Get free vintage synth presets for Splice INSTRUMENT
Download our free vintage synth presets for Splice INSTRUMENT—grab these presets during the drop window and they’re yours to keep forever.

Get Parallax Audio’s Virtual Sound Stage 2 virtual instrument spatializer for FREE
Parallax Audio is now offering the Virtual Sound Stage v2.0.2 virtual instrument spatializer for free download. The plugin is for macOS (Intel CPU and Apple Silicon – M-Series) and Windows (x86 64-bit, Windows 10 or higher).  The Windows formats are VST3 and AAX, while for macOS, it’s available in VST3, AU, and AAX.  Parallax Audio [...]
View post: Get Parallax Audio’s Virtual Sound Stage 2 virtual instrument spatializer for FREE

From Drake losing his UMG lawsuit to HYBE’s new services division… it’s MBW’s weekly round-upThe biggest headlines from the past few days – all in one place
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Xone:K3 controller from Allen & Heath Allen & Heath have announced the launch of a new customisable MIDI controller designed to provide DJs and producers with comprehensive control over their software and hardware setups.

Get Black Rooster Audio VPRE-73 Halloween Edition for FREE in LIMITED time offer!
Black Rooster Audio is offering its limited VPRE-73 Halloween Edition for free this month. However, there is a three-step process to claim the plugin. Here’s how it works: Visit any product/bundle detail page on blackroosteraudio.com. Set your star rating & write your review. Send a screenshot alongside your registered e-mail to info@blackroosteraudio.com. After that, you [...]
View post: Get Black Rooster Audio VPRE-73 Halloween Edition for FREE in LIMITED time offer!

iZotope Ozone 12’s AI assistant is cool, but the Stem EQ is the real starAdvanced £479 / Standard £209 / Elements £55, izotope.com
Over the last 20 years, iZotope Ozone has grown into one of the most capable all-in-one mastering solutions there is. The new 12th edition brings with it some rather novel new processors and further enhancements to the AI-driven features first seen in Ozone 8.

READ MORE: Mastering The Mix’s Faster Master has made me completely rethink my mastering chain

