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- in the community space Tools and Plugins
Loudness Penalty Studio updated to version 1.5 A free update has been released for MeterPlugs' Loudness Penalty Studio, bringing a range of performance improvements, new analysis tools and expanded reporting features in version 1.5.
Loudness Penalty Studio updated to version 1.5
www.soundonsound.comA free update has been released for MeterPlugs' Loudness Penalty Studio, bringing a range of performance improvements, new analysis tools and expanded reporting features in version 1.5.
JBL Bandbox: New Bluetooth speakers with AI stem separation – a game-changer for practice sessions?NAMM 2026 is done and dusted, but we’re still on a mission to alert you to as many new product launches as we can. And this release from JBL is certainly worth knowing about.
Meet the BandBox, a new line of practice amp/speakers loaded with AI vocal and instrument separation technology for supercharged practice sessions. Think of it like a portable Bluetooth speaker with a bunch of powerful musician-focused features.READ MORE: The coolest synths, software and gear I saw at NAMM 2026
The line comprises two BandBox units: the 30W BandBox Solo – tailored for individuals looking to upgrade their practice setup – and BandBox Trio, which is designed more for group situations, with four instrument inputs and a more powerful speaker configuration, with 135W powering one 6.5” woofer and two 1” tweeters.
BandBox Solo
Credit: JBL
The ability to utilise AI-powered stem separation to subtract your instrument from a mix and play along will no doubt prove a tantalising prospect for musicians looking to upgrade their practice setup.
The BandBox Solo features a single guitar/mic input – ideal for guitarists or singer-songwriters – and allows the player to stream songs via Bluetooth, and use JBL’s Stem AI to reduce or completely remove specific elements of a track.
The Solo also boasts a built-in looper, as well as a pitch shifter, tuner and integrated LED screen, while the JBL ONE app is on hand with a healthy selection of vintage and modern amp models, and effects including phaser, chorus and reverb.
You can also connect wired headphones for silent practice, and there’s also a USB-C output for recording your sound straight into your DAW of choice.
Of course, it isn’t just a practice amp, the JBL BandBox Solo can also simply be used as a regular Bluetooth speaker.
BandBox Trio
Credit: JBL
Meanwhile, the BandBox Trio packs a bigger punch, and is aimed at “small bands, jam sessions or duos who want to perform together without the need for a full setup”.
You can balance levels, craft tone and apply effects directly on the speaker unit via a built-in four-channel mixer, while the unit also features a replaceable battery, meaning you can simply swap power packs and accommodate longer practice sessions without the fear of running out of charge.
Like the BandBox Solo, the Trio also features a built-in tuner, metronome and looper, integrated LCD colour screen, Stem AI instrument separation technology, and added control via the JBL ONE app. There’s also a USB-C output for connecting the Trio to your computer for direct recording into your DAW.
What is JBL saying about BandBox?“JBL BandBox is created with musicians’ needs in mind, and made possible by cutting-edge technology,” says Carsten Olesen, President of Consumer Audio at HARMAN, JBL’s parent company.
“This is the first speaker to feature an on-device Stem AI algorithm capable of removing vocals or instruments, without the need for cloud processing or an internet connection. With this breakthrough, it’s easier than ever to practice, improve and enjoy playing music either on your own or with friends.”
Pricing and availability
Both the BandBox Solo and Trio will be available from February, priced at £199 and £529, respectively.
Learn more at JBL.
The post JBL Bandbox: New Bluetooth speakers with AI stem separation – a game-changer for practice sessions? appeared first on MusicTech.JBL Bandbox: New Bluetooth speakers with AI stem separation – a game-changer for practice sessions?
musictech.comComprising the Solo and more powerful Trio, JBL's BandBox line might just be the ticket to supercharge your practice sessions.
This app from Sonarworks & Dolby creates you a personalized Dolby Atmos headphone profileSonarworks – the audio calibration company known for its SoundID Reference software – has partnered with Dolby to deliver a better experience to creators working with Dolby Atmos.
