iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

It's a somewhat simple thing, but even as everything gets more expensive, high-end audio interfaces are suddenly budget-priced. So I'll be looking at several of these. Universal Audio has been doing some good things with Volt -- updated this month.

cdm.link

UA Volt Gen 2, Max: built-in dynamics and preamp tone, displays, more - CDM Create Digital Music

What do you do when software is feeling a little, well, disposable? Hardware, for one. Universal Audio has updated its Volt line of USB audio interfaces with built-in processing for preamp tone and dy...

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Ha I’m coming back so … I have some faith in the opposition. Also we can all use SI as in the one in the picture ;) Here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metrica... We’ve had since 1866. It’s time.

en.wikipedia.org

Metrication in the United States - Wikipedia

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

That seems possible. I’m going to continue to point to the real work and original ideas. I also fully support everybody who works in this business and moves on. In the end I believe the humans behind these projects are more than just this little industry.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Yeah, Audible Instruments is the authorized version, so I'd watch for that!

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The final missing piece: Beads, the gorgeous "texture synthesizing" granular processor and oscillator and sequel to Beads, is now open source (MIT/CC). And it's code from a time when code was written by humans for other humans to read. Ahem.

cdm.link

Beads, last of the Mutable Instruments modules, is now open source - CDM Create Digital Music

Beads, the granular "texture synthesizer" that was Emilie Gillet's follow-up to the legendary Clouds, is now fully open source. That completes the final missing piece in open-source code and free lice...

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

That’s ok; I appreciate Trump campaigning for stuff now and giving it the kiss of death. I mean apart from the New York Giants since that already ended Jaxson Dart’s season. But AI and GOP Senate candidates, knock yourself out, sir! 😢

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

I'm assuming the adoption of "SI" for AI means now *truly* the USA is never going on the metric system? I choose to believe, though. It could come with single-payer healthcare.

SI base units (outer ring) and constants (inner ring) Colored rings in pie-style with all the standard units.

Illustration of the SI system of units, with base units and defining constants used to define them: s - the frequency of the caesium transition for the second, kg - the Planck constant for the kilogram, mol - the Avogadro constant for the mole, cd - the luminous intensity of light of frequency 5.4 x 1014 Hz (the frequency of maximum sensitivity of the human eye) and radiant intensity ⁠1/683⁠ watt per steradian for the candela, K - the Boltzmann constant for the kelvin, A - the elementary charge for the ampere, m - the speed of light for the metre.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Multipolar s*** show yes. Which horrible aging men would you like to ruin your day today and amazingly you can opt to have more than one group at the same time.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Exactly! Yeah, noting there is TE gear in there! Maybe that will help counter Jesper's idea of all the "hate"; I mean -- we do all keep buying their stuff :D

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

You're welcome to finish the Talking Heads lyrics; go for it! Reply here. ;) (stop making synths making synths!)

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

"The butterfly stands as a potent symbol of the transformation between consciousness and matter, the metamorphosis of spirit and flesh. In Miao mythology, it is also the Mother of All Things, embodying the hatching and emergence of life."

cdm.link

Interview: 33EMYBW on Amalgamate, metamorphosis, and insect philosophy - CDM Create Digital Music

The patterning on butterfly wings is constructed of tiny blade-like scales (lamellar), with color structured into complex messaging and variation. That’s precisely the sonic feeling of Amalgamate, the...

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

I missed mentioning this: there *is* a free demo of HyperWarp, so if you're curious to just try this out, you can (including the free extra presets by me on CDM). Enjoy: cdm.link/hyperwarp-ha... Demo is at: babyaud.io/hyperwarp

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Ok I’m glad I didn’t write that blurb as that is absolutely something I would try to make work with exactly these results.

static.klipy.com

Simpsons: Sideshow Bob's 'Die Bart, Die' Tattoo

ALT: Simpsons: Sideshow Bob's 'Die Bart, Die' Tattoo

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

And also some sounds like this...

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Baby Audio HyperWarp is a time-warping effect built on a granular engine, with envelopes/breakpoints drawing and 7 different profiles. It's really unique, and I've got a detailed hands-on + a free soundbank I've built for it. And I've been playing sounds like this: cdm.link/hyperwarp-ha...

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The perspective we could all use right now. Showed this to my synthesis class and it struck them, so time to share it with you all, too.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

God I was so into that show for some reason...

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Reposted by Peter Kirn

Mincepies @mincepies8888.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

US Vote: October deadlines NOW Registration ends: TODAY - AK, RI, SC. 5th - AR, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, OH, TX 6th - NM 7th - MO 9th - OK 13th - DC, MD, NJ, OR, WV 14th - WI Help Desk: www.votefromabroad.org Citizens abroad request ballot by e mail. Please repost everywhere to remind other Americans

votefromabroad.org

Request Absentee Ballots for US Citizens | VoteFromAbroad.org

Helping US Citizens Request Their Absentee Ballot to Vote from Outside the US | VoteFromAbroad.org

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I don't know about everybody else, but tech lately has put me in a supremely bad mood -- with gooood reason. Then along comes Randy with a $200 used ThinkPad running Linux and his amazing software for expressing yourself in sound. And that's what it's all about.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Also, ThinkPads and fun Japanese ads featuring Donald Fagen to put you in a good mood.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I’m just about to read JMS’ bio, have you read it/do you know his backstory ? So I am curious how he thinks about identity or if he’d cast the Russian side differently now. But his personal history is deeply rooted in Belarus and Poland and in a rejection of fascist ideology and an abusive father.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

May have more to do with the general East Bloc confusion in the West, but Beata Pozniak is amazing (UA + LT parents). You know she lobbied congress and introduced the first bill to make international women’s day as a holiday ?

