Phoebe Willo Crowdfunds over $30,000 via SongBits and Music GatewayBy aligning with SongBits and Music Gateway, independent and unknown artist, Phoebe Willo, raised over $30,000 by allowing fans to invest in her latest single. Both companies launched with the purpose to empower the independent artist and prove that fans want to support artists on a business level by investing for a piece of ownership in a project; in this case, streaming revenue on Phoebe’s latest single, “Lost in the Music.” A revolutionary new form of crowdfunding moving into the future, fans can now share in the success of an artist’s project. 

Music industry icon Dave Stewart — the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, producer, innovator and Eurythmics co-founder — is a co-owner of both SongBits and Music Gateway. “This is a precursor to big news coming,” says Stewart. “I am always thinking of ways to help new artists and this is a colossal one. I have always been heavily involved in paving the way for artists to survive in this fractured music business. At a time when actors and writers are on strike, music has always been the low hanging fruit, the sacrificial lamb so to speak.”

SongBits is a game-changing new platform that creates all-new levels of fan engagement, quick and effective new revenue streams and vital new data insights for artists and labels. Co-founder, Russell Sheffield shares: “Phoebe clearly has incredible talent and is one to watch. SongBits is all about supporting incredible talent whilst enabling fans to share the value of their songs. For the first time, creating a unique and true partnership together through harnessing the power of Web3.”

Music Gateway’s mantra is to empower independent artists by providing promotional services across playlisting, radio, press and digital media, leveling the playing field for artists across the globe. Jon Skinner, CEO & Founder of Music Gateway, says: "Dave Stewart has been part of our journey since the very beginning. Being a huge advocate for collaboration, he saw the huge potential in what we set out to achieve. Dave is a valued shareholder and plays a vital role on our advisory board. On a personal level, Dave is just amazing to work with and his ideas are endless." 

SongBits

Music Gateway

What is the Doppler effect?
In this comprehensive guide, learn about what the Doppler effect is, where it's heard in the world around us, and common misconceptions to be aware of.

The Aphex Twin machine causes chaos at Field Day 2023Although it’s a bright, sunny Saturday at Field Day in East London’s Victoria Park, there’s a dark sense of devilry in the air. The past two editions of the All Points East-partnered festival have showcased brighter disco house flavours. It’s evident, however, through this year’s emergence of mullets, black string vests and LSDXOXO and Juliana Huxtable playing techno at 4 pm, that 2023’s edition has been cast over by a towering shadow – Aphex Twin, who headlines at 9.25 pm.

READ MORE: Aphex Twin shares two archival tracks via ‘secret’ Soundcloud account

Cult followers have come out in full force, draped in logo-clad merch, to support the rare performance – one of just 22 since 2019. Murmurs of Richard D James ruminate through the site’s trees, landing at bars and toilets, where AFX nerds proudly show off their credentials. It feels like an Aphex Twin convention.
So, when the sun falls and stages close, the fixated faces of those who find pleasure in experimental sonics descend on the East stage, where Aphex Twin is set to shock, entertain and confuse.
And confuse he does. The Windowlicker and Syro creator, who recently released his first EP in five years, dives headfirst into a mind-boggling, intoxicating concoction of techno, rave, breaks, electro and… well, lots more genres. Glances of horror are shared between friends who didn’t get the memo. Others, who did, grin. Some try – and fail – to dance to the music.
Towards the end, no song seems to maintain the same groove for more than 16 bars. A muffled techno track starts with a four-by-four beat but then flings off in all manner of directions. It’s tough to pick out a particular song from the mix, which results in a hushed, bewildered crowd.
Image: Andrew Whitton
Hundreds of lasers set the sky ablaze. The Aphex Twin machine is unstoppable. The stage does feel like a machine – a huge, malfunctioning thing that’s been hacked by an AI rave robot, spurting as many genres into the chaotic output as possible. Chaos is the ultimate adjective to summarise Aphex Twin’s headline show at Field Day 2023.
Nearby tower blocks are illuminated by the show’s giant visuals, provided by Aphex Twin’s resident visual artist, Weirdcore. Filling the screens on either side of the stage, the walls behind Aphex Twin’s live setup and on a lightbox hovering above his head, they dramatically dart like strobes through morphing, evolving AI-driven images of machinery. At one point a contorted image of King Charles appears; at another, it’s the late SOPHIE and Charli XCX that are given the Aphex face treatment, to the delight of the crowd.
Does the show work in a festival setting? In many ways, no. It’s hard to engage with, especially if you’re standing further back, and in this case, with such a big crowd, that is the case for many. But has an Aphex Twin show ever been easy to engage with? The idea is to stand back and let the barrage of sounds and sights wash over you.
That’s just what the crowd do, as they embrace and bask in the Warp Records star’s genre-bending brilliance. Whether you’re confused, amazed or tripping balls, Field Day goers can agree on one thing: after 30 years, Aphex Twin is still pushing the boundaries of music. It’s thrilling to witness.
Did you miss Field Day this year? Keep an eye on fielddayfestivals.com for any information regarding Field Day 2024.
The post The Aphex Twin machine causes chaos at Field Day 2023 appeared first on MusicTech.

