WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

Announced earlier this year at NAMM 2025, Melbourne Instruments’ Roto-Control is a MIDI controller with a difference.

Equipped with eight motorized knobs, Roto-Control also offered Ableton Live integration straight out of the box.

Today, Melbourne Instruments has announced a major firmware update for Roto-Control, and in response to “strong community demand”, the controller now offers the same level of integration with Bitwig Studio.

In the controller’s MIX Mode – which syncs automatically with the mixer in Ableton and Bitwig, mapping its controls across Roto-Control’s knobs and buttons – colours and track names from a Bitwig project will now appear on ROTO-Control’s displays, updating automatically in response to any changes in the session.

In Roto-Control’s PLUGIN Mode, plugin parameters and labels are lifted directly from the DAW and stored locally on the device, and custom mappings will be instantly recalled when opening plugins across any Bitwig project.

Roto-Control’s 2.0 update also brings with it a raft of additional features and enhancements, including the ability to send MIDI notes and program changes using the controller’s eight mechanical keyboard-style buttons in MIDI Mode.

Roto-Control now offers manual mapping and customization of racks and macros in Ableton Live, and Remote Control page navigation for Bitwig Studio. Additionally, the controller’s MIX Mode now supports track grouping, a feature that’s been requested by many Roto-Control users. What’s more, Roto-Control now offers support for Linux.

With their customizable haptics, Roto-Control’s motorized and touch-sensitive rotaries make for an innovative concept, and the controller has made a lasting impression since its launch earlier this year.

But, many non-Ableton users were disappointed by Roto-Control’s lack of full integration with other DAWs.

With the 2.0 update, Melbourne Instruments addresses those concerns, and the company says that we can expect to see Roto-Control integration rolled out to DAWs such as Logic and Cubase in future. (It’s worth noting that if you don’t use Ableton Live or Bitwig Studio, you can of course still control your DAW with Roto-Control using its MIDI Mode.)

Find out more and download the update on Melbourne Instruments’ website.

Today, Korg has announced the return of the KRONOS, its flagship keyboard workstation, with three new fourth-generation models.

In addition to the thousands of included sound programs and combinations, the new KRONOS introduces 256 additional programs. Central to this update are 128 new sound programs, including an Italian piano with gorgeous, transparent resonance, and the Tine EP I Early, an electric piano tone that replicates the earthy, vintage sound of metal rod (tine) mechanisms.

These additions, alongside FM electric pianos, versatile synth pads, lush leads, and more, give you a broad palette of useful sounds.

Complementing these are 128 sounds from the KRONOS Sound Libraries. This selection also features new piano voices ensuring KRONOS remains your ultimate go-to keyboard.

While the hallmark features of KRONOS remain unchanged, its fourth-generation design introduces subtle yet striking updates. The powder-coated metal body offers exceptional durability, while the black wood side panels add a sophisticated edge.

Thanks to a reengineered system architecture, startup time is now 60% faster than previous models. Coupled with an enhanced TouchView interface, the 4th-gen KRONOS provides is designed to provide instantaneous and intuitive interaction.

Here’s what’s new in the 4th generation Korg Kronos:

• 256 new programs
  • 128 new sounds (including Italian Grand, Tine EP I Early)
  • 128 curated from KRONOS Sound Libraries
• Faster, more responsive TouchView display
• 60% faster startup time
• New chassis with powder-coated metal and black wood side panels

Features:

• 9 sound engines including SGX-2 (acoustic piano), EP-1 (electric piano), MOD-7 (FM), and more
• Enhanced SGX-2 engine with Berlin and Italian grand pianos
• 8″ TouchView display with drag-and-drop, parameter search, and improved response
• Set List Mode with color-coded presets, real-time notes, and built-in EQ
• Seamless Sound Transitions (SST) for smooth patch changes
• 16-track MIDI + audio recorder with 48 kHz audio and editing tools
• Advanced control surface: sliders, knobs, vector joystick
• Available in 61, 73, or 88 keys with semi-weighted or RH3 fully weighted keybeds

For previous KRONOS and NAUTILUS owners, KORG will release a Soundpack in the second half of 2025 that brings the latest KRONOS sounds to earlier models, ensuring every musician can benefit from KORG’s ongoing innovations.

Visit the Korg site for details.

Modern FM synths tend to be more user friendly thanks to their improved interfaces, but the underlying complexity of frequency modulation remains.

With the launch of Pivot, plugin developer Fors aims to address this. “Years of research, development and deep love of FM synthesis has gone into picking just the right balance of flexibility and simplicity,” says Fors.

Pitched as a ‘no-nonsense’ FM synthesizer, Pivot strips back the complexity usually associated with FM synths resulting in an instrument that aims to be approachable and user-friendly, whilst still capturing the essence of what makes frequency modulation synthesis so appealing.

Pivot is based around three operators, which Fors claims provides “a great balance of being able to make complex timbres while being quick to program.”

These operators are combined with a resonant 4-pole filter that can morph continuously between low-, high- and band-pass modes. Pivot also features two LFOs and two ADSR envelopes, each of which can be routed to up-to six destinations at once in the flexible mod matrix.

Unlike most FM synths, Pivot has no algorithms – the term commonly used for different configurations of operators – and instead allows users to continuously route its top operator’s output between the other pair. According to the developer, this setup “makes sound design a truly explorable process where you don’t have to make any decisions up front.”

Pivot is available in VST3, AU and Clap formats for PC, Mac and Linux. The full version is priced at $39, but can be picked up for an intro price of $29.30 until 20 July.

Rather than offering a demo version, Fors has released a free Lite version of Pivot with just two operators and no mod matrix. Both versions are available now from the Fors site.