Is it now the undisputed master of mastering? Let’s find out.
Ozone 12 Master Assistant. Image: Adam Crute
What is iZotope Ozone?
As has become the norm for the product line, Ozone 12 provides a single ‘mothership’ plugin and, if using the Advanced edition that I’m working with here, a suite of individual module plugins.
The mothership plugin provides the means to host a full chain of Ozone’s mastering processors, along with additional tools useful in mastering, such as dithering, previewing the impact of MP3 encoding at different data rates, and the ability to compare with a reference track.
The individual module plugins are simply the individual Ozone processors packed into their own plugins. These function exactly as they do when loaded into the mothership’s mastering chain, but have the full freedom of your DAW’s routing system, allowing for chains that are more complex than the mothership’s simple serial arrangement. Also, despite being designed for mastering applications, many of the module plugins can be put to good use during tracking and mixing too, a fact that significantly adds to the value and utility of the package.
Ozone 12 Stem EQ. Image: Adam Crute
Can Ozone 12 master for me?
Ozone’s Master Assistant, part of the mothership plugin, is an AI-driven system that analyses a portion of a mix and then chooses the processors and settings that it considers most appropriate for mastering that mix. It also provides a simplified, intuitive interface through which you can tweak and adjust the settings without needing to delve into the details of the underlying processors. Those who do wish to delve can switch to the Detailed View, which provides full access to the processing chain and the processors within it.
Improvements in version 12 bring a new workflow to Master Assistant that allows the system to be pre-configured prior to analysing a mix – choosing the processors that the assistant is allowed to use, dialling in a target loudness, and specifying the musical genre. To support this, the Stabilizer processor now has a set of 25 genre targets, plus the ability to create custom targets by analysing a reference track. This newfound pre-configurability makes the Master Assistant far more controllable, saving a lot of time in the long run, but the option to leave all of these initial details to the assistant remains, as does the ability to modify and overrule the assistant’s decisions once they’re made.
Master Assistant’s results are normally acceptable but rarely perfect, but this is to be expected. iZotope stresses that Master Assistant is intended as a guide, not a decision maker; it takes care of the donkey work, but it is always expected that the user will adapt the Assistant’s configuration to their own tastes. Perhaps the best way to think of it is as an eager studio assistant, albeit one that can’t be sent to make the tea.
The other important AI-powered tool found in the mothership plugin is Stem Focus, which allows the processing chain to be targeted at a specific stem within the mix – vocal, drums or bass. First introduced in the previous version, Ozone 12 improves the accuracy of the stem separation and produces fewer sonic artefacts, but I’m disappointed that no new stem types have been added, not even an ‘other’ category.
Ozone 12 Unlimiter. Image: Adam Crute
What are the new processors in Ozone 12?
Proof that iZotope’s neural network technology can extract an ‘other’ stem in real time can be found in the new Stem EQ processor. This splits the mix into Vocal, Drums, Bass and Other stems, and allows a separate EQ curve of up to eight bands to be defined for each stem. This means you can, for example, add presence to a vocal, remove the harshness from cymbals, and/or fatten a bassline, all without impacting any other instruments within the mix. It’s an absolute game-changer for mastering engineers, enabling the sorts of corrections that would otherwise require a new mix to be produced or requested.
Another common problem that can render a mix unmasterable is heavy-handed use of mix compression and/or limiting, but Ozone 12 has a fix. Unlimiter restores transients and dynamics in over-compressed sources via an easy-to-configure interface.
Unlimiter works well when it’s largely the transients of a mix that have been crushed, and here it does an impressive job of restoring dynamic space and detail. But it’s less effective when dealing with a mix that’s more generally over-cooked, although it still improves transients. Combining Unlimiter with cunning use of multiple mothership instances and Stem Focus modes does provide more remedial options, but if you start needing to resort to such things, it’s probably a sign you need to request a new mix!
Moving on, we come to Bass Control – a remarkably versatile way of shaping, taming and/or enhancing the low end of a mix or stem. It can add or remove weight, add punch and/or smoothness, and generally pull the often-awkward bass frequencies into line. Also, with low frequencies tending to be the hardest to judge and balance, Bass Control’s visualisations prove useful in highlighting details that are extremely difficult to detect by ear.
The final all-new feature in Ozone 12 is a new IRC (Intelligent Release Control) mode for the Maximiser. Like the other modes, IRC 5 constantly analyses the incoming signal and uses psychoacoustic principles to shape the response of Maximiser’s limiter. But unlike the other modes, IRC 5 does this using a four-band multiband limiter. This results in a phenomenal ability to add loudness whilst retaining clarity and avoiding clipping, crushing, pumping and other undesirable artefacts. If you’re still engaging in the tiresome loudness wars, there’s little else that will deliver such high integrated LUFS values with such transparency.
Ozone 12 Maximiser with IRC 5. Image: Adam Crute
Should I get Ozone 12, and which edition is best for me?
Ozone 12 comes in three editions: Elements, Standard and Advanced. Elements has its uses but doesn’t have much to offer to anyone seeking a comprehensive mastering solution. The affordable Standard edition, on the other hand, contains everything you need to add the final polish to your own tracks and mixes.
Although more than twice the price of Standard, Advanced is the only version that includes tools that can fix gnarly mix problems that would normally necessitate a new mix, principally Stem EQ, Unlimiter and Stem Focus. As such, it’s a no-brainer for those who master other people’s music. Advanced is also the only edition that includes the individual module plugins. These do add value in their own right, but it’s a bit tight to make them exclusive to the Advanced edition – it’s not like it would cost iZotope anything to supply the individual module plugins with the Standard edition.
That aside, there’s no question that Ozone 12’s powerful, often innovative, processors and assistive AI technology that never interferes can deliver masterful masters, whether you’re new to mastering or an experienced engineer with credits under your belt.
Ozone 12 new module list. Image: iZotope
Key features

Up to 20 mastering processors with AI-assisted configuration
Compatible with macOS Ventura+ and Windows 10+
AAX, AU and VST3
Mothership plugin hosts processor chain and other mastering tools
Ozone modules also come as individual module plugins (Advanced only)
Improved Master Assistant
Improved Stem Focus algorithm
NEW IRC 5 Maximiser mode
NEW Stem EQ (Advanced only)
NEW Bass Control (Advanced only)
New Unlimiter (Advanced only)

The post iZotope Ozone 12’s AI assistant is cool, but the Stem EQ is the real star appeared first on MusicTech.

