Miist, founded by a 25-year-old, wants people to vape their way out of smoking addiction and migrainesAs a university student, Dalton Signor was troubled by how many people around him smoked or vaped, including his grandmother and 14-year-old sister. Signor (pictured center) felt that existing smoking cessation medicines, whether patches, gums, or lozenges, are not very effective because they take too long to start working. “They take about 30 minutes to […]
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Spotify stock surges on strong Q4 reportSpotify stock surges Tuesday after the streamer announced a Q4 report that ended its first year of profitability with strong growth across most key metrics. Spotify stock surges on strong. Continue reading
The post Spotify stock surges on strong Q4 report appeared first on Hypebot.

TELEFUNKEN Brings Back Stereo Alchemy Tube Mic SetsTELEFUNKEN is re-introducing Stereo Sets of microphones from its popular and affordable Alchemy Series of large diaphragm tube microphones. The TF29 Copperhead, TF39 Copperhead Deluxe, TF47 and TF51 Stereo Set microphone systems feature a custom dual power supply for powering both microphones at one time, as well as a locking flight case that holds both microphones, cables and shock mounts. All the electronic components in each system are matched sonically and electronically, including matched capsules, transformers, and vacuum tubes.The Alchemy Stereo Sets come with two frequency and gain matched microphones, plus a premium dual power supply, two M 803 Cables, two M 703 shock mounts, two M 782 stand mounts and a hard shell FC03S locking combination suitcase. The M 901S power supply features two 9-position variable polar pattern switches providing each mic six additional settings beyond the cardioid, hyper-cardioid and omni-directional patterns.TELEFUNKEN power supplies feature the traditional styling of vintage Austrian models, partnered with the improvements of modern component technology and circuit board design. These modern features include a slow-ramping filament voltage to extend tube life and full regulation to ensure the microphone will always operate the same, regardless of line voltage variations or location. Full regulation also means that stereo power supplies can also safely power only one microphone at a time at correct operating voltages, if needed.TELEFUNKEN power supplies are hand-built in South Windsor, CT, USA with premium components including signal transformers, Nichicon capacitors, Neutrik connectors, double-thick circuit boards for structural integrity, and a PCB layout made to maximize current handling. They are built well over-spec to ensure reliability and safe operation for decades. Each power supply is calibrated to the specific microphone system it comes with and is burned in as a full unit to ensure optimum performance and operation. Variable pattern power supplies feature nine polar patterns from Omnidirectional to Figure 8. The polarizing component network is identical to that of the original AKG C12 power supplies, providing the optimal impedance and voltage to the capsule. TELEFUNKEN microphone flight cases are specially designed to protect the delicate capsules, vacuum tubes and electronic components. A unique blend of hardwoods is utilized in the construction of the shell, while the outside of the case is wrapped in 1000pt Cordura, the world's finest traveling fiber. Dual combination locks and trim in nickel create an understated, classic look. An embroidered serial number (when applicable) complete the package. The suitcase holds two microphones (46mm diameter by 200mm length), one stereo power supply, two tube microphone cables and two shock mounts. Each system is available with an introductory price discounted $200 off MAP through February 17th. http://www.telefunken-elektroakustik.comThe post TELEFUNKEN Brings Back Stereo Alchemy Tube Mic Sets first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Cyberbass Brings Bass Guitar To Modern EraFor better or worse, the fundamental design of guitars has remained familiar since they electrified around a century ago. A few strings, a fretboard, and a body of some sort will get you most of the way there for an acoustic guitar, with the addition of electromagnetic pickups and wiring for electric variants. However, technology has advanced rapidly in the last 100 years outside the musical world, so if you want to see what possibilities lie ahead for modernizing guitars take a look at the Cyberbass created by [Matteo].
The guitar starts its life as many guitars do: with a block of wood. One of the design goals was to be able to use simple tools to build the guitar, so the shape of the instrument was honed with a Japanese hacksaw and the locations for the pickups and other electronics were carved out with chisels.
The neck of the guitar was outsourced since they take some pretty specialized tools to build, so simply bolting it to the body takes care of that part of the build, but [Matteo] had a few false starts setting the bridge in the exact location it needed to be.
Luckily he was able to repair the body and move the bridge. With the core of the guitar ready, it was on to paint and then to its custom electronics. [Matteo] built in not only a set of pickups and other common electric guitar parts but also integrated a synth pedal into the body as well as including a chromatic tuner.
With everything assembled and a few finishing touches added including a custom-engraved metal signature plate, the Cyberbass is ready to go on tour. [Matteo] learned a lot about guitar building in general, as well as a few things about electronics relating to musical instruments (including how expensive tuners work just as well as cheap ones).

