WeissKlang reveal KlangFormer 2 WeissKlang have just introduced a new and improved version of the plug-in that pairs up with their V13 modelling microphone.

Microsoft’s Satya Nadella says AI models need an ‘emergency brake’In a Saturday morning post, Microsoft's CEO wrote that it’s time “to step back and assess the trust architecture” of AI.

CRSSD Lab has been hosting music-making workshops for years — why?It’s 32°C in San Diego, and CRSSD festival is brimming with short shorts, tank tops, sunglasses and ice-cold beers. The last place you might want to be is inside a black tent full of synths, screens and drum machines. But that’s where I am, at CRSSD Lab, and I’m not alone.
Festival-goers wander in and out of the Roland and Chapter One booths, peering at the Juno-X and a TR-1000 on the table; they flick through vinyl records and listen to them on a Technics SL-1200 and headphones. By 3 pm, a stack of vinyl, each wrapped in a paper bag, is already waiting for attendees to come retrieve their purchase at the end of the fest.
Vinyl crates at Chapter One Records’ booth at the CRSSD Festival. Image: Izzy Hassan
CRSSD Lab has been running for over eight years. The Lab is a tiny section in the centre of the CRSSD dance music festival at Waterfront Park, with the fest hosted twice a year in the spring and fall. Roland and Chapter One have become mainstays on the lineup, with the former returning twice a year to host workshops and artist demos, and the latter being a pop-up record store with local DJs performing intermittently throughout the weekend.
MusicTech already spoke with Roland and Chapter One in 2023 to learn about how CRSSD Lab operates. This time, I’m here to learn why the two brands keep coming back, and whether attendees are really having an “a-ha!” moment at CRSSD Lab.
“Who else do you see out here getting one-on-one with their end users?” says Mar Keith Anthony, Roland’s global brand relations manager. He’s right: Roland is the only music tech brand on-site, and has been for several years. Roland hosts similar pop-ups at Movement in Detroit and Stagecoach, the country festival that happens on the Coachella site each April.
“We’re creating and fostering collaboration, and teaching skills at the same time,” he explains. “People don’t know how simple music-making tools are these days. People walk in like, ‘Oh, I don’t make music,’ and I’m like, ‘I can literally show you in five minutes how to do it!’ That’s our goal. We’re just trying to inspire people to pick up instruments and make music.”
Roland booth at CRSSD Festival. Image: Izzy Hassan
Today, Roland has connected synths, drum machines, guitars and effects to Ableton Live. Attendees can come to the booth, learn about the gear and software, record clips into the DAW, and let the next person come through and lay down a new part. There’s also a Roland DJ-202 in the setup for those who just want to try mixing some pre-selected tracks. The area never seems to be bustling, but there’s frequently a gaggle of pals tinkering around and chatting to brand reps.
But is CRSSD Lab really having an impact? Are people truly leaving the festival and picking up Roland products when they get home?
“We get tons of feedback,” Anthony says. “A lot of the time, parents will come and say, ‘Oh, my kids want to get into music production, maybe this is an easy way for them to get started.’ This is also an opportunity for users to talk to us about products that are out. One guy came today and said, ‘Hey, if I come by early enough tomorrow, can I bring my laptop and record the samples into my computer using this machine?’”
Chapter One’s Max Coletto says his team sees a similar effect. Although the reason for the label and record store’s involvement seems obvious — to sell more records — there are a few other benefits to participating in CRSSD Lab. Namely, the Chapter One team are often giving dance fans their first experience with vinyl.
“It’s definitely a good feeder to our community in L.A,” says Coletto of CRSSD Lab’s impact. “We see really young first-timers—people who are getting into the electronic music—and we see 50 to 60-year-olds who have been listening to this music their whole lives… It’s always a nice little memory for them. It’s not just about getting the record, it’s about interacting with them. It’s a whole experience.”
Chapter One sells around 80 per cent of its stock at CRSSD Lab, from $5 dance singles to more expensive classic albums (Daft Punk’s //Random Access Memories// is one such record that I see a customer checking out while I’m there). The team is also finding out more about its target market.
“I’m definitely noticing a younger audience,” says Coletto. “I’m noticing an audience that doesn’t necessarily know specific artists or labels, but there’s a huge amount of curiosity because they’ve dipped their toes into this underground electronic music, and they’re really excited to learn. They ask about local labels and what artists to check out. There’s just a general curiosity among the younger crowd that’s really exciting because you can tell there’s an increased demand for this kind of slightly underground, left-of-centre music.”
DJ spinning vinyl at Chapter One Records’ booth at the CRSSD Festival. Image: Izzy Hassan
For Roland, its continued attendance is also crucial in better understanding the dance music fans that exist among its sprawling music production audience.
“Coming [here for] years is really about making sure the fans know that we’re part of the community as well,” says Anthony. “We’re invested in the continued creation of this style and music. It’s important being out in the elements like this. No one can speak to the products better than someone that works directly for the brand.”
Anthony and I go on to talk about the new Roland store in New York City, which is the brand’s first flagship store in the US. Much like at CRSSD, the store isn’t just about selling more gear, but a focused attempt to lure more people into synths and samplers by giving them valuable hands-on time with the gear. Ultimately, it’s about turning more music fans into music creators — and customers.
“We’re creatives, and we feel like music is the heartbeat of everything that we do,” explains Anthony. “So therefore, for us, that’s what we’re passionate about: creating more music makers.”
 