Associate Music Festival Programmer focusing on Latin musicSXSW seeks an entry-level Associate Music Festival Programmer focusing on Latin music (from traditional to modern). The ideal candidate is an open-minded, self-motivated, collaborative individual with a strong music industry background, comprehensive knowledge of music/genres, and an enthusiasm for identifying new talent and trends in music. Strong communication skills, close attention to detail, and the ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment are required for this position. Apply at www.entertainmentcareers.net

Armin Van Buuren DJs atop Burj Khalifa, breaks two world recordsArmin van Buuren has broken two world records by performing a DJ set on the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai, the world’s tallest building.

READ MORE: “What do they do up there? Twiddle filter knobs and clap”: Deadmau5 says most DJs play pre-recorded sets at major festivals

The 40-minute DJ set took place on a balcony near the top of the 328-metre-tall building and consisted of the DJ, producer and label owner’s usual stadium-filling blend of electro-house and trance. A recording of the record-breaking set has been uploaded to YouTube, which you can watch below:

Armin Van Buuren’s elevating DJ set broke two world records: the highest performance atop the tallest building on the planet and the largest LED screen employed for a show. Oh yeah, we forgot to mention – the set was accompanied by mammoth audio-reactive visuals that spanned the length of the whole building.
The DJ set took place to promote the upcoming Middle East debut of UNTOLD — Dubai’s first mega festival, which will take place in February 2024. On the lineup is Alok, Alesso and Martin Garrix.
Talking of Martin Garrix, the Animals producer also has some experience in DJing on top of tall buildings. In October 2022, Garrix celebrated winning DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list by playing on top of the Empire State Building, becoming the first ever DJ to do so.
Neither DJ are the winner of the highest DJ set ever recorded on land, however. That feat went to Indian students Nosher Ali Khan, DJ Ghasuray, and Saad Ata Barcha, who played on the summit of the Pakistani mountain, Manglik Sar (6,050 meters) in 2021.
More cool DJ sets to have happened recently include a DJ set at Stone Henge and a set at the site of the Pyramids of Giza, both performed by Carl Cox. Nina Kraviz has delivered techno to fans on the Great Wall Of China and Paul Oakenfold once DJed at Mount Everest Base Camp.
Read more about UNTOLD festival via untold.com.
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Elon Musk’s X platform files to dismiss music publishers’ $250 million copyright lawsuitX, the Elon Musk-owned social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has filed to dismiss a lawsuit filed by major music publishers back in June.
The lawsuit accused the platform of wide-scale copyright infringement, and was filed by a coalition of 17 music industry bodies, with plaintiffs including Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Group, Warner Chappell, BMG and more.

