Web3 DAO TRAX raises $2.9M to expand its Music Superfan platformThe CEOs of both UMG and WMG are among the many touting the need for a focus on superfans, and TRAX just raised $2.9 million to build tools to help. Continue reading
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Is analog music making a comeback? [Hanna Kahlert of MIDiA]In this complex, uncertain, and always-on world, many people are craving the nostalgia of a simpler time. Just as vinyl made a major comeback, will artists and fans return to. Continue reading
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The Sound of A.I. in HollywoodActors and writers reached their agreement with A.I. What about sound designers?

After some long and painful fights, the issue of A.I. — at least for actors and writers — has been resolved. For the rest of us in Hollywood, however, the unpacking of A.I. has only just begun. Navigating the future of the sound design industry will depend on engineers and editors understanding how to maximize the capability and productivity of A.I. tools. 

While filmmaking and production were shut down for most of the year by the long and painful strike, the industry of Hollywood has continued to churn. Though the “Barbenheimer” craze over the summer cushioned the economic blow for some studios, the last six months have seen major Hollywood studios bend over backward to improve profitability. 

Studios direct-to-consumer offerings — streamers — have borne the brunt of these efforts; in this grand experimentation, everything from storytelling structure to pricing models have been on the table. Streamers have merged, shifted, and cut entire projects in an attempt to impress investors with their bottom line. 

It’s a reasonable concern, then, that having failed with the actors and writers, other, less powerful and more technical groups — such as sound engineering — may be on the line for A.I. replacement and the presumed associated cost savings. And it’s not necessarily a wild leap: it’s inevitable that A.I. will, as with other industries, dramatically shift what the workflow for sound engineers will look like.

Sound engineers looking to forge their future not only during these tumultuous times in Hollywood, but also in the “civilian” sector, need to be smart about how they deploy A.I. There are already tools available that can help us speed up our processes and projects. Two good examples:

Sound cataloging and library management: Finding a specific sound in a sound library can be an incredibly time intensive process. I know that my own library is made up of over two terabytes of various sounds, and digging through it to find a specific one can take hours. There are A.I. tools on the market that can not only uncover a sound, but also generate timestamps inside each audio clip.

Audio description mixing: Mixing for audio description can be a rote process. Clients have specifications they want met, and save for a bit of artistry, the process is fairly straightforward. A program’s audio needs to drop at a certain point before the narratives begin, and resume shortly after it ends. A.I. can automate the process, doing an effective first draft of the work, creating time for the engineer to check and fix any mixing issues after the first rendering. 

As in other industries, these tools offer methods of speeding up delivery and service, and will eventually become the standard practice. As cost savings continue to be a major priority for studios, expect to see A.I. technologies implemented to a greater and greater extent. 

But will sound engineers face an existential crisis as a result of A.I.? 

Yes — and no. 

As the more basic tasks of sound design — such as sound effects cataloging and audio description mixing — are outsourced to A.I. tools, other novice positions, like interns and PA roles, will likely dry up. If companies can find cost savings by using technology, they will, and the impact will likely be fewer roles for individuals just getting started and learning the business. 

At the same time, sound design — like many other post-production positions — is both an art and a science. The best among us have the technical skills needed to create a cohesive soundscape, while also having the artful ear that can create a character out of the audio. Part of being a sound designer is having the ability to translate a director’s vision into a rich and immersive sound experience. 

In an industry that runs on connections and creativity, removing the position of sound engineer likely won’t happen, especially at the highest levels. Certainly, the lower tier and newer streaming services — those who are just creating content for content’s sake — may turn to some emerging A.I. tools to churn out fast, good enough sound designs that simply gets the job done. As TikTok and TikTok-like mini productions grow in popularity, rapid turnaround will be prioritized over quality. 

But there will continue to be a happy medium for sound design and engineering. Work in this industry long enough, and you know that relationships are everything. Directors are on the lookout for partners who have the emotional sensibility and creativity to translate their vision, add to it, and produce something even better. 

