Audionautic | Covering the Latest in Music Production, Marketing and Technology

This week, we’re talking about the subtle growth that happens over years of making music:the things we’ve quietly improved at without really noticing. From trusting our ears more, to simplifying workflows, finishing tracks more naturally, and becoming more comfortable creatively, this episode is about the small changes that shape us over time as producers and musicians. A more honest conversation...

This week we revisit the story of Native Instruments following the announcement that the company is being acquired by inMusic. After insolvency proceedings earlier this year, the future of Native Instruments, iZotope, Plugin Alliance and Brainworx appeared uncertain. Now, a new chapter begins. We discuss:What this acquisition means for musiciansThe importance of Native Instruments’ legacyThe growi...

This week we’re diving into the new features in Ableton Live 12.4 with a live demo and discussion. We’ll be exploring:Link Audio for real-time collaboration over local networksImprovements to Stem SeparationUpdates to Erosion, Chorus-Ensemble and DelayThe new Learn View systemWorkflow changes across Push, Move and NoteWe’re less interested in reading release notes and more interested in asking:How...

This week we’re looking at a new update from YouTube that allows creators to replace copyrighted music with AI-generated tracks. On the surface, it solves a real problem. Content stays live, claims are resolved, and the process is faster than ever. But what does this mean if you’re the one making the music? We shift the conversation away from creators and toward musicians, exploring what happens w...

Not every session works. This week we talk about what actually happens when nothing is clicking in the studio. The moments where ideas don’t land, progress stalls, and you’re left wondering whether to push through or walk away. Do you try to fix it, or start again? Do bad sessions mean something’s wrong, or are they just part of the process? A more honest conversation about music production, creat...

This week we sit down after a full month with the MPC Sample to ask a simple question: what actually holds up once the novelty wears off? We compare it directly with the Roland SP-404MKII, exploring workflow, sampling approaches, creative limitations, and how each device shapes the way you make music. This isn’t a spec breakdown. It’s a conversation about lived experience: what feels fast, what fe...

This week we’re taking a deep dive into some of the most underrated free plugins from u-he. We’re exploring Triple Cheese, Podolski, and the Tyrell N6, three very different instruments that cover everything from physical modelling to virtual analog and modular-style synthesis. These plugins have been around for years, but still hold up incredibly well across modern DAWs. We’re putting them to the...

This week we’re discussing the acquisition of Elektron by Bonnier Capital. Elektron says operations, products, and team structure will remain unchanged, with the goal of supporting long-term growth and expansion. But as we’ve seen across the industry, acquisitions often play out over time rather than immediately. We explore what this could mean for Elektron’s identity, product direction, and commu...

This week we’re discussing the growing issue of AI-generated deepfake music on streaming platforms. Sony Music claims to have removed over 135,000 tracks impersonating real artists, with major names already affected. These AI-generated songs are designed to mimic artists and take advantage of attention during release cycles. We unpack what this means for musicians, listeners, and the future of mus...

This week we’re taking a look at the new Akai MPC Sample, a portable standalone sampler that brings the classic MPC workflow into a compact, modern format. With built-in battery, speaker, sampling, sequencing, and performance effects, MPC Sample is designed as an all-in-one creative tool for making music anywhere. But where does it actually sit in today’s landscape? We compare it to devices like t...

This week’s episode is a round robin conversation about the things we overcomplicate in the studio. Kick drums. Arrangement. Mix bus processing. Sound design. Workflow. We all have areas where we spiral — adding layers, tweaking endlessly, chasing perfection, or solving problems that didn’t exist in the first place. We’re unpacking why we do it, when complexity helps, and when it quietly holds us...

This week we’re exploring the most overrated advice in music production. Not bad advice. Not wrong advice. Just ideas that might be over-repeated, oversimplified, or applied without context. From “use reference tracks” to “you need analog warmth,” “limit yourself,” and “finish everything,” we’re unpacking why certain producer mantras stick — and when they genuinely help versus when they quietly ho...

