SRM Sounds launch Max Richter Piano Ground-breaking composer Max Richter has announced the launch of SRM Sounds, a new company which...

Vinyl industry opposes ‘dramatic’ shift in music store sales reportingThe Vinyl Record Manufacturing Association (VRMA) and the Vinyl Alliance have joined forces to oppose Luminate and Billboard’s upcoming changes to how music sales are calculated from independent retailers. Data. Continue reading
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Dixon Beats Releases FREE DB1 Plugin Inspired By The Casio SK-1 Toy Keyboard
Dixon Beats releases DB1, a FREE Casio SK-1 emulation for macOS and Windows, Casio’s SK-1 sampling keyboard first appeared in 1985, and I think it’s fair to say the little 32-key synth has aged well. At the time of its release, Casio never intended for the SK-1 to be a world-beater; it was a bit [...]
View post: Dixon Beats Releases FREE DB1 Plugin Inspired By The Casio SK-1 Toy Keyboard

Art With Me stands out as Art Basel invades Miami with sets from Channel Tres, Polo & Pan, and moreThe Art Basel celebration of music, art, and culture takes over Miami again this week, and the three-day Art With Me festival promises to be a highlight. The famed multidisciplinary festival. Continue reading
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HoRNet ThirtyOne MK2 Is FREE Today Only
HoRNet Plugins offers the ThirtyOne MK2 (€20,99 value) plugin as a FREE download until midnight on December 6 (GMT+1). ThirtyOne MK2 is a 31-band spectrum analyzer with a built-in graphic equalizer and Auto EQ functionality. I prefer using parametric EQs for mixing, but ThirtyOne MK2 surprised me with its intuitive spectrum analysis display and surprisingly [...]
View post: HoRNet ThirtyOne MK2 Is FREE Today Only

In new online course, Vulfpeck’s Jack Stratton asks: “Does mixing matter?”Does mixing matter? To put it simply – yes. But also no.
Determined to teach the world the intricate nuances of a great mix, Vulfpeck’s Jack Stratton has announced his own mixing masterclass course. While the quality of a mix may potentially impact the marketability of a track, Stratton’s approach puts an emphasis on understanding the integrity and charm of a song above all else.

READ MORE: Moog’s Mariana software bass synth is “the next evolution of Moog bass”

“A strong mix is the most important thing, a strong mix is the least important thing,” he explains. “It’s about duality.”
Rather than focusing just on the technicalities of mixing, Stratton’s ‘Vulf Sound’ masterclass aims to fine-tune a mixer’s creative instincts. The masterclass emphasises the importance of a strong mix, while still encouraging producers and engineers not to obsess over a mix too much; understanding what a track has to offer and emphasising its unique appeal is paramount.

To highlight the transformative potential of a mix, Stratton talks of Diana Ross’ 1980 hit, I’m Coming Out. Playing the track, he notes that the final mix is “dance-y, powerful” – but it’s not actually the original mix pieced together for the track.
Apparently, Ross thought the original sounded too much like Chic, and decided to travel to Detroit and get it re-mixed with Motown Records. The resulting track is the smash hit we all know and love – and the original mix would lay untouched for years, until it was finally released in 2017.
The original Chic-esque version boasts a stronger, funky bassline, the signature sound of Nile Rodger’s charismatic bass playing far heavier in the mix. The mix is a harder-hitting disco banger, more punchy than the soulful charm of the final mix.
But does a heavier mix always equate to a stronger song? Not necessarily. “If you can hear the joy in the playing, if you can hear everything clearly… the mix almost becomes secondary to the performance,” Stratton reflects.
The ‘Vulf Sound’ approach encourages mixers to truly understand what each unique track has to offer. Will a heavy mix strengthen the track, or is a rawer, stripped-back sound better suited?
“I’m no Rick Rubin,” Stratton jokes, “but I know that it’s all about duality… Do I love pop, do I hate pop? Do I love tape, do I hate tape?” 
He calls this duality the ‘Ronson/Gabe Roth Duality’, alluding to Mark Ronson and Gabriel Roth’s collaboration on the mix of Amy Winehouse’s Rehab. While Roth treads a more raw, funky, live-focused path, Ronson has a more forward-thinking, Pro Tools-savvy mindset. The balancing of these two abilities, the dualistic approach, allowed the track to shine.
The Mixing Masterclass is set to provide even more insightful ideas surrounding the nature of mixing, hopefully encouraging a new breed of sharp, creative mixers to flourish.
The course has 25% off its $250 price tag until the end of the year with code BLACKFRIDAY. For more info, head to Vulf Conservatory.
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Moog unveil Mariana soft synth Moog's latest release aims to provide users with access to their classic bass sounds in software form. 

Moog’s Mariana software bass synth is “the next evolution of Moog bass”Moog has launched Mariana, a software bass synthesizer available as an app for iOS, or as a plugin for macOS and Windows for complex and “vibrant” bass sounds.

