DAWJunkie releases Craze, a FREE crunchy phaser effect
Developer DAWJunkie has released Craze, a free crunchy phaser effect for macOS and Windows. The start of a new year is often when we hope and plan for change. But when it comes to DAWJunkie, I just want more of the same, and, as expected, the increasingly popular developer has delivered. DAWJunkie’s latest release is [...]
View post: DAWJunkie releases Craze, a FREE crunchy phaser effect

2.5 million turn out for Guinness World Record-breaking New Year’s event on Copacabana beachNo matter where you were or what you did on New Year’s Eve, none of us were partying quite like those on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro.
The massive Copacabana Réveillon event broke a Guinness World Record and is now certified as the largest New Year’s Eve celebration on the planet. It hosted 13 stages with 1,200 drones, and 19 barges used for a 12-minute-long fireworks display. It saw an estimated 2.5 million people attend.

READ MORE: It’s official – raving is the UK’s favourite way to celebrate New Year’s Eve

Alongside a roster of performers including Brazilian artists like Gilberto Gil and Rio-born pop and R&B singer Iza [as per DJ Mag], Alok also put on an hour-long set, who has shared some incredible snaps on his Instagram page, showcasing the vast scale of the event.
News outlet Agência Brasil reports that a total of 5.1 million people celebrated the arrival of 2026 when taking into account celebrations at other venues organised by the municipality. Take a look at the event’s highlights via Alok’s Instagram page below:

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Alok spoke to MusicTech for a cover interview back in 2022, in which he discussed Brazil’s electronic music scene. Alok became an international artist just as the Brazilian dance scene exploded, which occurred in the wake of an economic crash.
“Historically, Brazil’s scene has always been inspired and influenced by international talent,” he said. “But after this financial crash, promoters couldn’t afford to take chances or book these kinds of artists. As we couldn’t bring them to Brazil, we ended up creating our own scene and sounds. It’s been crazy how fast it’s happened.
“It’s interesting now that when international artists come to Brazil, they need to adapt their sound to succeed in our scene,” he explained with pride. “We have a lot of artists we can be thrilled for and it’s an undeniably exciting time. The majority of music loved here is by local producers.”
Find out more about Alok and view his full list of scheduled tour dates via his official website.
The post 2.5 million turn out for Guinness World Record-breaking New Year’s event on Copacabana beach appeared first on MusicTech.

Vintage King now lets audio professionals try out pro gear in their personal studios before buyingProfessional audio gear is expensive, and as an audio professional or studio owner, you want to be confident in how said gear fits into your workflow before committing to a purchase.
Now, thanks to a new Try Before You Buy program from pro audio retailer Vintage King Audio, audio pros can trial pro-grade equipment in their studios before parting with their cash.

READ MORE: Ireland has given artists a guaranteed income – is this how we fix a broken music industry?

With large purchases like professional audio gear, producers and engineers want to be confident they’re making the right one. 
The move is part of an effort by Vintage King to invest in a “more precise, scalable demo and consultation program” which serves customers across the US, by providing access to this gear in personal studios, commercial facilities and other creative spaces.
The introduction of the new Try Before You Buy Program also spells the immediate closure of Vintage King’s two physical showrooms in Los Angeles and Nashville.
“For years, our showrooms have been incredible places to connect, listen and learn,” says Chris Bolitho, Sales Director at Vintage King.
“But the way people choose gear has changed. More customers want to hear equipment in their room, with their workflow, on their schedule. This program allows us to meet them exactly where they are.”
How does Vintage King’s Try Before You Buy program actually work?
The Try Before You Buy program consists of four flexible ways to experience professional audio equipment before making a purchase:

Hands-on demos – customers can try out select gear in their own studios before committing to a purchase, allowing them to see how it integrates into their workflow.
Virtual gear demos – customers can jump on a virtual call with a Vintage King rep who will walk through features, sound and setup tips.
Console walkthroughs – get a personalised, interactive overview of consoles and control surfaces from Vintage King and its manufacturing partners.
In-person consultations – in select cities including LA, Nashville, Detroit and Atlanta, Vintage King consultants will visit studios to assess setups and offer “world-class sonic guidance”.

