U-he Diva is still 52% off this Cyber MondayDiva is one of the synth plugin GOATs, beloved by thousands for its warm, analogue-like sound,  intuitive interface, and ability to emulate vintage hardware such as the Moog Minimoog, Roland Jupiter-8 and Korg MS-20. This Cyber Monday, Diva can be yours for 52% off the original price, saving you almost $100.
Check out the deal below.
[deals ids=”15fPlxGo47ekQ4MzXx2nbw”]
What is U-he Diva? 
Created by U-he, a small, Germany-based team of developers, Diva was first released in 2011 and quickly became an essential plugin for countless producers, thanks to its lush virtual analogue engine.
Diva boasts a triple VCO similar to that found on the Minimoog — except Diva is a polyphonic beast, rather than a monophonic machine. There’s also a dual VCO which emulates classic Roland hardware, and a dual VCO Eco to harness Korg MS-20 sounds.
A digital oscillator is also based on the Roland JP-8000 and brings powerful Supersaw sounds and a palette of digital waveforms.
Diva’s filters are where much of the magic happens. Each of the four filters is based on classic analogue hardware — Ladder for Moog sounds, Bite for MS-20,  and Multimode and Cascade for Roland-style sounds. A high-pass filter is onboard for further versatility, too.
Multiple envelopes on Diva emulate — you guessed it — Roland, Korg and Moog envelopes. This gives you exceptional flexibility across your sounds, from short, snappy envelopes for your bass sounds to smooth, luscious curves ideal for pads.
Will there be a U-he Diva 2? 
There have been zero rumours, announcements or indications that an official U-he Diva 2 is arriving soon. Diva has seen some quality of life updates and improvements in the 14 years since its release, and still holds up as a high-quality synth in 2025.
Where can I get a deal on U-he Diva? 
The best deal on Diva right now is at Plugin Boutique until 3 December.
Check out more Cyber Monday deals on music technology gear. 
The post U-he Diva is still 52% off this Cyber Monday appeared first on MusicTech.

Warehouse Techno Sounds is FREE today as Ghosthack launches 2025 Advent Calendar
Ghosthack offers the Warehouse Techno Sounds 2026 sample pack as a free download today as the first gift in the company’s annual Advent Calendar. This year’s Advent Calendar from Ghosthack launched with a solid starter kit for techno producers. You’re getting over 450 royalty-free sounds, covering pounding bass loops, punchy drums, FX, synth loops, textures, [...]
View post: Warehouse Techno Sounds is FREE today as Ghosthack launches 2025 Advent Calendar

Universal Audio introduce Paradise Guitar Studio Universal Audio's latest release provides recording guitarists with a wealth amp, cabinet and effects modelling capabilities in one self-contained plug-in.

Watch Kevin Parker cover this Cat Stevens classic in the backseat of a car using Telepathic Instruments’ OrchidTame Impala’s Kevin Parker has showcased the brilliance of his Telepathic Instruments Orchid synth with a chilled out cover of Cat Stevens’ Wild World – just in time for the brand’s final drop of Orchids for the year.
In a new video series from Telepathic Instruments it calls In The Back Seat, Parker takes a limo ride around LA while performing the cover of his choice on the very instrument he invented. Even with the honk of a nearby horn in traffic, it’s a soulful cover that shows just what the Orchid can do.

READ MORE: “I’m doing it for something bigger than me”: Telepathic Instruments’ Orchid is Kevin Parker’s dream synth — he hopes it’ll be yours, too

The Orchid was first launched by TI back in January 2025. Its first drop was limited to just 1,000 units, and sold out in under three minutes. A further 3,000 were released in May, and a global launch kicked off in October. Mostly known for its intuitive chord-generating ability, it received a 9/10 from us at MusicTech. According to the brand, the synth is about to undergo some developments next year.
You can check out Parker’s cover with the Orchid below:

