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.

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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.

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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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Harmonizing Economics: The Unseen Power of Music in Urban Revival [Kyle Bylin]Former Hypebot Editor Kyle Bylin is back with a dive into how music can unite residents and drive economic development if communities look beyond superstars and corporate music behemoths, nurture. Continue reading
The post Harmonizing Economics: The Unseen Power of Music in Urban Revival [Kyle Bylin] appeared first on Hypebot.

Ardour 8.0 Released, What’s New?
Free and open-source digital audio workstation Ardour is updated to version 8.0, including several new features and improvements. Fans of the free and open-source digital audio workstation Ardour have plenty to celebrate this week! October 8th marks the release of Ardour 8, and the new version brings a bevy of interesting and useful features to [...]
View post: Ardour 8.0 Released, What’s New?

Tokenization is “securitization done on steroids" — Franklin Templeton CEOSpeaking at CNBC’s Delivering Alpha event, Jenny Johnson discussed how digital assets are disrupting securitization and the financial markets.

Song structure: How to build a song (with examples)
Let's discuss the concept of song structure and explore the individual song sections that help us turn our ideas into full pieces of music.

Afrojack: “It’s possible to achieve success in the music industry if you abide by certain disciplines and rules”Nick Van de Wall – known the world over as Afrojack – is one of EDM’s most prominent DJs and producers. With a career stretching almost two decades, he’s racked up over 388 million streams, taken home a Grammy and a number of other industry awards, and become a regular headliner at mammoth festivals such as Tomorrowland, EDC, and Ultra.
With all that under his belt, you might think the Dutch-born DJ would be content to sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labour. But Van de Wall is not one to stay idle long. In fact, he’s been quietly working on a new studio, with a bold vision – to bring all the aspects of a modern music career under one roof, not just for himself, but for the next generation of producers and DJs.
Image: Frits Van De Clips
“My focus is on the long term,” says Van de Wall. “Bugatti’s, Lamborghini’s, all that stuff is fun, but it doesn’t add up to anything – a car is a car, but a studio can give so much to so many people.” It’s a philosophical view for a man married to Elettra Lamborghini, heiress to the legendary car manufacturer bearing her family name; when Van de Wall says he prizes studios over automobiles, he means it.
Setting his sights on a sprawling estate in the Belgian countryside, Van de Wall says he instantly saw the potential to build something truly special: “When I first walked through, it was literally just horse stables, sheds, and exposed brickwork – but I could envision the entire place. I was like ‘Hey, this spot for cleaning horses has the perfect dimension to be a studio’. The previous owner was looking at me like I was fucking crazy.”
Image: Frits Van De Clips
Now, after nearly three years of construction work – involving meticulously planned renovation, remodelling, and acoustic treatment – Van de Wall’s vision has become a reality. He’s now officially cut the ribbon and opened the doors of the new headquarters for his WALL Recordings label and artist development company.
“It’s sort of like a little creative factory,” says Van de Wall, with a smile that suggests his musical talent may be eclipsed only by his talent for understatement.
Sitting within an 800,000 square foot estate near the Dutch-Belgian border, and next door to the Grenspark de Kalmthoutse Heide nature reserve, Van de Wall’s studio complex encompasses three separate buildings, offering eight state-of-the-art recording and production studios; green screen stages for livestream performances and music videos; photography studios; office spaces; meeting rooms; sleeping quarters and kitchens; and even a wellness centre with spa, pool, gymnasium, and meditation room.
Image: Frits Van De Clips
This is no mere vanity, however, amazing though the facilities might be. Van de Wall says his goal is not to cater to elite producers who have already ‘made it’, but instead to offer a holistic creative space for emerging talent.
“DJs, especially in the EDM scene, get paid very well,” says Van de Wall. “Why is no one using that money to reinvest in the company side of things? And not just investing in your own brand, but in younger talent. So, my thinking was: ‘I can have everything right here. I don’t need to go anywhere else to do a photoshoot or record a set – and, if I can have it, I can also share it for free with young artists.’ That’s why I built this.”
Considering his previous personal studio was situated in the heart of Amsterdam, an estate nestled in the countryside, sitting next to a vast nature reserve, is a dramatic change of pace. However, when it comes to working with young producers, Van de Wall says the temptations of city life can be more distracting than inspiring.
Image: René van Dongen
“Everyone that goes to Amsterdam wants to see Amsterdam,” he says ruefully. “So, you do a session for a few hours, get to know each other, and then they want to go out and get drunk and smoke weed.”
In comparison, Van de Wall says a more remote location provides the focus people need to truly lock in with their music. “It’s almost like a retreat,” he says. “There are studios and creative facilities everywhere, and there’s a pool and gym – so, you can either be healthy or you can be productive. There’s nothing else to do!”
Mitigating distractions is only part of the artist’s strategy to motivate his guests. “I wanted to create an inspirational space for young artists,” he says. “I wanted to make it so nice that, when people come here, they’re motivated to work harder – so that they can come back again.” With its grand architecture, lush design aesthetic, and world-class studio gear, it’s hard to imagine any young producer not wanting to come back for more.
