You can find posts on MATRIXSYNTH featuring Jack Hotop here for a look back on his influence in the synthesizer community. The first post was a simple pic back in 2006.
Press release from Korg follows:
Over a 40-Year Career, the Influential Synthesist and Accomplished Touring Keyboardist Shaped the Sonic Architecture of More Than 100 Landmark Instruments, Including the Historic M1 Workstation
MELVILLE, N.Y. - Korg USA announces with deep sadness the passing of longtime employee, celebrated sound designer, and musical instrument industry icon Jack Hotop. Joining Korg USA (then Unicord) in 1983, Hotop started as Senior Voicing Manager and spent over four decades driving the development, sound design, programming, voicing, and product demonstrations for more than 100 Korg products. As a pioneering engineer and exceptionally skilled performer, his extensive contributions helped guide the evolution of synthesizers and digital workstations from the early 1980s through the modern era, leaving an indelible imprint on instruments used by musicians around the world and for generations to come.
Hotop’s foundational expertise was anchored in a rigorous musical and technical background. Raised in a musical family, he began piano lessons at age seven, inspired by his father, a musician featured on several Broadway cast recordings, and numerous pianists on his mother’s side. By age 14, he was actively performing in local bands on a Gibson 101 organ. He pursued formal training at the Berklee College of Music, majoring in arranging, composition, and accompaniment, before expanding into emerging music technology at the Boston School of Electronic Music under Roger Powell. It was there that Hotop established his core synthesis fundamentals using early hardware including the ARP Odyssey, 2600, 2500, and EMS Synthi, building a deep understanding of waveforms, envelopes, low-frequency oscillators, and modulators.
"ZENOLOGY GX for iPad brings Roland’s most advanced synthesizer technology into a powerful mobile format. Designed for modern music creation, it delivers the full expressive capabilities of the ZEN-Core Synthesis System with a touch-friendly interface and deep sound design tools.
Built on the same engine as its desktop counterpart, ZENOLOGY GX for iPad offers a massive, ever-expanding library of sounds along with advanced editing features."
Press release follows:
The Acclaimed ZEN-Core Synthesis System Captured in a Powerful Standalone Instrument for iPad
Roland announces ZENOLOGY GX for iPad, a fully-featured ZEN-Core software synthesizer designed for a touch-based interface, via the Apple App Store starting May 12. This robust musical instrument includes thousands of classic and modern tones paired with accessible sound design capabilities, making it an ideal entry point into Roland’s sonic ecosystem.
Boasting the same powerful synth engine and inspiring sound shaping tools as its desktop sibling, ZENOLOGY GX for iPad has been rebuilt and carefully considered for a tablet-first experience. New sounds and integration features will continue to roll out for ZENOLOGY GX for iPad in the future, offering an expanding musical experience suitable for everyone from the most demanding synthesists to those creating with an iPad for the first time.
Best of all, for a limited time, ZENOLOGY GX for iPad is a free experience with the full feature-set unlocked for all users. This allows musicians at all levels to go hands-on and try it for themselves on Apple’s ubiquitous iPad platform.
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You can find a NAMM demo and the initial announcement for ZENOLOGY GX for iPad in previous posts.
"The TR-1000 continues to evolve with Version 1.20, expanding its sound design and performance capabilities.
New MFX include SP-303 and SP-404 Vinyl Sims, Cassette Sim, and DJFX Delay, adding new ways to shape and texture your patterns. LFO functionality has also been enhanced, with new modes for more controlled, rhythmic modulation.
Version 1.20 introduces new ACB sound generators for powerful 808 and 909 bass tones, alongside workflow improvements like independent layer panning, updated gain staging, and expanded MIDI control.
In this video, we break down the key updates and show you how to get the most out of Version 1.20.
Chapter breakdown:
00:00 Intro
00:21 New MFX
03:10 Locked-In LFOs
05:55 Kit LFO
07:25 LFO Sample and Hold
08:42 808 and 909 Bass Lines
09:56 Independent Panning and IFX Switch
11:19 Gain Staging and MIDI
12:06 Final Thoughts"
"In this in-depth demo and review, we explore the GS MUSIC Bree 6 keyboard — a 6-voice VCO-based analog synthesizer with a fully analog signal path, built-in chorus, delay, arpeggiator, and sequencer. If you love that vintage-meets-modern sound, this one might surprise you.
