Music Production Forum

Expressive, evolving, and rhythmically dynamic sounds are the speciality of Circular, a polyphonic sequencer from Native Instruments for Kontakt and the free Kontakt Player that make it easy to create unique, sophisticated soundscapes. Featuring 255 presets and over 160 experimental sound sources, Circular caters to those looking for exciting new sounds quickly, and those looking for a more involved experience will discover an unimaginable array of sound design possibilities under the hood... The post How to create dynamic, expressive sounds with polyphonic sequencer Circular first appeared on Native Instruments Blog. View the full article

Have you recovered from Superbooth yet? Then check out this week’s Synth Journal with Yamaha’s totally bonkers one-off control surfaces, a fascinating software synth based on fluid dynamics, and the gorgeous sound of analog PPG synths... The post Yamaha’s Amazing One-Off Control Surfaces, PROTEAN, PPG: Synth Journal appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Arturia’s littlest controller in their Lab range, the MicroLab, gets the Mk.3 treatment in the hope that it can persuade you to stick it in your backpack for music-making on the go. When it comes to making music on the move, or if your bedroom studio is, how you might say, “capacity-challenged”, then most companies have a miniature version of their controllers to ensure you don’t miss out. Arturia’s MicroLab has been one of the most popular in recent years... The post Arturia MicroLab Mk.3 – Improved Quality, Lower Price! appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Arturia has released the MicroLab MK3, a small but seemingly powerful MIDI controller that could fit nicely in your bedroom studio and your backpack. Plus, with licenses for Ableton Live Lite, Analog Lab Intro, and a handful of nifty features, the $60 asking price seems pretty tantalising... The post At $60, Arturia’s MicroLab MK3 MIDI controller could be perfect for bedroom producers appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

If you’re in the market for a mixing and mastering suite, then you’re in luck as Plugin Boutique currently offers IK Multimedia’s T-RackS 6 Mix and Mastering Suite for $30, representing a 70% saving from the list price of $100. T-RackS 6 is a 64-bit release for macOS (AU, VST3, AAX) and Windows (VST3, AAX). [...] View post: Get the IK Multimedia T-RackS 6 Mix and Mastering Suite for $30 View the full article

ASM has released a firmware update and the new ASM Manager app for the Hydrasynth family! The new patch manager offers an improved workflow for more intuitive browsing. Ashun Sound Machines (ASM) has released the new and improved ASM Manager app for the Hydrasynth series. The software for macOS and Windows replaces the previous Hydrasynth Manager. ASM says that the new app offers a refreshed GUI and smoother workflow for more efficient and intuitive sound management... The post ASM Hydrasynth: New ASM Manager App and Firmware Update 2.2 appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

To close out his panel on video game composition for the debut edition of the London Soundtrack Festival, Steve Schnur, President of Music for Electronic Arts, asked the composers on stage the following question: “What composers have influenced you?” Sitting on the panel were lauded game composers such as Ludvig Forssell (Death Stranding) and Stephen Barton (Star Wars Jedi: Survivor), the latter of whom organised the video game programming for the festival... The post “Don’t turn the music into the wallpaper in a kid’s bedroom”: Two video game soundtrackers on crafting music that players actually hear appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Ableton is running a rare sale on Live, its flagship digital audio workstation, through May 20th, 2025.… Read More Save Up to 25% On Ableton Live Through May 20View the full article

Leet AI is a new modular, open-source synthesizer is designed to be small, playful, and stackable… Read More New Open-source AI Synth Project, Leet AI, Is Modular, Wireless & Python-basedView the full article

This video offers a comparison between the new Moog Messenger and seven of Moog's other classic monophonic synthesizers.… Read More How Does The New Moog Messenger Stack Up Against The Company’s Classic Monosynths?View the full article

The web was a very different place in 1995 - before Youtube, before Facebook, before Twitter/X and before MySpace. Sonic State launched '95 and quickly established itself as a destination for anyone interested in instruments and recording.… Read More Sonic State Celebrates 30th AnniversaryView the full article

