Music publishers allege Anthropic used BitTorrent to pirate copyrighted lyricsAnthropic may face a new allegation from music companies: That it not only downloaded, but distributed lyrics without permission
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AlphaTheta Chordcat review: The easiest way to write chords without theory?€250, alphatheta.com
AlphaTheta — the 2024 rename of Pioneer DJ — has dabbled in music production tools before. Under its Toraiz brand, it released the SP-16 multitrack sampler in 2016 and the AS-1 in 2017, a monophonic synth designed in collaboration with Dave Smith. With just one other product to its name (the Squid sequencer), that’s a pretty short track record, so you’d be right to wonder if such a company, beloved for its DJ equipment, can continue competing in the studio instrument world.

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That question could soon be answered with the release of Chordcat, a compact groovebox designed to bridge the gap between beatmaking and songwriting. With built-in sounds, a 4×4 grid-based sequencer, and a unique tool for generating chord progressions, it’s geared towards helping musicians go from loops and beats to full arrangements, no music theory required.
Can this inconspicuous grey box keep AlphaTheta in the ring with names like Novation, Elektron, and Roland? And more importantly, does it offer a quick path to loop liberation?
Image: Press
How User-Friendly Is the Chordcat?
I’m impressed first by the Chordcat’s portability. Its dimensions are similar to an OP-1, albeit twice as thick, but it’s incredibly lightweight. AlphaTheta has chosen to skip the knobs, opting solely for low-profile buttons and touch pads — the usability takes a small hit, but that does mean the unit can be tossed in a bag with no fear of damage to any extruding parts.
As I’m holed up at home during the testing of the Chordcat, I opt to run off USB-C power. But six AA batteries deliver roughly five hours of life, so it certainly ticks the box as an out-and-about music-making companion too.
From the off, Chordcat is intuitive and easy to use. I barely need the manual, instead exploring my way around the device’s features while I build a loop from scratch. This one won’t be topping the charts, but I’m pleased with my first attempt.

What’s the Chordcat Sequencer Like?
Chordcat’s sequencer is arguably its focal point, and for the most part, it does a fine job. Creating patterns feels relatively seamless, although a few efficiency tweaks could be made, such as dedicated rest or duration buttons, for example.
You can play and record parts live, but editing incorrect notes is clunky, so I mostly opt to program my parts. That’s more a reflection of my playing than a flaw in the touch strip; I’m not usually a fan of ribbon controllers, but I’m surprised by how responsive the Chordcat feels.
Of course, I’m here looking for inspiration, and Chordcat does offer a few tricks for unearthing new ideas. The Running Direction feature is excellent, letting you change step order on the fly with options like top to bottom instead of left to right, or spiralling round the 4×4 grid. Reworking the drums from my first idea, this feature delivers some intriguing syncopated rhythms.

Chordcat’s sequencer operates in 16th notes, but there is a workaround. By doubling the tempo of your project, you effectively squeeze more resolution into each bar at the expense of halving the max length of each pattern. Check out this Dilla-style swing I dial in on the kit:

How does Chordcat help you create chord progressions?
Chord Cruiser is Chordcat’s signature feature, and one you won’t find on other grooveboxes. The idea is simple — choose a chordset, play a chord on the touch strip, and audition new chords with the XY pad. Find one you like? Assign it to the touch strip for easy jamming. Admittedly, I have to refer to the manual to figure this out, but constructing progressions is ultimately fun, fast, and playful with no need for any music theory knowledge.
I do encounter a few snags. While the built-in chordsets offer plenty of emotive juice, you can’t mix chords between them. And while I love the way Chordcat encourages exploration of non-diatonic chords, it’s sometimes challenging to find a way back from my meandering harmonic paths.
My next foray keeps things fairly simple and gives me an opportunity to explore the arpeggiator in more detail.

Enable the arp, and the Chord Cruiser really comes to life. It does a lot of heavy lifting, adding movement and interest to even the most bog-standard progressions.
Arpeggiating two instruments at different rates is pretty exciting, too, revealing surprisingly musical ideas that you’d rarely play manually.
There are only four arpeggiator modes currently — Up, Down, Up+Down, and Random — so I’d love to see more added in a future firmware update.
Image: Press
Are Chordcat’s built-in sounds good enough for final tracks?
Unless you’re planning to hook up Chordcat as an external controller for other gear, you’ll want to know about its onboard instruments and drumkits.
The sounds aren’t exactly modern, bringing to mind old-school romplers and General MIDI-style sounds. But that’s not to say they’re unusable, and AlphaTheta even included TR-808 and TR-909 kits — these drum machines remain production staples across many genres. After flicking through the patches, I find myself steering towards something akin to a racing game loading screen.

