Gary Chan appointed Managing Director of Universal Music Hong KongExec joins from Media Asia Group Holdings Limited
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World’s largest physical contemporary music archive – featuring over 90 million tracks – looking for new homeThe ARChive Of Contemporary Music is looking for a new, permanent home. The not-for-profit music library holds over 90 million physical tracks, making it the world’s largest physical archive of contemporary music.
ARC is currently based in Hudson Valley but could now be “forced to move at any time,” and is therefore in need of financial support to find a new home for its recordings.

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The library has already moved its location once before. Originally, ARC was based in New York City but was forced to move to Hudson Valley in 2020 due to a rise in rent and lack of space for its vast collection of music.
It was founded in 1985 by B. George and the David Wheeler (1957-1997), and its board of advisors includes Jellybean Benitez, Youssou N’Dour, Q-Tip, Keith Richards, Nile Rodgers, Todd Rundgren, Fred Schneider, Martin Scorsese, Paul Simon and Mike Stoller.
As Billboard reports, George says, “The space we have now is zoned for agricultural storage and not for offices. We could be forced to move at any time. Without a new home, more than three million recordings, as well as millions of historic materials spanning all cultures and races, could disappear forever.”
ARC has already received an anonymous donation of $1 million to fund the move, according to the outlet. George estimates it needs $10 million to relocate, and he would like to stay in the area as “access is important.”
ARC preserves copies of each version of every recording, in all known formats, and has electronically catalogued more than 700,000 sound recordings and digitised 400,000. ARC also houses more than three million pieces of attendant support material including photographs, videos, DVDs, books, magazines, press kits, sheet music, ephemera and memorabilia.
Find out more over at The ARChive Of Contemporary Music.
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Spotify to charge $10 per song for fake streamsAs part of a slate of changes early next year that will reshape how Spotify pays royalties, the streamer will charge labels and distributors for every song with a substantial. Continue reading
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Venn Audio Releases FREE Suite, Nine Essental Mixing VST Plugins
Venn Audio offers Free Suite, a collection of nine essential mixing plugins for macOS and Windows. Venn Audio is the developer behind plugins like Quick-Haas and the very popular Free Clip. The developer has finally announced the stable release of the Free Suite. Free Suite is a collection of essential mixing plugins designed to help [...]
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IK Multimedia will no longer charge users to redownload instrument and sound files in latest version of Product ManagerIK Multimedia will no longer charge its users to redownload instrument and sound files with its latest version of Product Manager. Time restrictions for these downloads have also been scrapped.
Up until this point, if users didn’t download all of their IK virtual instrument sounds files within a set timeframe following their registration, they’d be required to purchase a “Sounds Download Reactivation Credit” to be able to download them.

READ MORE: IK Multimedia UNO Synth Pro X: the compact, analogue UNO Synth finds its perfect form at last

The audio brand, based in Modena, Italy, announced the news via a statement on its website yesterday (14 November). The update is available now.
“IK is pleased to announce a new version of the IK Product Manager available to improve the experience of all IK virtual instrument users. From today, you can reload any of your instrument sound files at any time with version 1.0.10 of the IK Product Manager. There are no more fees or time restrictions for these downloads.”
It continues, “Until now, if you didn’t or couldn’t download all of your IK virtual instrument sounds files within a 180-day timeframe following registration, you’d be required to purchase a Sounds Download Reactivation Credit for an additional 180 days to download the sounds. This has changed!
“We trust this new policy is welcome news for many IK users. We still recommend that you back up any sound files you download, but they’ll be in IK Product Manager if you need them again.”
Just last month (October), MusicTech rated IK Multimedia’s Pianoverse 10/10 in our review for its “supremely playable” virtual pianos and range of extensive effects.

