Hvoya Audio releases Sand, a FREE differential compander for macOS and Windows
Sand is the latest release from Hvoya Audio, a sound design tool for macOS and Windows that compands the derivative of the original signal. It expands the quietest signals and adds some soft limiting to the loud signals, adding grit and texture. Working on the derivative rather than the original signal yields some interesting side [...]
View post: Hvoya Audio releases Sand, a FREE differential compander for macOS and Windows

Stripe-owned Bridge gets OCC conditional approval for national bank charterWhile still subject to final approval, the regulator's nod would enable Bridge to offer stablecoin and digital asset services to businesses.

Yaeji gives an exclusive tour of her inspiring multimedia studio
Experimental pop and electronic music producer, DJ, and vocalist Yaeji gives the Splice community a tour of her inspiring multimedia studio.

3D Printed Jack Mixes Two Filaments For Great PerformanceIf you’re looking to jack up your car and you don’t have anything on hand, your 3D printer might not be the first tool you look towards. With that said, [Alan Reiner] had great success with a simple idea to create a surprisingly capable scissor jack with a multi-material print.
The design will look familiar if you’ve ever pulled the standard jack out of the back of your car. However, this one isn’t made fully out of steel. It relies on an M6 bolt and a rivet nut, but everything else is pure plastic. In this scissor jack design, rigid PETG arms are held in a scissor jack shape with a flexible TPU outer layer. Combined with the screw mechanism, it’s capable of delivering up to 400 pounds of force without failing. It’s an impressive figure for something made out of 80 grams of plastic. The idea came about because of [Alan’s] recent build of a RatRig VCore4 printer, which has independent dual extruders. This allowed the creation of single prints with both rigid and flexible filaments included.
[Alan] did test the jack by lifting up his vehicle, which it kind of achieved. The biggest problem was the short stroke length, which meant it could only raise the back of the car by a couple inches. Printing a larger version could make it a lot more practical for actual use… if you’re willing to trust a 3D-printed device in such use.
Files are on Printables if you wish to make your own. It’s worth paying attention to the warning upfront that [Alan] provides—”THIS CAN CREATE A LOT OF FORCE (400+ lbs!), WHICH MEANS IT CAN STORE A LOT OF ENERGY THAT MIGHT BE RELEASED SUDDENLY.  Please be cautious using 3d-printed objects for high loads and wear appropriate safety equipment!”
Funnily enough, we’ve featured 3D printed jacks before, all the way back in 2015! Video after the break.

Meta’s own research found parental supervision doesn’t really help curb teens’ compulsive social media useAn internal research study at Meta found that parental supervision may not help teens regulate their social media, and teens with trauma are more inclined to overuse social media.

Cycles & Spots Reaktor MultiPlayhttps://youtu.be/6dKLUNqWlVA?si=m2EeGOztaicIEbeA Cycles & Spots present a sampler with 4 playheads for Reaktor. This works similar to a granular sampler but with bigger chunks rather than small grains. This keeps more of the structure or the source sample but still transforms it to something new. 126 implemented samples (Up to 3 minutes) and a drag & drop option let you quickly and easily create interesting (synced) textures or soundscapes, melodic and disharmonic output. 2 LFOs let you change the playback start positions (randomly or synced) and there's a reverb and a frequency shifter onboard for further shaping of the sound. Pack Details: Macro Sampler for NI Reaktor feat: Random And Sine LFO For Sample Starts. 127 Implemented Samples. 4 Playheads Sampler. Sample Drag & Drop. Frequency Shifter. Reverb. 1.6 GB. Full Version Of NI Reaktor 6.5.0 (Or Higher) Needed. Read More

David Guetta Talks Creative Process and Workflow with the Rhodes MK8 MIDIAccording to news on Tuesday, "Grammy Award–winning producer and DJ David Guetta adds the Rhodes MK8 MIDI piano to his Ibiza studio as a source of inspiration and a central controller within his setup. Drawing on its expressive sound and feel, he uses the instrument to explore how soul and musicality can exist beyond traditional genre boundaries within his in-the-box workflow."

“The first word I think of when it comes to Rhodes would be soul. I grew up listening to funk, from Michael Jackson to Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. It’s a sound that is very present in my life,” he explains.

In discussing how the Rhodes sound has shaped his songwriting over the years, Guetta shared, “When we wrote that record for Ariana Grande, it was together with Savan Kotecha. We started from a Rhodes melody with thirds, and it gave the song that warmth. I don’t think we would have gone there if we hadn’t started from that Rhodes sound.”

According to a statement, "The Rhodes MK8 functions as a central controller in modern studio environments. With polyphonic aftertouch MIDI and assignable controls, the instrument allows producers to shape dynamics, modulation, and expression on a per-note basis when triggering virtual instruments within a DAW. The MK8’s onboard knobs can be mapped to parameters in virtual instruments and effects, or routed to external hardware synthesizers."

See the full interview on YouTube.

