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

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
Våld Labs Tresse synth page showing engine selection, oscillator, morphing SEM-style filter, envelopes, LFO, and effects
Software

Inside Våld Labs Tresse: 39 Engines and a Sequencer

Våld Labs Tresse is a €19.99 intro desktop synth: 39 engines, dual 8-voice layers, generative sequencing. VST3 and AU. Intro through 30 September 2026.

Theo NakamuraSep 10, 20269 min read
Cryptid Audio Aura channel strip showing the amber aura display, parametric EQ nodes, Opto and FET compressors, and resonance module
Software

Cryptid Audio First Look: Aura, Nessie and Mothman

Cryptid Audio ships Aura, Nessie and Mothman: a Windows channel strip, parallel lo-fi, and tape echo plus aura reverb. Intro prices, specs, and who each is for.

Theo NakamuraSep 8, 202611 min read
FRCTL GRNi granular sampler interface with waveform, grain cards, macros, and on-screen keyboard
Software

FRCTL GRNi: A Granular Sampler You Can Play

FRCTL GRNi is a $34.99 launch granular sampler you play over MIDI. Two layers, MPE, 52 presets, and Linux. Specs, real prices, and who should buy v1.0.0.

Theo NakamuraSep 7, 20269 min read
Aethis dual-cabinet IR panel with SM57 and R-121 mics, position, distance, and mix controls
Software

Aethis First Look: Three Neural Amps for $34.99

Aethis is a $34.99 neural guitar amp sim with three heads, dual cabs, ten pedals and a four-voice harmonizer. A first look at the shipping 1.0.0 release.

Theo NakamuraSep 4, 202611 min read
Vienna Essential Orchestra by Vienna Symphonic Library, Synchron and Studio orchestras in Synchron Player
Software

Vienna Essential Orchestra: Two VSL Rooms, One Sub

Vienna Essential Orchestra puts Synchron and Studio libraries on one €9.99/month subscription, with 115,025 samples, 24.8 GB, Synchron Player and Flow View.

Theo NakamuraSep 3, 202610 min read
DAWJunkie VinylSynth plugin interface with vinyl sample layers, crackle, filter, and effects
Software

DAWJunkie VinylSynth: Keys and Pads From Real Vinyl

DAWJunkie VinylSynth builds its sound engine from real vinyl samples, with a crackle layer, filter, EQ and five effects. Intro $14.95, regular price $49.

Theo NakamuraSep 2, 20269 min read
Sample Logic Animation Station Pro plugin interface hosting instruments and FX animation engines
Software

Sample Logic Animation Station Pro: Host Any Plugin

Sample Logic Animation Station Pro hosts VST3 and AU instruments and effects, then animates MIDI and FX. Specs, $89 intro versus $119 list, and who should buy.

Theo NakamuraSep 2, 202612 min read
TAL-Bitcrusher free lo-fi plugin interface by Togu Audio Line
Software

TAL-Bitcrusher Returns: Free Lo-Fi Crusher Rebuilt

TAL-Bitcrusher is back as a free, rebuilt lo-fi plugin with a new Companding control, resizable UI, and CLAP support. Full specs and how it beats stock crushers.

Theo NakamuraSep 1, 20267 min read
Phaseburn One software synthesizer oscillator section interface
Software

Phaseburn One: The Synth Built on a Phase-Locked Loop

Phaseburn One is a new software synth built around a phase-locked loop oscillator, with a probability sequencer and a patchbay. Full specs, how it compares to Phase Plant, and price.

Theo NakamuraAug 31, 20269 min read
Arturia Pure SUB bass design synthesizer plugin interface
Software

Arturia Pure SUB Review: A Synth Made Only for Bass

Arturia Pure SUB is a $49 bass design synth with independent sub, harmonics, and texture layers plus a built-in processor. Full specs, sound, and pricing.

Theo NakamuraAug 30, 20269 min read
Hampshire Electronics Vulcan MK2 37 HP Eurorack analog polysynth with OLED display and dedicated oscillator controls
Hardware

Hampshire Electronics Vulcan MK2 Packs Two Synths in 37 HP

Hampshire Electronics Vulcan MK2 is a 37 HP Eurorack poly from £549, pairing eight analog voices with dual digital engines. Pre-order specs and who it is for.

Theo NakamuraAug 24, 202610 min read
WaveMachine Labs ReStem 2 drum stem separation plugin interface with separated kick, snare, and cymbal tracks
Mixing & Mastering

WaveMachine ReStem 2: Seven Drum Stems, No Cloud

WaveMachine Labs ReStem 2 splits one drum recording into seven stems on your machine, no cloud. Core $99, Pro $199. Formats, per-stem tools, and who it's for.

Theo NakamuraAug 24, 20267 min read
Twisted Electrons vMEGAfm plugin interface showing its four-operator FM synthesis controls
Software

Twisted Electrons vMEGAfm: FM Grit From the Sega Era

Twisted Electrons vMEGAfm brings its gritty MEGAfm hardware FM synth to your DAW: 12 voices, 4 operators, MPE. Full specs, price, and how it compares to FM8.

Theo NakamuraAug 23, 20266 min read
Official Stability AI artwork for the Stable Audio plugin and web beta launch
Software

Stable Audio Plugin: Generation on a Live Instrument Track

Stability AI's Stable Audio plugin puts 3.0 generation on a Mac AU/VST3 instrument track. Early beta: six-minute takes, BPM sync, a rebuilt web mixer.

Theo NakamuraAug 19, 202610 min read
Suno Studio 2.0 browser DAW with colored MIDI and audio clips, a chat prompt, and EQ on a dark timeline
Software

Suno Studio 2.0 Adds MIDI, a Synth, and Unlimited Stem Export

Suno Studio 2.0 adds MIDI, a wavetable synth, chat-built plugins, and unlimited 32-bit/48kHz stem export on Premier. A first look at Suno's browser DAW.

Theo NakamuraAug 19, 202611 min read
Close-up of a black 12-inch vinyl record spinning, illustrating Suno's new custom vinyl pressing service
Software

Suno Vinyl: What It Costs and the Alternatives

Suno Vinyl presses tracks from your Suno library onto a real 12-inch record for about $45. Here's what's confirmed, what isn't, and how rivals compare.

Theo NakamuraAug 6, 202610 min read