The vocoder—part military technology, part musical instrument—has had quite a history. In our new Object of Interest video, we explore the vocoder in settings ranging from the Second World War ...

Well, the MiniFreak just got freakier, as Arturia drops another free update for existing owners, and an entirely new version of the synth to boot: MiniFreak Vocoder Edition.

Dave Tompkins is an acclaimed music journalist. His new book, How To Wreck A Nice Beach, is a history of the vocoder from its military applications to its musical ones.

6 tech products you should know about this month — including an AS Vocoder, Allen & Heath mixer and forthcoming KORG synth ...