Image: Frits Van De Clips
The centrepiece of the complex is Van de Wall’s personal studio. With its glittering ceiling and Art Deco-inspired furnishings, at first glance, you could easily mistake it for a luxurious cocktail lounge rather than a recording and production space. Look closer and there’s some serious sonic power under the hood – four sets of PMC QB1 speakers ($125,000 per pair), paired with a Lynx Hilo converter, and a Monitor-ST1 Control System from Dangerous Music.
What you won’t see in Van de Wall’s personal studio are cluttered racks of outboard gear and needlessly huge mixing consoles. “One thing I don’t like about major studios is that there’s buttons everywhere,” he says. “They have all the equalisers and compressors, there’s always [an Empirical Labs] Distressor – no one ever uses it but it’s everywhere – but, for me, if it’s not being used most of the time then I don’t want to see it. I want the sound quality of a production studio but the feeling of a comfortable living room.”
His personal studio may be the pièce de résistance, but the other seven studios certainly pull no punches. Sporting a range of different layouts – some with vocal booths, some with live rooms – they boast top-of-the-line monitoring systems, microphones and, yes, outboard compressors and EQs.
However, Van de Wall’s ambitions go far beyond providing gorgeous facilities for emerging talent. He has a wealth of insider knowledge about the music industry gained from a career spent at the top of the international DJ circuit. This, he says, is what he really wants to share, and he’s doing it by designing an educational programme called WALL Academy.
“It is possible to achieve a level of success in the music industry if you abide by a certain discipline and certain rules,” Van de Wall says, adamantly. “A lot of people will say ‘it’s all luck.’ Well, sure, luck is part of it; playing the Tomorrowland mainstage as a headliner requires some luck. But a base level of success, like playing local clubs or having enough records out that people will buy tickets to see you on tour, this is completely possible to do.”
Image: René van Dongen
The first seeds of WALL Academy were planted years ago when Van de Wall began conducting monthly demo-streams. Here, he’d encourage unsigned producers to send in their tracks and get live feedback directly from the man himself.
“I started doing the demo-streams because I know there’s talent out there,” he says. “I know that if these people aren’t successful, it’s not because of a lack of talent – it’s because of a lack of knowledge about how the music industry works, how to network, how to get your records played.”
When it comes to a modern music career in the 2020s, one of the magic ingredients that Van de Wall cites is the all-important ‘hype’ factor. “I know artists with more than 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify who are not getting anywhere because no one cares. At the same time, there are artists with almost no monthly listeners and they’re playing fucking everywhere – because they have hype.”
Hype can often seem like a vague concept that some artists manage to stumble upon. But Van de Wall says a core part of what he wants to teach young producers is how hype and the art of self-promotion can be defined and systematically built up through conscious effort.
Image: René van Dongen
“We’re building an academic package on that side of things because there are so many tutorials on YouTube about how to make music, and there are so many tutorials about how to be a successful entrepreneur. Even though you’re going to need both if you want to make it in a creative industry, for some reason, no one thought to bring these two things together. So that’s a really big part of what we’re trying to teach.”
One of the biggest shifts producers are facing is the increasing prevalence of AI-powered tools. Far from being worried about the tech, Van de Wall says he sees a number of advantages for young DJs and producers looking to get their ideas noticed by labels.
“There are people that want to write a song but can’t afford to get a vocalist to fly in, sit with them, and sing it,” Van de Wall says. With the aid of generative AI, he says, producers can “have an idea, go to a website, upload their idea, and get back a vocal sung really well in a voice that sounds like Chris Martin or Drake.”
Rather than being the finished product, Van de Wall says these AI-generated vocals are a way to elaborate a song and give record labels a better picture of what the finished track could sound like – similar to how screen composers make audio mock-ups using sample libraries before recording a full orchestra.
“You’re just giving the musician more opportunities to get their ideas straight,” he points out. “By the time those ideas get up to the label, the label loves it and then they can pay for an artist to sing it even better – but that idea might never have gotten across if they didn’t have access to AI”
In addition to passing on knowledge and preparing producers for the future, WALL Recordings can also be seen as a very deliberate attempt to ‘pay forward’ the leg up that Van de Wall says he got from fellow EDM icon, David Guetta, in the early days of his career. “The first four or five years of my career I wasn’t signed to anyone,” he recalls. “I was building things up completely solo, and then Dave approached me and suggested we work together.”
In what he describes as a very simple management deal, Van de Wall gave Guetta a small percentage of his earnings in return for promotion, remix opportunities, and opening slots at gigs. “My first Grammy, a remix for Madonna [2009’s Revolver (Madonna vs. David Guetta One Love Remix), I did with him,” Van de Wall says. “He could have done that remix by himself, but he did it with me, purely because I was his guy, and he genuinely liked my music.

