What is a bridge in a song? How to write a bridge
Let’s take a look at what a bridge is, what functions it serves, and how to write an effective one for your own music.

By Our Calculations, You’ll Love the FlapulatorOh sure, you’ve got calculators. There’s that phone program of course, and the one that comes with your OS, and the TI-86 and possibly RPN numbers you’ve had since high school.
But what you don’t have is a Flapulator, at least not until you build one. Possibly the be-all, end-all of physical calculating devices, the Flapulator does its calculating live on a split-flap display. It’s kind of slow and the accuracy is questionable, but the tactility is oh, so good.
This baby boasts a 6-digit display, where the decimal point and negative sign each require one digit. Inside is a Raspberry Pi Pico, which can calculate for around 4 hours on a full charge. But the coolest part (aside from the split-flap display, naturally) has got to be the 24-key, hand-wired mechanical keyboard. There’s also a couple of LEDs that light up to keep track of the current mathematical operation.
The story behind this one is kind of interesting. [Applepie1928] found out that one of their favorite mathematician-comedian-pi-lovers who is known for signing calculators was coming to town. With four weeks to whip something up, this was, amazingly, the result. Check it out in  action after the break.
Need something that’s a whole other kind of fancy? Here’s an open-source graphing calculator.

https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/flapulator.mp4

Interloud Audio TestToneTestTone [Sine Test Tone Generator with precise frequency control from 5 to 22.000 Hz]. Sometimes a simple sine tone generator is the best tool to test the single frequency response of FX plugins. Use the Shift-key for fine adjustments. Read More

Concord forms strategic venture with Steven Victor’s Victor Victor Worldwide, expands hip-hop footprintVVW has launched the careers of artists including Pop Smoke and Ski Mask the Slump God.
Source

Celemony update Tonalic The first library update for Tonalic introduces a range of flamenco, gypsy, indie pop, latin and jazz performances courtesy of renowned session player Julian Coryell. 

Stem Checker is a new app for quality-checking your stems outside of your DAWA new Mac application is here to streamline your music production workflow. It’ll come as no surprise that Stem Checker does exactly what it says on the tin; the app comes as a quick, easy way to check stems and multitracks outside of your DAW.
Rather than having to load your stems back into your DAW for simple checks, Stem Checker is able to do the tedious grunt work for you. The detects and flag problems that can easily fly under the radar, catching all errors like alignment mismatch, missing audio, clipping, sample rate issues and more.

READ MORE: How we remixed Steve Aoki: Tips from Laidback Luke, Dani Thorne and Nostalgix

It’s not going to distort or mess with your stems – it’s just going to highlight any red flags. Think duplicate files, missing audio, mismatched metadata and trying to make sense of ambiguously named tracks.
Again, the app focuses on operating outside of your DAW, allowing you to save time and avoid loading each stem up to check if everything is peachy. It’s a smart, essential tool for keeping organised, while also giving you the confidence that the odd digital over wont distort any signals in your final mix.

To use the app, it’s as simple as dropping your files (the app supports WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, and AAC) into Stem Checker. Then, the app automatically analyses the stems, providing you with instant waveform rendering to scan through. Once it’s certain there are no issues, you’re good to go – and, of course, if an issue is at hand, that’s when you can begin working things out.
If there is an issue, the app will show it on the Issues Panel – and a few problems can even be fixed via the app with just a single click.
Stem Checker is available to download now from the App Store with a 30 day free trial. After, it costs £3.99 a month or £29.99 year to access its full features. For more information, head to Stem Checker.
The post Stem Checker is a new app for quality-checking your stems outside of your DAW appeared first on MusicTech.

Why 90s rave icons N‑Trance used their original hardware, including the mic for ‘Set You Free’, to record their first release in 22 yearsIn an age of flashy studios, AI tools and groups “just remixing a song they did 30 years ago”, says rave icons N-Trance, the decision for them to release new music made entirely on their original hardware from the 90s feels incredibly bold.

