Fractiv wants to make granular sound easier to shape, sculpt, and play

More, granular — less random. That’s the pitch from Fractiv, a new sampling granular instrument and effect from Sync Audio. Just when you thought you couldn’t squeeze more ideas out of granular sound, they’ve got some smart ideas, including a more playable, precise interface, and grain-based modulation. Mac, Windows, and Linux. Here’s a first look.

PatchSeq puts a FM-filled, sequenced patcher inside your VCV Rack

It’s a patcher inside a patcher. And that patcher has more patches that you can copy, randomize, and sequence. And in that patcher is a ton of glitchy goodness. PatchSeq, hot off the grill from Jeremy Wentworth and Voxglitch, is something special.

Peter Kirn - January 11, 2026

JW-Modules free Grains, Buffer are must-downloads for VCV Rack

We’ve had a deluge of superb VCV Rack modules, carrying straight over into the first days of the new year. But let’s skip to this one: Jeremy Wentworth’s free Grains is the granular sampler you’ve been waiting for, now available for VCV Rack and 4ms MetaModule. Bonus: my guide to other granular modules in Rack… and a surprise teaser.

Peter Kirn - January 6, 2026

OB-Xf, free and open-source Oberheim-inspired synth, is now in beta

Peter Kirn - January 2, 2026

Autodafe has an explainer on getting JE-8086 up and running

Peter Kirn - December 31, 2025

A free emulator of Roland JP-8000 and the love of supersaws and trance

Peter Kirn - December 30, 2025

FL on the Web: hands-on, Image-Line tells us what it all means

Peter Kirn - December 22, 2025

Tweakbench plug-ins return after 20 years, from NES to ambient

Peter Kirn - December 18, 2025

Sinevibes Skew, 3-playhead reverse delay, improved and now free

Peter Kirn - December 17, 2025

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