“More expressive. More you”: Suno adds voice cloning in its v5.5 updateSuno v5.5 has arrived, with the AI music creation platform touting it as its “best and most expressive model yet”.
Front and centre among the new updates for Suno v5.5 is the addition of Voices, a new feature which enables users to clone their own voice and create new music with it. 
Available on Suno’s Pro and Premier tiers, Voices entails a verification process whereby the singing voice in your live-captured audio is matched to a random phrase Suno asks you to speak, after which you’re free to create.

READ MORE: The Apple Mac Pro – the go-to computer for high-end music production – has been discontinued

Suno emphasises the importance of keeping each user’s uploaded Voice private: “Only you can use them to create new songs,” it says, also sharing future plans to “add voice sharing, but rooted in the principle that you stay in control of what you create”.
“The human voice is the oldest instrument we have,” Suno says. “Before notation, before strings, before drums carved from wood, there was the voice. Every culture on earth has used it to sing, celebrate, and tell stories across generations.
“The voice is the one instrument that every person carries with them, and yet most people never sing or share it with the world. With Suno, you can now capture your voice and create music with it.”
Also new to Suno v5.5 are two new ways aimed at making Suno “feel like yours”: Custom models and My Taste.

Custom Models let you tune the platform to the music you’ve created, meaning when you upload tracks from your original catalogue, it builds a personalised version of the model that knows your style. Similarly, Suno uses My Taste to learn the kind of music you’re drawn to over time, like your favourite genres and moods.
“From the beginning, we’ve built Suno around a simple belief: the best music starts with a human,” Suno explains. 
“Our tools exist to expand what people can create – to amplify the instinct, taste, and feeling that only a person brings to music. v5.5 is our deepest expression of that belief so far, a model that doesn’t just help create music, but fully reflects the person making it.
“This update also reflects something we’re seeing more and more: artists, producers, and music professionals are using Suno as part of their creative process. v5.5 was built with them in mind  because we believe the best version of Suno is one that works for anyone who makes music, from first-time creators to working professionals.
In November, Suno announced it had raised $250 million in its latest funding round, leading to a total valuation of $2.45 billion.
The post “More expressive. More you”: Suno adds voice cloning in its v5.5 update appeared first on MusicTech.

dBdone releases Glas, a FREE spectral chaos engine for macOS and Windows
Developer dBdone has released Glas, a free spectral chaos engine for macOS and Windows. dBdone has been a fairly busy developer early in 2026. In January, we looked at Pentimento (a collaboration with the musician and YouTuber TAETRO), a texture-layering plugin available in both paid and free versions. In February, we covered AI Chords, a [...]
View post: dBdone releases Glas, a FREE spectral chaos engine for macOS and Windows

The Apple Mac Pro – the go-to computer for high-end music production – has been discontinuedThe Apple Mac Pro – long-regarded as the go-to machine of choice for high-end music production – looks to have been discontinued, and is no longer available on the Apple website.
The apparent discontinuation marks the end of a 20-year reign for the Mac Pro at the top of the performance hierarchy for Apple computers. 
Launched in 2006, the Mac Pro originally boasted a tower-style design, before adopting a cylindrical design from 2013, and subsequently being colloquially labelled the “trash can Mac Pro”. Six years later in 2019, Apple returned the Mac Pro to a “cheese-grater”-style tower design.

READ MORE: Which Apple Mac computer should you buy for music production?