READ MORE: Warner Music Group sign licensing deal with TikTok to boost social media revenue

The original lawsuit against X seeks to claim $250 million in damages for “hundreds of thousands” of alleged infringements of approximately 1,700 pieces of music.
As opposed to other social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok, it was reported at the time of the filing that the platform had not negotiated music licensing agreements with music copyright holders.
The motion to dismiss now filed by X is the first response the platform has made since the original lawsuit was filed.
In the document (via Rolling Stone), it has cited a 2005 supreme court ruling from MGM Studios v. Grokster, and has claimed that the publishers “do not allege that X encouraged, induced, or intended to foster the infringement of Plaintiffs’ works,” further arguing that the music publishers “must allege that the defendant took active steps with the intent of encouraging infringement.”
It also adds, “To the contrary, X’s anti-infringement policies and practices, including its DMCA policy, believe any reasonable assumption that X has induced its users to infringe any copyrights,” and further states, “Even reading the Complaint in the light most favourable to Plaintiffs, no liability can be established on the facts as pleaded.”
David Israelite, CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA),  said in a statement (via Music Business Worldwide) on 15 August that “X’s response is par for the course – another attempt to deny the fact that they have consistently failed to stop or even slow the rampant piracy on their platform.”
View the full motion to dismiss at Music Business Worldwide.
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“What do they do up there? Twiddle filter knobs and clap”: Deadmau5 says most DJs play pre-recorded sets at major festivalsElectronic music producer Deadmau5 has said that most DJ sets at major festivals are pre-recorded.
The artist, who’s real name is Joel Thomas Zimmerman, shared that he has played pre-recorded shows himself, explaining that at most big festivals “you have to”.

READ MORE: Deadmau5 on plugins vs. hardware: “For me, fun isn’t struggling on a laptop”

The topic is a divisive one, but Deadmau5 had no problem in being honest and upfront about it. He began discussing the topic of pre-recorded sets during a live stream which has since been posted to YouTube. Responding to a comment that asked if he had “ever faked a DJ set”, he was happy to share that he had played pre-recorded ones due to time restraints.
“If he means a pre-recorded set, yeah, wow, all the time. Most of the time. Does that make you mad? Do I go to jail for that? Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren’t,” he says.
Whilst nonchalantly eating popcorn, he then goes on to make a joke about the FBI knocking on his door: “How dare you play a pre-recorded set due to a strict timeline!”
“[At] most major festivals you have to play a pre-recorded set. Like EDC [Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas], I would be surprised if somebody actually played a set that wasn’t pre-recorded to be honest, because theres such a big deal to the fucking artist in the production schedule and the timeline and all that stuff that they wouldn’t wanna fuck up.
“You know what a dead giveaway is to a pre-recorded set? The visuals, believe it or not. When shit is so immaculately timed that everything is lining up, that means everything is on a playback system,” he explains. “What do they do up there? Twiddle filter knobs and clap, yes absolutely. That’s all you can do.”
Deadmau5 then went on to respond to a comment saying those who play pre-recorded sets are not real DJs, “Okay. Says who? The fucking DJ police?” he scoffs.
Watch the video below:

Tickets to see Deadmau5 live are available through his website.
The post “What do they do up there? Twiddle filter knobs and clap”: Deadmau5 says most DJs play pre-recorded sets at major festivals appeared first on MusicTech.

“Pop will be way more minimal sounding” in the future, Charli XCX predictsElectro-pop and PC Music singer-songwriter Charli XCX has taken to Twitter – now X – to share her predictions about the future of pop music, foreseeing a more minimal sound.

READ MORE: PC Music to stop releasing new music after 2023

“I predict that over the next year pop music will be way more minimal sounding – like 3 or 4 sounds per song plus vocal” the Boom Clap singer wrote yesterday.
After one fan responds to her minimalism prediction by tweeting that pop music should be “highbrow and exciting”, Charli XCX justifies that minimalist music can be “exciting and avant-garde”, not necessarily translating to just acoustic or soft sounds.
“Extreme drama” can be created through minimalism, she writes, found in songs like Peaches’ Fuck The Pain Away and SOPHIE’s Bipp.

