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Vongon, a Californian manufacturer best known for making effects pedals like the Polyphrase and Paragraphs, has announced the release of its first synth.

Replay is a six-voice polyphonic analogue synthesizer and a little window into synth heaven.

Lush pads, tiny plinks, snappy arpeggios, warbling melodies, resonant filters with midi connectivity and a sleek web interface!

Replay is said to be inspired by the Roland Juno and Korg Polysix. The most striking feature of this synth is its minimalist design. Bedecked in a beige aluminium housing with an all-beige keyboard.

Replay is equipped with a six-voice virtual analogue sound engine offering four oscillator waveforms and seven LFO waveforms that Vongon says is capable of producing everything from “rich pads and vibrant leads to snappy arpeggios and deep sub-bass tones”. There’s a multi-mode arpeggiator on board.

The instrument’s 2½-octave keyboard uses Cherry MX keys typically found in mechanical computer keyboards. The top panel hosts a set of 22 controls comprised of a number of Rogan knobs, faders and switches; the synth can also be controlled via a web interface where you can manage presets, access deeper parameter levels and update the firmware.

As for connectivity, you’ll find balanced line-level 1/4″ audio ins and outs along with 3.5mm and USB MIDI.

Features:

• Six-voice virtual analog synthesizer with multi-mode arpeggiator
• Straightforward main panel with additional options available via alt functions or web-based interface
• Single oscillator per voice with ramp, square, sine, and triangle waveforms
• Noise amount control – may be switched to external in via alt functions
• Pulse width modulation with LFO and manual control
• LFO with selectable waveforms and clocking options
• 4-pole low-pass filter with envelope, keyboard, and LFO modulation controls
• VCA with modulation source and level control
• ADSR envelope generator with exponential release
• Multimode arpeggiator: Up/Down, Order, and Random modes
• Arpeggiator range: 1-3 octaves
• Up to 31 preset slots (one per key)
• Cherry MX mechanical keys
• 1/4″ TRS line level output
• 1/4″ TRS line level input
• 5mm TRS MIDI in/out, compatible with type A or B adapters
• USB connectivity for MIDI, connecting to the web interface, or alternative power supply”

Replay sleek and stripped-back design has its charms and it does sound great.  Replay is available now price at $899. Find out more on Vongon website.

DataMind Audio let us know about Combobulator, a real-time generative AI instrument, powered by custom models called ‘Artist Brains’, created in collaboration with a wide range of ‘donor musicians’, who receive a 50% of the profits.

They say that the AI-based instrument “offers access to an artist’s sonic mind and musical style, while providing an ethical and sustainable way for artists and producers to experiment with and benefit from the massively augmented capacities of AI.”

‘We don’t always know where our ideas and creative drive come from. Similarly, when we map an artist’s artificial Brain, there is a mysterious realm called latent space inside it,” says DataMind Audio co-founder Ben Cantil. “The Combobulator, allows sound designers and music producers to explore this space in 64 dimensions, discovering newly generated, never-before-heard sounds. They can then manipulate them by means of an easy-to-use interface, to make entirely new, original music.”

Official into video:

“What is fascinating is that there is so much more to learn about the capabilities of neural networks,” says Dr. Martin Parker, Head of The Reid School of Music at The University of Edinburgh. ‘We are using our research to invent tools that serve artists first, and which build a creative community that is empowered financially and creatively by our application of AI. Datamind Audio is one of very few innovators out there who genuinely nurture artists and promote creativity using AI.”

“There is a lot of valid concern about the future of creatives in the AI era, but in the area of sound design and music production, we’ve created a solution by artists, for artists: They are paid for their original work, get to use new tools and instruments to create original music with new products,” says Catherine Stewart, Co-Founder and Managing Director at DataMind Audio. “Artists are approaching us to train and sell their Brains for them. We launched with a group of globally renowned artists who know and trust us, but now that the word is out, we’re expand our sound palette and Artist Brain marketplaces with some seriously big names.”

Combobulator is available with an intro price of $129 (normally $199). Additional ‘Brains’ are also available.

Roland and Universal Music Group, two of the world leader in music making and “music-based entertainment” respectively, have announced a strategic partnership as they seek “clarity of direction and intention to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in music creation”.

Obviously, both companies have significant skin in the game, and we’re told that the partnership involves “the exploration of innovation sitting at the cross-section of music and technology.”

Roland is one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of piano, synth, guitar, bass and electronic drum products, while Universal Music Group’s roster of artists includes Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, Billy Joel, Olivia Rodrigo and many more.

As a first step, Roland and UMG have laid out their seven Principles for Music Creation with AI, and will advocate for their adoption across the music industry and creative community. These are designed to highlight the opportunities for innovation that AI offers in the areas of music production, composition and songwriting, while underscoring the need for transparency, equity, and community involvement.

The Principles for Music Creation with AI are as follows:

• We believe music is central to humanity.
• We believe humanity and music are inseparable.
• We believe that technology has long supported human artistic expression, and applied sustainably, AI will amplify human creativity.
• We believe that human-created works must be respected and protected.
• We believe that transparency is essential to responsible and trustworthy AI.
• We believe the perspectives of music artists, songwriters, and other creators must be sought after and respected.
• We are proud to help bring music to life.

If these principles can take root, Roland and UMG believe that they can help to create “an ethical framework for musical creativity to flourish and be protected for generations to come.” The two companies are planning further initiatives, too, including a joint research and development hub, a collaborative research project focused on developing methods for confirming the origin and ownership of music, and – on a more practical level – the integration of Roland products and services in select Universal-owned music production facilities around the world.

“As companies who share a mutual history of technology innovation, both Roland and UMG believe that AI can play an important role in the creative process of producing music,” says Masahiro Minowa, Chief Innovation Officer at Roland. “We also have a deep belief that human creativity is irreplaceable, and it is our responsibility to protect artists’ rights. The Principles for Music Creation with AI establishes a framework for our ongoing collaboration to explore opportunities that converge at the intersection of technology and human creativity.”

Michael Nash, Chief Digital Officer, EVP at Universal Music Group adds, “At UMG, we have long recognised and embraced the potential of AI to enhance and amplify human creativity, advance musical innovation, and expand the realms of audio production and sound technology. This can only happen if it is applied ethically and responsibly across the entire industry. We are delighted to collaborate with Roland, to explore new opportunities in this area together, while helping to galvanize consensus among key stakeholders across music’s creative community to promote adoption of these core principles with the goal of ensuring human creativity continues to thrive alongside the evolution of new technology.”

Companies and organisations who are interested in supporting the Principles for Music Creation with AI can do so via aiformusic.info website.