Songwriters are using AI Generated voices for song pitchesSome may see it as cheating while others find it genius, however no matter what you think AI will not be stopped by creating new strides for music professionals. by. Continue reading
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How to film a music video on a small budgetNot everyone has access to fancy high-tech recording equipment to make a music video, but luckily you don’t have to. This easy-to-follow guide gives helpful tips and strategies to produce. Continue reading
The post How to film a music video on a small budget appeared first on Hypebot.

Qobuz partners with Soho Radio to curate and broadcast DJ mixes, playlists and live sessionsMusic streaming platform and digital music store Qobuz has partnered with Soho Radio to deliver its own series of live shows, exclusive mixes, playlists, and live sessions to the global broadcaster’s listeners.

READ MORE: Spotify vs Apple Music vs Tidal: 13 best music streaming services

Over six months, a dozen live sessions will capture exclusive performances, paired with video content for both the Soho Radio and Qobuz platforms. James Endeacott, who hosts Soho Radio’s daily morning show Morning Glory, will lead this campaign, showcasing a weekly mix curated by Qobuz. He’ll also curate exclusive Qobuz playlists.
This partnership will encompass Soho Radio’s influential presenters, artists, and industry ties, including DJ Norman Jay MBE and dub legend Dennis Bovell, collaborating to craft genre-spanning playlists for Qobuz.
“Soho Radio’s audience is a perfect fit for Qobuz, and vice-versa,” says Qobuz Managing Director, Dan Mackta. “I got a great response when I guested on Morning Glory earlier this year, and working with James and the team is always fun and exciting”.
“We are thrilled to partner with Qobuz – as pure music lovers and enthusiasts ourselves, this is a tailor-made fit to join forces and create some really unique content for our listeners. We can’t wait to get going!” adds Soho Radio Station Manager, Rachael Bird.
For those who don’t know, Qobuz, founded in 2007, offers high-quality music streaming and downloads. It operates in 26 countries and has an impressive catalogue of 100 million tracks, all in high-resolution quality.
Soho Radio, established in 2014, gives a global platform to music communities through radio shows, podcasts, artist management, and live events, with 200+ monthly coming from Soho and New York.
While Soho Radio is hosted by a wealth of talented human DJs, it was recently revealed that new AI tech can run a radio show and even emulate presenters’ voices. Spotify also now has a AI-powered DJ feature that mixes music together while ‘hosting’ the show like a real DJ.
Explore the Qobuz streaming platform at www.qobuz.com.
Experience Soho Radio’s live broadcasts from London and New York at www.sohoradiolondon.com.
The post Qobuz partners with Soho Radio to curate and broadcast DJ mixes, playlists and live sessions appeared first on MusicTech.

Black Octopus Sound Imaginate – Foley Dubstep Black Octopus Sound and Imaginate have released 'Foley Dubstep', a collection of natural of organic foley combined with the alien-like sounds of heavy bass music. What's inside:... Read More

Xfer Records Dimension Expander Dimension Expander is a free expander plugin for macOS and Windows. Read More

IK Multimedia unveil UNO Synth PRO X The latest addition to the UNO range packs three oscillators, two filters, a 64-step sequencer, built-in effects and more into a compact, portable chassis that weighs less than a kilo.

IK Multimedia’s new UNO Synth PRO X promises the “sweet spot” between a versatile sound engine and portabilityIK Multimedia has unveiled the newest synthesizer to the UNO line, the UNO Synth Pro X, in the hopes to bring “new dimensions of sound design, control and portability”.

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According to the manufacturer, the paraphonic dual filter analogue synthesizer represents “the sweet spot” between a versatile sound engine with 256 presets, and a 64-step sequencer, and portability; the unit weighs less than a kilo.
The synth also boasts easy to use controls – with over 30 hands-on controls plus a 16-slot modulation matrix – and has the option to be powered by USB-C as well as the standard power supply unit.

