Serum 2 is finally here: new features, pricing and everything else you need to knowFor the last few weeks, software synth fans have had their suspicions that Serum 2 has been on the horizon. From Serum 2 mentions on the Xfer Records website to extensive communication from creator Steve Duda, it seemed the next generation of the legendary synth was imminent.
Since its launch nearly 11 years ago in September 2014, Xfer Records’ Serum software wavetable synth has become a favourite among music producers. Championed by the likes of deadmau5, Skrillex, Martin Garrix and more of the world’s top producers, Serum is touted for its versatility and superior sound.

READ MORE: The best free and paid-for plugins you need to know about this week

Now, Serum 2 – the synth’s widely anticipated second generation – has officially arrived. Let’s take a look at what’s new:
Serum 2: What’s new?
Chief among the updates is a new Oscillator section, in which users can experiment with new sound synthesis methods.
In addition to an improved Wavetable Oscillator – which has fresh warp modes, dual warp functions and phase distortion – there are new Multisample, Granular and Spectral Oscillators.
Credit: Xfer Records
Within the Multisample Oscillator, producers can recreate real-world instruments with a library of piano, guitar and orchestral samples in open SFZ format. The Granular Oscillator allows you to break sounds apart to create wildly experimental soundscapes, and the Spectral Oscillator offers real-time harmonic resynthesis which redesigns samples down to their transient components.
Elsewhere, Serum 2’s effects section has been completely redesigned, now offering more flexible signal routing for new sound design and modulation options.
There’s also a new Arpeggiator and Clip Sequencer – which enhances Serum’s ability to be used as a performance instrument – as well as 626 new presets and 288 wavetables, so its sound capabilities straight out the gate are tremendously strong.
Serum 2: Pricing and specifications
If you’re already a Serum owner, Serum 2 will cost you absolutely nothing. If you’re new, Serum 2 currently has an introductory price of $189, available until 1 June, when it will rise to $249. It’s available in VST3, AU and AAX 64-bit formats.
Serum 2: Here’s what people are saying
“Serum version 2 blasts the sonic palette wide-open, offering the user ridiculous power, control and expression over their sonic output – with many oscillator types, flexible effect routing, arpeggiator and clip sequencer – the goal with Serum 2 was to empower Serum users to fully realise their sound and music ideas into form. Did we mention that Serum 2 is a free upgrade for Serum 1 owners? Lifetime free updates actually means lifetime free updates.”
In a post on social media, deadmau5 writes: “Grats to Steve Duda and the team on their release day! Serum 2 is out now, go get it at you know where. It’s pretty neat.” Asked by one commenter whether he’s used the new synth on any new music, deadmau5 replies: “I’ve been using it for about a year.”

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To learn more about Serum 2, head to Xfer Records.
The post Serum 2 is finally here: new features, pricing and everything else you need to know appeared first on MusicTech.

“Perhaps the best tool ever created for producers of soundtracks and ambient music”: Beetlecrab Tempera review€670, beetlecrab.audio
I get to see so much cool music-making and sound-wrangling gear here at MusicTech that it can feel like I’ve seen it all. Not that I’m jaded, mind you — I’m regularly impressed, often delighted, and occasionally blown away. It’s just that surprises are more rare.

READ MORE: Beetlecrab Tempera: “As soon as we placed our hand on the grid and played a chord, we knew immediately, ‘Okay, this is it’”

Huge kudos must therefore go to Prague-based Beetlecrab for reminding me what it’s like to be hit with simultaneous doses of “wha..?” and “wow!”

What is Tempera?
At its heart, the compact and solidly built Tempera is a sampler, so the unit’s eight-by-eight grid of pads, four rotary encoders and assorted buttons don’t look out of place. But hang on a moment! Contrary to expectations, those touch-sensitive pads are not trigger pads like those found on MPC-style samplers or MIDI pad controllers.
Instead, each column of the grid hosts an audio sample, and each pad (or cell) within a column represents 1/8th of that sample. Touching or swiping across a cell causes it to light up, either momentarily whilst being touched or via various latching options, and when a note is played into the instrument the sample segments associated with any lit cells will sound.

