Synthmagazine UK | Synth News, Gear & Sound Design

23. January 2026

Akai Professional’s MPC XL: Fast-Track Beatmaking and Deep Workflow in Focus

Akai Professional steps up with the MPC XL, a groovebox that promises to streamline beat creation without sacrificing depth. In this official walkthrough, Malo Beats takes us from a blank slate to a structured track, highlighting how the MPC XL’s digital architecture and tactile controls enable a rapid, creative workflow. The video zeroes in on step sequencing, sample chopping, and hands-on mixing, all while showcasing the device’s arranger and performance features. For producers seeking a hybrid of immediacy and power, this episode of the MPC XL Academy series offers a revealing look at how Akai’s flagship integrates classic MPC sensibilities

MPC XL

23. January 2026

LYRA

ROLI

ROLI’s Expressive Arsenal: Jazz Reimagining with Piano and Airwave

What happens when you hand a chart-topping synth-pop anthem to a jazz-minded multi-instrumentalist and equip them with ROLI’s latest expressive tools? In this official ROLI Studios session, Rashaan Brown takes on the challenge of transforming Chappell Roan’s ‘Pink Pony Club’ into a lush, emotive jazz slow jam. The video is a showcase for the ROLI Piano and Airwave, highlighting not just their sonic palette but their workflow flexibility and real-time performance depth. If you’re curious about how digital instruments can reshape genre boundaries and what ROLI’s “5D touch” really brings to the table, this is a session worth dissecting.

ROLI Airwave, ROLI Piano

23. January 2026

LYRA

Akai Professional

Akai Professional MPC XL: Hands-On Workflow, No Menu Diving Required

Akai Professional’s MPC XL steps into the spotlight as a flagship groovebox, promising a tactile, streamlined workflow for beatmakers and producers. In this official MPC Academy video, Akai walks through the XL’s physical layout, emphasizing its abundance of dedicated buttons, velocity-sensitive pads, and a control scheme designed to keep your hands off the touchscreen and your mind on the music. The focus here is on immediate access—sample editing, project management, and navigation are all just a button press away. For those seeking a modern production hub with robust connectivity and a learning path to mastery, the MPC XL aims to

MPC XL

22. January 2026

SPARKY

Matt Johnson’s Keyspace

Matt Johnson’s Keyspace: The 2025 Keyboard Killers – No Filler, Just Fire

Matt Johnson’s Keyspace is back with a synth confession booth: which keyboards actually survived his 2025 touring onslaught? Forget gear hoarding—Matt’s laying out the real MVPs from a year of arena gigs, studio sessions, and globe-trotting with Jamiroquai and Purple Disco Machine. Expect sharp banter, brutal honesty, and a few curveballs (including a chorus pedal that’s still under wraps). If you want to know what stays on the rig when the setlist gets serious, this is your backstage pass. Spoiler: some legends endure, and some new blood kicks the doors in.

Groove Synthesis Third Wave, Moog One, Sequential Prophet-5, Vintage Vibe Electric Piano, Yamaha Montage M

22. January 2026

SPARKY

Jorb

Jorb Twists the OBNE Parting: Glitch, Grit, and Lo-Fi Mayhem

Jorb is back in the rave bunker, this time with Old Blood Noise Endeavors’ Parting pedal—a lo-fi glitch box that laughs in the face of polite tape emulations. Forget your standard delay and reverb routines; this thing’s a chaos engine built for those who want their sound mangled, not massaged. Jorb’s signature style—equal parts nerdy, irreverent, and hands-on—takes us through every weird corner of Parting’s design, from unpredictable feedback to sample-rate carnage. If you’re after safe, clean sounds, look elsewhere. If you want your synths and drum machines to sound like they’ve been through a toaster-fight, keep reading.

Moog Matriarch, Old Blood Noise Endeavors Parting, Roland D-50, Roland TR-1000, Strymon Volante

22. January 2026

TAS

HAINBACH

HAINBACH’s Tape Looper Trick: Hands-On Chaos for the Brave and the Bizarre

Ever wanted to turn your crusty old tape machine into a looper that’s as unpredictable as a possum at a picnic? HAINBACH, the maestro of experimental sound, is here to show us a tape hack so simple, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing it since your first garage jam. With nothing but your finger and a bit of cheek, this technique transforms any tape echo or recorder into a playground of rhythmic madness and sonic artefacts. It’s messy, hands-on, and gloriously imperfect—just the way we like it. Dive in for a wild ride through tape quirks, creative chaos, and

EchoFix, H&H Electronics Echo Unit, Nagra, Roland Space Echo, Sony TC-377

22. January 2026

RILEY

MALO BEATS

MALO BEATS Flips the Script: MPC XL Stems That’ll Make Your Beat Game Sweat

Yo, if you thought stem separation was just for the lab coats, think again. MALO BEATS is in the house, showing how the MPC XL’s new stem-splitting magic is about to shake up your whole beatmaking hustle. This isn’t some dry, button-pushing tutorial—nah, it’s a front-row seat to real vinyl, dirty chops, and workflow hacks that’ll have you side-eyeing your old gear. Whether you’re a sample fiend or just want to see a groove get built from the ground up, this video’s got the sauce. And trust me, there’s more to hear than I could ever write down—so keep your

Akai MPC XL

22. January 2026

SPARKY

Produkt Audio

Produkt Audio’s Kobol Expander Deep Dive: Analog Mayhem Unleashed

Ready for a synth that punches above its weight and then asks for seconds? Produkt Audio takes the Behringer Kobol Expander and rips it wide open, showing off every quirk, feature, and patch point in a no-nonsense masterclass. If you think you know analog, think again—this semi-modular beast blends classic French flavour with enough modern flexibility to keep even the most jaded patch-heads entertained. Expect sharp technical insight, real-time sound mangling, and a creator who doesn’t waste your time with basic synthesis 101. If you want to see a synth get worked harder than a warehouse rave PA, this is

Behringer Kobol Expander

21. January 2026

SPARKY

Scott's Synth Stuff

ASM Leviasynth: Scott’s Synth Stuff Unleashes a Hybrid Monster

Scott’s Synth Stuff just dropped the curtain on the ASM Leviasynth, and let’s be honest – this isn’t your average synth reveal. After two years of secret testing, Scott finally gets to rave about a machine that’s part digital, part analog, and all chaos. We’re talking eight oscillators per voice, a stereo signal path that’ll make your headphones sweat, and enough modulation to keep even the most jaded sound designer up at night. If you’re tired of synths that play it safe, strap in – this one’s a proper bunker-buster.

ASM Leviasynth

21. January 2026

SPARKY

Tefty Music Tech

Tefty Music Tech Turns the MPC XL Into a Sonic Street Weapon

Tefty Music Tech is back in the rave bunker, this time putting the Akai MPC XL through its paces as the beating heart of a studio setup. Forget polite DAW workflows—this is about wrangling Ableton Live, Arturia Pigments, and a couple of wild synths into one dirty, hands-on jam. Expect clever routing, real-time knob abuse, and a few gear quirks called out with zero sugar-coating. If you want to see a groovebox bossed around like it owes you money, this is your kind of video. Don’t expect a bedtime story—expect a sonic toaster-fight.

Ableton Live, Akai MPC XL, Akai MPK Mini IV, Arturia Pigments, Dreadbox Typhon, Moog Spectravox

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