Discord data breach affects at least 70,000 usersThe platform said in a press release that hackers breached a third-party vendor that Discord uses for age-related appeals.

Jack Dorsey urges tax-free status for ‘everyday’ Bitcoin paymentsJack Dorsey’s payments company, Square, also announced the integration of Bitcoin payment services for businesses on Wednesday.

LR Baggs Announces Exclusive Dan Tyminski Video SeriesOn Thursday, LR Baggs announced "the launch of an exclusive video series with 14-time GRAMMY® Award winner Dan Tyminski. The series highlights Tyminski’s transformative experience with the groundbreaking HiFi Duet pickup system, capturing his unmistakable sound with unparalleled clarity, balance, and depth. Best known for his iconic voice and masterful guitar work, Tyminski shares how the HiFi Duet has reshaped his live performances."

“I’m currently running the HiFi Duet in both guitars I’m playing out," Tyminski says. "In the past, I would never use a pickup because it never suited the way I needed to sound. I’d rather my guitar have been a little quieter and sound great than be loud, harsh, and bad. But audiences have grown, the demand has grown, and these new Duets have changed the way we’re able to do things now. I can play louder than ever and still feel the breadth of my instrument. It’s been a pretty amazing crossover for me—to go into a wired sound and still hear acoustics.”

"The series begins with an in-depth interview exploring the HiFi Duet’s capabilities and Tyminski’s journey with the system. The following episodes will showcase powerful performances of his favorites, featuring both his Gallagher and Johnny Gray guitars outfitted with the HiFi Duet and running through the Venue DI for a pure acoustic experience."

The post LR Baggs Announces Exclusive Dan Tyminski Video Series first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Drake lawsuit against UMG over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ dismissed by US courtA US federal court has dismissed Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, ruling that Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us constitutes protected opinion rather than actionable defamation. Judge Jeannette Vargas of the Southern District of New York granted UMG’s motion to dismiss all claims on Thursday (October 9), finding that accusations made about Drake … Continued
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SBL Plugins LLC Big Talk ButtonBig Talk Button brings classic console-style talkback to your DAW - no subscription required. No More Mute-Button Mambo... You're in a session and you need to give direction. So you stop recording, unmute your mic, give your note, mute again, restart recording... and your voiceover talent is already going and you missed the start of the take. Your podcast guest is confused and annoyed by slapback. Your remote musician is wondering if they should keep playing or if your connection dropped. Just Convenient Communication Big Talk Button is a thoughtful, intuitive talkback plugin for real-time direction and coaching, allowing you and your clients, talent, and guests to focus on performance, not problems. Keep the conversation going, stay engaged with your musicians, and give feedback to VO talent on the spot. No awkward "We can't hear you/Sorry, I was muted" - or worse: someone hearing a comment they weren't supposed to. Just simple communication so you can create, collaborate, and capture the moments that matter. Choose Your Trigger •Mouse •Keyboard •MIDI Controller. Four modes of operation: •Toggle •Latch •Auto •Rev-Auto. Plus... •Global Keyboard Trigger - acts as button trigger even when you're in another app •Menu Bar Push-to-Talk-Button Status Indicator •Dims mono, stereo & multi-mono channels including 5.1 and up •User-defined Output Level. It's currently Mac-only, is Silicon-compatible, and works in any DAW that can take AAX/VST3/AU plugins. There's a 7-day fully functional free trial. Buy it once, own it forever. Read More

