NTS-3 is kaoss pad as kit, complete with SDK – plus updated NTS-1

KORG’s fun easy-assemble kits now see an updated NTS-1 mkII and even more fun, a new NTS-3 kaoss pad kit.

Erica Synths Megarack is the 8×126 HP Eurorack case of your dreams

The perfect Eurorack case doesn’t ex– OH. MY. GOD. Yes, this is all aluminum, and you might need a step ladder to reach the top-row ladder filter. And it’s beautiful. Full specs: It’s actually competitively priced – pre-VAT, EUR 1750. Of course, then you’ll have to figure out how to afford filling it. I’m sure […]

KORG’s microKORG, KingKORG NEO: vocalist, or Economy Plus

KORG remains on a quest to get some microKORG mojo going. But both new models – a new microKORG and a 37-key KingKORG Neo – are trying. One looks like it’s closer to the appeal of the original than the other. Here’s a preview.

Max 8.6: Samplers, gamepads, colors, Max for Live, and more

Cycling ’74’s Max 8.6 is out now, bringing a ton of fun, musical stuff to the open-ended music and media toolbox. That includes major updates for anyone working with Ableton Live, but plenty for everyone else, too. And if you’ve got a gamepad, you can plug that in and start playing right away.

Listen to Gościńska’s full hour of brain-tickling Polish producers, with links

Take your mind, body, and soul on a holiday to a world of sonic invention. I mean, literally Poland in January is not going to be everyone’s #1 holiday destination pick, but Polish music? That’s another story. this full hour from our friend (Kasia) Gościńska represents the bleeding edge of production at its finest, and Bandcamp lovers, oh yes, we have links. it’s IDM, it’s techno, it’s broken bass, it’s electro, it’s leftfield experimental – you’ve seen those dropdowns when submitting music to streaming. It’s just good.

Yamaha’s SEQTRAK looks like a return to fun mobile music designs

It’s an FM/sample-based synth, sampler, drum machine, and connected music maker. And most noticeably, it sees Yamaha return to the kinds of fun design we associate with 80s Yamaha and Casio.

You should know James West, the Black inventor of the electret microphone

Black engineers have made massive contributions to sound and music technology, overcoming systemic discrimination. And yet, they’re too often unsung, even today. One anyone in sound should know is James West, who, as part of a prolific career, revolutionized recording with the electret microphone in research with Gerhard Sessler at Bell Labs.

Celebrate Black club music with 130 tracks and 13 films

Add more Black club music to your life with the help of Dweller and Black Techno Matters. This month, Dweller shares a curated series of 13 films streaming on Criterion Channel, plus a massive compilation from Black Techno Matters.

How to use the Pioneer DJ DJM-V10 to sync your DJ set with MIDI (finally)

It’s taken until the Pioneer DJ DJM-V10 to get a DJ rig from the company with standard MIDI DIN onboard for sync, but it’s finally here. Lauren Flax shows it off – and here’s the trick to getting it working, in case you want to haul a TR-8S into a DJ booth.

Performance Pack for Ableton Live 12 now has a video manual

Performance Pack, included with the upcoming Ableton Live 12, is capable of all sorts of feats for using Live as a performance instrument. That includes custom layouts, stored variations, looping in Arrangement, and a way of setting up arrangements on the fly. But it’s easier to see it in action than to explain – so creator Iftah has been laboring on an extensive video manual.