synths
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Arturia unveils 'Noir' editions of its popular MiniBrute synths
Arturia has launched Brute Noir editions of its popular mid-tier monophonic synths, the MiniBrute 2 and MiniBrute 2S.
Some of Arturia’s best software is half off until December 3rd
Arturia has cut the price of its software, including its handy Pigments suite, by 50 percent until December 3rd.
Teenage Engineering is making Capcom-themed pocket synths
The Mega Man and Street Fighter-themed pocket samplers cost $89.
AI breathes new life into a classic ‘80s synth
A website uses AI to generate usable patches for Yamaha's classic DX7 synthesizer.
A bunch of Arturia's music software is on sale for half off
Arturia is discounting a bunch of its music-making software.
Native Instruments' $50 retro synth plug-in is currently free
The '80s had no shortage of massive-sounding synthesizers, but many of them have either gone out to pasture or are prohibitively expensive on the secondhand market. Software companies often try to digitally recreate those synths as affordable plug-ins, though, and to keep musicians busy while they're locked inside, Native Instruments has made its Analog Dreams software -- which usually costs $50 -- free to download. That means anyone with a USB keyboard or controller can work on their Duran Duran covers or an isolation-induced synth pop opus.
You can build the tiny XFM2 synth for under $100
Miniature electronics kits like the Raspberry Pi have ushered in a new generation of DIY tinkerers. And while most of these builds emulate classic gaming systems, there are plenty of other possibilities. Futur3soundz, for example, designed a synthesizer around an FPGA chip and an Adafruit digital-to-analog converter. The company says that the components can all be purchased for under $100. And while the synth has few on-board controls, it has an extensive MIDI integration, so musicians can control parameters from their keyboards, making it a viable piece of bedroom studio gear.
Dubreq’s touch-powered Stylophone Gen R-8 synthesizer is available now
After missing its originally planned February release, Dubreq's latest Stylophone synthesizer is now available for purchase. This upgrade to the pocket-sized classic boasts new features and controls, an all-analog circuit and a hefty metal chassis. Most importantly, it has gritty tones and filters similar to the sounds of full-fledged monosynths.