READ MORE: “It doesn’t matter if you fail, that’s part of the game”: Output CEO Gregg Lehrman

But, to founding member and producer Kevin O’Toole, it’s nothing new. “That’s just what I’m used to,” he explains, going as far to say that using the old gear is vital. “If we do a new track and it doesn’t fit in with a set of songs from the 90s, it will sound strange”.
With this ethos in mind, it makes sense that the vocals for the group’s first single in 22 years, Higher, were recorded on his trusted Neumann U87 — the exact same microphone that captured their era‑defining hit Set You Free. “They’re quite expensive, but mine has lasted for 30 years so far,” O’Toole says, adding that he often gets asked why he’s not moved on to something different. “I say, ‘Why? These U87s are just brilliant. They last forever.’”
When the group’s members started playing Higher in their DJ sets “just to see how it went down”, he suggests that “people thought it was [a track] they missed in the 90s”. Channelling the same energy as their club classics, it’s easy to see why many on the dancefloor have viewed ‘Higher’ – one of hundreds of songs that O’Toole has quietly worked on over the years, and N-Trance’s first independent release — as a long-lost friend.
Neumann U87. Image: Press
The main mixing desk and monitors that O’Toole uses – Yamaha DM2000, Genelec 1037B and Yamaha NS10 – have also remained the same throughout the decades. “I always say that you need massive monitors if you’re making stuff for clubs, because you have got to make sure it sounds good,” he offers.
He adds that his NS10s continue to do the trick. “They’re loud,” he says, adding that having no neighbours due to now living in the countryside means he no longer has to soundproof his studio. “I’m surprised they still work because I’ve had them for such a long time. You’d find it hard to buy them these days.”
When it comes to different vocalists singing for him, they all use the same equipment and learn his style of vocal recording. “After I’ve written the melody and lyrics,” O’Toole explains, “I have to make sure the song is in the best key for that singer”. He adds: “You’ve got to make sure your microphone is good enough, because there’s nothing you can do after,” he says, adding that an old LA Audio TCX2 compressor also comes into play for the vocals, and a Lexicon PCM91 for reverb.
“Once you have recorded the vocal, you can’t go back to it and say ‘this bit needs more’ of something,” he says, “so you’ve got to make sure that it’s recorded nicely, because I’ve had it before with people who have come in for vocals where they’ve said ‘you still could compress on that’ while I’ve been recording it”.
Vintage synths. Image: Press
As for synthesisers, though he has modern versions in the studio, his vintage collection is ever-growing. “I just can’t bear to part with an old synth,” he admits, panning the camera round to show off his stacked studio, which boasts a Prophet 5, MiniKorg 700, Akai S3200, Oberheim Matrix 1000, Roland JV-2080 and Access Virus C.
Also in the room is “the luckiest thing ever”, his Roland TB-303, which he recalls buying at a music shop in Oldham in 1990. “I said ‘What’s that on the shelf?’ and the owner replied ‘I think it’s a drum machine’.” After passing it down, O’Toole couldn’t believe his eyes. “I snapped it up for £50… they now trade for £3,000,” he says, adding that if he’s doing a track and wants to get an authentic sound, he’ll still use it.
Besides, he feels that with “a lot of the new synths, it’s just the old synths with effects on them. He continues: “In the early days, my Korg M1 was the main keyboard,” he says, reflecting that the group’s mid-90s Manchester studio (Ducie House) had 30 keyboards set up. “I was at the centre, and we made our own stand for the mixing desk,” he says of the distinctly DIY setup, which also included a Roland R8-M drum machine, Akai S1000 sampler and an Atari ST to run sequencing software.
Korg M1. Image: Press
While he no longer has the R8-M and nowadays uses a virtual drum machine instead, O’Toole has retained his massive collection of drum loops and samples from the 90s. “I love some of my old outboard effects units that I’ve had since then”, he says.
Nonetheless, he believes that new technologies have made it easier for producers to get back to old school sounds — “if you don’t have the old equipment, you can get stuff that sounds exactly the same”
Highlighting N-Trance’s contemporaries from the same decade, The Prodigy and Dream Frequency, he says “we all had the same equipment but none of us sounded the same”.
Synths. Image: Press
Since then, he suggests, things have changed dramatically. “Every single song sounded like Avicii after his first hit; everyone sounded like Cascada the week after their track hit the chart,” he considers.
O’Toole feels that this trend has continued into the 2020s. “I see it a lot with new bands now, but when [N-Trance] said we were putting new music out, we meant new music”. It’s unsurprising, then, when O’Toole argues that musicians are relying too much on laptops and presets. “It’s easy, and you don’t really create anything of your own sound,” he says, concluding that a lot of recent songs sound too same-y because of it.
This is a total contrast to when N-Trance started out, he suggests: “if you compared the music to 30 years before that, there was nothing like what was coming out then”.
Nonetheless, he does recognise the myriad challenges that come with going back to the old equipment — namely, the fact that not all of it works. “My Korg M1, it’s nice to look at but it’s been battle-scarred,” he says, urging other musicians not to take their studio keyboards to gigs “because they’ll get trashed”. He adds that the other “worst thing” about bringing your own equipment to shows is that “it would crash all the time on stage”. It’s good advice: “the power button on it has broken off the back, one of the boards has been pressed in, and one of the keys has snapped”.
Thankfully, such wear and tear hasn’t prevented him from being able to work in new tunes. And, now that ‘Higher’ is out in the world, N-Trance are focusing on finishing an album that will likely be released later this year. “It’s going to be more like what people would have expected us to do back in the 90s,” O’Toole teases, listing piano, electric and acoustic guitars, and bass among the instruments used in the record. Less a return to their roots, then, than an extension of their pioneering legacy.
Watch the music video for Higher here:

