Redesigned XLN Audio's Addictive Keys VST plugin — introducing AI-driven sound recommendations, a streamlined instrument library, and a modern flat-skeuomorphic UI to help music producers find the right sound faster.
Client
XLN Audio
Duration
2015
Team
Solo consultant
Role
Lead Product Designer
Music producers using Addictive Keys spent too much time scrolling through presets and fighting an interface that wasn't built for fast creative flow. The standalone version especially felt outdated. XLN Audio needed a redesign that matched how modern producers actually work — fast, intuitive, AI-assisted.
Proposed a redesign centered around three pillars: an AI-based sound recommendation engine that learns from user behavior and suggests relevant presets; a simplified instrument library with faster navigation and visual categorization; and a refreshed UI that balanced skeuomorphic warmth with the clean, flat design sensibility of modern music tools.
The concept was presented to XLN Audio and received strong positive feedback — acknowledged as innovative and well-aligned with where the creative tools market is heading. Confirmed appetite for an AI-enhanced redesign direction.
Researched the current VST plugin landscape — Spitfire Audio, Native Instruments, Arturia — to understand where UI/UX standards were heading. Found a clear trend toward cleaner, faster navigation with smart search and AI-assisted discovery. Addictive Keys had strong sonic quality but needed a UI to match.
Designed an AI-based sound recommendation layer that surfaces relevant presets based on the producer's project context, recent selections, and usage patterns. The goal was to eliminate preset browsing paralysis — letting the tool anticipate what you need before you know to ask for it.
Developed a UI direction that kept the warm, tactile quality of the original skeuomorphic design while adopting the cleaner navigation patterns of modern flat design. The result felt premium and familiar — not a complete departure, but a confident evolution that made the tool feel current without alienating existing users.
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