Korg will unveil a new companion app for its innovative Phase8 acoustic synthesizer at ADE 2026Remember when Korg debuted the wildly experimental Phase8 acoustic synthesizer during this year’s NAMM show?
First teased as far back as Superbooth 2024, the Phase8 features 13 precisely engineered steel resonators that vibrate at the frequencies of the chromatic scale. Eight can be installed on the synth at a given time for a total of eight voices. To produce sound, coils send a signal to the resonators, which can then be modified using your typical synth parameters like envelope and velocity. The partially acoustic design allows players to physically interact with the resonators in order to affect the sound.
Now, the Phase8 – which began shipping in March/April – is central to Korg’s presence at this year’s ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event), which is set to take place between 21-25 October.

READ MORE: The Bob Moog Foundation is hosting an online fundraising auction – here’s what’s up for grabs

On Friday, 23 October at 4PM, attendees will be able to watch a live sequencing and performance session with the Phase8, hosted by the device’s Product Lead Lukas Hartmann and Lead Embedded Software Engineer Iarla Scaife. The session will explore live sequencing and performance with the Phase8 at the heart, while working with additional hardware, also.

The session will also feature the first public preview of the upcoming Phase8 Companion App – a browser-based tool that adds a visual interface for global parameter control, as well as step sequencing, modulation and random sequence generation. There’ll also be a Q&A session for attendees to ask questions.
Also at the Gear Test Lab at Het Ketelhuis, Westergas between October 21–23, Korg will showcase a hardware lineup spanning synthesizers, effects, mixing and rhythm production, including the KAOSS PAD V, NTS-3 kaoss pad kit, NTS-4 mixer kit, microKORG 2, minilogue xd, handytraxx play, volca beats and volca drum.
Credit: Korg
Learn more about Amsterdam Dance Event.
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Solid State Logic modernise the Bus Compressor for the Bus Comp ClassicSolid State Logic’s Bus Compressor has had a face lift to drag it into the modern era. While 2022 saw the brand reimagining compressor with new tools for the 2U rack edition, the Bus+, the Bus Comp Classic comes as a “faithful” yet refined return to the original 1U format.
The Bus Comp Classic comes as a nod to the original 1976 Bus Comp, with a few workflow and performance tweaks. At its core, the crux of the compressor’s original sound and response is the same – but the addition of Variable VCA Drive expands the compressor’s potential beyond the original’s single sonic signature.

READ MORE: Time to revamp your studio? Find huge savings on equipment across Sweetwater’s Studio & Recording deals event

It’s a perk that allows users to utilise different eras of SSL console character with the flick of a switch. When disabled, the VCAs are primed and ready to tackle low distortion with clarity – much like SSL’s SuperAnalogue series, such as the Super 9000 Channel Strip. Then, when enabled, the VCAs are rendered unbalanced. It’s a tweak that allows you to progressively introduce harmonics, controlling how gradually you can add more colour and saturation to your sound, like sprinkling in the character of SSL’s FX384 or 4000 Series.
Alongside this more complex approach to its harmonic character, the Bus Comp Classic’s main goal is to re-introduce the magic of the original Bus Comp to a new audience. As SSL put it, the “heart” of the teach is its high-performance THAT 2181 VCAs in the audio path, paired with SSL’s unique side-chain architecture, which incorporates a VCA within its feedback loop. The combo allows you to re-experience the response and transients of the original tech.

Elsewhere, there have been a few improvements on the Bus Comp Classic’s drums, stems and parallell chains compression. There’s also a few improvements to its Ratio, attack and Release settings, as well as some precision-stepped control tweaks and a genuine stereo external side-chain input to extend the Bus Comp Classic’s possibilities, but, again, the classic feel of the Bus Comp remains untampered.
This commitment to re-creating the original Bus Comp’s immediacy should be great for creative brainstorming. As SSL explains, the compressor “delivers the movement, cohesion and control” without a hitch, while providing a precision and repeatability that engineers will find perfect for the studio.
The Bus Comp Classic is available now for around £1,299. For more information, head to Solid State Logic.
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The Bob Moog Foundation is hosting an online fundraising auction – here’s what’s up for grabsThe Bob Moog Foundation – the nonprofit launched in 2006 following the death of pioneering synth maker Bob Moog – is set to hold an online auction to raise funds for various causes, including Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, the Bob Moog Foundation Archives and the Moogseum, an interactive educational facility in Asheville, North Carolina.
From October 19-26, buyers will be able to get their hands on original artwork, professionally framed prints, autographed collectibles and other memorabilia celebrating Moog and the history of electronic music.