Vintage King also explains how the closure of its LA and Nashville showrooms means more events, popups, and generally a “more consistent customer experience nationwide”.
“Our goal isn’t fewer demos, it’s better demos,” adds Bolitho. “This model allows us to support more customers more thoughtfully, without geographically limiting who gets access to hands-on experience.”
You can learn more about the Try Before You Buy program at Vintage King.
The post Vintage King now lets audio professionals try out pro gear in their personal studios before buying appeared first on MusicTech.

Learn to master your music with this course from two Grammy-winning engineersLooking to up your mastering game? Lurssen Mastering has enlisted a pair of multi-Grammy-winning engineers to craft the ultimate online mastering course. The 10-episode course is set to guide you through every step of the mastering process, as well as sharing a fool-proof mastering formula.
The aptly named How To Master Your Music, the course is led by four-time Grammy winner (and twelve-time nominee) Gavin Lurssen, and Latin Grammy winner Reuben Cohen. The pair have a whole host of iconic albums under their belts, with Lurssen mastering records from the Foo Fighters to Eric Clapton, while Cohen has mastered records by Metallica, Miley Cyrus, The Beatle’s John Lennon and more.

READ MORE: MusicTech’s favourite free plugins of 2025

Across the course’s 10 episodes, the accomplished engineers delve into a goldmine of tips and tricks, spanning from a simple introduction to mastering to more in-depth breakdowns of mastering chains, formulas and shedding light on mastering myths.
Using music composed, recorded and performed by Dave Kerzner, the course demonstrates a slew of mastering skills using IK Multimedia software. The full arsenal of tools used has also been compiled into a handy T-RackS Lurssen Mastering Bundle, which can be bought for around $230. That price will be slashed by 50% once enrolled on the course, however.

The kit includes the Lurssen Mastering EQ and EQual, as well as the Black 76 Limiting Amplifier, Brickwall Limiter, Bus Compressor and Classic Clipper. There’s also the De-Esser dynamic processor, analogue compressor Dyna-Mu, Stealth Limiter and Vintage Tube Compressor/Limiter Model 670.
The pair have shared some of their creative insights in the past, notably working with Audeze on a 7-part series of introductory mastering videos back in 2022. The aim of this new course will provide artists and engineers of all levels with an updated, truly comprehensive mastering guide.

Right now, the course is available at an introductory price of $118.80 (or $99 before tax). That’s a one-time price, meaning you’ll have lifetime access to the course, Pro Tools sessions, and downloadable material – including any future updates.
Head to Lurssen Mastering for more information.
The post Learn to master your music with this course from two Grammy-winning engineers appeared first on MusicTech.

#AI patent Sony just registered for #Games

Ireland has given artists a guaranteed income – is this how we fix a broken music industry?If you were given an unconditional amount of money every month, what would you do? For Irish musicians who took part in the country’s Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot program, the answer was simple: they made more music. 22 per cent more music, to be exact.
That was just one of many striking outcomes from the three-year pilot scheme, which offered a guaranteed income of €325 per week to 2,000 creative sector workers. Throughout the process, participants reported positive impacts on their mental health, career sustainability, and creative output. So successful was this program that the scheme has now been made permanent by the Irish government.

READ MORE: Are there too many synthesizers?

