Joan Irias
EN EDICIONES · Technology
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LA VOZ DETRÁS DE JOAN IRIAS.
Joan escribe sobre tecnología musical desde el punto de vista del uso real. Las funciones importan, pero importan más el flujo de trabajo, la rapidez y el momento en que una herramienta se vuelve realmente útil en un estudio o directo. El resultado es una cobertura técnica muy cerca de hacer música.
En AT-DJ, el archivo de Joan Irias mantiene esa mirada a través de Technology, con piezas pensadas para añadir contexto y no limitarse a repetir el anuncio.
TODOS LOS ARTÍCULOS
El archivo completo de publicaciones, de la más reciente a la más antigua.
TechnologyUniversal Audio Topline Vocal Tune review: fast tuning, clean workflow
Topline Vocal Tune is a well-judged real-time vocal processor for producers who want useful tuning without turning every correction into an editing session. Key detection, Speed, Elastic and Sustain cover the practical work, while Shift mode opens a more synthetic route through pitch and formant changes. Apollo users gain an especially tidy monitoring workflow, but the native version is fully relevant on its own. It is strongest as a recording, monitoring and mix plug-in; detailed surgical pitch editing remains outside its brief. For modern vocal production, the balance of speed and control is convincing.
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TechnologyAlphaTheta SLAB review: Serato Studio finally gets dedicated hardware
SLAB is a convincing piece of dedicated software control because it maps closely to the way Serato Studio already works. The 16 large pads, touch strip, encoders and central dial cover chopping, step sequencing, stems and plug-in parameters without turning the controller into a generic bank of MIDI assignments. The hardware feels most coherent when Serato Studio is the main production environment, and that same focus is the biggest caveat. Producers who split their time across several DAWs will get less from it. For beatmakers committed to Serato’s workflow, SLAB brings welcome physical speed and structure.
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TechnologyDenon DJ PRIME 4 review: four-deck standalone power still holds up
The original PRIME 4 has been around long enough to prove that its strongest ideas were not gimmicks. Four-deck standalone mixing, an adjustable 10.1-inch screen, internal-drive support, multiple media inputs and a genuinely independent Zone output still make it unusually capable for mobile DJs and venues. Its size and dense control surface demand space, and newer Denon hardware offers fresher processing and features, so this is no longer the obvious flagship choice. As a self-contained performance hub, though, PRIME 4 remains powerful, practical and far more flexible than its age might suggest.
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PluginsMinimal Audio Lucid review: granular processing built for tracks
Lucid is one of the more convincing attempts to make granular processing behave like part of a normal production session. Its strongest ideas are practical: grains can stay locked to key, motion can follow the DAW timeline, and internal modulation can turn static source material into rhythmic or harmonic layers without constant resampling. The interface is dense but sensibly organised, and the preset library gives the deeper engine an accessible front door. It suits producers who want granular sound design inside the arrangement rather than in a separate experimental session. At its regular price, the depth feels justified.
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TechnologyReason Free puts 15 Rack devices inside almost any DAW
Reason Free is an easy recommendation for producers who have ever been curious about the Rack but did not want to buy into the full Reason ecosystem. Fifteen devices is enough to build proper synth, drum and effects chains, and the back-panel routing still gives the software its own character inside another DAW. Europa, Kong, Scream 4, The Echo and RV7000 MkII alone make the download worthwhile. The greyed-out Reason+ catalogue is an obvious upsell route, but the free tier does not feel like a crippled demo. It is permanent, works in major hosts and can even run as a 16-track DAW.
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TechnologyAlphaTheta XDJ-AN review: streaming moves into the all-in-one booth
The XDJ-AN is a connected two-channel system aimed at DJs who move between USB libraries, cloud preparation and streaming rather than committing to one source. The large touchscreen and familiar AlphaTheta layout keep the hardware approachable, while built-in Wi-Fi and SonicLink monitoring add genuinely useful modern conveniences. Streaming subscriptions and cloud-plan requirements can make the complete setup more expensive than the hardware alone suggests, and traditionalists may prefer a simpler offline library. For home practice, small venues and DJs who discover music continuously, though, the XDJ-AN offers a flexible route from preparation to performance.
