Robin Vincent, Author at gearnews.com

Output are teasing a musical revolution that will change the way you make music

06 Jun 2018 in Studio

If you dig around in Output's Instagram Story you'll perhaps catch a glimpse of what could be some kind of controller or hardware synthesizer - or it could just be another bit of furniture.

Pittsburgh Modular Microvolt 3900 desktop semi-modular ready to ship

05 Jun 2018 in Synths

The Microvolt 3900 was one of the stars of this years NAMM show. A perfectly formed semi-modular with 39 patch points and a creative approach to synthesis with wavefolding, filtering and a dynamic VCA.

Novation NovaX VST Editor and Librarian for Nova and Nova II synthesizers

04 Jun 2018 in Synths

Do you have a Nova or Nova II? Then you're going to enjoy the NovaX VST Editor and Librarian which will expose all the parameters, manage your patches and give you automation ecstasy.

What do you get if you cross a Volca with a Shruthi synthesizer? Shrolca.

03 Jun 2018 in Synths

The Shrolca takes the Mutable Instruments Shruthi mono MIDI synthesizer and puts it in a Volca sized box and adds a touch keyboard for good measure. It's not exactly innovative but it looks cool.

Spitfire Audio LABS free library kicks off with Soft Piano and Strings

01 Jun 2018 in Studio, Synths

LABS is a new range of free curated library from sample library crafters Spitfire Audio. You can download the blissfully simple plug-in free today along with a Soft Piano and a 14 piece Strings ensemble.

Wavelicker Thereminator creates gates and triggers from a Theremin

31 May 2018 in Synths

The Thereminator adds more dimensions to a Theremin performance with three positionally controlled triggers or gates to either the pitch or volume antennas. Trigger drums, samples and sequences as you play.

Europa by Reason: Propellerhead release their first VST plug-in

30 May 2018 in Synths

Propellerhead have released their flagship spectral wavetable synthesizer as a VST/AU plug-in. Will Europa by Reason be a unique port to the format or is this the beginning of a new era for Propellerhead?

VCV Rack and Mutable Instruments collaborate on a plug-in preview module

30 May 2018 in Synths

You can now get to preview Mutable Instruments modules inside VCVRack before they release the source code. Audible Instrument Preview currently has Plaits ready for you to try and there will be more to follow.

MidiBot: a probability pulse and melodic engine for your virtual instruments

29 May 2018 in Studio

Don't have anyone to jam with? MidiBot can replace all your band mates by offering a percussive and melodic probability pulse engine for human grooves and accidental improvisation - or just cool random stuff.

Native Instruments TRK-01: when a good kick and bass is all you need

28 May 2018 in Synths

So often your tracks start with a beat and bassline. Native Instruments TRK-01 focuses on making this ridiculously fun and easy with a Kick and a Bass sequenced and modulated to within an inch of its life.

SONiVOX blend Arp Solina Strings with analog synthesis and a dash of sequencing

25 May 2018 in Synths

A re-imagining of the classic Arp Solina Strings to make it groovier, fruitier and even more heavenly. They've mixed in an analogue synthesizer and some sequencing to create a heady cocktail of lushness.

Melody Puzzle Modular Synthesizer: playful 8-bit handmade patch machine

24 May 2018 in Synths

A conundrum of a modular synthesizer waiting to be puzzled over. The Melody Puzzle experimentally patches together all sorts of combinations in the hope of finding the solution to your musical yearnings.

Start fiddling with the inside of the Korg Prologue: SDK kit now available

24 May 2018 in Synths

The Multi Engine architecture of the Korg Prologue lets you code and design your own customised digital oscillators and effects to run alongside the VCOs. The SDK is now available for download.

Tube Delay on all lines running into Softube Modular due to engineering works

23 May 2018 in Synths

With the grit and spacey grunge of waiting for the last train home on a London Underground platform Softube's Tube Delay will patch itself beautifully into Modular and keep you repeatedly in the zone.

PreSonus releases Studio One 4 with sampling, patterns, chords and drum editing

22 May 2018 in Studio

There's talk of loops and beat production, pattern editors, chords, seamlessness, sampling and advanced virtual instruments. That's a lot to pack into the new version 4 of Studio One.

Tone Lab: a stackable modular synthesis system for easy music making

22 May 2018 in Synths

Finding synthesizers a bit too complicated? Tone Lab provides simple interactive hardware that lets you build up sounds in layers of clearly labelled synthesizer blocks. How high will your tower of sound go?

Ginko Synthese Sampleslicer MK2 will sample and slice even better than before

21 May 2018 in Synths

Just on Kickstarter is the MK2 of the Ginko Synthese real-time sampling module Sampleslicer. With better quality, all through-hole components, clock CV, auto-calibrating, higher gain and an inaudible noise ...

Miclop Ctrl X virtual synthesizer and hardware controller combo

21 May 2018 in Synths

A polyphonic virtual synthesizer that integrates perfectly with a knob and touch-screen controller. Giving you the tacticity of hardware with the versatility of software. Is it the best of both worlds?

ONDA computerised musical instrument from Critter and Guitari

21 May 2018 in Synths

Bringing together aspects from the Organelle and Pocket Piano ONDA is an open platform of synthesis, effects and sampling in an enhanced, Raspberry Pi based form factor, with cool light up buttons.

Korg Volca Keys software editor and controller

20 May 2018 in Synths

A new editor from software developer Momo Muller presents all the parameters from the Korg Volca Keys as a VST plug-in with precise automation and XY pad control for under €6. Also runs stand-alone.

Steinberg ends support for the VST 2 SDK – don’t panic, your plug-ins are safe

18 May 2018 in Studio

Steinberg is calling it a day on the VST 2 Software Development Kit almost 20 years after it first arrived. The 10-year-old VST 3 SDK is the way of the future. What does this mean for you and your plug-ins?

Hard Mod Electronics release the hand-built Modular Synth Spring Reverb

17 May 2018 in Synths

From Mexico City comes the awkwardly named Modular Synth Spring Reverb a beautifully hand-crafted modular synthesizer with a naked spring reverb and two independent oscillators built into a flight case.

R606 MKII: Fancy a Roland TR-606 in a 4HP module?

15 May 2018 in Synths

Now with 6 classic virtually modelled analog Roland TR-606 style drum sounds the R606 MKII packs some classic vibes into a space saving 4hp Eurorack module.

Moog Grandmother update: videos explore the sound and construction

14 May 2018 in Synths

An official-looking video takes us inside the Moog build process and explains the components in the Grandmother while another from gives us Justin Meldal-Johnsen's first impressions and some great sound demos.