The brand is about to launch its SoundID Reference Tools mobile app for iOS and Android, and will enable the creation of a personalised Dolby Atmos headphone profile free of charge. As Sonarworks explains, the app creates an image of the user’s head, ears and shoulders via the phone’s camera, leveraging Dolby tech to create a personalised profile compatible with Dolby Atmos creation tools.READ MORE: This headless guitar has MIDI and can control your software instruments and hardware synths
This file can then be loaded into the Dolby Atmos Renderer or any compatible DAW. Sonarworks says monitoring with this profile can “improve spatial and timbral accuracy of Dolby Atmos headphone mixes, allowing a more accurate and consistent monitoring experience.
“Every creator’s physical characteristics are unique, which affects how they experience immersive audio over headphones,” says David Gould, Sr. Director of Content Creation and Distribution at Dolby Laboratories.
“By combining Dolby’s technology with Sonarworks’ calibration expertise, the app enables more accurate Dolby Atmos monitoring. We are excited to work with them, and our DAW partners, to bring advanced headphone experiences to Dolby Atmos creators everywhere.”
“At Sonarworks, our mission has always been to help creators hear their mixes accurately and with confidence, no matter where they work,” adds Martins Popelis, CPO and Co-Founder at Sonarworks.
“We are thrilled to partner with Dolby to help Dolby Atmos creators make great sounding immersive mixes on headphones as well as deliver more value to the broad community of users who rely on SoundID Reference calibration for accuracy.”
Learn more at Sonarworks.
The post This app from Sonarworks & Dolby creates you a personalized Dolby Atmos headphone profile appeared first on MusicTech.This app from Sonarworks & Dolby creates you a personalized Dolby Atmos headphone profile
musictech.comSonarworks has partnered with Dolby on an app to deliver a better experience to creators working with Dolby Atmos.
- in the community space Tools and Plugins
Yamaha launch MGX Mixers, URX Interfaces & CC1 Controller Yamaha are geared up for an eventful NAMM Show, with not one but three new product launches planned for their pro-audio line-up.
Yamaha launch MGX Mixers, URX Interfaces & CC1 Controller
www.soundonsound.comYamaha are geared up for an eventful NAMM Show, with not one but three new product launches planned for their pro-audio line-up.
- in the community space Tools and Plugins
Dreamtonics add choirs to Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro Rather than bringing new solo voices to the table, the latest expansions for Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro introduce a trio of modelled choirs.
Dreamtonics add choirs to Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro
www.soundonsound.comRather than bringing new solo voices to the table, the latest expansions for Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro introduce a trio of modelled choirs.
- in the community space Music from Within
Apple Launches Apple Creator Studio: New Creative Powerhouse for Musicians and ProducersApple has announced the launch of Apple Creator Studio, a new subscription bundle designed to unify its most powerful creative tools under one roof. For musicians, songwriters and producers, this marks a significant shift in how Apple’s professional ecosystem can be accessed and utilized.
The post Apple Launches Apple Creator Studio: New Creative Powerhouse for Musicians and Producers appeared first on Hypebot.Apple Launches Apple Creator Studio: New Creative Powerhouse for Musicians and Producers
www.hypebot.comExplore Apple Creator Studio, a new subscription for creators integrating Logic Pro and Final Cut Pro into one powerful package.
- in the community space Tools and Plugins
Apple to introduce Apple Creator Studio The bundle will include Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage, and will also include some new intelligent features and premium content for Keynote, Pages, Numbers and eventually Freeform for iPhone.
Apple to introduce Apple Creator Studio
www.soundonsound.comThe bundle will include Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage, and will also include some new intelligent features and premium content for Keynote, Pages, Numbers and eventually Freeform for iPhone.
“Based”: Musicians celebrate as Bandcamp bans AI music from its platformThe prevalence of AI-generated music on streaming platforms has been a major talking point in the industry over the last year. Many ‘real’ artists are voicing concerns that such music is both diluting the royalty pools from which they are paid, and diminishing the creative integrity of the music on these platforms in general.
Now, Bandcamp – which is famously friendly to up-and-coming artists looking to monetise their music – has made the decision to ban AI-generated music from its platform.READ MORE: Abbey Road and Chandler team up on the first EMI recording console in 50 years – and it’s fully modular
In a post on Reddit, Bandcamp explains its reasons for massively clamping down on AI music, citing the “sheer quantity of human creativity” on its platform, and how its “vibrant community of real people making incredible music is something we want to protect and maintain”.
