Marcus feels at home in software, recording gear, and synthesizers. Beyond his work as an author, he's a music producer, mix and mastering engineer, sound designer, live performer, DJ, and lecturer (including at SAE). At GEARNEWS.de & GEARNEWS.com he's Editor-in-Chief, and he has also written for bonedo, DJ Mag and other magazines. Based in Mainz, Germany, he's worked across strikingly different projects over the decades: touring as Broombeck and Guardner (including a live show at Berghain), as one half of 2pole with the Beatport number one hit "Alone feat. Ursula Rucker", and under his own name as Marcus Schmahl. He's released on a wide range of respected labels, produced music for film, broadcast and advertising across genres from pop to techno to ambient, and holds two gold records. His technical background as a graduate electrical engineer shows in his productions just as much as his musical instinct. And even though his catalog already runs to more than 2,000 releases, the story of Marcus Schmahl is far from over.
Available now!
It's true! The Teenage Engineering OP-XY now offers multi-channel USB, a new drum synth, and more! Download it now.
Turntables, a rotary or classic mixer, and a DVS interface: here's the gear a vinyl DJ needs to play records and digital files. A perfect match!
Teenage Engineering's founder says he plans to quit building synthesizers, OP-1 included. Here's what we know and what it could mean for your gear.
Available now!
Owners now share their ROTO-CONTROL setups on Melbourne Exchange: plugin templates, Max for Live tools, and open APIs. It doesn't get better than this!
music2me combines video courses, practice mode, Discord, and live lessons. Who the learning model fits and where its limits lie. Definitely worth a look.
Roland JUPITER-8, Xils Lab The Eighty, and API Vision Channel Strip on sale: polysynth, CS-80 sound, and API channel strip. Strong plugins at special prices.
Custom firmware for Elektron, Roland, Akai, and more: what's inside, what Elektron says, and what to know before flashing. Don't skip this one.
Mastering The Mix CARBON Q connects EQ and level across your entire mix. Here's what the new plugin with reference track matching can do.
Mixing on headphones: what actually works and where the limits are. Worth it with the right tools!
VPS Avenger 2.5 beta brings a MIDI sequencer, piano roll, and three new effects. Here's what the update can do. Even more sound design!
Ground loops in the home studio cause hum, buzz, and USB whine. Learn where the noise comes from and which fixes actually work.
Focusrite Scarlett interfaces, Novation Launchpads, and ADAM monitors are on sale until October 7.
New hardware brings the chip sound of the 1990s into your studio. Perfect for fans of C64, SEGA, Nintendo, and SoundBlaster. Seriously fun.
10 years of Exploding Shed: Tupperware, homemade etching rigs, and 1,000 Euro in startup cash. The story, plus 15 bundles up for grabs.
22 days of discounted guitars, amps and effects - while stocks last! It's Thomann Guitar Days – Only Today!
Roland JD-800, Native Instruments FM8, and Slate Digital MetaTune heavily discounted at Plugin Boutique: digital synthesis, FM sounds, vocal tuning.
VirtualDJ 2026 gets its third and final update: ShoutOut for custom voiceovers, AI scripting, and improved controller and streaming support.
Guitar Summit 2026 is over: 14,900 visitors, 659 brands, and early bird tickets for 2027 are already on sale. Here's what was on offer.
Stereo width in the mix: how mid/side processing cleanly separates center and sides, which hardware and plugins are worth it, and how much is enough.
We rounded up the latest gear news from Guitar Summit 2026. Plenty of highlights, stars, and surprises to discover on the show floor this year.
The Gear of The Edge finally takes us away from the tone purists: effects, hundreds of guitars, and amps built the entire U2 guitar sound.
A modular hybrid setup: a semi-modular synth, a CV-capable interface, and a matching DAW combine into an endlessly expandable Perfect Match.
VocAlign 7 brings a new multi-track workspace for vocal alignment. Prices, new features, and my take on the update.
Through October 5, you get the popular u-he Diva synth worth €144 free with any Bitwig Studio 6 purchase. Who's going to say no to that?