Peter Kirn
@pkirn.bsky.social
Music and music technology journalist, composer and electronic artist/dj. I make cdm.link, work on the meeblip.com synth, and cover creative technologies. Activist. Lebanese-American background, came from Kentucky, now in Berlin.
Deeply affecting ambient album inbound -- and a portal to Lia Ouyang Rusli's stunning output both as film composer and with her OHYUNG project.
@transmusicarchive.bsky.social continues their essential imprint -- and vinyl purchases benefit the Iowa Trans Mutual Aid Fund.
@transmusicarchive.bsky.social continues their essential imprint -- and vinyl purchases benefit the Iowa Trans Mutual Aid Fund.
OHYUNG's IOWA on Trans Music Archive is as powerful as a glacier - CDM Create Digital Music
Take a moment for the arresting stillness of "all dolls go to heaven." IOWA, the full-length opus by film composer Lia Ouyang Rusli ("OHYUNG"), hits you deep in the gut. The first 2026 release by must...
cdm.link
February 11, 2026 at 12:59 PM
Deeply affecting ambient album inbound -- and a portal to Lia Ouyang Rusli's stunning output both as film composer and with her OHYUNG project.
@transmusicarchive.bsky.social continues their essential imprint -- and vinyl purchases benefit the Iowa Trans Mutual Aid Fund.
@transmusicarchive.bsky.social continues their essential imprint -- and vinyl purchases benefit the Iowa Trans Mutual Aid Fund.
Missed this one, but it's great! Eurorack - visual sync! (if you're curious for more on this, I can try and do a little roundup...)
Introduction to syncing visuals in VDMX with Eurorack clocks, featuring the infamous Pamela's Pro Workout! #Eurorack
VDMX Eurorack Clock Sync Tutorial with the Pamela's Pro Workout — VDMX - MAC VJ SOFTWARE
When working with Eurorack systems alongside VDMX, a particularly useful technique is to synchronize the clock timing between the systems using MIDI. In this tutorial we will be looking at two differe...
vdmx.vidvox.net
February 11, 2026 at 10:27 AM
Missed this one, but it's great! Eurorack - visual sync! (if you're curious for more on this, I can try and do a little roundup...)
Move 2.0 may have gotten less attention, but this is big: Audio Tracks for live audio processing and some warping, too. That's in addition to Link Audio, Erosion, and Pitch Shifter. Move owners can try this beta just by connecting to a computer.
More:
More:
Move 2.0 adds Audio Tracks with clip warping, live processing; more - CDM Create Digital Music
If you’ve got an Ableton Move, you can take advantage of its public beta today, too, just by connecting Move to your computer. And this is a huge release: in addition to other new functionality, Audio...
cdm.link
February 10, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Move 2.0 may have gotten less attention, but this is big: Audio Tracks for live audio processing and some warping, too. That's in addition to Link Audio, Erosion, and Pitch Shifter. Move owners can try this beta just by connecting to a computer.
More:
More:
Ableton Live 12.4 is in public beta. So let's dive in -- what Link Audio is about and why you might want it, every major new feature in detail, and an exhaustive look at the updates to Erosion, Delay, and Chorus-Ensemble for sound designers.
Here's your beta testing guide:
Here's your beta testing guide:
Ableton Live 12.4 adds Link Audio, updated effects, more: hands-on details - CDM Create Digital Music
Ableton Live 12.4 enters public beta today. New features include continued refinement of Live’s audio effects and the ability to merge stems and separate stems for just a selected portion of time. And...
cdm.link
February 10, 2026 at 10:25 AM
Ableton Live 12.4 is in public beta. So let's dive in -- what Link Audio is about and why you might want it, every major new feature in detail, and an exhaustive look at the updates to Erosion, Delay, and Chorus-Ensemble for sound designers.
Here's your beta testing guide:
Here's your beta testing guide:
Live the UPIC lifestyle with this clever (evolving!) tool by @jeongho.bsky.social -- your browser tab can't possibly be doing anything better than this right now.
Live out your Xenakis fantasies, free in your browser, with SonicSketch - CDM Create Digital Music
JeongHo Park, a self-described "algorithmic composer" and artist, is building a delightful instrument that turns images into scores with full drawing capability for making paths. Inspired by the likes...
cdm.link
February 9, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Live the UPIC lifestyle with this clever (evolving!) tool by @jeongho.bsky.social -- your browser tab can't possibly be doing anything better than this right now.
Exactly the sounds I wanted to start out this week ... four transcendent performances. And love the way Lorenzo Colombo is combining percussion/acoustic/electroacoustic with the machines -- expect this will inspire some of you!
