“A f**king nightmare!”: Watch tensions rise between Elton John and Andrew Watt in behind-the-scenes footage of the recording of Elton’s forthcoming albumElton John has teamed up with Brandi Carlile for a new collaborative album, Who Believes In Angels?, which will be released on 4 April – but the making of it was far from plain sailing.
For the first time ever, cameras were allowed in the studio to capture the making of the record in full, with footage compiled into a candid short film that documents the turbulent creative process of making an album in just 20 days – including tensions with producer Andrew Watt.

READ MORE: “It has its uses, but it shouldn’t rip creative people off”: Paul McCartney and Elton John speak out against potential AI threats amid proposed changes to UK copyright law

The recording process began back in October 2023 at Los Angeles’ Sunset Sound Studios, just off the back of John’s colossal Glastonbury headline set. John, Carlile, and Watt were also joined by John’s longtime friend and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and a band that also consisted of Chad Smith and Josh Klinghoffer (Red Hot Chili Peppers’ current drummer and former guitarist), plus bassist Pino Palladino, who’s just released a new set of strings with Ernie Ball.
Narrating over the captured footage, John admits that during the process he was exhausted and had a lot of doubt, leading to him being “a nightmare” as he tore up lyrics sheets, and even nearly gave up on the project, declaring “I’m going home”. One particularly tense encounter shows Watt defending himself, saying, “Dude, I’m just trying to make the song as best as it can be! You’re so impatient!”
Thankfully, tensions eventually subsided, and the music began to flow – there were even tears of relief at one point. You can watch the full Who Believes In Angels? trailer below, and listen to the first single:

John describes the project as “one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. In a statement he comments, “It has given me a place where I know I can move forward. Who Believes In Angels? feels like going into another era and I’m pushing the door open to come into the future.”
You can pre-order or pre-save Who Believes In Angels? now.
The post “A f**king nightmare!”: Watch tensions rise between Elton John and Andrew Watt in behind-the-scenes footage of the recording of Elton’s forthcoming album appeared first on MusicTech.

FKFX Audio LovPassFilter 2 Plugin is FREE for BPB readers until February 12
In this BPB exclusive offer, you can download FKFX Audio’s LovPassFilter 2.0 filter delay plugin for free until February 12, 2025.  LovPassFilter 2.0 is a macOS (AU, VST, VST3) and Windows (VST, VST3) release. To claim your free copy of LovPassFilter 2, hit the “Get The Plugin” button on the product page and sign up [...]
View post: FKFX Audio LovPassFilter 2 Plugin is FREE for BPB readers until February 12

Warner Bros. Discovery strikes JV with Cutting Edge to co-own vast catalog of film and TV music, in deal worth $1bn+Companies create a JV to co-own catalog of more than 400,000 compositions and song cues
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Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to score soundtrack for Naughty Dog’s new video game franchiseNine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross are scoring the soundtrack for Naughty Dog’s brand new video game franchise, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which is currently in development for PlayStation 5.
Reznor and Ross have been composing for a range of films over recent years. So far, the duo have composed music for movies such as Challengers, Queer, and the new Tron film which will release in 2025. Reznor has worked on a number of games in the past, including Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and Ross has formerly composed for the FIFA franchise.

READ MORE: Trent Reznor: “The terrible payout of streaming services has mortally wounded a whole tier of artists”

In a blog post from Neil Druckmann, Studio Head at Naughty Dog (the same studio which delivered games such as The Last Of Us and Uncharted) he states, “Our incredible voyage into the cosmos also needs an equally incredible soundtrack. As tremendous fans of their work, I’m excited to announce our collaboration with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross who’ll be scoring Intergalactic! The guys are cooking, and the trailer is just a small tease of their work for the game.”
The game marks the studio’s first new franchise in over a decade, and follows protagonist, Jordan A. Mun, “a dangerous bounty hunter who ends up stranded on Sempiria – a distant planet whose communication with the outside universe went dark hundreds of years ago… Jordan will have to use all her skills and wits if she hopes to be the first person in over 600 years to leave its orbit.”
You can check out the first trailer below:

In a recent interview with IndieWire, Reznor opened up on his film score work alongside Ross, and explained how the pair are flourishing within its industry as opposed to the music world.
“What we’re looking for [from film] is the collaborative experience with interesting people. We haven’t gotten that from the music world necessarily, for our own choice. You mentioned disillusionment with the music world? Yes. The culture of the music world sucks,” he said.
“That’s another conversation, but what technology has done to disrupt the music business in terms of not only how people listen to music but the value they place on it is defeating. I’m not saying that as an old man yelling at clouds, but as a music lover who grew up where music was the main thing. Music [now] feels largely relegated to something that happens in the background or while you’re doing something else. That’s a long, bitter story.”
Read more music technology news.
The post Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross to score soundtrack for Naughty Dog’s new video game franchise appeared first on MusicTech.