READ MORE: Get this free Synthesizer Expander Module plugin from Cherry Audio today

Using Mariana, you can dial in tones that suit a range of genres, combine synth sounds and create ear-catching, complex timbres that, the brand says, will “sit perfectly in any mix” with the help of built-in effects and compression. Check out more in this H. Jon Benjamin-narrated trailer, the voice behind the protagonists in US series Bob’s Burgers and Archer. 

Mariana lets you layer multiple bass sounds. Each layer offers three LFOs, three envelopes, and two random generators. There’s also a sub-oscillator so you can reinforce the presence of your low-end and two resonant Moog filters and a dedicated sub-oscillator filter. These “add warmth while rolling off high frequencies or pushing up the resonance for added bite”, Moog says.
There’s a robust modulation editor so you can intricately shape dynamic modulation paths, with virtually every parameter being made editable via MIDI, MPE, and virtual CV within the DAW for an integrated user experience.
Credit: Moog
Moog gives you a range of built-in effects and metering so you can add punch to your bass sounds or make them sit within your mixes better. There’s a warm tube, tape, an overdrive saturation, a tight compressor and real-time metering. The synth also offers built-in delay and chorus effects across separate layers, broadening stereo imaging while maintaining a robust mono signal via high-pass filters.
Mariana has 200 presets that suit loads of genres. These can act as inspiring starting points which you can of course transform into something completely unique. In terms of usability, Mariana apparently has a “beautiful” interface that’s resizable and easy to use.
If you’re looking to use Mariana in your DAW, the plugin will cost you $49 for a limited – but unspecified – time, returning to its usual price of $99 after this. The iOS app version will set you back $14.99, jumping back up to the regular price of $29.99.
Find out more at Moog Music.
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Bath’s iconic grassroots venue Moles to close after 45 yearsBath music venue Moles is sadly closing after 45 years. The 220-capacity grassroots club provided a stage to artists such as Oasis and Ed Sheeran during their early careers.
Moles opened in 1978 on New Year’s Eve, and went on to form a vital part of the blossoming careers of many musicians who went on to make it big. These include Manic Street Preachers, Blur, Pulp, The Cure, Wolf Alice and more.

READ MORE: A quarter of under-35s have early signs of hearing loss, study reveals

The venue announced the news in a post on social media shared earlier today (5 December). Its statement reads: “Today, we are heartbroken to announce that Moles, in its current form, is closing, effective immediately. It’s an incredibly difficult decision for our team, the staff, the local community, and the artists who, over the years, have created such an incredible history of music.
“We’ve weathered many things over the years, including a fire and a pandemic in the last 10 years alone, but this cost of living crisis has crippled the grassroots music sector. Although that is not the only problem, it has accentuated it. Huge rent rates, along with massively increased costs on everything from utilities to stock, are all factors.”
It continues, “This has been compounded by our customers also feeling the impact of the crisis. We are not the only grassroots music venue to close in the past year. Over 120 other venues have closed as well, which is over 15 percent of the sector. Places that mean as much to others as Moles means to us.”

The venue also reinstates that the live sector at arena level is having a “bumper year” with record profits. “There needs to be a major shake-up of the live sector, with the big players supporting the grassroots where it all begins to secure that pipeline of talent,” it argues. “This is something that Music Venue Trust has been saying for years; maybe now the industry will listen.
Moles was one of the last venues remaining from the first Oasis tour. It also formed part of the estimated 366 grassroots venues played by Sheeran before he made it big. 150 of those have now closed. “This decimation of the sector has to stop now. Unless bands have these stages to play, where will they hone their talents and become these huge artists that fill these arenas and stadiums around the world?”
It later adds, “Thank you to everyone who has ever worked here; we achieved a lot, and it couldn’t have been done without them. And all the bands and DJs that have played, and all of you who came down, bought a ticket, and danced and sang, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Today, we are heartbroken, but the good memories will last forever, and for that, we will always be grateful.”
Read the full statement below:

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A post shared by Moles (@molesbath)

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D16 Group’s Nepheton 2 Drum Machine is a “supercharged 808” pluginD16 Group has released the Nepheton 2, the second generation of its acclaimed drum machine plugin. Nepheton 2 “captures the essence” of the iconic TR-808 created by Roland, with upgrades to both the sound emulation and the user interface for its second run.