TI announced last week that it wouldn’t be participating in Black Friday deals, but rather launched a final drop of Orchids, marking your final chance to grab one until April 2026.
In a statement shared via email, it said, “This BFCM we’re not going to run any flash sales, dynamic pricing or fever-dream discounting tactics. Instead, we’re opening the store for a few days. Then we’re going to take a beat. We’re going to spend time in the Garden, listening to our customers. Building a community. Improving our firmware. Looking for collaborators, not just customers.”
It continued, “Rather than spending our time thinking about how to tell new people about Orchid, we’re going to figure out ways we can improve it. It might not be great for our quarterly earnings, but we think it’ll be better in the long-run.”
You can purchase an Orchid now over at Telepathic Instruments, while stock lasts.
The post Watch Kevin Parker cover this Cat Stevens classic in the backseat of a car using Telepathic Instruments’ Orchid appeared first on MusicTech.

2B Played Music offers SlimVerb and Delayed Classic for FREE
2B Played Music is offering SlimVerb and Delayed Classic plugins as FREE downloads with the code HOLIDAY25 until December 15, 2025. Both plugins have been free in the past, so if you missed those earlier chances, now’s a good time to add them to your toolbox at no cost. SlimVerb was covered as a freebie [...]
View post: 2B Played Music offers SlimVerb and Delayed Classic for FREE