From raw oscillator tones to lush stereo pads and punchy basses, I break down what makes this synth special — including its unique double/triple arpeggiator modes, MPE compatibility, and rich, characterful sound that sits somewhere between classic Roland-style synths and something entirely new.
If you’re into synths like the Roland Jupiter-8 or Roland Juno-106, this is one you’ll want to hear.
🔍 What’s Covered Sound demo (full track made entirely on the Bree 6) Oscillator section: saw, pulse, sub oscillator 24dB analog low-pass filter with resonance & key tracking Dual ADSR envelopes & fast modulation Voice modes: poly, mono, unison & stereo spread Built-in chorus & analog-style delay Unique arpeggiator (double & triple note modes) Sequencer workflow & performance features MPE support & expressive control
🎛️ This isn’t just another vintage clone. The Bree 6 blends:
Raw VCO tone with modern reliability Hands-on workflow (minimal menu diving) A distinct character that feels alive and immediate A surprising amount of depth for a single-oscillator synth 🎧 Who Is This For? Analog synth lovers Producers looking for fat, mix-ready tones Fans of classic Roland-style sound with modern features Anyone wanting a hands-on, inspiring instrument"
We’re proud to present the Bree6 Keyboard, our first synthesizer with an integrated keyboard, designed and produced in Argentina for the world. 💙
Built on a six-voice analog architecture, it delivers a powerful and expressive sound engine capable of everything from solid basses and leads to rich, evolving pads. Now expanded with a built-in sequencer and advanced arpeggiator, it becomes a complete performance and composition tool.
With its one-knob-per-function interface, semi-weighted keybed with velocity and aftertouch, and fully analog signal path, the Bree6 Keyboard is designed for immediate, hands-on control—no menu diving. Immediate Control. No Menu Diving.
The Bree6 Keyboard version is designed to deliver an immediate and intuitive hands-on experience, eliminating the need for deep menu navigation. Its interface follows a one-knob-per-function philosophy, providing direct access to all key parameters for fast and precise sound shaping.
"Five years ago, I already played with the idea of expanding the Morphagene into a shapeshifting creature. I used two Phonogenes to process the Morph's L and R outputs, inspired by a lo-fi Ciat-Lonbarde Cocoquantus. It was a fun experiment. This Xenomorph is different, a worthy V2. It's a custom 104 HP system I designed as a synth I did not know how to make:
Morphagene
Mult
MultiMod
PoliMaths
QXG x 2
X-PAN
Mimeophon
When used in a skiff, X-PAN is replaced by X-OH (output) and a mult. If you have stackables, you can even use the new GTE. The idea is to bring the stereo Morphagene OUTS together with the QXG outs, so you'll need to stack/mult one Morph out into MultiMod.
The 7U case obviously has the CV bus and - can / could - contain the regular NUSS layout AND the Xenomorph Granular NUSS system. Together they could hold two universes which makes it Multiversal (NMSS) which logically brought me to the name 'Nemesis'. We often assiciate that name with something bad, but after a bit of research it translates to 'the force that reveals your limitations'. So when we meet our Nemesis, the only thing we need to do is grab another patchcable and say 'why stop here?' bla, bla, bla.
Seriously. This is an amazing layout.
Even though MultiMod was never intended for audio, again it's my favorite way to use it, and now it's the core of this setup. It will take the L[mono[ channel of Morphagene as an input so it will create eight roughly independent tentacles. MultiMod has a NUSS header on the back, so without any cable clutter it connects to QXG's audio in and PoliMaths will do the envelopes. So I am basically replacing the MultiWAVE for Morph + Mod as the new sound engine.
I did not realize I'd be getting a genuine granular synth on steroids. A workstation."
"Inspired by the immersive logic of Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror Rooms, this work transforms Aarhus into a living field of light and sound. A real urban dataset is remapped into a 1-meter volumetric grid of dots, turning streets, facades, and terrain into a shimmering, porous city body.
Viewers enter a synchronized walk: wherever you join from, the system places everyone at the same point in the loop at the same moment in time. The city is shared, but the experience is personal. Dot groups pulse in slow, shifting color relations, and no two listeners hear identical spatial balance.
At irregular intervals, simulated litter-like impacts strike the environment. Instead of decay, each collision produces resonance: expanding waves through the dot matrix and bell-like modal tones tuned to a constrained scale with slight detune. Impacts can ricochet across surfaces, and terrain now influences bounce direction, coupling topography to rhythm.
