Production · Gear · Techniques
Channel 02 · Tested in the studio
In-depth reviews and analysis of music production gear, from VST plugins to hardware synthesizers.
news
Native Instruments has released Massive XL, the successor to Massive X, with an audio-to-patch Preset Generator, Mutator, 100+ new wavetables, poly aftertouch, and visible modulation. Features, pricing, and upgrade deals.
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Loopmasters' Loopcloud 8 brings Inspire, a genre-based loop idea generator, the Listen plugin that suggests samples to fit your mix, new effects, a smart library, and a mobile companion app. Features and pricing.
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ASYX from Isla Electronics is a modeled (not sampled) recreation of the Alesis Andromeda A6 analog polysynth for Mac and Windows. Features, A6 hardware link, formats, and the £99 launch price.
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Blinksonic HOLODRIFT pairs an eight-slot granular sampler with a real-time spectral resynthesis engine. Features, formats, system requirements, and the €119 launch price.
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Slate Digital has launched the Complete Access Free Collection, 16 mixing and effects plugins from Slate Digital, Solid State Logic, Harrison Audio and sonible that are free forever, with no iLok, no trial clock, and VST3, AU and AAX support on macOS and…
news
Push and Groove has released MICRONIX, a free monophonic synth plugin built on the open-source Mutable Instruments Plaits DSP code. It brings all 24 Plaits synthesis models to your DAW with an LFO, a modulation matrix, and ADSR or low-pass gate modes for…
news
UVI has renamed its free UVI Workstation plugin to UVI Player. The update plays every Falcon Expansion without a Falcon license, adds a redesigned preset browser and improved mixer, and arrives alongside the new UVI Builder Platform for partner sound brands.
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AudioThing has released Materia, an additive re-synthesizer plugin that analyses any sample into 96 editable harmonic partials with 128-point envelopes, plus a material resonator, filter, and effects. Available for macOS, Windows, and Linux at an intro price…
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MOTU is now shipping OctaLite, a $849.95 16x12 half-rack USB-C audio interface with eight mic/line/instrument inputs, DSP mixing and effects, 2 ms round-trip latency, and ADAT optical I/O that doubles as an 8-channel preamp expander.
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Behringer has launched Jam and Jam Play, 32-key USB MIDI keyboards with aftertouch, 64-step polyphonic sequencing, Chord Play, arpeggiators, and CV/Gate. Jam Play adds 128 onboard sounds, 10 drum kits, and four sequencer channels.
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MAP Audio has released Rhino 3, a revived hybrid FM synth made with Big Tick Audio, with six oscillators per voice, wavetables, a new FM matrix, four effect slots, VST3/AU support, and a $50 early-access price.
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Imaginando's new COLAPSO synth plugin builds its timbres from the measured emission lines of 22 chemical elements, with 3 oscillators, 8 voices, 200+ presets, and a €69 launch price for macOS and Windows.
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Cherry Audio's Pentaphonic plugin recreates the 1981 Gleeman Pentaphonic, a hybrid DCO polysynth with fewer than 70 units made, and expands it to 16 voices with a step sequencer, polyphonic aftertouch, and 22 effects for $59.
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Novation and Image-Line's FLpad and FLpad Mini are the first 8x8 grid controllers built for FL Studio's Channel Rack, with step sequencing, finger drumming, and six months of FL Studio Producer Edition included.
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Phoenix is Spitfire Audio's third instrument with BT: a cinematic hybrid synth with six synthesis engines, a 40GB sampler, 37 effects, and 16-voice MPE. It's £199 until 25 October, then £249.
plugins
Universal Audio intros desktop USB-C, iPad and iPhone compatible audio interface series: Volt
effects
Discover the timeless legacy of the legendary Fairchild compressors, renowned for their warm tube-driven sound. Explore their origins, features, and impact on music history.
beats
Maschine vs MPC Live II/MPC One: A comprehensive comparison of two leading beat-making machines. Explore their history, features, and performance to make an informed decision.