During its 20-year tenure, the Apple Mac Pro became a staple of sophisticated recording studios and music-making setups. Its price tag rendered it prohibitive for more hobbyist producers, with the most recent model having a $5,999 base price, easily rising to five figures with custom configurations.
The Mac Pro’s dethroning now makes the Mac Studio the king of the Apple lineup in terms of performance, with the latest model billed as the “ultimate pro desktop”, sporting M4 Max/M3 Ultra chips. 
The base M4 Max Mac Studio starts at £2,099, while the M3 Ultra-equipped version starts at £4,199. For a fully configured M3 Ultra Mac Studio – with a 32-core CPU, 80-core GPU, 256GB memory, and 16TB storage – that’ll set you back a mere £12,299.
It’s fun to dream about owning a machine that powerful, but the truth is, for music producers, you don’t need nearly that much computing power.
Earlier this month, Apple unveiled its latest round of Apple laptops, including its M5 Pro and M5 Max-equipped MacBook Pros, and its cheapest MacBook model ever, the iPhone chip-loaded MacBook Neo. 
Even the new M5-loaded MacBook Pros might be overkill in terms of performance for the average music producer; generally speaking as a baseline, it’s recommended to have at least a quad-core processor plus at least 8GB RAM (with 16GB recommended as optimal). 
Those MacBook Pros would easily handle even the most demanding DAW projects, but what of the Neo? That comes with 8GB RAM as standard – meeting that baseline RAM requirement, but it might start to slow down as you get into the realm of more complex projects.
Fortunately, though, unless you’re a professional music producer working regularly with vast and demanding projects, springing for a kitted out Mac Studio is probably unnecessary, and you’ll get by just fine with a MacBook Pro.
Shop the latest range of Mac computers at Apple.
The post The Apple Mac Pro – the go-to computer for high-end music production – has been discontinued appeared first on MusicTech.

Which Apple Mac computer should you buy for music production?Arguably the best system for music production and professional audio work, Apple Macs and macOS are a strong choice for your studio, but some models carry an intimidating price tag. The shift to Apple Silicon in the last half-decade has seen huge gains in performance across all Macs, but finding the right model for you, whether a lightweight MacBook Neo or the fully spec’d Mac Studio, will depend on a few important factors. We’re here to help you choose the right Mac for your music project.

READ MORE: Which operating system is best for music-making in 2026?

