A New Mechanical Keyboard for an Old ComputerAs computers age, a dedicated few work towards keeping some of the more interesting ones running. This is often a losing battle of sorts, as the relentless march of time comes for us all, human and machine alike. So as fewer and fewer of these machines remain new methods are needed to keep them running as best they can. [CallousCoder] demonstrates a way of building up a new keyboard for a Commodore 64 which both preserves the original look and feel of the retro computer but also adds some modern touches.
One of the main design differences between many computers of the 80s and modern computers is that the keyboard was often built in to the case of the computer itself. For this project, that means a custom 3D printed plate that can attach to the points where the original keyboard would have been mounted inside the case of the Commodore. [CallousCoder] is using a print from [Wolfgang] to get this done, and with the plate printed and a PCB for the keys it was time to start soldering. The keyboard uses modern switches and assembles like most modern keyboards do, with the exception of the unique layout for some of the C64 keys including a latching shift key, is fairly recognizable for anyone who has put together a mechanical keyboard before.
[CallousCoder] is using the original keycaps from a Commodore 64, so there is an additional step of adding a small adapter between the new switches and the old keycaps. But with that done and some amount of configuring, he has a modern keyboard that looks like the original. If you’re more a fan of the original hardware, though, you can always take an original C64 keyboard and convert it to USB to use it on your modern machines instead.

Apple AirPods Max: Low-latency & lossless support Apple’s John Danty and Eric Treski have kindly provided SOS with a detailed breakdown of what the new AirPods Max features mean for pro-audio users.

“This is a game-changer for DJs looking to break free from cables”: AIAIAI’s TMA-2 DJ Wireless headphones boast 20 hours of battery life – and they’re now available for purchaseDanish audio company AIAIAI has finally launched its new TMA-2 DJ Wireless headphones, designed, as you might guess, with DJs in mind.
Available for purchase from today (10 April), AIAIAI calls the TMA-2 Wireless cans the first “truly wireless headphones designed for DJs”, using ultra-low latency wireless technology to ensure precise beatmatching and seamless mixing.

READ MORE: FL Studio 2025: Rumours, release date, and everything we know so far

Chief among the model’s specs is an impressive 20-hour battery life, which can be fully charged in just two hours. They’re also lightweight at just 217g, ensuring maximum comfort during long DJ sets.
Other specs include a 10m range, 40mm signature bio-cellulose diaphragm for detailed sound with bass and treble in loud venues, and Soft PU Leather on ear cushions to aid in audio isolation, and the ability to connect to AIAIAI’s app to shape EQ preferences.
AIAIAI says the TMA-2 DJ Wireless is the latest in its mission to “remove limitations for music creation and performance”. They follow the launch of the TMA-2 DJ wired headphones 10 years ago in 2015, which were billed as the “world’s first modular headphone system, allowing the replacement and customisation of parts”.

“With TMA-2 DJ Wireless, anyone who purchased TMA-2 in the last decade can simply upgrade their speaker units and transmitter. This allows for adoption of the latest technology while reducing electronic waste through AIAIAIs commitment to one headphone for life,” AIAIAI says.
“With the TMA-2 DJ Wireless, we set out to create wireless DJ headphones that truly meet the demands of DJs,” says Frederik Jorgensen, founder of AIAIAI. “For years, wireless technology meant compromising on performance, but with our ultra-low latency wireless technology, we are finally able to deliver a solution that offers both freedom and precision.
“This is a game-changer for DJs looking to break free from cables.”
The new headphones follow AIAIAI’s release of the TMA-2 Studio Wireless+ in 2021 and last year’s UNIT-4 Wireless+ studio monitors, as the company focuses on products that allow creators to “free themselves from the cable”.
The TMA-2 DJ Wireless is available now for £250. For more info, head to aiaiai.audio.
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How Trump Policies, Trade Wars and Tariffs impact Live MusicPresident Trump's policies, trade wars and tariffs impact live music and the live music industry.
The post How Trump Policies, Trade Wars and Tariffs impact Live Music appeared first on Hypebot.

