Is This a New Era for Fender? Fender Studio Pro First Look (NAMM 2026)
Thinking About Guitar visits NAMM 2026 for the launch of Fender Studio and Fender Studio Pro, Fender’s new music creation software built on the PreSonus Studio One foundation. Nick Jennison explores Studio Pro Version 8 highlights like AI-assisted polyphonic audio-to-MIDI and Fender’s Motion 6 pad controller with chord mode for fast, guitar-friendly music creation.
Fender Studio has arrived at NAMM 2026 and so has Thinking About Guitar. Nick Jennison chats with Oscar at the launch of Fender Studio / Fender Studio Pro — Fender’s new flagship music creation software built on the foundation of PreSonus Studio One. We dig into what’s new in Fender Studio Pro (Version 8), how it’s designed for the modern musician/content creator, and why the new AI tools could be a game-changer for guitarists.
One of the biggest highlights? AI-assisted audio-to-MIDI conversion — including polyphonic audio — letting you drag a recorded guitar performance into a MIDI track and instantly trigger virtual instruments and synths without needing a full MIDI guitar setup.
We also check out Fender’s new Motion 6 pad controller and chord mode, where single pads can trigger full chords and even iconic chord progressions, making music creation easier for players who don’t live on a keyboard (or don’t have a ton of theory under their belt).
If you’re into recording guitar at home, building jam tracks, creating content for social media, or just want a more accessible way into music production, this one’s for you.
See all of Thinking About Guitar’s NAMM 2026 coverage right here.