In addition to this, the synth offers ten effects, including a new shimmer reverb and modulators, in three slots: modulation, delay and reverb.
External signals can also be routed through the filters and the effects in addition to UNO’s original thru-put for daisy-chaining multiple units together without using a mixer.
New features also include the new Bassline mode, in addition to legato, mono and paraphonic modes. This modifies the behaviour and interaction between core parts of the synth like the filter and envelopes.
Regarding connectivity, there is a USB-C and 5-pin DIN MIDI In and Out, as well as assignable CV/Gate connections for Eurorack and other modular systems.
The UNO Synth PRO X is available now from retailers for $499.00.
For more information, you can head to IK Multimedia.
The post IK Multimedia’s new UNO Synth PRO X promises the “sweet spot” between a versatile sound engine and portability appeared first on MusicTech.

Best free plugins and freeware of the month: August 2023It’s always nice when you uncover some useful or creative tools online – and it’s even nicer when they turn out to be free.

READ MORE: Best sample packs of the month

We’ve rounded up a handful of this month’s free releases for you to check out, including a chord-based ROMpler, a transparent limiter, a fully-featured spatial 3D instrument, an epic, endless reverb, and a fun sample chopping sequencer.
Monster DAW – MONSTER OctaChord v1
MONSTER OctaChord v1. Image: Monster DAW

macOS and Windows
64-bit VST/VST3/AU
Download OctaChord

If you’re looking for some inspiration to get you started, then Monster DAW’s chord plugin with built in sounds could be just the ticket. There are 18 presets for different styles including lo-fi, techno, cinematic, R‘n’B, pop and more.
Each preset includes a full set of 12 scales, plus an Ornament set of fill-ins, melodic lines and sound effects that match the chords. Additional features include master volume, pan, reverb and delay controls, plus separate volume controls for the chord and ornament sections. It’s easy to build up progressions, but with so many different sounds and chord samples, note that the full plugin library size is over 6GB.
Press Play – Wave Breaker
Wave Breaker. Image: Press Play

macOS and Windows
64-bit VST/VST3/AU
Download Wave Breaker

Press Play is best known for its excellent free oscilloscope plugin, Wave Observer. Its new release uses the same waveform display engine, but this time puts it to use as instant visual feedback within a true-peak stereo limiter plugin.
Wave Breaker offers a transparent sound with precise true-peak detection, look-ahead audio analysis and 4x oversampling. You can use the Drive control to push volume into the limiter at a desired threshold and choose from manual output compensation, or target peak-level normalisation. You can also add a touch of saturation, choose from a range of colour schemes and resize the GUI.
SpatStrument SM24
SpatStrument SM24. Image: Acousmodules

macOS and Windows
64-bit VST3
Download SpatStrument SM24

SpatStrument SM24 is a beast. It’s an effect, a synth, a sampler, a 3D panner and a controller all in one. It’s designed to offer a fun and playful approach to audio-spatial sculpting, especially if you have an MPE controller.
Its whopping feature set includes up to 24 output channels with free arrangement in 2D or 3D space, Periphonic and Volumetric Spatial modes, Spatial Shaper and Animator, live input processing, an eight-voice sampler, a three-oscillator synth with FM, cross modulation and ring modulation between the sampler and synth, eight-channel delay/resonator and hall reverb, lockTrigger and VeloPad for granular effects and more.
Airwindows – Galactic 2
Galactic 2. Image: Airwindows

macOS, Windows, Linux, Pi
32/64-bit VST/AU/VCV Rack
Download Galactic 2

Airwindows has built up a massive library of excellent free plugins over the years, with an emphasis on sound rather than snazzy GUIs. Its latest release is a massive-sounding reverb that gives a different twist on Airwindows’ first Galactic reverb plugin.
You get simple controls for drive, sustain, Darken and wet, which can all be manipulated to craft epic-sounding, infinite drones and pads. With sustain on full, it will even start to feedback on itself. You can also put in mono signals and get a wider-sounding stereo reverb out.
HY-Plugins – HY-Slicer2 free
HY Slicer2. Image: HY-Plugins
This cut-down version of HY-Slicer2 can be used as a fun and creative way to re-invigorate your loop library. You get 3 slicer units where you can load three different samples that get chopped into smaller pieces. These can then be sequenced in the Sampler Track where you can rearrange up to 16 slices.
Things get a little more interesting when you start using the additional lanes that let you sequence things like chance, reverse, tune, pan, filter, effect sends and more. You also get built-in effects and master effects to refine your new loops, and a Pattern chainer to help develop longer ideas.