FL Studio 2025: Rumours, release date, and everything we know so farAt 30,000 daily downloads, Image-Line‘s FL Studio is among the most popular Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) on the planet. We’re now on FL Studio 2024, which is named so for the year it was released, with FL Studio 2025 seemingly coming soon.
Keen FL Studio users and testers currently have access to the FL Studio 2025 beta and have been trying out a wealth of new features on the DAW. FL Cloud, an accompanying product by Image-Line, is also expecting some updates, as hinted at by CEO Constantin Koehncke in his exclusive interview with MusicTech.  “We’re going to continuously expand our offering in FL Cloud,” he said. “The goal is to have access to the right set of tools, some free, some paid, but most importantly, all integrated directly with FL Studio to make it easy and fast for users to get creative.”
So, with that in mind, what can we expect in FL Studio 2025 and FL Cloud, when can producers get their hands on it, and what surprises could be in store?
READ MORE: “FL Studio’s duty is to get more people to stick with music-making”: CEO Constantin Koehncke on FL Studio 2025 and beyond
Image: Image-Line
What’s been announced for FL Studio 2025 so far?
FL Studio 2025 Beta 2 has been available since 28 March, giving test users the chance to check out upcoming features and provide feedback to the Image-Line team. There’s plenty more to be implemented into the final release, but some notable features and improvements, according to COO Scott Fisher, include:
Workflow 

FL Studio now has better handling of duplicate sample names when exporting to a ZIP file.
You can now delete and add Mixer Tracks as needed, with the maximum number of Insert Tracks now increased to 500, up from 125.
Insert one track, Insert mixer tracks or add Tracks from a preset list.
Additional per-Clip ‘Disabled’ declicking option for Fade in and Fade out envelopes.
Added support for FL Studio Remote Version 2.
Deleting Mixer and Playlist Tracks can now be undone.
You can now choose to keep the Communications Panel open to use Manual or other Tabs more easily.
The Mastering window can now update previews in real time based on parameter changes.
You can now show the Sample and Content preview for folders in the Tab Menu ‘Columns’ view mode.

New plugins

FL Studio Mobile Rack: Lets you access all FL Studio Mobile plugins separately or combined as Instruments or Effects
Patcher: A new VFX Script effect plugin.

Updated plugins 

Drumaxx
FLEC
FPC
Transporter
Drumaxx
Fruity Balance
Fruity Granulizer
Fruity Slicer

When will FL Studio 2025 be available?
There’s no official word on when the final release of FL Studio 2025 will be available. However, given how long the Beta and Beta 2 versions have been available, we wager that FL Studio 2025 is perhaps only a couple of months, or even a few weeks, away. For reference, FL Studio 2024 was released in July 2024, so we could be looking at a similar timeline.
FL Cloud. Image: Image-Line
How much will FL Studio 2025 cost?
Good news for current FL Studio users — FL Studio 2025 will be a free upgrade, as promised by the Lifetime Free Updates pledge by Image-Line on FL Studio.
For new users, the price will likely remain similar to FL Studio 2024:

Fruity Edition: $99/£89
Producer Edition: $179/£199
Signature Bundle: $269/£279
All Plugins Edition: $449/£469

READ MORE: Best MIDI controllers to buy in 2025: 8 best FL Studio controllers to buy
What can we expect in FL Cloud?
FL Cloud is a platform by Image-Line that offers over a million royalty-free samples, third-party plugins, AI mastering, music distribution and more. It integrates neatly with FL Studio, too.
We’re yet to hear any official word on what’s coming for FL Cloud in 2025. However, speaking on the development of FL Cloud, Koehncke said to MusicTech: “We’re going to continuously expand our offering in FL Cloud…We’ve tripled the size of our sound catalogue since we launched. The goal is to have access to the right set of tools, some free, some paid, but most importantly, all integrated directly with FL Studio to make it easy and fast for users to get creative.”
So, producers can likely expect more partnerships with plugin developers and sample creators this year, and perhaps an update to current features.
FL Cloud. Image: Image-Line
Will FL Studio 2025 be available on other platforms?
FL Studio Mobile is currently the best option for producing on the Image-Line DAW when you’re away from the computer. You can’t sync projects between platforms, but you can export from FL Studio Mobile to FL Studio desktop. The app is currently on version 4.7, so we may see an update in 2025 alongside FL Studio 2025.
Elsewhere, we’ve seen a few people on Reddit threads and in FL Studio forums asking if we’ll ever see FL Studio come to game consoles like Nintendo Switch, Sony PS5 and Microsoft Xbox. Some users have even produced on FL Studio using a Steam Deck. In our interview with Koehncke, we asked the Image-Line CEO whether FL Studio console is such a crazy idea after all. His response? Vague, but interesting.
“We just want to be wherever somebody’s thinking about creating music; it’s about being wherever your users might be,” he said.
It’s doubtful that FL Studio 2025 will drop with a Nintendo Switch 2 port at the ready, but we expect producers aren’t far off from DAW makers giving them beatmaking powers on their favourite console.
You can read the full rundown of new features in the Image-Line FL Studio manual. 
Read more FL Studio news on MusicTech. 
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20 Short-Form Videos for song promotion on TikTok and ReelsHere are 20 short-form video ideas for song promotion on TikTok and Reels. These scroll-stopping videos are being used by indie artists right now to boost visibility, connect with fans, and rack up streams.
The post 20 Short-Form Videos for song promotion on TikTok and Reels appeared first on Hypebot.

