Introducing AudioKit Synth One J6, Your New Go-To Synth

Remember AudioKit Synth One? Millions of downloads, beloved by musicians and educators everywhere. The dedicated volunteers behind AudioKit have done it again. After nearly three years of hard work, we’re excited to share Synth One J6, a pro-quality synth app for iPhone and iPad with mobile AUv3 support. And yes, it’s totally free.

Synth One J6 is not just an app. It’s a creative instrument inspired by iconic analog synthesizers, built by people who believe music belongs to everyone.

Powered by ethical machine learning, Synth One J6 delivers lush pads, deep basses, classic keys, and vibrant leads that feel truly alive.

No ads. No subscriptions. No hidden fees. Just an exceptional instrument, freely given to inspire creativity everywhere.

We built Synth One J6 for people who are often left out. Many students and aspiring artists have mobile devices through schools or other programs, but those devices cannot install paid apps. We wanted to change that. With Synth One J6, anyone can explore, learn, and create music right away.

The interface is intuitive and welcoming. Each function has a dedicated slider or knob, making it simple for beginners and deep enough for pros. You’ll find arpeggiators, sequencers, lush reverbs, tape delays, warm choruses, and over 400 inspiring presets created by talented sound designers worldwide.

Built by volunteers who deeply value music education and accessibility, this app ensures everyone, from classrooms to community programs, can start creating music instantly.

In blind listening tests, Synth One J6 matched the sound quality of expensive desktop plugins, with many musicians even preferring its tone. But the real win is getting professional music tools into hands that have never had access before.

Please help us share it. Tell a teacher. Tell a student. Tell anyone who’s dreamed of experiencing a vintage synthesizer but lacked the opportunity.

Together, we can make sure that creativity is not limited by money, location, or background.

Because music belongs to everyone.

LEARN MORE:

Official Synth One J6 Webpage

Download:

Synth One J6 isn’t “freemium” or loaded with annoying in-app purchases. You download it. You play it. You create. End of story.

Ever wanted to dive into audio programming but didn’t know where to start?
Enter the newest NSScreencast series featuring our favorite audio framework: AudioKit!

Ben Scheirman has kicked off a new series that takes you from the very basics of audio all the way to building your own synths, ambient soundscapes, and even a multi-track audio engine. And the best part? You don’t need a PhD in coding, just a little curiosity and a working copy of Xcode (Free Download).

Here’s what’s covered so far:

Audio Fundamentals
Understand how sound works and what it means in code. No jargon, just the basics to get your brain in sync with your ears.

Getting Started with AudioKit
Learn how to install AudioKit and use it in your first project. A quick and painless start.

Build a Monophonic Synth
Create a simple synth using oscillators, mixers, faders, and reverb. A hands-on project you’ll actually want to show off.

Ambient Noise Designer
Blend pink, white, and brown noise. Add panning, reverb, and auto-sweep to create a chill audio space.

Multi Track Audio Engine
Build a basic engine with sync, mix, and mute features. It’s a great step toward more complex audio apps.

Each episode is short, clear, and packed with real code you can use.
Start watching at nsscreencast.com and bring your audio ideas to life.

See more AudioKit Tutorials here

Learn more about AudioKit code here: AudioKit.io

Xcode 26 introduces Coding Assistant, a new tool that helps you write code with the help of AI. It comes with built-in support for ChatGPT. But what's really nice is that Apple lets us add our own model providers, including Anthropic's Claude.

This means you can use Claude Sonnet 4 in Xcode, just like you would with the built-in ChatGPT, as shown in the video below.

Coding Assistant in Xcode 26 requires an M1 Mac running macOS 26 Tahoe.

Let's walk through how to add Claude as a model provider.

Step 1: Generate an Anthropic API Key

First, go to console.anthropic.com/settings/keys and generate an API key. Xcode will use this key to send requests to Claude. You can name the key anything. I chose "Xcode 26".

Copy the API key to your clipboard and store it somewhere if needed. You will need it in a couple of seconds.

Step 2: Add Anthropic as a Model Provider

Now we're ready to set things up in Xcode by following the steps below.

1. Open Xcode's Settings.
2. Go to Intelligence → Add a Model Provider.
3. Select Internet Hosted and enter the following:

URL: https://api.anthropic.com/
API key: Paste in the key you just generated in Anthropic's console.
API key header: x-api-key

It should look something like this:

You can now select Anthropic's models for use with Coding Assistant. You may need to restart Xcode before the model provider shows up.

That's it. Now you're ready to start using Claude to write Swift code directly inside Xcode.