The post Why 90s rave icons N‑Trance used their original hardware, including the mic for ‘Set You Free’, to record their first release in 22 years appeared first on MusicTech.

United Plugins offers the UnitedFreeBundle with 10 plugins at no cost
United Plugins has launched the UnitedFreeBundle, a collection of professional audio plugins, and it’s free! The one caveat with the free collection is that the plugins feature an ad banner that displays United Plugins deals or products. The advertisements don’t restrict your view of any plugin or its controls. I know we see ads everywhere, [...]
View post: United Plugins offers the UnitedFreeBundle with 10 plugins at no cost

Q&A: MIT SHASS and the future of education in the age of AIThe MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) was founded in 1950 in response to “a new era emerging from social upheaval and the disasters of war,” as outlined in the 1949 Lewis Committee Report. The report’s findings emphasized MIT’s role and responsibility in the new nuclear age, which called for doubling down on genuine “integration” of scientific and technical topics with humanistic scholarship and teaching. Only that way, the committee wrote, could MIT tackle “the most difficult and complicated problems confronting our generation.”As SHASS marks its 75th anniversary, Dean Agustín Rayo answers questions about why the need for developing students with broad minds and human understanding is as urgent as ever, given pressing challenges in the midst of a new technological revolution.Q: Many universities are responding to artificial intelligence by launching new technical programs or updating curricula. You’ve suggested the change is deeper than that. Why?A: Artificial intelligence isn’t just changing the way students learn — it’s transforming every aspect of society. The labor market is experiencing a dramatic shift, upending traditional paths to financial stability. And AI is changing the ways we bring meaning to our lives: the ways we build relationships, the ways we pay attention, and the things we enjoy doing.The upshot is that the most important question universities need to ask is not how to adapt our pedagogy to AI — although we certainly need to address that. The most important question we need to ask is how to provide an education that brings real value to students in the age of AI. We need to ensure that universities provide students with the tools they need to find a path to financial security and to build meaningful lives.We need to produce students with minds that are both nimble and broad. We need our students to not only be able to execute tasks effectively, but also have the judgment to determine which tasks are worth executing. We need students who have a moral compass, and who understand how the world works, in all of its political, economic, and human complexity. We need students who know how to think critically, and who have excellent communication and leadership skills.Q: What role do the humanities, arts, and social sciences play in preparing MIT students for that future?A: They’re essential, and are rightly a core part of an MIT education: MIT has long required its undergraduates take at least eight courses in HASS disciplines to graduate.Fields like philosophy, political science, economics, literature, history, music, and anthropology are crucial to developing the parts of our lives that are essentially human — the parts that will not be replaced by AI.They are crucial to developing critical thinking and a moral compass. They are crucial to understanding people — our values, institutions, cultures, and ways of thinking. They are crucial to creating students who are broad thinkers who understand the way the world works. They are crucial to developing students who are excellent communicators and are able to describe their projects — and their lives — in a way that endows them with meaning.Our students understand this. Here is how one of them put the point: “Engineering gives me the tools to measure the world; the humanities teach me how to interpret it. That balance has shaped both how I do science and why I do it.” (Full interview here.)Q: Some people worry that emphasizing humanistic study could dilute MIT’s technological edge. How do you respond to that concern?A: I think the opposite is true. MIT is an important engine for social mobility in the United States, and a catalyst for entrepreneurship, which has added billions of dollars to the American economy. That cannot be separated from the fact that we are a technical institution, which brings together the country’s most talented undergraduates — regardless of socioeconomic background — and transforms them into the next generation of our country's top scientific and engineering leaders. MIT plays an incredibly important role in our country. So, the last thing I want to do is mess with our secret sauce.But I also think that the age of AI is forcing us to rethink what it means to be a top engineer. Think about artificial intelligence itself. The challenges we face are not just technical. Issues like bias, accountability, governance, and the societal impact of automation are no less important. Understanding those dimensions helps technologists design better systems and anticipate real-world consequences.Strengthening the humanities at MIT isn’t a departure from our core mission — it’s a way of ensuring that our technical leadership continues to matter in the world.Q: What kinds of changes is MIT SHASS pursuing to support this vision?A: There’s a lot going on! We’ve launched the MIT Human Insight Collaborative (MITHIC) as a way of strengthening research in the humanities, arts, and social sciences, and of deepening collaboration with colleagues across MIT.We’re shaping the undergraduate experience to ensure that every MIT student engages with the big societal questions shaping our time, from democratic resilience to climate change to the ethics of new technologies.We’re building stronger connections through initiatives like the creation of shared faculty positions with the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing (SCC). And we recently launched a new Music Technology and Computation Graduate Program with the School of Engineering.We’re partnering with SERC (the SCC’s Social and Ethical Responsibilities of Computing) to design new classes on the intersection of computing and human-centered issues, such as ethics.And we’re elevating the humanities — for their own sake, and as a space for experimentation, bringing together students, faculty, and partners to explore new forms of research, teaching, and public engagement.This is a very exciting time for SHASS.

