Ramp is trying to get the US government as a customer after seeing a tweet from DOGEExpense management startup Ramp is being considered for a charge card pilot program by the U.S. government’s General Services Administration, the company confirmed to TechCrunch on Thursday. The government’s internal expense card program, dubbed SmartPay, is a $700 billion program. It is estimated that the charge card pilot program contract for which Ramp is being […]

Designing an FM Drum Synth from ScratchHow it started: a simple repair job on a Roland drum machine. How it ended: a scratch-built FM drum synth module that’s completely analog, and completely cool.
[Moritz Klein]’s journey down the analog drum machine rabbit hole started with a Roland TR-909, a hybrid drum machine from the mid-80s that combined sampled sounds with analog synthesis. The unit [Moritz] picked up was having trouble with the decay on the kick drum, so he spread out the gloriously detailed schematic and got to work. He breadboarded a few sections of the kick drum circuit to aid troubleshooting, but one thing led to another and he was soon in new territory.
The video below is on the longish side, with the first third or so dedicated to recreating the circuits used to create the 909’s iconic sound, slightly modifying some of them to simplify construction. Like the schematic that started the whole thing, this section of the video is jam-packed with goodness, too much to detail here. But a few of the gems that caught our eye were the voltage-controlled amplifier (VCA) circuit that seems to make appearances in multiple places in the circuit, and the dead-simple wave-shaper circuit, which takes some of the harmonics out of the triangle wave oscillator’s output with just a couple of diodes and some resistors.
Once the 909’s kick and toms section had been breadboarded, [Moritz] turned his attention to adding something Roland hadn’t included: frequency modulation. He did this by adding a second, lower-frequency voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and using that to modulate the drum section. That resulted in a weird, metallic sound that can be tuned to imitate anything from a steel drum to a bell. He also added a hi-hat and cymbal section by mixing the square wave outputs on the VCOs through a funky XOR gate made from discrete components and a high-pass filter.
There’s a lot of information packed into this video, and by breaking everything down into small, simple blocks, [Moritz] makes it easy to understand analog synths and the circuits behind them.

Knobula launch the Monumatic Kobula's new Monumatic module comes equipped with 16 selectable oscillator modes, with its collection of virtual-analogue algorithms covering a wealth of classic and modern sounds.

Native Instruments has partnered with DJ Mustard on some ultra-limited gear – here’s how you can enter to win itLast weekend, American producer and DJ Mustard showcased his limited-edition Native Instruments Maschine MK3 and Kontrol S49 on the Coachella stage. Native Instruments created the gear exclusively for Mustard – but one other set exists, and it’s up for grabs.
An exclusive giveaway could see you winning your very own NI x Mustard limited-edition gear. All you have to do is enter on Native Instruments’ website, and the ultra-rare Maschine MK3 and Kontrol S49 instruments could be yours.

READ MORE: Best free plugins: free synths that you didn’t know you needed

The Maschine MK3 is a top-tier sampler and drum machine, boasting two high-res RGB colour displays for precision sample slicing, sound tweaking and more. It also comes with 25 pro-quality effects, including filter, EQ, delay, reverb and compressor. There’s also 16 pads sensitive pads for precise two-handed drumming, as well as touch-sensitive knobs to toy with parameter.
In terms of the Kontrol S49, we awarded it 9/10 in 2023. The keyboard is particularly impressive in terms of how tactile customisable it is; the Kontrol S49 is the “ultimate controller” for instruments, effects, controlling your DAW or doing entirely computer-free when in MIDI mode.
DJ Mustard (or, as Kendrick Lamar would refer to him, MUSTAAAAAAAARD!) had an incredibly successful 2024. It saw him picking up multiple awards for his production work, including five Grammys for the pivotal Not Like Us. Performing at Coachella with some fresh Native Instruments custom gear is surely a sign that 2025 will be equally as fulfilling.