So, at a time when the music industry’s foundations seem to be eroding on a global scale, could some sort of guaranteed income be the solution?
That such a scheme is even politically possible tells you something about just how much disruption music makers currently face. The rise of music streaming platforms has allowed more people to release music than ever before in history, and at the exact same time, the amount of money artists can expect to earn from releasing music has fallen off a cliff, with many blaming the payment models and low subscription fees, of major players like Spotify.
At the same time, the rise of algorithmically driven music discovery, something that is ubiquitous across streaming platforms, seems to achieve the exact opposite of its stated intent. Recent studies indicate that those who rely primarily on algorithms are actually less likely to be exposed to new music, and that this is especially pronounced in younger listeners. For new and emerging artists trying to make a name for themselves, this is an especially concerning development.
Then there’s live music and touring. Traditionally, this has been the grassroots layer of the industry, in which most musicians learn and perfect their trade and earn a basic living. Post-COVID, however, we have seen live music venues struggle to make ends meet or close up shop entirely. At the same time, giants like Live Nation and its subsidiary, Ticketmaster, have been accused of predatory and monopolistic practices, leaving both artists and venues with less money in their pockets when the house lights go up at the end of the night.
Then there’s the multi-headed beast of AI. It’s only been a handful of years since music generators hit the mainstream, and yet it is now common for artists to compete against wholly generated music for streams. In some cases, musicians are left fighting artificial doppelgängers, who pilfer their name, image, music and royalties. Major labels, who initially cried foul the loudest, have now begun humming a much softer tune – as most clearly evidenced by Warner Music Group’s deal with Suno to license AI-music.
Making a career out of music has always been a narrow path, and emerging musicians especially have always been amongst the most economically vulnerable groups in society. Yet the current set of disruptions, when taken together, form a uniquely challenging environment.
Something clearly needs to be done – but is a guaranteed income scheme the only answer?
In the UK, artists, audiences, and politicians agree, at least in principle, that action is needed to tackle the country’s crisis of venue closures. A recent report has suggested a levy on arena and stadium tickets to help support smaller music venues, including live music clubs and spaces for electronic music. In the US, government action might help loosen the stranglehold that ticket companies currently have over the touring circuit.
On the streaming front, campaign groups like the Musicians’ Union are lobbying for the passage of new legislation on streaming remuneration with the aim of putting more money into the pockets of musicians. At the same time, booming vinyl sales and a surprising spike in people buying cassettes highlight a growing desire from music fans who want to get their hands on something tangible.
A revitalised live music scene, new laws on streaming royalties, increases in sales of physical media – all of these are promising developments that would, arguably, make guaranteed income schemes unnecessary.
Regarding Ireland’s pilot program, while many celebrated its success, a valid critique emerged regarding its exclusivity. While 2000 people saw a measurable benefit to their creative output and quality of life, some 6000 others applied and were not selected. Scaled up, such schemes necessitate uncomfortable conversations around who gets support, who doesn’t, and under what criteria.
Some less convincing pushback can be found outside the arts. One group of researchers skewered Ireland’s support for its cultural sector on moral grounds, writing: “Why should artists be entitled to or expect to earn all, or even most, of their income from their work as artists? And what is intrinsically unacceptable about an artist having more than one job?”
We can assume that these authors were not holding down a side hustle while they penned that research paper. But, on a more serious note, it’s worth noting that governments routinely subsidise entire industries when they are deemed to have national value or when that industry is struggling.
The music industry certainly has national value; in the UK, it brought in a record £7.6 billion just last year. But, despite plenty of profits at the top, the music industry as a whole is struggling. When a well-known, award-winning, double platinum-selling artist like Lily Allen has to sell feet pics to get by, just imagine how things look to young, emerging artists?
The key here is not that artists baulk at taking on secondary work; it’s that systemic income instability can become so overwhelming that emerging artists are not able to dedicate the time and energy necessary to get off that first rung of the ladder.
Ultimately, musicians are not clamouring for government-funded income schemes as a catch-all solution. By and large, they’re demanding society-wide action to strengthen the support pillars that let ‘musician’ become a viable working-class option for many, and a ticket to stardom for a few. Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts is at least a bold step in a positive direction – but if we can’t get it together to push back against the wider forces that are hollowing out the music industry, then it will never be enough.
The post Ireland has given artists a guaranteed income – is this how we fix a broken music industry? appeared first on MusicTech.