United Plugins introduce UnitedFreeBundle United Plugins' new bundle combines two all-new plug-ins with eight processors from their existing line-up.

Plugin Boutique is offering “the lowest price ever” on iZotope’s Ozone 12 mastering suitePlugin Boutique is currently offering some huge deals across iZotope plugins, with huge savings on its Ozone 12 mastering suite tiers.
Right now, you can get up to 52 percent off a range of iZotope mixing and mastering tools, but offers end on 15 April so you’ll need to act fast. All three tiers of Ozone 12 – Elements, Standard and Advanced – are currently reduced, as well as there being huge savings on bundle deals and other iZotope plugins.
[deals ids=”6wBAV3J8k58MDnRDqQWFyl”]
iZotope Ozone 12 was launched in September 2025 and introduced new modules and an update to its AI-powered assistant. The previous version of Ozone landed in 2023, and scored a 9/10 in our review. Though a near perfect score, we did note that the AI assistant needed some tweaks.

READ MORE: The best new plugins this week, free and paid

At the launch of Ozone 12, iZotope said that the AI assistant in this new iteration had “intelligent tech that guides, not decides”, and reiterated that the implementation of AI within its products is intended solely to help and inspire.

MusicTech also reviewed Ozone 12, and scored it 8/10. We noted that its Stem EQ could be a game-changer for those mastering other people’s music, and that its AI features “are assistive and not prescriptive”. We did note that the Advanced edition is quite expensive, but thanks to Plugin Boutique it’s now down to £383 with 20 percent off.
Ozone 12 Standard also has 20 percent off (now £167), but the streamlined Elements version offers the biggest saving with 47 percent off, making it just £29. You can also save on upgrades and crossgrades.
iZotope’s Music Production Suite 8.5 is also on sale, again with savings on upgrades and crossgrades, or you can purchase it individually for £615 with 20 percent off.
Find out more and view all iZotope deals at Plugin Boutique.
The post Plugin Boutique is offering “the lowest price ever” on iZotope’s Ozone 12 mastering suite appeared first on MusicTech.