Reason ReCycle returns Reason Studios have announced that their game-changing sampling software — which was originally released back in 1994 — has returned, and is being made available for free. 

Teenage Engineering’s EP-133 K.O.II just got its first major OS update – here’s what’s newTeenage Engineering has officially rolled out OS 2.0, the first major software update for its compact yet powerful EP-133 K.O.II sampler.
Launched in late 2023, the $299 EP-133 K.O.II quickly became a smash hit among beatmakers thanks to its compact, intuitive design, and nods to classic samplers like the Akai MPC 3000. Now, nearly a year and a half later, OS 2.0 is here to push the K.O.II to new heights with a list of “knockout features” that broaden its capabilities and improve performance across the board.

READ MORE: Is Frank Ocean teasing a comeback? Mysterious Instagram account and cryptic Billboards send fans spiralling

One key feature of TE’s latest update is resampling, which lets users sample any sound source on or off the device, process it through effects and make a brand new sample from it. Hand-free sampling is also possible now, which means you can record instruments that require both hands (like a piano) without needing to hit record manually.
The new OS also brings increased polyphony from 12 mono and six stereo sounds to 16 mono and 12 stereo sounds, allowing for denser and more expressive arrangements.
Other key features include a new song mode, which makes it easier to “chain scenes and create longer, more structured track arrangements,” and sidechaining, which allows “one sound to control the volume of another” – perfect for controlling those kick and bass grooves.
For users with sprawling setups, extended MIDI support is another major win. With MIDI through and the ability to pair up to 16 devices simultaneously, the K.O.II becomes a true centerpiece for multi-unit workflows.
In our recent review of the K.O.II (where it scored a 7/10), we highlighted the sampler’s affordable price and standout character. While it lacks the deep sculpting tools and seamless DAW integration of pricier rivals like Roland’s SP-404 MkII or Ableton’s Push/Move, it shines in personality and design.
“Style can’t cover awkward feature navigation, a steep learning curve, and tiny storage,” we noted – but with OS 2.0 addressing some of those original limitations (like the missing song mode), the K.O.II may now strike a more compelling balance between form and function for users drawn to its playful aesthetic.
Still, the K.O.II’s launch wasn’t without hiccups. Soon after its release in November 2023, users began reporting issues with the effects fader – a problem that quickly gained traction online as “Fadergate”. Teenage Engineering co-founder David Eriksson later addressed the issue, pointing to a combination of flawed packaging dimensions and insufficient protection.
“The size of the box is 10 inches, so some stores thought it was a 10-inch vinyl package and so shipped it without padding,” he told MusicTech. “But it was also our little design flaw, we didn’t have any protection, and if something hit the packaging straight on the fader, it would break. Now that’s been changed. So we have new packaging – now, we’ve been throwing it like a frisbee at work, at the walls, like over and over. And now it doesn’t break.”

Download the new OS update and view the full release notes at Teenage Engineering.
The post Teenage Engineering’s EP-133 K.O.II just got its first major OS update – here’s what’s new appeared first on MusicTech.