Looking for a compact but powerful monosynth? Check out MOSS-101, a surprisingly deep virtual analog mono now on Kickstarter. After all of the synth announcements at Superbooth25 you might be all synthed out, but don’t relax yet! Here’s another one that looks to be worth your time. Called MOSS-101, it’s a virtual analog monosynth in a guitar pedal enclosure. Don’t let the tiny size fool you, though, as this appears to be a very capable – and great-sounding – little synth... The post MOSS-101 Is a Sweet-Sounding VA Monosynth in a Guitar Pedal Enclosure appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Making music in the box is all fun and games until you need to replicate instruments that humans have been hearing outside the box for centuries. Strings and pianos, for example, are notoriously difficult to recreate in a digital environment, even with high-end VST instruments and samplers like Kontakt. But if anyone has mastered this challenge, it’s Paradoks. His latest release on Nora En Pure Purified Records, “C’est Toi,” is a testament to his ability to turn MIDI-based VST strings into some of the most lifelike, expressive string arrangements you’ll hear. Paradoks, a Belgian producer known for balancing club energy with emotional depth, relies on string-driven chord p…

Iconic Instruments has partnered with legendary producer Steve Levine to create Levine’s Machine software series. The series recreates some of the most-used hardware from Steve’s studio in the virtual realm, and Levine’s Machines – Drum Machine is the first installment. Levine’s Machines – Drum Machine is an authentic recreation of Steve’s LM-1 drum machine. The [...] View post: Get the Levine’s Machines – Drum Machine Linn LM-1 Plugin for $79 for a limited time View the full article

We’ve got free sounds for your Moog Muse, a new bank of patches for Xils Labs excellent ‘The Eighty’, and an excellent sound pack for the KORG multi/poly. Who doesn’t like free patches? Well, if you’re a Moog Muse owner, this week we’ve got you covered. We’ve also got some great new multi/poly patches from Limbic Bits and some beautiful sounds for ‘The Eighty’ from Xils Labs... The post Spent All Your Money on a Moog Muse? Get Free Sounds For It Here! – Sounds and Presets appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article Moog Muse · Source: Moog Music

Electronic producer Isaac Baden-Powell, AKA Waz-u, has become acutely attuned to spinning many plates. As well as the release of his latest album, Preludes: Duck Psalms, Baden-Powell also runs a studio alongside his brother and fellow producer, Mali Baden-Powell, and is the drummer for alternative soul project Monzanto Sound and experimental punk project Nexus_0... The post Waz-u: “If you want to do something unexpected, be controlled and intentional about it” appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Like it or not, AI is here in music, and it’s changing things fast. And while many musicians and industry figures are strongly opposed to the greater presence of artificial intelligence in all stages of music creation and distribution, others are more accepting, and say artists should simply adapt to the changing times. In a new conversation on MusicTech’s My Forever Studio podcast – which sees producers and musicians choose items to go in their fantasy forever studio – production prodigy Charlie Deakin Davies says the music industry is ever-changing, so artists should expect it to continue doing so... The post “Yes, it’s scary. Your job might get taken away, but work wit…

MQA Labs has launched two new plugins to give producers “unprecedented control” over the “critical details” in their recordings. The new plugins – named Inspira and Endura – both offer a different set of tools which each address different challenges in digital audio. They were previously teased during NAMM back in January under different names (simply called Input and Output plugins)... The post These new plugins from MQA Labs give you in-depth control over “critical details” in your recordings appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Kontakt can bring new worlds of sound into your tracks. Whether you’re looking for punchy modern drums, vintage keys, or characterful instruments from across the globe, there’s probably a Kontakt library (or several) that will scratch the itch. What’s more, many of these instruments are free. In this article, we’ll run down five of the best free Kontakt libraries for hip hop production. Some of these instruments offer handy free hip hop samples to get you started on a track. Others deliver compelling soundworlds that will give your finished productions extra polish and depth. You can start using these samples, sounds, and more using the free Kontakt Player, a streamlined …