Touching the grid to change the cells that are lit modifies the sound in real-time, making for a delightfully tactile and accessible experience that’s unlike anything else. But what you actually hear, and the colour of a cell’s lighting, is determined by which of the four colour-coded ‘Emitters’ is active when the cell is touched.
What is an Emitter?
An Emitter is, in essence, a granular synth engine that derives its grains from the audio contained within all cells lit in that Emitter’s colour. (A quick recap: granular synths loop and layer snippets of audio data, referred to as grains, to create constant or repeating sounds.)
The Emitter specifies the size of the grain, from just a fraction of a cell’s length, through the entirety of the cell, and up to the whole sample loaded into a column. In this way, Emitters can produce static pitched notes, shifting textures, or loops and beats (depending on the source sample).

Emitters can also pull in sample data from other cells in the X and Y dimensions on the grid, either via an offset or via a pair of ‘Spray’ parameters that cause additional cells to be triggered along with the selected cells.
Offsets and spray values can produce particularly striking results, especially when bringing in grains taken from different columns within the grid. This has been made even more flexible in the v2.1 firmware released just before this review was published, with an Emitter’s X offset now crossfading between different columns and samples where previously it would snap to one column/sample or another.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
What is a Canvas?
A Tempera patch is referred to as a Canvas and incorporates all samples, Emitter settings, and the status of the grid cells at the time the Canvas was saved. The Canvas also includes additional sound processing stages.
A set of 10 modulation slots is provided, each with a choice of simple attack/decay or attack/release envelope, various LFO shapes, noise-based randomisation, and real-time input from the modulation wheel and aftertouch. The most recent firmware adds keyboard tracking and velocity to these available sources. Each modulator can only be mapped to a single destination, unfortunately, but this can be practically any Canvas- or Emitter-level parameter. With 10 modulators available, you’re unlikely to run out of options.
Similarly, each of the eight Macro slots, which are controlled via the unit’s rotary encoders when in Macro mode, can only drive a single parameter. This feels a bit restrictive – macros tend to be at their best when controlling multiple parameters simultaneously – but it does allow specific parameters to be made easily accessible for real-time performance control.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
Another duty of the rotary encoders is to set the volume of each Emitter. The mixed signal is then fed through a multi-mode resonant filter, offering low-pass, band-pass, high-pass and formant filter models. The v2.1 firmware adds keyboard tracking to the filter’s cutoff frequency, the ability to choose which Emitters are routed via the filter, and a new Rake filter model. This is similar to a comb filter, and features amplitude modulation when the filter emphasis is turned up above 0.5, resulting in exceptionally interesting resonances.
The signal then flows to an ADSR amplitude envelope triggered by the notes played into Tempera. Meanwhile, individual Emitters have fade up and down parameters to shape the volume of grains, and the v2.1 update adds the option to apply a fast attack to the first grain that’s triggered, allowing an Emitter to react quickly to a played note whilst also creating smooth-sounding grains.
Finally, there’s a Canvas-wide effects chain consisting of chorus, delay and reverb (with the latter two having been enhanced and improved in the new firmware). Each Emitter has its own send level into the chain, although per-effect sends from each Emitter would have been preferable. Hopefully, we’ll see this in a future firmware update.

Sampling with Tempera
Creating custom Canvases is relatively straightforward. Samples are recorded (or imported) directly into a column and can be resampled from the unit itself, or be taken from a line or mic signal connected to the unit’s balanced jack input. There’s also a built-in mic for instant sound capture. It’s not the best quality, yet incredibly convenient.
My only complaint here is that any one sample is limited to just over 11 seconds in length. This is ample for creating textures and pitched sounds but is a definite drawback when designing samples to use as rhythmic or musical loops.