“When i say minimal”, she defends, “I do not mean ‘simple’ or ‘lacking complexity’ or ‘small’. i mean that there are only 4 or 5 sounds that make up the entirety of the song – and this choice ends up making everything feel monolithic to me. There is no clutter. Every slight change feels gigantic because you can hear every detail.”
The Crash singer also says that she thinks lyrics will become less metaphorical and “flowery” moving forward and more conversational – “things you’d actually say to your friends on FaceTime”, she writes.

i predict that over the next year pop music will be wayyyy more minimal sounding – like 3 or 4 sounds per song plus vocal
— Charli (@charli_xcx) August 13, 2023

Charli XCX, who has become a cultural icon for the LGBTQ+ community in recent years, was included in the Barbie soundtrack with her track Speed Drive. The soundtrack, curated and produced by Mark Ronson, made UK chart history, with Charli’s track reaching nineteenth in the UK Top 40 charts.
After being added to the soundtrack, she tweeted “Wont lie I did used to behead my Barbies but really happy to be on the soundtrack tho!”
Charli XCX isn’t the only artist to have made predictions regarding the future of music this year. At the BRIT Awards in February 2023, David Guetta said “the future of music is in AI. For sure. There’s no doubt. But as a tool.”
Keep up to date with all things Charli XCX via charlixcx.com.
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Scientists have reconstructed Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall by listening to people’s brain wavesScientists have successfully managed to use people’s electrical brain activity to accurately reconstruct the classic Pink Floyd song Another Brick in the Wall.
The experiment – the first time a recognisable song has been decoded from brain activity [per The Guardian] – is hoped to restore the musicality of natural speech in patients who struggle to communicate as a result of neurological conditions like stroke or ALS.

READ MORE: This new AI music generator can generate over one billion different soundtracks

29 patients were played a three-minute segment from Another Brick in the Wall, with the following brain activity recorded using electrodes placed directly on the surface of their brains as they underwent surgery for epilepsy.
AI technology was then used to take the brain scans and turn them into audible material. Though somewhat muffled, the line, “All in all, it’s just another brick in the wall” was heard, with its rhythms and melodies intact.
“It sounds a bit like they’re speaking underwater, but it’s our first shot at this,” says Professor Robert Knight, a neurologist at the University of California in Berkeley who helped conduct the study.
Knight says by using a higher density of electrodes – the team worked with an average separation of 5mm between electrodes – the results of the experiment may improve.
“Now that we know how to do this, I think if we had electrodes that were like a millimetre and a half apart, the sound quality would be much better,” he says.
Staff at the same laboratory have reportedly been able to decipher speech – and even slightly imagined words – from brain scans, but according to Knight, “in general, all of these reconstruction attempts have had a robotic quality”.
“Music, by its very nature, is emotional and prosodic – it has rhythm, stress, accent and intonation,” he continues. “It contains a much bigger spectrum of things than limited phonemes in whatever language, that could add another dimension to an implantable speech decoder.”

The post Scientists have reconstructed Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall by listening to people’s brain waves appeared first on MusicTech.

Wide Blue Sound Offers FREE Audio Plugin Uninstaller For macOS
I doubt I’ve ever covered anything here with a name that more accurately and succinctly describes the software’s primary function than Audio Plugin Uninstaller by Wide Blue Sound. We typically talk about effects, sounds, instruments, and more creative aspects of music, so I understand if uninstalling plugins doesn’t generate the same excitement. But I also [...]
View post: Wide Blue Sound Offers FREE Audio Plugin Uninstaller For macOS

MNTRA Instruments Releases FREE Mirage Cinematic Instrument
MNTRA Instruments releases Mirage, the FREE cinematic instrument for macOS and Windows. It’s difficult to summarize Mirage in a headline; a cinematic instrument is the most encapsulating description I could think of because it’s ideal for scoring videos or games. The reason it’s ideal for scoring video or games is that it allows you to [...]
View post: MNTRA Instruments Releases FREE Mirage Cinematic Instrument

PRS for Music and PPL are using Audoo’s audio meters to detect songs at public spaces for fairer royalty paymentsBritish music copyright collectives PRS For Music and PPL have joined forces with music technology company Audoo, to improve music royalty detection and distribution for creators, using Audoo’s audio meters.