“We want musicians to keep making music, and for fans to have confidence that the music they find on Bandcamp was created by humans,” the company writes.
In the post, Bandcamp outlines two main guidelines for AI on its platform:Music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not permitted on Bandcamp.
Any use of AI tools to impersonate other artists or styles is strictly prohibited in accordance with our existing policies prohibiting impersonation and intellectual property infringement.The second point comes as numerous artists as of late have criticised streaming platforms for allowing AI-generated music which is heavily inspired by or derivative of their music. In some cases, such AI artists generate more plays than the human artists on which they are allegedly trained or inspired by.
Back in October, Lucas Woodland – of Cardiff metal band Holding Absence – called it “shocking, disheartening and insulting” that AI artist Bleeding Verse – which he accused of being trained on his music – had more Spotify monthly listeners than his own band.
Finishing its note on Reddit, Bandcamp encourages its users to report music which sounds AI-generated for review by its team, adding: “We reserve the right to remove any music on suspicion of being AI-generated.”
“We will be sure to communicate any updates to the policy as the rapidly changing generative AI space develops,” it concludes. “Given the response around this to our previous posts, we hope this news is welcomed.”
AI Generated Music on Bandcamp byu/bandcamp_official inBandCampWhile many have accused Spotify of not doing enough to combat the spread of AI music on its platform, the company did reveal a plan in September to crack down on what it called “AI slop” in a bid to protect artists.
Still, AI music generators remain widely popular and a hotbed of investment and hype; in November, Suno raised $250m in its latest funding round, bringing the platform’s valuation to $2.45 billion.
That said, a study released the same month revealed that over 80% of music producers are against AI-generated songs – with 81% supporting the clear labelling of AI-generated music on streaming platforms.
Reddit users in the comments section have praised Bandcamp’s decision to ban AI-generated music from its platform, with one user writing: “Bandcamp continues to be the best place to post your music.”
Another replies simply: “Based.”
Head to Bandcamp to learn more.
The post “Based”: Musicians celebrate as Bandcamp bans AI music from its platform appeared first on MusicTech.“Based”: Musicians celebrate as Bandcamp bans AI music from its platform
musictech.comIn a win for sceptics of AI-generated music, Bandcamp has made the landmark decision to massively restrict AI music on its platform.
Abbey Road and Chandler team up on the first EMI recording console in 50 years – and it’s fully modularAbbey Road Studios and Chandler Limited have teamed up on the REDD Mixing System, the first EMI recording console in 50 years, and a fully modular unit which brings together “every era of EMI’s legendary recording equipment”.
The modular nature of the REDD Mixing System allows producers and engineers to design their optimal setup, combining REDD, TG and RS channels and busses in whatever configuration they like to suit everything from home studios to professional control rooms.READ MORE: Apple Creator Studio: Logic Pro, Final Cut and all your favourite creative apps are now available in one subscription
The REDD Mixing System has been six years in the making, and is the result of “intensive collaboration” between Wade Goeke of Chandler Limited, Abbey Road’s Head of Audio Products Mirek Stiles and the wider Abbey Road team.
Abbey Road and Chandler are currently taking orders for the REDD Mixing System in the US only, with expected delivery dates of August 2026.
Credit: Abbey Road Studios/Chandler Limited
They say that given each console is made in America and the wide variety of possible configurations requested in each special order, time is required to “establish infrastructure for building and sales”, and determinations on wider distribution will be made at a later date.
“Development of the new desk was a labour of love,” says Goeke. “I wanted to include all the different sounding gear we make with Abbey Road as well as offering a modular approach that is more suited for modern recording setups.
“I can have a very small system at home and cover everything I need, whether it be tracking with tube or solid state gear, mixing in the box, reamplifying, inserting pedals with the sends, passive EQ on the busses, flexible control room options and even glow-in-the-dark faders that add a creative feel to a dimly lit studio. This has truly been the design of a lifetime and one I hope adds to the legacy of EMI, Abbey Road and Chandler Limited.”
