Table of contents for 02/2026 in Beat English

Spotify Wrapped and YouTube‘s year in review make it official: 2025 was the year of boundary-breaking. Hybrid genres are exploding—think K-pop crossovers like KATSEYE or Chappell Roan‘s quirky pop, which mixes drag elements with synth pop. In recent weeks, topics such as “heart-on-sleeve pop” with artists like Olivia Dean have been trending, and J-pop is going global. But the real buzz is around immersive events and sustainability: BizBash reports on festivals with VIP programs supported by philanthropic initiatives and eco-friendly elements such as solar-powered stages. Anyma‘s “The End of Genesys” at The Sphere in Vegas blew away 137,000 fans with LED displays – a milestone for multisensory shows. But why is this so hot? These changes point to a more inclusive scene: micro-genres on TikTok, AI collabs in streams, and…

Deep work methods for modern producers 1 The 2-minute start technique Producing rarely fails because of a lack of talent, but because people don‘t get started. Open your DAW and, within the first two minutes, set a kick drum on beat 1, a bass drum on the root note, and record a melodic id, without browsing. This minicommitment will reliably get you into the flow. 2 The10-minute sketch Instead of „I‘m going to make a track today,“ define aclear micro-goal: 10 minutes of groove + hook. A kick/bass pattern, an arpeggio, a chord, or a motif – nothing more. This limitation lowers the barrier to entry and ensures that small ideas quickly become usable sketches. 3 Habit stacking for producers A fixed start pipeline saves time and prevents preset hunting.…

1 30-minute track Set a timer for 30 minutes and start with a blank session. Begin with the kick and bass, add a hook, and build a minimal arrangement. The goal isn‘t a finished track, but a musical blank that will help you progress. This challenge trains speed, decision-making, and the courage to leave things unfinished. 2 Only 3 sounds Get creative! Choose three sounds: for example, kick, bass, and lead, or three one-shot samples that you can manipulate however you like. Everything you hear must come from these three sources. This encourages you to experiment more instead of searching. This challenge will hone your skills with FX, layering, filters, and resampling. 3 One synth challenge Open a single synth, be it Serum, Pigments, DIVA, Vital, or TAL-Noise-Maker, and build…

1 Choose chords Start a new Cubase project and load HALion Sonic. In the browser, select the Writing Room Synths library and then the Bright Synth Strings preset. Show the Chord Pads in the lower zone and try out different presets (such as Modern Synthwave) and chord progressions until you find a progression that conveys the desired Synth Pop vibe. 2 Lay out the area Drag the chords onto the corresponding MIDI track and mute the low root note of the chords. For a wider sound, you can activate Unison Mode for the pad. Continue with the bass: Load the Classic Bass 1 preset from the same library into Slot 2 and deactivate Unison Mode. Here we only use the low chord root notes. 3 Bassline On the ARP page, we now…

1 Adjust the UI Customize the user interface to perfectly suit your personal workflow. Click Edit in the Taskbar and rearrange the most important windows. A larger Frequency Analyzer or a customized Toolbar layout will give you a better overview. Every click you save will get you back into your creative flow faster. 2 Create Templates Create templates that are tailored to your production routines. Prepared mixer routings, named and color-coded tracks, and pre-configured buses save valuable time. Feel free to draw inspiration from the Image Line presets. A good start to a new session with fewer technical hurdles gives you momentum for creative work. 3 Custom Presets Save frequently used effect chains in the Mixer or complex patcher routings as presets so that you can reuse them immediately at any time. The…

The four of us live in an old apartment building. In terms of space, I‘ve set up my workspace in a bedroom corner. According to recommendations and guidelines, I‘ve done pretty much everything wrong, but I tried to get the best out of it. The screen should be at a ninety-degree angle to the window. On summer days, a roller blind helps me. Screen and speakers should be at eye level. I designed my desk myself and had a carpenter cut the panels accordingly. Enough space to rest your arms for long sessions. I covered the wall with foam absorbers. With the Fluid absorbers, my speakers offer better sound than with the foam pads I had under-neath before. For my hardware, I opted for a Billy bookcase with slanted shelves.…