CES 2026: Everything revealed, from Nvidia’s debuts to AMD’s new chips to Razer’s AI oddities CES 2026 is in full swing in Las Vegas, with the show floor open to the public after a packed couple of days occupied by press conferences from the likes of Nvidia, Sony, and AMD and previews from Sunday’s Unveiled event.  As has been the case for the past two years at CES, AI is at the forefront of […]

Napster is no longer a music streaming service, which is shutting down. It becomes an #AI #Music "platform for creating and experiencing music in new ways." #MusicBusiness

LANDR acquires Reason Studios: “This isn’t about changing Reason, it’s about giving it room to grow”Reason Studios has been acquired by AI-forward music production company, LANDR. The partnership is set to “redefine the future of music creation”, with sights set on enhancing Reason Studio’s classic DAW and Rack with new tools and AI-powered features.
Montreal-based LANDR explains that the acquisition will see Reason entering a new creative dawn. “Our vision is to make Reason and the Reason Rack indispensable tools for every producer, regardless of what DAW they use,” Pascal Pilon, CEO of LANDR, explains.

READ MORE: MusicTech’s favourite studio gear of 2025

“Wherever music is made, Reason will be there, with its amazing instruments, effects, and iconic analogue workflow – enhanced by LANDR’s value-rich creator tools,” the CEO continues.
Of course, merely uttering “AI” is sometimes enough to concern creatives. To quell any worries, the announcement repeatedly emphasises the notion of “preserving” Reason’s current “identity”, while “expanding” the possibilities of the DAW.
As a result, the acquisition wont instantly introduce major changes. Instead, there will be a “gradual” introduction of AI-powered features and tools to “make the creative process more seamless, inspiring and accessible”.
“This isn’t about changing Reason, it’s about giving it room to grow,” Pilon emphasises. “We’re preserving each brand’s identity and core market while unlocking new possibilities for creators everywhere.”
Verdane, the company that previously owned the majority stake in Reason Studios, has also shared a few words in light of LANDR’s acquisition. “Working with the Reason Studios team since 2017 has been an honour for all of us at Verdane,” says Director Charlotte Möller. “We’re glad that the business has found the perfect partner in LANDR for its next stage of growth.”
The acquisition will also see a new Artist Council forming, which will consist of well-known producers and users of Reason. The Council will help determine the future of Reason, putting the needs and concerns of creatives at the forefront.
“Like a lot of producers, Reason was my first experience making music on a computer, and I’ve been a fan ever since,” Daniel Rowland, VP of Strategy at LANDR, notes. “Reason has always been shaped by its community, and this council makes that official, giving power users a direct voice in shaping the tools they rely on, benefitting all of us.”
Learn more at LANDR.
The post LANDR acquires Reason Studios: “This isn’t about changing Reason, it’s about giving it room to grow” appeared first on MusicTech.

CES 2026: Everything revealed, from Nvidia’s debuts to AMD’s new chips to Razer’s AI oddities CES 2026 is in full swing in Las Vegas, with the show floor open to the public after a packed couple of days occupied by press conferences from the likes of Nvidia, Sony, and AMD and previews from Sunday’s Unveiled event.  As has been the case for the past two years at CES, AI is at the forefront of […]

KNAC IS BACK and TAKES OVER THE SUNSET STRIPRock station KNAC has made a glorious return to the airwaves, and it takes over the Sunset Strip with a big 40th anniversary party at the Whisky A GoGo on Thursday, simultaneously raising funds for the Rock Against MS Foundation.

"The original purveyors of Pure Rock return: THRASHER • LONG PAUL • GONZO GREG • DANGEROUS DARREN • PHILTHY PHIL • STEW • JACK TRASH • GREGG STEELE … and more maniacs still loading in," they say. "Expect no rules, no fluff, no corporate radio BS; just rock lifers telling legendary stories, surprise performances, and an all-star L.A. jam that'll peel the chrome off your skull."

