Playdate pocket game system as sampler, granular instrument, FX, recorder, more

The Playdate looks at first like a curiosity – a black-and-white pocket game system with a crank, from Teenage Engineering and Panic. But now as it starts to get into the world, it’s proving itself as a beautiful mobile instrument, especially with developer Orllewin making everything from samplers to effects pedals and recorders.

A deep compilation to aid in rebuilding Beirut, made from sounds of construction

Bandcamp Friday pick. Beirut’s stellar label System Revival earlier this year put together a must-hear compilation of music with a who-who of Lebanese and international artists. And if you slept on it before, now’s the chance – made more poignant by the anniversary this week of the Beirut blast.

Multiphonics CV-2 goes waveshaping: what’s in the AAS modular’s 2.1 update

AAS’ Multiphonics CV-2 modular is great; what we want now is more modules. And AAS is delivering, with five new modules for your West Coast, waveshaping, signal sculpting and mangling pleasure. Five may not sound like a lot, but you can do a lot with a couple of these. Here’s a look at what AAS have added in CV-2 version 2.1.

Noise Engineering is teasing new hardware; any guesses?

Okay, I’m normally opposed to teasers and quick clips but uh what is this and why do I suddenly want it? The new Noise Engineering thing, as posted to the service formerly known as Twitter:

New UNO Synth Pro X analog synth from IK Multimedia: complete guide

Meet UNO Synth Pro X. It’s a fully upgraded version of the UNO Synth Pro with enhanced sound and effects and a lot more hands-on control. That means it’s time for a sequel on our side, too – with an update to our deep dive for the original, this time with more ideas for creating sounds and playing live.

Soundtoys donates 100% of sales to Vermont flood relief, today and tomorrow

Soundtoys, the independent music software developer, is responding to devastating extreme floods in their Burlington, Vermont hometown. August 2 and 3, 100% of sales will go to flood relief. Here’s how to help, and where your support is going.

3D’s MIDI moment: Pixar, Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, and NVIDIA rally around OpenUSD

The scene format that began its life at Pixar Animation Studios is poised to become a standard for all things 3D – scenes, but also tools, data, and workflows. And yes, that could make this into 3D’s MIDI moment. It’s not that OpenUSD is anything like MIDI – it isn’t. But it has the same […]

1Uesday: Intellijel puts a multimode filter into 1U

What’s the best winner for something to add to the slim 1U space on a modular? Stuff you use every day, of course. And it’s hard to beat a multimode filter with notch and FM. That’s the insta-buy Intellijel SVF 1U, from the maker that got us hooked on the clever 1U module row in the first place.

Intellijel Tangrams takes the dual ADSR module concept – and pluses everything

Intellijel is on a sudden tear, taking some of their most beloved modules and adding some wonderful bells and whistles. Tangrams is no exception – it’s a Roland System 100m-style dual envelope, as before, but now with two VCAs and more.

Autochroma, a granularizer that’s designed to be fun

imagiro’s granulizer Autochroma promises to be what you likely want from a granulizer: fun, liquid sounds to play with, rather than a bunch of overwhelming parameters.