Psychic Modulation MondoMelt MondoMelt is a lo-fi character effect designed for quickly creating tape vibes on the fly, taking the melting and tone-shaping capabilities of Echomelt3 and wrapping them up into a compact... Read More

$9.99 SiriusXM streaming service leans into human curation, exclusivesSiriusXM has announced the launch of a $9.99 per month streaming service that combines content from its satellite radio service, Pandora music service, and Stitcher podcast app alongside more than. Continue reading
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20 beautiful musician websites to get inspired byThe music website experts at Bandzoogle share twenty artists who take their virtual representation to the next level with visually mesmerizing landing pages and websites. by Joseph Longo from Bandzoogle. Continue reading
The post 20 beautiful musician websites to get inspired by appeared first on Hypebot.

The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt say the greatest hip-hop producers of all time are DJ Premier, Madlib, Pete Rock and RZAThe Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt have praised DJ Premier, Madlib, Pete Rock and RZA as the greatest hip-hop producers of all time.
After it first arose in the early ’70s, hip-hop has now been around for about 50 years. The genre had a colossal impact on music production, eventually introducing sampling, beat matching, scratching and other techniques to the mainstream.

READ MORE: “She is a generation-defining artist”: Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s 2023 Artist of the Year

In a new video from Complex, The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt sit down for an episode of GOAT Talk to select their “greatest of all time” rap albums, ad-libs, and more.
When asked to select their choices for the greatest hip-hop producer of all time, The Alchemist doesn’t hesitate in choosing DJ Premier as his favourite: “DJ Premier, man. I wanted to say something wacky but it’s like let’s just stick to it, let’s… come on.”
He adds, “DJ Premier is the pinnacle – I had to figure out how to not make fake Premier beats as a kid, it was that much of an influence on me.”
Earl Sweatshirt also agrees, and adds a further two GOATed producers to the list: “I feel like the other two who float up if you bring up Premier’s name, or three I guess, is Madlib, Pete Rock and RZA,” he says.
“I feel like I hear their influence in your production sound,” The Alchemist adds.
Watch the full video below, and catch their discussion around producers at the eight-minute mark:

In honour of such a huge milestone for the hip-hop genre, figureheads from the music industry have been exploring its legacy. Will Smith launched his own podcast about it back in October. It features guests like Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rakim and Chuck D.
Also in honour of its anniversary, Grandmaster Flash hosted a masterclass and Q&A at this year’s Amsterdam Dance Event last month. As one of the most influential hip-hop artists, he became known for creating Quick Mix Theory and inventing the slip mat.
The post The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt say the greatest hip-hop producers of all time are DJ Premier, Madlib, Pete Rock and RZA appeared first on MusicTech.

MPS-10 drum pad and KAOSS Replay from Korg Korg's new MPS-10 drum pad promises unrivaled control over sounds and parameters, whilst the KAOSS Replay combines their popular XY-based effects system with a powerful sampler.

Analog Obsession Releases FREE FetCB Dynamics Plugin
Analog Obsession released FetCB, a freeware compressor plugin for digital audio workstations on Windows and macOS. Although I’ve told myself, “No more compressors,” here I am with another free compressor plugin. Ultimately, who can deny the charm and appeal of a shiny new plugin compressor? This will surely make my drums sound fatter, punchier, and [...]
View post: Analog Obsession Releases FREE FetCB Dynamics Plugin

“I’ve never played a pre-recorded set”: David Guetta slams claims of DJ fakeryDavid Guetta has dismissed claims made by Deadmau5 that “[at] most major festivals, [DJs] have to play pre-recorded sets”.

READ MORE: HÖR Berlin allegedly shuts off set by DJ wearing a T-shirt that said ‘Palestine’ written in Arabic