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TechnologyBitwig Studio 6.1 review: Sampler gets seriously deep
Bitwig Studio 6.1 is one of the DAW’s most convincing point updates in years. The rebuilt Sampler handles routine slicing quickly, then opens into much deeper territory through Spectral stretching, Fragments granular playback and dynamic pitch analysis. It feels coherent with Bitwig’s existing modulation system and rewards experimentation without making basic jobs awkward. Full-edition users get the strongest version of the update, while Producer, Essentials and 8-Track owners miss some headline modes. For producers already comfortable with Bitwig, this is an easy upgrade to recommend.
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TechnologyKORG multi/poly native: four-layer synthesis without hardware
multi/poly native is a large synthesiser in the literal architectural sense: four Programs can sit inside one Performance, each with four oscillators, dual filters, modulation and effects. That amount of layering could become unwieldy, but Motion Sequencing 2.0, Layer Rotate and Kaoss Physics give the complexity musical ways to move. The software version is especially attractive because it does not isolate hardware owners; patches can travel between the plugin and the physical multi/poly. Even without the keyboard, the combination of analogue-style modelling, digital oscillator modes, waveshaping and deep modulation makes this one of KORG’s more ambitious native instruments for producers who prefer evolving sounds over one-screen simplicity.
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TechnologyTeenage Engineering OP–XY: sequencing without a safety net
OP–XY is a sequencer-first instrument disguised as a piece of minimalist portable hardware. Eight instrument tracks, eight auxiliary tracks, 14 step components, multiple synth engines, three samplers and 24 punch-in effects give it enough internal movement to build arrangements that feel far larger than the chassis. Its strength is the way sequencing, sound design and performance stay intertwined rather than becoming separate stages. The problem is equally clear: US$2,299 puts every compromise under a microscope. Producers attracted to pattern logic, probability and compact performance tools may find a uniquely coherent machine; anyone primarily comparing raw specifications per dollar will have a harder time making the case.
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TechnologyKontakt 8: sampling becomes a wider creative platform
Kontakt 8 remains a heavyweight because it serves two very different users at once. It is still the infrastructure behind an enormous instrument ecosystem, but Leap, Conflux and the growing Tools framework give producers more reasons to open Kontakt before they already know which library they want. For electronic music, that shift matters: loops can be manipulated quickly, chords and scales can be constrained, and hybrid synthesis can sit beside detailed sampled instruments in the same environment. The platform is large, storage-heavy and more complex than a dedicated one-purpose sampler, yet version 8 makes that scale feel more creatively useful rather than simply bigger.
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TechnologyAbleton Move: four tracks that make limitations useful
Ableton Move succeeds by refusing to become a miniature laptop. Four flexible tracks sound restrictive on paper, yet the combination of Drum Sampler, Melodic Sampler, Drift, Wavetable, 32 polyphonic-aftertouch pads and quick capture tools gives those tracks considerable range. The hardware makes most sense as a sketchbook that can travel from sofa or train to a full Live session without forcing the same workflow at every stage. Move 2.0 broadens the machine further with audio-track functionality, but the identity remains focused. Producers who want deep standalone arranging may hit the ceiling; those who value immediacy and a clean hand-off to Ableton Live are likely to understand the point very quickly.
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TechnologyFabFilter Pro-Q 4: the EQ grows into a mixing system
Pro-Q 4 is less about reinventing equalisation than removing the small delays that pile up across a mix. The familiar spectrum display and direct band editing remain central, but spectral dynamics, Character modes, EQ Sketch and the Instance List turn it into something broader than a single-channel EQ. The attraction for electronic production is obvious: resonant synths, busy percussion, vocals and stacked low end can be managed from one consistent interface. It remains a premium purchase for an EQ, yet the combination of speed, precision and session-wide control gives the fourth version a clear reason to exist beyond incremental polish.
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TechnologyRoland CR-78 Software review: vintage rhythm with modern control
Roland’s CR-78 software is a smart remake because it respects the original machine without forcing producers to inherit its limitations. The familiar kick, snare, metallic percussion and preset rhythms are all here, but independent sound shaping, shuffle, sub-steps, flam, pattern variations and drag-and-drop export make the plug-in practical for current production. It works especially well when a track needs softer, less aggressive drum-machine colour than a 909 or 808. Producers chasing huge contemporary drums will layer it, but for characterful rhythm programming the package is focused, fast and musically useful.