12 MAG ISSUES STARTING AT 71,90 EURO/YEAR ACCESS TO OVER 100 ISSUES IN THE ARCHIVE GET OVER 1,2 TB OF INSTRUMENTS & SOUNDS PLUS GIFT OF YOUR CHOICE! Want it? Get your subscription here: www.plugins-samples.com Find your favorite subscription gift at www.plugins-samples.com SAVE 238 € IK MULTIMEDIA T-RACKS 6 PRO* With 40 high-quality audio processors, T-RackS 6 PRO offers everything you’d expect from a professional mixing, mastering, and sound design tool. Classic analog emulations meet modern digital modules in a modular environment that works as both a plug-in and a standalone console. Versatile, great-sounding, and easy to use. www.ikmultimedia.com Gift ID: F1369 no additional costs SAVE $119 AMPLE SOUND AMPLE BASS TR6* Feel the groove! Ample Bass TR6 brings the versatile sound of the six-string electric bass Yamaha TRBJP2 (John…

Marteria – L.I.E.B (prod. by The Krauts) – 808 w/NI‘s Massive X 1 Pufferfish „You are my pufferfish“ – with this image of a passionate, dangerous love that always walks on the edge of escalation, Marten Laciny, Marteria‘s real name, paints a picture on the second single from his album Zum Glueck in die Zukunft III, to be released in early 2026. He was already very successful with Part 1 (2010) and Part 2 (2014). 2 Never change … …a winning team! That seems to have been Marteria‘s thought for the album, because he has been working with producer team The Krauts, David Conen, Vincent von Schlippen-bach and Dirk Berger, since 2010. Together with Peter Fox, Marteria‘s alter ego Marsimoto, Miss Platnum and many other German artists, the producer trio has also…

Following the closure of AKG in Vienna, a core team of 22 former AKG employees founded Austrian Audio in 2017. The young company quickly established itself as a major player among microphone manufacturers. Practitioners soon recognized that the Vienna-based company‘s products perfectly reflect the expertise of their developers: Anyone who purchases a microphone—or one of the equally impressive headphones—knows that they are getting a very good sound translator for their creative work. We have been fans of Austrian Audio from the very beginning, which is why we were immediately excited when the Viennese company announced a new top-of-the-line microphone: The OC-S10 is a large-diaphragm condenser microphone designed for recording vocals and instruments with “unparalleled precision.” The centerpiece is the advanced, hand-tuned CKR12 ceramic capsule—a modern homage to the legendary AKG…

The Joranalogue Delay-1 Split-Phase Bucket Brigade Delay Line is not your normal delay, but it is a complicated analogue multifunctional module that may require a bit more study than just being able to plug it in and play it right away. It is an advanced utility module, and it becomes easier to patch and play once you have had a few sessions with it to familiarize yourself with the inputs and outputs. Then you can delve a bit deeper into the sounds you can create with it and explore its endless patching possibilities. It has so many options to be creative with, albeit a bit hard to grasp at first. This module is more about the subtleties in sound design, though it can be abrasive as well, as Joranalogue is…

1 Minimal Template Always start with the same lean template: one MIDI track each with a Drum Rack, harmony instrument and lead instrument, plus an audio track named Reference. Save the set as a template. Give yourself a clear framework: 30 minutes for idea, 30 minutes for structure, 30 minutes for arrangement and recording. Set a real timer so you don‘t get sidetracked. 2 Reference Stems Load a reference track onto Reference. Select the track and pad that hold the track. Go into Clip mode. Press the Convert button. Select Stems in the display and then the button under Seperate. Live creates 4 stems: Vocals, Bass, Drum and Other. Turn them down by 15 dB so that they‘re a quiet guide for groove, energy flow and mix. 3 Drum Generator Select the Drum…

11.01.2026 - 12.01.2026 Cuepoint.DJ Kassel, DE 20.01.2026 - 24.01.2026 NAMM Show  Anaheim, US 03.02.2026 - 06.02.2026 ISE 2026 Barcelona, ES 17.04.2026 - 19.04.2026 Synthfest France Nantes, FR 24.04.2026 - 26.04.2026 Akustika Nuremberg DE 07.05.2026 - 09.05.2026 Superbooth  Berlin, DE 13.05.2026 - 17.05.2026 Berlin Dance Music Berlin, DE 04.06.2026 - 07.06.2026 HIGH END Vienna 2026  Vienna, AT 18.06.2026 - 20.06.2026 Sonar Festival 2026  Barcelona, ES…