Recording samples involves placing one of Tempera’s columns into a record-enabled mode, and the v2.1 firmware has added an intriguing new feature here: the ability to use the record-enabled track as a real-time effects processor. When you do this, rather than the cells moving across the audio, the audio moves across the cells, whilst the Emitters continue to do what they do. If you are already struggling to grasp Tempera’s concept, then this will make you want to hide in a corner with a blanket over your head!
The results of this real-time processing are best suited to rhythmic effects, and so rely heavily on Tempera’s MIDI clock being synced to the incoming audio. They’re somewhat unusual and unpredictable too. It certainly plays to Beetlecrab’s penchant for the experimental and is a fascinating sound effect in its own right, but the jury’s still out on how useful or usable it actually is.
Tempera has 8GB of internal storage, some of which is used for the firmware and for preset Canvases and samples, but the vast majority is available for storing your own creations. Additional storage can be added via a micro SD slot, or by connecting a USB stick to the USB Host port.
The Host port can be used to connect USB-equipped keyboards and controllers, although standard MIDI in and out is also supported via mini-jacks. If you have no controller to hand, part of Tempera’s grid can be set to act as note triggers, although this then limits the area in which you can interact with the Emitters.
An additional USB Device port allows Tempera to connect to a computer, where it appears as a MIDI source and destination. When connected in this way, the unit can be switched to USB Bridge mode, allowing the computer to read and write directly to Tempera’s micro SD card.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
What is Tempera like to use?
Tempera is enormously engaging and satisfying from the get-go, its inviting touch-pads making it astonishingly easy to start exploring fascinating noises with barely any introduction to the hardware.
Beetlecrab’s ingenious user interface plays a big part in its accessibility. The combination of colour-coding, rotary encoders, mini displays and mode buttons have been implemented in such an elegantly intuitive way that you find yourself dancing effortlessly around the instrument in no time.
Admittedly, it takes more effort to fully get your head around what Tempera is actually doing and how to fully exploit its abilities and idiosyncrasies. But hey, that’s half the fun of it!
Like all granular synths, Tempera is well suited to creating evolving sonic textures and soundscapes. This ability is supercharged by its interactive tactility, not to mention the astonishing sonic flourishes and details that can emerge from exploratory touches and swipes.
Put simply, Tempera could be the best tool ever created for producers of soundtracks and ambient music.
However, this is not the only instrument that is suited to this. With the right samples loaded, and the Emitters configured appropriately, Tempera can be an expressive lead synth, an emotive pad machine, or the maddest loop-and-rhythm box you ever laid hands on.
Being so open-ended does mean that, no matter how familiar you are with Tempera itself, you have to invest time in exploring the Canvases you wish to use, learning their particular abilities and nuances. Thankfully, doing this is a lot of fun.
Tempera will be fascinating to anybody interested in synthesis or sound design, but there’ll be fewer for whom it will have a tangible practical application. At a lesser price, this may not have mattered, but at €670 Tempera is not exactly a toy.
What it is, though, is an amazing, unique, quirky and endlessly engaging machine, and I absolutely love it.

Key features

16-voice polyphony
4 rotary encoders with colour-coded rings
8-by-8 grid of touch-sensitive pads
Colour-coding fully customisable
4 high-resolution displays
8GB internal storage
Micro SD slot
USB Host port for USB sticks, keyboards and controllers
USB Device port for connection to computer
Stereo line/headphone out (headphone jack uses the left-hand jack socket)
Stereo sampling line input via a single TRS jack
Built-in mic
Optional live grain processing of incoming audio
MIDI in/out via TRS mini-jack
ARM Cortex A72 quad core processor
32-bit internal processing
VESA mounting holes on rear panel

The post “Perhaps the best tool ever created for producers of soundtracks and ambient music”: Beetlecrab Tempera review appeared first on MusicTech.

ALM/Busy Circuits introduce the S.B.G-PRO The S.B.G-PRO is capable of operating in mono or stereo, supports balanced and unbalanced equipment, and also allows for CV-based control of external devices.

Alex Lifeson Discusses Envy of None's New Album, Rush's Music, and…Taylor SwiftRush guitarist Alex Lifeson spoke to AllMusic shortly before the release of the second album from his band Envy of None, and explained how it differs from the group's debut, in addition to chatting about songwriting, aspects of his personal life, and even a few Rush-related topics.

