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

The kawaii look of the mini Rolands in the Boutique series has returned. There’s one vintage remake — the JUPITER-08, this time with full polyphony and then some (up to 32 voices). And there’s something new: the n/vision wavetable synth.

Virtual rendering of the Sting UI with knobs, piano roll view, and smiley face, angled next to a Novation Launchpad controller with light-up grid.

Eminently controllable, accessible by design, Sting is now a plug-in

Now this is how to do generative melodies. Add expression. Get control with your hands. Make melodies accessible — including if you’re blind and visually impaired. Sting, the beloved maker of acid melodies and other patterns, is confined to Max for Live no more: now, it’s available as VST3, AU, CLAP / macOS, Windows, Linux.

Peter Kirn - September 8, 2026

MIDI Tape Recorder, precise capture, now standalone for macOS, iOS

Geert Bevin’s terrific MIDI Tape Recorder precisely captures MIDI performances, including MPE, verbatim — not the slightest variation in sound. v2.0 adds a host of new features, plus a standalone version alongside the existing AUv3 plug-in. It’s low-level, direct CoreMIDI capture of what you played, exactly as you played it, with every expression intact. And it’s and open source.

Peter Kirn - August 31, 2026

Organismi OR—1, free for iPad: breathing, stochastic pattern generator

Peter Kirn - August 18, 2026

Push Hack, very unauthorized access to Push 3’s display, files, MIDI, and more

Peter Kirn - August 3, 2026

In Expressive E’s Noisy 2.6 synth, expression everywhere, MIDI to MPE

Peter Kirn - July 23, 2026

Digital Arabic Maqām Archive and open-source MIDI plug-in now available

Peter Kirn - July 22, 2026

Max for Move: run RNBO patches on Ableton Move — like Granulator III

Peter Kirn - March 17, 2026

The developer of Tweakbench wants to remake the DAW without linear time

Peter Kirn - March 4, 2026