Credit: Abbey Road Studios/Chandler Limited
“I was introduced to the TG and REDD desks at Abbey Road Studios when I was 18 years old,” adds Stiles. “I’d never seen or heard anything like them. I was blown away watching how producers like Mike Hedges, Jon Brion or Peter Cobbin would use them to colour the sound of their recordings and mixes in such a musical way.”
He goes on: “Examples of the original desks used on everything from The Beatles to film scores like Raiders of the Lost Ark are very rare indeed, so it’s with great pleasure to witness Wade revive these beautiful engineering classics for artists, producers and engineers of today, all of course with a modern innovative twist.
“Wade has created a modern classic, there simply isn’t anything else like this on the market. I truly believe the music production community now have access to a tool that will redefine what the mixing console is and how it’s used creatively.”
For a full breakdown of specs, head to abbeyroad.com.
The post Abbey Road and Chandler team up on the first EMI recording console in 50 years – and it’s fully modular appeared first on MusicTech.Abbey Road and Chandler team up on the first EMI recording console in 50 years – and it's fully modular
musictech.comThe REDD Mixing System allows producers and engineers to create the ideal configuration to suit their workflow.
Warm Audio team launches Audio Collective Group to scale and support music industry brandsThe team behind Warm Audio has officially announced Audio Collective Group (ACG), a new parent company designed to help music industry brands grow while preserving the quality, identity, and innovation that make them unique.
Founded by the same team that built Warm Audio into a global brand, ACG has been operating quietly for over a year, providing sales, manufacturing, distribution, logistics and marketing support to a growing roster of partners. The idea is simple – let brands focus on building great products, while ACG handles the infrastructure and operational support needed to scale.
Current brands supported by Audio Collective Group include Warm Audio, RockNRoller Multi-Carts, Tegeler Audio, Tokai Guitars, Wavebone, Gotham Audio Cable and Pop Audio, with more partnerships expected to be announced.READ MORE: PreSonus Studio One is now Fender Studio Pro, as Fender launches its own fully-fledged DAW environment
Importantly, Warm Audio isn’t going anywhere. The brand will continue to operate independently, but the same team that helped establish Warm’s reputation is now extending its support to more companies across the music and pro audio space.
“Warm Audio was founded on a simple mission: to give more musicians and creators access to truly great sound. That same commitment now fuels our ability to support other outstanding brands,” says Bryce Young, President of Warm Audio & Audio Collective Group.
“As this vision expanded, it became clear we needed a broader platform to serve the industry, which led to the formation of Audio Collective Group. Through ACG, we’re able to share our strengths in worldwide sales and channel reach, operations, marketing, fulfilment, customer support, and global logistics – helping more brands thrive while staying true to the craftsmanship and character that earned their place in the music world.”
Young points to RockNRoller Multi-Carts as an early example of the model working in practice: “We’ve expanded distribution, stabilised pricing, refreshed branding, and grown the retail footprint,” he says. “The response from the channel has been overwhelmingly positive regarding our expansion and support of other ACG brands.”
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Audio Collective Group says additional partnerships are already in the pipeline.
Learn more at Audio Collective Group.
The post Warm Audio team launches Audio Collective Group to scale and support music industry brands appeared first on MusicTech.Warm Audio team launches Audio Collective Group to scale and support music industry brands
musictech.comAudio Collective Group (ACG) is a new parent company designed to help music industry brands grow and scale while preserving their identity.
Apple Creator Studio: Logic Pro, Final Cut and all your favourite creative apps are now available in one subscriptionApple has unveiled Apple Creator Studio, a new subscription bundle that combines its most powerful creative software – including Logic Pro – into a single monthly or annual plan. For those already paying for Logic Pro’s subscription, the new bundle stands as a reasonably good-value upgrade, folding Apple’s wider pro app ecosystem into one package across Mac, iPad and iPhone.
READ MORE: PreSonus Studio One Pro becomes Fender Studio Pro: here’s what it means for producers
Priced at $12.99 per month or $129 per year, Apple Creator Studio includes Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro and Pixelmator Pro on both Mac and iPad, alongside Motion, Compressor and MainStage on Mac. Subscribers also gain access to new intelligent features and premium content across Keynote, Pages and Numbers, with Freeform support coming later.