How AlphaTheta’s CDJ-3000X is finding an unexpected new audienceWhen the Pioneer DJ CDJ-3000 launched in September 2020, nightclubs worldwide were closed, and tours had ground to a halt. For a flagship DJ player, the timing looked disastrous. Except it wasn’t. “Everyone was DJing at home, but the product sold out really quickly and was on back order,” reveals Rob Anderson, the product planning manager at AlphaTheta EMEA. “Within six months to a year, we couldn’t deliver enough stock for our retail channel.”
AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X on the MusicTech Cover. Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
With venues shut, professional DJs pivoted to live-streaming, but the pandemic had exposed an uncomfortable truth: their reliance on clubs to provide equipment meant many home setups weren’t up to scratch. “A lot of professional touring DJs didn’t really own any kit,” Anderson continues. “Even though the world was at a standstill, people wanted to DJ, and they saw value in investing in professional products, even if they weren’t being used in a professional environment.”
Four years on, history is repeating itself with the new £2,399 AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X. “The home market has seen the biggest uptrend,” Anderson confirms. “While rental companies have placed orders for the party season ahead, it’s enthusiasts and bedroom DJs buying the most units.”
“Our decisions aren’t driven by whether something is technically possible, but whether it delivers value to DJs” – Atsuki Yamamoto, AlphaTheta Product Planning Executive
Vive le résistance
Perhaps the most validating endorsement comes from James Hype, the British DJ and producer behind tech house anthems like ‘More Than Friends’ and ‘Ferrari’. For five years, Hype publicly refused to upgrade to the CDJ-3000 from the CDJ-2000 series due to its different layout.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
“When we released the CDJ-3000, our decision to put the Hot Cue buttons in a single horizontal row changed performance styles,” explains Atsuki Yamamoto, AlphaTheta’s Product Planning Executive. “We noticed many more DJs using Hot Cues, playing them like an instrument.”
For some, the change was too dramatic. “It was a huge muscle memory change for a lot of artists,” admits Anderson. “I’ve seen artists stand in front of a CDJ and be hesitant using the product because it looked different. Once you’re familiar with it and understand the benefits, you can’t go backwards.”
Hype, it seems, never got past that hesitation – until the 3000X arrived. “He spent the last five years still performing on 2000s, and did a whole YouTube series talking about how the 3000s couldn’t quite keep up with his workflow,” Anderson says. “He’s now switched to 3000X, so he’s jumped a generation, and he’s been quite vocal on social media about how the 3000X is really suitable for him.”
Hype was converted – to the point that he filmed an AlphaTheta DJsounds live stream entirely on the 3000X – but did his earlier criticism still sting? “It’s one DJ, and he’s the only artist I’m aware of who was saying the 3000 couldn’t keep up with him,” says Anderson. “But that’s one DJ with a pretty big voice and a very unique playing style. It wasn’t exactly hard to take, but it is refreshing to see he’s moved on to the new player.”
Why there’s no CDJ-4000
AlphaTheta’s decision to iterate with the CDJ-3000X rather than reinvent with a CDJ-4000 was deliberate. “We just felt it was a bit too early,” Anderson explains. “It’s hard with a flagship product to go too wild, purely because of the use case and artists acquiring the familiarity.” Yamamoto puts it more simply. “We chose to refine the fundamentals,” he says. “Exciting new experiences are only possible when they’re built on a rock-solid base.”
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
The improvements are foundational: a larger 10.1-inch hi-res touchscreen, a 16-core processor, faster browsing and track analysis, Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity for streaming services and cloud libraries, plus refined jog wheels. “The jump in processing power means the player now responds to fast, intricate operations with greater accuracy and smoothness,” says Yamamoto. “This is more than a simple speed boost. It evolves the experience so DJs can ‘play’ the CDJ more like it’s an instrument.”
Yamamoto believes the hardware upgrades also provide headroom for future expansion. “Our decisions aren’t driven by whether something is technically possible, but whether it really delivers value to DJs,” he says. “Adding features isn’t the aim.”
Shogo Suzuki, AlphaTheta’s Executive Manager of Business Planning, outlines the company’s broader vision for how DJ technology will evolve. “When we think about the future of the DJ booth, advancements in connectivity is a key area we want to explore. As more devices link together, it’ll be easier for DJs to create customised setups with tools they can use to express themselves. At the same time, it’s just as important to improve each product as a standalone unit.”
Suzuki’s point highlights AlphaTheta’s dual focus: building a more connected ecosystem while still refining the individual hardware that DJs rely on. There’s no more optical disc drive, of course, although the ‘CDJ’ moniker remains. “That was one of the biggest discussion points in development,” says Anderson, describing it as a “brand in its own right” and “the Hoover of the digital player world”.
“Our vision is to create a world where everyone can DJ anywhere, anytime, using any media” – Rob Anderson, AlphaTheta EMEA Product Planning Manager
The Denon debate
But AlphaTheta doesn’t completely dominate the media player market. Denon DJ has been bold with features on its rival SC series of standalone models: stem separation, streaming services, and dual-layer modes. Is AlphaTheta worried? “If we’re talking about the CDJ, then Denon is really the only competitor to attack that, and yeah, they were super aggressive,” Anderson agrees. “They introduced a lot of features that, in lockdown, were quite appealing, but I think they serve a different customer.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
“The guys that went down the route of purchasing [Denon] products want whistles and bells and a ton of features and functions, whereas anyone that purchased a CDJ-3000 wanted reliability and industry-standard workflow and something that’s going to feel like the most efficient tactile connection to your music, which competitors just couldn’t offer. If you speak to an artist and say, ‘What can we improve?’, they don’t have an answer.”
That doesn’t mean AlphaTheta is ignoring innovation. Stem separation is clearly on the roadmap. “There’s no hardware in our range that does standalone analysis of stems yet,” Anderson acknowledges. “The fact that you can even split audio now – three years ago that wasn’t a possibility, and it seemed to happen overnight. It’s crazy, and now it’s taken as a given.
“You can pull a vocal within Logic Pro. You’ll soon be able to pull a vocal with Ableton Live. That’s a massive opportunity for us, but we’re never quick to rush anything. Other manufacturers have introduced first-to-market functions, but the operability isn’t the best; the sound quality isn’t the best. We’ll never introduce something until we consider it to be the most optimal for the customer.”
Playing the long game
The 3000X is the first CDJ to carry AlphaTheta branding instead of Pioneer DJ, sparking speculation about the latter’s future. “Pioneer DJ is definitely not dead. We’ve got both brands, and we’re nurturing new brands currently, but we very much plan to keep Pioneer DJ running,” says Anderson. “We changed our company name to AlphaTheta a long time ago [January 1, 2020]. We just decided we wanted to introduce products under that brand.”
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
Suzuki explains the strategy: “We want to help create environments where a wider range of people can enjoy music in more places than the traditional nightclub scene. To make that happen, we feel we need to offer more ambitious ideas and products built on new concepts. The AlphaTheta name embodies that stance, and signals the direction we’re taking.”
The CDJ-3000X launch timing was strategic: By releasing it now, AlphaTheta wants to give artists the winter to familiarise themselves with the hardware before next year’s touring circuit. October’s Amsterdam Dance Event provided the first real-world test of professional adoption, with hundreds of DJs performing across the city’s venues. This included four CDJ-3000X units for Cecile vs Mood Child, and a Bradley Zero set recorded live for DJSounds using Rekordbox CloudDirectPlay over Wi-Fi, without USBs.
Anderson is confident the CDJ-3000X will be adopted more quickly than the CDJ-3000, primarily because the familiarity factor eliminates the learning curve. “Provided you’ve used the 3000, you know where everything is. There’s no real barrier to entry.” His definition of success is simple: “Seeing the 3000X in booths across the world by next summer. When you see Space Miami, Fabric London, DC10 Ibiza, and there’s no 3000s, just a wall of 3000X, that’s job done.”
“Exciting new experiences are only possible when they’re built on a rock-solid base” – Atsuki Yamamoto, AlphaTheta Product Planning Executive
DJing anywhere, anytime
AlphaTheta’s plan extends beyond individual products. Anderson states: “Our vision is to create a world where everyone can DJ anywhere, anytime, using any media. Our goal is to grow the industry. It’s not to gain market share, it’s not to eliminate competitors or create any monopolies.” He adds the company ultimately wants young Spotify listeners and TikTok users to believe DJing is a viable career.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
This mission underpins AlphaTheta’s initiatives like Equal Beats, which supports women and underrepresented groups in DJ culture, and the Start From Scratch workshops, offering hands-on access to gear and training for those who might otherwise face barriers.
On the product side, Suzuki frames openness as essential: “That compatibility isn’t limited to our own products. We’re also looking toward smooth integration with other companies’ gear and platforms. We aim to keep evolving in an open, extendable direction… Advancements in connectivity is a key area we want to explore,” he adds.
The CDJ-3000X won’t make headlines for revolutionary features, but that’s intentional. “We avoid changing the feel of the core operations, so people of any generation can just step up and play,” says Yamamoto. “We respect that DJs have built up muscle memory over the years, and we want to deliver a more comfortable control experience that comes naturally to them.”
“Products and technology disappear in the hands of the user,” Anderson reflects. “You can interact with the crowd while knowing everything is going to stand up, delivering the best sound quality and the best experience when you’re in the booth.”
Whether £2,399 represents value depends on what you prioritise: bleeding-edge features or battlefield-tested reliability. But with home DJs getting on board with the CDJ-3000X, AlphaTheta’s strategy appears vindicated. The booth won’t look radically different. It’ll just work better.
The AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X is now available.
Words: James Day
Photography: Simon Vinall
The post How AlphaTheta’s CDJ-3000X is finding an unexpected new audience appeared first on MusicTech.