KALI UCHIS SIGNS WITH CAPITOL RECORDSGlobal superstar and GRAMMY®-winning recording artist Kali Uchis has signed with Capitol Records, working with the same team that saw enormous success across the release of her albums Red Moon in Venus and ORQUÍDEAS. The signing is a continuation of Uchis’ longstanding partnership with Tom March, now Chairman and CEO of Capitol Records – and given the interrelationship between Interscope and Capitol Records – allows her to continue working with IGA EVP of A&R Matt Morris, who has been an integral part of her artistry and career since 2018. This marks the start of an exciting new chapter for the Colombian-American singer-songwriter as she prepares for the widely anticipated release of her fifth studio album, Sincerely, revealed today via Instagram vignette – watch HERE.  “Kali Uchis is not only a true artist with a unique vision and an incredible amount of talent — she’s also a culture-shifting force of nature. Her music transcends boundaries and borders, and it’s an honor and a privilege to continue to head into this new era together.” – Tom March, Chairman & CEO, Capitol Records“Thank you all for the well-intentioned wishes on this journey, and thank you to my team! I have boundless gratitude for my silent ascent throughout the years and am very much looking forward to what’s next...“ – Kali UchisUchis has been hailed as a rare talent since she emerged, but ORQUÍDEAS launched her career to new heights. Her highest charting album to date (debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200), the critically adored record — which was her fourth album overall and second in Spanish — was led by crossover singles like the Platinum-certified “Igual Que un Ángel”with Peso Pluma (#1 on Hot Latin Songs, #23 on the Hot 100) and Gold-certified “Labios Mordidos” with KAROL G (#10 on Hot Latin Songs, #97 on the Hot 100). ORQUÍDEAS was nominated for Best Latin Pop Album at the 2025 GRAMMY® Awards, Best Pop Vocal Album at the Latin GRAMMYs, and took home trophies from the Billboard Latin Music Awards and Latin American Music Awards. The set closed the year on numerous “Best Albums” lists, racking up glowing praise from countless outlets including Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Complex, and The New York Times. With artful forays into R&B, alt-pop, reggaeton, and Latin strains, Uchis has released several of the most lauded albums of the past decade: from her 2015 mixtape Por Vida, to her 2018 debut LP Isolation, her 2020 Spanish set Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios), and 2023's Red Moon in Venus, which features the 2x Platinum-certified “Moonlight,” and was regaled by TIME Magazine as the ‘Best Album of the Year.’ Amid consistent acclaim and honors — including nine GRAMMY®-nominations and a 2021 win in the category of Best Dance Song for her appearance on Kaytranada’s “10%”— Uchis’ major breakthrough came with her own 2021 smash hit “telepatía,” which has been streamed more than 2 billion times to date and was the Hot 100’s longest running Spanish-language song by a solo act this decade with a 23-week streak. Uchis is now on the way to reaching the Spotify Billions Club three times over with the smash success of songs “telepatía,” Tyler, The Creator’s “See You Again” (featuring Kali Uchis),” and soon to be “Moonlight.” Raised between Virginia and Colombia, Uchis has gone on to collaborate and share the stage with the likes of SZA, Tyler the Creator, Lana Del Rey, Gorillaz, Snoop Dogg, Rauw Alejandro, and her longtime partner Don Toliver, with whom she welcomed her first child last year. Uchis has toured the world over on multiple sold-out headlining runs, the most recent of which saw her playing arenas, as well as celebrated sets at Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Austin City Limits, Tropicalia, Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and many more.Photo credit Amaury NessaibiaFollow Kali Uchis:INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | X | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | WEBSITEThe post KALI UCHIS SIGNS WITH CAPITOL RECORDS first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

