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Alex Theakston of Mylar Melodies – In his latest video – takes an in-depth look at the new Moog Labyrinth synthesizer.

*Note: This is a sponsored video, so it’s part of Moog’s marketing for the Labyrinth. But, as usual, Theakston does a thorough job of introducing and demoing the new synth. If you want to get a better idea of the Labyrinth’s synth voice and how the sequencer works, the video does a good job of covering them, and then features a wide variety of musical demos.

“Labyrinth is well suited to Techno and so there is a lot of techno in the video,” notes Theakston, “but there is ambient and more in there!”

Topics:

00:00 What’s a Labyrinth?

01:46 Voice Explained

11:32 Sequencers Explained

26:32 Mavis & Laby Jam

30:50 The Techno Bells

31:34 Proper Techno

32:40 Tuff Techno

34:27 Extremely Tuff Bass

36:49 Tuff Bass Techno

38:53 Duophonic Drums

43:39 Ambient Buffersaving

46:40 TR8 & Mavis MIDI Techno

53:34 Heaven & Hell

58:17 Cosmic Family Jam

1:04:43 Post Credits Scene

Watch the video and then share your thoughts on the Moog Labyrinth in the comments!

Akai Professional has announced that MPC Stems is now available for all MPC standalone hardware.

This feature enables stem separation directly on MPC hardware fully standalone, allowing producers to separate bass, drums, vocals, and other musical elements without the need for a computer.

This expansion builds on the March 2024 announcement of stem separation for MPC users via the desktop app, now enabling users to create stems directly on their MPC controllers in standalone mode.

Ski Beatz Demonstrates How He Uses Stems In His Production Workflow:

MPC Stems for Standalone is compatible with the following MPC hardware: MPC Live series, MPC One, MPC One +, MPC X, MPC XSE, MPC Key 61, and MPC Key 37. Supported by the new 2.15 Software/Firmware update, this feature ensures seamless integration and enhances the user experience on all compatible MPC devices.

MPC Stems is available now for $9.99. All previous licenses purchased for MPC Stem Desktop will include “Stems Standalone.”

Today, Behringer shared a preview of its upcoming copy of the Elka Synthex, an 8-voice DCO polysynth design from 1981.

The Behringer STX appears to be a fairly straight copy of the Synthex’s design, but reduced to fit into Behringer’s 4-octave Deepmind 12 form factor.

What the company say about it:

The original Elka Synthex was used notably by Jean-Michel Jarre

“The Elka Synthex, a synthesizer from the early 1980s, is cherished for its rich, warm sound and unique character. Musicians like Jean-Michel Jarre and Duran Duran have used it to create iconic tracks, solidifying its place in music history.

Designed by Mario Maggi and produced by the Italian company Elka, the Synthex has a storied past.

At Behringer, we’re working to revive the Elka Synthex with a dedicated team of top-notch R&D engineers in Italy, where the original was created. Using original DCO oscillators and advanced Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), we’re able to replicate the original circuitry and signal paths, capturing the essence of its distinctive sound.

Our goal is to make the classic sound of the Elka Synthex available to today’s musicians, combining its vintage appeal with modern technology. This passion project aims to respect the legacy of the Synthex while providing the enhancements needed for contemporary use.”

Behringer hasn’t shared any official specs yet, but based on the images that they’ve shared, it looks like the key changes are the addition of MIDI, and shrinking the synth down to fit into one of Behringer’s standard formats, losing an octave off the keyboard in the process.

Details on pricing and availability for the Behringer STX are to be announced, but the company says that “This ‘labor of love’ project will take lots of time, but it’ll be worth the wait.”