Apple Music launches its ‘best offer ever’ – a six-month trial for $2.99The timing of the promotion comes as Apple Music promotes Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show performance on Sunday (February 9)
Source

Spotify slams the NMPA’s takedown action over alleged unlicensed songs in podcasts: ‘This is a press stunt.’Spotify confirms that is investigating the takedown requests
Source

What Is the Hour? It’s XVII o’ ClockWhen live-action role playing, or LARPing, one must keep fully in tune with the intended era. That means no digital watches, and certainly no pulling out your fantastic rectangle from the future to find out if you’re late picking up the kid.
So what do you do when you’re LARPing at 2 PM, but you gotta be back at the soccer practice field by 5 PM? Well, you fashion a period-appropriate timepiece like [mclien]’s 17 o’ Clock. Visually, it’s about as close to a pocket sundial as you can get. It’s deliberately non-connected, and its only function is to tell the time.
But how? If you visually divide the watch across the top and bottom, you get two sets of Roman numerals. The top half handles the hour, and the bottom half the minute. [mclien] started designing this in 2018 and picked it back up in the second half of 2024.
Back to the non-connected part. The only permanently-powered part of the project is a high-precision real-time clock (RTC). The rest uses a power latching circuit, which turns on the Adafruit Trinket M0 to show the time using a NeoPixel ring. Be sure to check out the awesome project logs with fantastic pictures throughout.
Looking for a smarter pocket watch? It’s time you built one yourself. And speaking of pocket sundials…

FKFX Audio LovPassFilter 2 Plugin is FREE for BPB readers until February 12
In this BPB exclusive offer, you can download FKFX Audio’s LovPassFilter 2.0 filter delay plugin for free until February 12, 2025.  LovPassFilter 2.0 is a macOS (AU, VST, VST3) and Windows (VST, VST3) release. To claim your free copy of LovPassFilter 2, hit the “Get The Plugin” button on the product page and sign up [...]
View post: FKFX Audio LovPassFilter 2 Plugin is FREE for BPB readers until February 12

Vicious Antelope Mini Pads - Arturia Mini V4 and Analog Lab V PresetsMini Pads - Arturia Mini V4 and Analog Lab V Presets The Mini Pads preset pack for Arturia Mini V4 and Analog Lab V offers 50 rich, analog-inspired pad sounds. Some presets are enhanced... Read More

Spotify confirms 2024 was its first full year of profitability – amid ongoing industry debate surrounding artist payoutsSpotify has recorded its first full year of profitability in its Q4 earnings report from 2024.
The streaming platform ended the year “stronger than ever” by outperforming across key metrics, according to the report. Its first full year of profitability was first predicted in its Q3 data, which was released back in November last year.