I actually like the limitations here. There’s no synth engine on board, but a few rudimentary effects encourage you to get creative with what’s available. Each sound can be sculpted with a low-pass filter and attack/release envelope, which opens up a broader palette of sounds than one might initially think. While not designed for pristine, cutting-edge sound design, these patches are perfect for sketching ideas or even full tracks in the right hands. Check out this impressive demo project from AlphaTheta as an example.

However, I do find it hard to accurately dial in parameters with the XY pad; it’s the only time I find myself wanting for physical pots. The lack of high-pass filtering becomes noticeable, too, and the sounds can quickly get muddy once you’re stacking channels.
The ducker delivers a faux sidechain effect, although I use it as a tremolo to add movement to some synth keys. Throw in reverb and chorus, and you’d be surprised what you can get out of this little machine.

There’s also a basic delay on board. This affects MIDI, not audio, so you might run into note choking if you’re hitting the max polyphony, but it gets the job done.

How does the Chordcat compare to other grooveboxes?
Given its €250 price point, the Chordcat is up against stiff competition. Roland’s AIRA Compact J-6 delivers timeless Juno sounds and a chord mode for £100 less. Teenage Engineering’s K.O. II, menawhile, touts deep sampling capabilities for £20 more.
Sonicware’s Liven grooveboxes are the most direct rivals, packing in significantly more features for a similar price, although they have a much steeper learning curve. And if it’s simply a music theory shortcut you’re after, Scaler 3 offers a much more advanced toolset for chord and melody creation, provided you’re happy working in the box.
Given these alternatives, where does the Chordcat sit? Somewhere in the middle. Does it reinvigorate my creativity? Yes and no. I get lost in making loops for hours, taking me back to my early days producing music. But it’s hard to imagine creating a full track with the workflow and limitations present. You can, however, export ideas to a DAW, turning Chordcat into a creative springboard for your next project.
Undoubtedly, the device’s strength lies in its accessibility, with minimal menu diving and an instantaneous workflow that doesn’t require advanced musical or technical know-how. For first-timers, there’s a simplicity to Chordcat that feels incredibly rewarding.
Stick with it as your setup’s centrepiece and you’ll likely outgrow it. But as a portable sketchpad that’s incredibly easy to grasp, with flexible sounds and a fast track to captivating chord progressions? Chordcat distils non-negotiable functionality into a compact package at an affordable price. It won’t replace your DAW or your higher-end hardware — but it might just replace your creative block.
Image: Press
Key Features

Chord Cruiser with 110,000 possible chord combinations
8 sequenceable tracks, 16 patterns per track, 128 steps (8 bars) per pattern
145 instruments and 16 drum kits
Responsive touch strip and XY pad
Key and scale settings
Low-pass filter and amp envelope for each instrument
Arpeggiator, reverb, chorus, delay, and ducker effects
MIDI in/out/thru for connecting external hardware
DAW integration and manager software for importing patterns
Powered by USB-C or six AA batteries (approximately five hours life)
Dimensions: 27.4cm x 11.1cm x 3.3cm
Weight: 0.4kg

The post AlphaTheta Chordcat review: The easiest way to write chords without theory? appeared first on MusicTech.

Lotus Sound Audio releases Silver Fox MK2, a FREE VCA-style compressor plugin
We’ve seen quite a few freebies from Lotus Sound Audio over the last couple of years, including the Teletronix-inspired LA2-FOX Compressor plugin. This time, the Swiss-based developer is back with an update to another compressor plugin, Silver Fox. Silver Fox MK2 is a VCA-style compressor plugin that you can download for free right now. Additionally, [...]
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ToneKnob Ultimate Bundle from Audified Audified's new ToneKnob Ultimate Bundle includes saturation, compression, modulation, ambient reverb, guitar-amp modelling and de‑essing tools, all of which can be controlled using a single knob.