Dream with this: solenoids, percussion, and circuits in live Torso session - CDM Create Digital Music
Here's a perfect way to treat your ears at the start of the week. Sound artist and percussionist Lorenzo Colombo recorded this ethereal, cosmic live set at Torso Electronics in Copenhagen. The dadamac...
cdm.link
February 9, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Exactly the sounds I wanted to start out this week ... four transcendent performances. And love the way Lorenzo Colombo is combining percussion/acoustic/electroacoustic with the machines -- expect this will inspire some of you!
There's something to be said about a drum machine that isn't exactly like everybody else's drum machine. And the DR-2 keeps adding refinement and new tricks.
Modor DR-2 - a delicious, overlooked drum machine - adds trig conditions - CDM Create Digital Music
Massive sound, lots of unique tricks, hard-hitting personality, onboard basslines -- more people should be talking about the Modor DR-2. And amidst the blizzard of news last month, you might have miss...
cdm.link
February 6, 2026 at 12:00 PM
There's something to be said about a drum machine that isn't exactly like everybody else's drum machine. And the DR-2 keeps adding refinement and new tricks.
So if you were thinking about open samplers -- here you go!
(Anyone else working with ShortcircuitXT or building libraries? Can do a little roundup!)
(Anyone else working with ShortcircuitXT or building libraries? Can do a little roundup!)
I made a FREE Guitar Library for ShortcircuitXT today, the new free & open source sampler plugin by the surge xt team. Download & Demo Video can be found here:
tildesounds.gumroad.com/l/openstring...
#opensource #surgext #shortcircuitxt #audio #linuxaudio #sounddesign
tildesounds.gumroad.com/l/openstring...
#opensource #surgext #shortcircuitxt #audio #linuxaudio #sounddesign
Open String Guitar [Shortcircuit XT]
A free guitar library for shortcircuit xt.Each Open String sampled at 3 different velocity level & as 3 different round robins + some percussive hits.Demo Video:Get Shortcircuit…
tildesounds.gumroad.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:34 PM
So if you were thinking about open samplers -- here you go!
(Anyone else working with ShortcircuitXT or building libraries? Can do a little roundup!)
(Anyone else working with ShortcircuitXT or building libraries? Can do a little roundup!)
No paywalls, no splash screen ads, no subscription ransom you have to pay to do your work, no features you don't need -- just fast, free motion and video in your browser tab.
@pikilipita.com Pikimov V5 was already a big deal, but the "classic" video editor make it a must-try.
@pikilipita.com Pikimov V5 was already a big deal, but the "classic" video editor make it a must-try.
Pikimov, free Web visual tool, now has a classic editor for video editing - CDM Create Digital Music
Pikimov, the community-supported free Web visual tool, keeps getting better. Pikimov 5 dropped today with a "classic" editor that makes it competitive with tools like CapCut -- or any time you need a ...
cdm.link
February 4, 2026 at 6:43 PM
No paywalls, no splash screen ads, no subscription ransom you have to pay to do your work, no features you don't need -- just fast, free motion and video in your browser tab.
@pikilipita.com Pikimov V5 was already a big deal, but the "classic" video editor make it a must-try.
@pikilipita.com Pikimov V5 was already a big deal, but the "classic" video editor make it a must-try.
Must-hear playlist from the Blacktronika professor himself.
@kingbritt.bsky.social x Moog x Black History Month:
@kingbritt.bsky.social x Moog x Black History Month:
King Britt shares a Moog-filled Black History Month music playlist - CDM Create Digital Music
You've got to feed yourself -- that goes for music just like everything else. So your ears don't just want this playlist from King Britt and Moog. They need this playlist. And you can bet, given King'...
cdm.link
February 4, 2026 at 11:41 AM
Must-hear playlist from the Blacktronika professor himself.
@kingbritt.bsky.social x Moog x Black History Month:
@kingbritt.bsky.social x Moog x Black History Month:
Been playing with Retrobatch on the Mac and -- wow, it's great to see independent software. Apple failed to add Actions for their own tools or any automation features in their Creator Studio.
These are the makers of Acorn, too -- @flyingmeatinc.bsky.social
Macworld wrote a review in 2022:
These are the makers of Acorn, too -- @flyingmeatinc.bsky.social
Macworld wrote a review in 2022:
Retrobatch review: Easy-made process workflows for image processing
Retrobatch and Retrobatch Pro remove all the effort for any imaging task that needs automation, including rules-based outcomes.
www.macworld.com
February 4, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Been playing with Retrobatch on the Mac and -- wow, it's great to see independent software. Apple failed to add Actions for their own tools or any automation features in their Creator Studio.
These are the makers of Acorn, too -- @flyingmeatinc.bsky.social
Macworld wrote a review in 2022:
These are the makers of Acorn, too -- @flyingmeatinc.bsky.social
Macworld wrote a review in 2022:
Joy of instruments and gear, distilled: yep, walk the show floor virtually with photographers @goestagraph.bsky.social and Mehdi Hassine.
