Indossa Sounds launches REAKTR Map Maker, a FREE Reaktor sample map generator
Developer Indossa Sounds has launched REAKTR Map Maker, a free Reaktor sample map generator. Native Instruments Reaktor isn’t something we talk about every week around here, but we do see related releases pop up from time to time. Sound Author’s Pristine FDN-style reverb, and the MRX90 cassette tape emulation are a couple of good examples. [...]
View post: Indossa Sounds launches REAKTR Map Maker, a FREE Reaktor sample map generator

DAWJunkie releases Mini-Menace, a FREE MicroBrute-based synth
DAWJunkie, the developer behind DT-600 Mini, Padness 2 Jr, Knobs, and many more interesting freebies, is back with another: Mini-Menace. Mini-Menace is available in AU, VST, and AAX formats for macOS and Windows. Mini-Menace is a throwback to the modern resurgence of analog synths, with all sounds sourced from the Arturia MicroBrute. It’s easy to [...]
View post: DAWJunkie releases Mini-Menace, a FREE MicroBrute-based synth

Tamber is an “ethically trained” AI tool to aid the creative process – and you can use arm gestures to control itDesigned by artists for artists, new creative suite Tamber is here to reinvent how we use AI in the studio. Powered by “sonic intelligence”, Tamber is able to transform an artist’s most abstract thoughts and ideas into sound, keeping artists firmly in the drivers seat.
Thanks to the input of countless artists, including some who experience synaesthesia (those who can hear colours, taste sound, etc), Tamber acts as an “ethically trained” creative hive mind. Rather than pumping out fully AI-generated tracks, Tamber acts as a “creative nervous system”, able to adapt, respond, and provide unique sounds based on user prompts and emotions.
Say you’re keen to capture the feeling of a sunrise, the feeling of sand between your toes, or the taste of your favourite meal – Tamber can tap into those emotions and conjure up the perfect sound to add to your track.

READ MORE: How Neal Acree created Critical Role’s The Mighty Nein electronic music soundtrack: “To truly embrace the idea, you have to think about how electronic music functions”

The pool of available sounds is also, again, “ethically” gathered. It has a slew of new samples, from jewellers clanking away in an Istanbul bazaar, to the sound of drinks being shaken on a Rio beach, to the sound of bustling cities. “Nothing synthesised, nothing borrowed,” Tamber promises. “Every sound carries the place it came from.”
Backed by $5 million in funding from Adobe Ventures and a network of artist-investors, the creative suite is a transparent and intuitive new way to use AI in the studio, while protecting artists from other tools that may be training off of their work. “I built Tamber because I was sick of watching the music industry get sold tools that steal from artists and defend it by calling it progress,” Zoe Wrenn, founder and CEO of Tamber, explains.
“Artists shouldn’t have to choose between their values and their careers, but that’s the choice they’re being handed right now – use tools built by taking from your peers, or get left behind,” she continues. “There needs to be an alternative, one that’s built with artists, and that is ethically trained and takes its environmental impact seriously.”
Wrenn also adds that, due to Tamber’s pool of contributing artists, users can use it without fear of where all the inspiration input has come from “[It’s a] tool that respects where the sound comes from, and it doesn’t have to hide how it works to feel like magic,” she says. “[It’s a] tool that puts the future of music making back in the hands of the artist.”

Expanding on this, Wrenn also spoke to Billboard, saying: “There was a turning point where all musicians were suddenly expected to create more music at an unnatural speed and to also become content creators. When I looked for tools to help me keep up with that, I found the tools were either blatantly robbing us or just weren’t particularly useful. I believe Tamber is the right solution.”
“We don’t train on any third-party audio at all. A lot of the other music technology and AI companies have, as everyone knows, scraped a whole bunch of stuff and stolen the majority of their training data. We don’t do anything like that.”
While users can use Tamber without fear of “robbing” other artists, the creative suite also supports and adapts to each user’s creative process. The “sonic intelligence” begins to store information on preferences, and learns when it might need to hop in and offer some inspiration.

The tool also has a slew of fun ways to control it. It can be used via a gesture-based interface, which Tamber describes as a “bionic arm for musicians” to shape out ideas in the air to trigger certain sounds. There’s also voice control options.

To hear Tamber in action, Wrenn utilised an early model of the creative tool on her 2020 single, Hailey.
The Mac desktop app is available now, while integration for Ableton and additional DAWS will come later this year. Find out more at tamber.music.

The post Tamber is an “ethically trained” AI tool to aid the creative process – and you can use arm gestures to control it appeared first on MusicTech.