Built with public geospatial data, procedural animation, modal synthesis, and iterative AI-assisted development, the piece sits between urban memory, ecological friction, and collective choreography: a walkable score where city form becomes light, time, and vibration.
YOUR NOVATION CIRCUIT TRACKS — REBORN AS A MODERN ACID MACHINE. FROM TIMELESS ACID HOUSE TO RAVE TECHNO
ACID transforms your Novation Circuit Tracks into a modern Acid machine, designed for genres such as Classic Acid, Acid House, Techno, Detroit Techno, Acid Techno, Hard Techno and Rave genres.
Roland TB-303 behaviour emulated — with a more modern sound, yet fully capable of delivering the classic tone. Modernised and expanded.
The pack includes 128 patches in total: 96 authentic 303-style Acid sounds plus 32 additional sounds, including a strong selection of polyphonic material such as chords and classic genre sounds to expand your productions beyond classic monophonic Acid lines.
All patches respond to velocity where appropriate, allowing expressive control and dynamic performances directly from the Circuit Tracks pads.
The 303-style patches are programmed to recreate the behaviour and response of the original machine — from timeless Acid House to harder Acid Techno and underground rave territories — featuring velocity-based accent behaviour, glide response, LFO modulation for evolving movement, and powerful modern distortion algorithms with delay and reverb send effects.
Completed with 64 drum samples (House, Techno, Hard Techno, 707, 808, 909 and more), ACID becomes a complete production toolkit — effectively turning Circuit Tracks into a purpose-built Acid production machine."
"In modern production, the most interesting results often come not from layers of weight and power but from the spaces in between. The Roland MC-303, released in the late 1990s, carried this idea into the hands of producers worldwide. Its tones are not always fat or saturated. Instead, they are brittle, sometimes almost hollow. Yet when placed inside today’s dense arrangements, these sounds can cut through with surprising precision and rhythmic character.
MC-303 Sample Pack Link: https://akihikomatsumoto.sellfy.store...
#303day
I’m beyond excited to introduce you my "No talking demo" of the Donner Essential L1 — a fully analog, monophonic subtractive synthesizer inspired by the legendary Roland SH-101.
In this video, you’ll hear the raw sound of the instrument with no voiceover and no unnecessary processing — just pure analog tones, basslines, sequences, leads and textures created directly from the synth.
About this Pack
This updated sample pack is composed entirely with Serge Modular Synthesizers — systems known not for emulating instruments, but for redefining how sound is shaped.
Included are raw noise textures, slowly morphing drones, and intricate one-shots captured through extensive patching with Random*Source Eurorack modules and classic Paperface 50 series panels.
Each sound reflects the chaotic elegance of analog voltages in motion. You’ll hear modulations that escape grid-bound sequencing, and timbral behaviors that emerge from complex feedback, slewing, and intermodulation — the kind of detail digital systems rarely capture convincingly.
Why Serge Matters
Serge Modular was designed in the 1970s by Serge Tcherepnin. It was created as an open-ended tool for sonic experimentation. Influenced by cybernetics and avant-garde composition, this system rejects musical hierarchies and embraces uncertainty.
In Serge, control voltages and audio signals are treated as equals. The circuits invite exploration through feedback, cross-modulation, and unpredictable interactions. Every patch is a process of discovery rather than reproduction.
This makes Serge a powerful choice for artists seeking sounds that are not pre-shaped or confined by rules. The textures you will find in this pack are unstable, alive, and deeply human.
"Explore Phase8 at home with my multisamples on Patreon: ► / loopop"
TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
1:45 Overview
3:15 Vel & env
3:55 Buttons
5:30 Air fader
6:00 Shift
6:20 Pluck
6:50 Drones
7:20 Drone jam
7:50 Build & IO
8:15 In the box
8:35 Mod left
8:55 Mod right
10:25 Mod center
10:50 Settings
11:25 Center #2
11:45 Step seq
12:35 Live seq
13:55 Automation
15:25 MIDI
15:45 Pros & cons
19:00 Three jams
The Phase8 has finally made it to market. Check with dealers on the right for availability.
Press release follows:
KORG Introduces phase8, an Eight-Voice Acoustic Synthesizer
MELVILLE, NY - KORG announces the phase8, an eight-voice acoustic synthesizer designed for musicians and creators who want sound that feels alive, immediate, and deeply responsive. Using Acoustic Synthesis technology developed at KORG, phase8 merges physically vibrating steel resonators with precise electronic control to deliver an instrument that behaves like an acoustic object while offering the creative flexibility of a synthesizer. It answers the need for a new kind of expressive electronic instrument by generating sound in the physical world, responding to touch and interaction, and integrating seamlessly into today’s creative setups through MIDI, USB-MIDI, Sync, and CV connectivity.
