Splice unveils the genre trends that will shape the sounds of 2025
In a new report, MIDiA Research explores how the Splice trends of 2024 will help define the musical landscape of the year ahead.

FSK Audio makes its NAMM debut with its first product: ModPlayNAMM 2025: Every year at NAMM new players in music production come to the table, and one of those new players this year is FSK Audio. Founded in 2023, the Northern California-based company is down in Anaheim to premiere its first product: ModPlay.

READ MORE: NAMM 2025 Live: Latest rumours, news and products from the biggest music technology show in the world

ModPlay is a plugin designed to simplify MIDI modulation through a variety of different factors. Offering interactive LFO waveshapes for easy shifts regardless of the user’s skill level. It also allows MIDI keyboard users to switch between as many as 12 settings instantly with a push of a button – perfect for studio jams and live performances. Also, there is a randomisation tool for endless sonic exploration, and ModPlay is compatible with major formats such as AAX, VST3, and AU.
“We’re a small team of engineers who are also musicians with decades of experience creating intuitive tools for creatives,” said Kosta Cross, CEO of FSK Audio, in a statement. “We’re on a mission to inspire creativity by helping producers, musicians, and engineers save time, reduce complexity, and explore new creative possibilities.”
“Workarounds shouldn’t dictate your workflow,” adds Chief Product Officer Dice Naito. “FSK Audio’s tools simplify production, enabling users to explore new creative frontiers.”
Anyone attending NAMM can check out ModPlay by visiting FSK Audio at Booth #14116.
For more info, head to FSK Audio.
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Moises maker Music AI adds $40M from CAA, Steve Aoki, moreThe makers of Moises, Music AI adds $40 million in a funding from Connect Ventures, a partnership of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and investment firm NEA, and Brazil's monashees. DJ and producer Steve Aoki and his Aoki Labs are also among the new investors.
The post Moises maker Music AI adds $40M from CAA, Steve Aoki, more appeared first on Hypebot.

Kuassa basiQ2BasiQ2 is an updated version of the free 3-band Baxandall equalizer plugin BasiQ. This is a new iteration in Kuassa's line of Studio Effect products, introducing improvements to functionality... Read More

Bitwig’s first hardware product, the Connect 4/12, is “more than an audio interface”NAMM 2025: Bitwig will launch its first ever hardware product this spring, the Bitwig Connect 4/12 interface. As a bridge between software and external gear, the brand says it is “the perfect device” to mark its debut into hardware.
Bitwig describes Connect as “more than an audio interface”, but rather a class-compliant, 4‐in/12‐out CV and MIDI-enabled interface with monitor- and DAW-control functionalities, plus a “unique” Bitwig Mode.

READ MORE: NAMM 2025 Live: Latest rumours, news and products from the biggest music technology show in the world

According to a press release, the idea behind Connect was driven by two key goals: to create an audio interface that seamlessly integrates hardware and software, and to offer a way to physically interact with Bitwig Studio.
Among its key features are six mode buttons, which allow its 360-degree, touch-sensitive dial to adjust interface parameters or control software. It can set input gain, regulate the volume levels for two sets of monitors and your headphones, or move the playhead and control any Bitwig Studio parameter with “exceptional resolution”. Its front panel also gives users visual feedback, with a ring of 32 RGB LEDs around the dial to visualise parameter values.
Connect’s Bitwig Mode is where its Bitwig Studio software really comes into play, with DAW controller functionalities at your fingertips. This integration is intended to make writing automation, fine-tuning settings, and navigating the timeline in Bitwig Studio intuitive and precise.
Take a closer look in the walkthrough below:

Connect has DC-coupled inputs and four outputs accessible via 3.5mm minijacks directly on the front panel. USB-2 bus powering with the USB-C connector also means there’s no external power supply needed.
Bitwig Connect 4/12 will be available in spring 2025 for $549. Pre-ordering will be available soon through the Bitwig website and selected retailers globally. You can also catch Bitwig at The NAMM Show.
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6 Tips For Selling Music Merch at Live ShowsSelling music merch at live shows can boost income and deepen fan connections. Learn how to pick the right products, set prices, and create an unforgettable experience to maximize merch sales.
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Plugin Alliance SPL Machine HeadSPL's Machine Head is the finest digital tape saturator ever built. With the tone of tape becoming so popular in pro production circles, this discontinued hardware is in demand. Many plugin developers... Read More

IK Multimedia TONEX ONE Joe Satriani Pedal Pedal comes preloaded with 20 presets created by Satriani himself, along with access to his entire TONEX Amp Vault Signature Collection

