Dennis DeSantis on Eastman’s new degree; electronic music as instrument

Dennis DeSantis is known by a wide swath of the music production community as a face of education at Ableton, including the Making Music book. His new role is at the Eastman School of Music, where he’s helming their new BM in Music Creation and Technology. Let’s talk to Dennis about that program, and more broadly, how to think about music technology and education.

The Soft Pink remembers — and more Dolly Parton

Now, we’ve lost Dolly Parton, which is a wake-up call to stand up for the values she stood up for—in music and in life.

Peter Kirn - August 26, 2026

Ableton Note 2.1 for iOS update is subtle, but it can change how you work

Note 2.1, the iPad and iPhone app from Ableton, might not strike you as a big update. But new ways of working with Clips, Warp Markers, and a refined UI (Landscape Mode!) can make Note way more usable.

Peter Kirn - August 25, 2026