Speaking on the collaboration, Mustard says: “It’s an honour to team up with Native Instruments on this. Maschine and the Kontrol S49 are powerful tools I’ve always respected – they make it easy to get ideas down fast and add real musicality.”
While Mustard has since “broken in” his gear for Coachella crowds, he’s set to knock it out yet again on the second weekend of Coachella. But he’s already grateful for how weekend one went down.
“This Coachella was bigger than the set – it was a full-circle moment,” Mustard told VIBE in the aftermath of his Coachella set. “I brought the studio to the stage, tapped in with some of my favourite collaborators, and took fans through my catalogue, hit by hit.”
“The energy was crazy from start to finish,” he added. “Big love to the team and everyone who helped bring the vision to life.”
Mustard’s second performance will take place during the second weekend of Coachella on 18th April. The set will kick off late, continuing on into the early hours of the following day.
Native Instruments’ giveaway will run until 25th April. Enter now.

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Charles Goldstuck’s GoldState raises $500m to buy music rights, with investment from Northleaf Capital and Ares Management"Our new relationship with Northleaf and Ares marks the next step in the evolution of our music investing strategy,” said GoldState founder Charles Goldstuck
Source

Spotify Responds: Did the 1000 Stream Rule cost Artists $47M?Spotify's 1000 stream rule has stripped artists of $47 million in royalties, according to Disc Makers CEO Tony van Veen. After Hypebot published this article a Spotify spokesperson reached out to rebut some of the data.
The post Spotify Responds: Did the 1000 Stream Rule cost Artists $47M? appeared first on Hypebot.

Pollstar Live Music Industry Awards 2025: Full Winners ListPollstar unveiled its Pollstar Awards 2025 winners on Wednesday night during the live music industry trade's annual Pollstar Live! conference.
The post Pollstar Live Music Industry Awards 2025: Full Winners List appeared first on Hypebot.

iZotope announce Equinox reverb plug-in iZotope’s latest offering combines their popular Stratus and Symphony reverb engines into a single plug-in that’s capable of tackling both music and post-production projects.

Get the Ableton Made Easy Online Course for $29 in LIMITED time offer
Audioplugindeals is currently offering Ableton Made Easy, an online, in-depth course for the Ableton Live DAW by Tapelab, for a heavily discounted price. Usually valued at $175, you can now get the entire Ableton Live Made Easy course with lifetime access for only $29. That’s 83% off! Do you want a comprehensive all-in-one package for [...]
View post: Get the Ableton Made Easy Online Course for $29 in LIMITED time offer

Another new club is opening in London – despite predictions that 57% of clubs will be closed by 2030With The Guardian calling 2024 the year of the “precipitous decline of UK nightclubs”, it’s evident that the clubbing industry has been struggling. A Capital On Tap report even suggests 57% of London’s clubs will close by 2030 – but 2025 could change that.
According to the report, London lost nearly 18% of its clubs and pubs between 2022 and 2025. Based on these figures alone, the UK capital is on chart for a steep decline. However, a string of new London clubs have already opened this month alone.

READ MORE: Two dance venues open in East London in quick succession – is the UK’s nightlife scene looking up?

One of the latest clubs to open its doors is Peckham’s 120-capacity HONOR. Nestled underneath a Peckham Rye station archway, the venue is kitted out with a TW AUDiO PA-SYS-ONE soundsystem and has already hosted some events since opening on 4th April.
The venue is being run with the help of DJ Oneman. “HONOR was initially born out of the want to honour DJs and scenes that I appreciate,” he told Resident Advisor . “That’s what built the idea of HONO. It’s thinking about the whole aspect of what clubland and nightlife is all about, and everyone who encompasses it. Sound, light, atmosphere.”

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“I like to describe HONOR as being in the end of a lit cigarette. It’s dark, orange and smokey,” he added. “I’m very lucky to be given this opportunity. An opportunity to create a space where the DJ and live culture I love can thrive in the heart of London’s most vibrant community.”
While HONOR is an intimate clubbing haven, other clubs are offering bigger nightlife experiences. No90 Hideout is a newly renovated 450 capacity space in Hackney Wick’s No90, while an abandoned Shoreditch warehouse has been transformed into the 1,500 capacity Unlocked.
According to Unlocked’s launch video, the venue occupies “a once illegal rave venue [that has been] abandoned for a decade” to revive the “fading culture” of East London.