Alongside the new bundle, Apple is also rolling out fresh AI-powered features for Logic Pro, starting with the addition of a Synth Player to Logic Pro’s AI Session Player lineup. Capable of delivering electronic music performances with a diverse range of chordal and synth bass parts, Apple describes it as “like having access to a skilled synthesist that can instantly take a musical idea in new directions when needed”.And as with all AI Session Players, creators can direct Synth Player using intuitive controls for complexity and intensity, along with various performance options. Synth Player can also be used to control third-party plugins or external hardware synths, giving producers flexible options for both in-the-box and hybrid setups.
Another key addition is Chord ID, a “personal music theory expert” that turns any audio or MIDI recording into a ready-to-use chord progression. Chord ID can analyse complex harmonic content from nearly any recording to automatically populate the chord track in Logic Pro. And since the chord track drives the performances of any AI Session Player, users can quickly audition different players, styles, and genres before dialling in their preferred vibe.
Apple Creator Studio will be available on the App Store from Wednesday, 28 January, with a one-month free trial. Students and educators can subscribe for $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. For those who prefer not to subscribe, Apple continues to offer one-time purchases of the Mac versions of Logic Pro, Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage via the Mac App Store.
Learn more at Apple.
The post Apple Creator Studio: Logic Pro, Final Cut and all your favourite creative apps are now available in one subscription appeared first on MusicTech.Apple Creator Studio: Logic Pro, Final Cut and all your favourite creative apps are now available in one subscription
musictech.comApple's new Apple Creator Studio is a subscription bundle that combines its most powerful creative software, including Logic Pro, into a single plan.
Crypto-friendly Old Glory Bank plans Nasdaq listing through SPACThe “digital-first“ bank created in 2022 is set to go public on the Nasdaq, subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.
Crypto-Friendly Bank to Go Public as Texas Company via SPAC
cointelegraph.comAn Oklahoma-based crypto-friendly bank, which launched on a “digital-first“ mission in 2022, said it plans to go public on the Nasdaq under the entity OGB Financial Company.
- in the community space Music from Within
How to Get Your Song to 1,000 Streams [Marketing Plan]Artists, here's a breakdown of exactly how to spend your time and budget to make the biggest impact, and get your track to 1k streams.
The post How to Get Your Song to 1,000 Streams [Marketing Plan] appeared first on Hypebot.How to Get Your Song to 1,000 Streams [Marketing Plan]
www.hypebot.comArtists, here's a breakdown of exactly how to spend your time and budget to make the biggest impact, and get your track to 1k total streams.
PreSonus Studio One Pro becomes Fender Studio Pro: here’s what it means for producersPreSonus Studio One has found a new home under the Fender umbrella as Fender Studio Pro – as the Big F looks to provide the most cohesive DAW environment possible for creators and producers.
Alongside the consolidation of PreSonus Studio One into Fender Studio Pro, PreSonus’s Quantum and AudioBox interface lines are also being rebranded under Fender. Meanwhile, the PreSonus brand remains focused on studio and live gear, maintaining its popular lines of studio monitors, PA speakers, and digital consoles. Fender acquired PreSonus back in 2021.
What does this mean for current Studio One users?
Credit: Fender
If you’ve been using Studio One in your recording, music production, and mixing workflows, there’s no cause for alarm. Fender Studio Pro 8 is the next logical progression of Studio One, and it sits at the centre of the new Fender creator universe. In preparation for this shift, the PreSonus and Fender teams have been working hard to ensure that Studio Pro 8 is the most advanced, efficient, and creative DAW platform that it can be.
As there hasn’t been a UI update in Studio One in some time, Fender Studio Pro brings a fresh look and feel. It’ll still feel familiar to existing users, but features like the Arrangement Overview improve the experience on smaller displays, as well as a new Channel View that gives you an overview of the inserts on the selected channel, with access to key parameters.
