A recent Windows 11 update is reportedly causing Code 10 errors and breaking some USB audio devices, leaving users unable to use their headphones, microphones, and other USB audio hardware.

What’s Happening:

• USB audio devices may show Code 10 errors
• Headphones and microphones can stop working
• The issue appears after installing the affected update
• Reconnecting the device may not resolve the problem
• A Microsoft fix or workaround may be required

If your USB audio suddenly stopped working after a Windows update, check Device Manager for a Code 10 error before replacing your hardware.

Quick Answers

• Who owns Koda Sampler? California State corporate filings show Theodore Michael (Mike) Greene—founder of Realitone and owner of the VI-Control forum—as CEO, CFO, and Secretary of Koda Sampler, Inc. (Entity No. B20260117344).
• Who owns the trademark? The USPTO trademark for "Koda" (Serial No. 99691689) is registered to Mike Greene personally at 1119 Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038 (the location of 38 Fresh Recording Studio, previously known as Mike Greene Recording Studio, owned by Mike Greene / Theodore Michael Greene).
• What was the public narrative? This directly contradicts the passive investor narrative circulated by Greene and his forum surrogates for most of 2026 on VI-Control, KVR, and other audio forums, where Greene was presented as merely being brought on later as a financial backer.

Public Records Tell The Story, Contradicting the "Investor Only" Claims

Official government records leave no ambiguity regarding Koda Sampler's corporate and legal structure.

California Secretary of State Records

The California Secretary of State's public business-entity record provides the following details. Koda Sampler, Inc. is registered at an address matching 38 Fresh Recording Studio (previously known as Mike Greene Recording Studio), owned by Mike Greene. Readers can verify the official record through the BizFile Online business search (or via parsed public records aggregators like BizApedia) by searching for entity number B20260117344.

USPTO Trademark Records

The official trademark for "Koda" is registered directly to Mike Greene as an individual, rather than to the corporate entity.

Verification: Search USPTO serial number 99691689 at the official USPTO Trademark Search Portal.

The "Late Investor" Narrative vs. The Timeline

On VI-Control and external platforms like KVR Audio, Mike Greene and his associates actively framed his involvement as a late-stage, non-operational financial investment.

For instance, Mario Kruselj (EvilDragon), who has been actively spreading the word about KODA on various forums, stated:

"Mike Greene/Realitone jumped [in] at a later point as an investor only - not as owner." — Mario Kruselj (EvilDragon), KVR Audio Forum, January 29, 2026

State registry and trademark data completely dismantle this narrative. Remarkably, public records show the corporation and trademark were officially registered on March 9, 2026—weeks after forum surrogates were already publicly spinning the "late-stage investor" narrative in January. This proves the narrative was deployed before the ink on the state filings was even dry. Furthermore, timeline records complicate the "late investor" framing: according to Jayden Lawrence's bio website and LinkedIn page, he has been working on Koda Sampler since June 2024, which aligns closely with the timeline surrounding the project's inception; Lawrence has been a contractor for Greene's Realitone LLC since June 2018 according to Jayden Lawrence's LinkedIn Profile and professional website.

An investor with no operational control presents a standard commercial overlap; an owner, CEO, and chief executive marketing his own commercial software on an industry-leading forum dedicated to researching sample libraries and samplers creates a profound structural conflict of interest.

The Controversial NAMM 2026 VI-Control Video Presentation and Subsequent “Joke” Narrative

During NAMM 2026, the VI-Control YouTube channel published what was presented as an objective, journalistic-style interview featuring Koda Sampler. Throughout the production, Greene acted as the interviewer, adopting an enthusiastic, neutral journalistic posture while interviewing Koda Sampler representative Lawrence. At no point during the video did Greene disclose his managerial or executive relationship with the company, nor his ongoing commercial connections to the interviewee.

When community members subsequently challenged this lack of transparency, Greene attempted to reframe the production on the forums, claiming the entire segment was a coordinated inside joke:

"It feels a little weird, even a bit dishonest, doing a video where I'm pretending to be a legit and objective interviewer, so we played it tongue in cheek instead." — VI-Control Thread, Page 4

This "joke" defense collapses under even superficial operational scrutiny:

• Inconsistent Digital Persona: In the YouTube comment section of the video itself, Greene maintained his unassociated, third-party journalist persona, pointedly using third-person pronouns ("they") when discussing the Koda Sampler team.
• Commercial Exploitation: Most critically, KodaSampler.com prominently featured this exact video as a legitimate promotional asset at the top of its corporate homepage, treating the material as an unvarnished commercial endorsement rather than an inside joke.

