MusicTech Magazine

20 February 2020

Make some space in your studio... ...because there’s some new gear coming your way very soon! The annual NAMM show is our chance to feast our eyes on a massive range of fresh musicmaking technology, as well as get the lowdown on what else is coming in the year. 2020’s show was no exception, with hundreds of new products all vying for our (increasingly short) attention. This month we’ve highlighted what we think is the very best tech we saw; from synths, hardware, software, plug-ins, accessories and beyond, our cherry-picked selections should give your wallet plenty of food for thought. And, yes—it might be the case that you need to exchange some of that older gear to make room for the next generation. Speaking of new tech, this issue we also speak to the inventive co-founder of Ninja Tune records—and one half of Coldcut—Matt Black. He tells us about some of the brand new tools he’s been working on, including collaborating with Erica Synths on the Zen Delay, as well as his innovative career. We’ve got more tutorials than ever before this month, with the welcome return of our Pro Tools series and the beginning of a new range of FL Studio tutorials — one of the world’s most popular DAWs. Selections from the test-bench this month include the AMS Neve’s RMX16 500 Series reverb, Sonnox’s Oxford Drum Gate and Waldorf’s dexterous Kyra, amongst many others. We’ve also launched a brand-new podcast this month, where we speak to a range of creatives and studio professionals. More about that in our news section. It’s been a busy month, but now it’s time to settle down and focus on making the best music we can. Let’s get started!