OWC Envoy Pro Elektron 4TB SSD: This Reliable SSD Speeds Up Massive Kontakt Libraries
Derek Osvaldo
Introduction As a writer on AltWire, being sent VSTs and libraries to review, I’ve been sitting on way too many sample libraries: Kontakt instruments, orchestral suites, multi-mic drum kits, you name it. My internal ...
Shure MV7+ Review: A Powerful Upgrade from The MV7
Derek Osvaldo
Introduction – MV7+ A New Era Over the last decade, podcasting and live‑streaming have turned spare bedrooms into mini studios. The Shure SM7B still sets the pro standard, yet many creators now want a mic ...
Alan Robert on The AltWire Podcast (2025) – Exploring His Dual Talents: From Music to Horror Art
Derek Osvaldo
Alan Robert started as a comic artist, dreaming of publishing his own graphic stories. In his senior year, life threw a curveball: his band Life of Agony signed with Roadrunner Records. What he expected ...
Geddy Lee Launches Signed, Limited Tech 21 MP40 Charity Pedal on Reverb
Derek Osvaldo
Proceeds to Benefit Neil Peart Pavilion and Cedars-Sinai in Peart’s Memory Rush frontman Geddy Lee has released a Special Charity Edition of his Tech 21 MP40 Signature SansAmp pedal, available exclusively through Reverb. Limited ...
Ferrous by Landscape.fm: A New Way to Explore Sound
Derek Osvaldo
Introduction – What is Ferrous? Ferrous is a magnetic string resonator built by Landscape.fm in collaboration with artist Victoria Shen. For those unfamiliar with the concept, Ferrous is a compact motorized device that excites ...
Juan Alderete to Sell Over 700 Pieces of Gear on Reverb
Derek Osvaldo
Grammy-winning bassist opens official Reverb shop July 16 Renowned bassist Juan Alderete is preparing to open his personal gear archive to the public. Beginning July 16, more than 700 bass guitars, effects pedals, and ...
Pet Symmetry and Damnation Audio Unveil Limited-Run ‘BIG’ Pedal – 100 Units Only
Derek Osvaldo
Reverb has announced the release of a limited-run effects pedal created by rock band Pet Symmetry and boutique builder Damnation Audio. Designed for bass guitar, the BIG pedal combines fuzz and clean boost functionality ...
Polyend Tracker Mini: Our Honest Verdict Before the 10th Anniversary Limited Edition
Derek Osvaldo
The Tracker Mini is a compact music workstation built around a tracker interface: streamlined, portable, and shaped by deliberate design choices. It delivers serious production capabilities in a form that fits in the palm ...
Yamaha SEQTRAK Review: A Fast, Focused, and Fun Groovebox with Over 2,000 Sounds
Derek Osvaldo
Yamaha has a long history of blurring the line between groovebox, synth, and sketchpad with some of their flagship synths. But the SEQTRAK is something different. Both a purpose-built workstation and a sequencer, it’s ...
Ten Years On, And The Reface DX Still Impresses in 2025 (REVIEW)
Derek Osvaldo
Introduction In 2015, Yamaha introduced the Reface DX to make FM synthesis more approachable. It packs a four-operator engine, a Full-Dot LCD, and 37 mini keys. All fit into a chassis the size of ...
Timetosser MK2: Bold Time-Slicing Wizardry in a Compact Tool
Derek Osvaldo
Introduction The Timetosser MK2 is a compact, button-driven box built to reshape audio in real time. No screens, no saved loops—just rhythm manipulation at your fingertips. This device focuses on one thing: cutting and ...
OP-XY Review: What Would Happen if The OP-1 Field and OP-Z Had a Love Child?
Derek Osvaldo
Since launching the game-changing OP-1 in 2014, Teenage Engineering has carved out a reputation for marrying playful design with pro-grade functionality, from the pocket-sized OP-Z to the OP-1 Field workstation. With the OP-XY, they’ve ...
Reverb Launches Independents Day 2025 Sale to Celebrate Its Return to Independence
Derek Osvaldo
Reverb is celebrating two big things this week. Not only is Independence Day around the corner, but the company itself is now independent again. And to mark the occasion, it’s throwing a major sales ...
The McNally Strumstick: Why 2025 May Finally Be The Year You Get Better at Guitar
Derek Osvaldo
Why Strumstick? Learning the guitar can feel like a slow-motion car crash. Your fingertips go numb. Your chords sound like furniture falling down the stairs. You realize playing “Wonderwall” takes weeks, not hours. Worst ...
The Arturia MicroFreak in 2025: Still Brilliant, Still Bizarre
Derek Osvaldo
Sometimes the story of a synth starts before you ever turn it on. The Arturia MicroFreak isn’t new—it’s been turning heads since 2019—but somehow, I’d never pulled the trigger. Most of the gear I’ve ...
Novation Launchkey 61 MK4 Review – Powerful Features, Thoughtful Design, Modest Price
Derek Osvaldo
Around for over a decade, the Novation LaunchKey line has long been a preferred MIDI controller for those looking for a cost-effective way to control their DAW, especially Ableton Live users. Now in its ...
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 4th Gen Review: Pro-Level Power Made Ridiculously Simple
Derek Osvaldo
The first time I ever plugged a microphone into an interface, it was a Scarlett Solo—the tiny red box that launched a thousand home studios. Mine included. Back then, it felt like magic: clear ...
Daydreamer Synth 1 Review: The Stunning Wooden Wonder Redefining Analog Access
Derek Osvaldo
First Impressions It’s not every day you stumble across a synthesizer that looks like it was carved from a tree trunk, but that’s exactly what the Daydreamer Synth 1 feels like at first glance. ...
Michigan Synth Works MSW-810m Review: A Forgotten Classic, Reborn for the Modern Desktop
Derek Osvaldo
The Michigan Synth Works MSW-810m is a modern tribute to the rare Roland CMU-810—a synthesizer that, while largely forgotten outside niche circles, represents an intriguing chapter in the history of music technology. Originally released ...
Native Instruments and iZotope Are Doing Major Summer 2025 Sales with Amazing Discounts on Industry-Leading Tools
Derek Osvaldo
New RX11 deal launches today with 40% off. Native Instruments and iZotope have kicked off their annual summer promotions, delivering significant savings on software bundles, instruments, and hardware for music producers and audio professionals. ...