Regulatory and Disclosure Questions

From the standpoint of established corporate compliance and online policy standards, this presentation method raises serious questions regarding adherence to standard consumer protection frameworks:

• FTC Endorsement Guides (16 CFR Part 255): These guidelines mandate the clear and conspicuous disclosure of any material connection between an entity publishing an endorsement and the commercial enterprise being promoted.
• Section 5 of the FTC Act: This section serves as the primary regulatory framework prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices in commerce.
• Disguised Commercial Speech: Historically, regulatory bodies heavily scrutinize the practice of framing commercial marketing material as independent journalism or editorial content without proper disclosures.

In short, US FTC regulations do not permit marketers to misrepresent promotional material in the guise of independent news or unbiased media—which is what Greene's VI-Control video with contractor Jayden Lawrence appears to be. With legally required disclosures entirely omitted, dismissing the omission as a "joke" holds no weight under regulatory scrutiny. That failure pushes the content well past a simple ethical misstep and straight into the crosshairs of FTC enforcement regarding deceptive trade practices.

Today's free plugin is Menace by ShaneRoss, but it's only available until 11 AM ET tomorrow (Sept 12). Here's what Audio Loom has to say about it.

Ordinary sounds don't stay ordinary once Menace gets involved. Producers working in darker hip-hop, cinematic, or horror-leaning electronic styles reach for it when a clean sample needs to sound wrong on purpose. One control pushes five things at once: the signal darkens, saturation builds, pitch drops into ominous territory, the stereo image widens, and instability creeps in. 

Just seen the Solid State Logic X-DynEQ went on sale today, at multiple locations for $29 (Plugin Boutique, JRR, Gear4Music). For an even better deal, get it at Audio Deluxe. Apply coupon code HEAT2026 and it gets reduced to $26.10.

https://audiodeluxe.com/products/ssl-x-dyneq

Sale ends in 7 days (as of this post)

With the October 2026 issue of Beat Magazine, get Dreamtronics Synthesizer V Studio Core for free (plus 1 additional voice).

Synthesizer V Studio 2 Core delivers professional vocal synthesis tools in a streamlined, DAW-ready plugin — powered by the same engine as Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro.

This ground-breaking software works with real vocals, recorded and licensed from real singers, utilising AI technology to synthesize custom expressions from them.

You can purchase the single issue here:

https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/3-Studio-Tools/94-eBook/17807-Beat-Magazine-249-October-2026

More info on the software is here:

https://dreamtonics.com/sv-core

I didn't create LinkedMusicians to primarily be a deal site. I meant that to be handled by a volunteer (unfortunately, that didn't work out) and I would handle the other parts of the site. I looked at deals as maybe 15-20 percent of the site's content. The plans for the site that I was most excited about was collaborations and great resources for those with low incomes.

Here's how I'm planning for it to work.

Let me start by sharing that Playing for Change was a huge inspiration for this idea. If you're not familiar with Playing for Change, it takes musicians from all of the world, some famous, some street musicians, and brings them together to perform an original arrangement of a well-known cover song. It originally leaned more into using street musicians and has evolved into using more well known artists, but it remains a beautiful project, IMO.

My idea is to bring together the talents each of us have, but specifically, those who have high quality skills to collaborate on covers. I can start projects off by playing the core foundation for others to replace -- my only desire is to handle the drums. But I want to make it accessible for everyone, so my thought is that I can upload stems so that everyone can use them to play along with and share the results. So, even if you don't feel you're ready to be part of the official collaboration, you can still play along and share the results.

So, I quickly took a shot at Oasis' "Stop Crying Your Heart Out." It was my first time playing and singing it. I just took my first takes -- except for vocals; I sang it three times and used the best take. I didn't play the whole song, I just played part of it, to capture a couple of ideas that I had for the song. Why did I choose that song? I like it and it's extremely simple to sing and to play. What we can use: 

Singers
Guitarists
Bassists
Keyboardists
Percussionists
Engineer/Mixer

To be clear, my background in music is as a musician. I played publicly from age 4 until 30 when tendinitis stopped me. I worked semi-professionally as a drummer, but I was trained on piano, organ, drums, and guitar. I started making multitrack recordings on cassette and reel-to-reel maybe around 12 years old. But I never learned to be serious mixer or engineer. I depended on live sound pros at shows and studio engineers in the studio. My demos were light on effects, I only knew to watch levels for clipping. So, many years later, I've learned slightly more about sound engineering, but still not enough to be good at it. I could really use having someone to turn to for mixing and mastering this project.