It was the start of a fruitful creative and professional partnership – the pair’s track, Hero earned them yet another Grammy nomination in 2021 – and one that Van de Wall hopes to replicate at WALL Recordings: “My thinking was – ‘how can I take that luck that I had with David, and make it available to young artists? How could I take that concept and make it into a company?’ That’s why we started focusing on artist development.”
It’s not all altruistic either. After nearly 20 years making music, Van de Wall says working with young producers and DJs is the creative shot of adrenaline he needs to keep his own process from becoming routine.
“I’ve been producing for such a long time and things can get boring very quickly,” Van de Wall says frankly. “It makes it difficult, especially on the club music side, for me to start a new project and make something that will both work well and also get me excited. That is why I love producing with young people. Being surrounded by younger producers and seeing what they come up with inspires me; it keeps me creative, it keeps me happy, it keeps me excited.”
Image: René van Dongen
Underneath the desire to share his knowledge and the creative energy he gets from collaboration, there is another factor in all this: the simple joy of helping people realise their musical dreams. It’s a theme Van de Wall returns to often, both when he reflects on his own career and when he talks of the emerging artists he now surrounds himself with.
“The first time someone gets to perform or have their song played for 50,000 people… I remember the feeling. I remember when David Guetta played my records for the first time. The people I’m working with, it’s life-changing for them when I play their music at Tomorrowland and it costs me nothing – I have that stage all to myself, I could do an hour of my old music, or I can use some spots to promote someone new. Just a little effort and I can give life-changing experiences to others. That’s fun.”
Learn more about Afrojack and WALL Academy at wallrecordings.com.
The interior of WALL Recordings studios is designed by Winch Design. You can find them on Instagram and at winchdesign.com.
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James Blake’s Alexandra Palace show was a live electronic masterclassBritish electronic music titan James Blake returned to London’s Alexandra Palace last night and delivered a career-spanning live performance that effortlessly weaved between all-out rave catharsis and stripped-back vulnerability.
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Having conquered Village Underground in 2016, and then Eventim Apollo in 2019, this was his second time commanding the 10,000-capacity Ally Pally (having previously played there in 2022).
As the lights faded to black, the melancholic yet hopeful opening sounds of Blake’s new record Playing Robots Into Heaven rang in search of connection, while James walked across the stage with the weighty machinery that adorns the album cover on his back – a cinematic entrance befitting of the soundscapes that followed.
James Blake at Alexandra Palace. Image: Getty
Joined by the James Blake live band – Rob McAndrews, AKA Airhead, on guitar and modular synth, and Benjamin Assiter, AKA Mr Assister, on drums – Blake teased early on that the set would consist “of a bit of everything.” The news was no doubt a delight to the audience, who had forked out £40 for tickets to the show and many of whom were sporting his newest merch.
The performance was evenly split between piano-led emotion (Overgrown, Fire The Editor) and energetic club-ready workouts (Tell Me), allowing Blake to showcase the many different sides of his artistry throughout the evening. Often, he paired old favourites with newer creations, subtly bridging between two decades: the stripped-back piano keys of Frank Ocean cover Godspeed segued seamlessly into the new record’s heartbreaking If You Can Hear Me. Similarly, the air sirens and flashing strobes of 2013’s Life Round Here blended into the recent heavy-hitter Big Hammer.
After some typically humble (and very British) ‘thank you’s, Blake made clear that every sound coming from the stage was 100 per cent live. “There’s nothing going on behind the scenes,” he told the crowd; “no laptops or weird automated shit you can’t see. I’m not just trying to flex, I’m saying that because I’m really proud of it and, to me, that’s what being in a band is,” he continued. Blake added that while in other music genres that aspect of a live show is “accepted”, it’s “harder to do in electronic music.”
James Blake at Alexandra Palace. Image: Getty
Even the lights were fully live, Blake explained, shouting out his concert lighting designer, Christopher Bushell. “It’s insane,” he commended; rightfully so, too: the cloud-like lighting that accompanied an indulgent Fall Back conjured the feeling of flying through a storm. “He’s playing in time with us, even though he’s miles away at the back of the room and is on a delay,” Blake added, astoundedly.
The historic venue’s cavernous Great Hall proved a fitting setting for the incredible light show and futuristic sonics that accompanied Blake’s career-spanning set. “The reverberation is great,” he declared later on, having sent his angelic voice soaring around the room during Asking To Break and I Want You To Know, while the chest-rumbling bass of the timeless Limit To Your Love proved strong enough to propel a helicopter. Similarly, a full-band rendition of CMYK was the ultimate treat for Blake fans.
“This is a very life-affirming sight from up here,” Blake said at the close, smiling. Undoubtedly, the thousands in the audience felt the same way.
Catch James Blake live and check tour dates via his website. 
Set list:
Asking to Break
I Want You to Know
Limit to Your Love (Feist cover)
Life Round Here
Big Hammer
Loading
I’ll Come Too
Fall Back
Love Me in Whatever Way
CMYK / Stop What You’re Doing
Tell Me
Voyeur
Retrograde
Fire the Editor
Godspeed (Frank Ocean cover)
If You Can Hear Me
Playing Robots Into Heaven
Encore:
Improv / Modern Soul
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Epic Games sells Bandcamp to music marketing company, SongtradrMusic marketplace Bandcamp has been sold by Epic Games to music marketing company Songtradr just 18 months after it was acquired.