The Oscar-winning directors of the world aren’t likely to give up that relationship soon, attached as they are to the individuals who help to drive the creative process alongside them. Similarly, independent artists and filmmakers, who are driven by creativity and passion, aren’t likely to pursue ease over art. 

Soft skills will still win the day for sound designers, but smart studios can, and will, start bracing themselves for an A.I.-driven future. 

DAVID ZANG is the owner of AsparTateSounds in Los Angeles. He is an award-winning re-recording mixer, a sound editor, and a location sound mixer. Feel free to reach out to David on his website, www.aspartaterecords.com

These Songs and Recordings are now Free to use: Public Domain Day 2024Every year, the copyright for thousands of songs, recordings, films, books, and more expire and enter the public domain. That makes them free to record, sample, use in videos, and. Continue reading
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Acustica Audio Offers FREE Grey Compressor Plugin Until January 7th
Acustica Audio offers the new Grey compressor plugin as a free download until January 7th, 2024. Grey is an audio compression plugin that uses Acustica Audio’s Hyper 3 technology to replicate the sound of a classic VCA compressor. Acustica Audio uses a unique type of dynamic impulse response technology to capture the sound of analog [...]
View post: Acustica Audio Offers FREE Grey Compressor Plugin Until January 7th

Bitcoin options data shows whales betting big — Will $50K BTC come in January?Institutional investor interest soars as Bitcoin options open interest hits record high.

Independent labels ask Spotify to pause ‘blunt instrument’ royalty planA coalition of independent record labels has called on Spotify to answer questions about its revamped royalty structure and pause plans for early 2024 implementation. EU-based trade group Impala, which. Continue reading
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How Taylor Swift’s direct to fan engagement embraces Web3 principlesAnyone involved in music can learn from Taylor Swift’s success including how she and her team have embraced the principles driving the shift to Web3 and netting spectacular results. by. Continue reading
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DAACI announces AI music editing tool Natural EditsAI music startup DAACI has launched ‘Natural Series’, a comprehensive product portfolio that will see the release of plugins, music tools and editing technology over the next year.
Kicking off the Natural Series is Natural Edits, a “powerful music editing tool for the global sync market to make any track instantly adaptive”.

READ MORE: In new online course, Vulfpeck’s Jack Stratton asks: “Does mixing matter?”

With Natural Edits, users of any skill level can create and deliver a personalised edit of any track in just a few clicks. This not only enhances discoverability but also maximises the licensing potential of a track.
“Users will be exposed to the track’s latent potential to fit countless contexts from looping beds for background music, to topped-and-tailed snippets for adverts, extended pieces for arbitrary length videos, and precise edits matching specific narratives and music briefs,” DACCI describes the tool.
As the company explains, Natural Edits brings patented music editing technology to Rights Holders and their Licensees in the global sync market. Rights-holders can integrate the tool into their entire catalogues on existing web-based platforms, allowing both internal and external users to interact with a track.
Natural Edits can also be added to web-based platforms incrementally with functionality initially added to a small number of test tracks, then scaled up. DAACI will be providing an API for web-based platforms to inquire about supported tracks and incorporating an ‘edit’ button on them.
In addition, the company says that future elements of the series will include Natural Sync which will enable any type of user, with any ability to create new track edits against films, to supercharge the creative process.
“Our ethical, artist-led approach has been welcomed by our partners and the music industry and we’ve been eagerly asked when there will be products to test, ‘buttons to press’. Now we have them,” said DAACI CEO Rachel Lyske.
Natural Edits has also been adopted by music platforms including Pure Sync.
Julian Goodkind, CEO of Pure Sync commented: “Pure Sync are delighted to be incorporating Natural Edits. We see this as a pivotal moment in our adoption and utilisation of Ethical AI tools. This elevates and amplifies our creative capabilities as Music Supervisors within the Sync world, to deliver more creatively, efficiently and cost effectively.”
Learn more at DAACI.
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Hainbach says his 1 million annual Spotify streams earned him $2,160 before taxBerlin-based electronic composer Hainbach has detailed his earnings from the 1 million streams he’s garnered from Spotify this year.