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

The actor is Polish though! But absolutely. There is an argument to be made that Susan Ivanova was really Ukrainian. If you think about it. At least that’s what I tell Ukrainian friends I’m trying to get to watch it.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

He posted this tip only on X, but also notes that the reason that the blogroll looks so readable is that people correctly make their user account the channel-level <title> element of the feed. Keep RSS, though; we need the human-readable open Web.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

By the way, go check out @scripting.com -- the blogroll *alone* from the father of RSS is worth investigating. And no, you should not worry about it being http, not https; that's another discussion for this use case. scripting.com

scripting.com

Scripting News

Dave Winer, OG blogger, podcaster, developed first apps in many categories. Old enough to know better. It's even worse than it appears.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

.. basically putting this out there just to manifest someone doing some arcane plug-in release with a collectors' box and, uh, I don't know, action minifigure of The Granular Goddess?

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Just updated the FLpad story with store links and noticed that, apart from being the only ones with stock, Sweetwater offers a bundle with the *boxed software*. (FLpads have 6 months' sub free, but yeah!) Prediction: physical is due for a comeback. (see gaming) cdm.link/flpad-8x8-gr...

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Yeah a few folks are too need to update my list !

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Hey, where is the industry on bsky? I mean, I know we all love Elon and JK but ... wait, no we absolutely do not, yeah, I repeat my question...

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

This was such a pleasure talking to Anastasia -- a reminder that we can resist the shallow sameness around us, and hear music that's organic, strange, and hopeful.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

"I used hydraulic mechanism sounds, recorded magpie songs, lots of real-life elements — broken glass." Anastasia Kristensen talks about Bestarium Sombre, and digging for the strange and finding niches with long attention spans, even in a world of 15-second clips.

cdm.link

Magpies and hope: a journey into Anastasia Kristensen's Bestiarium - CDM Create Digital Music

Far from the cold, hard edges and cookie-cutter music, Anastasia Kristensen is exploring anthropomorphic sound -- and digging up "weird, small nests" of music. It's just the kind of hopeful conversati...

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Kinda makes me want to go program a dragon actually — and I don’t mean vibe coding either.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Perfect. Yeah just all the right associations here.

DOTS candy box with those colored gumdrops that stick in your teeth.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Oh god. They meant it when they said ice cream of the future. On September 30, 2026, dippin’ dots achieved sentience and CAME FOR US ALL

dots
OpenAl launches Dots, its Muse competitor
Dots are always-on Al assistants that OpenAI says can 'do nearly anything' using a cloud computer and connected apps.
EMMA ROTH
SEP 29
D147

Verge headline
With some anthropomorphic dots or something. They have eyes

Dippin dots
Ice Cream of the Future.
Emblem with spherical ice cream dots in plastic tubs. Circa 1988.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I really cannot express how unpleasant these checkpoints are, and I say that from very limited experience and having every privilege (well apart from IDF being really really confused by my ethnicity it seemed) But the disruption to community is enormous and it has been so much worse since 2023.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I’m 100% for that! But I mean I am still okay with work in the studio. Thinking about what Adam Wiltzie said in this interview about solitary work *and* friendship … cdm.link/adam-wiltzie... Basically I don’t know that we need to have these tech bros in our heads with anything we’re doing.

cdm.link

Adam Wiltzie talks about his posthumous collaboration with Jóhann Jóhannsson - CDM Create Digital Music

On Friendship Survival Guide, constructed from an archive of loops and sound exchanges, it's as if Jóhann Jóhannsson is alive again. Adam Wiltzie, co-founder of Stars of the Lid and part of A Winged V...

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

It's like a parrot repeating a toddler saying nothing, and also the parrot is on an enormous amount of cocaine. "My chat agent has replaced macroeconomics" "My DDOS has replaced being alive"

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Ah interesting ! I didn’t quite get the game aspect of it though ?

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

And yeah, this is both a synth/plug-in *and* a player of game soundtracks.

chipsynth OPMZ with various operators, keyboard, Nasty Sting preset.

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Peter Kirn @pkirn.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

The OPP/OPM is the voice of the Yamaha DX21, DX100, TX81Z, and even CX5M computer -- and video game classics like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter II. This isn't just another emulation: it's grounded in years of hard work with hardware. And it turns out to be a great synth, full stop.

cdm.link

Mortal FM Kombat: Plogue’s meticulous OPMZ Yamaha emulation totally slaps - CDM Create Digital Music

We're awash with emulations at the moment, but this one is on another level. The chip that powered everything from Yamaha’s little-known CX5M computer to the best 80s FM synths and video game masterpi...

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