Valhalla’s all-new reverb, 8 years in development, goes clean and natural

We don’t need another great reverb, let alone another great Valhalla reverb/echo. But we get one anyway. Sean Costello and Valhalla say this one is focused on transparency and realism — plus modulation and a bunch of echo modes when you want them. The now is FutureVerb.

Guide: Creating instruments with Max for Live and Ableton DSP (pt. 3)

For the final episode in this trilogy on learning Max for Live and Ableton DSP Objects, we’re going to keep the focus on working fast. We’ll learn how to use Ableton DSP to prototype instruments quickly, play expressively, and hack them with some tricks and mods beyond what the stock Live Instruments provide.

Roland’s pedal concept uses AI to let you process everything with anything

The concept prototype Project LYDIA by Roland Future Design Lab uses machine learning tech from Neutone to turn any input into a “tone.” But this isn’t just about “modeling” — far from it. It lets you process anything with anything else. Beatboxing, field recordings — anything becomes an input. That emphasis on sampling and messing around in the real world might make it the opposite of genAI sound. This is tech that demands you go out and play.

Transform any binary file into sound and MIDI, right in your browser, free

01000011 01101111 01101111 01101100 00100001! Binary Synth runs in your browser, and translates any binary file from its zeros and ones into audio synthesis and MIDI messages. The code is available under an MIT license, too, if you want to play with it.

Here’s Jeff Mills live at Tokyo’s Liquid Room ca 1995-1996, plus driving

Via Jeff Mills’ own account, here’s a perfect Monday soundtrack, maybe made even better by sounding like it was mixed onto a cassette tape.

New, playful arpeggiator features for Sequential Take 5, Oberheim TEO-5

The 5-voice Sequential and Oberheim hybrid analog/digital synths each got an OS update last week, and their playful new arpeggiator features are a reminder of why we love both brands. Think ten new arp modes and a dizzying new feature called “whiplash,” plus other new firmware features.

Turn that 1U row into a row of tactile TR-x0x step sequencing: Drummertime

A perfect 1U row doesn’t exi– oh, okay tubbetec. You got us. Add a row of big, clicky keys (or more “tactile” ones) and get your step sequencing in a row on Eurorack. It’s called “Drummertime.” Genius.

Push:Cue Mode turns Warp Markers into launchable cue points

It’s Hot Cues for Ableton Live, or cue points for Push for Live for Max for Live. Finally, those handy cue points can be triggered, with a ton of nice visual extras. That was a long-missing feature for DJs, but it might be an even bigger hit for live sets or improvisatory production. There’s a reason that deadmau5 logo is in the corner.

Coffee cups, pizza boxes, everything’s an instrument: watch clipping. play

You know the game “I spy…”? Every object in the room becomes a musical instrument, activated by the robotic MIDI percussion of the dadamachines automat toolkit. Watch this brilliant performance by the ensemble clipping., led by producers Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson, plus turntablist Kid Koala, on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts.

LZX’s Videomancer can get you excited about video hardware FX again

Edirol (Roland) V4. Korg Entrancer. Kids, as your… uh weird VJ aunties and uncles. But there was once a time when video hardware was great. And the mighty Eurorack house of video, LZX Industries, is getting back in the game. Videomancer looks delicious.