Radio Shack’s TRS-80 now has polyphonic MIDI and a tracker

The Tandy Corporation-manufactured, Radio Shack-sold TRS-80 computer debuted in 1977. But now you can now add full polyphonic MIDI support thanks to George Philipps and Michael Wessel. And it’s already transformed into a serious live instrument and production tool. Assembly cost: about $35. The TRS-80: a tool for the 2020s.

Unofficial “Move – Extended” hacks extra powers for Ableton Move, free

It’s unofficial. It’ll void your warranty. But – that adds to the fun, right? Move-Extended gives you a companion website for Ableton Move that adds new features, including sample reverse, a Drum Rack Inspector, Macro editing for synths, kit slicing, chord kits, and MIDI import. It’s free, open source, and fully documented.

The best Microsoft Songsmith mash-ups, from an age before generative AI

Wait – maybe that’s the worst mash-ups. They’re so bad they’re good, though. Microsoft Research Songsmith, a 2009 automatic accompaniment software that worked with monophonic vocal input, was best known for its viral, cringeworthy promo video. But long before generative AI came on the scene, Songsmith also gave us these. Queen – I’m sorry. Rewind/flashback time…

Paulee Alex Bow makes songs from transphobic, ableist hate mail

It’s time for a very special episode of Magical Synth Adventures. Armed with some rare and wonderful grooveboxes, host, artist, and music tech journalist Paulee Alex Bow turns their hate mail into songs – and surprise, you get some bangers.

Logic Pro for iPad, Mac: Flashback Capture and a slew of subtle tweaks

Apple updated Logic Pro for iPad and macOS today. They’re leading with stem splitting enhancements and sound packs, but advanced users may be more interested in a bunch of improvements across the mixer, automation, Spatial Audio, accessibility, and more. Here’s what long-time Logic users might most want to know. (Hint: undo history saving!)

MD1: classic drum machine kits for Ableton Move, Note, and more

MD1 is the full library of famous and obscure hardware drum machines your Ableton Move needs – plus a bunch of Drift presets and tonal samples, to boot. It’s optimized for Ableton Move, and comes with well-organized sample files you can use anywhere.

Arash Azadi, Universe in Prayer: Bohlen–Pierce “devotional electronics”

In a challenging three acts – purification, initiation, and revelation – Universe in Prayer – فَلَک در ذِکْر takes the Bohlen-Pierce scale as a starting point for an intentional “invocation of Otherness, mystery, and transcendence.” It’s the latest from friend-of-the-site Arash Azadi.

Memorial Day gear sales are on in the USA – and for now, outrunning tariffs

US readers, if you’re looking for deals on new gear, major retailers are all running sales. Here are a few hand-picked selections I’d be scoping out if I lived in the US. And for now, while some inventory is backordered, you can lock in pre-tariff pricing.

Free deals: UA PolyMAX synth, iZotope Ozone Imager, Tonal Balance Control

Arriving with this weekend’s giveaways are some big freebies from Universal Audio and Native Instruments (now parent of iZotope). If you act fast, that includes iZotope’s Tonal Balance Control for free, through the US holiday weekend ending late Monday. Let’s break down the offers and tools.

The music scene has given lip service to trans rights; it’s time to act

Our music communities, the music instruments industry, the artists and engineers — all these groups would be incomplete without our trans friends and colleagues. But as their rights are stripped away systematically, as people question their right to exist, “visibility” is not enough. For US readers, now is a key time to act, with Senators coming home for the holiday weekend and ugly legislation looming.