READ MORE: Universal Music Group and Spotify ink new multi-year deal that will “advance music monetisation” and “accelerate product innovation”

Despite growing criticism of Spotify and its artist payouts – along with the streaming model as a whole – the platform says its monthly active users grew by 12 percent year-on-year to 675 million in 2024, and its subscribers increased by 11 percent year-on-year to 263 million.
Across the board, total revenue for Spotify was up 16 percent year-on-year to €4.2 billion last year, and its operating income rose to €477 million. 2024 marked Spotify’s 10th annual Wrapped, for which it also saw record-high user engagement up 10 percent year-on-year across 184 markets and 53 languages. Listeners have also now created more than eight billion playlists via the platform.
“I am very excited about 2025 and feel really good about where we are as both a product and as a business,” comments Daniel Ek, Spotify Founder & CEO. “We will continue to place bets that will drive long term impact, increasing our speed while maintaining the levels of efficiency we achieved last year. It’s this combination that will enable us to build the best and most valuable user experience, grow sustainably and deliver creativity to the world.”
The Q4 finding follow on from a new report published at the end of January by Spotify’s VP and Head of Music, David Kaefer, in which he said that Spotify paid out $10 billion to the music industry in 2024, and has paid out nearly $60 billion since its inception.
Kaefer also noted that ten years ago in 2014, around 10,000 artists generated at least $10,000 on Spotify, while as of 2024, “well over” 10,000 artists generated over $100,000 per year on the platform. He said, “The system we built together is working, and where we are now is only the beginning”.
But while these figures look promising, and indeed reflect the fact that, more artists are able to earn more money on Spotify, many commenters note that the platform’s low royalty payouts make earning a living as a smaller artist very difficult.
Icelandic artist Björk recently called Spotify “the worst thing that has happened to musicians”, saying low payouts are increasing the demand for artists to embark on gruelling tours to make ends meet. “Streaming culture has changed an entire society and an entire generation of artists,” she said.
Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante also recently chimed in, saying “Spotify is where music goes to die”, and adding: “You’d probably make more money selling lemonade on the corner.”
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek also drew the ire of the music creator community last year when he compared low royalty payouts to professional sports, saying: “Football is played by millions of people – but there’s a very small number that can live off playing full time”.
You can find out more and view Spotify’s Q4 earnings report via its For The Record newsroom.
The post Spotify confirms 2024 was its first full year of profitability – amid ongoing industry debate surrounding artist payouts appeared first on MusicTech.

82% of Musicians Can’t Afford to TourHitting the road used to be a rite of passage for artists and how most earned a living. But now the majority of musicians can’t afford to tour. With rising costs and fewer paying venues, only the biggest names are making money while everyone else is struggling or staying home.
The post 82% of Musicians Can’t Afford to Tour appeared first on Hypebot.

The RD-78 – Behringer’s recreation of the “granddaddy to all drum machines”, the Roland CR-78 – has finally arrivedThe RD-78 – Behringer‘s hotly-anticipated emulation of Roland’s classic CR-78 drum machine – has finally arrived.
The brand first teased a CR-78 emulation all the way back in 2022, when it shared images of a PCB (printed circuit board) to its Facebook page. It shared the images alongside a clue of “in the air tonight”, alluding to Phil Collins’ use of the machine on his famed 1981 hit of the same name. Behringer later confirmed that the RD-78 was “up and running” in January 2024, with another post on social media.

RD-78 is now up and running! We are in the last stages of pre-production and are working closely with our beta testers…
Posted by Behringer on Saturday, January 27, 2024

READ MORE: Behringer BX1 synth is inspired by the classic Yamaha CS-80 and DX1, with more teases at NAMM 2025

The RD-78 recaptures the famed analogue tones of the original CR-78 drum machine, according to Behringer, bringing “the magic of the ’70s and ’80s back to life” in a compact, desktop format. It has true analogue circuitry for warmth and depth, plus added features to help users craft more complex beats.
It has 15 Drum Sounds with a newly added clap, 34 Rhythm Presets (including fills, rolls, and breaks), plus a 16-Step Sequencer. There are also individual volume and mute controls on board for each voice, plus enhanced connectivity options and ports for footswitches to control transport and trigger fills if desired.
Check it out in the demo below:

“In the world of drum machines, the 808 is most definitely going to be on top of everyone’s list,” says Behringer. “The distinctive 808 sound including the iconic ‘clap’ has been the backbone of many RnB, Hip-Hop and Techno tracks. But every icon must have a progenitor, right? Enter the CR-78.
“The grandaddy to all drum machines, had 34 built in rhythm patterns like rock, swing, waltz and shuffle plus individual drum sounds like kick, snare, cowbell, hi-hat and more. The CR-78 was one of the first to use a microprocessor and the first programmable drum machine that allowed users to save their own drum patterns. Artists like Phil Collins, Gary Numan and Peter Gabriel were just some of those who saw the potential in the CR-78 and made countless hits with its help.”
Not a company to rest on its laurels, the launch of the CR-78 shortly follows the arrival of its Chorus Symphony pedal, which recreates the original Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble from 1976. The original pedal encapsulated the chorus from the iconic JC-120 Jazz Chorus amplifier from Roland, Boss’s parent company, and offers the same “thick, syrupy and multidimensional” tone that was loved by artists such as John Frusciante, Brian May, Joe Satriani, and Andy Summers.
The RD-78 is available now, priced at $199. Find out more over at Behringer.
The post The RD-78 – Behringer’s recreation of the “granddaddy to all drum machines”, the Roland CR-78 – has finally arrived appeared first on MusicTech.

Spotify Q4 hits records, will ‘double down on music’ in 2025Spotify Q4 2024 earnings were announced Tuesday, ending its first year of profitability strong across most key metrics. During the earnings call, CEO Daniel Ek promised to "double down on music" after years of expansion in other audio and video categories and to accelerate new product releases.
The post Spotify Q4 hits records, will ‘double down on music’ in 2025 appeared first on Hypebot.

MeldaProduction PowerWoodwindsPowerWoodwinds The Orchestral Woodwind Powerhouse Power Woodwinds is an MSoundFactory instrument featuring a complete woodwind ensemble explicitly tailored for the versatile demands of... Read More

Native Instruments says bringing Maschine 3 to Maschine+ is a “top priority”Native Instruments will bring its Maschine 3 software to its Maschine+ hardware controller this spring, it has been confirmed.
In a new community blog post, NI’s Chris La Pietra – Product Lead for Maschine, Kontrol, and NKS Hardware Partnerships – has revealed that the launch is currently a “top priority” for the brand, and has shared some of the other features it is currently working on releasing this year.

READ MORE: Native Instruments Komplete 15 is still the essential mega bundle

First of all, NI says it will launch an update for its Maschine 3 software – Maschine 3.1 – within Q1 this year, though it has provided no official date for this as of yet. The update will follow on from the introduction of its parallel plug-in scanning for faster scanning and startup times, as well as its User Chords feature, which allowed users to capture and perform custom chords directly from Maschine MK3 and Maschine+ in controller mode.

NI will also carry out bug fixes to tackle frustrations with the current version of Maschine 2 on Maschine+. The update will include a kernel upgrade, the possibility to change sampling rate and buffer size for extended compatibility with USB class compliant audio interfaces, and bring several effects from its desktop portfolio. It will enter beta within the next week, eventually launching officially at some point in Q1.
As part of its mission to bring Maschine 3 to Maschine+ in Q2, NI is also exploring Stem Separation for standalone mode, “though its technical complexity means it may not be available in the upcoming release”. Additionally, it is also adding Kontakt 8 support and alongside the highly requested bounce-to-audio feature, Maschine+ users will also gain access to more CPU-intensive instruments: “The bounce-to-audio workflow will allow you to free up CPU resources, making it easier to work with high-quality sounds,” says NI. “We’re excited to hear what you’ll do with the new features.”
If you want to try the new Maschine features early, you can sign up to Native Instruments’ Beta programme. Check back on MusicTech for more updates on new Maschine releases as we get them.
The post Native Instruments says bringing Maschine 3 to Maschine+ is a “top priority” appeared first on MusicTech.