Best of show: walk NAMM with us in a gear-mas gallery - CDM Create Digital Music
Who stood out at this year's NAMM show, that festivus of gear that brightens our winters from Anaheim? We've given you some idea with NAMM and LA's Buchla & Friends. Here, in images, are our favorites...
cdm.link
February 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Joy of instruments and gear, distilled: yep, walk the show floor virtually with photographers @goestagraph.bsky.social and Mehdi Hassine.
People are making false comparisons between AI and MIDI. Completely different. MIDI is an all-seeing God; the one true God, lord of everything known and unknown. We have no true autonomous will outside MIDI — MIDI is all and all is MIDI.
AI is basically like autocomplete.
AI is basically like autocomplete.
February 3, 2026 at 12:41 PM
People are making false comparisons between AI and MIDI. Completely different. MIDI is an all-seeing God; the one true God, lord of everything known and unknown. We have no true autonomous will outside MIDI — MIDI is all and all is MIDI.
AI is basically like autocomplete.
AI is basically like autocomplete.
The folks at Resolume are set to banish color banding with this one -- plus a ton of improvements and tutorials, especially that video synthesis tutorial in Wire.
Resolume 7.24 adds 10-bit color, more - plus a bunch of new tutorials - CDM Create Digital Music
Visualist workhorse Resolume continues its rapid update cadence. New in 7.24: 10-bit color output, performance optimizations, improved capture device support, new CRT effect, new Wire nodes, Wire usab...
cdm.link
February 3, 2026 at 10:44 AM
The folks at Resolume are set to banish color banding with this one -- plus a ton of improvements and tutorials, especially that video synthesis tutorial in Wire.
Evergreen.
Yeah, to anyone saying MI is just about people messing around with synthesizers and not "working professionally," uh... could be a feature, not a bug. ;)
Yeah, to anyone saying MI is just about people messing around with synthesizers and not "working professionally," uh... could be a feature, not a bug. ;)
February 2, 2026 at 10:16 PM
Evergreen.
Yeah, to anyone saying MI is just about people messing around with synthesizers and not "working professionally," uh... could be a feature, not a bug. ;)
Yeah, to anyone saying MI is just about people messing around with synthesizers and not "working professionally," uh... could be a feature, not a bug. ;)
Kyiv is without electricity, heating, water; they have nightly attacks -- but these two are unstoppable. Kaximia talks to us about community and learning in Kyiv and internationally, plus why being conscious in your gear choices matters.
And yeah, these are affordable and available, too!
And yeah, these are affordable and available, too!
Ukraine's Tembra Modular continues workshops, gear despite attacks - CDM Create Digital Music
Through blackouts, bitter cold, Internet disruptions, and nightly attacks, Ukrainian DIY producers Tembra Modular persist. The two-person shop continues to run workshops and produce DIY kits and assem...
cdm.link
February 2, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Kyiv is without electricity, heating, water; they have nightly attacks -- but these two are unstoppable. Kaximia talks to us about community and learning in Kyiv and internationally, plus why being conscious in your gear choices matters.
And yeah, these are affordable and available, too!
And yeah, these are affordable and available, too!
Tim has an intriguing look space starting up in London --
Huge props to @timexile.com for putting this together; would be absolutely lovely to be part of one of the community nights at some point whenever I'm in London. This type of initiative is exactly what the electronic music community needs. 😍 www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glh7...
I could have got a lonely tiny box. I took a HUGE risk to build THIS.
YouTube video by Tim Exile
www.youtube.com
February 1, 2026 at 3:05 PM
Tim has an intriguing look space starting up in London --
Iran's internet is kinda sorta up now but heavily filtered. One way to help is to download the (official, real) Conduit client:
conduit.psiphon.ca/en
It's working, and Iranian friends who recommended it do report that people are using it.
conduit.psiphon.ca/en
It's working, and Iranian friends who recommended it do report that people are using it.
Conduit - Join the internet freedom movement.
By running a Conduit Station, you immediately help people in censored countries access the free and open internet around the world.
conduit.psiphon.ca
January 31, 2026 at 11:58 AM
Iran's internet is kinda sorta up now but heavily filtered. One way to help is to download the (official, real) Conduit client:
conduit.psiphon.ca/en
It's working, and Iranian friends who recommended it do report that people are using it.
conduit.psiphon.ca/en
It's working, and Iranian friends who recommended it do report that people are using it.
So, who's up for starting a movie club? After all this talk of private equity, we can watch where a lot of it came from -- 80s "leveraged buyouts." This one is on YouTube so I don't have to send around VHS tapes from HBO.
