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At Superbooth 2025 – held May 8-10 at the FEZ-Berlin – Yamaha was showing the PG-ANX and PG-FMX– a pair of hardware controllers that bring deep tactile control to their flagship Montage M synthesizer.

The two hardware programmers were designed to unlock the full potential of the AN-X and FM-X sound engines found in the MONTAGE M synthesizer, with a focus on immediate tactile interaction. They describe it as “a radically hands-on approach to synthesis, with hundreds of dedicated controls at your fingertips.”

“As part of the Yamaha Synthesizer 50th Anniversary Project, we developed a hardware programmer that can narrow down the number of controls by carefully selecting parameters and linking multiple parameters and deliberately abandoning the direction of fitting it tightly into a set space, eliminating the physical constraints of the instrument and fully controlling the sound potential of the sound engine,” notes Shinichi Ohta, Producer of MONTAGE M / PG-ANX / PG-FMX.

“In the MONTAGE M, the AN-X and FM-X sound engine sections alone control all these parameters. We hope that by experiencing this hardware programmer, you will be able to feel even more profoundly the sound of the MONTAGE M.”

The PG-ANX gives you physical access to nearly every parameter of the MONTAGE M’s AN-X engine. With 164 knobs and 40 switches, it brings greater immediacy to sound design. Connected via USB and powered separately, it works seamlessly alongside the main unit, giving you unprecedented control with your hands.

The PG-FMX delivers 247 knobs and 60 switches for precise FM synthesis programming. Connected to the PG-ANX via LAN, it allows deep editing of FM architecture, all with a user interface designed to reveal the structure and flow of FM sound creation intuitively.

*Note: The two controllers are concept designs at this point. Visit the Yamaha site for details.

Music Production for Women has announced EmpowHer Sound, a series of free beginner music production workshops taking place across Europe throughout July.

These hands-on sessions in London, Berlin, Amsterdam and Dublin invite women and gender-nonconforming musicians to learn the basics of music production, covering a variety of subjects that includes beat programming, synthesis, audio effects and DAW navigation.

Music Production for Women is a tuition platform dedicated to empowering female and non-binary artists to learn production in a supportive community. Since launching in 2019, MPW has delivered classes to thousands of students across the globe, and previous workshop events have drawn hundreds of attendees.

Sponsored by Kilohearts, Novation and Distrokid, EmpowHer Sound workshops are all free to attend. One attendee at each event will take home a studio bundle that includes a Novation Launchkey Mini controller, Focusrite Solo Studio interface and a copy of Kilohearts’ Phase Plant soft synth.

Though MPW’s workshops are primarily aimed at women and gender minorities, people of all genders are welcome to attend the event, and no technical skills or prior experience in production is required.

“If you’re tired of being one of the only women in the room when it comes to music production, we know how you feel and we’ve been there before,” reads a statement on MPW website.

“The most magical part of our events, in addition to all the exciting knowledge that you will take away is the phenomenal energy created when you fill a room with women who want to learn from and support each other.

“There really is nothing like it and we want you to experience it! At our events, you will not feel like the odd person out, you will not be spoken down to, or get technical jargon thrown at you. You will be part of an encouraging community and treated with the kindness and respect you deserve. Although our events are designed to empower women, absolutely everyone is more than welcome to attend.”

Find the dates and locations of each event below or register for a free ticket on the MPW website.

• Dublin – 10 July 2025
• Berlin – 14 July 2025
• Amsterdam – 16 July 2025
• London – 22 July 2025

Deft Audio – developer of the Luma-1 drum machine – has released Luma-mu, a new Eurorack module that offers a single channel drum voice based on the the classic Linn LM-1.

What they have to say about it:

“Luma-mu is a 10HP Eurorack module, essentially a single drum channel of Luma-1 which holds multiple sounds in its ROM. It plays samples digitally without microcontroller or software used, which guarantees the lowest latency and highest response of its 8-bit mu-Law DAC.

It’s perfect for Luma-1 expansion or standalone operation.”

Features:

• 8-bit mu-law EPROM playback, exact copy of LM-1/Luma-1 channel
• Removable EPROMs with 8 sounds on each, 16KB each (~1.5sec/ea)
• True digital playback with no microcontroller or software involved, order of nanoseconds response time to the first sample
• CV control for sound select allows playing various sounds at each step
• CV control for Pitch and Dynamics
• Gate control for Reset, Pause and sample Trigger
• Can be clocked externally
• Ability to play one shot samples or looped sounds to use it with perfectly looped waveforms as a wave oscillator
• Comes with a software to make your own EPROMs
• EPROM is accessible from the front with optional Luma-mu Reacharound extender module
• Eurorack 10HP, 50mm depth

The Luma-mu is available now, priced at $279.