Successful failure: Sierra Space’s inflatable habitat blows up as plannedSierra Space has completed a key test of its inflatable space habitat, as the company progresses toward launching and operating a private space station with Blue Origin before the end of the decade. The “ultimate burst pressure” test of the inflatable module was conducted at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. As the name suggests, the […]
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Live music company DEAG plans to re-list on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and raise between €40m to €50m to spend on M&AThe company first went public in 1998 and delisted in January 2021
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TuneCore says that over 80,000 indie artists are enrolled in its ‘TuneCore Accelerator’ marketing programsTuneCore has published its first TuneCore Accelerator Report
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It’s Superfan Week on Hypebot!From major label executives to startup founders and the artists they’re both hoping to monetize, the term “superfan” is everywhere. But what is a superfan? How do you find them,. Continue reading
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What is a Superfan & Why do UMG, WMG (and everyone else) care so much?Everyone is talking about the importance of music superfans to propel and monetize an artist’s career. But what is a superfan, and why do the CEOs of UMG and WMG,. Continue reading
The post What is a Superfan & Why do UMG, WMG (and everyone else) care so much? appeared first on Hypebot.

3 ways to find inspiration for your music
Here are three actionable ways you can find inspiration for your music, as well as resources that pair with each.

Korg to reissue PS-3300 synthesizer A reissue of Korg's iconic PS-3300 synthesizer, which saw a run of just 50 units between 1977 and 1981, is set to launch later in 2024.

Behringer is teasing a new synth that looks a lot like the Roland Jupiter-8Behringer has added yet another prototype to its ever-growing list, expanding the Jupiter collection, with the JT-16.

READ MORE: Behringer 2024: Every synth, drum machine and controller Behringer is working on

In a post to Facebook on Saturday (20 January), and later to Instagram, the synth manufacturer announced that a “new prototype is getting ready for assembly”. Upon closer inspection it appears to be a JT-16 analogue polyphonic synthesiser, offering 16 voices and plenty of oscillator choices, such as LFOs, VCOs and VFOs and more.

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The prototype shares a number of visual similarities with the coveted Roland Jupiter-8, with the same orange band spanning the length of its interface. Unlike the Jupiter-8, though, it looks like it doesn’t have keys at this time.
It’s been almost a year since Behringer teased the JT-2 Jupiter Voice in Eurorack format, promising that a “full key version” of the  Jupiter was in the works. While this doesn’t seem to be the Jupiter clone that has been promised, it looks to be a step up from the JT-2, offering 16 voices rather than just two.
Further details surrounding the prototype are few and far between right now, but given the fact it has plenty more voices and oscillator options than the JT-2, we predict its price to be significantly above the JT-2’s $299.
There is also little information about connectivity options, but it is hoped to be better than the JT-2, which only offers a single MIDI in/out and USB, as well as mono audio out.
Fans in the comments sections of Behringer social media posts seem very excited about the new prototype. “Oh wow, a Jupiter 16!” one writes, while another adds: “The Jupiter 8 is coming to life!”
We’ll endeavour to keep you in the loop with more info as we receive it.
To stay in the loop yourself, though, head to Behringer.
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How to sell more music merch using these 8 proven tacticsSelling merch is more than just a revenue stream for music artists – it’s a way to deepen your connection with Superfans. Want to know how? Here are eight super. Continue reading
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Ferguson Hill’s new Jetstream speaker system looks like something out of a sci-fi movieBritish pro-audio maker Ferguson Hill has unveiled what might just be the coolest speaker system you’ve ever laid your eyes on.
Billed as the brand’s “finest-ever design”, the new Jetstream Loudspeaker System spent two decades in the making, building on the iconic transparent design of the original FH001.

READ MORE: NAMM 2024: The hottest rumours and latest announcements from this year’s show

With upgrades introduced to “practically every single component”, the new system comprises a pair of Jetstream Horn Loudspeakers, a pair of Jetstream Bass Speakers, and a Jetstream Bass Amplifier. The system has also been “entirely reworked from the ground up”, according to Ferguson Hill.
“I have incorporated all the changes I have wanted to do since the launch of the FH001 twenty years ago,” said founder and designer Tim Hill of their latest offering.
For one, the horn speakers now feature the company’s own manufactured semi-full range drive unit, created in conjunction with Cube Audio of Poland. Improvements were also made to the interface between the acrylic horn and the metal ring, resulting in a more even sound wave expansion from the circular drive unit diaphragm to the mouth of the horn.
Credit: Ferguson Hill
The Jetstream bass speakers, meanwhile, arrive as a pair of 600mm acrylic spheres, with neodymium-powered 300 mm drive units. They are driven by the Jetstream Bass Amplifier with an internal low pass filter of 140 Hz. The Class D amplifier is capable of a total power output of 400W (2 x 200W) and features a sleek-looking anodised aluminium block construction.
Stunning as they come, just know that it isn’t just the Jetstream’s visuals that are out of this world. The entire system will cost you a stratastrophic £105,200. Individually, the horn speakers are priced at £72,955 a pair, the bass speakers £22,295, and the amplifier an additional £9,950.
Learn more at Ferguson Hill.
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TikTok testing generative AI songmaking tool – and so far, it absolutely sucksThe use of artificial intelligence in creative spaces is a touchy subject. From the uproar over Jason M. Allen’s award-winning AI ‘painting’ at the 2022 Colorado State Fair, to the war on AI in the first-of-its-kind copyright infringement case against Stability AI, it seems artists aren’t too happy about AI’s creative streak.
While AI art has been an ongoing discussion topic for the last few years, it seems TikTok is set to spark another controversial debate with its new feature: AI Song.