Slate Digital Offers Three FREE Virtual Mix Rack Modules with iLok Cloud Support
Slate Digital has made three of its popular Virtual Mix Rack (VMR) modules available for free and removed the need for an iLok USB Dongle by enabling iLok Cloud authorization. The free modules—The Monster, Revival, and The Trimmer—are now included with the VMR installation via the Slate Digital Connect app. While the app installs the [...]
View post: Slate Digital Offers Three FREE Virtual Mix Rack Modules with iLok Cloud Support

Is Frank Ocean teasing a comeback? Mysterious Instagram account and cryptic Billboards send fans spirallingIs a Frank Ocean comeback finally on the horizon? Fans certainly think so, and here are the receipts.
Theories kicked into overdrive this week when a mysterious Instagram account surfaced, seemingly linked to the elusive singer. The handle? @kikiboyyyyyyy — a name that fans believe could be much more than just a finsta (short for Finstagram, or ‘fake’ Instagram account).

READ MORE: Fyre Fest 2 permit only allows for 12-hour listening party with 250 people – as a psychologist deems Billy McFarland “mentally ill”

While the account is now private, its presence has raised more than a few eyebrows. The profile photo shows none other than Michael Jordan holding up three fingers, which fans have taken as a nod to a third Frank Ocean album (with 2016’s Endless often considered more of a visual project than a proper LP).
Launched in March 2025, the account follows just eight users — including Ocean’s own official page, @blonded (which has recently been wiped clean of all posts), SZA, and longtime producer Michael Uzowuru. The latter’s involvement is particularly telling: Uzowuru contributed to Ocean’s beloved Blonde album and told The New York Times last year that the two had been working on new music.
Per Rolling Stone, also on the follower list are Sean Matsukawa, an audio engineer who’s worked with Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande, and SZA; emerging artist girlsweetvoiced; and a curious account named @archivedsolemn — another potential breadcrumb.
Adding fuel to the speculative fire, a billboard reading “KIKI BOY 2025” was allegedly spotted near Coachella just as the festival prepared to kick off its first weekend.

A “KIKI BOY” billboard has been spotted on the road to Coachella. https://t.co/pmRaXDEFz0 pic.twitter.com/SX20w8pt7t
— you’re listening to blonde (@blondedhomer) April 8, 2025

Ocean hasn’t said a word — which, of course, only deepens the intrigue. And after nearly a decade since the release of Blonde, even the faintest sign of activity is enough to send the internet into a frenzy.
Whether “Kiki Boy” is an album title, an alter ego, or another classic Ocean misdirection, one thing’s for certain: he’s got our full attention.
The post Is Frank Ocean teasing a comeback? Mysterious Instagram account and cryptic Billboards send fans spiralling appeared first on MusicTech.

“Instead of robotics replacing musicians, there’s a big opportunity for extension and augmentation”: Finis Musicae on programming robots to play live instrumentsPop culture has programmed humanity to fear an impending uprising of robots that will wipe out civilisation. But Charlotte Kemp-Muhl, one of the directors of Finis Musicae, sees robots as another means to push music forward alongside humanity.
“New genres are born on the back of new technology. Rock and roll from electric guitars. Hip-hop from samplers. Laptops were the last [enabler of] new genres of music, but there hasn’t really been anything new since then,” Kemp-Muhl says.

READ MORE: Fish56Octagon: “Music production is the hardest, then social media — DJing is the easy part”

Finis Musicae, a futurist art and transhuman tech collective, is applying robotics as the next step in the evolution of music performance. Hundreds of thousands of people saw their technology in action at Anyma’s Sphere residency. Frederik Gran, Robotics Director at Finis Musicae, programmed four robotic arms, two for each cello, to play in concert with Anyma.
“Instead of being a replacement that people fear, there’s a big opportunity for robotics to be an extension and augmentation,” says Sage Morei, the third director of Finis Musicae alongside Gran and Kemp-Muhl. “Somebody who has never played an instrument before, and maybe physically cannot, we can enable them to do it for the first time.”
Finis Musicae has been active for two years, and all three members have longstanding musical careers. But Gran has been working in the robotics space since 2009. Another example of his work besides the robot cello is Spiegelreigen, a project in which a robot arm moves a microphone around a circle of speakers to create music with feedback frequencies.
“Fredrik’s research with the cello has been a guiding light into this uncharted territory. We refer to him as our cyber Gandalf,” says Kemp-Muhl.
Building on Gran’s research, they have designed robotic apparatuses such as synthetic embouchures for brass and prosthetic hands playing synths. Currently, they program these robots themselves using processes like electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle movements, and electroencephalogram (EEG), which records brainwaves and translates them into electrical signals. But they are also developing AI systems so the robots can improvise on their own.
“We have this grand vision of playing at a superhuman level. But first reaching the human level is a task in itself,” Morei says.
Read on to learn about Finis Musicae’s philosophy of integrating technology and music, the challenges they’ve faced programming robots to mimic human movement, and how this tech can expand beyond humanity and collaborate with plants and animals.