The post CRSSD Lab has been hosting music-making workshops for years — why? appeared first on MusicTech.

Valve Releases Hardware and CAD Reference For New VR HeadsetValve recently began shipping its long-awaited VR headset, the Steam Frame. Now, there is a hardware reference repository that includes everything a budding modder might need, and then some.
No need to 3D scan or break out the calipers if one wants to design their own add-ons.
Want to design and 3D print some add-ons, or a carrying case, or some other doodad? There’s no need to break out the calipers or 3D scan the hardware. The repository contains STEP format models of the VR core module, head strap, and controllers, so it’s as easy as possible to design things that’ll fit. The location of the IR tracking LEDs embedded in the controllers is also documented, so one can ensure their design doesn’t occlude them.
That’s not all. The Frame has a user-accessible hardware expansion port at its front. This port exposes two interfaces: high-speed MIPI camera and PCI Express. This expansion port is documented in the repository, and even has a simple reference design built in both KiCad and Altium.
We’re glad to see Valve maintain their hacker-friendly hardware design with the Steam Frame. Demand for The Frame outstrips supply so far, so if you’re on the waitlist, you might want to browse the repository and get an early start on whatever customizations you have in mind while you wait for your confirmation. And when you get something working, drop us a note on the tips line!

emptyvessel Moramora is based on a set of samples recorded from a small Tangible Waves modular system and a Novation Summit, processed & sampled using Elektron Octatrack and Tonverk samplers. Additionally a few field recordings captured with an old Sony tape dictaphone and a Sony PCM-D50 digital recorder for noise layers and texture. A great deal of character and imperfection is present in the samples and brought out further within TAL Sampler. As usual for my packs the samples are quite long. With this and the modulation possibilities in TAL Sampler the results are alive, expressive, dynamic instruments which avoid that inherent static, repeating aspect that can afflict sample-based instruments. The patches are rusty, imperfect, liminal, melancholic, hopeful. Cinematic, dark, bright, warm, thin, analog, digital. Tired, faded, like memories. Basses, keys, drones and immersive, evolving pads. Here's a playlist of 3 musical demos using only sounds from mora with no processing or fx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P1dWyWBlkU&list=PLbkQnqWkj3kM 55 presets based on ~470mb of original samples. no AI, just a real, human Scottish person, obsessed with creating sounds that make you want to make music. comes with 4 TAL Sampler colour themes, including a light one for you weirdos who like light themes!;). Read More

"Voice of a Generation" by Marquis H.K.(paperback) $33.99

Yep, MC has gone punk rock crazy with our books this month, thanks to this string of releases from the Earth Island imprint. Voice of a Generation is tagged “80s UK punx in their own words,” and that’s pretty much exactly what it is. It’s as much about the characters as it is the music; we learn (or, if you were there, remember) some of the larger-than-life people that were integral to the British punk scene during that decade.

Some of them are no longer with us, so it’s gratifying to know that their legend has been preserved for posterity. The photos, including a lot of mohawks, are magnificent.

The post "Voice of a Generation" by Marquis H.K. first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

The maker of non-text AI model Jev valued at $7.5B just weeks after launchTypeSafe AI raised $870 million in a round led by a16Z.

The Return of Sugar is Oh-So SweetThe return of Sugar is something that many of us never dared dream of. For decades now, alt-rock icon Bob Mould has seemed content to go out and record as a solo artist, and that's been more than good enough. His albums have generally been great. "Listenable" at worst. But the point is, his fans have been content.

But last year, Mould put Sugar back together. For the uninitiated, Sugar was the band that Mould formed after the breakup of the semi-legendary Hüsker Dü, which existed from 1979-'88. Sugar formed in 1992 and only lasted three years, releasing the Copper Blue album, the Beaster mini-album, and the File Under: Easy Listening album. There was also the Besides record of b-sides, odds, and sods. And that was it. They were done. Mould, co-vocalist and bassist David Barbe, and drummer Malcolm Travis all went their own, separate ways.

They're back, and that's great news for lovers of dark-yet-melodic alt-rock. At the Hollywood Palladium at the end of September, a too-cool-for-school, hyper-hip crowd seemed reluctant to show their excitement, but the gentle hum of anticipation in the air betrayed them.

