Behringer publishes the source code for its KICK production center

Music Tribe has published an open-source software repository for the Behringer KICK, a standalone music production center built around sampling, sequencing and performance controls. The release follows a manifesto from founder Uli Behringer.

The code covers the KICK application, its AudIO audio engine and the hardware communication protocol, along with a Linux build system. The application, audio engine and protocol are published under the GNU Affero General Public License.

The readme describes the hardware this way:

Feature	Details
Display	7-inch touchscreen
Pads	16 RGB pads arranged in eight banks
Production tools	Sampler with sample editing, step sequencer, looper
Effects	More than 300 built in
Controls	Four assignable knobs, jog wheel
Gesture control	AI camera
MIDI and USB	MIDI In and Out, USB-A, USB-C
Audio and storage	Stereo audio inputs and outputs, SD card slot
Synth integration	Four CV/Gate jacks

Uli Behringer wrote that “The biggest threat to business isn’t AI. It’s abundance.” He says he has transferred ownership of Music Tribe to the Uli Behringer Foundation, and that the company is pursuing formal nonprofit recognition. “I believe the greatest AI revolution won’t be replacing humans. It will be unlocking the creator in every human being.”

Music Tribe plans to open “selected” designs so communities can use AI to create their own firmware, add features and reinvent products. Community-driven development is already happening with the M-Vave FM-1 and other devices. Open hardware has precedents, including Mutable Instruments modules and the Synthstrom Deluge. Synthtopia calls the KICK the first music device from a major manufacturer designed with an open firmware development model in mind.

The Behringer KICK source code is publicly available on GitHub. No retail price or shipping date for the hardware has been announced.