A major concern about the rise of AI and robotics is that it will eliminate human jobs. How are you intending to use your tech to augment and extend how musicians can perform and record?
Gran: The electric guitar did not silence the acoustic. The arrival of sound recording sparked fears for live performance, yet both coexist still today
Throughout history, humanity’s reaction to new technology has followed familiar patterns, repeating with a regularity not unlike a mechanical process. Resistance, skepticism, and fear of replacement are recursive themes, whether in industry or society at large.
 In music, this pattern is clear.
Innovation and tradition move forward together, as new technology and art walk hand in hand. More broadly, I see technology not as a threat to human endeavor, but as a means to broaden and deepen it.
What is the ultimate role technology can play in the world of music?
Morei:
Consider how the material science of Neolithic archery led to the first bowed instruments. The Trois Frères hunting bow was used as a musical tool by humans. War-driven radio communication led to the invention of vacuum tubes, which, when overdriven in amps, enabled a vast new range of sounds. DAWs and laptops democratised industry-grade tools, putting them in the hands of teenagers in their bedrooms. Now, from mechanical automation efforts and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), emerges a whole new range of expressive possibilities for collaborative man-machine performance art.
Physical mastery of an instrument will always command respect, but I am equally excited about shortening the path from thought to sound using cutting-edge tools.
What about AI specifically? What is the best result of AI and music coexisting?

Kemp-Muhl:
Scientists generated a musical composition with analog computers in the 1950s; giving our inventions the autonomy to invent themselves is fascinating.
One application I’m particularly curious about is applying machine learning to allow our robotic fleet to improvise their own singularity symphonies together. While AI is helping do our taxes and making creepy videos of Will Smith eating spaghetti and piloting war drones, we might as well use it to make something alien and beautiful.

Frederik’s work with robot arms has been your “guiding light.” What new possibilities will open up as you can bring in more human-based parts into the robotic world?
Morei: If you want to measure robotic dexterity, playing instruments designed for humans is the ultimate litmus test.
Trying to replicate a trumpet embouchure has been particularly humbling. Brass players make it look effortless, but the sheer complexity of what’s actually happening — lips buzzing, tonguing, air pressure, embouchure constriction shifts — has only deepened our awe for human anatomy.
Ultimately, we want to push things further by designing instruments specifically for robots, taking advantage of their precision and speed to explore art forms beyond what humans could ever pull off.
So far, many of your presentations focus on playing classical music. Why are you choosing to bring together some of the oldest music that is still appreciated by a general audience and the most modern technological methods of playing music?


Gran:
My core interest in using robotics for music lies in my role as a composer, deeply obsessed and focused on sound itself. I am driven to create new sonic worlds, new compositions, and new ways of creating and playing music—sometimes pushing beyond what is possible with conventional techniques or equipment. Robotics opens doors to unique expressions and textures, expanding my compositional palette.
At the same time, as with any human musician training on an instrument, there is much to learn from existing repertoire. Classical works such as Bach provide a rich framework to test and refine both the robot’s technical and expressive abilities. In practice, this is part of the process of developing the system— just as a human cellist would practice core repertoire.
Every tool —human or mechanical— imparts its own character. Different robots and programming choices yield distinct musical personalities, much like the differences between instruments, tools, individual musicians, or even between instrument makers. I view this diversity as fundamental.
You’ve discussed collaborating with plants and fish through this tech. Can you explain how that works? What have been the results?

Kemp-Muhl:
We’ve been adapting medical electrodes to the outside of aquariums to harness electroconductive fields of albino Koi fish so that their swimming modulates ambient synthesizers. We also have plants permanently wired up to a Moog synth and delay pedal in our lab window, and the beautiful thing is they start to sing louder when the sun rises each morning. It gives you a very Panpsychist lens of life when you realize everything is just action potentials, electric fields, and mechanical actuators, even down to individual skin cells.

