This Week’s Highlights: 5 of the Top Stories

In this roundup, we look at some of this week's highlights. So if you missed anything, here's the perfect opportunity to catch up on the news.

DIY Synths, Wavetable Creation and a Cross Between an Omnichord & Garageband?: Synth Journal

This week's sumptuous helping of the smaller stories in the world of synths contains some interesting DIY Synth projects and a compelling new take on hardware strumming synths.

Sounds and Presets: Appalachia Delivers an Authentic Mountain Dulcimer, Plus 300+ MiniFreak Patches!

Appalachia from Indiginus brings the magical sound of a Mountain Dulcimer to your Kontakt library with all the performance scripting you need to sound like a master.

How to Get that Old-school Sampler Sound

Ever wondered how to get the old-school sampler sound? Punchy lo-fi drums and underwater pad sounds can give your music a retro feel.

Korg DW-8000: The Best Hybrid Classic Synth You’ve Never Heard

The mid-‘80s saw the release of the Korg DW-8000, a unique digital/analog hybrid that sounds like nothing else on the planet.

Sounds and Presets: A 90s Classic Gets Rebrained – New Sounds for the CS6x

Yamaha's CS6x often gets overlooked. A synth tech from the Midlands, U.K. reckons we need to re-evaluate our perceptions and treat it as a classic.

Modular For Beginners: The Eurorack Starter Kit

We've all seen modular synths, but how do you build your own system? Modular for beginners takes you through a basic Eurorack starter kit.

USB vs XLR Microphones: Which One Is Better For You?

We look at the differences between using USB vs XLR Microphones to find out which is better suited for musicians and content creators.

5 Synths That Need Plugin Emulations Right Now

Why redo the same synthesizers when there are plenty that have yet to become software - like these five synths that need plugin emulations.

Amp or Guitar: What Makes the Sound?

In the eternal quest for the perfect sound, one question arises: what is the most important part of our setup - amp or guitar?

Drumbeam, Biotron and the History of MIDI: Synth Journal

Drumbeam is an infinitely customizable drum controller that looks like a dream come true for electronic live sets. Check it out in this week's Synth Journal!

Sounds and Presets: Relive Classic E-MU and Ensoniq Sounds, Free Sounds from TCHC and Sonicware

The classic E-MU and Ensoniq sample libraries were, and still are, highly regarded for their variety and quality. You can still enjoy these sounds in the form of Kontakt/NKS libraries from Digital Sound ...

Elektron Octatrack Alternatives for Dawless Music Production

Need a creative outlet for your music that has to be Dawless? Here's some of the best Elektron Octatrack Alternatives for studio and stage.

The Film Composer Starter Kit: Start Scoring to Picture

Creating music for films, series, and games requires a certain skill set and the right set of tools. Here's the Film Composer Starter Kit.

Jack White Pedal, Apple M4 Upgrades, The Cure: 3 Tops & Flops

A new Jack White pedal from Eventide, three new Macs and new music were among the highlights of this week!

AI Mastering Put to the Test: Benn Jordan Challenges Man vs. Machine – But Who Wins?

Benn Jordan tests AI mastering and human engineers in a large-scale, double-blind comparison. What do you think? Vote here!

Scary Beats: Horror Movie Samples in Famous Songs

To get into the spirit of Halloween, we're looking at classic Horror Movie Samples used in Famous Songs by some of our favourite artists.

Vintage Gear Auctions, Getting Reacquainted with Gear You Sold and a Pet Shop Boys Teapot: Synth Journal

In this week's Synth Journal, we look at one of the biggest online auctions of vintage gear and I fall back in love with a Yamaha CS1x!

Getting Started: Which is the Best DAW for Beginners?

Getting into music production? We're trying to find the best DAW for beginners, and what to look out for when researching this topic.

Sounds and Presets: Open Up a Time Capsule For Your AX73 and a Wavetable Stash

As well as some amazing free sounds for two modern French classics, there's a Time Capsule for your Martinic AX73 and a shedload of wavetables.

Studio Standards: Classic Mic Preamps that Made Recording History

Classic Mic Preamps like those found in legendary consoles helped shape countless hit records. We look at microphone preamps that made history.

Vintage vs Modern Gear: Choose Your Destiny

With the ever-increasing availability of new audio hardware and software, it's easy to lose track. We discuss vintage vs modern gear.

An Incredible Story of my G.A.S., Staying Awake for 3 Days & Move – My 3 Tops and Flops

What a week of tops and flops: G.A.S. alarm, a no-sleep event and music making everywhere.

How to Recreate the Classic Roland Juno Sound using Software Plug-ins

The Roland Juno has dominated music for over four decades! We take a look at some of the best synth plugins that capture its classic sound.