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The new venues will hopefully serve as a clubbing renaissance and bring new life to an apparently declining club scene.
Capital On Tap’s findings also hinted at a decline in clubbing across the UK. The report predicts that Leeds, Brighton and Bristol will also lose upwards of 60% of their clubs by 2030. Elsewhere, Sheffield and Liverpool are predicted to see a 50% decline.
However, it could be looking up – the injection of new venues isn’t just exclusive to London. A new club space is set to open in Liverpool on 2 May.
Kapsule will be opening a space within within Invisible Wind Factory’s former wind turbine factory. The club is a collaborative effort from the Invisible Wind Factory and Sun Palace Sound System – the only UK unit who work with a quadraphonic RLA system.
As a result, Kapsule has got its hands on some pretty powerful sonic power, boasting a 4-point high-fidelity soundsystem and substack.

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Caelum Audio DynaBunny is FREE Until May 5
Caelum Audio has released DynaBunny, a quirky but powerful dynamic bitcrusher plugin available for free until May 5th. The plugin drops just in time for Easter and helps mark the release of the developer’s new premium dynamics processor, DynaBit ($59.99). After the free promo ends, DynaBunny will be priced at $12.99. But if you’re quick, [...]
View post: Caelum Audio DynaBunny is FREE Until May 5

NAMM CEO warns US musical instruments industry will “lose its global competitive advantage” due to Trump’s tariffsNAMM president and CEO John Mlynczak has once again urged the Trump administration to “exempt musical instruments and accessories, along with materials used to manufacture musical products” from the tariffs announced in President Trump’s recent executive orders.
Earlier this month, Donald Trump rolled out a fresh wave of tariffs aimed at reducing the US trade deficit – a move that sent shockwaves across global industries, including the music products sector. Given how many American brands rely on overseas manufacturing, or on importing key materials not readily available in the US such as certain tonewoods or metals to manufacture their gear, it’s not hard to see why.
Under Trump’s new plan, imports from countries like Vietnam could face tariffs as high as 46% – a move the NAMM executive previously warned will have “devastating consequences” for the music products industry.

READ MORE: How will Trump’s tariffs affect the music gear and vinyl pressing industries? A Billboard journalist breaks it down

In response to mounting pushback, Trump has since announced a 90-day pause on what he’s calling “reciprocal” tariffs, essentially delaying enforcement of certain measures until 9 July. Tariffs already aimed at China, however, remain in effect.
Addressing the move in a new statement, Mlynczak welcomed the pause but stressed that the broader uncertainty is already taking a toll: “The negative effects of these measures threaten the economic and cultural impact of US-made musical instruments and accessories, as well as cause our US music products industry to lose its global competitive advantage in producing high-quality products, especially at professional and entry levels,” he says.
“The 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs announced last week via executive order (until July 9) is a welcomed measure, but the continued unpredictability of these tariff actions makes it difficult for companies to react in a meaningful way.”
“The back-and-forth raising of tariffs between the US and Chinese governments that we have witnessed this past week will have serious business implications and create consumer turmoil for the music products industry,” the statement continues. “The effects of these sudden and unpredictable tariff actions will have a long-term effect on musicians worldwide.”
In addition, last week also saw NAMM sending a letter in support of US-based acoustic stringed instrument manufacturers, urging the US Secretary of Commerce not to recommend additional tariffs on imported tonewoods.
“These tonewoods are often impossible to grow in the US, and they are used to create many iconic music products for American brands,” says the NAMM CEO.
Billboard reporter Kristin Robinson previously broke down how the new taxes could impact the music gear and vinyl pressing industries. She pointed out that bands have faced difficulty bringing unsold merchandise back to the US from international tours, as these also face tariffs, unless the artist is selling only American-made merch. Vinyl prices will likely be hit as well, as the materials used to make them are from overseas countries, including PVC and their paper sleeves.
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Fyre Festival 2 postponed weeks before launch – “Well that sucks,” says deadmau5The sequel nobody asked for – but somehow still sold tickets – has officially been postponed. That’s right, Fyre Festival 2 is off. For now, at least.
Less than two months out from its proposed 30 May to 2 June run, the notorious festival’s second chapter has been shelved. The news first trickled out in emails sent to ticket holders and newsletter subscribers, before being confirmed by ABC News.

