Arturia’s new MiniFreak 49 synth is tactile, exploration-friendly: tested

It’s not just some extra keys or minor feature tweaks. Arturia’s MiniFreak 49 has evolved the range into a synthesizer you can freely explore just by playing, not programming. It’s a fusion of tactile experience and sound, right when we need that. Here’s a full hands-on test.

Best of show: walk NAMM with us in a gear-mas gallery

Who stood out at this year’s NAMM show, that festivus of gear that brightens our winters from Anaheim? We’ve given you some idea with NAMM and LA’s Buchla & Friends. Here, in images, are our favorites from NAMM, as captured by LA photographer Mehdi Hassine and veteran Berlin hardware guru Gösta Wellmer.

Peter Kirn - February 3, 2026

A free emulator of Roland JP-8000 and the love of supersaws and trance

Digital preservation is the new challenge for synths, just as it is in areas like games. And the Roland JP-8000 got a big leg up with a free and open source release from The Usual Suspects available this month, the JE8086. It’s one of several recent emulations, so let’s talk about why the 1998 synth […]

Peter Kirn - December 30, 2025

Rage with the machine: Pigments 7 with new filters, new FX, sound features

Peter Kirn - December 16, 2025

Motherly, sequencer percussion synth, is pure rhythmic happiness

Peter Kirn - November 21, 2025

Physical modeling, modular explorations with Adam Pietruszko and AAS’ CV-3

Peter Kirn - November 18, 2025

Arturia V Collection 11 hands-on: Pure LoFi, Jup-8000 join latest update

Peter Kirn - April 24, 2025

Augmented Mallets Play, showing graphics of mallet instruments (one real, one synthetic), and parameter knobs arrayed around a central morph knob.

Freebies: Mallets get Arturia’s Augmented treatment

Peter Kirn - December 19, 2024

The best Black Friday deals in music tech right now

Peter Kirn - November 29, 2024