DIY + Unusual Music tech Tech
Flexur and Chill, with this Trautonium-inspired DIY synthesizer
I missed this when it dropped earlier this month — Synthtopia was there! But now is a perfect time to chill out to the smoothly gliding sounds of this original Trautonium-inspired synthesizer design in progress. Flexur can cool down an overheated Europe.
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Casio’s expressive guitar strap controller was inspired by a chopstick case
Surprise! Casio has something unexpected — Dimension Shifter, a spring-powered expressive wireless controller that attaches to your guitar strap. And it was the invention of one employee, inspired by his kid’s school-lunch retracting chopstick and cutlery case.
Peter Kirn - January 23, 2026
DIY + Unusual Gear Music tech Stories Tech
GForce just made a West Coast, MPE-playable synth playground
GForce’s MAP is all new — it’s not a recreation or a collaboration with other brands. But this synth has been to history class, studying modular designs by Serge Tcherepnin, Random*Source, and Buchla USA. Put that in a very modern interface, add MPE expression, and you get what feels like Massive X or Serum from an alternate universe where they’re all about West Coast synthesis.
Peter Kirn - October 28, 2025
Music tech Software Tech
Akai MPC Live III: expressive pads come to the MPC grid; $1699 with new core
Peter Kirn - October 4, 2025
Gear Music tech Tech
The making of Sequential’s all-analog, polyphonic, expressive Fourm
Peter Kirn - September 23, 2025
Gear Music tech Stories Tech
Inside the Dune 2 score with Osmose and Hans Zimmer
Peter Kirn - December 11, 2024
Gear Music Music tech Stories Tech
Wiggler is a bendy expressive DIY synth – and its creator is sharing their process
Peter Kirn - March 9, 2023
DIY + Unusual Tech
Roger Linn shares hidden settings and more gems from the LinnStrument
Peter Kirn - December 2, 2022
Gear Music tech Tech