For a limited time, you can save up to 25 per cent off Ableton Live 12 Standard and Suite purchases, including upgrades, at Sweetwater and Thomann. That equals a saving of up to $225, so now is probably the best time to download the DAW if you’ve been holding out… The post Ableton Live 12 is now 25% off — but not for long appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Dorico SE is Steinberg’s free music notation software for macOS and Windows, and it was recently updated to version 6. Music notation software has come a long way since the likes of SCORE in the late 1960s and even the early days of Sibelius. These days, there’s no shortage of useful options, including a few [...] View post: Dorico SE6: Steinberg updates FREE music notation software for macOS and Windows View the full article

HydraTek and Spektralisk have teamed up once again to release Nihil, a new sound pack for Xfer Records’ Serum 2, as well as a standalone WAV sample collection. They are also giving away the collection for free to three lucky BPB readers. Nihil is designed for producers and composers craving raw intensity and deep cinematic [...] View post: BPB Exclusive: 30% OFF Nihil By HydraTek & Spektralisk + Giveaway! View the full article

Developer Andrew John March has launched a Kickstarter project to fund production of the MOSS-101, a virtual analog monosynth, packed into a compact, rugged guitar pedal enclosure.… Read More New MOSS-101 Synth Fits In Your PocketView the full article

At Superbooth 2025, Analog Sweden & Nyström previewed the Crum 2 Generative Percussive Harmonic Machine, a collaboration with Sweden instrument designer Love Hultén.… Read More Crum 2 Drum Synthesizer First Look At Superbooth 2025View the full article

A new update for the Kodamo EssenceFM adds a 16-track step sequencer, second LFO and more to the already powerhouse FM synth. There are a lot of synthesizers out there. With so many choices, not every synth can get the attention it deserves, especially when it comes from an independent manufacturer without big bucks for marketing. Kodamo’s EssenceFM is one such synth. A 300-voice FM poly with some unique features and parameters, it often tends to get overlooked for other, more well-known FM instruments. IYKYK though... The post Kodamo EssenceFM Update v7.0 Makes This 300-Voice Digital Poly More Powerful Than Ever appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

sonicLAB has introduced Protean, a new software synth and audiovisual instrument for macOS & Windows that uses fluid dynamics and particle forces/interactions to render and organize hundreds of sine waves.… Read More sonicLAB Protean Uses Fluid Dynamics As A Unique Approch To SynthesisView the full article

Tone Empire has released EDYNpre, a tube saturation plugin based on the classic Electrodyne 1204 console, and it’s completely free to download until May 20th. EDYNpre brings the character of a vintage mixing console to your DAW, offering a bold, punchy sound with plenty of analog vibe. Based on the image on Tone Empire’s website, [...] View post: Tone Empire EDYNpre analog-style saturation plugin is FREE until May 20 View the full article

Emotive Brass is the latest addition to the free Origins Series from Sonixinema. Sonixinema’s Origins Series has been nothing short of exceptional so far; the free series, including Delicate Strings and Whispering Woodwinds, is a must for anyone interested in media scoring. Brass is often a tricky section for developers because it’s a very unforgiving [...] View post: Sonixinema releases Emotive Brass, the latest addition to the FREE Origins Series View the full article

Despacio – the mighty sound system created by James Murphy, Soulwax, and audio expert John Klett – is coming to Portola music festival this September. The sound system is not like any other out there, and MusicTech went as far to call it the “world’s greatest” when we got to take a look inside the system itself back in 2019, prior to its appearance at Meltdown Festival... The post We called Despacio the “world’s greatest sound system” – here’s what to expect at Portola 2025 appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Plugin Boutique is currently offering Comeback Kid by BABY Audio for just $9.99—a massive drop from its regular $69 price tag. If you’ve been holding out for a top-tier delay plugin, this is your cue. BABY Audio is one of my favorite developers. They have a lineup of easy-to-use but epic-sounding plugins like I Heart [...] View post: BABY Audio Comeback Kid Delay Plugin Now $9.99 at Plugin Boutique View the full article