When it comes to sampled pianos, the bar keeps getting higher. Every year, new libraries promise pristine realism, expressive nuance, and creative tools that move beyond the traditional. In late 2024, Native Instruments dropped Claire, a grand piano library that continues Native Instruments’ legacy of well-made sample libraries. Built in collaboration with Galaxy Instruments, this … Read more
Intro – An Overview of the WIDI Master The CMEPRO WIDI Master is designed as a wireless MIDI solution that frees you from the traditional cable clutter. For bigger studios or even a smaller bedroom studio, wires can often be a big issue and if we’re being more frank: a unsightly pain in the ass. … Read more
An Introduction to Nightfox Audio If you’ve ever wished your plugins worked like a box of LEGOs—clicking together real instruments to build something completely your own—Nightfox Audio might be your new playground. Their whole approach is about stacking: blending authentic sampled sources like guitars, strings, and pianos into powerful hybrid patches, then giving you the … Read more
Sometimes the best creative sparks come from something small. Really small. Like, fits-in-the-palm-of-your-hand small. This.is.NOISE.inc, is a hardware company that’s built a reputation around ultra-portable, ultra-playful MIDI controllers that don’t just look cool — they work. Their first offering, the Noise Machine Straight Vibin’ Edition (NMSVE), proved that wireless MIDI could be tiny, functional, and … Read more
Introduction to the EP-1320 Medieval Only Teenage Engineering would take the phrase “sampler workstation” and respond with “What if we made it Medieval?” Enter the EP-1320 Medieval—a fully functional portable groove box, completely reimagined through the lens of lutes, bards, and tavern fights. A big fan of medieval era history and media, when I first … Read more
Pop filters are one of those accessories you don’t think much about—until they’re ruining your setup. Whether it’s an awkward arm that never stays in place, a filter so bulky it blocks your entire face on camera, or a windscreen that kills the sparkle in your voice trying to tame plosives, most of us settle … Read more
In honor of WrestleMania 41, Raj Thomas picks what he thinks are the greatest entrance theme songs from professional wrestling, along with a a few more that didn’t make the cut.
Let’s face it—there’s no shortage of string libraries out there. But now and then, something hits differently. Trails by Fracture Sounds is one of those very moments. This one’s for the subtle stuff—the kind of textures that whisper, swell, shiver, and evolve. If your scoring projects lean into emotional nuance, atmosphere, or delicate storytelling, this … Read more
Beatsurfing: A Creative Playground for Modern Sound Design If you’re curious about how innovative technology meets raw musical creativity, BEATSURFING is a name worth knowing. Born in 1997 under the moniker Herrmutt Lobby, this international collective has evolved from an underground band of musical experimenters to a producer of cutting-edge audio tools. Their journey—from humble … Read more
If you’re into composing soundtracks or creating immersive soundscapes, chances are you’ve heard the buzz about Sonora Cinematic. This plugin developer, based in Edinburgh, UK, and helmed by Italian composer and sound designer Alessandro Mastroianni, has earned a stellar reputation by delivering stunning sounding virtual instruments. Today, we’re diving into a select suite of their … Read more
A Blast from the Past Meets Tomorrow’s Sound Scrolling through Instagram one day, I was suddenly hit with a series of quirky, VHS filter-drenched ads that looked exactly like a 1980s infomercial. With over-the-top humor, vibrant visuals, and witty catchphrases, these ads instantly captured my attention—and my curiosity. A few clicks later I was led … Read more
Ever find yourself staring at a blank project with a head full of half-formed musical ideas? Sometimes the spark just isn’t coming, and you end up scrolling through endless plugin options looking for something to shake up your creative flow. Enter Motif 2 from Rast Sound—a tool that’s less a virtual instrument, and more a … Read more
As our AI underlords get smarter and smarter (and perhaps one day become our overlords and take over our lives ala SkyNet), many music plugin developers are dipping their toes into the space, discovering fun new ways to combine the emerging tech of AI with music creation. One such plugin, MIDI Agent (currently in beta) … Read more
In today’s world of hyper-polished digital production, it’s easy for music to lose a bit of its soul. Enter Elementary Sounds—a plugin company focused on sampling unique vintage instruments, that may have otherwise been lost to time. Bristling with character and texture, their library of vintage sounds has become one of my go-to secret weapons in … Read more
FOLDS: A Gateway to Ethereal Expression FOLDS by Void & Vista is one of those special plugins that manages to strike a rare balance: it is at once deceptively simple in its appearance and yet deeply complex in the sounds it produces. Upon first glance, FOLDS (as in vocal folds) welcomes you with a sleek, … Read more
Reverb, one of the leading online marketplaces for music gear, has announced the return of iconic drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182 to its platform.
Serato didn’t just modernize DJing: it revolutionized it. From vinyl emulation to streaming, discover 5 moments that forever changed the game—and the move that could change it again.
In today’s musical landscape, where tons of new plugin companies pop up daily and saturate the market, Klevgrand, a small but passionate Swedish music software company, isn’t afraid to break the rules. Known for its inventive and sometimes quirky approach to plugin design, this small but mighty company has steadily built a reputation for offering … Read more
Want a discount? Provide “ALTWIRE” at checkout upon purchasing these plugins to get 10% off. TAQS.IM: Bringing Global Sounds to Your Digital Studio Greetings Altwire readers! I recently had the privilege of getting to test some incredible software and I can’t wait to tell you about it. Created by two Armenian musicians, TAQS.IM is dedicated … Read more
Jay Shalé blends music, sports, and tech as the first front-facing DJ for the WNBA. Discover her gear, grind, and goals.