“I was looking online at Deadmau5 who was saying every DJ, including me, is playing a pre-recorded set,” the Titanium producer said in a recent interview featured on The Daily Star’s Wired column, according to NME.
“I won’t speak for other people, but I’ve never done that. You often see comments from people that I do this, but it’s not true. I love DJ-ing, and DJ-ing is about reading the crowd and connecting to them.”
Guetta’s response comes after Deadmau5, a fellow EDM producer and DJ, in a 2021 live stream recently rediscovered on YouTube, addressed the subject of pre-recorded DJ sets. When asked if he had ever performed a “fake” DJ set, he admitted himself to using pre-recorded sets on occasion due to time constraints and claimed that it’s not an uncommon practice.
“If [the viewer] means a pre-recorded set,” he says in the 2021 clip, “yeah, wow, all the time. Most of the time. Does that make you mad? Do I go to jail for that? Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren’t,” he says.
“[At] most major festivals you have to play a pre-recorded set. Like EDC [Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas], I would be surprised if somebody actually played a set that wasn’t pre-recorded to be honest, because there’s such a big deal to the fucking artist in the production schedule and the timeline and all that stuff that they wouldn’t wanna fuck up.
“You know what a dead giveaway is to a pre-recorded set? The visuals, believe it or not. When shit is so immaculately timed that everything is lining up, that means everything is on a playback system,” he explains. “What do they do up there? Twiddle filter knobs and clap, yes absolutely. That’s all you can do.”
After the footage was rehashed, Deadmau5, in August, followed up his previous comments, responding to an Instagram post, “The fuck do I care. I’m an engineer first, producer second, performer third. Pre-recorded, on the fly, DJs, live PAs… who cares, everyone does shit their own way. So maybe just try to have a good time?”
This isn’t the first time Deadmau5 has accused superstar DJs of faking DJ sets. In 2012, Deadmau5 took aim at Guetta directly, telling Rolling Stone, “David Guetta has two iPods and a mixer and he just plays tracks – like, ‘Here’s one with Akon, check it out!’”, he says.
In the same interview, Deadmau5 explains Skrillex’s on-stage setup: “He has a laptop and a MIDI recorder, and he’s just playing his shit… People are, thank God, smartening up about who does what… but [there are] still button-pushers getting paid half a million. And not to say I’m not a button-pusher. I’m just pushing a lot more buttons.”
David Guetta has weighed in on a number of hot music tech topics this year. One of those is AI. In February, he played his own AI-generated Eminem rap live, later saying, “I’m sure the future of music is in AI. For sure. There’s no doubt. But as a tool.”
Keep up to date with the latest DJ news via MusicTech.
The post “I’ve never played a pre-recorded set”: David Guetta slams claims of DJ fakery appeared first on MusicTech.

“She is a generation-defining artist”: Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s 2023 Artist of the YearTaylor Swift has been named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year for 2023, after reaching the accolade of the most-streamed female artist in Apple Music history.

READ MORE: Major labels “overhauling contracts” to prevent artists from re-recording their music like Taylor Swift has

The global superstar has seen incredible success in the last 12 months with the release of two re-recorded albums: Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), and 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
In addition, the start of her Eras tour in March saw her streaming figures grow by 61% globally according to Apple Music, and saw the 2019 track Cruel Summer re-enter and remain in the charts since April.
While Ed Sheeran holds the top spot for most streamed Apple Music artist ever, with more than 9.5 billion plays globally, Swift has seen an impressive 65 songs reach Apple Music’s Global Daily Top 100 in 2023, which is more than any other artist in the streaming service’s history.
“I am so honoured to be Apple Music’s Artist of the Year,” says Swift. “Thank you to every single one of you for making this year the most incredible, joyful, celebratory year ever. From streaming the music non-stop to screaming it together in real life at the shows, dancing chaotically in movie theatres, none of this would have been possible without you. Thank you so much.”
“Taylor Swift’s impact on music is absolutely undeniable – not just this record-breaking year, but throughout her entire career,” says Oliver Schusser, Apple’s Vice President of Apple Music and Beats. “She is a generation-defining artist and a true change agent in the music industry, and there is no doubt that her impact and influence will be felt for years to come.”
Taylor Swift has been in the headlines over the last few weeks as it’s been reported that major labels are “overhauling contracts” to prevent artists from re-recording their music.
Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group are three major labels who have recently overhauled contracts for new signees to introduce these new restrictions.
Their hope is that future artists will not be able to re-record their own albums no earlier than 10 years or more after leaving their label.
The post “She is a generation-defining artist”: Taylor Swift named Apple Music’s 2023 Artist of the Year appeared first on MusicTech.

McDSP announce SA-3 Spectral Processor McDSP's latest plug-in is said to excel at removing unwanted spectral spikes in dialogue, vocals and many other audio sources.

What is MIDI?
MIDI is a communications protocol for connecting audio devices. It’s also one of the most widely used music-making tools and the core of every production software setup. Today, we’ll answer what MIDI is and how to use it, as well as break down MIDI terms, devices, and setups. Learning more about MIDI will help you [...]
View post: What is MIDI?

Yaeltex launches LIVE15 plug-and-play controller for Ableton Live Yaeltex, an independent Buenos Aires-based brand, has launched a 15-channel MIDI controller for Ableton Live. It requires no mapping, thanks to a custom remote script, and is ready to plug and play.
The device, called LIVE15, has a mixer at the bottom half with a full clip launcher and encoder section at the top.