READ MORE: Rhodes’ new V-Rack plugin captures the “sonic essence” of the MK8’s effects section

The 808 has been used across countless discographies in myriad genres by a vast number of artists. You’ve almost certainly come across its sound. In 1983, Roland discontinued the product after just 12,000 units were made. Today, original 808s can be hard to come by, often selling for over four-figure sums, so producers often flock to emulations or sample packs for the trusted sound.
D16’s Nepheton 2 plugin offers modern additions to the classic 808. It hosts a fully-fledged effects section, including a wide range of algorithms from bitcrushers to reverbs, and offers an extensive factory content library with scenes, drum kits, and patterns, plus a sequencer with a Tap function, Randomiser, and MIDI export via drag-and-drop.
You’re also able to integrate Nepheton 2 into your hardware setup thanks to MIDI mapping capabilities and trigger outs.
Each drum sound has an independent channel strip with EQ and compression, to allow for sound shaping. There are also hundreds of presets from the off, which D16 says “sound great straight-out-of-the-box,” with features such as Flam and Substep allowing for more variety in your percussion composition.
The master section is equipped with multi-band compression and a limiter featuring a soft-clip option.
Check out the demo below to hear it in use:

In its press release, D16 says: “Nepheton 2 stands as a testament to D16 Group’s commitment to excellence in audio software. By combining the legendary 808 sound with modern controls, D16’s Nepheton 2 offers producers a faster route to their creative goals.
“Its effect chains enable precise sound shaping, while the enhanced workflow allows for full control. The improved workflow and innovative features like sequencer presets and a randomizer ignite new creative possibilities. We’ve taken the 808 and supercharged it!”
The Nepheton 2 is available now for €69 (down from €119). Find out more at D16 Group.
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A quarter of under-35s have early signs of hearing loss, study revealsAn analysis carried out by auditory training app Eargym has revealed that a quarter of people under the age of 35 have early signs of hearing loss.
Eargym was founded by former NHS CEO Amanda Philpott and DJ Andy Shanks in 2020, who were both diagnosed with hearing loss. It uses games to simulate realistic and challenging listening scenarios to improve users’ ability to derive meaning from the sounds they hear.

READ MORE: Listening to “moving” music can help to reduce pain, study finds

The new findings have been gathered from over 1,000 people over a four-month period. Researchers analysed the results of a scientifically-validated “speech-in-noise” activity delivered via the Eargym app to acquire the data.
Of the 16-35 year olds who completed the “speech-in-noise” check, a quarter (24 percent) were categorised as having hearing loss, with a further 19 percent of users aged 16-35 having possible hearing loss.
Overall, hearing loss or possible hearing loss was detected in just under half (43 percent) of 16-35 year olds. The study also revealed that nearly half (47 percent) of 16-35 year olds have a hearing age that is older than their biological age, with an average difference of 13 years. A further half said their hearing ability is impacting their quality of life.

The data uncovered corroborates ongoing concerns from the World Health Organisation that billions of young people are at increased risk of hearing loss due to prolonged use of earbuds and headphones, as well as regular exposure to loud music at gigs.
Amanda Philpott, CEO and co-founder at Eargym, says of the findings: “Hearing loss is an emerging crisis for young people. The majority of us will experience some form of hearing loss in our lifetimes, but it’s particularly concerning to see an unexpected number of young people worried about their hearing and showing signs of hearing difficulties.
“The good news is: hearing loss is preventable, and we can take proactive steps to look after and improve our hearing at any age. Research shows that whilst the ear itself cannot be directly improved without hardware, the brain can learn and respond to specific auditory stimuli through regular training.”
She later adds, “The only way to understand what’s going on with our hearing is to test it regularly, so we notice when it changes. Safe listening practices, such as the use of ear defenders, gigplugs and noise-cancelling headphones, can make the world of difference when it comes to protecting our hearing health long into our futures.”
Find out more at Eargym.
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XLN Audio release Life plug-in XLN Audio's latest plug-in has been designed to allow users to take a step away from sample libraries and quickly capture sounds from their own setups or surroundings.

Get this free Synthesizer Expander Module plugin from Cherry Audio todayCherry Audio has ushered in the holiday season with a free download of the Synthesizer Expander Module, a virtual instrument plugin based on a classic 1974 analogue synthesizer.

READ MORE: Kaytranada is trying to keep sampling alive: “It’s like a collage; Not everyone is going to get it”

Designed in collaboration with DSP legend Mark Barton, the Synthesizer Expander Module is a software replica of the iconic Oberheim SEM, a synth used by artists the likes of Joe Zawinul and Toto’s Steve Porcaro.
Though it was a simple, barebones monosynth, the original SEM possessed a unique tone quality courtesy of its 12 dB/oct state-variable filter.
Similar to the original, this filter – with its high-pass, low-pass, and bandpass configurations – is the star of the show in the Cherry Audio version. The synth features a pair of accurate oscillators with saw and pulse waveforms, coupled with fun controls like modulation on the pulse width and tuning. Users also get a unison mode and a unique “Phasor” effect section emulating the vintage Oberheim stomp box. There are also 100 presets for Basses, Leads, and Percussion.
Synthesizer Expander Module joins other free offerings from Cherry Audio, including the Surrealistic MG-1 Plus and the acclaimed Voltage Modular Nucleus virtual modular platform. This holiday gift arrives as the brand celebrates its fifth anniversary in the desktop music production space.
It’s offered in AU, VST, VST3, AAX, and standalone formats for Windows (7 and above) and macOS (10.13 and above), including native support for Apple Silicon.
Download the plugin at Cherry Audio now.

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