programming can sometimes lack authenticity, resulting in robotic grooves that fall short of what a producer wants. That’s why producers like Saraga turn to tools like Maschine to inject creativity and authenticity. Saraga exemplifies the success achievable with standout drum grooves in house music. With the launch of his Stardust record label and debut single “God Is Good” in late January, it’s the perfect time to explore how he leverages Maschine to create infectious grooves. In this interview, we discuss his unique approach to drum programming…

Sinevibes has released major updates for two of its effects for the Korg Multi-Engine line of synthesizers, Hollow v2 and Luminance v2, adding support for the NTS-1 mkII synth and NTS-3 kaoss pad.… Read More Sinevibes Hollow, Luminance Effects For Korg Multi-Engine Synths Get Major Updates View the full article

Signal Sounds shared this hands-on demo of the Maneco Labs Grone synthesizer, a Eurorack module that combines a digital VCO, an MS20-style filter and a clone of Mutable Instruments Clouds into a "granular droning synthesizer".… Read More Maneco Labs Grone Drone Synthesizer Hands-On Demo View the full article

Steinberg has released Nuendo 14, a major update to their DAW that they describe as "the new standard in audio post-production and game audio".… Read More Steinberg Nuendo 14 Adds AI-Powered Speech-To-Text Transcription & More View the full article

The KEY88 TOPRACK is a premium studio desk, designed for musicians, producers and composers who demand precision, flexibility, and ergonomic design.… Read More Unterlass Intros KEY88 TOPRACK Studio Desk System View the full article

Reader Paolo Nicolò Ferraguti shared this video, Afternoon Raag, capturing a live performance with the MacBeth Elements synthesizer.… Read More Live Performance With Rare MacBeth Elements Synthesizer View the full article