How to organize and revisit your ‘leftover’ music projects
From bouncing demos to revisiting your folder structures, let's explore a few techniques for maximizing your 'leftover' project files.

GC Audio finalise Inherit Bank design GC Audio's clever modular system is now available in a four-channel version, along with with an extended range of processor cartridges.

Shazam has identified 100 billion songs since its launch in 2002Since launching in 2002, music discovery app Shazam has identified 100 billion songs, according to a new report. To put this gargantuan number into perspective, that’s 12 songs for every person on Earth. Or if an individual were to identify a song per second, it would take them 3,168 years to reach 100 billion.
“This monumental milestone not only reflects how much people enjoy using Shazam, but also their appetite for new music,” says Oliver Schusser, Vice President of Apple Music and Beats, in a press release. “Music discovery is at the core of everything we do, and we keep innovating to make sure music lovers around the world can tap the Shazam button no matter where they hear music playing!”

READ MORE: The best Black Friday music technology deals 2024: the biggest savings on synths, DJ controllers and plugins right now

The first iteration of Shazam was a text message service for the UK only. Users could dial “2580” and hold up their phone to a speaker so the music could reach the receiver. Then the service delivered the song and artist info via text message.
The current Shazam format launched in 2008 with the advent of the App Store. By 2011, the company’s new iOS app already recognised over 1 billion songs. Apple purchased Shazam in 2018.
Since solidifying this partnership, Apple Music has used the software as a means to share DJ mixes from events for streaming. By using its song identification technology, Apple Music can distribute royalties to rights holders for each song DJs played in their mixes, similar to if the song was streamed individually.
Further innovations that have come from Shazam and Apple’s partnership include integrating the function into the Action Button on newer iPhone and Apple Watch models. This allows song recognition with the touch of a button no matter what other apps may be running on the device.
The post Shazam has identified 100 billion songs since its launch in 2002 appeared first on MusicTech.

Jin of BTS is the latest artist to launch an interactive hub on TikTok to promote new solo album, ‘Happy’TikTok has partnered with K-Pop superstar Jin on a new multimedia campaign in support of his first solo album, Happy,
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Iblis Alexander - El Día En Que Te Vi (Remastered 2024) 😈
#alternative #piano #pop #iblisalexander #eldiaenquetevi #2024s #remastered #version

“DJs need to play for free every now and again”: Laurence Guy on how the live music sector could “bounce back quicker”Laurence Guy has discussed the nightlife industry’s current decline, and says that DJs taking on smaller gigs for a smaller fee, perhaps even free, could help the industry “bounce back”.
It’s no secret live music is struggling. Massive events like Coachella are having trouble selling tickets, and just last week, the government’s Autumn Budget is putting 350 grassroots music venues in danger of closing.
READ MORE: “It always starts with the sample”: Laurence Guy is connecting listeners to loops in more meaningful ways than ever
“We’re not in a boom time,” Guy says. “A lot of small venues are still closing. Really, [DJs] just need to play smaller venues for lower fees, and play big festivals for big fees, and yes, for free every now and again,” Guy says in MusicTech’s digital cover feature.
Guy is currently in the midst of a North American tour, and as he DJs impressive venues like The Midway in San Francisco and The Hollywood Theater in Vancouver, he is also finding time for smaller sets. For his stop in San Diego, he even DJ’d at a fan’s house.
According to Guy, playing in these non-traditional spaces without an expectation of a fee leads to new fans who will come out and buy a ticket next time.
“In my opinion,” Guy says. “It’s quite easy for DJs to do that. You can go and play a small club the day after playing a big club. Little things like that keep stuff going, and I think if more people were doing it then we could bounce back quicker.”
He adds that smaller venue performances can also establish a deeper connection with fans: “Sometimes I’ll go play at a dive bar alongside the main set. You get to meet people that are really interested in the music and make a direct connection… “Someone passed me a note saying one track had helped get them through a certain time in their life.”
Guy was one of the many DJs—along with Disclosure, Nia Archives, and Fred Again..—who helped the UK hospitality sector bounce back after COVID by playing a series of pub sets. His favourite is The White Hart in Stoke Newington, and he assures he will play more sets there in 2025.
“You meet loads of people, you can play new music, and it’s just fun to DJ in a pub, you know? I want to be playing as many nights of the week as possible to as many people, or as few, as want to listen.”
Check out the full MusicTech cover feature to read about Guy’s impending album, his label Accidental Pieces, and more.
The post “DJs need to play for free every now and again”: Laurence Guy on how the live music sector could “bounce back quicker” appeared first on MusicTech.

Steinberg launch Cubase 14 The latest version of Steinberg’s popular music production platform has just arrived, kitting users out with a whole host of new features and enhancements.