With our online service, plugins-samples.com we have set up a digital subscription service through which you can obtain BEAT in digital form. This includes all monthly software content as downloads and the digital magazine in German and English. The two annual subscriptions also include access to the complete BEAT archive with over 130 issues currently available. The software content includes several gigabytes of VST/AU plug-ins, instruments, effects, audio software, samples, loops, sound banks, and so on… Just „everything a producer needs!“. The monthly editions usually come with two plug-in highlights, which are either BEAT versions with slightly stripped-down features, but also sometimes include full versions of commercial software. The three available subscription models differ in duration and price, starting at 4.99 Euro per month. The models give you access to…

The most important 20% of the work Arranging, grooves, hooks, and rhythmic choices create the lion‘s share of the musical effect. Details, layers, micro-edits, and elaborate FX are just finishing touches. Focus on the big picture first – it’s what carries the track. 2 The three tracks that carry 80% of your song Kick, bass, and lead or vocals are your foundation. If these three elements are strong, the track works – no matter what you build around them. That‘s why it‘s worth investing more time here than in pads, FX, or complex layered synths. 3 Why groove is more important than sound design An average sound with a great groove is more impactful than a perfect sound without drive. Rhythmic placement, ghost notes, push/pull, and dynamic variations create energy…

1 Create a bus structure Start with a clear mix: Create a group track in Live for Drums, Bass, Harmony, Leads, Vocals, and FX/Atmos. Move all tracks neatly into these groups. Set an Auto Pan Tremolo on each bus, but leave it off for now. That way, you‘ll know exactly where the movement is coming from later on, instead of having to search for hidden modulators. 2 Space for drums Activate Tremolo Mode in the Harmony and Lead group. For a straight four-to-the-floor kick, set Rate to Synced and ¼, Phase to 0°, and select a square Shape curve. For breakbeats, select ⅛ or ½ so that the chords are slightly pushed away from the kick and snare. This allows your groove to breathe audibly without setting up complicated sidechain compressors. 3 Cleaner…

We continue to carry the idea of Love, Peace, and Unity, just like in the sixties, only with Electronic Dance Music. Yet Dr. Motte does not look back, he looks forward. With Rave The Planet, he continues the idea of a parade for everyone, and tirelessly fights for the recognition of club culture as part of our cultural heritage. His commitment has significantly contributed to the Berlin Techno scene being recognized as intangible cultural heritage by the German UNESCO Commission in 2024—a milestone for Electronic Music worldwide. Behind the decks, he remains driven by the moment to this day. His sets are emotional, unpredictable, and uncompromisingly real. Whether in a small club, at a festival, or in front of hundreds of thousands at a parade—Dr. Motte turns music into collective…

DJ Hell: Neoclash In the techno and electro scene, DJ Hell, aka Helmut Josef Geier, is as well known, and his extensive output makes it difficult to keep track. In any case, the German is considered one of the pioneers of electroclash. It is precisely this music that he brings into the present on this album – as a kind of musical experiment in which he consciously returns to his roots. Hell works with elements borrowed from Italo disco, new wave, indie dance, Chicago House, Acid and Detroit Techno, but places them in a contemporary context so that the result only partially feels nostalgic. Old-school elements keep shining through but are deliberately used as quotes. The tracks are stripped-down, rhythmically pointed and come with a slightly punk-like attitude that receives…

The common thread: Beat magazine 02/2026 For many years, Beat has been inspiring its readers not only with practical and musical topics, but above all with the tight integration of editorial content. From the very beginning, Beat has been about creating, about the structured building of ideas and the common thread – in the magazine as well as in the tracks. This navigator shows you the highlights of this issue and allows you to see the big picture. Masterclass: Focus & Flow Mental health in music production is not a “wellness issue,” but rather a workflow problem. Endless sessions, plug-in overkill, and algorithm pressure: today‘s studio routine pushes many to their limits—both technically and emotionally. This masterclass shows you how to stay productive without burning out through clever workflow design,…

