Roland TR-1000 1.5: keyboard mode, seamless kit switching, more

Roland has one more announcement — a 1.5 update for its flagship TR-1000 drum machine. That includes note sequencing, a must-requested keyboard mode for playing bass and melodic parts on the gear, the ability to swap patterns and kits with effects on without a hitch, and a lot of tweaks and UI improvements.

The world is your modular: Mulch Box, an all-jacks patch bay and multiplier

It’s the size of a standard guitar pedal. It needs no power It’s… covered in jacks. It’s Mulch Box, the first hardware from Go Outside, and it’s a stunningly simple idea for signal routing any of your gear, minijack and full-sized jack alike.

Peter Kirn - October 21, 2026

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.

Peter Kirn - October 20, 2026

Baby Roland is back: Boutique JUPITER-08, n/vision wavetable synths

Peter Kirn - October 20, 2026

teenage engineering op-xy added a drum synth, sound shaping, more

Peter Kirn - October 15, 2026

Digital sound, but physical: Roger Linn’s LinnStrument in action, 10% off

Peter Kirn - October 15, 2026

UA Volt Gen 2, Max: built-in dynamics and preamp tone, displays, more

Peter Kirn - October 13, 2026

Beads, last of the Mutable Instruments modules, is now open source

Peter Kirn - October 12, 2026

teenage engineering might quit synths, but parody can’t quit them

Peter Kirn - October 9, 2026