DAWJunkie releases Peggio Jr, a FREE arpeggiator synth for macOS and Windows
Developer DAWJunkie has released Peggio Jr, a free arpeggiator synth for macOS and Windows. Whenever we speak about a new freebie from DAWJunkie, we rarely have to wait too long before the next one comes around. It has only been a few weeks since we covered Mini-Menace, DAWJunkie’s free nod to the Arturia MicroBrute, and [...]
View post: DAWJunkie releases Peggio Jr, a FREE arpeggiator synth for macOS and Windows

2B Played Music QFX Color plugin is FREE until June 26th
2B Played Music is offering QFX Color as a free download until June 26th, 2026. QFX Color normally costs €19.99 and is currently listed at €14.99 during the developer’s June sale, but you can get it for free by using the coupon code “JUNE26” at checkout. We covered QFX Color before, and we have also [...]
View post: 2B Played Music QFX Color plugin is FREE until June 26th

Former Native Instruments owner Francisco Partners has exited its investment in another large music companyFrancisco Partners, the investment firm which owned a majority stake in Native Instruments until it declared insolvency earlier this year and was sold to inMusic, has exited its minority investment in global music technology and publishing company Muse Group.
The news has been announced by Muse Group, as it looks forward to the “next chapter in its growth journey”.
The Muse Group is a global music company which owns and develops some of the world’s leading music software and platforms, including Hal Leonard, Ultimate Guitar, MuseScore, Audacity and more.

READ MORE: Suno has raised over $400M in its latest funding round – and is now valued at a staggering $5.4B

So why is Francisco Partners’ exit significant? Until earlier this year, the investment firm owned a majority stake in leading music technology company Native Instruments, which declared insolvency in January, and was later sold to inMusic, the company that owns Moog and Akai Professional.
So its move to withdraw investment from Muse Group could signal its shift away from music companies as an investment focus. That said, Francisco remains an investor in ticketing platform Eventbrite, as well as a vast number of other companies specialising in areas from cybersecurity to payment systems.
“It has been a privilege to work with Eugeny, Mo, and the Muse Group team over the course of our partnership,” says Lee Rubenstein, Managing Director at Francisco Partners. “Since our initial investment, the company has delivered impressive growth, completed its transformational acquisition of Hal Leonard, and built a leading global music technology platform. We are proud of the company’s accomplishments and are confident Muse Group is well positioned for its next chapter of growth.
Muse Group says it will continue to seek businesses with “loyal communities, strong product foundations, high-intent users, and the potential to become more valuable as part of the Muse Group ecosystem.
“I founded Ultimate Guitar in 1998, driven by a passion to improve the lives of musicians every day,” says Eugeny Naidenov, founder and CEO of the Muse Group.
“Francisco Partners helped us expand that vision to more markets, more products, and more creators around the globe. Muse Group is now ready for its next phase. We have the products, the team, the community, and the ambition to keep building technology that helps musicians do even more with their creativity.”
Learn more about Francisco Partners and Muse Group.
The post Former Native Instruments owner Francisco Partners has exited its investment in another large music company appeared first on MusicTech.

Celemony Tonalic brings authentic, adaptable music performances to your projects – and it’s now available for free within CubaseSteinberg has partnered with Celemony – the developer behind popular pitch correction software Melodyne – to bring its groundbreaking Tonalic software to Cubase.
Tonalic is an innovative platform which lets users take authentic, real performances by world-class musicians and adapt them to any project’s key, chords, tempo and groove, delivering “natural and expressive results in real time”.
The new partnership between Steinberg and Celemony brings the Tonalic Essential bundle – featuring a selection of acoustic and electric guitars to Steinberg’s new version 15.0.30 update for Cubase Pro 15, Cubase Artist 15 and Nuendo 15.

READ MORE: Suno has raised over $400M in its latest funding round – and is now valued at a staggering $5.4B

“Tonalic Essential offers a carefully curated collection of acoustic and electric guitars, providing songwriters and producers with an inspiring toolkit for rapid composition, arrangement, and the creation of rich, organic musical textures,” says Steinberg.
Existing users of Cubase Pro 15, Cubase Artist 15 and Nuendo 15 will receive a license for Celemony Tonalic Essential via the Voucher section in MySteinberg. They must also register with Celemony.

