Arturia has announced AstroLab 2.0, a substantial update for its performance-focused keyboard range that brings deeper sound editing directly to the hardware, adds more than 60 new stage-ready sounds, and introduces a handful of practical workflow and performance improvements. https://youtu.be/6sfxZIYLZik?si=E5pJZ6WPOYkN5gbK Key Features New Sound Edit view exposes instrument parameters directly from the front panel Instrument-specific parameter pages mapped across the four macro knobs More than 60 new sounds spanning piano, brass, strings and bass New Pure Grand Clean acoustic piano sampled across eight velocity layers Improved sampler polyphony, aftertouch, Analog Lab integration and preset browsing There’s always been an interesting…
Author: Lachlan Powell
A studio can grow surprisingly quickly once you start recording other people. Universal Audio’s new Volt Gen 2 and Volt Max USB audio interfaces give musicians more room to move, introducing Tone Shaping Preamps, 32-bit/192 kHz conversion and ADAT input on selected models. The Max range adds compressor presets for vocals, guitar and bass, while a fresh design gives the whole family a rather handsome new look. https://youtu.be/eBBUhZYZwPc?si=NoReg_idVpG5JMUc Key Features ADAT input on Volt 4 Gen 2, Volt 2 Max, Volt 4 Max and Volt 4P Max supports expansion with compatible external equipment. Tone Shaping Preamps offer Warmth, Focus and…
Arturia has opened up its flagship software synth with Pigments Play, a new free instrument built on the same sound engine as Pigments. It comes loaded with 100 curated presets, six synthesis types, 68 filter modes and 20 effects, but wraps them inside a simplified interface designed to get you making sounds without disappearing down the synthesis rabbit hole. https://youtu.be/fagPL1sfQSU?si=bYmQpgX_XC8twXdt Key Features Free software synthesizer powered by the full Pigments sound engine 100 curated presets covering keys, pads, basses, sequences and leads Six synthesis types including Virtual Analog, Wavetable, Granular, Sample, Harmonic and Modal 68 filter modes and 20 effects…
AIAIAI has introduced the next generation of its portable wireless UNIT-4 studio monitors, bringing the concept back at a more affordable price point while adding a rugged carry case as standard. With more than 20 hours of battery life, reference-focused sound and ultra-low latency wireless audio, UNIT-4 remains built around a simple idea: taking proper monitoring wherever you want to make music. Key Features More affordable UNIT-4 package, now including a rugged carry case for easier transport Two-way active monitors with 4-inch high-excursion woofer and 1-inch silk-dome tweeter Flat ±2dB frequency response from 50Hz–20kHz, with bass extension down to 40Hz…
Arturia has released MiniFreak firmware 5.0, a free update that opens the hybrid synth up to user samples and custom wavetables. Users can now import their own audio, bring across wavetables from libraries including Pigments, and use that material within MiniFreak’s existing synthesis architecture. https://youtu.be/LOQxDakPLsU?si=Oeprn4i2frKlfKC- Key Features Import WAV, AIFF and FLAC samples up to six seconds long Samples are converted to 12-bit / 32 kHz for MiniFreak’s sample-based engines Import custom mono 24-bit, 512-point wavetables Wavetable compatibility includes content created with Arturia Pigments Factory Bank v5.0 adds 23 new sample and wavetable-based presets Sometimes the best firmware updates are…
KORG has introduced the TM-1 Combo Tuner Metronome, a compact practice tool that lets musicians monitor pitch and rhythm simultaneously. At just 51 grams without batteries, it’s the smallest and lightest model in KORG’s TM Series yet. https://youtu.be/reYk-Q7ybrU?si=VaArIVJ9oOaD-O52 Key Features Simultaneous tuner and metronome operation C1–C8 tuning range with accuracy within ±1 cent 30–252 BPM metronome with Tap Tempo 15 rhythm and beat variations Optional CM-400 contact microphone support Tuners and metronomes aren’t exactly the most glamorous things in the gear bag, but they’re probably among the most useful. KORG’s new TM-1 keeps both close at hand, shrinking the familiar…
Universal Audio has undergone a major update to LUNA with LUNA 3.0, a major evolution of its music production platform spanning the free-to-use LUNA Free and the expanded LUNA Studio package. The new generation introduces tools including stem separation, Audio-to-MIDI, chord extraction and lyric transcription, while LUNA Studio brings those workflows together with a larger collection of UAD plug-ins, instruments and third-party creative tools. https://youtu.be/Ho7TSD3F4Gk?si=_AxfNxWpHCkArq2Y Key Features New stem separation options for isolating vocals, drums, bass, piano, guitar and other elements Audio-to-MIDI turns recorded performances and separated stems into editable MIDI Chord Extraction and Lyric Transcription add new ways to…
Arturia has given its studio workhorse an under-the-hood refresh with the new AudioFuse Studio Rev2 – retaining the seriously comprehensive connectivity of the original while introducing optimised DiscretePRO preamps, updated conversion and an upgraded Bluetooth receiver. https://youtu.be/9elV9pbtywk?si=JUpm9MGKY5LoBJnL Key Features Four DiscretePRO preamps with 78dB of gain, -129dBu EIN and 119dB dynamic range Eight analogue inputs including four mic/line/instrument inputs and a dedicated phono input Latest-generation 24-bit AD/DA conversion at up to 192kHz ADAT, S/PDIF, Word Clock, MIDI, USB-C and upgraded Bluetooth connectivity Four analogue inserts, dedicated reamping outputs and comprehensive monitor control There are audio interfaces designed to live quietly…
Polyend has shown off Keys, a prototype mechanical QWERTY keyboard that doubles as a three-octave MIDI controller. With nine assignable encoders, TRS MIDI, Bluetooth, a rechargeable battery and an open-source platform, it initially sounds a little gimmicky — but the more we look at it, the more we want one on our desk. https://youtu.be/Lkcn2z7o_8o?si=H-j4-avzcP7_a8Pa Key Features Mechanical QWERTY keyboard with a three-octave musical layout Nine rotary controls assignable to MIDI CCs and computer functions TRS MIDI output for controlling hardware USB, Bluetooth and a built-in rechargeable battery Hot-swappable Kailh switches and open-source software There’s no shortage of gear trying to…
Arturia has introduced Pure Sub, a dedicated bass design synthesizer built around the idea that modern low-end deserves more than a sine wave and a distortion plug-in. With separate control over sub, harmonics and texture, extensive modulation, 40-plus filter modes and a bass-focused processing chain, Pure Sub brings the sound design and finishing stages of heavyweight bass into one instrument. https://youtu.be/vpOWhEdx2yk?si=u76cSoac4RI8O8Xv Key Features Three-part sound architecture separating sub, harmonics and texture for independent control. Dual-mode harmonic engine designed for everything from clean 808s to wide Reese-style basses. More than 40 filter modes alongside a dedicated Sub Processor and full FX…
