Arturia’s new MiniFreak 49 synth is tactile, exploration-friendly: tested

It’s not just some extra keys or minor feature tweaks. Arturia’s MiniFreak 49 has evolved the range into a synthesizer you can freely explore just by playing, not programming. It’s a fusion of tactile experience and sound, right when we need that. Here’s a full hands-on test.

In Expressive E’s Noisy 2.6 synth, expression everywhere, MIDI to MPE

Expression control is integral design feature of each component of Noisy, in each building block of the sound. And now Noisy 2.6 vastly expands the software’s sound palette — just in time to make this a worthy companion to Expressive E’s own Osmose and Osmose CE.

Peter Kirn - July 23, 2026

Zebra 3 is here, a sprawling semi-modular plug-in that runs deep

What if an integrated plug-in instrument could rival even full-blown modulars? That’s the question posed by u-he’s Zebra 3, out now at long last for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It’s unlikely any other soft synth takes on just this much synthesis territory, or with this much depth. From spline-based morphing oscillators to physical modeling and […]

Peter Kirn - April 21, 2026

Polyend Tracker Mini 2.0: synth engines, PERC drum synth, more of everything

Peter Kirn - July 1, 2024

Full Moog Moogerfooger effects suite is now on iPad and iPhone – Filtatron redux!

Peter Kirn - August 14, 2023

Sonic Bloom has a pack of presets for the new Ableton Live Drift synth

Peter Kirn - July 17, 2023

Capulet, 4-engine drum synth plug-in, packs loads of details and personality

Peter Kirn - July 6, 2023

Inside Ableton’s Drift, the hardware-inspired synth in Live 11, with designer Marc Resibois

Peter Kirn - May 31, 2023

Surge XT hybrid synth is now a free set of modules for VCV Rack

Peter Kirn - January 27, 2023