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

Khyam Allami presented his long-term research project in Beirut yesterday, and it’s an exciting one. Hundreds of tuning systems, ajnās, and maqāmāt are now in a free, open archive, and there’s a free MIDI plug-in that lets you apply tunings (and tweak them by ear) across all major software tuning formats.

Renoise 3.5 is huge: phrase scripting, tuning support, splitter effect, more

Has that DAW grid got you down? Do you feel like you’re caught in the 1980s looking at a multitrack editor? Have your friends stopped talking to you because they want more breaks and intelligent rhythms so they can put those new sneakers to proper dancing use? Renoise is back with features like a phrase scripting engine powered by the new open-source pattrns (with Tidal notation support), full tuning support, sub-signal effects splitting, and more. $88 new. Holy mother of God, it’s nerd Christmas in July.

Peter Kirn - July 8, 2025

Free Surge XT 1.3 adds OSC, command line, new effects, more features

If you weren’t already in love with the free synthesis powerhouse that is Surge XT, here’s a big 1.3.0 release with a candy store of new features, from Open Sound Control to command line interface to visualizations in the tuning editor.

Peter Kirn - December 8, 2023

What’s new in Arturia V-Collection 9.2: more performance, more compatibility, tuning

Peter Kirn - March 13, 2023

Ableton releases free Microtuner – but tuning is more than spaces between notes

Peter Kirn - March 31, 2022

V Collection 8.2 – Apple M1, faster GUIs, tuning support, and it’s 50% off for Black Friday

Peter Kirn - November 25, 2021

Arturia’s updated V Collection 8.1: tuning support, engine, control, accessibility

Peter Kirn - July 16, 2021

Black Corporation’s next hardware is a Jupiter-8 recreation, with MPE and microtuning

Peter Kirn - May 30, 2021

Inside MTS-ESP, the new tuning tool from Oddsound and Aphex Twin

Peter Kirn - March 29, 2021