READ MORE: Time to revamp your studio? Find huge savings on equipment across Sweetwater’s Studio & Recording deals event

Highlights from the auction include an original caricature signed by legendary keyboard player and late Moog modular enthusiast Keith Emerson, colourful synth-inspired artwork by illustrator Kyle Platts, detailed prints exploring the Minimoog and the history of electronic music by UK design studio Dorothy, and photographs signed by keyboardist Roger Powell and Larry Fast, who has previously worked alongside Peter Gabriel.
Other items up for grabs include an original acrylic painting by Dave C. Lovelace depicting Bob Moog beside a modular synth, painted at the Moogseum during the celebrations for Bob Moog’s 92nd birthday.
There’s also framed tributes to Keith Emerson and Bernie Worrell, a poster commemorating Bob Moog’s 2013 induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and a Moogfest 2014 festival poster.
Where will proceeds from the auction go?
Money raised from the auction will benefit three causes: Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, the Bob Moog Foundation Archives and the Moogseum.
Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool is an experiential 10-week education programme that teaches second-graders about the core physics of sound. The Bob Moog Foundation Archives is a historical and cultural collection dedicated to preserving the legacy of Bob Moog and his collaborators, while the Moogseum is an interactive museum in Asheville, North Carolina showcasing various synthesizers and other sound technology.
When is the auction and how do I bid?
Bidding is now open, and will remain so until Monday 26 October. To place a bid, you can create an account at bobmoogfoundation.myshopify.com. Shipping information can be found on each product page, and there’s also the option to collect from Moog in Asheville, too.
Learn more at the Bob Moog Foundation.
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DECAP on the art of finding the pocket
DECAP discusses the art of the pocket, what makes a groove feel perfect, and the collaborative process.

SOS Awards: Voting Open! The annual SOS Awards are now underway, and as always, we’re asking readers to help us choose the best pro-audio releases from the last 12 months.

SampleScience releases Compact Acoustic Piano, a FREE lightweight piano plugin
SampleScience offers Compact Acoustic Piano, a free sample-based piano plugin for macOS and Windows. I think SampleScience always delivers nice sample-based instruments, and we’ve covered plenty of them here on BPB, including the free Cozy Piano earlier this year. Compact Acoustic Piano definitely isn’t the deepest free piano out there, but I think it’s very [...]
View post: SampleScience releases Compact Acoustic Piano, a FREE lightweight piano plugin

Lenny White's 10 Favorite Albums of All TimeEver wondered which albums inspired jazz-fusion drummer Lenny White? Check out his 10 favorites, from Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix to Santana and Steely Dan.

No agenda, no rush, no leaving San Francisco: Benchmark’s partners on investing in a frenzied marketBenchmark may have grown its funds and swapped out some partners, but onstage the five who are left sounded like friends who just happen to be running one of the Valley’s most storied firms