READ MORE: “I need to build the room I want to play in”: Floating Points has created his very own sound system that he’ll use at this summer’s festivals – here’s why

“The event has been postponed and a new date will be announced,” reads the message. “We have issued you a refund. Once the new date is announced, at that time, you can repurchase if it works for your schedule.”
Electronic producer and DJ deadmau5 has also responded to the news, sharing a screenshot of the announcement on his Instagram account along with the caption, “Well that sucks”.

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Tickets for Fyre Festival 2 reportedly ran between $1,400 and $25,000, with “premium” packages being priced as high as $1 million. And while no lineup had been announced, nor any real infrastructure confirmed, that didn’t stop founder Billy McFarland from pushing ahead. Or at least trying to.
The festival was set to take place on Isla Mujeres, a tropical island off the coast of Mexico. But as the supposed location for Fyre Fest 2 came into focus, questions quickly followed. Local officials said they were unaware of any such event being planned.
“For us, this is an event that does not exist,” said Edgar Gasca, from the tourism directorate of Isla Mujeres, in an interview with The Guardian.
McFarland quickly disputed that claim in an Instagram post, maintaining that his team had been “in communication with local and state government to ensure full compliance and a successful event.”
Even so, the paperwork paints a different picture. The only permit reportedly granted was for a 12-hour listening party with a cap of 250 guests — no live music, no festival-scale production, and far from the luxe experience ticket buyers were led to expect.
So, where does that leave Fyre Festival 2? In limbo. Again. But with refunds going out and vague promises of a future date, we’re guessing McFarland isn’t done trying to make fetch happen.
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Roland’s V-Stage keyboard puts a studio’s worth of classic instruments and effects at your fingertipsV-Stage 88: £3,459/$3,999/€3,999
V-Stage 76: £3,027/$3,499/€3,499
roland.com
Ask any serious live player what they want from a keyboard and they’ll likely describe a combination of sound, feel and performance controls you can access fast.
Roland’s new V-Stage models are aimed at people who prize all three and are willing to pay for an instrument that crams a studio’s worth of keyboard instruments into a single unit and then puts the myriad different controls for those instruments at your fingertips rather than burying them in menus. This is no simple task since controlling a grand piano, a Rhodes or an organ are all completely different techniques.