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Bandcamp was acquired by Epic Games, the makers of Fortnite, in March 2023, with the shared vision of “building the most open, artist-friendly ecosystem in the world”. Now, however, Epic Games’ stepped back from Bandcamp, having now sold the site to Songtradr for an undisclosed sum.
Songtradr, a music licensing and marketplace company, says it will “continue to operate Bandcamp as a marketplace and music community with an artist-first revenue share.”
According to Songtradr, it will work with Bandcamp to give artists opportunities to secure licensing deals. This includes deals with Fortnite itself, as it will continue to collaborate with Bandcamp for projects such as Fortnite Radio, says Epic Games.
The news comes as Epic Games also lays off 16 per cent of its workforce and is divesting Bandcamp and SuperAwesome.
The Vice President of Epic Games, Steve Allison, has said in a statement that the sale of Bandcamp will “make it easier for independent artists to connect with creators and developers looking to license their music and enable Epic to focus on its core metaverse, games, and tools efforts.”
In March, a number of Bandcamp staff, under the name of Bandcamp United, unionised in a push for fairer wages and greater transparency from its leadership. Bandcamp’s CEO Ethan Diamond later responded, saying, “following the NLRB’s process and timeline. Bandcamp will respect the election outcome and if a union forms, we will negotiate in good faith.”
See more industry news via musictech.com.
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FMC - Film Music Contest 2023 This years Film Music Contest is now underway, with composers of film, television and video game music invited to register submit their original compositions.