At the heart of phase8 are eight independent electromechanical voices driving steel resonators to produce genuinely acoustic vibration. KORG supplies 13 chromatically tuned resonators with the instrument, eight of which can be installed at a time, allowing players to customize the tuning, scale, and character of their setup. Through envelope control, these resonators can move from short, percussive hits to long, sustained tones, encouraging hands-on exploration and performance. The resonators are easily swappable and tunable, making the instrument adaptable to individual playing approaches and musical environments.
phase8 has been designed not only to sound organic, but to feel interactive in use. Players are invited to shape sound directly, touching, plucking, strumming, or tapping the resonators, or even experimenting with found objects to introduce new textures. An AIR slider lets users boost or quiet the acoustic response of what they bring into contact with the instrument, enhancing its tactile, haptic character and underscoring its role as a physical instrument as much as an electronic device.
For structured creativity, phase8 features an intuitive sequencer that supports both step programming and unquantized live recording, with step skip available per voice to enable complex polymetric rhythms. Sequences can be stored and recalled across eight memory slots, while all front-panel parameters can be automated using the record function, allowing evolving passages and detailed motion to be captured directly into performance. Three modulation modes are available, including tremolo and two pitch-dependent audio-rate modulation types, with the final mode offering optional harmonic quantization. A trigger delay, controllable via the instrument’s shift knob, allows delayed resonator triggers relative to the selected or synchronized tempo, further expanding rhythmic expression.
phase8 is designed to integrate effortlessly into modern creative workflows. External MIDI devices can trigger the Acoustic Synth, while the phase8 sequencer can, in turn, trigger external MIDI instruments over MIDI or USB-MIDI. Tempo synchronization is available over MIDI, USB-MIDI, and Sync, and CV input (±5V) allows parameter control from compatible analogue hardware. The instrument provides MIDI TRS-A In/Out, USB-C for USB-MIDI and firmware, Sync In/Out, a ¼-inch line audio output, and a 3.5mm headphone output.
Practical considerations match the innovation inside. phase8 runs on a 12V AC adaptor and consumes 4.8W of power. It measures 231 x 236.5 x 46 mm, weighs 1.71 kg, and ships with an AC adaptor, hex key, Quick Start Guide, Precautions Sheet, and five more resonators alongside the included chromatically tuned set.
phase8 is a new chapter in expressive instrument design, bringing together acoustic behavior, electronic precision, real-time interaction, and deep sequencing control in a compact, performance-ready form.
For more information, please visit NAMM Booth #6802 or online at www.korg.com.
KORG Introduces KAOSS PAD V: A Touch Evolution for Modern Performance and Production
MELVILLE, NY - Korg announces the new KAOSS PAD V, a reimagined evolution of its expressive touch-based effects platform, designed for the way musicians, producers, performers, and content creators work today. Building on the iconic KAOSS approach, the new unit arrives as a powerful real-time sound manipulation tool for vocalists, instrumentalists, producers, and performers delivering an advanced dual-touch control surface with expanded effects and sampling on stage, in the studio, and in streaming environments today by reacting instantly to gestures, shaping sound through intuitive touch interaction, and integrating seamlessly into contemporary setups. The KAOSS PAD V centers on a redesigned touch interface capable of responding to two simultaneous gestures, allowing users to control paired parameters at once and create evolving textures, layered movement, and dynamic transitions in real time. Filter and delay, pitch and reverb, modulation and feedback, and many other combinations become fluid, tactile musical expressions rather than static settings, helping performances feel more alive and interactive. Connectivity and integration play a key role in this new generation. KAOSS PAD V supports MIC, LINE, and USB inputs simultaneously, enabling vocals, instruments, and computer audio to blend into a unified performance system. A balanced microphone preamp ensures clean vocal input, while a dedicated high-impedance input allows electric guitars and basses to connect directly without added hardware. An integrated USB audio interface streamlines recording, processing, and streaming, making it equally suited to DAW workflows, livestream setups, and headphone monitoring. A newly designed power circuit and refined audio path support low-noise, stable operation whether used in performance venues, studios, or creative spaces anywhere music is made.