Defuse Audio DYSEKTDYSEKT is a sample slicer, drum sampler and multisampled instrument in one plug-in. Load a loop, a one-shot kit or a SoundFont, and every slice, pad or zone gets its own sound settings, effects and stem choice. Three modes: Slice: cut a sample into up to 128 slices by transient, beat, region, random or by hand, and play them from MIDI. Drum: load a different sample on each of 128 pads (8 banks of 16), with choke groups, mute and solo. Keys: map samples across the keyboard as zones, with key and velocity ranges, root notes and chord memory. SoundFont (SF2) and SFZ instruments load with their whole key map. Stems on every slice: DYSEKT separates a sample into drums, bass, music and vocals on your computer, with no upload. Each slice can play a different combination of stems. There are two engines: Best for final results, and Fast for trying ideas. Per-slice sound design: Pitch and time: Stretch, Tight, Beats, Repitch and Cyclic modes, with tempo sync per slice. ADSR envelope and tempo-synced LFO (pitch, filter, level, pan). Trigger modes (One Shot, Gate, Toggle), reverse, loop, note repeat with swing. 16 effect types, including EQ, filter, drive, chorus, delay, reverb, compressor and tape stop, per slice or on the master. Up to 16 stereo outputs. Performance and automation: 8 bipolar macros with MIDI learn, each driving several destinations. 48 host automation parameters, assigned from 16 automation pads. Poly (up to 64 voices) or mono, with portamento in Keys mode. Files: WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3, OGG and M4A, plus SF2 and SFZ in Keys mode. If a project's samples have moved, DYSEKT searches nearby folders and lets you locate the rest. Licence and trial: The installer is the full product with a 14-day trial. One licence activates on up to three of your own computers, Mac or PC. Updates are free. Read More

The New Phobos Martian Moon Rover that Weighs in at Only 15 GramsAlthough for many decades the planet Mars has been prodded, poked, driven upon, flown over and especially orbited by various spacecraft, landers and rovers sent over by a certain humanoid species on Earth, the two moons that orbit Mars have featured significantly more in science-fiction and video games than in scientific literature. This is now about to change when the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission launches on October 19th, which will include a sample return from Phobos.
So far these two moons of Mars – Phobos and Deimos – have only received a few cursory glances by passing spacecraft, leaving many fundamental questions surrounding their formation and composition very much open. With the MMX mission this should change dramatically, with this spacecraft intended to perform detailed measurements of both moons.
In addition a rover – called Idefix – will perform a landing on Phobos for observations of its surface. This will be quite a feat as despite this lander coming in at 25 kg, on Phobos’ surface it will weigh only 15 grams due to the low gravity, or even less than the diminutive dog companion of Obelix, with potential bouncing as we have seen with previous landing attempts on such small bodies.
After launch, the MMX mission will take a year to arrive at Mars, in August of 2027, with Idefix being released in early 2029 for its hopefully soft paws-down on the surface of Phobos where it can scurry about for a while until the main MMX spacecraft lands later for its sample retrieval and return part of the mission. If everything goes well, this would mean that a sample of Phobos should be landing in Australia in 2031.
 

RiverFlux Audio adds RF-E FREE channel strip to the Relic bundle
RiverFlux Audio has released RF-E, a free channel strip plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux, as the latest addition to its Relic collection. We covered the original Relic bundle earlier this month, when it included twelve analog-style processors. RF-E brings that total to thirteen, joining the five compressors, five equalizers, and two tape machines already [...]
View post: RiverFlux Audio adds RF-E FREE channel strip to the Relic bundle

TDR Nova FREE dynamic EQ now supports Linux
Tokyo Dawn Labs has updated TDR Nova, its free dynamic equalizer, to version 2.2.3 with native Linux support. The update arrived on October 12, and it marks the first official Linux version of Nova. I’m not a Linux user, but I know many of you are, and one of the best free plugins is now [...]
View post: TDR Nova FREE dynamic EQ now supports Linux

Voidscan Audio offers Parasite FM synth for €59 until October 23
Voidscan Audio is offering Parasite, a three-operator FM synthesizer for macOS and Windows, for €59 until October 23, when its price increases to €89. Parasite is the first plugin from the French developer Voidscan Audio, who spent a year building it, focusing on gritty textures and experimental sound design. It comes with per-voice distortion and [...]
View post: Voidscan Audio offers Parasite FM synth for €59 until October 23

How Cheap Trick Turned "Surrender" Into a Rock AnthemDiscover how Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” evolved from a studio track into a defining rock anthem through its legendary live version.

Meta removes language that raised scraping and AI training concernsA Meta spokesperson insisted that the updated terms did not reflect a change in the way Meta crawls the web.