With not much changing in DJ hardware throughout 2025, some of the biggest developments in DJ tech last year were in software. (That’s started to change with NAMM in early 2026, but that’s another story…) In this roundup, we look at the state of play with the big names, and examine some of the trends…
The Essential Guide to Preparing Your Album for Mastering with KVR Create
Completing the recording and mixing stages of an album is a massive technical and creative achievement. However, transforming a collection of individual mixes into a cohesive commercial release requires a precise approach to the final stage of production: Album Mastering. While single-track mastering focuses on the sonic optimization of one file, album mastering is about…
Kurzweil Announces SP8 Stage Keyboard
Kurzweil Music Systems has announced the release of the SP8, a new stage keyboard designed for live performance and studio integration. Built upon Kurzweil’s V.A.S.T. engine and utilizing FlashPlay technology, the instrument features an 88-key fully weighted hammer-action keybed and offers 256 voices of polyphony. The SP8 ships with 2 GB of factory sounds, organized…
Yamaha Announcements at NAMM 2026: MODX M Synths, MGX Digital Mixers, URX Interfaces & CC1 Controller
Yamaha has unveiled a significant range of new electronic musical instruments and pro audio equipment at the 2026 NAMM Show. The launch lineup is headlined by the new MODX M synthesizer series, the MGX line of digital mixers, URX audio interfaces, and the CC1 control surface. MODX M Synthesizers The MODX M series (comprising the…
SampleScience releases free Cozy Piano virtual instrument
SampleScience has released Cozy Piano, a free virtual instrument based on a multi-sampled upright piano recording. Cozy Piano was recorded on March 17, 2025 in Thuir, France, using a Remeau upright piano captured in a living-room environment with natural room ambience. The recording chain consisted of a Tascam FR-AV2 recorder and a pair of Rode…
Native Instruments Releases Scene: Bloodplant for Kontakt
Native Instruments has announced the release of Scene: Bloodplant, a new cinematic instrument designed for creating dystopian and industrial soundscapes. Part of the company’s “Scene” series, the library is compatible with the free Kontakt Player and the full version of Kontakt. Targeted at media composers and sound designers, Bloodplant focuses on gritty, sci-fi textures suitable…
DAWJunkie releases LeadOff Jr, a FREE wavetable synth for macOS and Windows
We all know the drill by now with DAWJunkie: we get a nice freebie, with the option to upgrade to a fully-featured big brother for just $1. Their latest freebie is LeadOff Jr, a free wavetable synth for macOS and Windows. We’ve had Lil Miss Doubler, Lil Bottom Jr, and more recently, Craze. This time…
Beyerdynamic releases Headphone Lab, a FREE plugin bringing the studio to your DT headphones
Developer Beyerdynamic presented us with Headphone Lab, a free plugin that brings the studio to your DT headphones. We all know the pitfalls of mixing in headphones and untreated spaces, but, as bedroom producers, most of us are used to making the best of imperfect situations. Besides the fatigue and the fact that even the…