hardware
Condenser mics are one of the most popular in recording studios. They are mainly used on instruments with lots of dynamics and less volume – sudden transients. Dynamic microphones can withstand lots of transients and pressure from hard hitting instruments.…
plugins
Tracktion has released Kult, an innovative software synthesizer from DAWesome. It brings together a vast range of sound creation options, including immensely powerful oscillators based on the mathematical theory of chaos
daws
Stability AI enhances AI music creation with Stable Audio 2.0, offering improved song coherence, audio-to-audio generation, and future plans for open-source models. Explore more at stableaudio.com.
plugins
Output released a new version of their subscription based software instrument Arcade 2
plugins
The free Filter MS-20 plugin is great for both experienced and beginner music producers. With this plugin, you can easily recreate the classic sounds of the Korg MS-20, or you can experiment and create entirely new sounds. Whether you want to lay down a…
hardware
Today Presonus is making a big announcement of a new version of their DAW – Studio One 5 and brand new midi controller/step sequencer – Atom SQ. The PreSonus ATOM SQ is a versatile hybrid MIDI keyboard/pad performance and production controller that's ideal…
plugins
A new effect from Eventide arrives Today! Crystals combines twin reverse pitch shifters with reverse delays and reverb. This iconic H3000 Harmonizer® effect can be used to create out-of-this-world climbing and cascading pitched delays or unique sounding…
plugins
LUXE is an effect plugin that compress and saturate an audio signal in a subtile but musical way. It's very useful for making a track "fit in the mix" and can be used on anything from a drum bus to a vocal track. Its only continuous user parameter…
plugins
Universal Audio announces today a new DAW – LUNA Recording System that will be available for free for Apollo and Arrow interface owners. Luna is a full-featured creative suite for recording that follows an analog-style production system. Additionally, the…
plugins
Waves has released a new plugin OVox Vocal ReSynthesis Description from Waves website: Transform your vocal productions with the next-generation voice-controlled synth and vocal effects processor. Create a limitless palette of vocal morphing, tuning,…
synths
Today on NAMM show Moog Music has announced a stripped down version of their Subsequent 37 synth – Subsequent 25. Subsequent 25 is a 2-note paraphonic analog synthesizer that melds the hands-on analog soul of classic Moog instruments with the convenience and…
daws
Legendary console manufacturer Solid State Logic (SSL) has launched their first-ever dedicated audio interfaces as part of their new personal studio range: the SSL 2, and SSL 2+. Both are USB-powered and include class-leading mic preamps, legacy 4K analogue…
plugins
This year Black Friday deals started early. Here’s a great selection of best deals on VST plugins from Native Instruments, Arturia, Sonnox and many others Get best Black Friday Deals (updated on 24th November)
hardware
Watch step by step tutorial recreating the beat behind
beats
Quick beat from sampling. Its nothing special just wanted to put some thing yup. Hope you dig it. I plan on posting more. If you want the beat just hit me
hardware
In this exclusive 1st-look video at the new features in Maschine 2.6.5 Hollin Jones explores and demonstrates Ideas View and the other main additions in th
hardware
Ski Beatz, rapper and producer, and Stoni, a Native Instruments Product Specialist, give a Maschine Studio workshop at Sam Ash Manhattan. Ski and Stoni cov
hardware
Jeremy Ellis, an acclaimed master on the 16 pads, delivers a stellar MASCHINE performance from the rooftops of LA. For more information, go to http://nativ
daws
How the MacBook Pro Touch Bar maps to Logic Pro X for scrolling arrangements, channel strips, and transport control.
synths
Here what's new: added: PNG (image) to WT import -> drag PNG to WT, it load PNG, stretches to internal 2048×256 size, maps luminance to WT
ableton live
Ableton announced Push 2, with a color display and sampling tools, alongside Live 9.5 and a redesigned Simpler.
plugins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWonFksCK0s Kilohearts announced new multi-FX plugin Kilohearts Multipass . It is a multiband FX processor
synths
UVI released their brand new instrument - hybrid synth/sampler with 15 different samples/synth engines, great bunch of effects and unlimited modulation and