To get the latest version, launch IK Product Manager and follow the prompts to update. Or for new installations, you can download IK Product Manager via the official IK Multimedia website.
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New TikTok feature lets you save songs directly to Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple MusicTikTok has launched a new feature, the ‘Add to Music App’ button, letting you save songs heard in-app directly to your Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Music account.

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The social media platform has teamed up with these three major music streaming platforms to give you the option to drop your favourite music from TikTok straight into your platform of choice at the tap of a button, further strengthening TikTok’s role in music consumption.
The ‘Add to Music App’ button appears beside track names in TikTok videos. Once tapped, it gives you the option to add the track to any of the three streaming services. For Spotify users, the song will be dropped into your Liked Songs playlist, for Amazon Music users (limited to Prime and Unlimited users), it will go into a new default playlist called ‘TikTok Songs’.
If your preferred platform choice is Spotify and you’re based in the UK or the US, then you can go one step further and set Spotify as your default choice. This is done by going to ‘Settings’ and then ‘Music’ in TikTok. Once enabled, the button will instead appear as ‘Add To Spotify’.
Apple Music is involved in the rollout of the feature, despite, according to TechCrunch, initially requesting to be omitted from it. However, in a press release made by TikTok, an image clearly shows the option to add songs to Apple Music.
“TikTok is already the world’s most powerful platform for music discovery and promotion, which helps artists connect with our global community to drive engagement with their music,” said TikTok‘s global head of Music Business Development, Ole Obermann, in a statement.
“Add to Music App takes this process a step further, creating a direct link between discovery on TikTok and consumption on a music streaming service, making it easier than ever for music fans to enjoy the full-length song on the music streaming service of their choice, thereby generating even greater value for artists and rights holders.”
Karolina Joynathsing, director of business development for Amazon Music, said: “Some of the best parts of being a music lover are those serendipitous moments when you discover a new song or artist that you connect with instantly. At Amazon Music, we’re looking to make it easier to convert those moments into enduring fandom. That’s why we worked together with TikTok on the Add to Music App feature, which makes it easier for fans to listen to the music they love and for artists to build fandom.”
Find out more over at the TikTok Newsroom.
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The truth about the popular Playlist Promotion platform [Brian Hazard]Indie musician Brian Hazard, who I hereby name the Tim Ferris of music marketing experimentation, digs into the popular Playlist-Promotion.com platform and shares the results. by Brian Hazard of Passive. Continue reading
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Sync Agent Breaks Down TV, Film, Advertising Music LicensingThis week, Ari is joined by Jen Pearce, Founder of Low Profile, a sync licensing agency.

Today is LAST DAY to upload video & get ready for Spotify Wrapped 2023Today, Wednesday, November 15th, is the last day to upload a 30-second video to be sent to an artist’s top fans as part of their Spotify Wrapped 2023. Wrapped is. Continue reading
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HoRNet Plugins ElliptiQ Is FREE Today!
HoRNet Plugins offers the ElliptiQ equalizer as a FREE download for 24 hours only. The offer expires in less than 24 hours, on November 16th, 2023. ElliptiQ typically costs 7,99€, but you can get it for FREE today. However, the offer expires very soon, so you must be quick if you want to claim it. [...]
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Barack Obama: “For elevator music, AI is going to work fine. Music like Bob Dylan or Stevie Wonder, that’s different”Barack Obama has weighed in on AI’s impact on music creation in a new interview, saying, “For elevator music, AI is going to work fine”.