Why Kaleidoscope Orchestra’s Steve Pycroft studied Skrillex to make the orchestra’s first original albumFor Steve Pycroft, everything started with Skrillex.
Such inspiration is not uncommon among electronic artists, but Pycroft isn’t your typical electronic artist. He is the producer, arranger, and music director for Kaleidoscope Orchestra, an ensemble that performs electronic music combined with full orchestral instrumentation, and the first piece he performed with his hybrid classical-electronic outfit was a 10-minute suite of Skrillex’s music.

READ MORE: How Neal Acree created Critical Role’s The Mighty Nein electronic music soundtrack: “To truly embrace the idea, you have to think about how electronic music functions”

Listening to the opening overture of string harmonies and countermelodies, one may not be able to hear the correlation with Skrillex’s raging dubstep beats. But after a couple of minutes, the unmistakable melody of Gary Go’s Cinema vocal sweeps in, which is one of Skrillex’s most celebrated remixes. The now-iconic growls are swapped for rumbling double bass while flute and violin hit their highest register to respond with the screeches.
“Having Skrillex as a bar to aim for is pretty silly. How are you gonna get to that level? But I think, why not aim for that?” Pycroft admits. The suite is nearing 1 million views on YouTube, with a stamp of approval from Skrillex, who shared it back in 2012. “It made me realise that there was demand for this. People like seeing an orchestra do things differently. It’s a good way to introduce people to orchestras.”
In the past 14 years, the demand for orchestras in the electronic space has grown exponentially. Electronic artists such as Flight Facilities, Black Coffee, Boris Brejcha, and Bonobo have all performed with orchestras in different parts of the world. Pete Tong has been producing his Ibiza classics orchestral tour since 2017. There are also orchestras similar to Kaleidoscope, such as Tomorrowland’s Symphony of Unity and Ministry of Sound Classical, that perform dance hits.
As this attention has increased, Pycroft has taken Kaleidoscope to major forums such as Creamfields while arranging orchestral covers of Daft Punk, The Prodigy, Fred Again.., and Avicii, even expanding to Linkin Park and Eminem.
Image: Press
Now, Pycroft has taken Kaleidescope to a place none of the similar orchestras have gone: he’s released a full album of original electronic-orchestral music. The record is entitled Moments Between, and it spans various synthetic beats with the kind of universally appreciated supportive flair that only an orchestra can provide.
A Beauty balances unified melodies from horns and strings over a jovially swung drum & bass beat. Pycroft also invited a handful of vocalists to contribute: Two fellow Brits, QYOR and J. Chambers, sing and rap, respectively, on I Dare You, an energetic house track, fueled by fiery descending orchestral arpeggios.
Pycroft operates so well in these seemingly disparate worlds because his feet have been planted in both for decades. He studied classical music at the University of Manchester, but like most students in that city, he was also doing plenty of raving.
“I would speak to my classical music friends about these dubstep nights, and I’d speak to dubstep DJs about classical music, and the worlds seemed so far apart,” Pycroft explains. “I thought, ‘How could they come together?’”
The most accessible way to unite them at first was by arranging the music of hugely popular artists. That way, the familiarity was built-in for new audiences. But Pycroft always had the skills to create original music with the full ensemble. With Moments Between, he isn’t hiding the talent any longer.
Image: Gemma Parker
“For 15 years, I’ve had the opportunity to do this, but I felt like I didn’t have permission. It wasn’t right,” Pycroft says. But when the pandemic set in and he was hit with the realisation that the world could shut down at a moment’s notice, he decided to take the leap. Rick Rubin’s book The Creative Act also served as a motivator. As Rubin says, when you feel it, it’s a good idea to act on it; if he didn’t do it. Someone else would have.
“As I started to write these pieces, I realised how much there was inside that I’d not been letting out,” Pycroft explains. “It’s like, I can breathe. I’m really proud of it. If it resonates with people, fantastic. If not, that’s okay. And I’d never felt that. I think with other arrangements, if people hate it, it’s not my music. This is me in music form, and it just feels fucking great.”
The music is a composite reflection of Pycroft because he brought together his three roles to make the album: producer, arranger, and music director. The order of operations was similar to when he arranged other electronic tracks, but since these were his own productions, he started in the DAW.
To make the electronic tracks, some of his go-to software included Native Instruments’ Massive, Loom II by Air, and the Korg M1 plugin. Once the tracks were complete, he would think about how best to arrange the orchestral parts from the base track before layering the audio with sounds from Spitfire Audio, Logic Pro, and, once again, Native Instruments.
His shortcut is to consider that every instrument in a track is replaceable, so long as its substitute is in the same frequency register. For example, he’ll swap a high-pitch synth with a flute, but the unique character of live instrumentation versus electronic synthesis also opened new ways of thinking about the pieces.