Vocal creativity takes a significant step forward with the new Voice FX engine, providing harmonies, vocoder-style layers, pitch-morphed tonal shaping, and expressive textures applied in real time. The platform even allows users to control external MIDI equipment with their voice, opening distinctive performance possibilities that extend beyond traditional effects processing. Guitarists and bassists also gain a powerful new performance partner. With direct connection via the dedicated high-impedance input, KAOSS PAD V offers fingertip-controlled ambient swells, rhythmic modulation, time-based glitch elements, atmospheric reverbs, and other expressive textures, all shaped by movement across the pad rather than menu navigation or fixed parameter adjustment.
Sampling and looping are built directly into the creative workflow. Users can capture up to eight bars depending on tempo, overdub layers as they perform, keep precise loop positioning during playback, and keep performances rhythmically grounded through BPM-synced Step Hold operation. Multiple playback and slicing options support creative rearrangement, making KAOSS PAD V a capable tool for remixing, live improvisation, and evolving pattern creation. Honoring its lineage while expanding its scope, KAOSS PAD V provides access to a curated range of classic KAOSS effects alongside refreshed modern processing, from filters, delays, reverbs, and modulation to advanced voice shaping and contemporary textures. Users can further refine their sound using onboard editing tools, tailoring parameters, creating customized variations, saving personal presets directly to the device, and even adjusting pad-LED color and program behavior to suit their workflow. With 300 total programs available - 200 factory presets and 100 user location - plus support for external SD or SDHC cards, the platform balances immediacy with depth.
Compact, robust, and designed for real-time expression, KAOSS PAD V measures 210 mm wide by 226 mm deep by 49 mm high and weighs approximately 1.3 kg (excluding power supply). It includes RCA line input and output connections, balanced/unbalanced MIC/GUITAR input, headphone output, MIDI In/Out, USB connectivity, and ships with an AC adapter and Quick Start Guide. Operating stability from 0 to +40°C ensures reliability across environments. With KAOSS PAD V, Korg advances the KAOSS concept into a new era, keeping the immediacy and visual interaction that made the series a staple while deepening control, expanding sonic capability, and aligning the platform with today’s creative demands. For more information, please visit NAMM Booth #6802 or online at www.korg.com.
"I was skeptical when @melbourneinstruments sent me Roto-Control for Logic Pro. I've owned plenty of MIDI controllers that ended up collecting dust. But after using this for the past month, I actually reach for it.
What makes it different? Eight fully motorized control knobs with haptic feedback that adapt to whatever you're focused on in Logic Pro. You don't just see parameters change on screen - you FEEL them. End stops on a filter cutoff, notches on discrete values, center indents for faders, pans, and more.
In this review, I walk through the Logic Pro integration, the haptic feedback system, and what it's actually like to use day-to-day. I also cover the real limitations - manual plugin mapping and limited storage - that you need to know before buying."
Press release follows:
Melbourne Instruments announces advanced Logic Pro integration for ROTO-CONTROL motorised software and hardware MIDI controller
MELBOURNE, VIC, AUSTRALIA: Melbourne Instruments is proud to announce availability of advanced Logic Pro integration for its ROTO-CONTROL motorised software and hardware MIDI controller — creatively expanding upon its successful integration with Ableton Live and Bitwig Studio, demand for integration with Apple’s popular professional DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for Mac having been strong since said controller launched to widespread critical acclaim a year ago — as of January 15, 2026…
ROTO-CONTROL readily packs eight touch-sensitive motorised knobs — brushless drone motors with Melbourne Instruments’ patented ultra-high-resolution contactless optical sensors offering a lifetime rating in excess of 50 million cycles that equates to 500 times more than conventional pots, precisely — alongside nine high-resolution IPS (In-Plane Switching) LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays) and 16 backlit RGB (Red, Green, Blue) LED (Light-Emitting Diode) buttons into its classy, compact — 341mm/13.4” (W) x 112mm/4.4” (D) x 44mm/1.7” (H) — form factor to duly deliver haptic feedback and instant parameter recall, communicating with the outside world via MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) over USB (Universal Serial Bus) and 5-pin MIDI DIN (Deutsches Institut für Normung) IN/OUT/THRU connections. Constructed out of ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) and metal, it robustly weighs in at only 715g/1.58lb, making it the perfect portable production partner for encouraging artists to use sound and music in new and exciting ways — wherever their journey might end up taking them, both creatively and geographically. Get this, though: ROTO-CONTROL now introduces a fully-tactile, motorised workflow to Logic Pro, delivering fast, hands-on control of tracks, plug-ins, Smart Controls, and automation — all thanks to a new firmware update.
