Turn Ableton Push 3 into a single expressive percussive surface, free

The most exciting add-on for Ableton Live this spring for me is actually not an Ableton Extension. It’s warpradius, a Max for Live device by Jon Doe One that transforms the entire grid into a single expressive percussion surface. It employs a Bessel membrane resonator model, a modal synthesis method that produces realistic, varied percussion sounds. And it’s free.

Zebra 3 is here, a sprawling semi-modular plug-in that runs deep

What if an integrated plug-in instrument could rival even full-blown modulars? That’s the question posed by u-he’s Zebra 3, out now at long last for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It’s unlikely any other soft synth takes on just this much synthesis territory, or with this much depth. From spline-based morphing oscillators to physical modeling and […]

Peter Kirn - April 21, 2026

Pigments 6: modal engine, vocoder, more expand this synth playground

Pigments 6 is available now. With a new synth engine, a vocoder, and expanded filters, modulation, and granular capabilities, Arturia’s sound design playset is deeper than ever. But it’s never overwhelming, and this release is the most refined yet. Here’s a review.

Peter Kirn - January 28, 2025

Reason Studios’ Objekt is a physical modeling synth with plenty of twists

Peter Kirn - May 11, 2023