"When KNAC Hit the Airwaves, Rock Grew Teeth. On January 8, 1986, KNAC 105.5 FM unleashed 'Pure Rock' and detonated the music world. While the suits played it safe, KNAC kicked the doors off the hinges and went all-hard-rock, all-the-time, long before anyone had the guts to do it."

Details as follows:

VENUE:

The Whisky A Go-Go

8901 W. Sunset Blvd

West Hollywood, CA 90069

PRE-SALE TIX:

General - $40

VIP w/M&G Package - $105.5

Merch Add-On's - $25 - $40

SHOWTIMES:

6:00/ VIP Access M&G

7:00/ GA Access

8:00 / Show

BUY TIX & OFFICIAL KNAC MERCH ONLINE NOW:

Purchase – https://KNAC40.eventbrite.com

For more information: www.KNAC40.com, www.instagram.com/knac40, www.rockagainstms.com,

Beneficiary: Rock Against MS Foundation, 501c3. All proceeds go to Rock Against MS, fueling support programs and services for people fighting Multiple Sclerosis; proving rock still gives a damn.The post KNAC IS BACK and TAKES OVER THE SUNSET STRIP first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Flow details December exploit that led to $3.9M in losses due to counterfeit tokensA protocol-level flaw allowed assets to be duplicated rather than minted, prompting a network halt and a governance-led recovery process.

Tired of Burnt Fingers? Try PID Tuning the Hot Glue GunHot glue guns are pretty simple beasts: there’s an on/off switch, a heating element, and a source of current, be it battery or wired. You turn it on, and the heater starts warming up; eventually you can start extruding the thermoplastic sticks we call “hot glue”. Since there’s no temperature control, the longer you run the gun, the warmer it gets until it is inevitably hotter than you actually want– either burning you or oozing thermoplastic out the tip. [Mellow_Labs] was sick of that after a marathon hot-glue session, and decided to improve on his hot glue gun with PID tuning in the video embedded below.
PID tuning is probably a familiar concept to most of you, particularly those who have 3D printers, where it’s used in exactly the same way [Mellow_Labs] puts it to work in the hot glue gun.  By varying the input (in this case the power to the heater) proportional both to the Parameter (in this case, temperature) as well as the Integral and Derivative of that value, you can have a much steadier control than more naive algorithms, like the simple “on/off” thermostat that leads to large temperature swings.
In this case [Mellow_Labs] is implementing the PID control using a thermistor that looks like it came from a 3D printer, and a MOSFET driven by an RP2040. Microcontroller gets its power via the hot glue gun’s battery fed through a buck converter. Since he has them, a small OLED screen displays temperature, which is set with a pair of push-buttons. Thus, one can set a temperature hot enough to melt the glue, but low enough to avoid oozing or third degree burns.
He does not share the code he’s running on the RP2040, but if you are inspired to replicate this project and don’t want to roll your own, there are plenty of example PID scripts out there, like the one in this lovely robot. No, PID isn’t reserved for thermostats– but if you are controlling heat, it’s not reserved for electric, either. Some intrepid soul put built a PID controller for a charcoal BBQ once.

A1 Studio Productions Fender Studio A1 Presets PackPick on these hand crafted sounds for the free Fender Studio DAW. Dialed in vintage and modern guitar, bass amp and pedal tones from different guitars and pickups to deliver excellent results with all the latest included content. Get the A1 Session Starter with arranger tracks, delay & reverb sends, mixer settings and presets to help quickly record the pro sounds you want. A complete artist pack of 7 bass rigs, 12 guitar setups and 6 other usable mix settings by A1 Studio Productions. Sponsored by no one. Created on Windows, compatible with Mac, Android and Apple, Version 1.1. Read More

The 10 best free music production plugins for 2026 (instruments and effects)
From long-time classics to game-changing newcomers, we overview ten free plugins that have the potential to be your next music production toolkit staple in 2026.