Bitcoin exchange reserve metric hits 3-year lowLow exchange balances indicate low selling pressure and could trigger a supply shock as institutional investors continue to accumulate Bitcoin.

C12, a French quantum computing startup founded by twin brothers, raises $19.4 millionC12 is announcing that it recently raised an €18 million funding round ($19.4 million at today’s exchange rate). Originally founded in 2020 as a spin-off from the Physics Laboratory of the École Normale Supérieure, the company has been working on a unique process to create quantum computers based on carbon nanotubes. While the concept of […]
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A Simple Laser Harp MIDI InstrumentCraig Lindley is a technical author and a prolific maker of things. This simple project was his first attempt to create a laser harp MIDI device. While on vacation, Craig saw a laser harp with only three strings and decided to improve upon it by expanding it to ten strings. The principle of operation is straightforward: ten cheap diode laser modules aim a beam towards an LDR, which changes resistance if the light level changes when the beam is interrupted.
The controller is a simple piece of perf board, with a Wemos D1 mini ESP32 module flanked by some passives, a barrel socket for power, and the usual DIN connector for connecting the MIDI instrument. Using the ESP32 is a smart choice, removing all the need for configuration and user indication from the physical domain and pushing it onto a rarely-needed webpage. After a false start, attempting to use a triangular frame arrangement, [Craig] settled upon a simple linear arrangement of beams held within a laser-cut wooden box frame. Since these laser modules are quite small, some aluminium rod was machined to make some simple housings to push them into, making them easier to mount in the frame and keeping them nicely aligned with their corresponding LDR.
Sadly, the magnetic attachment method [Craig] used to keep the LDRs in place and aligned with the laser didn’t work as expected, so it was necessary to reach for the hot glue. We’ve all done that!
An interesting addition was using an M5 stack Unit-Synth module for those times when a proper MIDI synthesiser was unavailable. Making this luggable was smart, as people are always fascinated with laser harps. That simple internal synth makes travelling to shows and events a little easier.
Laser harps are nothing new here; we have covered plenty over the years. Like this nice build, which is more a piece of art than an instrument, one which looks just like a real harp and sounds like one, too, due to the use of the Karplus-Strong algorithm to mimic string vibrations.

TikTok parent ByteDance to spend $2.1bn to develop AI hub in MalaysiaMalaysia is becoming a beacon for AI-related investment
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2024 Business Card Challenge: PCB Business Cards for EverybodyPCB business cards for electronics engineers might be very much old news in our circles, but they are still cool, not seen too much in the wild, and frankly inaccessible to those in other industries. For their entry into the 2024 Business Card Challenge, [Dima Shlenkevitch] is helping a little to alleviate this by providing a set of design examples and worked costs with suppliers.
Original green is still the cheapest option.
[Dima] lists key features every PCB business card should include, such as the expected thickness, restrictions for placing NFC components, and some aesthetics tips. Make sure to choose a supplier that allows you to remove their order number from the manufactured PCB, or it will look out of place.
Ordering PCBs with these specifications to keep costs reasonable requires effort, so [Dima] offers some example designs along with the results. If you want to have pretty gold lettering and graphics, you will need ENiG plating, increasing the price. Non-standard solder mask colors can also raise the price.
Will this help with the practical aspects of driving the PCB design software and actually placing the order? Obviously not, but the information provided gives you a leg up on some of the decisions so you don’t go down an expensive rabbit hole.

Meta’s new generative AI model can take chords or beats and turn them into songsThe company will make the model available to other developers to build tools from it
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Guitar Center and Gibson to present livestream acoustic guitar workshop with Orianthi WHO: Guitar Center is teaming with Gibson and virtuoso guitarist Orianthi for an exclusive acoustic guitar workshop at GC’s Hollywood store.

WHAT: Gibson and Guitar Center are partnering for an exclusive acoustic guitar workshop with Orianthi on Saturday, June 22, at 2 p.m. PDT. “An Afternoon with Orianthi and Her Gibson Acoustics” will feature the acclaimed guitarist demonstrating her cherished instruments, along with a Q&A and instrument signing. Online viewers can livestream the event here.

Orianthi is a guitarist, singer, songwriter who has sold millions of records and has performed with Michael Jackson, Alice Cooper, Christina Aguilera, Steve Vai and many more.

WHEN: Saturday, June 22, 2024, 2 p.m. PDT

WHERE: Guitar Center Hollywood7425 Sunset BlvdLos Angeles, CA 90046

The post Guitar Center and Gibson to present livestream acoustic guitar workshop with Orianthi  first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Antares introduce Vocal De-Esser  Antares' new de-esser promises to quickly and effectively tackle sibilance thanks to a machine learning-based process that has been trained on the human voice.