READ MORE: Best free plugins: free synths that you didn’t know you needed

Has Roland succeeded, and is there room for another red stage keyboard on the market?
Comparisons with Nord’s Stage 4 are inevitable. Both instruments are aimed at the same type of user, though the Nord is around £400 more expensive still. Blow-by-blow comparisons can be found online and we won’t re-litigate them but will note differences where they arise. My review model was the larger 88-key which Roland says weighs 22 kg but feels as heavy as other weighted 88-key models and is no picnic to move around – you’ll want a serious flight case for it.
It has an integrated power supply fed by a kettle lead, a welcome addition since it’s one fewer peripheral to lose. Then the rear panel has a serious array of inputs/outputs, reflecting its status as a pro gigging instrument. There’s a headphone out, dual XLR balanced outs, stereo jack outs and sub left/right balanced outs and on the input side, stereo line input jacks plus an XLR mic input.
The V-Stage 88. Image: Press
Full-sized MIDI in, out and thru are present as are four control pedal inputs – hold and three controls, assignable to the various pedal types like organ swells or volume you will want to use. Some users have noted the ports here aren’t built as durable as the Nord’s metal versions, which we’d agree with. Aside from this, build quality is solid throughout.
You get handy extras including two USB-A inputs for connecting compatible MIDI controllers, useful for adding an extra organ layer for example. A USB-C port connects to your computer and turns the keyboard into an audio and MIDI interface, with the multiple parts that make up each sound appearing as separate MIDI and audio channels, great for recording or live mixing. Then another USB-A port supports flash drives, the means by which you manage firmware, backups and transferring patches from Roland Cloud. Though this works, it’s a bit anachronistic in 2025 with other developers – like Nord’s Sound Manager – providing far smoother computer integration.
On the other hand, V-Stage has a larger display than the Nord, making on-device editing more pleasurable. And while it’s arguably a matter of preference, I find the Roland’s layout to be more logical and easier to use, especially at a glance, which is just the ticket in a live scenario. My 88-key model uses a weighted keybed with escapement and ivory feel for a more authentic piano experience, but crucially allows enough fluidity for organ and EP runs without hurting your hands. This balance is difficult to get right but Roland has aced it here, making something that works brilliantly across all the different instruments.
Side of the V-Stage 88. Image: Press
Speaking of which, at the heart of V-Stage are four independent sound engines, each with a corresponding section on the front panel. First is pianos, using Roland’s acclaimed V-Piano technology with unlimited polyphony. Based on modelling rather than samples it allows an incredible level of tweaking of all the aspects of the different pianos. Then there’s the electric piano engine and a Virtual Tone Wheel organ with three independent upper, lower and pedal parts. While the organ engine’s polyphony is also unlimited, the electric piano shares a 256-note polyphony with the remaining, synth engine. Synth parts are powered by the Zen Core engine that support expansions via Roland Cloud – several free extra models are provided too.
There’s extensive layer and split functionality of course as well as a powerful system for storing presets. 512 slots are available for Scenes – complete keyboard setups – as well as 128 Scene Chains for managing complex sets. Then there are eight EX Scenes which auto-save changes you make in real time – perfect for capturing those moments of inspiration when playing. One really nice touch is that thanks to the powerful dedicated processors it’s possible to switch sounds or scenes while sustaining the last sound, without any dropouts. It might sound inconsequential but that’s invaluable in the midst of fast-moving performances.
Roland has done an excellent job of placing the most important controls at your fingertips respective to each of the four instrument sections. Each section has a dedicated level control plus a bunch of specific effects and settings, and drawbars, rotary speed and brake for the organ. There’s a total of 16 multi-effects with 93 types and a Master section with multi-band EQ and compression. You can simply experiment with these when you’re trying to sit your sound in a live mix, mid-song without needing the help of the sound engineer.
Scenes. Image: Press
The sounds are excellent, perhaps not surprising given Roland’s vast experience and though the synths are nice to have it’s the acoustic and electromechanical instruments that really sell the V-Stage. The extent to which they have listened to pro players when designing the layout is clear – it’s a live tweaker’s paradise. There are loads of stage-ready presets as starting points but the reality of live performance is that it’s often necessary to change things on the fly. This is so simple to do here. Splits and layers let you build complexity into layouts, taking advantage of the impressive processing power of the keyboard.
If you’re spending north of £3k you’re not likely to be a beginner and this keyboard – and others like it – are really for more accomplished players, ranging up to working professionals. It feels and sounds beautiful and puts the emphasis on supercharging your live performances with hands-on, dynamic effect and sound editing like you’d get from the real instruments.
In truth, the V-Stage is an investment in the same way that a high-performance tool is to any professional. It makes playing a joyous experience, sounds amazing and puts a plethora of sounds and controls right in front of you without ever getting in your way.
If your business is music, the V-Stage just might be the last performance keyboard you ever need.

Key features

88-key and 76-key models
4 dedicated sound engines
512 scenes; 128 scene chains
V-Piano modelling technology
SuperNatural models, virtual organs
Add synth models via Roland Cloud
Comprehensive inputs/outputs including XLR mic in
Multi and master effects
USB data and audio/MIDI interface capability
Multiple assignable control inputs

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Rippling wants UK fintech Revolut to reveal who paid off Deel’s alleged “spy”Another highly-valued startup has just been added to the mix in the ongoing legal drama between Rippling and Deel: U.K. fintech giant Revolut. In his blockbuster affidavit that reads like it’s straight out of a movie, Irish Rippling employee Keith O’Brien claimed that he was paid about $6,000 a month to spy on Rippling. He […]