2025 Component Abuse Challenge: The Sweet Sound of a Choking TransformerThe Component Abuse Challenge is dragging all sorts of old, half-forgotten hacks out of the woodwork, but this has got to be the most vintage: [KenS] started using a transformer as a variable choke on his speakers 55 years ago.
The hack is pretty bone-dead simple. A choke is an inductor in an audio (or any other) circuit designed to, well, choke off higher-than-desired frequencies. We featured a deep dive a few years back if you’re interested. An inductor is a coil of wire, usually (but not necessarily) wound around a core of iron or ferrite. A transformer? Well, that’s also a coil of wire around a core… plus an extra coil of wire. So when [KenS], back in his salad days, had a tweeter that a was a little too tweety, and no proper choke, he grabbed a transformer instead.
This is where inspiration hit: sure, if you leave the second winding open, the transformer acts like a standard choke. What happens if you short that second winding? Well, you dampen the response of the first winding, and it stops choking, to the point that it acts more like a straight wire. What happens if you don’t short the second winding, but don’t leave it wide open? [KenS] stuck a potentiometer on there, and found it made a handy-dandy variable choke with which to perfectly tune the tone response of his speakers. Changing the resistance changes the rate at which high frequencies are choked off, allowing [KenS] to get the perfect frequency response with which to rock out to Simon & Garfunkel, The Carpenters and The Guess Who. (According to the Billboard Top 100 for 1970, those are who you’d be listening to if you had conventional tastes.)
While we can’t say the transformer is really being tortured in this unusual mode, it’s certainly not how it was designed, so would qualify for the “Junk Box Substitutions” category of the Component Abuse Challenge. If you’ve made similar substitutions you’d like to share, don’t wait another 55 years to write them up– the contest closes November 11th.
Transformer image: Hannes Grobe, CC BY-SA 4.0.

KV331 Audio’s new SynthMaster 3 Player is made for those who prefer tweaking presets over designing sounds from scratchKV331 Audio has launched a stripped-down version of its flagship modular software synth, SynthMaster 3.
This simplified rendition, SynthMaster 3 Player, is tailored towards users who prefer tweaking existing presets over designing sounds from scratch. It comes with all the factory presets of SynthMaster One, SynthMaster 2, and SynthMaster 3, and there’s a free version of the new Player available too.

READ MORE: Cherry Audio releases Korg-inspired Trident Mk III synth plugin

SynthMaster 3 Player lets users edit layer voice, zone, fx, arpeggiator and sequencer parameters, and load presets into new layers to create multi-layer patches or drum kits. It comes with 4,450 factory presets created by a team of sound designers including Arksun, Aiyn Zahev, Bluffmunkey, Brian Transeau, BigTone, Cipryan Bot, Davide Puxeddu, Demis Hellen, Electronisounds, and many more.
The Player also provides two different types of views to edit layer parameters: Track View, which is used for editing keyboard zones, velocity zones, voicing, unison, arpeggiator and sequencer parameters of multiple layers, and Mix View, used for editing insert FX and FX send parameters of multiple layers.

Each layer in SynthMaster 3 Player has a separate arpeggiator and sequencer, as well as its own MIDI output channel so that users can route the MIDI generated by the Arpeggiator / Sequencer to different tracks in their DAW. An intuitive preset browser also offers advanced search features, so you can filter presets by Product, Author, Bank, Instrument Type, Attributes, Styles, Preset name, Release Date or your favourites.
The free version of SynthMaster 3 Player comes with 500 presets curated from SynthMaster One, SynthMaster 2, and SynthMaster 3 factory libraries. The standard version is available now for an introductory price of $29 until 31 October (rising to $49), but if you already own a licence for SynthMaster One, 2, or SynthMaster Player, you can get it for a reduced fee.
To find out more or purchase a licence now, head over to the KV331 Audio website.
The post KV331 Audio’s new SynthMaster 3 Player is made for those who prefer tweaking presets over designing sounds from scratch appeared first on MusicTech.

Musicians, Get Ready For Spotify 2025 Wrapped: Here’s HowWith the release of Spotify 2025 Wrapped just weeks away, the countdown is on for every musician to be part of this rare global cultural moment. Fortunately, Spotify makes it easy with a guide to help musicians get ready for Spotify Wrapped.
The post Musicians, Get Ready For Spotify 2025 Wrapped: Here’s How appeared first on Hypebot.

Women’s Audio Mission Announces WAMCon 2025 (Discount Code!)Women’s Audio Mission is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing women and gender-expansive individuals in music production and the recording arts.
The post Women’s Audio Mission Announces WAMCon 2025 (Discount Code!) appeared first on Hypebot.