Kits.AI removes ad encouraging producers to train custom AI vocal models using Splice samples — here’s why that mattersKits.AI has removed an Instagram ad that caused backlash among producers online. The Steve Aoki– and 3LAU-backed AI music platform that lets you “sing like anyone,” published a tutorial on how to use material from Splice sample packs to train their own vocal models and use the voice however they wish.
It demonstrates how to load the vocal sample into the Kits.AI engine, analyse the voice, and let you sing a completely different melody and lyrics with the original sample’s voice.
The problem? This stretches far beyond Splice’s policy and terms of use. But, more crucially, it could also set a dangerous precedent at a time when AI concerns are rife.
Shortly after we reached out to Kits.AI, the original video, created by producer Jacopo in partnership with Kits.AI, was removed. Why?
Well, in Splice Sounds Licensing FAQ, the company states that the limitations of a licensed sample mean you may not “use the name, image, or likeness of the artist or creator associated with a sound in any way without that artist’s express written permission (which you are solely responsible for obtaining).”

This video tells you just about everything you need to know about the majority of AI in music production right now. @kits_ai literally promoting Instagram ads telling you how to scrape @splice vocal packs without consent while proudly declaring themselves ethical leaders. pic.twitter.com/otjav5qr3w
— Benn Jordan (@bennjordan) October 31, 2024

So, a pretty big step is seemingly missing in Kits.AI’s step-by-step tutorial: write to the original vocal performer and ask for explicit permission to use their voice whichever you like. Otherwise, you could use this artist’s voice to spout slurs and profanities, sing opinions they don’t align with, and make money off their voice without giving them a dime.
In response to the ad, Splice told MusicTech: “We explicitly state in our Terms of Use that any training on our content is prohibited. We have previously shared this information with Kits.AI and they confirmed that they understand our guidelines. While AI brings new opportunities to our industry, we must continue to prioritize and protect the rights of creators.”
Okay, but hold on. Kits.AI isn’t the only AI vocal modelling platform out there. Voice-Swap even announced in September that you can create your own AI vocal trained on your material. What’s the difference?
In theory, not much. Voice-Swap, as an example, is partnered with BMAT, which has a database of 180 million ‘audio fingerprints’. This means that, for instance, if you tried to train a vocal model on a Taylor Swift acapella, the software would recognise the audio fingerprint and prevent you from using that voice — you don’t own a license or permission for it, so you can’t use it. But, as many vocalists on Splice samples may not be part of BMAT’s database, you can actually undertake the same vocal training process on Voice-Swap.
But the question is not ‘Can you do it?’, it’s ‘Should you do it?’
Producer, content creator and Voice-Swap creative director Benn Jordan spoke out about the ad on X, formerly Twitter. “This video tells you just about everything you need to know about the majority of AI in music production right now…@kits_ai literally promoting Instagram ads telling you how to scrape @splice vocal packs without consent while proudly declaring themselves ethical leaders.”
Jordan is referencing Kits. AI’s ‘Essential Guide to Ethical AI in the Music Industry’. In it, the brand says: “Unlike the tools Drake used to allegedly steal Tupac’s voice, Kits.ai represents a gold standard in ethical AI within the music industry. The platform ensures all voices are legally cleared and verified. In fact, each voice is uploaded with the express consent and participation of the vocalists, who are compensated for their contributions. This model protects both Kits.ai and its users from potential legal issues and supports artists financially, promoting a sustainable ecosystem where technology enhances human creativity rather than exploits it.”
This Splice-ripping tutorial seems to undermine these principles. But, in fairness, Kits.AI has still taken steps in a positive direction since it started. A 2023 MusicRadar article shows a previous iteration of the platform, which lets users choose from a selection of celebrity voices, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and even Homer Simpson. You can’t seem to do the same on the current version of Kits.AI — instead, you can choose from a range of presets such as Male UK Rap and Female Pop Disco.
Ultimately, it’s probably best just to let people speak and sing for themselves.
Kits.AI is yet to respond to MusicTech’s request for comment.
 
 
 
 
 
The post Kits.AI removes ad encouraging producers to train custom AI vocal models using Splice samples — here’s why that matters appeared first on MusicTech.

Thank You So Much! New Music Soon!

Studio Bridge: Multitrack recorder from Tascam Tascam's new Studio Bridge supports direct recording to an SDXC card, and also features a built-in 24-in/24-out USB audio interface for integration with a DAW. 

Understanding Music Publishing Rights: A Comprehensive GuideUnlock how to maximize earnings as an artist or songwriter with this guide to understanding music publishing rights. It breaks down everything you need to know to protect your work and profit from your creations.
The post Understanding Music Publishing Rights: A Comprehensive Guide appeared first on Hypebot.