Absynth creator Brian Clevinger on synths, emotions, and “weird-ass ideas”

We have updated hardware classics, so why not software? Absynth’s original creator, Brian Clevinger, weighs in on what motivates his instrument creations and what strikes emotional resonance. From Native Instruments, Hannah Lockwood joins to talk about the user interface and the collaboration.

Black Friday: pimp my Live with the best add-ons

Ableton Live 12.3 is out of beta; it’s time to liven up your Live setup (plus Ableton Move and Push and Novation Circuit Tracks). Black Friday deals have these at the lowest prices you’ll see all year, so if you’re stocking up for winter or holiday breaks, we’ve got you. These are tools to solve some problems, add some inspiration, and even just make your Live setup look better.

Peter Kirn - November 28, 2025

Roland’s pedal concept uses AI to let you process everything with anything

The concept prototype Project LYDIA by Roland Future Design Lab uses machine learning tech from Neutone to turn any input into a “tone.” But this isn’t just about “modeling” — far from it. It lets you process anything with anything else. Beatboxing, field recordings — anything becomes an input. That emphasis on sampling and messing around in the real world might make it the opposite of genAI sound. This is tech that demands you go out and play.

Peter Kirn - November 12, 2025

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