READ MORE: UK government intervenes after London Mayor rejects plans for MSG Sphere in the city

Breaking down the data in a thread on X/Twitter, Hainbach shares that one of the main drivers behind the numbers is his instrumental track The Guide.
“Since I released it in 2020 it has gathered 560,000 views, and stills finds about 12,000 listens per month,” he writes.
“Another surprise hit was The Wooden from my album Voice Magnetic on Seil Records with 116,000 listens in 6 months. I made this with the most hated-on instrument of recent times, the Teenage Engineering Choir.”
As for the, ahem, million dollar question, ‘How much do a million streams a year pay?’ Hainbach reveals that “It averages out at about $2160 a year or $180 per month for me, before tax. Nothing to sneeze at, it covers my utilities bill.”
That said, the musician adds that Bandcamp or going to a live show is “still the best way to support me and other artists”.

(1/5) I am super-stoked about reaching 1 million streams this year on @Spotify – it means the world to me that so many of you are listening. Thank you! (But how much is that in cash? Look below) #SpotifyWrapped pic.twitter.com/zOi99JNF5V
— HAINBACH (@Hainbach101) November 30, 2023

Spotify has long come under fire for its modest payouts to musicians, with “Weird Al” Yankovic putting the streaming service’s artist payout system on blast this week on his Spotify Wrapped video.
“It’s my understanding that I had over 80 million streams on Spotify this year,” Yankovic said in the clip. “So, if I’m doing the math right that means I earned $12. Enough to get myself a nice sandwich at a restaurant. So, from the bottom of my heart, thanks for your support, and thanks for the sandwich.”

The legend Weird Al criticizing what Spotify pays artists in the video he made FOR Spotify. pic.twitter.com/wASQunepBg
— Ray Padgett (@rayfp) November 29, 2023

Last month, Spotify announced that it would phase out operations in Uruguay after the country passed a law requiring “equitable renumeration” for artists.
Citing the new law’s ambiguity as the primary reason behind its cessation of operations in the country, the streaming giant said that “changes that could force Spotify to pay twice for the same music would make our business of connecting artists and fans unsustainable.”
“Without clarity on the changes to music copyright laws included in the 2023 Rendición de Cuentas law – confirming that any additional costs are the responsibility of rights holders – Spotify will unfortunately begin to phase out its service in Uruguay effective January 1, 2024, and fully cease service by February,” says the company.
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Ableton announces Live 12 release for early 2024
Ableton’s Live 12 software is coming sometime early next year, according to a company announcement this past week, with a public beta expected to be available for users soon. The latest version of the software focuses heavily on MIDI tools and abilities, as well as an updated and more intuitive program layout. Key features The […]
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Sonicware’s Lofi-12 XT exceeds $100k in Kickstarter campaign fundingSonicware has launched a Kickstarter campaign for the Lofi-12 XT, an advanced model of its lo-fi groovebox sampler that was originally launched in 2022.

READ MORE: ROLI unveils the Seaboard Block M MIDI controller, offering all the elements of the original in a more portable package

The Kickstarter has already amassed a whopping $101,000 in funding, exceeding its original target of around $33,000.
Sonicware’s Lofi-12 XT aims to let you “turn everything into lo-fi”. It retains the signature retro appeal of the original, offering 12kHz/24kHz sampling with a unique 12-bit sampler mode reminiscent of classic samplers from the 1980s. It extends the sampling time per sample to 300 seconds and accommodates up to 256 samples per project.