MIX mode mirrors Logic Pro’s session track names, colours, and order automatically, while providing high-resolution control of volume, pan, sends, and automation alongside instant access to track selection, paging, mute/solo/arm switching, and dedicated TRACK FOCUS.
Fast, powerful plug-in control comes courtesy of PLUGIN mode, allowing users to browse and select Logic Pro instrument and effect plug-ins instantly from ROTO-CONTROL using simple touch-and-learn mapping for any parameter, with up to eight pages of controls per plug-in stored directly on the device ready for any projects, plus bypass/select controls — all mappings being saved on ROTO-CONTROL and usable across all Logic Pro projects on any computer.
Cutting-edge control continues with Logic Pro’s Smart Controls being automatically mapped to ROTO-CONTROL, controlling up to 16 Smart Control parameters instantly — perfect for working with instruments, macros, and MIDI effects, available in both PLUGIN mode and the dedicated SMART mode itself.
And as if all that was not enough to be getting on with, ROTO-CONTROL can be used to customise labels, colours, haptics, and steps for each control, while integrated transport — play, stop, record, cycle, auto-punch, and playhead — controls are all accessible from any mode.
It is fair to say, then, that Logic Pro users owe it to themselves — and, ultimately, their sound and music — to consider making some space in their creative and physical world for ROTO-CONTROL. After all, motorised and morphing controls, instant recall, and intuitive hardware are only the beginning of their journeying.
ROTO-CONTROL is available to buy at its new North American price of $399.00 USD (excluding tax) in the USA and Canada, while its RRP (Recommended Retail Price) in Australia of $619.00 AU (including GST) and MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) in the EU of €372.35 EUR (excluding VAT), MSRP in Japan/Asia of $469.00 USD, and MSRP in the UK of £389.00 GBP remains unchanged — all via Melbourne Instruments’ growing global network of dealers here: https://www.melbourneinstruments.com/dealers [check with dealers on the right here on MATRIXSYNTH]
By combining faithfully modelled classic filters with newly developed modern designs, and giving you powerful ways to combine and modulate them, Filter Ark becomes a deep, expressive environment for contemporary sound design."
"A new world of classic and modern filter design
For decades, the KORG Collection series has recreated KORG’s most iconic instruments using CMT (Component Modeling Technology), preserving the sound and character that shaped generations of synthesis. Filter Ark builds on that foundation and takes it further, placing the filter at the centre of the creative process. By combining faithfully modelled classic filters with newly developed modern designs, and giving you powerful ways to combine and modulate them, Filter Ark becomes a deep, expressive environment for contemporary sound design.
Combine up to four legendary filters at once to unlock sound design possibilities that were previously out of reach. Stack multiple iconic filters, blend vintage character with newly designed filter types, and build complex signal paths that evolve over time. With a powerful modulation system including LFOs, an Envelope Follower, and a Step Sequencer, Filter Ark gives you the tools to create movement, depth, and expression far beyond traditional filtering.
Faithfully modeled legendary filters
At the heart of Filter Ark are the filters that helped define the sound of synthesizer history. From the raw drive of the MS-20 and the smooth sweeps of the Polysix, to the warm thickness of the miniKORG 700s and the sharp resonance of the ARP ODYSSEY, these iconic designs are faithfully recreated with exceptional accuracy.
Each filter features its original user interface, allowing you to shape classic tones intuitively while preserving the distinctive character and response of the instruments that made them legendary.
Innovative modern filter types
Filter Ark also introduces a new generation of modern filter designs. Newly developed types include physically modelled resonators and a vowel filter that simulates human vocal formants, expanding the creative possibilities far beyond classic approaches. These filters invite experimentation and open up distinctive new ways to shape sound, from subtle tonal colour to highly expressive and unconventional textures.
Flexible routing with up to four filters
Flexible routing sits at the core of Filter Ark’s design. Combine up to four filters in series, parallel, feedback, and other configurations to build signal paths that simply aren’t possible with conventional filter plug-ins. Whether you’re shaping subtle tonal detail or creating complex, evolving effects, the routing architecture encourages exploration and rewards experimentation. Ready-made routing templates are also included, providing a clear starting point while still leaving room to go deep.