“We’re pleased to be partnering up with Celemony and are happy to offer Tonalic Essential to our Cubase and Nuendo 15 customers for free,” says Matthias Quellman, Senior Marketing Manager at Steinberg.
“With its guitar performances, Tonalic Essential fits nicely in the comprehensive tool set provided by Cubase and Nuendo.”
Cubase 15 is available in three tiers, Artist and Pro – each featuring Tonalic Essential – and the entry-level Elements package.
Pricing for each tier is as follows:

Cubase Elements 15 – £83
Cubase Artist 15 – £273
Cubase Pro 15 – £481

Learn more at Steinberg.

The post Celemony Tonalic brings authentic, adaptable music performances to your projects – and it’s now available for free within Cubase appeared first on MusicTech.

Analog Obsession updates LOVEND bass enhancer plugin with rewritten DSP
Analog Obsession has released an updated version of LOVEND, its free harmonic bass enhancer plugin for macOS and Windows. LOVEND is designed to add weight and focus to the low end. It gives you a continuous frequency control from 60 Hz to 180 Hz, up to 10 dB of boost, and an output control with [...]
View post: Analog Obsession updates LOVEND bass enhancer plugin with rewritten DSP

Eventide H9 Harmonizer Gen 2 The H9 Harmonizer Gen 2 updates Eventide's single-processor multi-effects pedal with a modern ARM platform, the complete H90 algorithm library, and a redesigned interface that no longer requires a companion app for navigation. Where the original H9 Max topped out at its own algorithm set, the Gen 2 opens access to 74+ algorithms drawn from both the H90 and H9 Max libraries, covering granular, harmonizer and vocal, delay, reverb, modulation, multi-FX, distortion, synth, looper, and utility categories. The over-1,000 preset count reflects that expanded range. Eventide states that new algorithms will continue to be added via updates. The polyphonic pitch shifting side of the pedal runs on Eventide's SIFT technology, which powers four algorithms: Polysynth, Polyphony, Polyflex, and Prism Shift. SIFT (Spectral Instantaneous Frequency Tracking) is Eventide's approach to polyphonic detection and shifting without the pitch-correction artifacts that appear when standard monophonic algorithms encounter chords. Those four algorithms were previously exclusive to the H90, making their presence here one of the more concrete hardware-tier gains for H9 users considering an upgrade. The granular category brings Cosmic Web, Glitch, GrainMod, and Stutter to the platform, the same set Eventide released as free updates for H90 owners in late 2025. Cosmic Web layers reverse-pitched grains against reverb; Glitch offers three distinct distort-and-reconstruct types that can stack; GrainMod runs three independent LFOs targeting Trigger Rate, Grain Duration, and Filter; and Stutter handles burst patterns with adjustable timing and subdivision. On the hardware side, the Gen 2 adds a 2.5" display, button pads, and Quick Knobs, and organizes operation into Select, Bank, and Perform Modes. The intent is a pedal that can be navigated and programmed on the floor without the H9 Control app, which was effectively required on the original for anything beyond basic preset browsing. Connectivity includes USB-C, MIDI, aux switch, and expression pedal inputs. Bluetooth is listed as coming in a future update. The pedal handles both instrument and line-level I/O, includes effects spillover, and has a built-in tuner. The Harmonizer+ Vocal Suite is also on board, though full functionality requires pairing with Eventide's Mixing Link interface, which is sold separately. Features 74+ algorithms including the full H90 and H9 Max libraries across granular, harmonizer, delay, reverb, modulation, multi-FX, distortion, synth, looper, and utility categories. 1,000+ presets; new algorithms added via updates. SIFT polyphonic pitch shifting powering Polysynth, Polyphony, Polyflex, and Prism Shift. Four granular algorithms: Cosmic Web, Glitch, GrainMod, Stutter. Harmonizer+ Vocal Suite (Mixing Link required, sold separately). Redesigned interface: 2.5" display, button pads, Quick Knobs; Select, Bank, and Perform Modes. No companion app required for operation. USB-C, MIDI, aux switch, and expression pedal inputs. Bluetooth (coming soon via firmware update). Instrument and line-level I/O, effects spillover, built-in tuner. Modern ARM processing. Read More

Composer, Recording Artist, and Songwriter Colin Stetson Signs With Third Side Music News broke this week that "Global independent publisher Third Side Music (TSM) has re-signed award-winning composer, artist, songwriter, and arranger Colin Stetson, whose career trajectory has soared since the beginning of his long and successful 15-year partnership with the company."