“The second drop [in A Beauty] was originally the same as the first. As I was rotating and orchestrating, I decided to play around with a different bassline and think about how the basses and cellos would interact with that,” Pycroft says. “It changed the whole harmonic structure, so all the chords changed, and it brought this uplifting feeling to the piece that wasn’t there before. That felt like a mathematical, theoretical process, rather than playing with a keyboard and feeling it.”
After finalising the audio, he notates the orchestral parts in Avid Sibelius for all the individual players to record. As one can imagine, hiring dozens of musicians can be quite expensive in addition to renting out the studio space, and Pycroft self-funded the recording. So everything was done in two days. One day, there were 29 musicians. The other day, there were 14.
After music directing for so many years, Pycroft knows how to prepare for an album recording session. Moreover, after 15 years leading Kaleidoscope, he has strong personal relationships with the players, which streamlines the process even further.
“Knowing what they’re capable of helps so much. I can lean on that. I know this person’s gonna be playing flute, so I know that I can write that thing, and she’ll nail it,” Pycroft says. “We don’t need to talk about it. There’s a wink or a nod, and it’s like, ‘Yeah, fair enough.’”
Image: Gemma Parker
The last phase of the project was mixing, which Pycroft once again did all on his own. The process took 10 months as he worked with all the instruments at his disposal. He ended up spending much of the time removing elements.
“The mixing process was all about creating space. How do I make that woodwind part come through more clearly? How do I make that brass not overpower this? How can I blend things together?” Pycroft says. Once again, he looked to Skrillex for inspiration.
“I watch Skrillex do it, and it’s next level. Getting a kick and removing each transient. How do I make each sound and each instrument super intentional?” Pycroft asks. “There’s nothing there that’s just a wash. There’s nothing there that’s just a layer. Everything needs to speak. That informed decisions. How do I make sure that synth doesn’t clash with that? It’s either side-chaining, or it’s EQing, or it’s getting rid of that element.”
While Pycroft jests at the idea of getting as good as Skrillex, one thing that does excite him is that now Skrillex, or any of the other artists he’s arranged for Kaleidoscope Orchestra, can remix his original work.
“That would be such a full-circle moment, and for me, what it’s all about. It’s what I live for.”
The post Why Kaleidoscope Orchestra’s Steve Pycroft studied Skrillex to make the orchestra’s first original album appeared first on MusicTech.

Logic Pro user tries Ableton Live for the first time
Watch expert producer and vocalist Julie Schatz challenge herself as she makes a complete track in Ableton Live for the first time.

OSHA probing worker death at SpaceX’s Starbase siteThe death is the latest worker safety issue at the Starbase facility, which has a higher injury rate than all other SpaceX sites.

Mixed Notes May 2026: Nessa Barrett, Lykke Li, Bea, and MoreNESSA BARRETT DIVES INTO DARK ROMANCE ON JESUS LOVES A PRIMADONNA

Nessa Barrett unveils her new EP Jesus Loves a Primadonna, an eight-track exploration of toxic love and vulnerability wrapped in noir rock and trip-hop textures. Alongside the release, she drops the cinematic “Buffalo 66” video starring Jesse Rutherford and announces intimate, sold-out shows, offering fans a closer look at this moody, emotionally charged chapter.

BEA STEPS INTO A NEW ERA WITH “CAN’T HELP FALLING OUT OF LOVE”

London singer-songwriter Bea, formerly Bea and her Business, redefines her sound and identity with the emotive new single “Can’t Help Falling Out of Love” via Warner Records. Co-written with Matt Maltese and produced by Jordan Riley (RAYE, Cat Burns), the track showcases her majestic vocals and stripped-back power balladry, marking a fearless fresh chapter in her journey from Gen Z breakout to confident, introspective artist.

YEAT AND ESDEEKID UNITE ON “MADE IT ON OUR OWN”

Multi-platinum artist Yeat linked up with Liverpool rapper EsDeeKid for the high-energy single “Made It On Our Own,” produced by Lucid and Mathaius Young. Shot at Drake’s Toronto home with Director X, the track fuses Yeat’s galactic rage rap with EsDeeKid’s scouse style, arriving amid Yeat’s ongoing rollout for his upcoming album ADL (A Dangerous Lyfe).

LYKKE LI LAUNCHES EXISTENTIAL ERA WITH “LUCKY AGAIN” AND ALBUM THE AFTERPARTY

Lykke Li returns with “Lucky Again,” the first glimpse of her forthcoming album The Afterparty (out in May via Neon Gold/Futures), ushering in her existential era. Layered with disco strings, Max Richter samples, and euphoric momentum, the track turns samsara into maximalist pop, marking a fearless reinvention as Li explores mortality, hedonism, and impermanence with her signature emotional intensity.

