synthmagazine.com – Every day, synthmagazine.com publishes fresh articles, artist stories and gear news from the world of electronic music – your independent magazine for synth culture and sound design.

31. May 2026

The Midlife Synthesist Raises the Game: OXI ONE MK2 2.0 – Sequencer Mayhem Unleashed

OXI ONE MK2 just got a firmware adrenaline shot, and The Midlife Synthesist is here to show us why we should care. If you thought sequencers were getting stale, think again – Domino and Saga drop in with moves that could shake your DAW off the desk. Add a Chord Palette that actually nudges you out of your harmonic rut, and you’re looking at a groovebox that refuses to play it safe. The Midlife Synthesist brings his trademark charm and clarity, slicing straight to the weird, wild core of these updates. Strap in – this isn’t your nan’s step sequencer.

Ableton Push 3, OXI One MK2

31. May 2026

RILEY

Verysickbeats

Verysickbeats Schools Us: Why Auto-Tune Can’t Hang With a Vocoder

Alright, fam—strap in. Verysickbeats just dropped a lesson that slices straight through the confusion: Auto-Tune and vocoders are not the same beast, and he’s here to show you why. JFilt brings his signature laid-back, no-nonsense style, laying out why vocoders slap harder than your average pitch-fixer. From crusty dry vocals to transformer-level soundscapes, he puts gear like the MicroKorg and Koala Sampler to work, showing off flavors that Auto-Tune just can’t season. If you’re ready to level up your beats and want to know why your next lofi banger needs a vocoder, this is the breakdown you don’t want to

Bleass Voices, EVOC 20 Polysynth, Koala Sampler, Logic Pro, MicroKORG, Vocoder V, Vocodine

31. May 2026

SPARKY

Sanjay C

Sanjay C Drops the Latest: Plugins, Poly Synths, and a Free Slice of Roland

Sanjay C is back on his news grind with a fresh roundup of music production toys that’ll make your wallet sweat and your DAW cry for mercy. This week: the long-awaited Soothe 3 update for all you resonance haters, Arturia’s turbocharged take on the Memorymoog, and a shocker—Roland’s ZENOLOGY GX synth for iPad, free for a hot minute. SSL’s got a new box for solo heads, and Unfiltered Audio’s Battle FX is out to glitch up your sound for nothing. If you like your news fast, punchy, and full of actual opinions, Sanjay C’s got the goods—just don’t expect any

Arturia Memory V, Roland ZENOLOGY GX, Soothe 3, SSL-1, Unfiltered Audio Battle FX

30. May 2026

SPARKY

Scott's Synth Stuff

Scott’s Synth Stuff Dives Into the Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave: Polyphony Overkill or Wavetable Dream Machine?

Hold on to your filter caps: Scott’s Synth Stuff takes the Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave for a serious joyride, and this synth is no polite dinner guest. We’re talking 24 voices, real analog filters, sampling, and a wavetable engine that laughs in the face of nostalgia. Scott’s no stranger to hardware, but even he admits this blue beast is “a monster of a synth”. If you’ve ever wanted your stage rig to morph from gritty PPG classics to modern sonic chaos—with a secret weapon or two—this review is your ticket. Warning: you might want one after reading.

Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave

30. May 2026

SPARKY

CROW HILL

CROW HILL vs. The Gamechanger Recoder: Not Your Granddad’s Vocoder

Ready for a vocoder that doesn’t just sit there looking pretty? CROW HILL dives headfirst into the Gamechanger Audio Recoder, a box that lets you play both sides of the sonic chessboard—modulator and carrier, all at once. Forget your old plugin routines: this slab of hardware wants your hands, your voice, and maybe your soul. With tactile controls and a vibe that’s more rave bunker than spreadsheet, the Recoder promises to shake you loose from in-the-box boredom. If you think you know vocoders, think again. CROW HILL’s no-nonsense demo shows why this thing could become your next secret weapon.

Gamechanger Audio Recoder, Moog Vocoder, The Sh** Synth

30. May 2026

SPARKY

Bthelick

Bthelick vs. The Polished Crowd: When Grit Wins

If you think ‘high quality’ means ‘high interest’, think again. Bthelick, that sharp-suited dance music workhorse, drops a lesson in why your obsession with clinical sound is probably making your tracks boring. In this punchy tutorial, he dismantles the myth of perfection, shows off some grubby plugin alternatives, and even gives a quick recipe for homebrew textures using nothing but your DAW and a sprinkle of noise. If you’re tired of factory-fresh beats and want your music to slap, scrape and bite, this is a must-watch—though, trust me, some tricks are best heard, not read. Expect wit, wisdom and a

Ableton, Cassette 2 by Caelum Audio, IK Multimedia Tape, iZotope Vinyl, Origin by Cymatics, Pentamento, Tumult by Consistent Interruption

30. May 2026

SPARKY

AudioPilz

AudioPilz vs. The Force: Groovebox or Glorified Doorstop?

AudioPilz is back in the rave bunker, tossing the Akai Force onto the Bad Gear chopping block. Is it a misunderstood groovebox hero or just another overhyped plastic slab with more updates than a dodgy Windows install? Expect plenty of jabs, a healthy dose of sarcasm, and the usual meme-fuelled chaos as AudioPilz puts the Force through its paces. If you’ve ever wondered whether you should trust a machine that can’t decide if it’s an MPC or an Ableton fever dream, this one’s for you. Don’t expect a love letter—expect the honest, hilarious breakdown only AudioPilz delivers.

Akai Force

30. May 2026

RILEY

Pick Yourself

Pick Yourself’s Guide to Kick Drums: From Sine Waves to Club-Ready Punch

Ever spent hours cycling through kick drum samples only to end up with a track that hits like a wet napkin? Same. In this slick tutorial, Pick Yourself takes us deep into the art of crafting mighty kick drums from scratch—no overpriced packs, just raw synthesis and some streetwise tricks. With a decade of club experience and a knack for making Ableton sweat, the creator lays out every step—from envelope shaping to phase-taming—without drowning you in theory. If you want your beats to slap in the club and on earbuds, strap in: this is the crash course your low end’s

Ableton Live, Serum, Vital

29. May 2026

LYRA

Arturia

Arturia Memory V: Digital Nostalgia, Analog Character

Arturia’s Memory V steps into the spotlight as a software instrument designed to channel the lush, unstable polyphony of classic analog synths—without ever needing to dust off a vintage unit. In this official video, Arturia’s Matt Paull walks us through building three foundational patches: a shimmering 80s pad, a responsive analog bass, and a sharp, moving lead. The focus is on layered oscillators, vintage drift, and modulation techniques that inject genuine movement and depth into each sound. If you’re interested in how digital design can capture vintage spirit, this workflow-centric session is a deep dive into the Memory V’s architecture—direct

Arturia Memory V

29. May 2026

SPARKY

Molten Music Technology

Superbooth Meltdown: Molten Music Technology’s May 2026 Gear Drop

The rave bunker’s still smouldering from Superbooth, and Robin Vincent of Molten Music Technology is here to shovel the freshest ashes onto your gearlust. He’s cherry-picked the real sonic street weapons—no time for useless tat, just the new stuff that actually matters. Expect tape machine nostalgia, Moog-flavoured emulations, AI-powered mayhem, and enough groovebox muscle to power a small festival. As always, Robin dishes the honest, nerdy, and occasionally sarcastic lowdown—if it’s naff, he’ll tell you. Grab a cold drink and brace yourself; this month’s round-up is hotter than the Berlin heatwave.

Arturia Memory V, EMR Music Group Tape 16, Nomn Reservoir, Polyend Drums, Shakmat Queens Court

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