Contributors / AI Music & Technology

Theo Nakamura

Theo writes about where music software is heading — generative tools, stem separation, the messy middle where AI meets the DAW. Equal parts producer and skeptic, he covers the AI-music beat without the hype.

AI Music & Technology

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Latest from Theo

Suno Speech beta announcement artwork on a dark background
Software

Suno Speech: Voice and Music Generated as One Track

Suno Speech is a new beta that generates spoken voice and original backing music together as one track. Here is how it works, who it is for and how it compares.

Theo NakamuraOct 8, 20268 min read
Cherry Audio Pentaphonic plugin showing the black Gleeman-style panel and the translucent clear panel
Software

Cherry Audio Pentaphonic: The Gleeman Synth at $59

Cherry Audio Pentaphonic brings the rare 1981 Gleeman hybrid to the DAW for $59, with up to 16 voices, three UI themes, and a polyphonic step sequencer.

Theo NakamuraOct 7, 202613 min read
Audiomodern Riffer 4 plugin interface showing the MIDI riff sequencer and generation controls
Software

Riffer 4 Adds Five Generation Engines to the Riff Sequencer

Audiomodern Riffer 4 rebuilds the smart MIDI sequencer around five generation engines for hooks, basslines and arpeggios. Intro €49 / $55. Specs, pricing and FAQ.

Theo NakamuraOct 4, 20268 min read
Westwood Trinity Strings plugin interface showing the full instrument UI with mic mixes and articulation controls
Software

Inside Westwood Trinity Strings: Bleed and Pitch Drift

Westwood Trinity Strings records three players in octaves as one section, keeping the bleed and pitch drift. Launch price is £47, regular £79. Specs and FAQ.

Theo NakamuraOct 3, 20268 min read
Jun Murakami Synth81Z plugin showing the TX81Z algorithm diagram, four operator panels, and envelope graphs
Software

Jun Murakami Synth81Z: A Measured TX81Z

Jun Murakami Synth81Z is a measured Yamaha TX81Z with Performance mode and a hardware librarian. The intro price is $39, and the regular price is $59.

Theo NakamuraOct 2, 20269 min read
Plogue Chipsynth OPMZ four-operator Yamaha FM synthesizer plugin
Software

Plogue Chipsynth OPMZ: Four Yamaha FM Chips in One Synth

Plogue Chipsynth OPMZ is a multi-layer FM synth that emulates four classic Yamaha 4-operator chips from the DX100 and TX81Z, for $49.95 on Mac, Windows and Linux.

Theo NakamuraSep 29, 20268 min read
Tracker Pro on iPad with a multitrack pattern above its sampler controls
Software

Tracker Pro for iPad Is Now on the App Store

Tracker Pro is now on the App Store for iPad. Sequence samples and synths, slice breaks, host AUv3 instruments, arrange songs, and export your finished mix.

Theo NakamuraSep 28, 20263 min read
Tupos MPE FM synthesizer main performance page showing operator controls and modulation
Software

Inside Tupos MPE FM: Three FM Engines Built for MPE

Tupos MPE FM is a new FM synth with 2, 4, and 6-operator engines, on-knob modulation assignment, and full MPE control over pitch, pressure, and slide.

Theo NakamuraSep 28, 20269 min read
Segment CPH Palora virtual-analog synthesizer interface showing oscillators, filter, and modulation matrix
Software

Segment CPH Palora: A Synth Made for AI Presets

Segment CPH Palora is a virtual-analog synth with twin morphing oscillators, a per-voice transient engine, and presets you can write with any AI assistant.

Theo NakamuraSep 27, 202610 min read
Twisted Electrons VBLASTBEATS plugin interface showing the grid editor and voice controls
Software

VBLASTBEATS Brings the BlastBeats FM Groovebox to Your DAW

Twisted Electrons VBLASTBEATS turns the OPL3 Sound Blaster FM groovebox into a plugin, with six drum tracks, four synth tracks, and a grid editor.

Theo NakamuraSep 26, 20267 min read
Native Instruments Maschine 3 software showing the pattern grid and sequencer
Production

Maschine 3.7 Adds Euclidean Sequencing and Note Probability

Maschine 3.7 is a free update that adds a Euclidean sequencer, a random note generator, and per-note probability to Native Instruments' groovebox software.

Theo NakamuraSep 25, 20267 min read
Thenatan GRRR growl designer with Trash, Talk, Wub, and Screech knobs, plus Master Sub and Dense
Software

Thenatan GRRR: Four Engines That Growl With the Beat

Thenatan GRRR is a beat-reactive growl designer with Trash, Talk, Wub, and Screech. It is $12 at Plugin Boutique, down from $49, through 17 October 2026.