Image credit: IndieToBe Agency & Backlight StudioThe post David Guetta Talks Creative Process and Workflow with the Rhodes MK8 MIDI first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

HYBE AMERICA launches Blue Highway Records in Nashville, names Jake Basden as CEOHYBE AMERICA's Nashville-based country, Americana and roots rock division rebrands as Blue Highway Records, effective immediately
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“I hope Eurovision is ready to get synthesised!”: Look Mum No Computer to represent the UK at EurovisionFrom Furby organs, to Lego drum machines, to lightsaber theremins, Look Mum No Computer’s Sam Battle lives by the ethos of his project name; the Kent-based solo artist laughs in the face of digital emulation, inventing experimental electronics to craft his unique world of electronic tunes. Now, he’s set to take his eccentric sound to Eurovision.
Chosen to represent the United Kingdom at the 70th Eurovision Song Content this May, Look Mum No Computer has gained traction posting his whacky musical antics on YouTube. Now, Battle is hoping his bedroom creations are enough to impress judges across Europe.
“I find it completely bonkers to be jumping on this wonderful and wild journey,” he tells the BBC. “I have always been a massive Eurovision fan, and I love the magical joy it brings to millions of people every year, so getting to join that legacy and fly the flag for the UK is an absolute honour that I am taking very seriously.”

READ MORE: Six synths that define Radiohead’s sound

“I’ve been working a long-time creating, writing, and producing my own visions from scratch, and documenting my process,” he adds. “I will be bringing every ounce of my creativity to my performances, and I can’t wait for everyone to hear and see what we’ve created.”
While Battle’s track is yet to be revealed, he does promise one thing: “I hope Eurovision is ready to get synthesised!”
The track in question is set to debut in the next few weeks on BBC Radio 2, followed by an exclusive interview on The Scott Mills Breakfast Show.

Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, says: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Look Mum No Computer representing the UK at Eurovision in Vienna in 2026. His bold vision, unique sound and electric performance style make him a truly unforgettable artist. Look Mum No Computer embodies everything the UK wants to celebrate on the Eurovision stage – creativity, ambition, and a distinctly British wit.”
Elsewhere, Suzy Lamb, the Managing Director at BBC Studios Entertainment, also shares her excitement: “We are incredibly excited that Look Mum No Computer will represent the UK at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. He is a genuinely original artist whose creativity and enormous love for Eurovision perfectly capture the spirit of the competition.”
“Our team at BBC Studios worked to find something very different musically and Look Mum No Computer really stood out. From his innovative approach to music-making to the strong connection he has built with audiences online, he brings a unique energy to his performances that we can’t wait for Eurovision fans around the world to experience in May.”
If you’re keen to learn more about the United Kingdom’s 2026 Eurovision representative, Look Mum No Computer digital footprint is extensive. His YouTube is rammed with quirky creations, while there’s even a TEDx Talk to dig into where he dives deeper into his creative process, as well as how he received a Guinness World Record for building the world’s largest drone synthesiser.

The post “I hope Eurovision is ready to get synthesised!”: Look Mum No Computer to represent the UK at Eurovision appeared first on MusicTech.

SweetEQ is an intriguing new saturating EQ with a simple UI from Musik HackMusik Hack has launched a new EQ plugin to rival complicated saturation plugins that “cuts through the noise”.
SweetEQ is a saturating EQ that adds character and energy to any sound, and Musik Hack says it can deliver it all: “sweeter and richer bass, a thicker overall character, high mid articulation and cut through, or high end sizzle and air”.

READ MORE: Amorph is a FREE plugin that turns text prompts into fully functioning instruments and effects

Musik Hack, which was founded by composer Sam Fischmann and mastering engineer Stan Greene, launched its first plugin, Master Plan, in 2024. Last year, MusicTech reviewed its Fuel plugin, which combines several go-to loudness processes including clipping, compression, saturation and limiting into a single plugin, and awarded it 8/10.
The new SweetEQ similarly offers a streamlined interface. Each one of the faders addresses one specific challenge: tuning for bass, mud for overall character, tuning and resonance for mids, and brittle harshness for highs. Its sliders are weighted toward the first 0-20 percent of each effect, taking into account that small moves on sound can make significant differences.
Musik Hack says these small moves in combination are similar to what various types of analogue gear do to sound by default, and rather than model one piece of gear, it looked at “all the characteristics over a vast array of gear” and developed a signal chain that could “stand in for any of it”.

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SweetEQ is available now for an introductory price of $79 (reg. $99), or you can Rent-to-Own with an introductory rate of $6.50/month if you sign up before 16 March. Learn more at Musik Hack. 
The post SweetEQ is an intriguing new saturating EQ with a simple UI from Musik Hack appeared first on MusicTech.

Dumumub offers Orbit Granular Synth and other freebies for macOS, Windows, and Linux
Dumumub offers Orbit Granular Synth and other freebies for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Dumumub has released three plugins, including Orbit Granular Synth, and you can download them for free from the developer’s website now. The free plugins are: Orbit – a gravity-based granular synth, available in AU, VST3, CLAP, and standalone formats for macOS, Windows, [...]
View post: Dumumub offers Orbit Granular Synth and other freebies for macOS, Windows, and Linux

Following the emergence of AI weekly music charts – the first AI-only radio station has arrivedAn AI-only radio station has launched, playing music made by AI agents that create tracks for you and earn royalties from listener engagement and tips.
The station runs 24 hours and is called Claw FM. Its slogan reads, “give your agent a music career,” but as you can imagine at this stage, many of the tracks are rather short and some are bizarrely named.

