Unreal Engine 5.8 is a major audio release, despite Epic staffing cuts

Epic layoffs in March cut deep into the audio and music teams. But there’s hope that their work will live on in Unreal Engine and MetaSounds, via what is arguably the most innovative sound work built into any game engine. Unreal Engine 5.8, now in preview, features a bunch of powerful tools for working with sound, one of the biggest sound releases yet. Here’s a look at what’s in that roadmap.

New, free TechAudioTools lets you get serious with Unreal’s MetaSounds

MetaSounds is a powerful platform for sound, synthesis, and procedural audio and music. And the price is right (free). But in the past, it had some gaps in out-of-the-box functionality. Epic has quietly released TechAudioTools Content, a bunch of free editor tools and widgets that anyone interested in Unreal or MetaSounds should go grab right this second. It’s always the little things.

Peter Kirn - February 12, 2026

What’s new in the DIY world of Music Thing’s Workshop System

It’s a Very Workshop System Jamuary. Music Thing’s patchable music lab-in-a-lunchbox has proved that small-batch personal hardware can attract a select, dedicated community sharing great stuff with one another. Let’s catch up with what’s been happening in that magical village of synth wonder in the past year. Don’t forget, the ideas and code here are all open — meaning this could inspire more.

Peter Kirn - January 7, 2026

SuperSonic: SuperCollider synth is fun, playful, colorful, free, in any Web page

Peter Kirn - November 15, 2025

Boards of Canada played in lightbulbs: restored 1959 PDP-1 performance

Peter Kirn - October 13, 2025

Tekno, new bendable drum machine synth: we’ve got free patterns and kits

Peter Kirn - September 2, 2025

How Elizabeth Parker wove the score of 1984’s The Living Planet

Peter Kirn - August 28, 2025

Nasko’s completely free N-IRIS is a spectrum disperser – why that’s cool

Peter Kirn - April 21, 2025

AAS Multiphonics CV-3 modular review: an expressive and sonic landmark

Peter Kirn - February 18, 2025