Akai MPC Live III: expressive pads come to the MPC grid; $1699 with new core

Akai’s MPC Live III hits the same week as Roland’s new analog-digital flagship. This new standalone box has an updated 8-core processor and specs, enabling new features — but the biggest story here is expressive pads with 3D sensing.

Push:Euclidean Mode brings generative grooves to Ableton hardware

Get hands-on control of Euclidean rhythms on Ableton Push, Push 2, Push 3, and even Push 3 standalone, with Mark Towers’ new creation for Max for Live. And wow, this is addictive–especially for generating geometric melodies and techno grooves.

Peter Kirn - June 5, 2025

Arturia AstroLab keyboard updates: more instruments, more presets

Arturia has quietly updated the AstroLab keyboard, their surprisingly economical stage piano that runs the V Collection. There are new presets, new artist tributes, and most importantly, some of the instruments you may have been missing.

Peter Kirn - September 24, 2024

Hands on: Cong Burn’s Stacks plug-in and iOS app synths, loops, and layers

Peter Kirn - July 12, 2024

Review: Arturia AstroLab, the stage keyboard with Arturia instruments

Benjamin Weiss - June 17, 2024

Arturia’s AstroLab: standalone V Collection and Pigments stage keys

Peter Kirn - April 9, 2024

Much-leaked MPC Key 37 arrives, and it’s likely to be a crowd-pleaser

Peter Kirn - February 6, 2024

Ableton Push 3 freebie: unMute uses one button to toggle Devices

Peter Kirn - November 20, 2023

Free custom Push 3 standalone control: grab parameters with Max for Live

Peter Kirn - October 25, 2023

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