CDM Create Digital Music

Handmade experimental synths and DIY from Argentina’s Los Aparatos

Peter Kirn — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:29:47 +0000

From Tucumán, Argentina, Los Aparatos are constructing handmade synths and electronics education and DIY projects. And now you can ship their experimental synthesizer, Auduina MK2, internationally. Plus, those pink controls and creative projects are just irresistible. Let's take a look.

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otophon is a plug-in to play tones inside your head

Peter Kirn — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 11:52:05 +0000

This one's for the heads, literally. Otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) are sounds produced by your ear, ghostly tones emitted from inside the cochlea itself. The phenomenon has been employed in experimental music (and medical applications), but it has been hard to explore on your own -- until now.

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UR soul: John Jammin Collins’ story, Detroit’s story, as a call to action

Peter Kirn — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:15:59 +0000

Digging into the history of John "Jammin'" Collins, you hear a history of Detroit and the potential of music to give back. The techno and progressive soul legend's journey is also intertwined with health. It all lands as a challenge to do something meaningful with our sounds and to care for the people around us.

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Blind musician Jason Dasent worked with Roland to make a guide for V-STAGE

Peter Kirn — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:58:48 +0000

Jason Dasent, a blind, UK-based Trinidadian musician, producer, and globally recognized accessibility consultant, has teamed up with the Roland Future Design Lab. The result: a comprehensive accessibility guide to every control, jack, widget, and function on the V-STAGE performance keyboard. More like this — a plea to the whole industry. What’s interesting about this is […]

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The TR-808 is getting an MSW open-source firmware and a Tubbutec mod

Peter Kirn — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:34:05 +0000

From Michigan, the land where the TR-808 met techno, comes an open-source effort to extend the 808's life and expand its features. A new 808 firmware joins firmware for the TR-606 and TR-303. Meet SuperOS-808.From Michigan, the land where the TR-808 met techno, comes an open-source effort to extend the 808's life and expand its features. A new 808 firmware joins firmware for the TR-606 and TR-303. Meet SuperOS-808.

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There’s a major security hole in CDJs, Rekordbox; here’s what’s affected

Peter Kirn — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 11:03:06 +0000

AlphaTheta, the company the entire world still knows as "Pioneer," has announced a major security vulnerability in many CDJ and XDJ models and all Rekordbox software for macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS. You should definitely patch your software, but what does this mean, exactly, and who's affected? (Hint: it's only an issue if you're connected to a network.)

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Strange, wonderful #808day creations from Japan — and a DIY D-Beam!

Peter Kirn — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 15:30:32 +0000

Our friends in the TR-808's native country, Japan, never cease to honor the drum machine's holiday in creative ways. So here's this year's haul from 808 Day (August 8), 2026.

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808 Day: free Roland e-Bjook, NTS Radio jams, animation

Peter Kirn — Sat, 08 Aug 2026 09:01:48 +0000

We could all use an 808 kick in our soul about now, so let's get straight to the 808 Day goodness. Today's a day to browse through Roland history with Bjooks, turn up NTS Radio, and immerse ourselves in a new animation featuring Mannie Fresh.

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The strength of grieving together, in Felisha Ledesma and Snakeskin

Peter Kirn — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 16:11:23 +0000

We live in a world of solitary trauma and unrealized grief. We can sit alone with our phones and see it reduced to images in an algorithm. We can see our loved ones go through trauma in ways we can't even understand or reach. In Palm of Hand, through extemporaneous collaboration between Snakeskin and Felisha Ledesma, Malmö and Beirut, there is a healing expression of all this agonizing, fragmented experience. The result can be deeply centering, a balm to play on loop.

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The PlayStation Vita just got a new sampling groovebox and synth

Peter Kirn — Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:00:47 +0000

Sony may have abandoned the PS Vita, but homebrew is ready to keep it alive. And the gorgeous handheld gaming console now gets a new identity as an all-in-one groovebox -- with free, open-source software. It even supports multichannel audio over USB via a custom kernel plug-in. Meet DS-8 Drumstream, portable beatmaker.

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