macOS, Windows, Linux
64-bit VST/VST3/AU
Download HY-Slicer2 free

The post Best free plugins and freeware of the month: August 2023 appeared first on MusicTech.

Focusrite FAST range offer Until 31 August 2023, users are able to save a huge 85% when purchasing Focusrite's FAST Bundle, or any of the individual plug-ins it contains.

Q&A: A high-tech take on Wagner’s “Parsifal” operaThe world-famous Bayreuth Festival in Germany, annually centered around the works of composer Richard Wagner, launched this summer on July 25 with a production that has been making headlines. Director Jay Scheib, an MIT faculty member, has created a version of Wagner’s celebrated opera “Parsifal” that is set in an apocalyptic future (rather than the original Medieval past), and uses augmented reality headset technology for a portion of the audience, among other visual effects. People using the headsets see hundreds of additional visuals, from fast-moving clouds to arrows being shot at them. The AR portion of the production was developed through a team led by designer and MIT Technical Instructor Joshua Higgason.

The new “Parsifal” has engendered extensive media attention and discussion among opera followers and the viewing public. Five years in the making, it was developed with the encouragement of Bayreuth Festival general manager Katharina Wagner, Richard Wagner’s great-granddaughter. The production runs until Aug. 27, and can also be streamed on Stage+. Scheib, the Class of 1949 Professor in MIT’s Music and Theater Arts program, recently talked to MIT News about the project from Bayreuth.

Q: Your production of “Parsifal” led off this year’s entire Bayreuth festival. How’s it going?

A: From my point of view it’s going quite swimmingly. The leading German opera critics and the audiences have been super-supportive and Bayreuth makes it possible for a work to evolve … Given the complexity of the technical challenge of making an AR project function in an opera house, the bar was so high, it was a difficult challenge, and we’re really happy we found a way forward, a way to make it work, and a way to make it fit into an artistic process. I feel great.

Q: You offer a new interpretation of “Parsifal,” and a new setting for it. What is it, and why did you choose to interpret it this way?

A: One of the main themes in “Parsifal” is that the long-time king of this holy grail cult is wounded, and his wound will not heal. [With that in mind], we looked at what the world was like when the opera premiered in the late 19th century, around the time of what was known as the Great African Scramble, when Europe re-drew the map of Africa, largely based on resources, including mineral resources.

Cobalt remains [the focus of] dirty mining practices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and is a requirement for a lot of our electronic objects, in particular batteries. There are also these massive copper deposits discovered under a Buddhist temple in Afghanistan, and lithium under a sacred site in Nevada. We face an intense challenge in climate change, and the predictions are not good. Some of our solutions like electric cars require these materials, so they’re only solutions for some people, while others suffer [where minerals are being mined]. We started thinking about how wounds never heal, and when the prospect of creating a better world opens new wounds in other communities. … That became a theme. It also comes out of the time when we were making it, when Covid happened and George Floyd was murdered, which created an opportunity in the U.S. to start speaking very openly about wounds that have not healed.

We set it in a largely post-human environment, where we didn’t succeed, and everything has collapsed. In the third act, there’s derelict mining equipment, and the holy water is this energy-giving force, but in fact it’s this lithium-ion pool, which gives us energy and then poisons us. That’s the theme we created.

Q: What were your goals about integrating the AR technology into the opera, and how did you achieve that?