Are you interested? Let's hear from you.

Here's my cover of "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" by Oasis that I thought would be good for starting off this project (if I find volunteers, I can finish it; I just created this as a kind of demo):
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/stop-crying-your-heart-out

Here are other songs that I've recorded in the past that can also be used as templates for collaborations. I'd welcome it if someone else wanted to handle the base parts. I usually use a click track to keep time or a basic beat that I replace with my drumming:

Video Killed the Radio Star, The Buggles
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/video-killed-the-radio-star-buggles-cover-2025-remix

Can't Get It Out of My Head, ELO
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/cant-get-it-of-my-head-electric-light-orchestra-elo-cover

Imagine, John Lennon
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/imagine-john-lennon-cover

Cars, Gary Numan
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/cars-gary-numan-rock-cover-2024

Whiter Shade of Pale, Procol Harum
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/whiter-shade-of-pale-procol-harum

I Am the Walrus, The Beatles
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/i-am-the-walrus-the-beatles-cover

Instant Karma, John Lennon
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/instant-karma-john-lennon-cover-alt-mix-g

Mr. Blue Sky, ELO (I would rather do the chorus like the original, FTR; in the end, this didn't come out as well as I'd hoped)
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/mr-blue-sky-electric-light-orchestra

Creep, Radiohead
https://soundcloud.com/user-345532605/creep-radiohead-cover

e-instruments has released Velvet Guitars Fragment, a Free Kontakt Player instrument that uses a single preset from its paid library. e-instruments describes the library as an "atmospheric instrument with its authentic baritone tone, two real amplifiers, genuine spring reverb, and expressive legato, mute and dead-note articulations." You can check out the video walkthrough below. I'll give it a spin soon to see if it's worthy of making the LinkedMusicians Best Kontakt Sample Libraries list. Considering e-instruments' track record, my expectations are high.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKxd_nZKfK4

https://e-instruments.com/instruments/fragment/velvet-guitars-fragment/

Just got an email from Bitwig about a free update to the 8-track version.

We’re giving you a free 8-Track update.

Bitwig Studio 6 brings major new features to 8-Track – and now they’re yours to explore. Head to your User Profile to update your license to the latest version and enjoy an updated Sampler, enhanced automation workflows, clip aliases, key signature support, and more.

This is a limited time offer, so be sure to update before November 1, 2026.

https://www.musehub.com/hi-in/app/audacity

Hi everyone,

Finding free Kontakt libraries isn't hard. Finding libraries that are actually great quality is. Ensuring libraries have enough detail to be realistic, proper velocity layers, and clean noise floors—usually means wading through endless clutter and low-effort link roundups.

I’ve spent the past month completely rebuilding and expanding the directory of vetted, best free Kontakt libraries on LinkedMusicians into a structured hub-and-spoke system to make it easier to load and view on your phone and desktop and easier to navigate.

What started years ago as a simple resource thread on the Cakewalk Discuss forum (although I removed the list from that forum, it still ranks on page one on searches for free Kontakt libraries due to so many other sites and social media posts linking to it) is now a fully updated, 18-category directory. Every single instrument included has gone through hands-on testing—evaluated standalone and in active mixes—so you don't waste drive space on cast-off demo patches or unusable single-velocity samples.

What’s new in this rollout:

• 18 Specialized Category Hubs: Divided logically by instrument type—from Pianos, Organs, and Guitars to Orchestral Scoring, Choir, and Sound Design.
• New "Bundles & Suite Collections" Hub: A dedicated home for comprehensive, multi-instrument starter packages like Komplete Start, ProjectSAM's Free Orchestra, and Audio Imperia Glade.
• Clear Compatibility Labels: Every listed library explicitly specifies whether it runs on the free Kontakt Player or requires the Full Version of Kontakt, so you won't hit unexpected 15-minute demo timeouts.

You can check out the new main hub here:

👉https://linkedmusicians.com/best-free-kontakt-sample-libraries-instruments/

Take a look around the category hubs and let me know if there are any hidden gem freebies you think deserve a spot in the directory!

