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Arturia has introduced their biggest software bundle to date, Sound Explorers Collection Belledonne, a massive bundle of vintage instrument and effect plugins.

The Sound Explorers Collection Belledonne builds on the expansive collection that originally marked Arturia’s 20th anniversary in 2019.

Here’s what’s included:

Known as Belledonne – the name of a mountain range in the French Alps that towers over the city of Grenoble, where Arturia is based – it now features the V Collection 9 instrument bundle, FX Collection 3 and the state-of-the-art Pigments 3 synth.

Exploration Sound Library – a collection of 50 sound banks that provide more than 4,000 presets – and you’ve got yourself a truly mammoth bundle of music-making tools.

Sound Explorers Collection Belledonne is offered as a download or on a 256GB SSD drive. Given that the price appears to be the same for both versions, we’d be inclined to go for the solid-state option.

Arturia Sound Explorers Collection Belledonne is available exclusively at dealers until 27 September, with Sweetwater being the only US retailer, price is $799. European customers can find Sound Explorers Collection Belledonne at Thomann for £685/€789.

Find out more on the Arturia website.

More of the Oberheim SEM? GForce Software has officially-endorsed Oberheim synth plugin goes beyond the original. And the “Most authentic” SEM reboot released to coincide with Tom Oberheim’s birthday.

GForce having already released two versions of OB-E, its plugin recreation of the Oberheim 8-Voice, GForce Software has now unveiled an officially-endorsed emulation of the Oberheim SEM.

GForce’s version has been recreated with the help of both Tom Oberheim and Marcus Ryle, an Oberheim engineer during the ‘80s, so authenticity should be a given.

GForce says that it’s gone so far as to model the “analogue inaccuracies” of the original SEM – which was released back in 1974 – giving you a convincing blend of analogue character and digital precision.

There are new features as well: a third VCO, which doubles as an audio rate LFO for additional modulation and FM possibilities; tempo-syncable LFOs; and velocity and aftertouch modulation.

Additionally, you get an arpeggiator and sequencer, a stereo delay and a reverb, and more than 400 presets.

“The beauty of the SEM lies in its combination of great sound and simple to use architecture,” say Dave Spiers & Chris Macleod, co-founders of GForce Software. “That’s why, since its release in 1974, the SEM has remained highly coveted and musically relevant.

“Over four decades later, we’re beyond thrilled to release our software version with Tom Oberheim’s full blessing, collaboration and endorsement.”

Speaking of which, Tom Oberheim – who celebrates his birthday today – also has a comment: “It’s so good to hear something that’s dear to my heart done properly in software.”

It sounds like the SEM plugin is a product of mutual respect, then; it is available now at the introductory price of £30 plus VAT (regular price will be £50 plus VAT) and runs in VST/AU/AAX formats on PC and Mac.

Find out more on the GForce Software website.

Reason Studios introduces “the world’s first ever game of chord progression ping pong”

In celebration of the launch of the company’s new Chord Sequencer MIDI player device, Reason Studios has set up what it is calling “the world’s first ever game of chord progression ping pong”.

This features YouTube piano maven David Bennett and artist/producer/Jacob Collier band member Bryn Bliska batting chord ideas back and forth as they try and come up with a complementary set of 16 chords that they can jam with, and they are sitting at opposite ends of a ping pong table as they do it.

This video might teach you a thing or two about harmony and why some chords ‘fit’ together better than others. And, if you want to try the Chord Sets that David and Bryn come up with, they are all available in the Chord Sequencer.

This is available to all Reason+ Subscribers or on its own for the introductory price of $49/€54, rising to $69/€74 on 13 July.

Find out more on the Reason Studios website.