Music Production Forum

FM synthesis has been a defining style of sound design in electronic dance music for decades. In recent years, however, newer producers have been shying away from it, possibly because it can appear restrictive or overly complex. However, that’s far from the truth, and few understand this better than Laidback Luke. With a career spanning decades in club-friendly music, he has observed how trends evolve. He notes that FM synthesis is experiencing a resurgence in popularit With his latest release, “It Clicked,” now out on Dim Mak Records, we invited him to discuss the evolution of FM synthesis, why it’s not as intimidating as it might seem, and …

If you need more dynamic processing tools, Vain Audio offers an updated version of Orange Gate for free in VST3 format for Windows only. Orange gate consists of two modules that do gating and compressing, respectively. The plug-in also boasts a spectrum analyzer and a sidechain filter, giving you additional control over dynamic processing. First [...] View post: Vain Audio updates FREE Orange Gate gate plugin for Windows View the full article

For over twenty years, Acon Digital has developed premium-quality audio software. Now, they have announced a limited-time sale on their mixing and mastering plugins with discounts up to 70% off. There’s also a special giveaway available for BPB readers (more info at the end of the article). The sale covers some of Acon Digital’s most [...] View post: Acon Digital launches Mix & Master Sale and GIVEAWAY for BPB readers View the full article

Planet of the Cubs is a lite version of Safari Pedals Planet of the Amps vintage guitar amp sim pack and it is free for a very limited time. At the time of publishing this article, the offer is set to expire in 17 hours. Planet of the Cubs aims to provide authentic amp-style dynamics [...] View post: Safari Pedals Planet of the Cubs Vintage Amp FX Pack is FREE for a limited time View the full article

With thousands of new pieces of gear and software being released every day, it’s easy to assume that the key to making great music lies in having the perfect collection of tools. But for Emma-Jean Thackray, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. The producer, composer and multi-instrumentalist – whose sophomore album, Weirdo, is due out 25 April – speaks in a new interview with MusicTech, where she opens up about her creative ethos and her views on gear... The post “Screw the gear. Develop your skills before you go and buy something”: Emma-Jean Thackray explains why musicians should invest in creativity, not gear appeared first on MusicTech. Vi…

Chromatic Instruments has released Pistachiotone MR-65, a free Kontakt library that faithfully captures the nostalgic sounds of the Casiotone MT-65 synthesizer. To function, it requires the full version of Kontakt 6.8.0 or later. For those of us who grew up with—or at least picked up—second-hand vintage Casio keyboards, this release hits right in the nostalgia [...] View post: Chromatic Instruments release free Casiotone MT-65 emulation for NI Kontakt View the full article

Rob Papen Inspiration Soundware has announced availability of eXplorer-10, its latest bundle, which includes the introduction of RAW-2, the SynFex virtual synth, and BLUE-III eXplorer-X and Albino-3 Legend XPS soundsets. RAW-2 retains the original RAW feature-packed OSC 1 and OSC 2 sections, each with an X/Y field to distort the waveforms (using phase distortion). Users… Read More Rob Papen eXplorer-10 Now Available, Includes RAW-2 and SynFex and More View the full article

GS Music shared this video demo of the Bree6, a polyphonic analog synthesizer that features six voices of polyphony, each equipped with a single voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and a sub oscillator.… Read More GS Music Bree6 Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer First LookView the full article

Heritage Audio and its sub-brand LANG Electronics have revealed the LANG PEQ-2 plugin, emulating the Lang PEQ-2 program equaliser from the ’60s, which was reissued in 2023. Heritage has given several of its own hardware classics similar treatment in the past, recreating all of its Successor stereo bus compressor’s features as a plugin with new features. It also similarly transformed its Symph EQ, and its BritStrip console channel strip... The post This industry-favourite hardware EQ by Heritage Audio has been turned into a plugin – and it’s much more affordable appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Last week, BFD Drums announced the release of BFD 3.5 – a major update to FXpansion’s flagship acoustic drum studio software with an enhanced engine and new features for greater realism, precision and control. BFD 3.5 builds upon its legacy as a premier drum production tool, introducing an enhanced engine and best-in-class features designed to… Read More FXpansion Updates BFD DrumsView the full article

Keinemusik’s All I Got didn’t make it to the top of the Beatport charts, and stayed there for a healthy number of weeks, by chance. It’s a masterclass in groove, texture, and production know-how, balancing laid-back warmth with club-friendly energy that hits just as perfectly on a festival system as it does during more casual listening on smaller speakers. And that’s what we’ll be breaking down today... The post Why it works: Dissecting the production moves that brought Keinemusik’s “All I Got” to the top of the charts first appeared on Native Instruments Blog. View the full article

A state-of-the-art studio created to honour the legacy of legendary inventor and audio pioneer Les Paul has opened in Los Angeles. The studio is located in the historic United Recording building at 6050 Sunset Blvd and features meticulously restored original equipment used by the legendary inventor and guitarist... The post A recording studio honouring Les Paul has opened in LA – and it even features the pioneer’s own 8-track recording console appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Hans Zimmer feels his score for the 1988 film Rain Man marked the start of orchestras adapting to working with synthesizers for movies. Rain Man won Best Picture at the 1989 Academy Awards, with Zimmer being nominated for Best Original Score. He went on to be Oscar-nominated for a number of other synth-laden scores, including Interstellar and Dune: Part One, the latter of which he won Best Score for in 2022... The post Hans Zimmer says his Rain Man score was the “beginning of orchestras having to adapt” to synth-written movie scores appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

