With Latent Terrain, crack open AI and explore neural synthesis in Max

“I’m not particularly interested in typing prompts to make stuff, I’m interested in breaking them and dissecting them,” writes Jasper Shuoyang Zheng as he introduces Latent Terrain. Now using an intuitive, elegantly designed open-source Max external and UI, you can play the weird world of neural audio codecs like an instrument, transforming your own sounds into new textures.

Synplant’s new PhenoType tech uses neural nets for more alien patches

It’s the absolute opposite of “AI” as you’ve seen it. There’s no online connection, no giant data set. And here, neural nets help you to escape generic presets and defaults — not lead you into them. The new PhenoType for Sonic Charge Synplant will help you precisely define the ear-bending alien sounds you want to create in words. CDM got an early look.

Peter Kirn - June 10, 2026

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.

Peter Kirn - June 1, 2026

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

Peter Kirn - February 12, 2026

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

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