OpenAI exec leaves to found materials science startupLiam Fedus, OpenAI’s VP of research for post-training, is leaving the company to found a materials science AI startup. The Information initially reported Fedus’ plans. In a statement on X, Fedus confirmed the report and added a few additional details. “My undergrad was in physics and I’m keen to apply this technology there,” Fedus said […]
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Solana futures finish first trading day on CMESolana (SOL) futures traded for the first time on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) Group’s US derivatives exchange on March 17 as the cryptocurrency’s mainstream adoption gains momentum. In February, CME tipped plans to list two types of SOL futures contracts: standard contracts representing 500 SOL and retail-friendly “micro” contracts representing 25 SOL each. They are the first regulated Solana futures to hit the US market after Coinbase’s launched in February. The contracts are settled in cash, not physical SOL. On March 17, the contracts’ first trading day, SOL futures representing a notional value of nearly 40,000 SOL, or nearly $5 million at current prices, changed hands on the exchange, according to preliminary data from CME’s website.Early pricing data indicates a potentially bearish sentiment on SOL among traders. The CME does not publish finalized data on daily trading volumes until the subsequent business day. The CME’s April futures contracts traded at a price of $127 per SOL — $2 per token less than contracts expiring in March, CME data shows. On March 16, trading firms FalconX and StoneX completed the first-ever SOL futures trade on CME, they said. “Solana has come a long way in the last five years,” Chris Chung, founder of Solana-based swap platform Titan, told Cointelegraph on March 17.“Solana futures are going live on the CME today, and SOL [exchange-traded funds] will surely follow shortly behind,” Chung said. CME listed SOL futures on March 17. Source: CMERelated: Solana CME futures tip impending US ETF approvals — ExecETF approval oddsOn March 13, Chung told Cointelegraph he expects the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to approve asset managers VanEck and Canary Capital’s proposed spot Solana ETFs as soon as May.At least five ETF issuers have filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to list spot Solana ETFs. The regulator has until October 2025 to make a final decision on the filings. Bloomberg Intelligence gauges the likelihood that SOL ETFs are ultimately approved at approximately 70%. Futures contracts are standardized agreements to buy or sell an underlying asset at a future date. They are commonly used for hedging and speculation by retail and institutional investors. Futures also play a crucial supporting role for spot cryptocurrency ETFs because regulated futures markets provide a stable benchmark for measuring a digital asset’s performance.CME already lists futures contracts for Bitcoin BTC and Ether ETH. US regulators approved ETFs for both of those cryptocurrencies last year.Magazine: 5 real use cases for useless memecoins

Primary Wave struck a $100m JV with Times Music in 2023. Now that venture has acquired two companies in India.Times Music has acquired India's Symphony Recording Co. and ARC Musicq
Source

Revealed Recordings Revealed Serum Rave Sequences Vol. 1Revealed Serum Rave Sequences Vol. 1 is a collection of 40 presets, packed with high-energy drop riffs and melodies designed to ignite your creativity. Just hold a note, and the programmed... Read More

Recreating A Braun Classic With 3D PrintingBraun was once a mighty pillar of industrial design; a true titan of the mid-century era. Many of the company’s finest works have been forgotten outside of coffee table books and vintage shops. [Distracted by Design] wanted to bring one of the classics back to life—the Braun HL70 desk fan.
The original was quite a neat little device. It made the most of simple round shapes and was able to direct a small but refreshing stream of air across one’s desk on a warm day. In reality, it was probably bought as much for its sleek aesthetics as for its actual cooling ability.
Obviously, you can’t just buy one anymore, so [Distracted by Design] turned to 3D printing to make their own. The core of the build was a mains-powered motor yanked out of a relatively conventional desk fan. However, it was assembled into a far more attractive enclosure that was inspired by the Braun HL70, rather than being a direct copy. We get a look at both the design process and the final assembly, and the results are quite nice. It feels like a 2025 take on the original in a very positive sense.
Files are available on Printables for the curious. It’s not the first time we’ve contemplated fancy fans and their designs. Video after the break.

Changes at SXSW Music 2026: Festival Issues Statement[UPDATED] After news stories surfaced about cutbacks to SXSW Music in 2026, the festival issued an official clarification.
The post Changes at SXSW Music 2026: Festival Issues Statement appeared first on Hypebot.

Get ORU Audio Petrichor granular delay for Plugdata for free in limited time offer
ORU Audio released Petrichor, a granular effect for creating stuttery, glitchy, ethereal sounds. It’s free using the code “NEONRAIN.” The plugin, compatible with macOS, Windows, and Linux, runs in the plugdata environment as either VST3, LV2, CLAP, or AU. Plugdata is both free, open-source, and easy to install. Petrichor features three different sound engines that run in [...]
View post: Get ORU Audio Petrichor granular delay for Plugdata for free in limited time offer

“No AI-driven feature will ever replace your taste, expertise, and storytelling ability – those are what make you exceptional”: Krotos CEO addresses AI concerns from sound designersKrotos’ CEO and founder, Orfeas Boteas, has written a blog on the subject of AI, in which he has addressed concerns that the brand’s tools will replace sound designers.
Known for its popular Studio software and plugins like Dehumaniser and Reformer, Krotos launched the “world’s first” commercial AI image-to-sound feature – the Ambience Generator V2 – back in January. At the time, MusicTech reached out to Krotos to learn more about its use of AI, and which it stressed to us is not generative.