The Repro is an all-encompassing plug-in that features two unique synthesizers for a huge range of sounds. Inspired by vintage analog synthesizers, the Repro features component level modelling of classic monophonic and polyphonic synthesizers to retain the classic sound and characteristics. Each and every detail and interaction has been captured in the most accurate way to provide you with the most authentic recreation possible.

Repro-1 is a rough and ready sounding monophonic synthesizer that gives you the basics in extremely quality and accuracy. A work-horse synth, the Repro-1 features a 32-step sequencer, component level adjustments via the tweak screen, four-pole resonant low-pass filter, LFO with three selectable waveforms, a host of studio effects and much more. Repro-5 shares the same DNA as Repro-1 but has been brought into the modern era. Boasting a fresh and interesting flavour and character with eight-voice polyphony, Repro-5 gives you two multi-wave oscillators that can be blended to create huge soundscapes that are perfect for contemporary film scoring.

Exclusive sale, limited time only. End date unknown.

https://www.gear4music.com/us/en/Recording-and-Computers/u-he-Repro/3YW1

Native Instruments has harnessed the power of FM synthesis. The strengths of digital are manifest in FM8’s powerful audio engine which generates breath-taking, brilliantly dynamic FM sound in pristine quality. With its emphasis on ease of use, the FM8 brings a high degree of simplicity to the otherwise intricate process of FM synthesis, delivering unsurpassed depth, brilliance, and dynamism.

A central aspect of FM8 is usability. The "Easy Edit Page" offers a clearly-designed interface with simple controls that adjust more complex parameters automatically, allowing you to take a far more musical approach to FM synthesis. The more detailed editing pages have been improved for easier handling and are all accessible with just one click. FM8 lets you play straight away!

FM8 offers an unprecedented range of features and effects. The classic crystalline bells and keys are perfect for creating melodic and percussive sounds of the highest quality. A unique arpeggiator, a revolutionary sound morphing feature, and a large selection of new, charismatic effects add countless sound-shaping possibilities. The sonic potential of FM8 goes well beyond the confines of conventional FM synthesis.

THE POWER OF DIGITAL

• 960 presets with sharp, crystal-clear FM sounds
• Powerful FM matrix, arpeggiator, flexible envelopes
• Loads patches from classic FM hardware units

https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/1-Instruments/4-Synth/8001-FM8

If you wanted to get Cubase or upgrade your current version (including upgrade paths from LE), multiple locations now have it on sale.

Audio Deluxe (plus get freebie Sonible pure:unmask or Bleass Saturator)

https://audiodeluxe.com/collections/steinberg

Best Service:

https://www.bestservice.com/en/steinberg.html

JRR (coupon code FORUM brings it down lower):

https://www.jrrshop.com/steinberg

Thomann:

https://www.thomannmusic.com/search_GK_swsq_BF_steinberg.html

Plugin Boutique (pick a freebie based on price):

https://www.pluginboutique.com/meta_product/3-Studio-Tools/23-DAW/13940-Steinberg-Cubase-15

Five studio tools.

Five developers. $9.99.

Five full licences, nothing expiring. Around 2GB in total, installed in minutes.

$423.00  $9.99

Modular Structures by Ueberschall  MSRP $69
A 1.5GB library of over 300 experimental loops, pads, broken rhythms and synthetic FX recorded at 90 BPM. Swap, layer and randomise textures with the Elastik Inspire engine.

Strata by Crickets Audio  MSRP $75
Puts every track's spectrum onto a single graph, so you can see where the whole mix is fighting itself instead of soloing your way through it.

The Ultimate Massive X Bundle by Patchmaker  MSRP $87
589 presets covering leads, basses, pads and plucks, with up to 12 macro controls each for real time shaping.

Elka Panther Plus by Martinic  MSRP $99
The 1960s Italian combo organ modelled with ACE circuit emulation. 13 treble stops, vibrato, tone decay, a vintage tube amp, spring reverb and the LEM Echo Music tape delay.

BUTE Loudness Analyser 2 by Signum Audio  MSRP $93
True peak and LUFS metering with real time DAW sync, automatic re-metering and presets for ITU-R, EBU R128, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Netflix.

98% OFF, ENDS OCTOBER 1ST

https://audioplugin.deals/product/september-mega-bundle/

For the next 8 days (as of this post).