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Antares’s new Vocal De-Esser utilises AI to remove undesirable sibilance “without compromising vocal characteristics”Antares, the company behind Auto-Tune, has launched a brand new Vocal De-Esser plugin to remove undesirable “ess” sounds from the voice, for a smoother listening experience.
The tool works with a little assistance from AI, using a custom-trained model that utilises machine learning to detect and control sibilance in the voice. Antares says it will still retain vocal character and tone when doing so.

READ MORE: Forever 89’s Visco is an innovative sample-modelling drum machine but still needs some work

The Vocal De-Esser features an easy-to-navigate interface, allowing for quick and easy operation. It includes two specific Sibilant Controls for managing S, Sh, Z and T, Ch, K vocal sounds.
There’s also a Solo button for monitoring sibilance alone, a Link button for connecting the two sibilant controls, and an Assist button for activating the AI function. Its Custom AI model has been trained on a real, human voice.
Take a closer look below:

This isn’t the first product of Antares’ to utilise machine learning. Back in March, the brand released its Auto-Tune Vocal Compressor, marking the first time that machine learning technology has been incorporated into a dual-stage vocal compressor plugin.
Antares also unveiled the latest version of its popular autotune software, Auto-Tune Pro 11, last April. Building upon two decades, the latest iteration introduced new tools such as integration with its new Harmony Engine, two new Auto and Graph modes, and MIDI mapping.
Currently, Antares’ Vocal De-Esser is free for Auto-Tune Unlimited subscribers at $24.99 per month, or $174.99 per year (equivalent to $14.58 per month if paid annually). You can also purchase the tool with a perpetual licence at $99, and this includes one free month of Auto-Tune Unlimited.
Find out more over at Antares.
The post Antares’s new Vocal De-Esser utilises AI to remove undesirable sibilance “without compromising vocal characteristics” appeared first on MusicTech.

This DJ has a price list for overplayed song requests, and Mr Brightside will cost you a grandA business savvy DJ based in Colchester has introduced a price list for overplayed song requests, with The Killers’ Mr. Brightside set to cost you a whopping £1,000.
Want a song playing ASAP because you’ll be leaving soon? It’s someone’s birthday? Well, if Colin Gingell-Good – aka DJ PressPlay – is behind the decks, it may well cost you a pretty penny.

READ MORE: Brain injury survivor says learning to DJ has “reawakened his brain”

In an interview with the Daily Gazette, Gingell-Good says, “Some people don’t understand why we DJs do this, and that we are playing songs to keep the vibe going… The list is a tongue-in-cheek joke, the majority of people take it as a joke and can laugh about it.”
He adds, “It is more for those people who do not take no for an answer and to keep from having discussions as to why I won’t play a song.” The 51-year-old is a resident DJ at music venue Coda, and has been in the industry for 17 years.
Elsewhere on his price list, Kings Of Leon’s Sex On Fire costs £100 per spin, with Wonderwall from Oasis coming in at £500. In general, any song that does not fit the night is £100. However, good tracks that fit the vibe of the evening, or the option to just leave the music in the hands of the DJ is entirely free. Who’d have thought?
The signs appear to be a good deterrent so far, as since he introduced them he’s had no requests for the popular Killers track, which Brits cannot seem to get enough of after a few rounds of drinks.
“I’ve never played Mr Brightside, I just think it’s over-played. I don’t hate The Killers, but I just think there are so many better songs out there,” he tells The Gazette. “Since I’ve put the signs up, I had not one person requesting it, so it seems to work.”
Find out more about DJ PressPlay.
The post This DJ has a price list for overplayed song requests, and Mr Brightside will cost you a grand appeared first on MusicTech.

Marveille’s secret to millions of Spotify streams: Unreleased tracksDiscover how Marveille’s strategic use of unfinished songs led to millions of Spotify streams.  by Chris Robley of Reverbnation Blog The music career of 16-year-old songwriter Marveille is skyrocketing right now.  All thanks to. Continue reading
The post Marveille’s secret to millions of Spotify streams: Unreleased tracks appeared first on Hypebot.

8 Tips to create a winning Music OnesheetWant to make your music stand out to industry professionals? Learn the top 8 tips for creating a compelling onesheet that showcases your talent and grabs attention. by Julia Kater. Continue reading
The post 8 Tips to create a winning Music Onesheet appeared first on Hypebot.