The set offered just about everything you'd want to hear from Sugar; all four of the aforementioned records were well represented. "Hoover Dam" from the debut was a highlight, as was "Changes," and both came quite early in the set. The tracks from Beaster, including a brilliant "JC Auto" were typically crunchy. That record is often considered Sugar's "awkward" sophomore effort, but it's this writer's favorite in their arsenal.

Crowd pleaser "If I Can't Change Your Mind" brought the evening to a close, after a solid two hours of '90s nostalgia that actually sounded fresh. Importantly, Mould and the guys looked like they were having a blast throughout, so hopefully this reunion isn't going to be short-lived.

The post The Return of Sugar is Oh-So Sweet first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

149 Audio Solur- Solur: "FORMANT OSCILLATOR" - Formant grain oscillator with F-Shift and F-Spread. - Wavetable scanning: five built-in tables, plus your own. - ADSR envelope, four unison models, stereo spread. - Wavetable editor to create and save Glass wavetables. Perfect for that psytrance virus TI glass sound. Read More

US plans to seize $1B in crypto linked to Iran this week: Scott BessentThe Treasury Department has announced several digital asset seizures related to sanctions on Iran as part of US sanctions.

Two-Component H-shifter for Racing SimsFlying and driving simulators can go as far as money will take you, and at some point it might end up being cheaper to buy a plane or race car than to keep adding capabilities to some of the sim rigs we’ve seen. But it can also be a fairly affordable hobby as well, with entry-level components being within reach for many. The price can drop precipitously from there too, provided some parts can be sourced and a 3D printer is made available, and [Jason] is demonstrating one of the lowest-cost H-shifters we’ve seen which only uses two parts at its core.
The two components only cover the electronics for the build, but this gets almost everything needed for the shifter squared away. A joystick like those found inside many game controllers is paired with an Arduino Pro Micro, with a very straightforward wiring configuration between them. These components are paired with a prototype 3D printed case and shift knob which provides the H pattern of choice. From there it’s as simple as uploading some readily-available firmware, which [Jason] also demonstrates, and which has many options for various configurations of shifters.
Although this was just a prototype, it shows was just a few off-the-shelf components and a 3D printer can provide to an affordable driving sim setup. Even then a 3D printer is not always necessary, like this three-pedal setup using extruded aluminum frame as a base. From there, all kinds of other features can be added like force feedback on the steering wheel.

Faith Monaco (OsamaSon, Playboi Carti) dives deep into sound design in Serum
Faith Monaco (OsamaSon, Playboi Carti) shares her top Serum sound design tips and makes a track in FL Studio with her new sample pack.

Soniccouture reveal Scanner: Library Soniccouture have teamed up with Scanner (Robin Rimbaud) to create a custom sound-design tool based on the artist’s extensive personal tape archive. 

From Sony Music’s 260,000 deepfake takedowns to Suno’s live music expansion… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest headlines from the past few days...
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Wanna give your mixes a little analogue flavour? We’ve rounded up the best deals at Plugin Boutique so you don’t have toWhether you’re looking to bring some vintage crackle to your music, experiment with old school synth character, or find a meticulously-emulated studio-grade compressor, look no further than Plugin Boutique.
This October, the plugin retail platform is offering up to 87 percent off on analogue emulations, with great deals on brands like Roland, Solid State Logic, and Universal Audio.

READ MORE: Best DAWs for producers, songwriters, engineers and DJs right now

With 18 emulations included in the promotion, you can find a bunch of plugin options, including compressors, EQs, consoles, tape machines and effects modelled on classic hardware. We’ve selected some of the best deals below.
SSL Native Bus Compressor 2 and Native Channel Strip 2

Two SSL goodies have the biggest reductions right now, with 87 percent off both the Native Bus Compressor and Native Channel Strip respectively. This brings their cost down to just  £17 each from a three-figure sum. Get the SSL G-Series centre section bus compressor in native plugin form, “celebrated for its ability to glue a mix together to make it sound like a record”, or the tone, features and workflow of an SSL 9000K console channel strip.

Roland Analog Polysynth Collection

Until the end of the month, you can get Roland’s Analog Polysynth Collection for £180 (reduced from £455). Inside you get five of its “most revered” synths from the late ’70s and early ’80s, all backed by “Analog Circuit Behaviour (ACB) technology”. Included is: JUPITER-4, JUPITER-8, JUNO-60, JX-3P, JUNO-106.

Universal Audio Minimoog 

Get this emulation of the Minimoog Model D for just £35. The original synth has been used by Kraftwerk, Parliament-Funkadelic, Yes and Dr. Dre, and this version has been developed in partnership with Moog Music, exclusively for Universal Audio.

Roland ZENOLOGY

Roland’s ZENOLOGY plugin, rated 9/10 by MusicTech, “embodies over 50 years of synthesiser research and development”. It’s now just £90 until 31 October, reduced from £204.

To view more deals, head over to Plugin Boutique.
The post Wanna give your mixes a little analogue flavour? We’ve rounded up the best deals at Plugin Boutique so you don’t have to appeared first on MusicTech.