Futher feature enhancements include the addition of Mustang and Rumble native plugins, with a range of 39 amps for guitar and bass, and over 70 effects pedals. These plugins have similar interfaces to the Fender Tone app and the Fender Studio mobile and desktop app, the latter of which has also been updated to version 1.2. The Fender Studio app becomes the pocket partner of Studio Pro, with full real-time Wi-Fi integration that allows you to transfer projects and scale your ideas up to fully-fledged productions.
Credit: Fender
Meanwhile, for producers and beatmakers, there are improvements to the range of included virtual instruments. This includes interface updates across the board, as well as some user-requested feature additions for the Impact and SampleOne instruments. This is particularly exciting in the context of the newly redesigned Fender Motion MIDI controllers coming this Spring. This will provide a tactile platform to harness all the new and existing features, giving you a similar feel to some of the legendary sampler/sequencers of the past.
“We live so much of our lives in music today in the digital domain compared to where we were even 10 years ago,” says Max Gutnik, Chief Product Officer at Fender. “As the modern signal chain has gone digital, an iPhone could easily become the guitar amp for the new generation of musicians. This is why we want to ensure that the modern signal chain evolves with them, and the level of creative inspiration is consistent as they move between hardware and software.”
What are some of the notable music production and live performance features?
Credit: Fender
Fender Studio Pro brings a range of improvements which expand the platform’s potential from a creative standpoint. The integration of AI-assisted stem splitting has been refined for more practical applications. For accurate drum replacement, you can isolate the drum hits in an existing audio file and convert them to MIDI in a single-step process called Extract Drums. Equally, you can use the Extract Notes feature to transfer a recorded instrument take into MIDI and use it with a software instrument of your choosing.
The same process can also be performed with chords, and the extracted information is instantly transferred to the Chord Track. The Studio Pro Chord Track, with its drag-and-drop import functionality, is particularly useful because it can feed chord information to 3rd-party plugins like Celemony Melodyne and others from developers like UJAM. Also, with the new AI enhancements, you can access the chord recommendation database in the backend of Studio Pro. There is also some crossover functionality, because the new version 1.2 update of Fender Studio adds the Chord Track, with a chord detection function to find out the chord sequence of any song.
On top of all this, Studio Pro’s Show Page now enables you to send a video file alongside each of your backing tracks via HDMI, visually enhancing your stage performance. What’s impressive, too, is the new integration with the Fender Tone Master Pro guitar processor, as it becomes a controller for your setlist and transport functions while being able to receive program changes that ensure you have the corresponding tone for each of your songs.
What inspired the change from PreSonus to Fender?
Credit: Fender
The change came as Fender recognised the potential for musicians to user their affinity for guitars and Fender as a brand to channel that inspiration into the creative workflow of Studio Pro. With the marriage between Fender and PreSonus, the development teams create a symbiotic system that can deliver the best of both technological worlds to benefit both new and experienced users alike.
This consolidation will allow Fender to evolve with the next generation of musicians, and by doing so, remain at the forefront of creative technological development in this ever-changing space.
“One of the biggest challenges we face today is inspiring new creatives to actively make music,” says Arnd Kaiser, General Manager for Software at PreSonus. “Rather than simply providing a range of integrated technological solutions, the synergy between Fender and PreSonus bolsters the way we relate to musicians. Studio One was already a popular DAW with guitarists, but this new transformation presents the creative potential of Studio Pro to a wider range of users, in any musical genre.”
How can I get Fender Studio Pro?
Fender Studio Pro is available now, with a perpetual license priced at $199.99/£169.99, or a monthly subscription priced at $19.99/£19.99. A number of upgrade options are also available for existing users.
You can learn more by heading over to Fender.
The post PreSonus Studio One Pro becomes Fender Studio Pro: here’s what it means for producers appeared first on MusicTech.PreSonus Studio One Pro becomes Fender Studio Pro: here's what it means for producers
musictech.comPreSonus Studio One has found a new home under the Fender umbrella as Fender Studio Pro – as the Big F looks to provide the most cohesive DAW environment possible for creators and producers.