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TechnologyAlphaTheta CDJ-1500X review: club workflow in a smaller player
The CDJ-1500X makes sense as a compact player rather than a cut-price flagship impersonation. Its 10.1-inch display, cloud and streaming access, Wi-Fi, OneLibrary support and familiar browsing logic preserve the parts of the modern CDJ workflow that matter most during a set. The smaller body and lighter weight are genuinely useful in tight booths and home rigs. You give up some of the physical scale and connectivity associated with top-tier players, so large professional installations will still look higher in the range. For flexible two-player systems, the 1500X is a thoughtful balance of size and capability.
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PluginsNative Instruments SuperStarSaw review: rave synthesis with focus
SuperStarSaw is a specialist synth with a strong sense of purpose. It gets enormous stacked leads and chords moving quickly, but the dual Swarms, voice offsets and Morpher give it enough depth for stranger metallic or unstable textures too. The interface keeps that complexity readable, which matters when the whole point is speed. At $99 it makes most sense for producers working in trance, hyperpop, rave and maximal club music. If stacked saws are only an occasional ingredient in your tracks, a broader instrument will stretch further.
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PluginBABY Audio Atoms: physical modelling with an unstable pulse
Atoms has a recognisable personality because its sound engine starts from simulated physical behaviour rather than a familiar oscillator-filter recipe. The virtual bow excites a network of masses and springs, producing tones that can feel string-like, metallic, unstable or strangely acoustic without behaving like a sampled instrument. That makes it particularly useful for pads, plucks, drones and evolving details that need movement. The interface keeps the underlying maths out of the way, and the 250 presets provide a broad entry point. At $49 in the current sale, it is an easy recommendation for producers who want one synth in the folder that consistently pushes them away from standard patches.
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PluginBABY Audio Transit 2: motion effects built for arrangement
Transit 2 is one of those plug-ins whose purpose is immediately obvious in an electronic arrangement. It can build a rise, breakdown movement, rhythmic effect or live-triggered transformation from a single chain, then animate that chain with a macro, LFO, envelope follower, sidechain signal, gate or DAW-synced sequencer. The 28 effects give it enough range to move from subtle filtering to deliberately oversized transitions. The clever part is not the number of modules; it is the shared motion system that makes them behave as one event. Used with restraint, Transit 2 can save a lot of automation lanes and keep arrangement work moving.
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TechnologyFLkey 49 MK2 is strongest when FL Studio stops feeling remote
A focused controller whose value depends on integration quality.
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TechnologyZebralette 3 turns one part of Zebra 3 into a free sound-design entry point
A focused tool, not a universal promise.
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TechnologyKORG’s Petrichor pack adds a softer electronic palette to Module
A focused tool, not a universal promise.
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TechnologyTracker Mini firmware keeps Polyend’s portable workflow moving
A focused tool, not a universal promise.
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Technologyrekordbox 7.2.16 brings Phase HID support into the DVS workflow
A practical workflow update rather than a headline feature for every DJ.
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TechnologyMoog Messenger puts a modern mono synth into a familiar performance frame
A focused product, not a universal answer.
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TechnologyLaunchkey 88 MK4 makes sense when the keyboard becomes the session centre
A tool with a clear job.
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TechnologySeaboard M is small because expression is the whole point, not the extra
A focused tool with a clear creative identity.
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TechnologySeaboard M makes expression feel less like an extra feature
A small controller with a clear personality: best when used for gestures that would feel stiff on ordinary keys.
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TechnologyArturia’s Belledonne bundle turns abundance into the product
A rich suite for producers who want range, provided they can keep abundance from slowing the session down.
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TechnologyOzone 12 keeps mastering technical without making it colder
A strong mastering environment for producers who want assistance without surrendering the last decision.
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TechnologyEngine DJ 5.0 makes preparation feel like part of the performance
A compact but meaningful ecosystem update for DJs who value clean preparation as much as booth features.
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TechnologyAkai’s MPC 3 push turns standalone hardware into a more complete arrangement system
A strong workflow update that makes MPC hardware feel more credible as a full arrangement environment, while still asking producers to buy into Akai’s own way of working.
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PluginBABY Audio TAIP: tape colour without the maintenance bill
TAIP is at its best when tape is treated as a palette rather than a historical re-enactment. It can add thickness and saturation, push harder into distortion, exaggerate glue, introduce wear, noise and warble, or preserve more low and high end for a cleaner result. That range makes it useful on drums, synths, buses and deliberately degraded textures. The machine-learning angle is interesting, but the practical value lies in the controls and the breadth of colour they offer. At $39 during the current sale it is very good value; at $99 it faces much tougher competition from established tape plug-ins.
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