Every Mac purchased directly from Apple comes with a bunch of customisable components. However,  unlike in the past, features such as RAM and hard drives can no longer be upgraded after the fact. It’s incredibly frustrating, yes, but also means it’s essential that you understand the most useful features before you buy. Also, remember that many of Apple’s most expensive CPU upgrades focus on boosting graphics performance, which is less crucial for audio work. RAM, meanwhile, is a major factor in DAW and plugin performance. You can also choose to include Logic Pro in your purchase from the Apple Store, but if you’d prefer a different DAW, there are plenty to choose from once you’ve set your Mac up.
Apple’s  Mac machines all carry M-series processors — now from M4 up to M5 Max. It breaks down broadly like this: an M chip is in the more affordable Macs, while Pro and Max chips are built into the more professional models, while Ultra chips are exclusive to the top-end Mac Studio, which has replaced the now-discontinued Mac Pro as Apple’s flagship workstation. The higher-spec chips have more processing and graphics cores, support more RAM, and can drive more external displays – but also cost more, of course.
Here, we’ll guide you through which Mac is best for your style of work, and when you might want to upgrade its components to get the most out of your budget.
Best overall: MacBook Pro
Credit: Apple
A true portable powerhouse, Apple Silicon has transformed the MacBook Pro into a supremely capable workstation with an immensely respectable battery life. The 14-inch model with an M5 chip is the most affordable option, but an M5 Pro or Max will give you more muscle for running larger DAW sessions, while the 16-inch model also adds valuable screen space. There are Thunderbolt 5 ports, which are compatible with USB-C, so connecting fast drives and interfaces is a breeze. These laptops can run serious pro audio and video projects with a ton of plugins.
Apple will charge you a lot to boost the specs, but it’s well worth aiming for more RAM if you’re a professional and buying a future-proof computer to last you a long time. This adds up to £400 to the overall price, but is a better investment than increasing the SSD storage drive when you can connect an affordable external SSD — there’s no external RAM you can add to a MacBook. Any new MacBook Pro will be an excellent production workstation, with the M5 Pro hitting a sweet spot for price vs performance.
Pros and cons
+ High-end desktop power in a laptop
+ Impressive battery life under load
+ Gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR displays
+ Solid selection of physical ports
– Upgrades get pricey very fast
– Expensive machines, even as Macs go
Best budget Mac for music production: MacBook Neo
Credit: Apple
Apple surprised everyone with the MacBook Neo this year, at almost half the price of the next most affordable Mac, the MacBook Air. There are compromises involved in hitting that price point, but it’s still the cheapest a new Mac laptop has ever been in real terms. Powered by the same A18 Pro chip found in the iPhone 16 Pro, it has the same 8GB of RAM as the phone — it sounds crazy, but it’s surprisingly capable. However, you’ll notice a strain when running heavy projects. Note that the only upgrade option is to boost the 256GB SSD to 512GB for an extra £100, with no option to increase RAM.
There’s a USB-C port offering speeds of up to 10Gbps, one at 480Mb/s for connecting peripherals, and it can drive a single 4K external monitor. With real-world performance similar to base-level M1 MacBooks, it runs Logic Pro and similar apps surprisingly well for less intensive tasks, though you’re not going to experience the snappy performance of a higher-end Mac. If your needs are moderate — perhaps a hobbyist, student, or someone looking for an all-round budget laptop — it’s an affordable and effective way to get into Apple’s ecosystem.
Pros and cons
+ Most affordable new portable Mac ever
+ Runs full MacOS, connect peripherals
+ Solid performance with audio software
– 8GB RAM is limiting for some producers
– Slow USB compared to other Macs
– No real upgrade options
Best for professional music producers: Mac Studio
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
Now officially the flagship Apple workstation since the demise of the Mac Pro, the Studio is the machine to get to sit at the heart of any professional studio setup. It has the highest physical port count of any Mac, with four Thunderbolt 5, an extra two on the Ultra and two USB-C on the M4 Max. The Studio Max can drive up to five external displays, and the M3 Studio Ultra a staggering eight, meaning that complex multi-monitor setups are handled with ease.
Performance is exceptional, since running off mains power rather than battery lets the system really fly, but operating noise is close to silent even under load. When the Studio gets its M5 Max and Ultra upgrades, it will become easily the most powerful Mac ever made. As ever, it’s worth using any extra budget on more RAM when ordering, then using external SSD storage later if needed. There’s no longer a new Mac that can accept PCI cards, but solutions exist to use a chassis connected over Thunderbolt for legacy studio audio interfaces.
Pros + Cons
+ Outstanding performance with virtually no noise
+ As many physical ports as you can now get on a Mac
+ Base models are powerful but relatively affordable
+ Drive a ton of external displays
– Upgrading components gets expensive
– Currently stuck on slightly older CPUs
Best for home music–making setups: Mac Mini
Apple Mac Mini. Image: Apple
Greatly improved from the Intel era, the new Mini is a kind of compact version of the Mac Studio with specs closer to a midrange MacBook Pro. Incredibly popular thanks to their combination of affordability and performance, the Minis really are a fantastic music machine with few compromises. Two USB-C ports on the front and three Thunderbolt 4 (M4) or Thunderbolt 5 (M4 Pro) on the back mean hooking up high speed peripherals is easy, and there’s ethernet and HDMI for extra connectivity.
For many musicians the M4 model is an excellent performer though it’s recommended to up the RAM to at least 24GB from the base 16GB to handle larger projects. The Pro model increases the price an awful lot but is quicker and supports more RAM while retaining the same small footprint. The Mini’s price to performance ratio makes it a firm favourite with musicians and producers who need a powerful desktop Mac that won’t break the bank.
Pros + Cons
+ Excellent price-to-performance ratio
+ Very compact, essentially silent
+ Can be boosted up to serious specs
+ M4 runs all but the heaviest DAW projects smoothly
– Small size means a bit less physical I/O
– SSD upgrades are expensive
Buying a second-hand Mac for music production
Credit: Apple
Buying a second-hand Mac is a very viable option. An established reseller is perhaps a slightly safer proposition than an online marketplace, but there are also often B-stock or refurbished Mac models from Apple-certified stores. While Apple’s Refurb Store offers fairly meagre discounts, better deals can be found if you look around. You generally won’t be able to change anything about the specs of these Macs so it’s important to read all the numbers regarding SSD and RAM sizes.
Apple generally provides between a minimum of five and seven years of software support for its products, meaning a three-year-old MacBook Pro M2 laptop, for example, will be able to run the latest OS for several years to come. You can save a lot by getting a Mac with an M2 Pro chip, as it’ll still perform very well for the vast majority of tasks. Even going as far back as a base M1 will offer decent performance, though nothing like what a newer model can offer. Aim for the Pro or Max systems if possible, as these will offset the older technology with better speed.
Pros + Cons
+ Save a lot of money by getting slightly older tech
+ Apple provides at least 5-7 years of software support for every product
+ An M2 or M3 Mac is still an incredible system
— Though cheaper, older models are less powerful than new ones
— Shorter warranties with refurbed or used Macs
— By definition, an older Mac will become obsolete sooner
 