The sampler comes equipped with an 8-track sequencer, facilitating both unquantized and step recording, allowing users to create tracks and beats in real-time. Dynamic parameter recording is made easier with parameter locking, too.
There are eight effects available per track – delay, reverb, and a master compressor with side-chain capabilities. It comes with an SD card preloaded with over 1,000 samples from legendary drum machines. A unique feature of the Lofi-12 XT is its mix-tape recording functionality, which lets you capture performances continuously in the background, and accommodate various recording qualities.
With versatile connectivity options, the Lofi-12 XT can import and export audio files via USB or SD card, connect to a range of audio sources, and integrate seamlessly with DAWs and other devices.
MusicTech reviewed Sonicware’s Liven Bass&Beats, a drum and bassline synth, in 2022. Sadly, unlike other Sonicware products, it didn’t live up to our expectations, achieving a score of just four out of ten.
In the review, we wrote that the Bass&Beats “feels like a toy”, going on to write, “This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially given its affordable price. But there’s a fine line between good value and just plain cheap, and the Bass&Beats is teetering on the edge of it. You can make music with it, sure. But it’s not the sort of hands-on organic experience that can make DAWless production such fun.
“If anything, the arcane modus operandi, small screen and functional idiosyncrasies only serve as a reminder as to why the music-making world embraced computer-based music production in the first place.”
We’re hoping for better results from Sonicware’s Lofi-12 XT, which you can find out more about at Sonicware.
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Two-tier licensing is about to become a reality With the dust still far from settled on the UMG / Deezer streaming royalty proposal, something even bigger is coming: Spotify is turning the concept into reality in Q1 2024. The behind-the-scenes conversations have been ongoing for some time, but the details were stated publicly on panels at last week’s ADE conference, meaning that the information is now firmly in the public domain. Obviously, nothing is official at this stage, so consider this ‘as reported’ information. Even if the final details end up varying, what is clear is that two-tier licensing is about to become a reality.

Things are moving fast, going from ‘limited trial’ to ‘actually happening’ in the proverbial blink of the eye. If Spotify is indeed set to launch two-tier royalties just months from now, it begs the question as to what the Deezer trial was about in the first place? If decisions had already been made elsewhere, then the likelihood is that it was a way of softening up industry opinion before the big news hit next year, to acclimatise the industry community to the concept ahead of launch.

Streaming democratised access to the means of distribution, enabling an unprecedented growth in artists and releases. But the brake is now being firmly applied. Streams may have all been created equal, but now some streams are becoming more equal than others. 

There are, of course, compelling arguments for ‘fixing’ streaming royalties (arguments that we have discussed at length). But if consumers are choosing to listen to long-tail artists, or if the algorithms consider long-tail artists to be the right fit for their tastes, then the ‘problem’ lies with consumption patterns, not royalties. (And of course, what consumers are listening to is also the most precise way measure where and how subscribers allocate the value pf their subscription.)

Between 2019 and 2022, artists direct streaming revenue grew by 130% while the majors grew by 58%. Long-tail artists are growing their share of ear (even accounting for the fact that algorithms are not neutral agents). In 2022, artists direct accounted for 8% of global streaming revenue and at current trajectory would reach 10% by 2025. Consider that WMG’s share was 16% in 2022, and it becomes clear just how significant the long-tail pool is.

But here is where the cynical genius of the two-tier system comes into play. Right now, streams and revenue are effectively synonymous, but by this time next year, they will mean very different things. The majority of artists direct artists will no longer be paid for their contribution to the value of the $11.99 subscription. The c.10% of consumption they will generate will disappear from the streaming revenue map. They will be othered, their revenue becoming a new black box for the biggest artists to share between themselves. Which means that, hey presto, all that annoying artists direct market share suddenly gets reallocated to everyone else. Market share erosion? What market share erosion?

The two-tier system does not even try to turn back the clock on the rise of independence, it simply funnels the growing revenue from this cultural paradigm shift to the bigger artists who are losing share. If DSP streaming was the only game in town, then the risks of antagonising long-tail artists (label and direct) would be relatively low. But the music consumption and creation landscapes are changing. Non-DSP streaming revenue is outgrowing DSP streaming, while creators choosing to release only on non-DSP platforms is growing twice as fast as artists releasing onto DSPs.

Perhaps it would serve bigger labels and artists well, to have smaller artists and labels focus their attention elsewhere. But if they do so, then they will take audience attention and cultural capital with them. At some stage or another, that kind of shift will start to bite into DSP acquisition and retention rates. By which stage it may be too late to halt the decline. 

RoEx says AI mixing tool AutoMix could be “Instagram filter of music production”RoEx, a UK-based music tech startup, has launched AutoMix, a plugin that uses AI technology to streamline and simpify the mixing process for producers.

