Arturia's Pigments evolves to version 6 The latest update introduces a new Modal engine, enhanced filtering options, expanded modulation tools and overall refinements.

unevens Overdraw Overdraw is a free and open source VST/VST3 audio plug-in that implements a waveshaper in which the user can draw the transfer function of each channel using splines. Features: ... Read More

unevens Curvessor Curvessor is a free and open source VST/VST3 audio plug-in that implements a dynamic range processor in which the response curve of each channel is an automatable spline. Curvessor... Read More

BaconPaul releases Six Sines, an Open-Source TX81Z-inspired FM synth plugin
BaconPaul has released Six Sines, a free and open-source TX81Z that was inspired by the FM synth plugin. FM synthesis is a somewhat divisive topic; some love it, some hate it, and others don’t understand all the fuss. There’s no denying the power of FM synthesis, even if synths like the Yamaha DX7 gained fans [...]
View post: BaconPaul releases Six Sines, an Open-Source TX81Z-inspired FM synth plugin

How the China Music Market WorksThis week, Ari is joined by Alex Taggart, an expert on the Chinese music market, to discuss the ins and outs of China’s music industry.

DPA Microphones introduce CORE+ DPA Microphones have unveiled CORE+, a technology said to neutralise distortion across a microphone’s entire dynamic range.

Microphone polar patterns: What they are and common types
We explore the most common microphone polar patterns and discuss how they can shape your recordings.

David Sacks claims there’s ‘substantial evidence’ that DeepSeek used OpenAI’s models to train its ownDavid Sacks, Trump’s AI and crypto “czar,” said in an interview on Fox on Tuesday that there’s “substantial evidence” that Chinese AI company DeepSeek “distilled” knowledge from OpenAI’s AI models, a process that Sacks compared to theft. Sacks, who didn’t cite the source of this “evidence,” suggested that DeepSeek used responses from OpenAI models to […]
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Bitwise files with SEC for spot Dogecoin ETFBitwise registered a Dogecoin trust in Delaware earlier this month, but its latest filing makes its bid to launch a Dogecoin ETF official with the SEC.

Your VAX in a Cloud is ReadyFor many people of a certain age, the DEC VAX was the first computer they ever used. They were everywhere, powerful for their day, and relatively affordable for schools and businesses. These minicomputers were smaller than the mainframes of their day, but bigger than what we think of as a computer today. So even if you could find an old one in working order, it would be a lot more trouble than refurbishing, say, an old Commodore 64. But if you want to play on a VAX, you might want to get a free membership on DECUServe, a service that will let you remotely access a VAX in all its glory.
The machine is set up as a system of conferences organized in notebooks. However, you do wind up at a perfectly fine VAX prompt (OpenVMS).

What can you do? Well, if you want a quick demo project, try editing a file called NEW.BAS (EDIT NEW.BAS). You may have to struggle a bit with the commands, but if you (from the web interface) click VKB, you’ll get a virtual keyboard that has a help button. One tip: if you start clicking on the fake keyboard, you’ll need to click the main screen to continue typing with your real keyboard.
Once you have a simple BASIC program, you can compile it (BASIC NEW.BAS). That won’t seem to do anything, but when you do a DIR, you’ll see some object files. (LINK NEW) will give you an executable and, finally, RUN NEW will pay off.
Some quick searches will reveal a lot more you can do, and, of course, there are also the conferences (not all of them are about VAX, either). Great fun! We think this is really connected to an Alpha machine running OpenVMS, although it could be an emulator. There are tons of emulators available in your browser.

Brigitte Alanis promoted to Partner at music law firm King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, LLPAlanis' clients include Victoria Monét, Roddy Ricch, Malibu Babie, Alex Warren, Lil Skies, and Willie Jones, among others
Source

BMI veteran Alison Smith to retire after 40-year career at the companyShouvik Das to Lead Distribution, Publisher Relations & Administration Services Department
Source

Introducing JBL Control 400 Enhanced Coverage Ceiling SpeakersThe next generation of JBL’s acclaimed ceiling speaker portfolio has arrived!As the successor to the iconic Control 20 Series, these speakers have been engineered to retain the legendary reliability and versatility of speakers like the Control 26, with enhanced coverage, superior sonic performance, improved installation features, and a modern aesthetic.