Suno Studio review: Is this AI DAW really the future of music production?£18 per month subscription, suno.com
As we start 2026, the battle for AI music-generating dominance is as fierce as ever. Suno has added Studio to its line-up, and we’re seeing competing products such as Moises AI Studio and ACE Studio flock to market.READ MORE: Cubase 15, as reviewed by a Logic Pro user: “The most versatile DAW I’ve ever used”
We are now entering the era of the AI DAW. Up to this point, generative AI music involved inputting a prompt that would create a whole piece of music, but you had little control to edit the specifics beyond just extending the track. These new AI DAWs give you much greater control, with the ability to work on individual stems, generate specific instruments and even extract MIDI data.
Suno Studio is technically still in Beta and has a long way to go until it fulfils its potential. However, it’s an intriguing glimpse of a future that makes AI tools much more flexible and usable without it feeling like you’re giving up all creative control.
Since its launch in 2023, Suno’s influence has been far-reaching and controversial, with roughly seven million AI songs created on it every day. This review focuses on the recent release of Suno Studio, which adds extra DAW-like control alongside the main Suno feature set (Suno says that it’s a “Browser-based Generative Audio Workstation”.
I’m approaching Suno Studio as a producer who’s been writing electronic music for over 30 years, looking to find ways to enhance my workflow rather than completely change or replace it. Can Suno Studio really inspire me when I’m stuck, and generate improved versions of rough samples or ideas, or will it just offer up AI slop?How to use Suno Studio
Although you can get a Pro plan for £6 a month to generate AI music, you’ll need the full Premier Plan at £18 a month to get access to Suno Studio. This also gives you 10,000 credits per month to experiment with — plenty for the average user.
Suno Studio is a browser-based tool that can be accessed as a tab alongside the other Suno features. The main interface is split into four sections: a creation window, a library that displays your tracks and projects, the main arrangement window, and a clip and track detail window.
The first interface is where you generate your content. You can add your own lyrics (or get Suno to write them for you), you can prompt for the style of track that you’re looking for, and you can tweak a number of other parameters to tailor how closely or loosely Suno will follow your guidelines. It’s obviously different from directly composing your own music, but prompting a well-written, original sounding and cohesive track is still a skill that has to be learnt to get the best results. The online documentation can get you started, but the finer details about how to get decent-sounding tracks are ambiguous. Your best bet is to pore over the many YouTube videos with tips from other creators and then experiment yourself.
Image: Press
Suno Studio’s generative AI music in practice
One of the main issues with AI generation is the lack of consistency. You’re essentially putting information in, clicking ‘Go’ and hoping for the best. And each time you generate anything, you’re using up some of your (admittedly generous) monthly allowance of credits. Suno has gone some way to improving the situation with the ability to upload a piece of audio as a starting point that can then be remixed. There’s also a feature called Inspo, which lets you build a playlist of four tracks that it uses as inspiration for a new piece, and also Persona, where you can teach Suno the sound of a specific voice and then use the same vocal for every track. I find the Remix audio function extremely useful when working on tracks where I’ve hit a dead-end. It provides endless new musical motifs, chord progressions and drum fills that I would never have come up with, and I can cherry-pick the best of these ideas to then recreate within my Logic Pro project.
Persona is less successful. I generate a couple of voice profiles from some of my old tracks with different singers, but it takes all of the edge off of them and makes them sound generic and too polished, even turning one from an English to an American accent. Making generic music is an argument that’s often thrown at Suno and AI music, as the technology’s natural tendency is to go for the most popular and common-sounding results. I find this especially when working on electronic dance music; it seems desperate to make everything sound like over-produced EDM. It can be wrangled into sounding more characterful and original, but it takes time, practice, and often experimenting with multiple generations of audio.
There’s no doubt that you get a dopamine hit when generating prompts, as you wonder whether the next one might hit on gold. But if you’re a working professional, then the lack of consistency and time-wasting required might prove a dealbreaker when working to a deadline. Although the overall sonics will generally sound well mixed, it doesn’t stand up well to increased scrutiny. Top-end transients tend to appear smeared, and you still hear the subtle artefacts of a lower bit-rate output. It’s definitely come a long way in two years, though, and a careful choice of prompting with phrases like ‘high-quality’ and ‘studio-quality’ can improve the results. The musical content that can be generated (when all goes well) is often excellent. It has flair, with musical and production embellishments that sound professional.