Oh, yeah, "Kravis"? Remember all that talk about KKR and music? Welp...
Oh, yeah, "Kravis"? Remember all that talk about KKR and music? Welp...
Barbarians at the Gate trailer
YouTube video by Faluvégi Balázs
youtu.be
January 31, 2026 at 11:28 AM
So, who's up for starting a movie club? After all this talk of private equity, we can watch where a lot of it came from -- 80s "leveraged buyouts." This one is on YouTube so I don't have to send around VHS tapes from HBO.
Oh, yeah, "Kravis"? Remember all that talk about KKR and music? Welp...
Oh, yeah, "Kravis"? Remember all that talk about KKR and music? Welp...
I love this report, because you can thumb through the pics and words and get the feeling of being there, chance encounters at all.
And it gives us a picture of the music instrument world that's a lot more optimistic than what you may have been getting lately.
And it gives us a picture of the music instrument world that's a lot more optimistic than what you may have been getting lately.
Soundbites: the music inventions of NAMM, Buchla and Friends - CDM Create Digital Music
Gear-mas comes but once a year. But with swirling doom and gloom, just how is the world of making musical instruments? We sent Nadia Says, along with Burak Yerebakan, Portrait XO, Franck Martin, and M...
cdm.link
January 30, 2026 at 11:39 AM
I love this report, because you can thumb through the pics and words and get the feeling of being there, chance encounters at all.
And it gives us a picture of the music instrument world that's a lot more optimistic than what you may have been getting lately.
And it gives us a picture of the music instrument world that's a lot more optimistic than what you may have been getting lately.
Okay, once you see it...
I predict we see a lot more real-for-real / practical stuff / lighting in this AI age. I mean now I want to cover a wall with these obviously...
I predict we see a lot more real-for-real / practical stuff / lighting in this AI age. I mean now I want to cover a wall with these obviously...
wanna know one of the dirty little secrets of how to make a cool science fiction set? this bad boy right here, the NFS 4 Freezer Spacer. this fucker shows up EVERYWHERE in scifi set design
ceilings? check! floors? check! walls? check! tables? check!
instant scifi vibe
ceilings? check! floors? check! walls? check! tables? check!
instant scifi vibe
January 30, 2026 at 9:57 AM
Okay, once you see it...
I predict we see a lot more real-for-real / practical stuff / lighting in this AI age. I mean now I want to cover a wall with these obviously...
I predict we see a lot more real-for-real / practical stuff / lighting in this AI age. I mean now I want to cover a wall with these obviously...
Faselunare's cute DSP development kit, a set of modular boards powered by Electrosmith's Daisy Seed, ends crowdfunding tonight.
Interesting to see these #opensource hardware platforms evolve!
Interesting to see these #opensource hardware platforms evolve!
Cosmolab, open DSP development kit, in final hours of crowdfunding - CDM Create Digital Music
Italy's Faselunare have done lots of great stuff over the years, and they're entering the final hours of crowdfunding for Cosmolab, a powerful modular DSP kit powered by Electrosmith's Daisy Seed. Let...
cdm.link
January 29, 2026 at 4:57 PM
Faselunare's cute DSP development kit, a set of modular boards powered by Electrosmith's Daisy Seed, ends crowdfunding tonight.
Interesting to see these #opensource hardware platforms evolve!
Interesting to see these #opensource hardware platforms evolve!
NI has finally released an official statement on insolvency with some promises to customers and partners.
Native Instruments statement on continued support for customers and partners - CDM Create Digital Music
Native Instruments has posted an official statement from CEO Nick Williams, reassuring customers and partners that support for NI products will continue through the restructuring.
cdm.link
January 29, 2026 at 4:23 PM
NI has finally released an official statement on insolvency with some promises to customers and partners.
Updated the Logic Pro 12 / MainStage 4 news piece with some assistance on how to find Ableton Link support in MainStage, and how to use it.
cdm.link/logic-pro-12...
cdm.link/logic-pro-12...
January 29, 2026 at 10:28 AM
Updated the Logic Pro 12 / MainStage 4 news piece with some assistance on how to find Ableton Link support in MainStage, and how to use it.
cdm.link/logic-pro-12...
cdm.link/logic-pro-12...
Now that Pixelmator Pro is in Apple's Creator Studio -- anyone doing automation or batch processing with it? It's still got all the Automator actions. (Remember that?)
Weirdly Quartz Compositions still live in here, too??
Weirdly Quartz Compositions still live in here, too??
January 28, 2026 at 10:51 PM
Now that Pixelmator Pro is in Apple's Creator Studio -- anyone doing automation or batch processing with it? It's still got all the Automator actions. (Remember that?)
Weirdly Quartz Compositions still live in here, too??
Weirdly Quartz Compositions still live in here, too??