SXSW 2026 PanelPicker Voting Is Open: Two Hypebot FavoritesSXSW 2026 PanelPicker voting is officially open through August 24 and everyone is eligible to vote. Included in the proposals are two Hypebot favorites.
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KIT Plugins Prime DelayPrime Delay is a versatile delay plugin with intuitive controls for delay time, mix, and feedback, as well as options for tap tempo and tempo sync. Its standout feature, the 8-bit mode, emulates the iconic, lo-fi sound of classic gaming consoles, adding a nostalgic edge to your tracks. With built-in High Pass and Low Pass Filters, you can shape your delay with precision, making it perfect for anything from subtle echoes to experimental soundscapes. Features: BPM: Users can define what custom BPM they want use, and the beat division. In BPM mode, the user can 'Tap to tempo' using the displayed tap button. Host: Sync's the delay time to the user's DAW. MS: Users can define the delay time in milliseconds. Feedback: Sets the feedback amount. (0-100%). 8 Bit (3 Modes): Adds a fun 8-bit distortion to the wet path. HPF and LPF: High and Low-Pass Filters. (20 Hz - 20 kHz, for the wet signal only). Bypass: Toggles the on/off state of the plugin. Read More

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The post Live Music Society Toolbox Grants Available For Small Venues appeared first on Hypebot.

Dimethoxy Audio releases Disflux, a FREE transient shaper with a twist
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Free plugin! Get Eventide’s $99 CrushStation distortion plugin for absolutely nothingDid somebody say free plugin? You’re damn right – we did. For a limited time, you can get CrushStation – Eventide’s $99 distortion and overdrive plugin – absolutely free.
‘But MusicTech, I’ve already got a stock distortion plugin that works, why do I need another?’ we hear you ask. Well, because the CrushStation has a feature set that would almost certainly blow your stock plugin alternative away.

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Loaded with the same distortion algorithm found in Eventide’s widely touted H9 Harmonizer pedal, the CrushStation is at home flavouring everything from guitars and synth patches to vocals, with a range of distortion flavours for most applications.
In terms of your controls, you get a Sustain pot for adjusting the level of compression of a signal, an Octave knob for dialing in octaves above or below your signal, and a Grit control for adding low-end before the distortion stage for a gnarly final result.

There’s also a Ribbon control which lets you switch between two snapshots of multiple parameter values, as well as a three-band EQ, noise gate, and a Hotswitch button for switching between presets on the fly.
Talking of which, CrushStation comes loaded with more than 100 presets so you can get going straight away.
“CrushStation isn’t just another distortion plug-in; it’s your secret weapon for adding warmth and attitude to your tracks in rich stereo,” says Eventide. 
“Use it to beef up a weak snare, add grit to vocals, or make your leads impossible to ignore. Whether you’re a producer, sound designer, or somewhere in between, CrushStation is the ultimate solution for adding life and texture.”
CrushStation is available on both macOS and Windows in VST3/AAX/AU formats.
Get your free CrushStation now by heading to Eventide and using the code PIRATE100 at checkout.
The post Free plugin! Get Eventide’s $99 CrushStation distortion plugin for absolutely nothing appeared first on MusicTech.

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Compliant Contacts: Hacking Door Locks with Pen SpringsAs you may have guessed given our name, we do love hacks around here, and this one is a great example of making some common, everyday things work in uncommon ways. [Nathan] sent in his hack to detect the door lock position in his basement.
Having a house that dates back to the 1890s, much of it was not very conducive to using off-the-shelf home automation devices. [Nathan] wanted a way to check the status of the basement deadbolt. He went about putting together a custom sensor using some spare parts, including a spare BeagleBone Black, and some springs from a ballpoint pen. Going full MacGyver, [Nathan] used springs from a ballpoint pen to craft a compliant contact for his sensor.
The pair of springs sat in the door frame and came in contact with the deadbolt; given they are springs, the exact position of the sensor was not very sensitive, as if too close it would just compress the springs slightly more. The springs were wired to the BeagleBone Black’s GPIO, acting as a switch to sense when there was conductivity between the springs through the deadbolt.
This wasn’t just a plug-it-in-and-it-works type of project, mind you; the BeagleBone Black was over 15 ft away from the sensors, lending plenty of opportunity for noise to be introduced into the lines. To combat this, [Nathan] created an RC filter to filter out all the high-frequency noise picked up by his sensor. Following the RC filter, he added in some code to handle the debounce of the sensor, as the springs have some inherent noise in them. Thanks [Nathan] for sending in your resourceful hack; we love seeing the resourcefulness of reusing things already on hand for other purposes. Be sure to check out some of the other repurposed components we’ve featured.