You may have read about the recent deal between Suno and Warner Music. Suno plans to replace its current AI models with licensed ones built on authorised data sometime in 2026, which will no doubt affect the style and quality of its output. Dubious ethics aside, the ever-growing pile of AI slop tracks and the threat to musicians’ livelihoods are genuine concerns for the industry. As things progress, I hope that an expanded feature set encourages producers to be more creative with these tools.
Image: Press
Suno Studio as a DAW
The most exciting element of Suno Studio is its ability to work at a more granular level. Any audio that you import or generate can be split into stems to work on further with a DAW-like workflow.
On a basic level, you can change volume, panning, the arrangement of any track, and a six-band EQ for further shaping. The quality of the stem separation can be a little hit and miss, with some parts being attributed to the wrong instrument stem. However, for the most part, it’s not far off what you would get using one of the current third-party stem separation services. Finally, being able to get access to a capella vocals and individual instrument parts is a dream come true for someone who loves to sample snippets of records in a traditional sense.
Another hugely useful feature is the ability to extract MIDI parts from a stem. I use it to generate intricate chord stabs for a garage track, and then export the MIDI to refine it in Logic Pro. The output can sometimes be a bit messy, as it’s simply converting the audio into MIDI, but the beauty of this workflow is that you can use your own pristine instrument sounds to improve the sound quality.
Perhaps most impressive is that you can load in a track and then generate a specific instrumental part over a chosen section. So you could highlight a middle eight and say that you want an “energetic saxophone solo”, and it will listen to the rest of the track and create something appropriate.
Suno Studio lets you record, so you can even sing in a melody and then convert it into a chosen instrument. As a test, I roughly record several parts using just my voice and a microphone. Then I convert them all into drums, bass, brass and vocal parts. The workflow is a bit clunky and it takes quite a few tries, as the generated parts drift out of time and some have mismatched swing. Several short parts also get turned into complex, wandering epics. It’s like having a real guitar player that can’t stop showing off with wild jazz noodling when all you want them to do is play the simple progression you’ve given them. Despite these frustrations, the final results were pretty impressive given how bad my original performance is. I can see myself using this generative replacement of audio to take some of my boring piano chords and give them a performative boost.
Some music creators may choose to work solely within Suno Studio, but for many, the ability to finally download audio and MIDI stems means they can import parts into a more powerful DAW for editing and processing. I encounter several bugs when using Safari, but things run smoother when I switch to the recommended Google Chrome.
EQ in Suno Studio. Image: Press
Suno Studio — the future?
It’s pleasing that Suno has listened to its users, and the many features that are being added offer finer control and more repeatable results. But there’s still an air of mystery about how to create a successful prompt, and the large amount of unpredictability can lead to time-consuming frustrations. Sometimes you think you’ve written a prompt that explicitly tells it what you want, but it still disobeys you and adds in an extra random synth solo on top of your a capella.
Suno Studio is still in Beta. I feel like my journey with using AI to enhance my music is just beginning, and I can see my own knowledge and prompting skills improving over time alongside Suno’s audio quality, feature set and predictability.
For all the times it frustrates me and doesn’t give me what I want, there are moments where it truly blows me away and creates a part that transforms the track I’m working on. Even if it’s not totally there yet, it’s an exciting glimpse of a future where we can work alongside these tools without them simply writing the music for us.Key features
Browser-based Generative Audio Workstation
Lets you generate whole tracks or individual parts
Remixes your audio
Record ideas and then recreate parts using different voices and instruments
Persona feature lets you create re-usable voices
Inspo creates a new track based on up to four inspiration tracks
Auto lyric and artwork generation
Generate downloadable stems from your tracks
Audio to MIDI conversion
V5 models offers more intelligent and natural sounding songs and tracks
Premier Plan required for Suno Studio: includes 10,000 credits per monthThe post Suno Studio review: Is this AI DAW really the future of music production? appeared first on MusicTech.
Suno Studio review: Is this AI DAW really the future of music production?
musictech.comAI music is a controversial topic, but it’s seemingly here to stay. Does Suno Studio put the power of creation back in the producer’s hands?

