Next-gen MPE: Expressive E adds smarter control, $999 MIDI keyboard

Expressive E is making its expressive, multi-dimensional keyboards more accessible, with 49- and 61-key controller Osmose options starting at $/€999. And across the full range, the company’s sound ecosystem is expanding with updated software, including the new Ctrl-e platform for sound. That means it’s easier to afford and get started with these unique MPE keyboards, and you’ll more quickly find ready-to-play sounds.

Vara Osiria Belich is taking Phase Plant to gestural, mangled frontiers

This is not granular. This is all sampler, unison. And so it sounds like things that even granular can’t do. Vara Osiria Belich is this week’s sound design inspiration, with her bonus gestural spell casting with gen-1 Leap Motion. (Remember?)

Peter Kirn - November 20, 2025

Free Compactor, limiter/ducker with sidechain, joins Kilohearts freebies

Kliohearts’ software line is a treasure trove of effects. But Kliohearts Essentials alone is an impressive free collection of standalone plug-ins for anyone. You won’t want to sleep on the latest addition, Compactor, a deceptively simple “precision ducking” tool.

Peter Kirn - August 20, 2025

Arturia FX the latest to get the Elisabeth Homeland Ableton Live wrapper treatment, and whoa

Peter Kirn - April 26, 2023