READ MORE: More than half of artists would hide the use of AI in their music, per recent survey

The former US president made the statement during a recent episode of The Verge’s Decoder podcast. In it, he discusses AI regulations, free speech and his predictions for the future of the internet.
“People have asked me around AI, ‘Are there going to still be artists around and singers and actors, or is it all going to be computer-generated stuff?’” he says.
“My answer is, ‘For elevator music, AI is going to work fine.’”
Obama goes on to reiterate that AI technology has the ability only to make “predictable” music rather than “weird” or “messy” music. He offers a comparison of AI being used in a law firm, but only being able to produce legal briefs or research memos to the standard of a second-year law associate.
“Bob Dylan or Stevie Wonder, that is different,” he says. “The reason is because part of the human experience, part of the human genius is it’s almost a mutation. It’s not predictable. It’s messy, it’s new, it’s different, it’s rough, it’s weird. That is the stuff that ultimately taps into something deeper in us, and I think there’s going to be a market for that.”
The comments echo those of Bombay Bicycle Club’s guitarist Jamie MacColl – also a research fellow in cyber security – who, in September, said, “Elevator music or commercial music is where you’ll see people out of jobs.”
“I think I would be worried if I made elevator music or commercial music where it is quite standardised,” he said in an interview with The News Movement. “I think that’s the space where you’ll see people being [put] out of jobs.
“In the long term, who knows, maybe it will replace us all but I think that’s a long way off. The people who will survive in the age of AI are the people who can ask the right questions and use it rather than being replaced by it. That will probably apply to music at some point down the line as well.
“It’s all just about streamlining processes and getting rid of the hard work. Much of what we’ve seen so far is replicating existing music. Those Drake songs or The Weeknd songs I don’t think will take off because major record labels are already so litigious and opposed to any sort of violation of copyright.”
In other AI news, we recently reviewed the new FL Studio 21.2, including its AI-powered stem separation feature. Also, Humane’s Ai Pin, a $700 wearable device, was announced last week, an AI-centred smartphone alternative that lets you control music via hand gestures.
YouTube recently announced it will be taking action against AI-cloned musicians. Very much in contrast to this, an AI platform called Soundful recently introduced its Soundful Collabs series, which sees major producers let users capture their “Sonic DNA” and create tracks that sound like them.
Keep up to date with all things AI via MusicTech.
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SPL introduce Channel One & Track One Mk3 The latest Channel One and Track One designs both offer improved technical performance, and the former has also gained new Transient Designer and Tube Saturation sections. 

Plugin Boutique launches Scaler EQ plugin, which enhances note frequencies in key with your songWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For more information on how this works click here.
Plugin Boutique has announced the release of a brand new Scaler EQ plugin for PC and Mac. The new product follows on from the award-winning Scaler music theory plugin, and offers “the world’s first in-key EQ.”
Scaler EQ enhances only note frequencies in key with your song, and reduces only the frequencies that aren’t. It also uses unique Magic Shelf bands for “punchier low ends and smoother highs.”

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Its key detection lets users automatically capture the key of their music through audio or MIDI.  It has Harmonic Peak and ‘Plus/Minus’ filter types so you can perform a boost on only frequencies that are in-key with your set scale. You can also make a cut with the same band, and it will reduce only the out-of-key frequencies.
To aid with mixing, it can also be set to cut in-key frequencies too. Plugin Boutique says by using its in-key EQ, you’ll get “warmer lows and sweeter highs when boosting”, while out-of-key cuts will lead to “clearer, more focused bass and less harsh highs that retain their musicality.”
Scaler EQ also offers unique Magic Shelf bands. By boosting a Magic Shelf in the bass region, it will work harder on the band’s mid signal than on the side information. When reducing the level of that bass Magic Shelf to make a cut, you’ll cut the side signal more than the mid information.
Each band or shelf can also be set to Dynamic mode, which helps to soothe boosts and cut with dynamic compression and expansion, set with Threshold, Ratio, Attack and Release controls.
Take a closer look in the video below:

Scaler EQ is currently retailing for £49 GBP. Find out more at Plugin Boutique.
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Survey reveals 85% of Global Majority musicians have witnessed or experienced discrimination in the industryData from the 2023 Global Majority Insight Report by Help Musicians, Musicians’ Union, and Black Lives in Music (BLiM) reveal that 85 percent of musicians from the Global Majority have encountered or witnessed some form of discrimination in the industry.