TEILE Elektronik, the brand co-owned by techno artist Rampa, has launched a new range of high-end studio monitors. The new SL Series lineup offers three active studio monitors, including a two-way 6.5-inch model (SLs), a three-way 8-inch model (SLm), a three-way 12-inch model (SL2), plus a matching 18-inch studio subwoofer (SLw). Each has been handcrafted in Germany, with prices starting over €7,000... The post These super-high-end studio monitors are designed by a techno veteran – and cost up to €31,200 appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Generally speaking, knowing theory makes you a more proficient musician, and helps you understand why certain chord progressions, note sequences and arrangements work with one another. But is a deep understanding of theory absolutely necessary to be a successful songwriter? One YouTuber certainly doesn’t think so… The post YouTuber says music theory makes you a “good analyst or technician” – but not necessarily a good songwriter appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Bedroom Producers Blog has launched an improved commenting system and a new BPB Community. Introducing the New BPB Community After months of planning and testing, I’m excited to launch the new BPB Community. This update brings a new and improved commenting system and a dedicated Community section, making it easier than ever for readers to [...] View post: 💬 Introducing the new BPB Community View the full article

Welcome to the BPB Community Weekly Freebie Thread for March 10–16, 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, please [...] View post: 💬 🔥 Weekly Deals & Freebies Thread View the full article

Welcome to the BPB Community Weekly Production Thread for March 10–16, 2025! 😊 Read the Thread Guidelines 💬 This section of our community is where BPB readers can share questions and tips about music production with fellow music producers in the comments. Thank you for contributing! To keep the discussion helpful and relevant, please follow these [...] View post: 💬 🎹 Weekly Production Tips & Feedback Thread View the full article

FeelYourSound has released a new version of its MIDI generator plug-in, TranceEngine (VST + AU). TranceEngine is a specialized songwriting tool. It can turn any chord progression into melodies, driving arpeggios, deep basslines, and memorable hooks. If you don’t have your own chord progression yet, TranceEngine can generate one for you. Different progression algorithms… Read More FeelYourSound Updates TranceEngine, Adds New PresetsView the full article

Bradshaw Instruments has introduced Drumkid, an aleatoric drum machine, now available as a Eurorack module.… Read More Bradshaw Instruments Intros Drumkid Aleatoric Drum Machine For Eurorack Modular SynthesizersView the full article

WideFire from the developer JMG Sound is now free for a limited time at United Plugins. Some of you may be familiar with the DarkFire analog-style saturation plugin from JMG Sound. If you are, you might be one of the users who asked for a streamlined plugin providing the core features of DarkFire. JMG Sound [...] View post: JMG Sound’s WideFire is FREE until March 19 at United Plugins View the full article

Protility is a free audio toolkit that makes short work of many essential mixing tasks! This week’s edition of Free Plugins also brings you an all-in-one mixing suite and a unique additive synth. Enjoy! ... The post Protility, Mix Locker, Colours: Free Plugins of the Week appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

UVI Workstation 4 features a refined user interface and powerful workflow enhancements, including a redesigned browser, preset tags, audio previews, and the new UVI Starter soundpack.… Read More UVI Intros Workstation 4 Soundware Player View the full article

What are the best free plugins of the year so far? We test them out and reveal our opinions. If you’re like me, you’re probably downloading free plugins all the time. Every week, Lasse rounds up the best ones in his ongoing Free Plugins of the Week series. I read the roundup and download the plugins with every intention of trying them out – and then roundly forget about them. To rectify that, I thought we could take a look at some of the best free plugins of the year so far and see how they fare in this version of Tops and Flops. Are these really the best free plugins of the year so far? Let’s find out… The post Best Free Plugins of the Year So Far: Tops and Flops appeare…

BFD gets a healthy update to version 3.5, but can it cut it against the other big drum plugin kids? It’s fair to say that BFD has had to endure some turbulent times in recent years. First, the original developer, FXpansion, was acquired by ROLI in 2016. Then, after that incarnation of ROLI went under, inMusic stepped in and acquired the BFD brand and, presumably, the code, IP and developers. BFD was always a favourite amongst drum sample plugin users, but this passing of the proverbial hot potato meant that it slipped somewhat behind its competition when it came to “keeping up with the Jones’s”. It suffered mostly from a messy UI that looked lost on today’s big …

Delicate Strings features the sound of a 14-piece chamber string ensemble.… Read More Free String Virtual Instrument From SonixinemaView the full article

You have full control over the complexity of the beat and can specify whether you need complete drum tracks, individual sounds, or patterns only.… Read More Audiomodern Intros Playbeat 4 AI-Powered Drum Designer For iOS, Mac & WindowsView the full article

Analoguesque Sound Designs let us know that they've updated their collection of free sounds for the ASM Hydrasynth family of synthesizers, and they shared a new video preview.… Read More ASM Hydrasynth Free Patch Bank DemoView the full article

Expressive E has introduced Myth Expressive Suite, a collection of 300 custom MPE presets, designed for Dawesome’s Myth software synthesizer.… Read More Expressive E Intros Myth Expressive SuiteView the full article

Pioneering synthesist and composer Michael Stearns and composer/developer Christian Halten have released a new album, Sounds Searching for People, that’s available now via Bandcamp. The music is the result of a three-year collaboration between Stearns, who is based in Santa Fe, and Halten, who is based in Berlin. Stearns is best known for his ambient… Read More New Music From Michael Stearns & Christian Halten, ‘Sounds Searching for People’View the full article