READ MORE: Hans Zimmer says his music is “not original”: “My music is a subtotal of everything I’ve heard all my life”

Now, in his open letter, Boteas has further addressed how the brand intends to use AI going forward, and why he feels it will never replace musicians on the whole.
“I know that every time we release something new, there are concerns about what it means for the industry. One of the biggest questions I’ve been hearing lately is: ‘Is Krotos trying to replace sound designers and composers with AI?’ Let me be absolutely clear: No, we are not,” he says.
“We do not use generative AI to create sound effects or music. The quality is not there yet. Instead, our focus is on high-quality, human-created content combined with AI-powered tools that enhance workflow, not replace creativity.
“For example, AI Ambience doesn’t generate sounds, it analyses professionally recorded audio and builds interactive presets from it, to help sound designers create seamless backgrounds more efficiently.”

Boteas goes on to further address the misconceptions of AI, as he explains that Krotos’ tools are intended to remove roadblocks “so you can focus on the creative decisions that matter”, rather than take your place.
“Here’s the thing: The best sound designers still rise above the tools they use. No AI-driven feature will ever replace your taste, your expertise, and your storytelling ability, those are what make you exceptional,” he says.
It seems Boteas feels the skepticism of AI is just the same as the fears that people once had about other technology in the past. In his essay, he cites examples of former panics over the introduction of the DAW, and how people believed it would “replace producers”, or drag and drop video editing tools and smartphone cameras; today, we still need professional video editors and photographers, and these careers have not been wiped out by modern tools.
“Our goal has always been to help sound designers, composers, and filmmakers bring their ideas to life faster, more efficiently, and with greater creative freedom,” he later adds. “I completely understand initial skepticism toward new tools, especially when AI is involved. But I encourage you to try them and see how they fit into your workflow. Like the many tools that came before, they’re designed to enhance creativity, not compete with it… We’re here to help sound designers and composers, not to replace them.”
To find out more or read the full letter from Orfeas Boteas, head over to Krotos.
The post “No AI-driven feature will ever replace your taste, expertise, and storytelling ability – those are what make you exceptional”: Krotos CEO addresses AI concerns from sound designers appeared first on MusicTech.

Native Instruments Traktor Z1 MK2 review: A massive upgrade – but does it go far enough?£214, native-instruments.com
In my review of Native’s Traktor X1 MK3 controller, I note that the company has steered away from developing larger hardware units in favour of more compact ones. Its latest is an updated Z1 controller – the MK2 – that complements the X1 and also the F1, with each having its own specific focus in terms of performing with the brand’s Traktor DJ software. The Z1 is the one to get for mixing – though there is a little more to it than that.

READ MORE: Is Native Instruments’ Traktor X1 MK3 the new go-to controller for the vast majority of DJs?