Based on your research and work, what do the AI-infused instruments of tomorrow look like? We have AI-assisted plugins and synths — will it be more of the same?
Morei: During our first tests playing the violin using mere muscle signals and controlling the robot cello via brainwave-derived motor imaging, it became clear that our definition of ‘musician’ must expand. Entirely new ways of interfacing with the medium already exist. Like traditional musicianship, these can be honed and trained.
While I find the full automation of art a generally despicable pursuit— and there is still much to refine in clean dataset acquisition— humans have long since welcomed AI-assisted plugins and soft synths as valuable tools in an artist’s creative arsenal.
There are many steps of creative work (I am looking at you, rotoscoping and breath comping) that I always thought were too drainingly repetitive for humans to do, and I am glad to see us shorten the path from initial thought to artistic output.
Do you have any advice or messages for influential brands and artists looking to further integrate AI and music?
Gran: Break some rules. Take tools—such as AI, or technologies designed for one purpose, and push them into unexpected territories. I use industrial robots, originally engineered for mass production, to create experimental music. I find that fun and interesting. And while working with artificial intelligence, let’s also confront our own natural foolishness.
The post “Instead of robotics replacing musicians, there’s a big opportunity for extension and augmentation”: Finis Musicae on programming robots to play live instruments appeared first on MusicTech.

Is Xfer Records’ Serum 2 still the most powerful software synth you can buy?$199 introductory price for new licences ($249 from 1st June)
Free update for existing users
xferrecords.com
Serum’s diverse sonic palette and exceptionally bold sound character have made it the go-to software synth for artists and producers in a huge scope of musical styles, including EDM, Pop, and Hip-Hop for over a decade. A star-studded lineup of users includes the likes of Skrillex and Deadmau5, and Serum’s sound has dominated the electronic music landscape.

READ MORE: Can any other synth match Arturia Pigments 6’s astonishing sonic diversity?

Alongside a sound ranging from irresistible to utterly noxious, Serum endears itself to its user base through the way it allows you to dive so deeply and directly into sound design in an inadvertent and unassuming way.
The revolutionary design bred some steady competition in the form of Kilohearts Phase Plant, UVI Falcon, Vital, Arturia Pigments, and many others. So, naturally, I’d like to know if Serum 2, even with all its upgrades, stands up to the other prominent software synths of today.

