inMusic will acquire Native Instruments, as NI joins brands from Akai to Moog

inMusic Brands, the US-based owner of Akai, Moog, Denon, Numark, Rane, and M-Audio, announced today that it will acquire Native Instruments. That puts NI tools like Traktor and Kontakt under the inMusic umbrella along with Plugin Alliance, iZotope, and Brainworx.

Absynth 6.1: Audio modulator, LFO retrigger, sound content, more

If you need an excuse to suit up for an extravehicular activity in the cosmos of sound, Absynth is back again. Native Instruments quietly dropped Absynth 6.1, with oft-requested LFO retrigger and undo/redo, plus a surprise: a new audio modulator.

Peter Kirn - April 17, 2026

Alien resurrection: Absynth 6 delivers a powerful update to a futuristic classic

Back in green: three years after Native Instruments announced its demise, Absynth 6 makes an unexpected return from the dead. What we get is not just a rerelease, but the biggest update for the polysynth in its history, with everything from new filters and engine enhancements to a new UI and MPE. Early review: this is a polysynth you need to explore all over again — or discover for the first time.

Peter Kirn - December 9, 2025

Free deals: UA PolyMAX synth, iZotope Ozone Imager, Tonal Balance Control

Peter Kirn - May 25, 2025

NI has new Kontrol S-Series MK3 keyboards with polyphonic aftertouch

Peter Kirn - September 12, 2023

Traktor X1 MK3 is NI’s compact DJ controller, refined: hands-on

Peter Kirn - August 29, 2023

Native Instruments and iZotope now sister companies, with backing from Francisco Partners

Peter Kirn - March 11, 2021

Maschine+ standalone is here – so what can you do with it? Details from NI…

Peter Kirn - September 8, 2020

Mix Ableton and Maschine, Komplete Kontrol, in new updates

Peter Kirn - April 19, 2018