Where the X1 has playback controls in abundance along with some mixing capabilities, the Z1 is much more of a classic club-style mixer with proper volume faders and a crossfader. It shares the X1’s underside colour lighting system which here too can be customised in Traktor’s preferences and used to give you visual feedback. The Z1 powers over USB and also works as an up-to-96 kHz audio interface so it’s an incredibly portable way to plug your Traktor setup into any sound system.
The Z1 uses a USB-B to USB-A cable to connect to a computer. Again, I’d flag this as an issue. Not including a USB-C cable in the box will mean virtually all Mac users need to use an adapter. While the unit’s price is reasonable it feels like there could have been an extra cable thrown in. The rear panel features stereo RCA outputs (a standard connection in DJ world) as well as a 3.5 mm main output, plus a 3.5 mm headphone out on the front edge. Space will have been the limiting factor here, with the larger 6.3 mm headphone format likely omitted for that reason.
Image: Press
The unit is class compliant meaning you don’t need any special drivers and Traktor recognises it right away so you’re getting audio out to your speakers, desk, PA and headphones in no time. A microphone input could have been something to include though again, likely space and power requirements were a factor as there’s no option to power the Z1 from a separate power supply.
There’s a lot that’s new since the original Z1. The list starts with the ability to control volume and effects on all four of Traktor’s decks by using a key press to flip between decks AB and CD. Unlike the X1 this is seamless and doesn’t require any rebooting. The Z1’s default mode is to control EQ and filter for the selected deck, with hi, mid and lo knobs followed by a filter control knob on the left and right sides of the control surface. Visual feedback is via the small yet detailed OLED displays that offer an impressive range of information for their size, animating dynamically according to your actions.
The controller’s second mode is Stem control mode, activated using the Stem button at the top of either side. When switched on and with a Stem track loaded into a deck the knobs change function to control the level of each of the four stems in that track. It’s fun playing around with Stems generally and here the ability to live mix them essentially expands your mixing setup to up to 16 Stems across the four decks. In the more likely event that you’re just using one or two Stem decks along with regular stereo decks it’s still a really creative way to bring drums, vocals and more in and out on the fly with just a few hardware movements, elevating any performance.
Image: Press
Another big new feature is mixer effects control, available using the four FX buttons and the FX On/Off buttons and variable knobs. Simply press buttons 1-4 to activate an effect in a deck and use the knob to change its mix value. In Traktor’s preferences, change the effects assigned to slots to the ones you use most often. Control of effects isn’t as comprehensive as on the X1 which lets you dig into individual parameters. Here it’s really just effects levels, but it’s still a welcome addition to be able to access this from the hardware. The Z1 can be switched into MIDI mode but like the X1, is limited to standard MIDI learn-based assignment in the software you connect it to. Still, it’s handy to have the option. You can switch between MIDI and Traktor mode by using Shift + the Mode button.
The faders feel slick and dynamic as you’d hope from a company with this kind of DJ pedigree and have just the right mixture of fluidity and resistance. There’s a ‘soft pickup’ feature too where you’ll be told when you’ve selected a value that doesn’t match a fader’s current position and need to move the fader to pick up the value, avoiding nasty surprises. All the monitoring controls you need are located up the centre, with deck gain, headphone pre-fader listen buttons, headphone volume and mix and master gains easily accessible.
The Z1 MK2 is a fine mixer but in truth, it really makes the most sense when paired with an X1 since you’re not going to want to move back to your computer keys to browse, load and loop tracks, things that the Z1 can’t do. It can play decks and by customising controls in software it can perform other actions like sync and cue but these are relatively limited, and often triggered via Shift+press. The Filter select button can be set to act as a global shift button but there is no dedicated button just for this as there is on the X1. You can customise the shift layer controls in the Z1 Mk2 preferences pane, though.
Image: Press
While you don’t absolutely need to add an X1, most DJs will want that control over browsing, loading, looping and the other things that make the Traktor platform so powerful. If you get both your costs are approaching £500. This is significantly more than the larger, £309 S2 which has features including twin jog wheels, though not all the in-depth effects control of the X1.
The prime reason to go with the Z1 – or indeed a combo with the X1 – is the incredible portability. While the S2 is marketed as portable it’s not close to these lightweight units for sheer use-anywhere convenience. Consider also that with the Z1 you’re getting a capable audio interface that you’d need to add otherwise and it doesn’t seem quite as steep. There are also a bunch of third-party DJ controllers that are compatible with Traktor so you’re not limited to pairing the Z1 with a Native Instruments unit, if that’s something that appeals.
The Z1 MK2 seems – for now at least – to complete the Traktor controller family. With an emphasis firmly on live mixing, it makes a decent fist of providing hands-on effect controls for dynamic performances. As a concept, it’s slick and hyper-portable. You’ll likely want to pair it with an X1 though, the combination giving you a superb performance setup you can throw in a backpack and play anywhere.

Key features

Audio interface/controller for DJs
USB power and audio
4-deck control
Effects control
Live mixing of Stems
Extensive monitoring options
Underside lighting
Configure buttons in software
Comes with Traktor Pro 4
Hands-on control of filters and EQ
Crossfader and VU meters

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When It Comes To Royalty Splits, Be Fair, Not GenerousOne of the most important steps to do before releasing a song is to figure out royalty splits.  It’s much more complicated than it sounds. There are all sorts of splits baked into every recording. There’s publishing (who wrote the song), which is different from “points” on the master (typically given to producers and sometimes […]