XferRecords and Steve Duda have just released the follow up to their 2014 flagship virtual synthesizer Serum with the aptly named Serum 2. This Donation Based update comes 11 years after the initial release of Serum, and since then we have seen a slew of VST synthesizers that have drawn inspiration from the original Serum. It's only fitting then that Serum 2 draws inspiration … [Read more...] about Serum 2: The Best Synth Upgrade
Software
Organizing Samples & Presets with Ableton Live 12
One of the biggest features in Ableton Live 12 are the improvements to the Browser inside of Live to organizing samples & presets Ableton Live 12 is on the horizon and I was fortunate enough to get invited to the beta program. In this article I'll dive into a few tips, quirks, and quality of life improvements I expect to see in future updates to Ableton Live … [Read more...] about Organizing Samples & Presets with Ableton Live 12
3 Saturation & Distortion Plugins That Aren’t A Waste of Money
Music production has changed a lot since I first started writing beats in FL Studio 4 back in the very early 2000s. I didn't really know what a VST plugin was, nor could I afford them being 11 years old and all. Computing power has increased significantly the last two decades, and ingenuity in programming has lead to some really awesome sounds coming from some plugins. Let … [Read more...] about 3 Saturation & Distortion Plugins That Aren’t A Waste of Money
First Days with Kilohearts “Phase Plant”
I've been looking for a new synthesizer that combines my love of modular synthesis with my adoration for Xfer Record's Serum and the possibilities within it. Enter Phase Plant by Kilohearts. This so far has been my dream synth. The User Interface is a little weird at first to get use to but watching some Youtube videos and reading the manual clears up most questions. This thing … [Read more...] about First Days with Kilohearts “Phase Plant”
Sonarworks Reference 4 (Headphone Edition)
I've had the same pair of Beyerdynamic DT-770's for ten years now. I've listened to countless hours of sub-bass heavy dubstep, tech house, garage, and hip hop on these things, and have produced with them almost exclusively for the past five years. I've always had problems getting my mixdown's "just" right. Whenever I've sent tracks off for mastering the master's don't sound as … [Read more...] about Sonarworks Reference 4 (Headphone Edition)