READ MORE: Deadmau5 discovers DJ using an AI-generated version of him to promote their music: “This is just the beginning for talentless f**ks abusing this tech”

The Claw FM website states that listeners tip in USDC, a cryptocurrency stablecoin that is meant to track the value of the United States dollar. Earnings from the royalty pool then go into your agent’s wallet.
Royalties are generated through plays, likes, tips and buys: “When a listener tips or buys a track, 75 percent goes directly to the artist,” states Claw FM. “20 percent flows into the shared royalty pool, which is distributed daily at midnight UTC based on each artist’s engagement score. Five percent supports the platform.”
The website provides instructions on what to tell your AI agent, so it will then make tracks and submit them for you. The developer behind Claw FM, simply known as Ben, told MusicRadar, “Every track on claw.fm is created and submitted by an autonomous AI agent.
“The skill connects with various music generation services — you can start free with the native CLI (command-line interface) music tools, and optionally provide API (application programming interface) keys for services like AI music models. The skill will be updated as new music LLMs (large language models) emerge, and contributions are welcome since the whole project is open source.”
And it’s not just AI radio stations that are now becoming a thing, as AI weekly music charts also now exist, tracking AI-made or assisted pieces of work. The charts track the top 100 new songs and covers across each week, and the company that runs them, The Sonic Intelligence Academy (SIQA), says they have “consistent guidelines” in place to not only determine what qualifies as AI-generated music, but also to verify each entry “to support transparency, integrity, and ethical standards”.
SIQA argues that by establishing visibility for AI-generated music, it aims to “reduce confusion across the broader music industry”. It believes that instead of positioning AI music as a replacement for traditional artistry, recognising it as a separate creative medium that warrants its own standards is beneficial for all.
The post Following the emergence of AI weekly music charts – the first AI-only radio station has arrived appeared first on MusicTech.

“You can’t just play a pure electronic sound on its own – there has to be a human element”: Danny L Harle shows how to bring your synth leads to lifeThere’s one piece of advice producer and Dua Lipa collaborator Danny L Harle has when it comes to programming lead synths: find a way to make them sound more human.
Of course, synthesizers by their very nature generally sound more robotic than a more organic instrument like a guitar or grand piano, but if your track’s lead melody is played on a synth, it’s a sense of “uncanny humanity” that helps give it a little magic and bring it to life, Harle says.

READ MORE: Total VI MAX 2 is IK Multimedia’s most complete collection of virtual instruments – it’s usually over £1,400, but you can get it for just £69 for a limited time

Harle shares the nugget of wisdom in a new episode of the Tape Notes Podcast. “When a synthesizer is playing the lead instrument, you can’t just play a pure electronic sound on its own, or some preset lead synth,” he says.
“[There] has to be some sort of human element to the performance. Otherwise it sounds quite blank and sort of unemotional. And I find tuning is a big part of that.”
Harle then dives into the automation section of a synth lead in Logic Pro, showcasing how he’s manually programmed a series of rapid fluctuations in pitch to give what would otherwise be a robotic lead performance a more human feel.
“There’s something – there are inflections, the ornamentation gives it a sense of an uncanny humanity” he says. “And it’s when there’s that uncanny humanity, but also emotion – for some reason that’s what I want to hear… It’s the sort of inflections you get in a [human] performance. There’s something about that in a mechanical, robotic performance that I just really enjoy.”
Elsewhere in the clip, Danny L Harle touches on the sometimes “controversial” topic of arpeggiators.
“There’s a certain type of producer – and composer as well – that loves arpeggios,” he says.  “Some people see it as a frowned upon thing to use an arpeggiator… And my response to that was that I sometimes do use arpeggiators when necessary.”
Harle demonstrates how he’s taken an arpeggiator and saturated it with reverb, rendering it less a standard arpeggiator and more an ethereal “cloud of sound”.
“That’s the context in which I think arpeggiators are perfectly reasonable to use,” he says, before showcasing how vastly different the audio clip is without the added reverb.
Watch the full Tape Notes clip below:

The post “You can’t just play a pure electronic sound on its own – there has to be a human element”: Danny L Harle shows how to bring your synth leads to life appeared first on MusicTech.

ZigZagzAudio launches Sound Soup creative multi-FX plugin for macOS (50% OFF)
ZigZagzAudio has released Sound Soup, a creative multi-FX plugin for macOS, and BPB readers can get 50% off with the exclusive coupon code BPB50 until February 24th. Sound Soup is priced at $49.99, but with the BPB50 code, you can grab it at half price until February 24. If you like experimenting with effects in [...]
View post: ZigZagzAudio launches Sound Soup creative multi-FX plugin for macOS (50% OFF)

Woodstock Audio launch free Waveform Compressor Designed to eliminate the guesswork from mixing, Waveform Compressor features a dynamic waveform display that shows users exactly how their audio signal is being impacted by their compression settings.