READ MORE: Meet Flow, a generative sequencer which uses algorithms to break free of “conventional” sequencing

“LIVE15 is the fulfilment of a long-awaited dream: a big mixer for Ableton Live with full clip control,” says Yaeltex. When in use, LIVE15 displays an array of vibrant colours, and despite its large array of controls, the controller should still fit into your current set up with little difficulty.
With a height of 45 cm and width of 35.5 cm, it should fit on your desk space or store away with little difficulty – a soft case is included to help with this. LIVE15 also keeps things simple with an aluminium front panel and a handmade wooden case for a stripped back aesthetic.
There are 20 “endless” encoders, 48 mini potentiometers, 16 mini faders, and 208 RGB mini buttons on board. LIVE15 also has a USB type B port to connect the device to your computer (and ships with a USB cable included), is reprogrammable, hackable and has open source firmware.
Check out more below:

Back in May, MusicTech rounded up 13 of the Best MIDI controllers to buy so far in 2023 for Ableton Live. Our top selections included devices such as Ableton Push, Akai Professional Force, Novation SL MkIII, Zerodebug TouchAble Pro and also Yaeltex’s TURN.
LIVE15 is available now for $1,623. Find out more or purchase directly via Yaeltex. You can also learn more about Ableton Live and take a look at what feature are new in its latest Live 11 update now.
The post Yaeltex launches LIVE15 plug-and-play controller for Ableton Live  appeared first on MusicTech.

Supercoolwicked accuses former collaborator Omar-S of assault due to unpaid royaltiesDetroit artist Supercoolwicked has accused her former collaborator Omar-S of assault on social media over unpaid royalties.
Supercoolwicked, real name Morgan Hutson, took to Twitter over the weekend to discuss an alleged incident at Detroit venue Paramita Sound on Saturday (4 November) in which she confronted Omar-S, real name Alex Omar Smith, over $10,000 in unpaid royalties from a previous collaboration. What’s Good For The Goose came out in October 2021 via Smith’s FXHE Records.

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“He responded with ‘fuck you bitch’ and proceeded to physically assault me including smashing a glass onto my head,” says Hutson. She then said it took three men to “pull this grown man off me” while he was pulling her hair.
“This was done in public with no concern of who saw, and many did. I am in shock, still processing, and taking the necessary legal steps.
“I would like to thank Dre, the owner of Paramita Sound, and others for protecting me during this assault. I am proud that I advocated for myself as a woman in this industry while being disturbed that I am the subject of another story of a man in power abusing a woman for demanding what is rightfully hers. Omar-S is a threat to this community.”
Many FXHE artists and figures in the Detroit scene at large have come out in support of Hutson and distanced themselves from Smith, including Fullbodydurag, John FM and JMT. Meanwhile, Paramita Sound has released a statement saying it stands with Hutson, while it’s also banned Smith and cut ties with his record label.
For his part, Smith has responded to Hutson’s allegations via Instagram, describing himself as “offended and hurt by the lies and salacious attacks to my character.”
He continues: “To be scrutinised and called names is one thing, and to suffer the physical abuse by Supercoolwicked is another. But for her to say that I attacked her pure and utter fabrication.”
“If someone believes that I owe them something, I have always been open to talking about it. If that doesn’t work, I will refer them to my lawyer, Todd Russell Perkins.”
The post Supercoolwicked accuses former collaborator Omar-S of assault due to unpaid royalties appeared first on MusicTech.

Rupert Neve Designs’ Newton Channel might be the best studio investment you could ever make£1,979, rupertneve.com
The late Rupert Neve was a true legend in the pro audio world. Mixing consoles he designed can be heard on thousands of recordings from the nineteen sixties to the present day. His most legendary preamp design from 1970 has been emulated countless times and will, no doubt, continue to be a basis for inspiration. British brand AMS Neve continues to offer the official original design.

READ MORE: Mixland’s Subloom plugin helps your kick drums hit harder than ever before