According to a statement, "Through the exclusive, worldwide administration deal, TSM will continue representation of the renowned bass and alto saxophone player’s entire catalog, and work closely to foster new collaborations and creative opportunities in films, TV series, advertising, games, and other media.  Stetson’s talents and versatility as a multi-instrumentalist, his groundbreaking performances, and genre-defying scores have attracted diverse projects and made him one of today’s most in-demand composers."

"Colin has been part of the TSM family for years, and it’s been incredible to watch his career continue to evolve. As both a composer and recording artist, he brings a unique creative perspective to everything he does. Beyond his talent, he’s thoughtful, collaborative, and genuinely great to work with—qualities that make every project better," Alex Kelman, TSM EVP Creative Services/A&R, told MC.

A press release continues, "As the composer of more than 15 films and series, Stetson’s recent projects include the hit horror-thriller Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, which has ranked as one of Netflix’s most popular original series, Mayday, Apple Original Films’ upcoming spy thriller and comedy starring Ryan Reynolds (releasing Sept. 4, 2026), and the IMAX documentary Stormbound, which premiered at SXSW in March and won the 2026 Special Jury Award. His film scoring credits include Hereditary (2018), Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022),Hold Your Breath (2024), Color Out of Space (2019), Mayday (2021), the Netflix documentary Martha (2024), and The Menu 2022)."

"Stetson’s television credits include Hulu’s The First (2018), Adult Swim’sUzumaki (2024), the Disney+ NASA docuseries Among the Stars (2021), National Geographic’s Barkskins (2020), and Deliver Us (2019), among many others. For Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018), one of Rockstar Games’ highest selling games, Stetson collaborated with composer Woody Jackson and received critical acclaim for his contributions to the original score."

“Alex Kelman, and everyone at Third Side Music have been avid and active advocates of my music, in both my work in film and my solo recording career. They are, and always have been, truly familial in their care, consideration, and support. I am enormously grateful for all their dedication and counsel over the years,” said Stetson. 

“Colin is a dream to work with—truly a once-in-a-lifetime talent. He brings a singular, progressive creative vision to everything he does, paired with a genuine sense of care, compassion, and thoughtfulness. Every project he’s involved with is elevated by these qualities,” added Kelman.

For more information, visit: thirdsidemusic.com

The post Composer, Recording Artist, and Songwriter Colin Stetson Signs With Third Side Music  first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Madame Gandhi takes on our inaugural episode of Producer’s Choice
Watch Madame Gandhi as she produces a track out of her own beatboxing, field recordings, and more in our new beatmaking game series.

Defense tech is flooded with money, but who’s built to last?Defense tech is red hot right now. Anduril and Mach Industries just doubled and quadrupled their valuations, respectively, and the U.S. government is proposing a 40% increase in defense budget. A wave of new startups is chasing those government contracts, but according to Ross Fubini, the venture investor who wrote Anduril’s first check, most of them will get lost in the Valley of Death between prototype contract […]

Tod Machover receives George Peabody Medal for contributions to music and technologyTod Machover, the Muriel R. Cooper Professor of Music and Media, faculty director of the MIT Media Lab, and director of the Opera of the Future research group, will receive the George Peabody Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Music and Dance in America — the highest honor bestowed by the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. As a composer and music tech pioneer, Machover has helped expand music’s possibilities for artists and audiences alike through his work in participatory opera, artificial intelligence, and creative technologies. He joins a roster of previous George Peabody Medal recipients that includes Stevie Wonder, Misty Copeland, Herbie Hancock, Renée Fleming, Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, Ella Fitzgerald, and Leonard Bernstein.In the citation for the Peabody Medal, Peabody Institute Dean Fred Bronstein writes: “The breadth and depth of Tod Machover’s career — his work in participatory opera, as an educator and faculty director of the MIT Media Lab, his genuinely groundbreaking and prescient work at the intersection of music and technology, along with an overall and broad impact on the American music scene — make him an ideal recipient for the Peabody Medal … Machover continues to provide inspiration especially in the fast-evolving relationship between AI and the creative process. We are honored to welcome to campus a true pioneer and thought leader.”Hailed as a “musical visionary” and “America’s most wired composer,” Machover is recognized as one of the most innovative composers active today. He is praised for creating music that breaks traditional artistic and cultural boundaries and for developing technologies that expand music’s potential for everyone. Machover was the first director of musical research at Pierre Boulez's IRCAM in Paris and was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024. His work has been recognized by organizations including the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the French Culture Ministry.The Peabody Institute, the first music conservatory in the United States, advances a dynamic model of the performing arts, empowering musicians and dancers from diverse backgrounds to create and perform at the highest level. As division of Johns Hopkins University, Peabody provides opportunities for interdisciplinary studies and is a leading voice at the intersection of art and education.