Okay Synthesizer releases Okay Distortion, a FREE plugin with 6 layered distortion engines
Okay Synthesizer has released Okay Distortion, a free distortion plugin with six layered engines in a single reorderable signal chain. I’m all for fun and creative distortion plugins (check out our free BPB Dirty Filter if you like this kind of stuff), so I’m always looking forward to testing another one. The cool thing here [...]
View post: Okay Synthesizer releases Okay Distortion, a FREE plugin with 6 layered distortion engines

Softube Model 82 SH-101 emulation is 70% OFF at Plugin Boutique ($29)
Softube’s Model 82 Sequencing Mono Synth is currently 70% off at Plugin Boutique, which brings the price down from $99 to $29 until April 19th. We actually have two excellent deals in this article, but let’s take a look at Softube’s acid monster first. Softube Model 82 Model 82 is Softube’s take on the Roland [...]
View post: Softube Model 82 SH-101 emulation is 70% OFF at Plugin Boutique ($29)

Baby Audio Grainferno is a granular synthesis workstation for all things beautiful to bizarreI’ve developed a soft spot for Baby Audio. Its plugins deliver an addictive immediacy that genuinely stands out in my DAW’s overstocked plugin browser.

READ MORE: Strymon’s NightSky plugin turns reverb into an instrument

Until now, the company’s instrument roster included a CS-01 homage, a quirky drum synth with a techno bent, and a physical modeling synthesizer with a life of its own. They’re unique instruments with focused applications, yet ones I can’t help but reach for any time I’m looking for some spark.
Grainferno is Baby Audio’s fourth, ahem, instrument baby, boldly attempting to breathe new life into tired sample libraries by way of granular synthesis. Can it demystify this dark art?
What is granular synthesis?
For the uninitiated, granular synthesis splits an audio source into tiny parts before playing them back looped, rearranged, and otherwise mangled. Unlike a sampler, which at its most basic plays a sound straight through with minimal tampering, granular synths rebuild their input from the ground up using these miniscule sonic snapshots.
Take this preset, which reconstitutes a woozy synth drone and a stadium-sized guitar solo into something drastically different:

Well-known proponents of granular techniques include Flume and SOPHIE, their productions littered with hazy shimmers and metallic, hyper-detailed artefacts. But given you can feed in literally any audio you desire, granular synthesis is a fundamentally versatile way to make noise.
Getting started with Grainferno
Grainferno Design Page. Image: Press
Grainferno’s interface is relatively simple, with four key knobs defining its most important behaviour. Size controls the length of each grain — on the larger end, they retain a stronger resemblance to their origin, while smaller sizes offer a noisier departure.
Rate adjusts the frequency at which these grains are generated, from rhythmic stuttering at lower speeds accelerating into smeared clouds of particles. Push the knob into audible territory and Grainferno even begins to function like an unstable wavetable synth.

Skimming through a source sample by changing grain position is one of the most gratifying ways to alter the sound of Grainferno. If you’re using a longer audio file — a minute or so works well — it’s like digging for buried treasure, with nuggets of gold hidden among sonic detritus.
Two more knobs add motion. Scan moves the grain generation position backwards or forwards, with negative values working particularly well with longer grains to impart a smooth reversed quality reminiscent of a crystalliser. Scatter is equally useful, providing an organic touch by randomising the grain position.

What do Grainferno’s presets sound like?
While Grainferno is undoubtedly approachable, my initial foray reveals a learning curve. Impatient users might head straight for its compelling and varied preset library. Many of the more experimental sounds come from Galen Tipton, concocter of maximalist hyperpop-infused IDM, as well as EDM wizard Virtual Riot.

For greater immediacy while auditioning sounds, the Play page distils the controls down to four assignable macros:
Grainferno Play Page. Image: Press
Creating a sound from scratch in Grainferno
Grainferno comes with 378 factory samples that can form the basis of a patch, although you can drag in your own sounds too. It’s a broad palette, from sustained synth pads and orchestral gestures to crunchy foley and pitched percussion.
Grainferno Sample Browser. Image: Press
Users can layer two sounds at once and mix them with different algorithms. While grain position is independent for each layer, the four main granular controls are not — this is the only time Grainferno feels noticeably limiting. I pluck out two radically contrasting sounds, meld them together, and feed in some arpeggiated notes:

Grainferno spits out an unmusical mess; a stark realisation that this won’t be as easy as I first expected. I try again, but most of what comes out is whooshing UFO noises better suited to a sci-fi movie than a song — interesting, but not exactly useful.