READ MORE: André 3000 to release his first solo album in 17 years this week – but there’ll be no rapping of any kind, he says

The report highlights various challenges faced by musician from the Global Majority – defined as those identifying as “Black, Asian, Mixed/dual heritage, or other ethnic group” in the Musicians’ Census – including a lack of reliable income, insufficient mental health support, limited networking and relationship-building opportunities, obstacles in career progression, as well as persistent discrimination.
Among those who reported experiencing racism, 81 percent of Global Majority musicians noted its significant impact on their career progression, with 16 percent also facing socioeconomic discrimination.
Survey responses reflected the frustration of individuals like a Black male in the classical field who struggled to attribute “odd circumstances” in his career to anything other than discrimination based on his skin colour.
The wage disparity between white musicians relying solely on music income and their Global Majority counterparts is also evident, with an average gap of £1,000. On average, Global Majority musicians earn £17,745 annually. A notable 35 percent of respondents say they cannot sustain themselves or their families through their music careers, while nearly a quarter reported being in debt.
17 percent of Global Majority respondents also expressed scepticism about remaining in the industry within the next five years.
Additionally, the report sheds light on educational disparities, revealing that 52 percent of white musicians possess music-related degrees, while only 37 percent of Global Majority musicians hold similar qualifications. This discrepancy contributes to unequal career opportunities within the industry.
The Global Majority Insight Report is the second part of the 2023 Musicians Census, following the first part released in September, which found that nearly half of UK musicians earn less than £14,000 annually.
Naomi Pohl, MU General Secretary said: “We know from working with members that musicians from the Global Majority’s skills and experiences are often overlooked, dismissed or devalued. This report further confirms that and shows us in detail, that racism and discrimination exist in every corner of the music industry. These are not one off or isolated experiences; the information musicians shared with us show systemic issues within the music industry that cannot be ignored.”
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André 3000 to release his first solo album in 17 years this week – but there’ll be no rapping of any kind, he saysAndré 3000 is releasing his first solo album in 17 years this week, though fans who are expecting some new bars from the OutKast legend might find themselves surprised with 87 minutes of experimental flute music instead.

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Set to be released on Friday, 17 November, New Blue Sun is said to feature no bars, no beats, and certainly no singing from André 3000 himself. You do, however, get a variety of woodwind instruments, including contrabass flute, Mayan flutes, bamboo flutes as well as other digital wind instruments.
The album will feature eight tracks, and leading the way is a 12-minute song cheekily titled I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time.
“I have songs but it’s not like rap things that I really feel happy about sharing,” the musician told NPR in a new interview. “And really, that’s the most important part. I have to feel happy about sharing it. That’s why New Blue Sun was something that I realised, whoa, I really want people to hear it. I really want to share it. That’s my only gauge.”
“I don’t want to troll people. I don’t want people to think, Oh, this André 3000 album is coming! And you play it and like, Oh man, no verses. So even actually on the packaging, you’ll see it says, ‘Warning: no bars.’”
André 3000 also revealed that he sought the opinion of fellow musicians like Tyler, The Creator and Frank Ocean during the album’s making: “I started just playing it for friends and playing it for artists and playing it for people I respect or people who I felt would get it,” he said. “It was just good for me to hear with somebody else.”
New Blue Sun is now up for pre-order. Check out the full tracklist below.

I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time
The Slang Word P(*)ssy Rolls Off The Tongue With Far Better Ease Than The Proper Word Vagina . Do You Agree?
That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther And Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn’t Control … Sh¥t Was Wild
BuyPoloDisorder’s Daughter Wears A 3000 Button Down Embroidered
Ninety Three ‘Til Infinity And Beyoncé
Ghandi, Dalai Lama, Your Lord & Savior J.C. / Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, And John Wayne Gacy
Ants To You, Gods To Who?
Dreams Once Buried Beneath The Dungeon Floor Slowly Sprout Into Undying Gardens

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