Free GATE-12 gives you envelopes and patterns on Mac, Windows, and Linux

Trigger envelopes and synced patterns of shapes and gates on macOS, Windows, and Linux – for free. GATE-12 by tiagolr has some features you’ve probably seen before, but combined in clever ways and elegantly integrated, plus the price is right.

IINA, open-source Swift media player, is what macOS has been missing

Built in Swift, now extensible with JavaScript plug-ins, IINA is the free media player that macOS needed. Hey, everybody: play with a fresh, minimalist player that handles local files, music, and streaming with aplomb. (Hey, old people: it’s like QuickTime Pro is back!)

Peter Kirn - April 18, 2025

Mix and patch ChowDSP’s tape modeling for free in VCV Rack

No collection of DSP models for work, pleasure, and creative abuse would be complete without the Chowdbury DSP collection. You might know about the plug-in, but it’s also worth noting that these are available in VCV Rack and Cardinal, where you can patch them at will.

Peter Kirn - March 10, 2025

Synthstrom Deluge synth-sampler-sequencer is now open source, GPLv3; details

Peter Kirn - May 10, 2023

The best free tools for working with modular synthesis and music

Peter Kirn - December 7, 2021

VCV Rack 2 teaser gives us reasons to be excited about Rack again

Peter Kirn - September 14, 2021

Audacity makers clarify data usage – and there’s not reason to dump the editor yet

Peter Kirn - July 5, 2021

Check out these amazing DIY controllers people made with OpenDeck

Peter Kirn - December 12, 2018

The guts of Tracktion are now open source for devs to make new stuff

Peter Kirn - November 16, 2018

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