Today‘s production tools are more powerful than ever – and that‘s precisely what throws many producers off balance. Between endless preset lists, overflowing plugin folders, endless tutorials, and social media comparisons, it‘s easy to lose sight of the big picture. Instead of songs, countless open browser tabs, self-doubt, and projects that never get past the first eight bars emerge. This masterclass shows you how to streamline your workflow, clear your mind, and get back to what it‘s all about: making music. With clear systems, effective routines, and genuine stress-reduction techniques, we‘ll bring focus, enjoyment, and output back to your sessions. You‘ll learn how to start faster, stay in the flow longer, and consistently finish tracks – all without new plugins, without pressure, and without feeling overwhelmed. And to keep you…

1 Diagnosis: how much you‘re actually using Take an honest inventory: Which EQs, compressors, reverbs, saturations, and synths actually end up in your tracks? Most producers get by with 5-10 core tools – the rest are duplicates, experimental purchases, or one-off plugins. This clarity is the first step: You have enough tools to make fantastic music. 2 Four categories that cover 80% For the vast majority of productions, you only need four building blocks: EQ, compressor, saturation, and reverb/delay. One strong, familiar tool per category dramatically speeds up decision-making. Less choice doesn‘t mean less flexibility ¬– quite the opposite: those who truly know their tools work faster, more creatively, and with greater focus. 3 Your personal favorites library The larger your plug-in collection, the more important a clear core becomes.…

1 Make it a Template I generally recommend that Logic-heavy users work with templates. These templates contain all the tracks, plugins, routings, and layouts that you need anyway, as well as individual project settings that you would otherwise have to recreate each time. These are stored directly in the templates, saving you a huge amount of time! 2 Custom View Since this is where you‘ll be looking most often, alongside the arrangement, I recommend customizing Logic‘s Title Bar. Just having information such as CPU usage and buffer size directly visible in the center display helps a lot! In addition, icons such as those for the Metronome, Count-in, and Tuner make important steps quicker to access. 3 Relative Chase One of the great mysteries of Logic is why these settings cannot be set permanently.…

1 It’s Template Time Working with customized templates can be one of the best ways to increase your focus. No more setting up routing every time, distributing your favorite plugins across tracks, creating groups, assigning colors and tracks… One click and everything is there! And let‘s be honest, we often use the same plugins anyway, don‘t we? 2 Same procedure So, create a project that you configure to serve as the basis for new projects. Then, save it by clicking “Save as Template“. This template will now appear in the dashboard under “My Templates“. If you always want to start with it, go to Settings, General, then Templates, check the box, and select it there. 3 Inspector Key Let‘s continue with workflow tips for custom keyboard shortcuts. Unlike in Ableton Live, you can…

Ternär Music Technology Flechtwerk Pro Anyone who loves the macro oscillator Plaits / Braids from Mutable Instruments will immediately prick up their ears with Flechtwerk Pro: Ternär transfers this concept to a software synthesizer with some innovative ideas. The interface is minimalist – three large Macro controls for Harmonics, Timbre and Morph, a global Color control and a compact Lowpass Gate Envelope. The whole thing is complemented by a tempo-synced LFO. But appearances are deceiving: Behind the GUI, 24 synthesis models are at work, which can be changed at the press of a key. They cover a broad spectrum: From classic waveforms and FM variants to physical modeling, noise engines and experimental sound generators. The combination of Randomize functions and the Step Sequencer, which not only modulates parameters but can…

1 Lead vocals First, load your vocal line onto an audio track in your DAW and duplicate it for the harmony part. Now you have two options: Either you cut the vocal recording into syllables and transpose them manually, or you use your DAWs pitch editing features such as VariAudio in Cubase, Flex Pitch in Logic, or Melodyne. 2 Harmony part Move the notes so that this part harmonically complements the lead vocals. The result still sounds slightly artificial, as the formants change when transposing – this is exactly where ReSing comes into play. Insert the plug-in on the new harmony track as an Insert effect and drag your vocal recording directly into the Player Window. 3 Fine tuning In contrast to pure Pitch Shifting, ReSing generates a completely new voice based…