Synthmagazine | Synth News, Gear & Sound Design

15. October 2026

Noisegate & Luke Million: Synths That Shook the Stage (and Your Nan’s China Cabinet)

Think you know synth history? Noisegate’s Lachlan and synth wizard Luke Million blaze through six decades of keys, knobs, legends and sonic mayhem at Sound Summit 2026. From room-filling monsters to portable stage weapons, they crank out milestone sounds on Arturia’s AstroLab, dropping hot takes, classic riffs and a stack of synth lore. Forget textbooks – this is a rave in a history lesson, packed with iconic models, genre-defining tracks, and a cold splash of Aussie wit.

ARP 2600, Arturia Astrolab, Arturia Pigments, EMS Synthi AKS, Fairlight CMI, Korg MS-20, Moog System 55, Oberheim OB-8, Oberheim OB-X, Roland Juno 6, Roland Jupiter-8, Sequential Prophet-5, Synclavier II, Yamaha CS-80, Yamaha DX7

14. October 2026

SPARKY

Espen Kraft

Patch Bay Mayhem: Espen Kraft’s MIDI & Audio Jungle Explained

Espen Kraft throws us into the deep end of 80s MIDI madness, showing off his labyrinthine patch bay setup. This isn’t your average Golden Retriever-friendly studio tour. We’re talking programmable patch bays, master keyboard domination, ADAT digital wizardry, and a graveyard of classic samplers and gritty synths—all wired for instant action. If you want to see real workflow chaos tamed, Kraft’s approach is as old-school as it is unapologetically efficient.

Akai S1000, Alesis ADAT HD24, Anatech SMP 16 MIDI and Audio Patch Bay, Audient iD14, Behringer Analog Mixer, Bit.01, E-mu E-MAX 2, E-mu ESI 4000, Eventide Effects Unit, Korg DDM220, Lexicon Effects Unit, M-Audio MIDI Sport 4x4, Roland Alpha Juno 2, Roland D550, Roland JV880, Roland JX-8P, Roland MC50, Roland MKS20, Roland MSQ 700, Roland S10, Roland S550, Roland UM1, Sequential Tom, Studio 128X MIDI Patch Bay, Yamaha 01V, Yamaha A3000, Yamaha QX3, Yamaha TX802, Yamaha TX81Z

14. October 2026

SPARKY

Creative Sauce

Creative Sauce’s Tape Echo 2: Free Delay, Zero Excuses

Sometimes free plugins are just landfill fodder—this one’s a proper banger. Creative Sauce dives into Dusk Audio’s Tape Echo 2, a no-cost delay effect that punches way above its weight. Classic Space Echo vibes, tasty spring reverb, and a control set that invites you to warp, mangle, and vibe out your tracks. No signup walls, no nags, just plug in and get weird. Read on if you like your echoes dirty and your workflow frictionless.

Dusk Audio Tape Echo 2

14. October 2026

SPARKY

Molten Music Technology

Molten Music Technology Burns Through the AJH Gemini 2412: Dual SEM Filter Mayhem

Molten Music Technology, helmed by Robin Vincent, takes the gloves off for a no-BS review of the AJH Synth Gemini 2412. Two SEM-inspired filters, a feedback circuit that can melt your face, and enough modulation options to keep even the most jaded modular heads interested. Robin digs into the chunky panel, calls out the quirks, and shows off the Gemini’s vintage and modern tricks. If you like your filters smooth but not tame, this one’s got both beauty and beast mode. Let’s see if it’s worth the rack space—or just a posh paperweight.

AJH Synth Gemini 2412, Bart Instruments Bond Oscillator, Batumi

14. October 2026

RILEY

Verysickbeats

Verysickbeats’ Bootleg Swing: Cooking Up MPC3000 Grooves on Your MPC2000XL

Ever tried chasing that legendary MPC3000 swing with nothing but your dusty old MPC2000XL? Verysickbeats (aka JFilt) says you don’t need a fancy new OS or wallet-slaying upgrades to get your groove right. In this video, he drops his personal tricks for bootlegging that classic pocket—swing percentages, tick nudges, and timing hacks included. If you’re all about squeezing flavor from what you’ve got, this is your cheat sheet. Warning: May cause spontaneous head-nodding and sudden love for your old gear.

Akai MPC2000XL, Akai MPC3000

14. October 2026

SPARKY

Rapid Flow

Rapid Flow’s Step Sequencer Survival Kit: omniGRID 1.1 from Blank Slate to Bass Face

If you’ve ever stared at an empty Ableton project and broken out in a cold sweat, Rapid Flow’s latest walkthrough of omniGRID 1.1 will save your night. Erik is your synth Sherpa, dragging step-sequencer rookies up the mountain with no-nonsense routing tips, scene tricks, and groove hacks. Forget hand-holding—this is about getting dirty, stacking arps, and bending MIDI to your will. If you want your tracks to slap straight out of the box, this is the kind of deep-dive you need. Just don’t expect Erik to sugarcoat it—he’s here to make your workflow ruthless and fun.

Ableton Live, DNA Suite, Intech MIDI controller, omniGRID 1.1, Waldorf Iridium, Zensphere

13. October 2026

LYRA

4ms Company

4ms Company Podcast: Sylvia Massy and the Art of Sonic Experimentation

In this episode of the 4ms Company Podcast, legendary producer and engineer Sylvia Massy dives deep into her rule-breaking approach to sound. Known for her work with icons like Tool, Johnny Cash, and System of a Down, Massy discusses her relentless curiosity, experimental recording techniques, and the philosophy behind treating the studio as a living instrument. The conversation is a masterclass in creative risk-taking, gear obsession, and how the environment shapes musical performance—perfect listening for anyone who thinks outside the DAW.

13. October 2026

SPARKY

Taylor Fiore

Taylor Fiore Gets Squishy: Compression Demystified for the Real World

Compression: the secret street weapon for anyone who wants their mix to punch, duck, or just behave. Taylor Fiore, California’s own multi-tool music machine, breaks down compressors with the kind of clarity and sarcasm that’ll make your next bassline bounce. Forget the endless theory – this is hands-on, Ableton-in-the-trenches stuff, with real talk about threshold, ratio, sidechain, and those magic moments when a track just needs to get squashed. If you’ve ever felt lost in a menu, this one’s for you.

Ableton Compressor

13. October 2026

JET

Blairy's Beatlab

Blairy’s Beatlab vs. the Mvave FM1: Punk-Sized Revolution or Just a Cheap Thrill?

The synth world’s had its fair share of seismic shocks, but Blairy’s Beatlab reckons the Mvave FM1 is about to stomp all over the rulebook. Forget polish and prestige—this pocket-sized, dirt-cheap box is flipping the industry on its head, unleashing a DIY firmware free-for-all that’s got even the big boys sweating. If you like your gear rowdy, unpredictable, and about as subtle as a mosh pit, you’ll want to hear what Uncle Blairy’s got to say.

MVAVE FM1

13. October 2026

LUMINA

Meska

Meska’s Modular Mirage: Sculpting Textured Ambiance from Simple Blocks

In Meska’s world, sound becomes elemental—fog, thunder, and static light, all conjured from the most humble modular building blocks. Here, we drift through a patch built from scratch, where low oscillators and noise swirl into a living, breathing ambiance. Meska guides us with a steady hand, revealing how even the simplest tools can birth complex sonic landscapes. This is synthesis as alchemy: a lesson in depth, space, and the beauty of modulation.

AuraX system, Beep, Gliss, Jumbal Hang, Juniper, Polydactyl Versio, Resonance Filter Bank, Tensal Tail, Typhoon, Zadar

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