READ MORE: TikTok’s parent company to shut down Resso music platform in India due to “local market conditions”

The new AI-powered feature is able to generate catchy tunes from text prompts, aided by BLOOM, BigScience’s open multilingual language model. Users will be presented with a choice AI-generated song to use, as well as being able to shift the song’s genre.
The feature was reportedly first spotted last week on the app. While AI Song isn’t available for everyone yet, the prompt to use AI Song is said to pop up when searching to add a sound to your post.
Musician Jonah Manzano showcases the feature in a recent TikTok, taking us through each step as he asks AI Song to generate a track about ‘attending a comedy show.’ The result is an awkward, horrendously out of tune garble of bland pop.

@jonahcruzmanzano
How to create a song using AI on TikTok. Explore the world of AI music on TikTok! Join me in creating catchy Pop, EDM, and HipHop songs using simple prompts and words. Let’s make music together! What is AI Song? AI Song is an experimental feature available on TikTok, utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to generate songs based on prompts you input. How does AI Song work? The lyric generation in AI Song is driven by Bloom, a robust language model employing machine learning to produce text. It’s important to note that lyrics generated by this model might include errors, and the same lyrics may be generated for multiple users utilizing the feature. For your security, refrain from sharing personal or confidential information while using AI Song #tiktok #tiktoknewfeature #tiktokai #tiktoknews #tiktokupdate
♬ Vibes – ZHRMusic

While it’s clear text-prompted AI songs aren’t going to top the charts any time soon, TikTok has certainly boasted a number of successful AI sounds recently. From Kanye crooning along to Lana Del Ray, to Ariana Grande covering K-Pop, AI generated covers have taken TikTok by storm. User Ghostwriter977 has had perhaps the most success of the bunch, with his AI-generted ‘Heart on My Sleeve’ track, emulating vocals by Drake and The Weeknd.
The Verge has reportedly reached out to TikTok for comment on the new AI Song feature, with no word yet.
Elsewhere, it’s clear that AI is certainly intriguing artists themselves. Techno star Reinier Zonneveld has recently developed R², an AI clone of his musical brain. Trained on over 2000 hours of his music, Zonneveld has stated that the technology will be able to intuitively “create music on the spot.”
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ParametricOD Is A FREE Distortion Plugin Based On Neural Amp Modeler
Steve Ack, the developer behind Neural Amp Modeler, released ParametricOD, a freeware guitar distortion pedal plugin for Windows and macOS. Neural Amp Modeler has proven to be a popular piece of software with guitarists. I’ve seen all manner of gear, from boutique amps to studio outboard processors, captured. One of the dreams, so to speak, [...]
View post: ParametricOD Is A FREE Distortion Plugin Based On Neural Amp Modeler

Slate Digital announce MetaPitch plug-in MetaPitch offers independent pitch and formant controls, built-in saturation and stereo width effects, and a Robot Mode capabling of creating vocoder-style melodies.

Over one million “manipulated” tracks on streaming services are “diverting revenue away” from artists, recent study showsA recent study by digital rights tech firm Pex has spotlighted over one million “manipulated” tracks on streaming services that are “diverting revenue away” from creators.

READ MORE: NAMM 2024: The hottest rumours and latest announcements from this year’s show

According to data from November 2023, there are more than a million of what Pex calls “modified audio tracks” – tracks that have been sped up, slowed down, or otherwise “manipulated”, and then uploaded as a new recording on sites such as Spotify, Apple Music and TIDAL.
Examples cited include a sped-up version of Halsey’s Without Me, with nearly 6 million streams on Spotify, as well as a modified version of Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay that’s earned over 12 million plays on the platform.
The issue, says Pex, is that most of these modified songs haven’t licensed the original tracks, but are earning royalties from DSP streams – a move that could very well be “taking millions from the rightful copyright owners.”
Speaking with Music Business World, Pex CEO Rasty Turek explains: “From our research, at least 1% of all music has some kind of modified audio, and the existing systems are not catching that up. So that means at least 1% of all music is misattributed and misappropriated in that sense. And… this means a lot of artists are essentially mis-paid [given how much] they are played.”
He adds: “There is [a] huge following of people trying to essentially enjoy content like this. Nightcore mixes, and so on. And I do think that there is a legitimate seed to the movement. If people enjoy this kind of music, they should absolutely have access to it.”
“But at the same time, proper attribution should be required. And this is much more up to the platforms and services than it is up to the artist to essentially go and fish out.”
In the meantime, Spotify recently announced some major changes to its royalty payout model in a bid to combat “drains on the royalty pool” and direct more money to working artists.
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