Focal launches new top-line Utopia Main studio monitors – and they don’t come cheapNAMM 2025: Focal has introduced its latest line of professional studio monitors: Utopia Main. Currently, the line consists of the 3-way Main 112 and 3.5-way Main 212. After working on them since 2017, these new models overtake the Focal ST6 as the French audio equipment manufacturer’s top-level monitors for professional applications.
Operating since 1979, Focal poured its nearly 50 years of experience into the Utopia Main. All three drivers within the monitors – tweeter, midrange, and subwoofer – were built with patented technologies from Focal. The 1.5” Beryllium tweeter promises clear transients that aren’t harsh on the ears, the 5” midrange uses the M profile shape for maximum transparency, and the 13” subwoofers are braced within the cabinet to prevent cabinet warping.

READ MORE: NAMM 2025 Live: Latest rumours, news and products from the biggest music technology show in the world

While the Main 112 features one of each driver, the 212 features two midrange drivers and two subwoofers.
Credit: Focal
Another notable aspect of the Utopia Main is the amplification system, which applies current mode control. This means that where other monitors regulate the voltage, Utopia Main regulates the current. This enables them to control the force on the driver membrane to help remove any unwanted artefacts.
Other than its in-house team, Focal called upon producers, mixers, and mastering engineers with over 70 Grammy nominations between them to test the Utopia Main monitors to ensure the best performance possible.
“The Utopia Main range inherits over forty years of Focal know-how and twenty years of innovation in the development of studio monitors. Each component has been meticulously thought out to design exceptional main monitors, delivering a very high level of accuracy, even at high SPL,” says Focal.
As the new premier monitors from Focal, they don’t come cheap. According to Forbes, The UM 112 monitors are priced at $30,000/£22,000/€26,000, while the UM 212 model is priced at $50,000/£38,000/€46,000.
For more info, head to Focal.
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Excite Audio’s Bloom Bass Groove offers “soulful bass with modern flair”NAMM 2025: After expanding its Bloom range of simply-designed plugins late last year with the Bloom Drum Machine, Excite Audio has announced its latest addition to the line, Bloom Bass Groove.
“Meticulously sampled from real electric bass performances by professionals”, Bloom Bass Groove offers slapped, fingered and picked bass tones – alongside a range of articulations and performance one-shots – housed in the Bloom line’s distinctively simple UI.

READ MORE: NAMM 2025 Live: Latest rumours, news and products from the biggest music technology show in the world

Bloom Bass Groove also boasts an intuitive Phrase Player feature, which allows you to switch between different riffs, playing styles, and articulations, “mirroring the dynamics and intricacies of a real-life bass performance”.

“Excite Audio built Bloom Bass Groove with a focus on capturing the nuances of live bass performances with a combination of slaps, muted one-shots, and dynamic playing styles, delivering the expressive quality achievable only through real bass performances,” the brand says.
Bloom Bass Groove is available now via Plugin Boutique, at an introductory price of £39, later rising to £59. There’s also a Lite version at an intro price of £19 – later rising to £29 – and a Bloom Bundle option including Bloom Bass Groove and other Excite Audio Bloom plugins for £119.
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For more information, head to Excite Audio.
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Beyerdynamic launches four new in-ear monitors catering to different needsNAMM 2025: Beyerdynamic is launching four new in-ear monitors, with each catering to different types of musicians and their needs.
The DT 70 IE, DT 71 IE, DT 72 IE and DT 73 IE all feature beyerdynamic’s TESLA.11 dynamic driver system, said to offer “superior resolution and clarity with minimal distortion”. Developed in Germany, each pair has high impulse fidelity for detailed sound reproduction, and with a maximum SPL of 137dB, the brand believes they’re some of the loudest, lowest-distortion systems soon-to-be on the market.

READ MORE: NAMM 2025 Live: Latest rumours, news and products from the biggest music technology show in the world

Each pair comes with five different sized silicone eartips and three pairs of Comply memory foam eartips for better comfort and sound insulation. Let’s unpack what each pair can offer:

DT 70 IE for mixing and critical listening – Beyerdynamic says these offer a balanced sound signature ideal for studio professionals and audiophiles. A linear tuning that follows the Fletcher-Munson curve ensures accurate low frequencies and treble reproduction at any volume, and their acoustic tuning makes them ideal for evaluating mixes and live sound.
DT 71 IE for drummers and bassists – These deliver “powerful bass and clear treble”, with a sound that enhances low frequencies while ensuring detailed reproduction of cymbals, percussion and bass guitar overtones. Slightly reduced mids provide added clarity and transparency to promote precise timing.
DT 72 IE for guitarists and singers – With a natural sound balance for enhanced clarity, the DT 72IEs have subtly tuned bass providing a foundation without overwhelming lows, while natural low mids ensure transparency. The frequency response between 200-500 Hz compensates for the “occlusion effect,” preventing muffled sound.
DT 73 IE for orchestral musicians, pianists, and keyboard players – These deliver natural bass and mid-range with precise treble overtones, and have a linear sound reproduction between 20 Hz and 1 kHz for an accurate and authentic representation of every note. Ideal for orchestral musicians striving for tonal precision, they have a subtle treble boost from 5 kHz upwards to enhance overtones, allowing musicians to hear intricate harmonic details clearly.