Neural DSP update CorOS & NanOS Neural DSP’s renowned Quad Cortex and Nano Cortex amp and effects modelling platforms have both just been treated to major updates that introduce some powerful new features.

Because it's only GENERATIVE thing #AI for #Production and #Music not a "magic button". Need to consider both: rights and quality

‘Avatar’ director James Cameron says generative AI is ‘horrifying’James Cameron’s movies are often at the cutting edge of visual effects technology, but that doesn't make him a fan of generative AI.

Tiny Little TV Runs On ESP32Few of us keep big old cathode ray tubes in the house anymore, but we can still appreciate the form factor of the classic TV. Indeed, the Tinytron from [t0mg] is a neat little tchotchke in this vein — a miniature TV that you could just about fit on a keyring.
[t0mg] wanted this project to be quick and easy to put together. It starts with an ESP32-S3-LCD-1.69 from Waveshare. It’s an all-in-one dev module which combines the microcontroller with a small screen right out of the box. You just have to solder a single six pin header to hook it up with an SD card reader and battery, and you’re done with the electronics. Even the case is a cinch to build, with four 3D printed components that can be spat out of a Prusa MK4S in just half an hour. Programming it can be done via a web browser. Just about the only thing it’s missing is a speaker — this TV is video only.
To watch things on the Tinytron, you just have to prepare them properly and drop them on the SD card. [t0mg] provides a web page for transcoding the video files, although you can do it yourself locally with ffmpeg if you prefer.
If you’re looking for a silly gift for a TV-obsessed friend, you could probably whip up a Tinytron in a couple hours or less. It reminds us of another great project, the tiny Simpsons replica TV that endlessly plays the greatest cartoon on Earth.

