Peak Town: Novation Peak and Elektron Digitakt

video upload by Hugh the Musical Engineer

"I had developed some drum rhythms on the Digitakt, and hadn't taken the Peak out for a while.
Found a nice FM sound with lots of filter control, and it matched the drum beats, so we have a techno track using sounds from Peak and Digitakt.
This one was 138bpm, so didn't get a chance for a sip of beer while recording this.
Trying to get back into the routine of creating and recording music, and when I go to the pub, I usually book the table for 4 hours, so that's how much time I have to try and get something done.
Created, arranged and recorded at Indigo Yard, Edinburgh on Friday 24th July 2026.
Wow, almost into August already. Festival time soon.
I felt I should have been wearing a cowboy hat last night. Lots of people dressed up for a show."

Introducing LCO Producer Strings by Native Instruments

videos upload by Native Instruments

"Step inside the studio with the London Contemporary Orchestra – boundary-breaking musicians known for bold orchestrations and collaborations with Frank Ocean, Taylor Swift, Radiohead, and beyond. Shape colourful string textures with expressive four-layer control and creative articulations, all recorded at London’s iconic RAK Studios."

Press release follows:


Add magic to your music with the London Contemporary Orchestra

Get in the conductor's chair and guide the avant-garde orchestra with NI’s latest Kontakt instrument

Berlin, September 25, 2025 – Native Instruments is proud to present LCO Producer Strings. The new Kontakt instrument puts the sound of one of the world’s most adventurous ensembles into the hands of producers everywhere, from bedroom creators to film composers. An ensemble celebrated for its fearless and innovative approach, the LCO has scored award-winning films like Deadpool & Wolverine, and collaborated with visionary artists including Radiohead, Frank Ocean, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd.

LCO Producer Strings delivers emotional depth through modern, gritty, and glitchy string textures, with all sounds captured at London’s iconic RAK Studios in partnership with acclaimed engineer Fiona Cruickshank.

The instrument is built around a flexible four-layer engine that lets users stack violins, violas, cellos, and synths sections into kaleidoscopic textures. Explore the beauty of raw organic sounds or blend them with evolving synth beds and granular textures for unique hybrid timbres. Unique articulations like cluster blooms, harmonic flickers and percussive pizzicatos add an avant-garde flair.

“LCO Producer Strings makes the unique and striking sound of the London Contemporary Orchestra available to everyone. The world-class musicians, studio, engineer, sampling techniques, and intuitive instrument engine combine to give producers and songwriters the freedom to craft strings that are as bold and unconventional as their ideas”, Tim Adnitt, VP, Product Management, Native Instruments.

“For us, it’s about reimagining what an orchestra can be. This collaboration lets us capture the raw, experimental spirit of the LCO and place it directly in the hands of artists and producers - opening new possibilities for how expressive strings can be shaped and integrated into modern music production.” Hugh Tieppo-Brunt, co-Artistic Director & co-Principal Conductor, London Contemporary Orchestra.

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