READ MORE: UMG and BandLab Technologies team up for “first of its kind” ethical AI collaboration

AutoMix, RoEx claims, lets you mix down projects to a professional standard in a non-technical or complex way, “transforming them into professionally finished pieces within minutes”, it says.
To use AutoMix, you simply upload the individual audio stems of your project into the online platform in a format. From here, you select the instrument type of the audio stems you’ve uploaded, e.g. bass guitar, vocals, synth etc., so the system has an understanding of how each should traditionally sit within your mix.

After selecting the instrument type, you can add basic mix settings such as reverb, the amount of presence each stem should have in the mix, and panning. While adjusting these might take time manually in your DAW, AutoMix aims to make mixing “accessible and efficient for all creatives, without any barriers” by condensing complex processing techniques into the click of a button.
Once you’ve mixed down your stems, you can adjust the volume levels of each and preview how it all sounds together. You can then download your finished track by simply clicking ‘master’. Each master can be downloaded in exchange for one download credit, which can be purchased via RoEx’s website for $11.99 each or included as part of a subscription package.
David Ronan, RoEx CEO comments: “Just as Instagram transformed photography by making filters universally accessible, we aspire to revolutionise the world of music production. We recognise the modern musician’s desire for professional sound without the intimidating complexities of compressors, EQ settings, or the necessity for costly studios and intricate plugins. Our mission is to make top-tier production quality both accessible and efficient for all creatives, without any barriers.
“Looking to the future, we envisage our technology integrating seamlessly with various DAWs, whether they are traditional desktop systems or emerging cloud-based platforms. While the exact roadmap is still unfolding, our direction is unwavering: to democratise professional music creation, making it accessible and intuitive for all,” continues Ronan.
RoEx is a small London-based startup that originated from a PhD project at Queen Mary University of London, focused on simplifying music production. Led by David Ronan, their mission is to democratise music creation, taking away technical obstacles.
Online mastering service LANDR has also launched a tool to streamline mixing for producers within the DAW. The online mastering tool’s new Mastering Plugin brings its AI-powered auto-mastering to DAWs for the first time.
Find out more at RoEx.
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“We don’t have enough geniuses making records anymore”: Tony Visconti explains how the role of the record producer has changed in the modern ageProducer and composer Tony Visconti has shared his opinion on how he feels the role of the record producer has changed in the modern age.
Visconti, who has produced iconic records for artists such as David Bowie and Marc Bolan, has remarked that labels now “bypass producers” and sign artists who are simply a “whiz on the laptop and make their own stuff.”

READ MORE: “When he recorded Blackstar, when he knew that his time could be limited, it didn’t stop his sense of humour in any way”: Tony Visconti recalls David Bowie’s final years

The music industry is going through many tumultuous changes right now – the rise of AI, the impact of social media such as TikTok on how artists approach making music, and the various financial difficulties that come with low-royalty rates across streaming platforms.
The role of the artist has certainly changed, but Visconti feels the role of the producer is vastly different now, too. Speaking to Super Deluxe Edition in a new interview, he shares his thoughts on the matter.
“In my generation, the 70s was such a golden decade, because people were making real records and real studios, with great musicians and we didn’t have auto-tune, and the only way you got into the recording studio is by being great,” he explains. “Record labels signed people who were great, they didn’t sign a cute looking person and then fix the voice, fix the image, Photoshop the photos, which came later.
“With the record industry now, they almost bypass producers completely and go with some young person who is a whiz on the laptop and make their own stuff. They make their own videos. And I think that’s very admirable, but it has less dimensions in it than the organic music does.”
He later adds, “People are still making organic music, and I’m involved in a couple of groups that are doing that, but labels are frightened of that and the labels never had courage. Never ever, in a million years, did labels have courage to break new ground; it happened in spite of them.
“You get someone like Mark Bolan coming up, or a Bowie. The times now aren’t right for a new Bowie to come out. He would be too radical. You wouldn’t sound like the top 10. And why should he? Why should anyone sound like the top 10? We’ve got enough of those people. But we don’t have enough geniuses making records anymore, I’ll tell you that much.”
Learn more about Tony Visconti via Visconti Studio.
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