Theo NakamuraSep 24, 202610 min read
Intrect de-artifact plugin showing strength, harmonic and percussive reduction, and a spectrum display
Mixing & Mastering

Intrect de-artifact Cleans AI Mixes on the 2-Bus

Intrect de-artifact strips RVQ ghosting, codec residue, and HF aliasing from AI mixes on the 2-bus. Intro is $149, with a 14-day full trial and no AAX.

Theo NakamuraSep 23, 202612 min read
Dirtywave M8 tracker, the engine now running as an iPhone and iPad app
Software

Dirtywave M8 Tracker Lands on iOS for $29.99

The full Dirtywave M8 tracker engine is now an iPhone and iPad app for $29.99, with AUv3, Ableton Link, and hardware project compatibility. Specs and comparisons.

Theo NakamuraSep 22, 202610 min read
orph ALIAS plugin with sampler characters, tape states, and character tiles for vinyl, hiss, and CD errors
Mixing & Mastering

orph ALIAS Colors Any Track Like a Worn Sampler

orph ALIAS colors any track with sampler crunch, tape wear, vinyl warp, and CD read errors. Price is €39 including VAT, VST3 and AU, macOS and Windows.

Theo NakamuraSep 22, 202611 min read
Universal Audio LUNA 3.0 arrangement window with stem separation, LUNA Play, and smart editing tools
Software

Universal Audio LUNA 3.0: Stem Separation, Free DAW

Universal Audio LUNA 3.0 adds AI stem separation, audio-to-MIDI, and LUNA Play to a free DAW for Mac and Windows. Full features, tiers, and who it is for.

Theo NakamuraSep 21, 202610 min read
Gearmulator MD/MM plugin recreating the Elektron Machinedrum and Monomachine front panels in a DAW
Software

Gearmulator MD/MM: Free Machinedrum and Monomachine Plugins

Gearmulator MD/MM is a free, open-source plugin that runs the real Elektron Machinedrum and Monomachine firmware inside your DAW. Full breakdown of features, formats and how it works.

Theo NakamuraSep 20, 20268 min read
S1gns Of L1fe Tranquility, a hybrid analog and wavetable synthesizer plugin built for ambient music
Software

S1gns Of L1fe Tranquility Review: An Ambient Hybrid

S1gns Of L1fe Tranquility is a 20 dollar hybrid analog and wavetable synth built for ambient. Full review, specs, pricing and how it compares to Pigments.

Theo NakamuraSep 19, 20267 min read
Timbre Space Vuoksi additive synthesizer plugin interface with per-harmonic controls and visualizer
Software

Timbre Space Vuoksi: Additive Synthesis, One Harmonic at a Time

Timbre Space Vuoksi is a 64-voice additive synth that gives all 16 harmonics their own envelope, pan, detune and three LFOs. Full breakdown, specs and price.

Theo NakamuraSep 18, 20268 min read
Rob Papen Quad-2 phase distortion and waveshaping synthesizer plugin
Software

Rob Papen Quad-2: Phase Distortion Synth, Reworked

Rob Papen Quad-2 is a phase-distortion and waveshaping synth with 36 filter types, additive and spectral waves, and over 1000 presets for 49 dollars.

Theo NakamuraSep 17, 20269 min read
Phantomexposure Interphase Cartograph phase distortion synthesizer interface
Software

Interphase Cartograph Revives Casio VZ Phase Distortion

Phantomexposure Interphase Cartograph is a Casio VZ-1 style interactive phase distortion synth for Mac and Windows at around $7. Full specs and how it compares to Arturia CZ V.

Theo NakamuraSep 16, 20268 min read
Dillon Bastan Iota II visual multi-sampling workstation interface
Sound Design

Iota II Review: Drawing Sound on a Spectrogram

Dillon Bastan Iota II is a visual multi-sampling spectral and granular synth you play by drawing on a spectrogram. Full specs, how it compares to Portal, and price.

Theo NakamuraSep 13, 20269 min read
Suno v6 announcement artwork on a dark background
Software

Suno v6: Three New Music Models, Built With the Labels

Suno v6 launches three models (v6, v6-wild, v6-mini) with section editing, mashups, and multi-modal input, built with Warner, BMG, and Believe. Full breakdown.

Theo NakamuraSep 12, 20268 min read
Nolvra RIDGE 24-band dynamic EQ showing scanned resonance marks on the analyzer curve
Mixing & Mastering

Nolvra RIDGE and IMAGER: Scan, Then Print Width

Nolvra RIDGE is an $89 24-band dynamic EQ with resonance scan. IMAGER is a $79 three-band stereo width tool that prints mono fold-down in dB. AU/VST3.

Theo NakamuraSep 11, 202610 min read