Texas Instruments Changes the NE5532 and Others into Incompatible VersionsTexas Instruments SA5532A variant of the 5532 op-amp. (Credit: Raimond Spekking, Wikimedia)
First introduced in 1979 by Signetics, the NE5532 was a pretty spiffy dual op-amp for the time with low noise and low distortion. Over the years it has become a standard part that showed up in countless audio products, and has become a so-called jellybean generic component with Texas Instruments (TI) being one of countless manufacturers.
It being such a standard, multi-sourced part makes it thus even more puzzling that TI has now decided to completely overhaul this IC in a way that makes it incompatible with even the original Signetics NE5532. These changes are covered in detail by [Dave] of EEVblog as his mind is pretty much blown at such an incomprehensible change.
The changes entail an entirely different manufacturing process and a big change in specifications, while making no change to the part number. In revision K of the TI datasheet these changes are first seen, with some specifications changed for the better, like a higher unity gain bandwidth by 2 MHz, but a much slower slew rate.
Although the 5532 op-amps are multi-sourced, there are good reasons to just stick with manufacturers like TI, as that means receiving a product change notification (PCN) when anything changes. In the PCN related to this op-amp a change to process node is noted, along with other changes, but no reasoning.
Among the other big changes are a reduction in the supply voltage from 22V to 18V, and a halving of the ESD protection from 2kV to 1kV. Although it might be slightly more efficient on the new process node this way, it clearly comes with a lot of trade-offs that make it an overall worse op-amp, while also being incompatible with the same op-amp from other manufacturers.
In the video [Dave] goes through the datasheets of this jellybean part of other manufacturers, showing that they still have the original 1980s specifications. Only one exception here was the NE5532DR from Shenzhen HuaXuanYang Electronics, whose supply rail voltage is also 18V for some reason, along with a similar internal transistor configuration that reduces the ESD resistance.
In addition to the NE5532 op-amp, it seems that TI also took an ax to the OPA134 op-amp, by removing its offset trim feature and listing the pins as ‘NC’, with a warning to not connect these pins and also worsening other specifications. This makes these similar jellybean parts incompatible, with no change to the part number. Worse is that it continues with the LMH6518, whose changes [Dave] argues might even kill oscilloscopes as they are commonly found in those.
Meanwhile the LM317M also got an overhaul, but here TI opted to give it a new part name, calling it the LM317MQ with at first glance no major degradations in the specifications, but instead some actual improvements. This makes it even more puzzling why TI didn’t give the other ICs a new part number to differentiate them from the jellybean part.
Until there’s some clarification from the side of TI, it might be a good idea to source these jellybean parts from a manufacturer that is not TI, especially when replacing these ICs in older devices.

Crypto PAC-supported candidates sweep US state primaries after media buysNearly a dozen candidates across three US states won their primaries or will advance to the November election after they were supported by $3.5 million in ads funded by crypto industry-aligned PACs.

BMI promotes four executives across Creative and Corporate Communications teamsBMI promoted John Ellwood to Vice President, Creative, and elevated Deirdre Chadwick, Jeff Gilligan and Jodie Thomas to Assistant Vice President positions.
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UnderwaterFX is a FREE open-source underwater filter plugin for Windows
Developer ypichev has released UnderwaterFX, a free and open-source creative multi-effect plugin for Windows. UnderwaterFX is built with C++ and the JUCE framework. And the idea behind it is pretty cool – it makes your audio sound like it is being heard from underwater. I am always on the lookout for unique sound design tools, [...]
View post: UnderwaterFX is a FREE open-source underwater filter plugin for Windows

Aim Audio’s Essence price drop From now until 1 October 2026, or while stocks last, Aim Audio's Essence mic will be reduced from its usual cost of $699£549 / €629 to just $499£349 / €399.