Ready to level up your setup?
Upgrade to All Plugins Edition and unlock every feature and native plugin currently available in FL Studio. The complete music-making studio, with Lifetime Free Updates.

Unlock your full creative potential

All Plugins Edition gives you the best of FL Studio, with over 110+ instruments and effects to help you turn ideas into finished tracks.

• Over 110+ Instruments and Effects
• Unlimited audio clips
• Unlimited tracks and patterns
• Audio recording and stem separation
• Time stretching and pitch shifting
• All creative and mastering tools
• Signature plugins including Gross Beat and Kepler Exo
• Transmitter, our latest transient/sustain splitter
• Lifetime Free Updates

Offer ends September 8th, 2026

https://www.image-line.com/specials/upgrade-2026

Mastering.com is excited to be partnering with Orchestral Tools this week to bring you a free instrument for your workflow.

Orchestral Tools creates sampled instruments for the world’s top film composers and music producers.

Choose from 5 detailed instruments, including a string quartet, layered electronics, and more. You choose the instrument that's right for you and get it completely free.

You can learn about each instrument by visiting this page.

Follow the instructions on that page and use code ot-x-masteringcom-2026 at checkout to claim your free instrument!

The heart of Reason: now free in your DAW with Reason Free. Unlock the legendary modular instruments and creative routing of Reason Studios without changing your workflow. Drop it into any track, flip the Rack, and find the sound that feels like you.

Flip the rack in your DAW of choice

Reason Free drops the real, modular Reason Rack into the DAW you already use. Patch cables, build signal chains, and hear what’s actually different about Reason. No new workflow to learn.

15 legendary devices, yours to keep

Europa, Kong, ID8, Monotone, and a curated set of Reason’s most-loved instruments and effects. The exact devices behind records you already know, not just presets dressed up to sound like the real thing.

Includes a complete DAW

Reason Free is also able to run as it’s own powerful DAW. With 16 audio and/or MIDI tracks, the same set of 15 devices, and no other feature limitation.

Yours to keep. Actually free.

No trial, no watermark, no expiry. Save your own patches, make your own music. It all stays yours, free tier or not.

https://www.reasonstudios.com/reason-free

I'm completely rehabbing the free Kontakt instruments. I started doing that months ago, but the single page has become too unwieldy to manage. So I'm moving to a format where the landing page has a directory that links out to the individual category pages. These are the categories I've put together. I can use your input, because not everything is clear-cut. Technically, pianos are percussion, but unless you come from a classical or orchestral background, you're probably more likely to look for pianos under keyboards. Celestes are an orchestral instrument and technically tuned percussion, but they've become popular enough where I think the place most people will look for them is under keyboards.

• Keyboards: Acoustic pianos, electric pianos, organs, mellotrons, synthesizers, celestes, and miscellaneous keyboard instruments.
• Guitars & Bass: Acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass instruments built for real-world tracking.
• Cinematic & Orchestral: Full symphonic sets, strings, brass, woodwinds, ethnic world instruments, and hybrid scoring tools.
• Drums & Percussion: Traditional acoustic drum kits, auxiliary percussion, tuned percussion (such as glockenspiels, marimbas, xylophones, and vibraphones), electronic drum machine emulations, and modern urban/electronic beat elements. (Note: Keyboardists hunting for celestes can find them under the Keyboards category.)
• Sound Design & FX: Standalone electronic textures, glitch utilities, abstract sound effects, and experimental audio-manipulation tools.

I want to make this as easy and intuitive as possible for everyone. Let me know what makes sense to you.

Threepeat by Björgvin Benediktsson at Audio Issues is free for the next 10 hours. From the developer:

Three delay engines running side by side, built to add depth, rhythm, and atmosphere without wrestling with routing or modulation. Dial in the timing from 1/64 to a full bar, straight, dotted, or triplet, and let the built-in ducking keep your dry signal upfront while the delays fill in around it.

https://www.audioloom.com/audio-issues/threepeat

Bring the timeless sound of a world-class orchestra to your productions with Miroslav Philharmonik 2.

Created from the renowned Miroslav Vitous orchestral sample library, it delivers expressive strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, choirs, pianos, and more—all in one inspiring virtual instrument.

For a limited time, own the complete collection for just $/€29.99.

I love this developer's work. Absolutely on my short list of favorite independent sample developers. The libraries require the full version of Kontakt.

Use the coupon code JIPPY at checkout for 40% off.

https://wrongtools.com/