Already a stellar synth in every sense of the word, the Arturia MiniFreak Stellar now it has a colour scheme to match! It’s fair to say that the Arturia MiniFreak caused quite a stir when it was originally launched in late 2022. Arturia took their unique digital Freak oscillators and made a polyphonic synthesizer that was small in stature but huge in sound. It was a huge hit! Arturia MiniFreak StellarThe Arturia MiniFreak Stellar Now Arturia has given it a new paint job! Mirroring what they did with the MiniFreak, we now have a dark and brooding user interface. The all-black keys might not be ..read more

Is Oberheim about to release the TEO-5? A few weeks before Superbooth, images of what looks to be a new Oberheim synth have been leaked online. The Oberheim TEO-5 looks suspiciously similar to the Sequential Take 5. Oberheim TEO-5 The leak was discovered by a user on gearspace.com, who shared a few pictures allegedly leaked by a European retailer. If the images are real, Oberheim will likely unveil the new synth at Superbooth 24 in Berlin in a few weeks. Oberheim has partnered with Sequential several times, most notably for the OB-6 – a version of the Prophet-6 with Oberheim voice ..read more

The EX Upgrade now comes preloaded in the new flagship Roland FANTOM 6 EX, FANTOM 7 EX and FANTOM 8 EX synthesizers – including the JX-3P ACB Expansion! Roland FANTOM EX Synthesizers Roland’s top-of-the-line FANTOM 6, 7 and 8 workstation synthesizers came out in 2019. Built around ZEN-Core synthesis, they also featured SuperNATURAL and V-Piano technologies and were billed as Roland’s flagship synths.  EX marks the spot Last year November saw Roland rolling out the EX Upgrade, a significant (and paid) firmware booster that added a number of new features to the instruments, including Analo ..read more

This week’s synthesizer Sounds & Presets visits one of my favourite music sites on the internet, a free library of great sounds and some great patches from France! There’s no shame in using presets! There, I said it. Don’t let people tell you otherwise. Some of the greatest songs of all time use presets. Just ask Prince. Or Jean Michel Jarre. They both delivered love letters to the Roland D-50 with ‘Lovesexy’ and ‘Revolutions’ respectively. Both albums unashamedly used copious amounts of factory presets. And this week I bring you some doozies! Nothing here will break the bank and there’s ..read more

Superbooth 2024 is near and there will be loads and loads of new synths, samplers, drum machines, and Eurorack modules for sure! But there are also quite a few synth deals for the GAS’ers without a money tree this week. So you won’t even have the budget to get all these new toys! This week we found a couple of great deals for modules from Endorphin.es, a case from Eurorack inventor Doepfer, and even a few Volca models from Korg over at Thomann! Save 5% on Endorphonin.es Ghost – One of the most popular effects modules in Eurorack It isn’t much, 5 percent down from its usual asking price, but m ..read more

Is the Elektron Digitakt II about to be announced? According to a leak that surfaced on the internet today, Elektron’s first new hardware in two years will come with a big memory boost, stereo samples, 16 flexible tracks, and more. Elektron Digitakt II Ever since the Syntakt came out two years ago, fans have been waiting for new hardware from the Swedish manufacturer. While Elektron has been busy keeping the current models up to date with several important software updates, the machines themselves stayed the same. Until now: It looks like the Elektron Digitakt II is coming soon –&nb ..read more

With over 250 international exhibitors within the electronic musical instruments sphere, SUPERBOOTH24 promises to be one to remember. Last year, SUPERBOOTH23 had a record attendance with unprecedented media coverage. So, as you can imagine, there is even more excitement and anticipation in the air, as we look forward to the event next month. Besides the incredible array of instruments and musical gadgetry, we can look forward to a musical roster of over 30 artists from across the globe. The lineup this year features the likes of Hildur Guðnadóttir, Stimming, Lady Starlight, and TamiX. Music p ..read more

The Soundtoys Spring Sale is the perfect opportunity to add some (or all!) of the developer’s acclaimed audio tools to your collection for a great price. This week’s edition of Software Deals also includes bargains from SSL, Brainworx, IK Multimedia, and Softube. Soundtoys Spring Sale: Up to 75% off! Soundtoys plugins enjoy an excellent reputation among audio professionals from all trades – from creative sound design to mixing. With savings of up to 75%**, the massive Soundtoys Spring Sale is a great opportunity to stock up on these highly regarded effects. Choose from ind ..read more

Rhodes has announced the Rhodes MK8 Earth Edition in celebration of Earth Day. The strictly limited special edition not only sports a highly unique design but also features sustainable materials and actively helps conservation efforts. They’re only making 50 of these, so be sure to put your order in when pre-orders open on Thursday! Rhodes MK8 Earth Edition Today is Earth Day! In celebration of this global event highlighting environmental protection and sustainability, Rhodes has unveiled a stunning special edition of the MK8 electric piano. With earthy aesthetics that make it look like ..read more

New kids on the block Wee Noise Makers want to put their beginner-friendly and very hackable PGB-1 groovebox into your hands. The device has 19 sound engines, a flexible sequencer and open-source code, and is crowd-sourcing now. Wee Noise Makers PGB-1 French boutique outfit Wee Noise Makers has identified a hole in the market: an all-in-one music-making device aimed at beginners. “Often … instruments can feel limited, tying users to a specific sound or ecosystem,” they said on their Crowd Supply funding page. To address this need, they’re attempting to release the PGB-1, a pocket-sized and op ..read more