A: First, I was working with my collaborator Joshua Higgason. No one had ever really done this before, so we just started researching whether it was possible. And most of the people we talked to said, “Don’t do it. It’s just not going to work.” Having always been a daredevil at heart, I was like, “Oh, come on, we can figure this out.”

We were diligent in exploring the possibilities. We made multiple trips to Bayreuth and made these milimeter-accurate laser scans of the auditorium and the stage. We built a variety of models to see how to make AR work in a large environment, where 2,000 headsets could respond simultaneously. We built a team of animators and developers and programmers and designers, from Portugal to Cambridge to New York to Hungary, the UK, and a group in Germany. Josh led this team, and they got after it, but it took us the better part of two years to make it possible for an audience, some of whom don’t really use smartphones, to put on an AR headset and have it just work.

I can’t even believe we did this. But it’s working.

Q: In opera there’s hopefully a productive tension between tradition and innovation. How do you think about that when it comes to Wagner at Bayreuth?

A: Innovation is the tradition at Bayreuth. Musically and scenographically. “Parsifal” was composed for this particular opera house, and I’m incredibly respectful of what this event is made for. We are trying to create a balanced and unified experience, between the scenic design and the AR and the lighting and the costume design, and create perfect moments of convergence where you really lose yourself in the environment. I believe wholly in the production and the performers are extraordinary. Truly, truly, truly extraordinary.

Q: People have been focused on the issue of bringing AR to Bayreuth, but what has Bayreuth brought to you as a director?

A: Working in Bayreuth has been an incredible experience. The level of intellectual integrity among the technicians is extraordinary. The amount of care and patience and curiosity and expertise in Bayreuth is off the charts. This community of artists is the greatest. … People come here because it’s an incredible meeting of the minds, and for that I’m immensely filled with gratitude every day I come into the rehearsal room. The conductor, Pablo Heras-Casado, and I have been working on this for several years. And the music is still first. We’re setting up technology not to overtake the music, but to support it, and visually amplify it.

It must be said that Katharina Wagner has been one of the most powerfully supportive artistic directors I have ever worked with. I find it inspiring to witness her tenacity and vision in seeing all of this through, despite the hurdles. It’s been a great collaboration. That’s the essence: great collaboration.

Reddit is down, per user reportsUser morale isn’t the only thing that’s down at Reddit. More than 30,000 people have reported outages on Reddit since about 4:30 PM ET, according to Downdetector. While many users have been able to access the platform again, not all issues have been resolved yet.
Reddit has not yet commented on the outage via its status pages.
This story is developing…

Robinhood turns profitable in Q2, but crypto revenue declinesRobinhood achieved profitability for the first time since becoming a public company in the second quarter of 2023. Its crypto revenue, however, continues to decline.

HIMA Will Present Pro Panel Symposium: "Production to Placement"HIMA (Hollywood Independent Music Awards) will present "Production to Placement," wherein an A-list group of production and music licensing experts will share vital information, solutions, method and tricks of the trade so you can have broadcast quality recordings that can land a sync deal.

See details HERELIMITED OCCUPANCY SO SECURE YOUR SEAT TODAY!

Moderated by John Anderson, a.k.a. Hot Tub JohnnieA highly accomplished Music Publishing Executive, John Anderson serves as the CEO and ringmaster of Hunnypot Unlimited. This multifaceted organization specializes in discovering and nurturing emerging music talent by providing Music Publishing, Artist Representation, Marketing, and Film & Television Placement services. See more HERE

6:00PM – 9:00PM Hang On To The Dream Theater, Hollywood & Highland Complex (above The Hard Rock Cafe) 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Suite 200, Los Angeles, CA 90028

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS & MORE INFO

NOTE: HIMA annual members get free admission to this event. Coupon code to bypass entry fee will be sent directly to annual members.

Believe revenues up 17.9% YoY in first half of 2023 to EUR €415.4 millionParis-headquartered music company Believe has published its financial results for the first half of 2023
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