This is the place to catch up on the week’s biggest product announcements for music making on your Mac and iOS device, including hardware, apps, synths, Logic/GarageBand instruments and so much more. This week we get another glimpse of Elektron’s new Digitakt drum computer, Output’s interesting new Analog String instrument, a huge release day discount on Korg Gadget for Mac, a completely free modular-virtual synth, and much more…

KORG Gadget synth suite now available for Mac + launch day promotion

KORG’s Gadget suite of synths (pictured above) is now available for purchase on Mac along with the AU (and other format) plug-in versions for Logic and other DAWs. Better yet, you can save $100 if you pick it up during the launch promotion. You can get all the details right here along with some sweet deals on some of Korg’s awesome iOS synths, including: Gadget: $20 (Reg. $40), Module: $20 (Reg. $40), ARP ODYSSEi: $20 (Reg. $30) and more.

Output drops its new Kontakt instrument: Analog Strings

We are fans of Output’s work around here, so it was a pleasant surprise when they unveiled Analog Strings. It works as a Kontakt instrument inside Logic and allows users to blend together two different sampled based sources (orchestra sounds, vintage synths and wacky sound design samples) to create some pretty unique and wit Output’s trademark “modern” sound.

KORG Gadget for Mac is equipped with the ultimate collection of more than 30 gadgets. In addition to a wide range of synthesizers that each emanate their own powerful personality, there’s a lavishly high-quality piano that’s suitable for professional use, a sampler that will accelerate your inspiration, a realistic acoustic drum machine, videogame sounds developed in cooperation with Bandai Namco Studios, and gadgets that provide software incarnations of classic instruments.

It is available now for $199. I will definitely be looking forward to taking this one for a spin on Logic Pros.

  • A playable instrument with 500 presets
  • 39 GB sound library (20 GB compressed)
  • Powerful dual-layer engine
  • 4 central macro sliders unique to each preset
  • Dual arpeggiators

Elektron’s Digitakt drum machine, new video + pre-orders now live

Elektron is another company we will be exploring of along with its host of stellar analog hardware/software instruments. This time around we’re more interested in its the new Digitakt digital sampler drum machine. Elektron is returning to the digital realm and bringing a series of major hardware improvements to its usual design aesthetic. Particularly that display. Oh, and its Overbridge enabled, meaning you can basically use it like a plug-in in Logic (or any DAW). We will be taking a much closer look in our full review of Overbridge for Logic Pros.

Elektron dropped a new video for the powerful little drum computer (above), along with pre-order listings at $679. Shipping begins in May.

Completely free Buchla-style synth for Reaktor 6

Nothing like a free synth. Well unless it’s a Buchla 200/e clone. Trevor Gavilan, in conjunction with Native Instruments, has been kind enough to make his Cloudlab 200t Buchla clone available for free via the Reaktor 6 platform (Reaktor 6 only). Sweet. You can grab it right here.  We also recently took a closer look at Tim Exile’s new Reaktor 6 synth: SLOO.

More:

  • Here’s a clone of the Make Noize 0-Coast hardware synth for Audulus on Mac. Cool.
  • Native Instruments dropped a pretty major update to its sample-scanner synth FORM.
  • The “Push Turn Move” Book focuses on the evolution of musical user interface design
  • New TF8 virtual-analog synth releases for iOS, free-to-try or $2.99 for Pro version

See anything cool in the world of music production we missed? Let us know in the comments below.

The Logic Pros are: Justin Kahn and Jordan Kahn, who also front Toronto-based electronic/hip-hop group Makamachine.

Want more Logic Pros? Check out the archives here and stay tuned for a new installment each week in 2017.