A unique and powerful modulation system
Filter Ark features a flexible modulation system designed to bring movement and expression to your sound. It includes a morphable LFO, an Envelope Follower with side-chain input, a customisable Step Sequencer with adjustable steps and playback modes, and a Random Generator. Together, these modulation sources make it easy to create evolving textures, rhythmic motion, and dynamic response that go far beyond static filtering."
"An eventful 2025 is coming to an end, a year with incredible results.
After approximately 1.5 years of “analyzing, researching, speculating, searching, finding, trying out...”, we have relaunched the first MOON module and laid the foundations for further modules.
The most innovative keyboard in the history of analog synthesizers will be launched in 2026 after three years of development, heralding the start of our MOOG 3.0 vision.
Our new rack instrument business segment has established itself very well and has already contributed significantly to our results this year with the BODE SW 8101 BODE Barberpole Phaser and BODE 735 Frequency Shifter devices.
All of this is presented on a new website with three product lines...
PURE R.A. MOOG
All MOOG MODULAR classics, including all MOOG systems.
MOON MODULAR
The MOON Modular product portfolio.
BODE SOUND CO.
New, partly unreleased products by Harald Bode will be added to the BARBERPOLE PHASER and FREQUENCY SHIFTER in 2026, further expanding the collaboration with the ZKM and the Karlsruhe University of Music.
Many thanks to everyone who has supplied us, sold our products, and supported us!
I wish you and your families a wonderful Christmas and a hopefully more peaceful 2026!
Your SYNTH-WERK team Gerhard, Marcus, Markus, and Thomas
'There is an extremely powerful force for which science has not yet found a formula.
It is a force that encompasses all others, regulates them, and is even behind every
phenomenon that is active in the universe and has not yet been identified by us.
This universal force is LOVE.'
Ambient Drift showcases Drift in its most beautiful and organic expression. A complete two-in-one sound pack for Ableton Move and Ableton Live, it features 79 living, expressive patches with deep velocity response, 15 polished demo sets, and a fully installable Ableton Live Pack Project that includes the same instruments, samples, and drum kits, plus the demo sets specifically arranged for Ableton Live, offering a more in-depth production workflow. With 264 versatile samples, 17 flexible drum kits, and patches designed to feel alive and responsive to your touch, Ambient Drift is ideal for ambient, electronica downtempo, chill out, and beyond — delivering expressive depth and expanded creative flexibility across Move, Live, Push, and Ableton Note.
LONG DESCRIPTION
Ambient Drift is a sound pack that brings Drift to life in its most beautiful, organic, and expressive form. Every patch has been carefully crafted to feel alive, dynamic, and responsive, making each performance unique and full of movement. Thanks to its extreme velocity sensitivity and expressive modulation assignments, each preset reacts naturally to your playing in real time.
By enabling or disabling Full Velocity, you can instantly access two distinctly different sound characters within a single patch, greatly expanding expressive and performance possibilities without changing presets.
This pack is ideal for ambient, chill out, cinematic textures, and electronica downtempo music, but its versatility goes much further. Thanks to the depth of the drum kits, rhythmic possibilities, and the ability to tweak Drift parameters directly inside Ableton Move or Live, Ambient Drift can be adapted to virtually any genre.
WHAT’S INCLUDED — ABLETON MOVE VERSION
79 highly expressive Drift patches Pads, polys, basses, arps, drones, and leads — all designed to feel organic, evolving, and deeply musical.
"I continue developing the patch from the previous video, expanding the sequencing, modulation, and timbral variations using a Buchla/Tiptop modular system driven by the Arturia Keystep.
The session remains fully improvised, with real-time explanations while shaping the sound and exploring new directions from the existing patch.