But here, we have a new channel strip from Rupert Neve Designs (RND), comprising a mic preamp, equaliser and compressor. A 1U, single rack space design, the Newton isn’t merely a scaled-down version of the company’s flagship Shelford Channel, but an all-new design featuring Class-A solid state technology in its signal paths.
As an analogue front-end, the Newton provides enough gain for any type of microphone, along with powerful, easy-to-use tone and dynamic control.
While the unit is primarily designed for processing sources heading into your DAW (or tape recorder if you’re proper old-school), it needn’t sit idle during mixing sessions since the EQ and compressor can be used together or independently to process previously recorded audio. You can even decide whether the compressor is placed before or after the equaliser in the signal path.
Rupert Neve’s signature on the Newton Channel
The mic pre offers a healthy 72dB of gain in 6dB steps from a 12-position rotary switch, plus you get +/- 6dB of fine gain control from the continuously variable Trim pot, so precise gain settings can be made. A 48v phantom power switch is provided for use with condenser mics and another switch engages the high-pass-filter. This filter allows accurate filtering of frequencies between 20Hz and 250Hz via a 31-detent HPF pot.
While the mic pre offers exceptionally clean and modern-sounding gain, there is also RND’s unique Silk mode, which adds harmonic content to audio for a more vintage flavour. It’s a wonderful feature, based upon the warmth, glow and sheen characteristics from the Amek 9098 range of the 1990s, though here we have two distinct types of colourisation. Silk Red adds harmonic enhancement to high-mid and high frequencies, whereas Silk Blue does the same for the bottom end from the low-mids downwards; the level of enhancement is controlled with the unit’s Texture pot.
The Newton’s EQ section offers both low and high frequency shelving controls along with a mid-band peaking EQ covering the 220Hz to 7kHz range. Bass frequencies can be boosted or cut at either 60Hz or 150Hz, while the top end shelf operates at either 8kHz or 16kHz. All of these available frequency points are controlled with 31-detent pots, operating within a range of +/- 12dB.
Rupert Neve Designs’ Newton Channel mic preamp
Dynamic range control comes courtesy of RND’s updated VCA compressor, a smooth, intuitive design with simple controls. A soft knee compression type kicks in with a 2:1 ratio, with attack time fixed at 20ms. Release times are user-adjustable, from a fairly fast 50ms to 500ms, controllable (like the threshold and make-up gain controls) with a 31-detent pot. Gain reduction is shown on an eight-segment LED meter, which doubles as an output meter.
Rear panel connectivity features a balanced XLR-1/4 inch TRS combo jack input along with a main balanced XLR output and a -6dB balanced XLR output. The main output uses a custom RND transformer while the -6dB output makes use of the centre tap of the transformer and enables the input to be driven harder without clipping the signal into your DAW. Along with power and ground-lift switches, the unit features a link socket to allow the connection of other Newton Channels.
On first listen, with an acoustic guitar recorded with an AKG C-414 B-ULS, it’s crystal clear that this is a first-class front end, offering an abundance of clean preamp gain. This is with gain set to moderate levels and no harmonic enhancement added. Here, the natural woody character of the C-414 is heard in all its glory, with a pure yet tonally vibrant presentation.
Rupert Neve Designs’ Newton Channel front panel
Experimenting with the Silk Red control is a blast, adding an airy openness that traditional EQ cannot provide. In some ways it’s reminiscent of the type of harmonic enhancement you might get with an aural exciter device, adding a beautiful top-end sheen to the sound.
At lower settings – and this is true of the Silk Blue control too – the harmonic enhancement is quite subtle, however when the wick is cranked-up, the guitar tone positively drips with rich harmonics.
Using both high-pass and the parametric mid-band EQ to cut low-end rumble and low-mid muddiness creates a brilliant tone, which is perfected with just a hint of added 16kHz super-top. A mild taming of dynamics, using the VCA compressor before the EQ in the signal path produces a final sound easily equal to our studio’s best outboard gear. As much as we love our valve mic preamps, Overstayer VCA compressor and EQP-1A equaliser, there’s a lot to be said for having this type of control at your fingertips, especially when you need to dial in a killer sound quickly. This is especially useful when you want to get a great performance – from vocalists particularly – without messing around with endless parameters on multiple units and losing the moment.
Recording a Fender bass guitar through a Bassman amp and cab shows the Newton to be a serious full-range unit, with none of the weak-kneed, low-end flub of many budget preamp designs. Once again the Silk control (Blue this time) provides extra strength in the lows to create a fabulously fat tone.
Rupert Neve Designs’ Newton Channel rear panel
There is no DI input on the front panel, although the rear panel input connector allows line-level equipment to be connected. Sure, a direct input for instruments would be nice, but this would add to the cost of the unit and, at this level, we feel most potential buyers will have a DI box already.
We award full marks to Rupert Neve Designs for this exceptionally capable and versatile channel strip, which not only sounds fantastic, but is also well laid out and boasts excellent build quality. The Newton isn’t a bargain basement design by any means, yet it could be the best hardware investment you ever make.
Key features

72dB mic preamp gain
Fine gain trim
Silk harmonic enhancement
3-band EQ with parametric midrange
VCA compressor
Choice of signal path order
Stereo link available

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