It’s difficult to predict which samples will complement each other, and my intuition comes up short several times. Given the multitude of variables that go into creating a Grainferno patch — the source samples, the grain position, and the wide-ranging parameters — landing on something worthwhile feels like a long shot, the sweet spot too narrow amid the immense scope of possibilities.
Nonetheless, I persist, embracing the chaos. I’m certain there are fascinating discoveries to be made. Perhaps the key to unearthing them lies in Grainferno’s modulation?
Modulation and effects in Grainferno
Grainferno’s slick array of mod sources is more than enough for detailed sculpting, with three LFOs, three envelopes, and three random mod sources that output new values every time a grain is generated.
These pair perfectly with the grain-level effects, including a compressor, filter, and feedback-based Blur effect. When used on the filter, for example, each individual grain can be assigned a random cut-off value.

This is my breakthrough moment. I find myself treating Grainferno more like a modular synth, letting my curiosity guide the process. Yes, the output is uncertain, but it can be steered — and given just how easy its drag-and-drop workflow is, the journey is joyful, particularly once you arrive at a satisfying destination.
Things do get CPU-intensive at times, particularly with higher rates and more complicated patches, though newer machines should cope okay.
Six post-processing effects provide further potential: a filter, compressor, clipper, delay, reverb, and chorus.
Grainferno FX. Image: Press
I create another patch using a single cello note as the sound source, applying per-grain modulation to Rate, Size, Pitch (set to Octave mode), and Grain Filter Cut-Off. It’s transformed into a majestic string section, commandeering my attention for quite some time:

Alternatives to Grainferno
Granular may not be as ubiquitous as wavetable or subtractive synthesis, but there’s no shortage of capable plugins on the market.
A primary contender is Arturia Pigments, a multi-engine instrument with granular well within its remit. At €199, it’s pricier — but its broader toolkit is worth it if you’re picking up your first soft synth.
For £59, Dawesome’s Love 2 takes a more focused approach. It’s an audio effect rather than an instrument, transforming its input into otherworldly soundscapes through classic granular shimmer that’s easier to steer.
For those less certain or merely looking to dabble, Ribs from Hvoya Audio is a name-your-price granular plugin that can be used as both an instrument and an effect, with a powerful feature set belied by its lack of price tag. Or, for Ableton users, the Studio edition of Live 12 includes Granulator 3 — a Max for Live device that’s conducive to snappy experimentation.
Is Grainferno worth buying?
Grainferno can produce beautiful and complex sounds, but it’s difficult to approach it with a fixed outcome in mind. Even with a solid grasp of its controls, the relationship between input and output feels elusive at times, shaped as much by chance as it is intention.
But that’s also where the appeal lies. Grainferno feels like a playground for sound design, where curiosity and patience are rewarded far more than precision. You probably won’t reach for it if you know exactly what you need — rather, it’s a way to break creative deadlocks, add detail and movement, or inject a track with something more leftfield.
While the £59 intro pricing is compelling, the full £99 sticker is a harder sell, and I’d encourage users to try before they buy to see if it gels. For those willing to embark on a more exploratory journey, Grainferno offers a vast and often surprising sonic landscape that’s as engrossing as it is unpredictable.
Key features

Granular synthesizer with dual sample layers
Plugin and standalone versions
Control grain rate, size, pitch, position, and more
Cross-fade between layers with multiple morph modes
Grain-level effects including filtering, compression, and Blur
Multiple modulation sources including 3 envelopes, 3 LFOs, 3 random outputs, 4 macro controls, and an envelope follower
378 bundled sounds for creating patches (1.5 GB in total)
Extensive presets from well-known artists and creators
Play view for browsing presets and macro control
Design view for editing patches in detail
Post-processing effects page with compression, filter, delay, reverb, chorus, and clipping
Powerful preset manager with tagging system

The post Baby Audio Grainferno is a granular synthesis workstation for all things beautiful to bizarre appeared first on MusicTech.

What is modulation in music?
Learn about the different definitions and creative use cases of modulation in music.