NAMM 2024: Supercritical announces first ever desktop synthesizer, Redshift 6NAMM 2024: Supercritical, a new synthesizer manufacturer based in Finland, has launched its first ever desktop synthesizer – Redshift 6.
The brand says it has a “lush and warm sweet spot” inspired by analogue polysynth tradition, but it can also provide a range of tones from “almost digitally sterile” cleans, to chaotic distortion and beyond.

READ MORE: NAMM 2024: The hottest rumours and latest announcements from this year’s show

The filter core in Redshift 6 is an analogue four-pole state variable filter, digitally controlled to act like almost any classic vintage synthesizer filter. Additionally, it further packs in all the typical features expected of a modern synth, including plenty of modulators, flexible voice routing, multitimbrality, MPE, and DSP effects.
“Redshift 6’s idea is something that is wrapped in the moniker ‘Variable Character Synthesizer’”, says the brand. “Each voice’s analogue path regarding tuning, gain staging, filter, and more is under strict digital control.”
Technology from Supercritical’s previous products have made their way into Redshift 6. For example, its oscillator has already been “road-tested” in its Demon Core Oscillator Eurorack module, and is now featured in each of the six voices within the synth.
Users can also choose from traditional twin oscillator engines, supersaw engines, flanging phase sync engines, and transistor organ engines, all of which are easily controllable and modulatable.
You can also choose between true six-voice polyphony, a classic vintage poly dual layer mode with 3+3 voices, six individual voices each with their own patch and physical output, or any combination of the above. Each of the six voices can operate as a paraphonic voice with up to 16 note paraphony, and multiple filters can also be chained by routing audio from one voice to another.
Check out more in the video below:

Redshift 6 will be available this Summer 2024 for an MSRP of 1259€. Find out more and pre-order now over at Supercritical.
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NUSofting Releases Free Glitch Pad Synth Beta For Windows
NUSofting’s new Glitch Pad experimental synthesizer plugin is now in free public beta for Windows until the end of March. Glitch Pad public beta is currently available in VST2 and VST3 formats for 64-bit Windows.  NUSofting’s full-release plugins typically feature a Windows and Mac release, so Mac users will probably be able to get in [...]
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NAMM 2024: Suzuki’s postponed Omnichord OM-108 will be at NAMMA new iteration of Suzuki’s much-loved Omnichord instrument is set to be on display at NAMM Show 2024, the brand’s confirmed.

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The Omnichord OM-108 was originally set to launch in the summer/fall of 2023 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Suzuki Musical Instruments Manufacturing. This was sadly postponed, Suzuki confirmed in a statement in December, citing improvements and specification refinements “in order to provide our customers with the best performance experience possible with the new Omnichord”.
While we’re still yet to see a new version of this much-adored synth, the new Omnichord will be on display for attendees of the LA-based music tech trade show, taking place from 25 to 28 January 2024, the statement also confirmed.
The Suzuki Omnichord, introduced in 1981, is a unique electronic musical instrument blending elements of an autoharp, synthesizer, and rhythm machine. Its revolutionary design features a touch-sensitive surface, allowing players to strum chords with ease.
Initially embraced by folk musicians, the Omnichord gained popularity across various genres due to its versatility and portability throughout the 1980s and 1990s, most notably featuring in The Bee Gees 1987 hit You Win Again and David Bowie’s 1993 track, A Small Plot of Land.
In 2023, Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn showed off how he used the Omnichord for the band’s 2001 track, Clint Eastwood. In an Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe in his London studio, he gives away the fact it was a simple, unchanged Omnichord preset used in the track. Watch the clip below:

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MusicTech’s excited to see the new Suzuki Omnichord OM-108 in action at NAMM next week. It’s not the only exciting piece of tech we want to see, however. Korg is so far stealing the show, recently confirming the launch of its KR-11 compact rhythm machine, the Opsix MKII and – of course – its long-awaited microKorg 2. Yamaha’s SEQTRACK and Audient’s ORIA audio interface are also tickling our fancy.
A release date for the Omnichord is set to be revealed by Suzuki at NAMM in LA next week.
Keep up to date with more NAMM news via MusicTech.
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Apple Music to pay artists 10% higher royalties for tracks in Spatial AudioApple Music has announced that it will now pay artists a royalty rate of up to 10% higher for tracks that are available in Spatial Audio format.

READ MORE: TikTok testing generative AI songmaking tool – and so far, it absolutely sucks

In a letter sent out to its label partners on Monday (22 January) [as reported by Music Business News], the streaming service confirms that starting with January’s month-end payout, “pro-rata shares for Spatial Available plays will be calculated using a factor of 1.1 while Non-Spatial available plays will continue to use a factor of 1.”
“This change is not only meant to reward higher quality content, but also to ensure that artists are being compensated for the time and investment they put into mixing in Spatial.”
Apple also claims that it is seeing “wide adoption of Spatial from the biggest hitmakers worldwide,” and that more than 90 percent of Apple Music subscribers have listened to a song in the format. Plays for music available in Spatial Audio have also more than tripled in the last two years.
The move follows a recent Bloomberg report announcing Apple’s plans to “give added weighting” to streams of songs mixed in Dolby Atmos technology. Crucially, users don’t need to listen to the Atmos version of the song for artists to earn the bonus payout. What’s key is that the song is made available in that particular format. The Cupertino giant hopes that the new policy will motivate artists and labels to record and mix music in Dolby Atmos, even for previously released tracks.
Spatial audio made its debut on Apple Music back in 2021. Available at zero extra cost for subscribers, the format is supported by technology from Dolby Atmos, and strives to replicate the immersive, surround-sound quality of in-person music experiences.
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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 [...]
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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.

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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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