Expander MK2, the second-generation effects box from Black Corporation, packs loads of analog and classic digital effects into a single epic processor, covered in controls and with a dedicated routing matrix. Here’s a first look.

Chair Audio quietly launched a new plug-in, and it’s both free and wonderful. EXC!TE CYMBAL is, no exaggeration, realistic enough that you’ll do a double-take knowing this is a physical model and not in any way sampled.

Arturia has rounded out its Augmented line with Augmented BRASS. It’s like a hybrid brass plug-in even for people who don’t like brass plug-ins – more like the brass tool for synth lovers.

If you love sound, it’s impossible not to be enchanted by the work of Ben Burtt. His approach to sound design for Star Wars was inventive, surprising, organic — let’s let him talk about it. A lot. It’ll make you want to grab your mic. Jamming air hammers!

One of the most sought-after instruments of all time is back in the form of its complete, authentic recreation (“FS”). It’s a Reverb Shop-only sale for the USA, in a rare chance to grab this instrument – and another excuse to recall how it created iconic sounds from Herbie Hancock to, yes, R2D2. May the 4th be with you.

Watch just how painstaking and time-consuming electronic music production was ca. mid-to-late 1960s, in this rare documentary of the German Siemens Studio (now preserved in Munich at the Deutsches Museum).

Analog, digital… we’re onto the physical, kinetic, and electroacoustic. For one example, marvel at the Polystepper by artist/woodworker Love Hultén and coder Koka Nikoladze.

Two long-awaited updates to Reason arrive today. Reason now is fully Apple Silicon native for Mac users, and there’s an offline mode, for both Reason+ subscribers and license owners.

Speaking of live visuals, Tarik Barri has been composing some quick 1-minute demo/tutorials in Videosync, the software he contributes to for Ableton Live / Max for Live on the Mac.

Live visual tool Resolume (Avenue / Arena / Wire) gets yet another bump release – this time with Dilate, Sharpen, and Kuwahara Effects plus some nice usability improvements in the interface.