TONIC 2 Wins Sounds of Revolution Award for Best Key Detection Plugin

Our newly updated key and scale detection plugin has received high praise from Sounds of Revolution for its intuitive workflow, powerful MIDI features and creative capabilities.

We're delighted to announce that TONIC 2 has received the Sounds of Revolution Award, following a glowing review in the publication's roundup of the best key detection plugins.

In the article, Sounds of Revolution founder Oliver Schmitt compares three leading key detection plugins, placing TONIC 2 at the top of the list alongside offerings from other music software developers.

Praising TONIC 2's fast and intuitive key detection, redesigned interface and expanded creative features, Oli highlights how the latest update makes it easier than ever to move from analyzing audio to writing music.

More Than Just a Key Detection Plugin

Released in October 2026, TONIC 2 builds on the original plugin's powerful key and scale detection capabilities with a redesigned interface, improved MIDI functionality and an entirely new chord workflow.

In his review, Schmitt highlights several features that make TONIC 2 particularly useful for music producers and composers:

• Fast Key and Scale Detection: Analyze audio in real time or offline, with up to three suggested keys and their corresponding probabilities.
• Interactive Keyboard and Chord Mode: Explore compatible notes and chords, audition harmonic ideas and drag chords directly into your DAW as MIDI clips.
• Improved MIDI Functionality: Play compatible notes and chords using a MIDI controller, or route MIDI to other instruments.
• Fold Keys Mode: Map notes from the selected scale to the white keys of your MIDI keyboard, making it easier to experiment with melodies.
• Reference Tuning Detection: Identify recordings that deviate from standard A440 tuning, with deviations displayed in cents and Hertz.

The new drag-and-drop chord workflow is praised by Schmitt, who describes how it helps him quickly write basslines, melodies and chord progressions without interrupting his creative workflow.

A Sounds of Revolution Award Winner

Having used the original TONIC for several years, Schmitt describes TONIC 2 as a significant improvement, highlighting its streamlined interface and ability to turn key detection into a practical songwriting tool.

He concludes:

"TONIC 2 stays my most-used key detection plugin."

The review ends with Schmitt awarding TONIC 2 the Sounds of Revolution Award, recognizing its combination of speed, simplicity and creative functionality.

We're thrilled to receive this recognition from a professional sound designer who has relied on TONIC in his creative process for some time.

Discover TONIC 2

Whether you're finding the key of a sample, combining loops from different sources or creating new melodies and chord progressions, TONIC 2 gives you the tools to work confidently with harmony and write better music.

Available for Windows and macOS in VST3, AU and AAX formats, TONIC 2 brings powerful key detection and music theory tools directly into your DAW.

Discover TONIC 2 and see how it can enhance your creative workflow.

You can also read the full Sounds of Revolution review to find out why TONIC 2 received the award.