Reason 14 arrives: Dark Mode, better Track workflow, RV-9 reverb, more

Reason 14 is out of beta now, with faster workflows and a bunch of new effects packed into the new RV-9 Reverb Station, plus Dark Mode. I’ve been testing the beta for a few weeks now. Here’s your snapshot guide to what’s new and how to upgrade.

inMusic will acquire Native Instruments, as NI joins brands from Akai to Moog

inMusic Brands, the US-based owner of Akai, Moog, Denon, Numark, Rane, and M-Audio, announced today that it will acquire Native Instruments. That puts NI tools like Traktor and Kontakt under the inMusic umbrella along with Plugin Alliance, iZotope, and Brainworx.

Peter Kirn - May 8, 2026

Elastic OSC, Plaits-derived poly, is now a macOS and Windows plug-in, too

Elastic OSC expands on Émilie Gillet’s 24 original open-source Plaits oscillator models, adding 8-voice polyphony, expression (MPE), a modulation engine, and Elastic effects. And if that sounds like something you wish you had in your computer DAW and not just Android and iOS, now you’re in luck.

Peter Kirn - May 6, 2026

QuadTrack is a new groovebox for the Amiga (really), plus PC and Mac

Peter Kirn - May 6, 2026

From Éliane Radigue to West Coast, Homework is a patchable wonder

Peter Kirn - May 4, 2026

Play together with Ableton Live: how Circle of Live sets up for improvisation

Peter Kirn - May 4, 2026

Link Audio, now in Max, Pd, VCV Rack, TouchDesigner, oF, and plug-ins, free

Peter Kirn - May 3, 2026

Apple AirPods Max Spatial Audio mixing, “pro” uses, demystified

Peter Kirn - April 30, 2026

Play together with Ableton Live, pt. 2: playing in time

Peter Kirn - April 28, 2026