🎛️ Gear used
• Tiptop Buchla modular system
• Arturia Keystep – sequencer
• Various modulation and utility modules
🎧 What’s explored
• Patch continuation and development
• Expanded sequencing and modulation
• Live sound shaping and structure
• Real-time explanation of patch changes"
F*ck With Sound ships Break On Through and Bring It On, debuting dedicated DACS Audio brand with extraordinary Eurorack modules living up to noteworthy name
GATESHEAD, TYNE AND WEAR, UK: having opened ears in October when debuting during the Bristol, UK-hosted Machina Bristronica 2025 event showcasing electronic music culture and technology, dedicated DACS Audio brand F*ck With Sound is proud to ship Break On Through and Bring It On — opening an absorbing new chapter in the award-winning high-performance, well-engineered product producer’s four-decade-spanning design and manufacturing history with a FET distortion unit (based on an extension of what was originally a microphone level limiter) and a ring modulator boasting a super-smooth sound, really low breakthrough, and switchable WEIGHT and EDGE controls (which will both be familiar to users of DACS Audio’s legacy FwS FREQue, much-lauded as a 2U rack-mount, two-channel ring modulator outboard effect), respectively, representing extraordinary Eurorack modules living up to the newly-launched brand’s noteworthy name — as of December 15…
As a FET distortion unit based on an extension of what was originally a microphone limiter, the basic circuit behind F*ck With Sound’s Break On Through module has been used — and abused! — by producers for years, more recently emulated as a plug-in, before being effectively adapted to join the ranks of the ever-expanding Eurorack marketplace. Maintains DACS Audio Managing Director Dr Douglas Doherty: “After reading about Soundtoys’ Devil-Loc plug-in, I was intrigued. We were looking for a distortion unit to go in a mic pre under development. I had heard about Tchad Blake’s work with the original Shure Level-Loc — particularly on drums, and this seemed like a bit of serendipity that had to be acted upon! The perfect fit. In the end, we didn’t proceed with the mic pre, but it was clear that this would be ideal for modular system users.”
Bringing Break On Through to market as a 14HP-sized Eurorack module — based on a classic analogue microphone limiter design that was, according to legend, hijacked by an electronics-savvy record producer, and used on numerous records for ‘breaking through’ with drums and percussion, particularly — was easier said than done, however. “As always, there were many hurdles,” admits Dr Douglas Doherty, before continuing: “The original circuit was for microphones, so it had to be upped for line level; it was single voltage rail, so had to be adapted for dual voltage rail; the interaction of the threshold and input gain needed some tweaking; and we wanted to adjust the release. After a few prototypes, we arrived at the current unit, which is very responsive and versatile. Control-wise, it has an input gain [IN GAIN] and a threshold setting, which we call BREAK; as well as the manual BREAK control, there is also a CV input [IN] to modulate the threshold. There is a variable RELEASE control that can produce some very interesting results, depending on the nature of the input. On the output, we also have gain [OUT GAIN], and a CV input [IN] to modulate the output level [GAIN MOD].”
Musically speaking, the end result “…is a brick wall limiter that can — by upping the input level — be pushed into distortion,” describes Dr Douglas Doherty, justifiably proud of the fact that F*ck With Sound successfully upgraded and updated the circuit concerned to produce a colouring block with a vast pallet. “With dynamic material such as drums, it can be set for only peaks to distort — the rest remaining clean. That quality was commented upon by a couple of distortion aficionados atMachina Bristronica.” Break On Through features — hitherto unmentioned — worth highlighting here include: LED indication for distortion; solid metal sleeve jacks for longevity and stability; and custom DACS Audio aluminium knobs.
"This is the Shard harsh noise generator — a boutique power-electronics / industrial sound device known for its aggressive textures, chaotic oscillators, and fully manual performance controls.
A favorite among harsh noise, PE, drone, and experimental sound artists, Shard units are highly sought after due to their unusual interface and raw sonic power.
The panel includes multiple oscillators, pitch controls, gates, chaos switches, atrophy charge pads, and external input options for expanding or processing noise in real time. Great for standalone improvisation, modular interaction, or adding harsh layers to audio work.
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Features:
• Multiple oscillators with individual pitch controls
• Patchable ports for expanded routing
• Dedicated chaos & atrophy switches
• Gate pads for manual noise triggering
• External input for additional audio processing
• Rugged metal enclosure
• Runs on 9V power (battery or adapter)
• Perfect for harsh noise, PE, dark ambient, and experimental sound design"
"Meet the Moog Messenger Preset Editor — a powerful new software tool for enhanced sound design and preset management.
This free desktop editor/librarian gives Messenger owners full visual control, deeper sound design tools, and effortless preset management… all without changing the classic hands-on Moog workflow. Whether you’re shaping patches on the hardware, dialing in precise values on-screen, or managing your entire preset library, the Messenger Preset Editor keeps everything perfectly in sync.
Alongside the editor, we’ve also released Messenger Firmware version 1.0.13, which is required to use the new app. This update introduces expressive features like duophonic mode and assignable modulation wheel control, expanding Messenger’s creative possibilities.