The new IEMs will be showcased at NAMM, where beyerdynamic will also host live performances by Grammy-nominated artist, composer, and producer Cory Henry, as well as singer-songwriter Gina Miles, who won The Voice US back in 2023. The pair will of course be putting these new products into use.
The new beyerdynamic IEMs will be available in spring 2025 via the beyerdynamic e-shop for $499.99. Find out more by catching the team at NAMM, located in Hall A #11702.
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Overloud announce refreshed THU v2 This upgraded release introduces a completely redesigned interface, which is shared across the entire THU range.

Heritage Audio releases HA1200 TapeSat, a native plugin based on a vintage Ampex tape recorder owned by the company’s CEONAMM 2025: Heritage Audio has released HA1200 TapeSat, a new plugin that helps producers achieve an authentic tape sound. This product is specifically modelled after the 16-channel Ampex MM-1200 tape recorder that Peter Rodriguez, CEO of Heritage Audio, bought when he was 19 years old.
Rodriguez still uses the historic machine for his personal recordings, and now he has built a plugin that delivers the same sound colour without costing the high price of purchasing one today. Furthermore, while HA1200 TapeSat was already available as a DSP to users of Heritage Audio’s i73 PRO family of products, as a native plugin, non i73 PRO users can now apply that classic tape aesthetic to their music.

READ MORE: NAMM 2025 Live: Latest rumours, news and products from the biggest music technology show in the world

Within HA1200 TapeSat’s interface, there is a knob labeled “TAPE” that selects between five NOS (New Old Stock) tape sounds: 250, 456, 499, 911, and GP9. All five are known for certain sonic qualities. For example, 250 provides a fuller warmth, whereas 911 is a favourite for emphasising the low and high end of the frequency spectrum.
“The HA 1200 TapeSat gives you that sought after true analog sound of tape, allowing you to quickly add punch, warmth and depth to your vocals, synths, guitars and more. Getting that special je ne sais quoi of the Golden Era of Recording is now easier than ever,” says Heritage Audio.
The native version of HA1200 TapeSat is available now, priced at $99/€99.
For more info, head to Heritage Audio.
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Waves Audio’s new Sync Vx plugin is a one-stop solution for all your vocal editing needsNAMM 2025: Waves Audio has launched Sync Vx, a new plugin designed to simplify and enhance vocal alignment for producers and engineers.
Sync Vx streamlines the process of matching time and pitch across multiple vocal tracks, resulting in tighter, more polished vocal arrangements. Users can assign multiple reference tracks, fine-tune pitch and timing, or get creative with transposition and formant manipulation—all without leaving the plugin.
For post-production engineers handling ADR tasks, Sync Vx provides an efficient and precise way to match the time of re-recording dialogue to the original performance.

READ MORE: NAMM 2025 Live: Latest rumours, news and products from the biggest music technology show in the world

With Sync Vx, you can say goodbye to chaotic sessions and endless hours spent manually syncing backing vocals and doubles with the lead vocal. The plugin tightens your vocal tracks in seconds, automatically aligning and locking the time and pitch of multiple vocal tracks to your lead performance in a way that Waves claims is “as precise as detailed manual work”.
As mentioned, Sync Vx helps with speeding up post-production workflow considerably. Users can assign up to four reference tracks, and all vocal alignment tasks — no matter how complex — can be managed within one easy-to-edit plugin window. Additional features like a resizable GUI, Ignore, Bypass and Sync Markers, along with customisable shortcuts, enable you to create a workflow tailored to your needs.
In addition to aligning multiple vocal tracks that have already been recorded, the plugin can also help improve the timing of a specific performance: If a singer does not deliver perfect phrasing, you can record your own voice and use its groove as a reference to easily nudge them into place.
Sync Vx is now available at an introductory price of $129.99 (U.P. $199).

Learn more at Waves Audio.
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He Wrote/Produced 10 #1 Hit Songs: Stargate’s Tor Hermansen on How To Do ItThis week, Ari is joined by Tor Hermansen, from the production/songwriter duo Stargate, to discuss writing and producing global hits.