DIY + Unusual DJ Music tech Tech
Mixxx could unlock free and open standalone DJing — but, like, stable
Daniel Schürmann of the long-running libre/free DJ software project Mixxx has a compelling proposal for uniting efforts to develop their DJ software on embedded hardware, from emerging cheap “open” hardware to DIY projects. It could mean a chance for openness to have a moment — while avoiding the chaotic slop of countless separate forks and hacks.
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Free Friday: GForce’s superb Axxess instrument is free until December
GForce has updated their site, branding, and pricing (now with both lifetime licenses and subscription options). And there are two freebies, time-limited through the end of November: a Mellotron M400 instrument, and the one I suspect most readers will be into, GForce’s take on the 1975 ARP Axxe synthesizer.
Peter Kirn - October 23, 2026
Music tech Software Tech
Beads, last of the Mutable Instruments modules, is now open source
Beads, the granular “texture synthesizer” that was Emilie Gillet’s follow-up to the legendary Clouds, is now fully open source. That completes the final missing piece in open-source code and free licensing for Mutable Instruments’ iconic and influential range of Eurorack modules.
Peter Kirn - October 12, 2026
Tech
Cook every day: read Suzanne Ciani’s 1976 Buchla Cookbook, for free
Peter Kirn - September 21, 2026
Modular-Analog Music Music tech Software Tech
Scales among updates to the free Ardour DAW — with tuning on the way
Peter Kirn - September 7, 2026
Music tech Software Tech
Audacity 4, free and open-source audio editor, arrives with a revamped UI
Peter Kirn - September 3, 2026
Music tech Reviews Software Tech
Septabee, an insane-looking free Linux/Windows DAW with pomegranates
Peter Kirn - September 3, 2026
Music tech Software Tech
Reason now offers 15 Reason devices, plus Rack Extensions access, for free
Peter Kirn - August 27, 2026
Music tech Software Tech