The post Introducing JBL Control 400 Enhanced Coverage Ceiling Speakers first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Keebin’ with Kristina: the One with the DIY Homing Keysr/keebgirlies Is Totally a Thing Now
When [coral-bells] posted her first build to r/mechanicalkeyboards, she likely felt some trepidation. After all this is reddit we’re talking about, so right away you’ve got two layers of male-domination hobby.
Image by [coral-bells] via redditWhat she likely didn’t expect was to be upvoted into the tens of thousands, or to receive such a response from other girlies who came out of the woodwork to share their builds.
And so r/keebgirlies was born, and already has a few thousand members. This is a brand-new subreddit for women and non-binary folks who are into mechanical keyboards. As it says in the sidebar, men are welcome but limited to the comments for now, so don’t go trying to post your builds. The girlies are currently seeking moderators, so give that some thought.
As for [coral-bells]’ lovely build, this is an Epomaker MS68 with MMD Vivian V2 switches, and those flowery keycaps are from Etsy. She is currently waiting for supplies to mod a Yunzii AL66, but wants to build a kit at some point.

Bear In Mind That You Can DIY Homing Keys
Ahh, homing keys. F and J, with their little bumps or lines that home your fingers on the… home row. The Kinesis Advantage doesn’t have them, unfortunately, but makes up for it with deep-dish DSA keycaps on the home row that are bright blue against a sea of black.
Image by [theTechRun] via redditI still miss having bumps around because I like to pick at them sometimes when I can’t find the words I want. So there’s a good chance I will try [theTechRun]’s DIY homing key method at some point.
After trying and failing several ways, [theTechRun] came up with this ball bearing method lovingly outlined in the reddit post. Basically, you draw a line across the keycap where you want the bearings to sit, make indentations with a spring-loaded center punch set on the lowest pressure setting, then use an unfolded paperclip to dab super glue in the divots and set 1/16″ bearings in there. Evidently, two bearings feel nicer than one, and they look cooler, too.
This is a great step-by-step with shopping links for everything but the pencil. [theTechRun] offers a lot of tips as well, like erasing the pencil line before you set the bearings, and using a leveler to mark it in the first place.
The Centerfold: the Rainbow Connection
Image by [SpockIsMyHomeboy] via redditHappy 8-year cake day to [SpockIsMyHomeboy], proud owner of a bunch of rainbows and a lovely peripheral. This is a KBDFans TET keyboard sporting GMK Panels keycaps on HMX Hyacinth V2U switches. That lovely artisan keycap is none other than a Muad’ib DuneDragon.
Do you rock a sweet set of peripherals on a screamin’ desk pad? Send me a picture along with your handle and all the gory details, and you could be featured here!
Historical Clackers: the Merritt Had Merit
I keep featuring the odd index typewriter here and there because I want you to get the sense of how popular they used to be before the masses had really mastered the keyboard, whatever the layout might have been.
Image via The Antikey Chop
The Merritt index typewriter, which was marketed as “The People’s Type-Writer”, went for a cool $15 in the 1890s until the brand’s demise in 1896. That’s around $500 in 2025 money.
All versions of the Merritt were blindwriters that typed in a linear up-striking fashion. Thanks to a double Shift mechanism, the machine could produce 78 characters. The inking was handled with a couple of rollers. I find the layout intriguing and wonder how fast I could get going on the thing, though it seems like a recipe for a repetitive stress injury.
Interestingly, the Antikey Chop found an ad from 1901 that was placed by a department store. Hamburger & Sons claimed to have acquired “an immense quantity” of Merritts and were offering them for $3.98 and $4.98. They chose to market the machines as “typewriters for those who cannot afford typewriters”, “handy typewriters for tourists”, and “ideal machines for boys and girls”.
This Keyboard Charges Itself
Wireless keyboards are cool and all, but they whole keeping-it-charged thing adds a level of stress that many believe isn’t worth it. After all, what are you supposed to do when your keyboard is dead? Use the — gasp — laptop keyboard? Uh, no. I mean, unless you have a ThinkPad or something; those have pretty nice keyboards, or at least they did a few years ago.
Image by [Lenovo] via PC MagazineLenovo is here for you with their Self-Charging Bluetooth Keyboard, which debuted at CES. It uses a photovoltaic panel and supercapacitors to harness and store both solar and ambient artificial light. I don’t have to tell you that supercapacitors last much longer than lithium batteries.
I for one like the paint spatter design, but I wish only three keycaps were green. It’s a nitpick for sure, ignoring the elephant in the room with a sign around its neck that reads ceci n’est pas une ergonomic keyboard.
Bonus: Lenovo also debuted the AdaptX Mouse, a modular affair which appears to be a pretty sweet multi-functional peripheral for those who don’t want to carry too much. It can be a compact mouse, an ergonomic mouse, a travel hub, a memory card holder, and an emergency power bank. Sheesh! Unfortunately, it’s just a proof-of-concept for now. Gauntlet laid?

Got a hot tip that has like, anything to do with keyboards? Help me out by sending in a link or two. Don’t want all the Hackaday scribes to see it? Feel free to email me directly.

Bogren Digital MLC S_Zero 100Lay down your guitar tracks with one of the most exclusive, high-quality guitar amps available today. Modeled using groundbreaking new technology and sound designed by Jens Bogren, the MLC S_Zero... Read More