SOPHIE POWERS & LEXIE LIU JOIN FORCES FOR “KLEPTO”

After a streak of explosive singles including the provocative “popoff,” apocalyptic “muddy” and electrifying “spiderwebs,” pop disruptor Sophie Powers returns with her most confidently chaotic release yet: “klepto,” a hyper-catchy collaboration with Chinese superstar Lexie Liu. Out via Encore Recordings, the single blends bold storytelling with a sonic rush that feels like a late-night shopping spree gone haywire.

VENDREDI SUR MER SETS THE MOOD WITH “DES MONTAGNES DE TOI” AHEAD OF AMERICAS TOUR

Vendredi sur Mer returns with “Des Montagnes de Toi,” a delicate, piano-led track steeped in melancholy and intimacy. Serving as a bridge to her Malabar Princess era, the single highlights her signature poetic storytelling as she hits the road for an eleven-date North and South American tour, bringing her dreamy, nostalgic sound to audiences across the continent.

ALEX ISLEY CAPTURES L.A.’S AFTER-HOURS GLOW ON WHEN THE CITY SLEEPS

Alex Isley unveils her major-label debut When the City Sleeps, a lush, late-night meditation on love and solitude inspired by Los Angeles after dark. Alongside the album, she drops the nostalgic “Westside” video and announces a 2026 North American tour, marking a new chapter in her evolving artistry and continued presence in contemporary R&B.The post Mixed Notes May 2026: Nessa Barrett, Lykke Li, Bea, and More first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Voltmeter Clock Has The Time Dialled InYou could make a clock with three hands spinning about nested central shafts. If you did that, we probably wouldn’t publish it on Hackaday unless you really found a way to make it interesting. Make a clock out of voltmeters, however, and that usually catches our eye. [lcamtuf] has done just that.
The heart of the build is an AVR128DB28 microcontroller, an 8-bit microcontroller that is still currently in production. It runs at 8MHz, and drives a series of three Baomain 65C5 voltmeters to display hours, minutes, and seconds. Each has a custom printed face with the correct number of 13 or 61 divisions as needed. The voltmeters are driven by a continuous stream of 1-bit pulses with a software-controlled duty cycle determining exactly how far the needle moves. Yes, it’s using simple pulse width modulation, coded by hand by [lcamtuf] to do the job. All the components are wrapped up in a beautiful wooden case, with delicately kerf-bent panels to create the attractive curved lines.
We’ve featured similar builds before, too. As it turns out, hackers just really love clocks and old-school dials. Video after the break, which is worth watching for the rollover behaviour alone.

Bitcoin’s trend defining battle starts at the $74K support: AnalystBitcoin traders are closely watching the $74,000-$75,000 support zone as exchange inflows rise and market signals weaken following BTC's loss of momentum above $82,000.

Viiri Audio launch Aava All of Aava's impulse-response parameters can be manipulated in real time, creating everything from rhythmic effects to pitched, synth-style tones. 

MMPR Technologies Weathered ElectronicWeathered Electronic drum sample pack contains drum samples with a vintage analog feel. Made for people who require a weathered vintage style sound for their drum samples. Read More

As ABS deals reshape the music rights landscape, KBRA says it’s rated $12.9B in music royalty-backed bonds since 2020 – but expects issuance to fall 25% in 2026The music ABS market has more than tripled in size in just three years, says new KBRA report
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Save up to 80% on Roland plugins in Plugin Boutique’s exclusive Manufacturer Focus Sale
Plugin Boutique has launched an exclusive Roland Manufacturer Focus Sale, with discounts of up to 80% across the Roland Cloud plugin catalog. The sale runs from today through May 31, 2026. Two deals stand out the most for me. The JUNO-106 is down to $49 (75% off the usual $199), and the TR-808 is also [...]
View post: Save up to 80% on Roland plugins in Plugin Boutique’s exclusive Manufacturer Focus Sale

UChord by Ultimate MIDI Plugin is FREE for a limited time (Windows-only)
UChord is a MIDI chord progression generator, available in VST and VST3 formats for Windows. The plugin is available for free until June 15, 2026. If you’re looking for a chord generator plugin, but you’re on macOS, check out Bloomer Free, a chord engine focusing on emotion. Like all chord generators, UChord comes with a [...]
View post: UChord by Ultimate MIDI Plugin is FREE for a limited time (Windows-only)

leONE from fedDSP fedDSP's new plug-in is a dual-stage limiter that's been designed to add weight, presence and colour as well as provide detailed control over peaks.