Nowadays, Xcode Playgrounds seems to have deviated from its original purpose, and configuring VSCode can be overly complex for beginners. Against this backdrop, how can we easily set up an environment suitable for learning and testing Swift? Perhaps Notepad.exe, as introduced in this article, will provide a satisfying solution.

Those who have enjoyed Sculpture’s remarkable zoetrope records should immediately pre-order the second printing of this new 8″ square lathe cut from the one and only DJ Food recording as Locked Loop Group.  Not only will one be primed to dance, one will also – by means of a stroboscope app with frames set to 24 frames per second – have a wonder to behold. And of course the vinyl, designed by Openmind, is a work of art even without the strobe.

The genesis of these tracks – two club cuts each presented in mono and stereo versions – is just as fascinating.  DJ Food created a monster turntable called the Quadraphon, featuring four tonearms so that one can play four parts of a record at the same time, creating a mix from a single source.  “Acid Endless 1 & 2” reflect the wealth of the artist’s selection of locked grooves (thus the moniker).

As expected, this is a pair of acid bangers, a treat for those who lose the genre’s energized sound. “Acid Endless 1” gets right into it with deep electronic bass, joined by squelches and squiggle.  The music sounds like a spacecraft landing, with hi-hats adding to the adventure.  Every couple bars, the music morphs, a new theme emerging as late as 5:44, while the plot remains the same.  “Acid Endless 2” also starts strong out of the gate, and never loses steam.  A bit more distorted than the first track, the piece demonstrates “the grit and crunch you get after a needle had been ploughing the same groove for fifteen minutes plus.”  The most effective section arrives deep in the track as the piece seems to warp and unlock before snagging the groove again.  When played out, the piece is likely to exude a live feeling, even if the record isn’t mixed into another.  This aural illusion is a match for the physical illusion created by the zoetrope.  

It’s an honor to hear new music from this all-time sonic innovator, even more to have such music presented in a keepsake edition, worthy of display.  (Richard Allen)

Summer is near, bringing the roar of lawnmowers, drowning the dawn chorus.  From push mowers to ride-a-mowers to massive multi-blade vehicles, the sounds are inescapable.  While many wear headsets (tacitly admitting that they are contributing to noise pollution), others prefer the ambient drone.  Sage Martens (Matthew Sage & Lieven Martens) have found a way to corral this sound into music.

The amusing liner notes are a reminder that fresh-cut lawns are an unnatural thing inherited from the Brits, who were inspired by gazing at Italian paintings.  The Americans “supercharged” the activity with fertilizers and weedkillers that often polluted the water supply.  (As an aside, my neighbor, who has an abnormally bright, chemically-treated lawn, has been watering and mowing since March while my own grass has remained depressingly brown.)

So perhaps we need a new symphony.  The title track begins with preparations for lawn mowing, the rustle and clutter, soft enough to discern birdsong; and then the motor fires up.  Remarkably, Sage Martens finds harmonies, softening the intrusive nature of the rumble.  Hints of brass enter, implying an orchestra; then repeatedly, the mower sputters out.  These moments highlight the contrast between the bucolic and the disruptive; but at the same time, one begins to hear the mower as an instrument in its own right, the stops and starts only part of the performance.

Two brief pieces highlight the appeal (or lack thereof) of different mowers: the Snapper Riding Mower and the Fiskars StaySharp Reel Mower.  The first dominates the sonic field, although the volume dips in and out as the motor struggles to maintain an even keel.  The second represents an ecological alternative that requires more human power while using less punishing sorts of energy. There’s also a difference in price: $2000 or more.  In the album’s centerpiece, “The Scent of freshly mown Grass, historical lament,” Sage Martens offers a modern mechanical ode, allowing notes to be shaved and abraded like cut grass while mowers move around them.  In this piece the music is more prominent than the mowing, underlining the emotional connection.  Yankee Candle once offered a scent called Fresh Grass: nostalgia in a jar; the duo does the same in sound.

“Song between the Blades” blends these experiences like mulch.  The volume is balanced, the motor sounding at first like bicycle wheels.  Electronic clusters dance around the lawn, daring the blades to cut them down.  The integration mirrors that of the mind, which after so many years may become able to tune out the sounds, in the same way as city dwellers become acclimated to horns and construction.  In this piece, the lawn mower becomes an instrument of beauty rather than an unwanted guest.  Highlighting the insidious appeal of the unnatural practice, “Song between the Blades” even makes one want to mow one’s own yard, just to hear the sound.  (Richard Allen)