What’s new in the Oscillator section?
The first thing you’ll notice when you open Serum 2, to your delight, is that it now features a third main oscillator, and each of these sound generators has five different modes – Wavetable, Multisample, Sample, Granular, and Spectral. To put things into perspective, the closest competitor, Pigments 6, has only two sound-generating engines, and although it provides a different scope of synthesis tools, there is still an advantage to having three sound layers rather than two.
Over the years, Serum has become the holy grail of wavetable synths, so you’ll be thrilled to find that Xfer Records has improved features such as the wavetable editor and wavetable creation workflow, which is now more flexible. The wavetable editor gives you quick access to all three oscillators, letting you edit harmonics, control waveform morphing behaviour over time, and even use formulaic data to save and recall wavetables. Furthermore, the ability to smooth interpolation while moving between wavetable frames allows for the creation of more organic sounds. Many features like this are hidden within right-click menus, so be sure to explore.
If you’re new to Serum, you might wonder why it doesn’t offer multiple layers of timbres like other synths. However, because the three main oscillators are such versatile sound generators with extensive modulation capabilities, it’s important to see and work with them as you would a layer on a multitimbral synth. The reason for this is that stacked layers of Serum’s synthesis engine would have staggeringly high system requirements. Being that Serum 2 is already incredibly processor-intensive, it’s fair to say this is the best way forward.
Besides the Granular and Wavetable sound sources, Serum 2 also gives you a bank of samples and the ability to use them as single or multisample patches. If you consider the impressive modulation and effects processing capabilities, Serum 2 becomes a formidable sampling instrument, whether you use the included sound content or dip into your personal stash.
However, by far one of the most exciting additions in the oscillator section is the new Spectral synthesis mode. Here, you can use a selection of tonal and non-tonal samples or Serum’s wavetables to create spectral sound sources. What’s more, you can also import samples of your own, or images in PNG format.
Once you know your way around the various oscillator types, the fun truly begins. As you browse through the patch library, you’ll notice how the patches are composed from multiple sound sources, and this is the essence of Serum’s sound design workflow. You’ll discover Granular and Spectral layers magically complementing one another to create mysterious, detailed soundscapes. Meanwhile, when you add the noise and sub-oscillator, Serum becomes a complete drum synthesis tool.
It’s important to note that the more you start to explore the excitingly animated oscillators, the more strain you put on your CPU. If you thought an Apple Silicon running 8 GB of RAM was enough to handle Serum 2, think again! I’d recommend at least 16 GB RAM, which is four times the amount listed in the System Requirements on Splice. We can only hope that an update will make it more resource friendly in future.
Serum 2 wavetable editor. Image: Press
How do I use Serum’s new arpeggiator and clip sequencer?
With four envelopes and six LFOs, there’s amazing potential for creating animated sounds, especially when you add the modulation matrix and eight macro controls. However, Serum has always been lacking in the sequencing department, so this is something the update needed to address. While the new arpeggiator and clip sequencer perform different functions, they have structural similarities in terms of their respective workflows.
Both sections are capable of launching clips, a concept that should be familiar to Ableton Live users. Each of the 12 clips in each section can be accessed with the respective ARP or CLIP keyboards and saved individually or globally as an ARP or CLIP bank. When combined with the various pattern and transpose modes, as well as the playback and retrigger functions, Serum’s arpeggiator is a flexible performance tool capable of creating far more than just retro-styled arp patterns.
The clip sequencer, on the other hand, is a complete piano roll editor, complete with real-time MIDI recording and comprehensive MPE editing. This offers an integrated composition platform as powerful as any software synth; from MIDI controller messages to note possibilities, you have all the functionality needed to create expressive performances within Serum, whether you prefer to sequence them or play them manually.
As you browse through the preset library, you’ll notice that each patch has its own stylistic clip and a unique macro modulation set-up across the eight macros. This gives you an ideal starting point for understanding how to approach each sound from a performance perspective, and also how to get under the hood as you hone your sound design skills.
Expressive sound creation capabilities are more impressive than ever, with extended modulation and effects processing options. The new Mod section now offers more advanced envelopes with BPM sync and more complex LFO routing, with Dual X/Y outputs and grid sizes for the X and Y axes. In the effects section, there are exciting new modules, like the Bode frequency shifter, the Convolve convolution processor with IR import, and Splitter modules that allow you to process different frequency ranges, or even mid and side information separately.
Serum 2 clip sequencer. Image: Press
Is Serum 2 still worth the hype?
As a software instrument, Serum has a distinctive sonic identity and a monstrous reputation in music production circles that has bred a cult following as a result. This has a fair amount of sway on potential buyers as they are buying into a brand to get “that sound” rather than objectively comparing the user experience and sound with competing options.
When one looks at the endless range of soft synths available, one could argue that Serum 2 is priced a little steep for new users. If you’re a complete beginner, $249 is pretty staggering, and if you’re a keen sound designer, you might wonder why Pigments and Phase Plant are only $199.
While the market may have moved on since Serum’s introduction in 2014, there’s no denying that it’s still very much a relevant part of the musical landscape, even though it might not be as groundbreaking as it once was.
The task will be upon Steve Duda and the Xfer team to ensure that future updates are not only timely and keep up with the Joneses, but also add value for both new and current users.
Key features

Synthesizer plugin (VST, AU, and AAX)
SFZ compatibility
Intuitive sound design workflow, now with undo/redo system
3 main oscillators with 5 modes (Wavetable, Multisample, Sample, Granular, and Spectral)
626 presets
288 wavetables
Mixer with 2 aux effects buses and main processing bus
Wealth of effects
Best-in-class clip sequencer and arpeggiator
Extensive modulation matrix and warping capabilities

The post Is Xfer Records’ Serum 2 still the most powerful software synth you can buy? appeared first on MusicTech.

a16z backs Base Power in $200M round for home backup batteriesThe money will fund a rapid expansion, including dozens more megawatt-hours of battery storage and plans for a domestic battery factory.

Live Music Stocks Up Wednesday Exceeding Market RallyLive music stock were up Wednesday April 9, 2025, aligning with a broader market surge following President Trump’s announcement of a 90-day pause on many newly introduced tariffs, excluding those. Continue reading
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Alissia (Anderson .Paak, Mary J. Blige) gives an exclusive studio tour
Join Alissia (Anderson .Paak, Mary J. Blige) in an exclusive tour of her famous studio, The Spaceship.