Expressive E Intros Soliste, An MPE-Ready Solo String Suite


Expressive E has introduced Soliste, an MPE-ready solo string suite, featuring 4 physically-modeled instruments (Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass), designed for real-time performance and deep expression, especially with Osmose, Touché, and other MPE controllers.

It sounds impressive. View the demo video, embedded below, and share your thoughts in the comments!

The official introduction video:

Soliste builds on their Arché collection, but rebuilt from the ground up with:

  • A new sound engine
  • Smart gesture-based controls (vibrato, bowing, tremolo, etc.)
  • Full customizability
  • Total integration with Osmose, Touché, and legacy MIDI gear

The complete Soliste collection of four instruments is available now on Mac and Windows via the company’s website for the introductory price of €179.40/$205.88/£153.31 – typical retail is €299, while individual instruments can be purchased for €59.40 apiece.

Cherry Audio Introduces ODC 2800, A Modern, Polyphonic Take On Classic ARP Odyssey


Cherry Audio has introduced ODC 2800, a “three-in-one” virtual instrument, inspired by the ARP Odyssey synthesizer.

They say that the ODC 2800 recreates the sound, design, and character of all three versions of the original Odyssey synthesizer. It’s designed to go beyond reproduction, though, with expanded polyphony, an additional oscillator and LFO, expressive performance-focused features, and a redesigned effects section.

The official intro video, featuring Mike Martin:

Features:

  • Three Filters – modeled on the Mk I, Mk II, and Mk III filter designs.
  • Powerful Oscillators and Modulation – Expanded to include three complete VCOs with sawtooth and square/pulse waveforms, with quantizable frequency control, extended oscillator sync routing, ring modulation, and cross-modulation. Each VCO has three frequency modulators (FM), including an assignable modulator offering 35 source options.
  • Expanded Polyphony – Offering monophonic, mono legato, duophonic, and polyphonic performance with up to 16 voices and unison.
  • An Extra LFO – Includes two discrete LFOs with five waveforms and options for mono and poly modes, key reset, sync, pulse width, and delay. The
  • Sample/Hold Mixer allows for assignable modulation of the VCF and VCA, with 35 predefined modulation sources.
  • Additional ADSR with Extras – Two complete ADSR envelope generators with velocity control and trimmer-style drift controls for VCO, VCF, and EG to further emulate the analog vibe.
  • New Effects Strip – The ODC 2800 includes an intuitive effects strip that allows for easy toggling of effects, soloing, and adjusting the dry/wet mix.
    • It features a dedicated LFO for modulation and global controls for all effects.
    • Additionally, the effects tray offers five studio-quality options: Distortion/EQ, Dual Phaser, Flanger/Chorus, three types of Delays, and five Reverbs.
  • Performance Ready – Express yourself with velocity, channel (mono) aftertouch, and polyphonic aftertouch with compatible USB/MIDI controllers, and three distinct assignable aftertouch controls with 24 destinations.
  • Production Ready – Offers comprehensive MIDI mapping for controllers, seamless DAW integration, and over 330 professional presets across 13 categories.

Cherry Audio ODC 2800 is available now, for Mac & Windows, for $59 . A free 30-day demo is available.

A portion of the June sales will be donated to the Alan R. Pearlman Foundation, to help support the foundation’s efforts to preserve Pearlman’s legacy.

Avid Launches Pro Tools 2025.6 With Splice Integration, AI Speech-to-text Engine & more


Splice is now built directly into Pro Tools

Avid has released the latest version of Pro Tools, and with it unveiled an unexpected partnership with Splice that integrates the leading sample platform directly into its flagship DAW.

Following Studio One’s update late last year, Pro Tools is now the second DAW to fully integrate Splice, allowing its users to browse, preview and access the company’s millions-strong library of royalty-free samples without leaving their session.

Pro Tools users will now be able to make use of Splice’s AI-based Search With Sound feature, which analyzes audio clips from the DAW timeline to suggest Splice samples with a similar rhythm, key or tempo. Pro Tools users will be given access to more than 2,500 free Splice samples, but the full library requires a monthly subscription.

“Whether producers and artists are sketching out ideas, building out tracks, or applying final touches, Pro Tools’ Splice integration provides a more powerful environment for creating music – giving users the ability to quickly find the perfect sound while staying in their creative flow,” said Kenna Hilburn, Avid’s SVP of Product.

“Putting Splice directly into the creative workflow is core to our mission,” added Splice’s Kenny Ochoa. “This integration makes it easier than ever for Pro Tools users to access our AI-powered discovery and world-class sound library – right where they’re making music.”

Alongside the Splice integration, Pro Tools 2025.6 brings with it a raft of updates that includes MIDI improvements, AI-powered Speech-to-Text functionality, an expanded ARA ecosystem, enhanced ADR and reconform workflows, and a new in-app dashboard.

Pro Tools’ new Speech-to-Text engine streamlines dialogue and music editing by enabling users to search any audio file in a session for speech or lyric information via a dedicated transcript window, making it quick and easy to locate specific dialogue or vocal takes.

Avid says Pro Tools 2025.6’s MIDI improvements enable “faster, smarter MIDI creation” thanks to the integration of key editing tools in Pro Tools’ MIDI Editor, new MIDI note labelling functionality and enhanced input monitoring.

Pro Tools 2025.6 also expands ARA integration to two third-party vocal production tools, Waves Sync Vx and Dreamtonics Synthesizer V, allowing users to process audio directly in the timeline without time-consuming roundtripping.

Pro Tools 2025.6 will be available to all Pro Tools Artist, Studio, and Ultimate subscribers, as well as perpetual license holders on an active support plan.

Find out more on the Avid site.