NAMM 2020 Round-Up: Part One

We rounded up our favourite pieces of new gear from NAMM 2020. There has been a growing trend for brands to find new and innovative ways to cut through the noise when promoting their products. Novations’s Peak was released at Superbooth, Teenage Engineering use their travelling van and Behringer appear to avoid events choosing instead…

Roland MC-101

With the exception of the SE-02 synth, a collaboration with Studio Electronics, Roland has stubbornly doubled down on the digital technologies behind its Boutique and AIRA series instruments. With the MC-101, a tiny but powerful groovebox, its sounds make it a very convincing creative machine. Over the last few decades, as old and new electronic…

Kilohearts updates all software to v1.8

A significant update to all Kilohearts software is now available and is free for existing owners. Users can update to v1.8 by simply running the Kilohearts installer and clicking… Read More Read the full story

Villager

“If you are pursuing art professionally for any other reason besides a passion for the craft, you will be let down.” Villager introduces himself. Who are you?  Alex Young: Villager  Where are you from? Maryland. What have you released so far? What else have you got coming out in the near future? My first EP…

Sulta Synths: Layered Melodic Leads

Synth Secrets is a series of programming tutorials in which we show how to make a range of classic and new synth sounds using plugins such as Massive, Sylenth and Diva. In this Synth Secrets, we’re creating a Denis Sulta-inspired layered lead-synth part that emulates his fresh, catchy and melodic sound. The Scottish producer does…

Empress Effects – ZOIA 

Empress Effects is a renowned effects pedal maker. But with ZOIA, Empress attempts to combine instrumental effects with modular hardware and software. DJ Pangburn explored the ZOIA as both an effects unit and modular synthesizer. Here is what he has to say.  Empress Effects is, like Earthquaker Devices and Strymon, one of the premiere effects…