Ableton Live 12.4 is now in public beta, and this update is all about refinement, collaboration, and deeper workflow improvements. This week we break down Link Audio and what real time audio streaming between devices actually means for producers. We also explore the updated Erosion device, improvements to Chorus Ensemble and Delay, refinements to Stem Separation, and the new Learn View that replac...

There are a few technical difficulties this week, the internet was not our friend. We appreciate your patience :) ____________________________________________________________ This week we’re exploring Strum Plate by Gulf Coast Synthesis, a free MIDI effect that separates what you play from when you play it. Inspired by the touchplate interface of the Omnichord, Strum Plate lets you hold chords wit...

This week we’re unpacking two very different sides of the music technology world. First, we look at the news surrounding Native Instruments entering preliminary insolvency proceedings. We break down what’s actually happening, what it means for musicians who rely on NI tools, and why this is more about financial structure than failing products. Then we shift gears into a post NAMM 2026 roundtable,...

This week we’re diving into Zebra 3 from U-He, exploring why it remains one of the most deep and flexible software synthesizers available today. Rather than a feature checklist, this episode is about discovery, approach and what it feels like to work inside a truly modular synth environment. We’ll talk through Zebra 3’s oscillators, spectral shaping, modulation system and sound design philosophy,...

This week’s episode is about want vs need. We explore the internal dialogue that shows up when we feel the urge to buy new gear, plugins, or software. Where does that desire come from? Is it curiosity, FOMO, comparison, or a genuine creative requirement? We talk about:Recognizing the difference between wanting and needingWhen a purchase actually makes senseSocial media influence and comparisonPrac...

We’re back for our first show of 2026.In this episode, we ease into the new year by reflecting on the winter break. We share what we got up to, highlight a few poignant moments in the studio, and talk about how time away shaped our thinking about music and creativity. We also look ahead to the year to come. Not resolutions, but intentions. What we’re excited about, what we want to protect, and how...

This is our final episode before the winter break, so we’re taking a moment to look back. In this end of year retrospective, we reflect on our creative highlights, personal achievements, and the moments that shaped our musical year. From releases and conversations to lessons learned and unexpected wins, this episode is about acknowledging progress and sharing gratitude. No announcements, no hype,...

This week we sit down with long-time Audionaut, patron, and ambient architect Survey Channel, diving deep into his new release Ecomediums — a sonic journey built from repurposed media, intuitive construction, and a fractured digital consciousness. Ecomediums questions the validity of repurposing art and media. Using fragments of MIDI, samples, layered ambient synthetics, and a (mis)guided intuitio...

Ableton Live 12.3 is here and we are breaking down everything in the new update. From Stem Separation and Splice integration to new workflow tools like Bounce Groups, Paste Bounced Audio and Device A B, we look at which features matter and how they might change your music making. This week we are joined by a guest host who is not an Ableton user, so expect real debate about whether this update pus...

This week we are not doing the usual Black Friday deal roundup. Instead we are taking a step back and talking honestly about something that affects all of us. GAS. Gear lust. The constant temptation to buy more just because everything is on sale. So today we are doing the opposite of a deal guide. We are talking about what we already have, why Black Friday plays on our insecurities as artists, and...

This week we’re continuing our Artist Spotlight series with Sunwarper and his new album Today’s Traces: a meditative, ambient journey through memory, impermanence, and the emotional residue of everyday life. Today’s Traces captures the moments that slip between the bigger milestones, those fleeting in-between spaces that define who we are. It’s a record of warmth, stillness, and reflection. Check...

This week we’re setting course for the cosmic and the technical. An artist spotlight on Kh3rtis and his stunning new album A Transdimensional Passage on a Mazonik Bao Chuan, a sprawling ambient voyage through chaos, order, loss, and renewal. We’ll unpack the textures, storytelling, and sound design behind one of the most evocative records of the year. Check out Kh3rtis' new album here:https://...

Every producer has a few hidden gems that quietly make their studio workflow shine. In this episode, we each share the gear and software that we can’t live without. From creative plugins to underrated pieces of hardware, we talk about how these tools shape our sound, speed up our process, and keep us inspired in the studio. Help support the channel: https://www.patreon.com/audionauticThanks to our...