Cotorro Audio RIPUL-1 Analog SaturatorRIPUL ("ripple"): Responsive, Inverted, Partial, Unsymmetrical, & Lumped. The RIPUL-1 analog saturator is a stand-alone distortion tool that offers tons of analog character as well as a soft-knee limiter. Transform and enhance your drum mixes, vocals, and bass tracks with this fiery addition to your mixing arsenal. You can also create sheer sonic mayhem with this tool. RIPUL-1 features: Tube-like saturation (input gain) between 0 dB and 20 dB. Output gain between -24 dB and 6 dB. A choice of either stereo or dual mono output useful for often centered vocals or bass. A soft-knee limiter with a configurable threshold between -12 dB and 0 dB. Leave this setting close to 0 dB for a more "breathing" sound. An analog section that provides various effects based on old hardware, such as hysteresis (subtle input-output lag), electrical noise, and capacitor smearing. This section also functions as a pronounced low-pass filter at higher settings. 4x oversampling. Stereo output metering. Input file formats: wav, mp3, aif. Output is to WAV only. Signal path: Input Signal Optional Mono Conversion (dual mono) Analog FX Upsampling Saturation High-pass filter Downsampling Output gain Soft-knee Limiter Clipping Protector. Notes: If your input (stereo) audio file has transients that hit one channel harder than the other, the saturation and analog emulation may magnify those differences in that channel. It is recommended you do not process mp3 files at all with this tool due to their lossy nature. This is the standalone version. A VST3 implementation of RIPUL-1 will be a separate product. Release history: November 2025. First release (ver 1.0). Read More

Full Bucket Music releases FB-02, a free emulation of the Yamaha FB-01 module
Full Bucket Music has released FB-02, a free FM software instrument for Windows and macOS that recreates the sound engine of Yamaha’s 1986 FB-01 module. If you follow Full Bucket Music, you’ll know the developer is best known for meticulous Korg emulations (Fury-68 being a recent example). So seeing a Yamaha clone from them is [...]
View post: Full Bucket Music releases FB-02, a free emulation of the Yamaha FB-01 module

Excite Audio Evolve Elastic Lite is FREE until December 1st
Plugin Boutique and Music Radar offer the Evolve Elastic Lite plugin by Excite Audio for free until December 1st. The sample-based synth plugin runs on macOS and Windows. Evolve Elastic Lite is the trimmed-down version of Excite Audio’s new futuristic sound-mangling instrument, and despite being the “Lite” edition, it’s a pretty deep sound design tool. [...]
View post: Excite Audio Evolve Elastic Lite is FREE until December 1st

Airbus orders software fix to thousands of planes due to solar radiation riskFlights were delayed and cancelled globally after Airbus ordered fixes to 6,000 of its A320 series planes, according to The Guardian. The company said it’s taking action because “analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls.” Citing […]

A Flexible Light Inspired by IKEAThe IKEA SMÅSNÖRE is a flexible silicone rod with an embedded LED strip, attached at each end to a base. It’s eye-catching enough, and it has the useful property of providing a diffuse light from multiple angles that makes it a promising candidate for a work lamp. That’s enough for [Daniel James] to create his own lamp on a similar vein.
The electronics of his lamp are straightforward enough: a 12 volt LED strip whose brightness is controlled by a Pi Pico in response to a potentiometer as a brightness control. It’s not quite stiff enough to form the arch itself, so he’s created a 3D printed chain that forms the structure of the lamp. Similar to a bicycle chain in the way it’s constructed, it has individual links that slot together and pivot. The electronics are in the printed base at one end.
We like this lamp a lot, for the light it gives on the bench and for the ingenuity of the printed chain. We might even make one for ourselves.