READ MORE: AVID acquired by private equity firm Symphony Technology Group for $1.4 billion

The installation of Audoo’s audio meters in businesses including cafés, bars, hair salons, restaurants, and retail locations across Great Britain, aims to help drive forward and accelerate accurate and transparent royalty distribution to music creators. The device works by identifying the background music being played and reporting this usage back to PRS for Music and PPL.
According to Audoo, the audio meters installed are designed to be GDPR-compliant and use smart plug-in technology to securely track and report the music being played in quasi-real-time, without capturing any non-music audio such as private conversations.
The move will help PRS for Music and PPL enhance distribution efficiency by delivering optimum payments for their 300,000 collective members – including artists, recording rightsholders, music publishers, writers and composers.
“We are continually investing in new technologies and services to ensure we can pay out royalties more quickly and accurately, delivering the best possible service to members,” said Tim Arber, PRS for Music’s Director of Operational Improvement.
“We have been working with music recognition technology for many years and are excited to see how this collaboration with Audoo can support our ambition to pay out over £1 billion annually in the next few years. Helping businesses across the UK to report the music they play through smart data capture will be integral to reaching this milestone and maximising our members’ public performance royalties.”
Russell Chant, PPL’s Head of Distribution, said: “At PPL, we’re always working to ensure that performers, record labels and self-releasing artists are fairly and accurately paid for the music they create. This initiative with Audoo will complement our existing suite of advanced technological tools and public performance music usage data, offering us a further way to check that our distributions are as accurate as possible.”
Ryan Edwards, Audoo’s founder and CEO, said: “This collaboration with PRS and PPL is a milestone in the evolution of the public performance royalty space, for creators, performers and rights holders, as well as licensees delivering an enhanced experience for customers through the joy of music played in public spaces.”
Learn more at Audoo.
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GameSoundCon 2023 registration now open The world’s largest professional conference for video game music and sound design will be held at Burbank Convention Center in Burbank, California on 17 - 18 October 2023.

AVID acquired by private equity firm Symphony Technology Group for $1.4 billionAVID Technology Inc – the company behind Pro Tools and Sibelius – will be bought by private equity firm Symphony Technology Group for $1.4 billion, in a deal reported by Reuters.
The news comes after it was revealed that US firm Francisco Partners – a major investor in Native Instruments and iZotope – made a bid to acquire AVID just earlier this week.

READ MORE: Four Tet played at his daughter’s birthday to “deeply unimpressed” teenage girls following Coachella set

As reported, the all-cash deal means that AVID shareholders will receive $27.05 per share in cash.
The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, and AVID says Sixth Street Partners and Silver Point provided debt financing for the deal.
“Since our founding over 30 years ago, AVID has delivered technology that enables individuals and enterprises who create media for a living to make, manage and monetise today’s most celebrated video and audio content across the globe. We are pleased to announce this transaction with STG, who share our conviction and excitement in delivering innovative technology solutions to address our customers’ creative and business needs,” says Jeff Rosica, AVID’s Chief Executive Officer and President.
“STG’s expertise in the technology sector and significant financial and strategic resources will help accelerate the achievement of our strategic vision, building on the momentum of our successful transformation achieved over the past several years. This transaction represents the start of an exciting new chapter for AVID, our customers, our partners and our team members and is a testament to the importance of AVID and our solutions in powering the media and entertainment industry.”
“After carefully evaluating a variety of options, the Board determined that this transaction is in the best interests of AVID and its stockholders,” adds AVID Chairman John Wallace.
AVID is an industry-leading provider of music software, owning both digital audio workstation Pro Tools and music notation software Sibelius. Its products are among the most popular in the music world, with Pro Tools likely the most used digital audio workstation.
Sibelius is also one of the most commonly used scoring softwares in the composition world, and counts the likes of Hans Zimmer among its users.
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Kits.AI voice generation technology Kits.AI are a new AI-generated voice platform who are working directly with artists in order to licence and release their voice models.