RackBlox: This 3D-printed modular Eurorack case solution can even hold your beerMoog software engineer and 3D printing enthusiast Geert Bevin has unveiled RackBlox, a system of 3D-printable modular Eurorack case boxes, for single modules or groups of modules that belong together.

READ MORE: The Scarlett 4th Gen story: Focusrite’s journey from George Martin’s AIR to bedroom studios everywhere

RackBlox is available in a variety of sizes (4HP to 20HP), and works by using an innovative mechanical connector that allows case boxes to easily and sturdily attach together without tools.
No screws are required to put modules in the boxes, thanks to a novel ‘slide and snap’ design. Since the case boxes are fitted together individually, users can create cases of varying sizes, and even reconfigure their system without removing their modules. Each box can also be protected with a lid that works both when used in a larger case or standalone for storage.
More importantly, you can even 3D print a beverage holder to ensure that your preferred drink stays within reach.
“I’ve open-sourced the unique and innovative design elements, including the sliding box connector, the screwless module attachment, the snap-on lid and more,” says Bevin. “The 4HP and 10HP finished designs are available for free, as well as the sides.”
The full set of STL files is available to Patreon backers for $5.
Check out a prototype of the case box below.

Learn more at Printables.
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Almost half of working musicians can’t afford equipment and transport, a study findsA new census of almost 6,000 working musicians in the United Kingdom has found that nearly half struggle with equipment and transport costs.

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These statistics come from the first Musicians’ Census, a project that was created by the Musicians’ Union and charity Help Musicians. This census is hoped to be repeated every three to five years to reflect the changes in the music industry.
The rather bleak findings show that many of those working in the music industry struggle to make ends meet. However, what these statistics do present, is that there is more support needed for musicians working in the industry.
“I recently started to work freelance as a producer,” explains one participant in the study. “This is much more flexible, but I’ve had to start with very low prices to build up a portfolio, meaning I need to fit it in around my ‘day job’ to be able to earn a sustainable income and access employment benefits.”
“I now need assistance with driving and carrying equipment,” explains another participant, “but as a solo performer in a niche genre, the fees are never enough to support a tour manager or roadie”
The study also revealed that 46 per cent of working musicians earn less than £14,000 a year.
Considering that the minimum wage in the UK equates to an average of £19,000 annual salary, and more in London, this means that around half of working musicians in the UK are earning far below what should be the minimum.
Regarding the next steps, Help Musicians seem eager to find new ways to support musicians, however, has not revealed any support schemes as of yet.
Elsewhere, even the most successful artists in electronic music are running into financial hurdles in their careers. Last week, The Chemical Brothers revealed that touring in the US is “not viable.”
Speaking to Billboard’s Katie Bain, bandmember Ed Simons said: “The costs have gone up so much. It’s just not really viable at the moment… I’m apologetic to the people who do want to see us that it is increasingly difficult for us to get to America, because we have had the times of our lives playing there.”
To read the full study, you can visit the Music Census website.
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