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KSHMR gives an exclusive tour of his legendary LA studio
Join legendary producer, artist, and sample pack creator KSHMR on an exclusive studio tour and hear his insights and anecdotes for music producers.

Former Coatue partner raises huge $65M seed for enterprise AI agent startup A few things turned investors' heads and drew them to participate in such a big round out of the gate.

NFL asks prediction markets to act on ‘easily manipulated‘ betsCFTC Chair Michael Selig signaled that the agency would defer to the football league in calling for changes to event contracts that could be manipulated by a single person.

Ciderka Labs FermentFerment is an expressive sound exploration engine built for musicians who perform live and want deep, real-time control over their sound. It's not a chain of stock effects — it's a unified instrument that adapts to your playing style, your instrument, and your creative direction. 92 parameters. One coherent signal path. Zero menu-diving. Four ways to work Machine — the full signal chain, all hands on deck. Input filter, wavefolder/clipper/bitcrush shaping, multi-voice chorus, octaver, tempo-synced delay, spatial processing, character section, dual LFOs, envelope follower, and post EQ. Every parameter is visible, mappable, and automatable. Magic — describe a sound in plain language ("warm, spacious, with gentle movement") and AI generates a matching preset across all 92 parameters. A radar chart shows the sonic profile across 8 perceptual dimensions. You hear three suggestions, pick one, and refine from there. Every generated value is fully editable — no black boxes. Material — acoustic instrument profiling. Record a few notes on your instrument and Ferment analyzes spectral content, dynamic range, attack, sustain, and harmonic structure. The profile optimizes the processing chain for your specific sound source. Built-in profiles for violin, cello, double bass, guitar, piano, organ, vocals, percussion, and more. Library — browse, preview, and manage presets. Built-in presets, community contributions, and downloadable preset packs. One-click audio preview before loading. Designed for live performance Full MIDI CC mapping and expression pedal support for hands-free control. Low-latency processing — built for real-time use, not offline rendering. Works with any instrument: acoustic strings, guitar, synth, voice, field recordings. Runs in any DAW (Ableton, Logic, Reaper, Bitwig...) or standalone host. Transparent about AI Ferment uses AI (Gemini Flash) to translate creative intent into parameter values. But every single value AI generates is visible and editable in Machine view. There are no hidden layers, no locked parameters. If you don't want to use AI at all, Machine and Material work completely offline. Specs Formats: VST3, AU, CLAP. Platforms: macOS 10.15+ / Windows 10+. Parameters: 92. Trial: Full features, 3 preset saves. License: $29 one-time purchase, no subscription. Beta: Currently in public beta — join the beta and help shape the final release. Feedback welcome at labs@ciderka.com Made with care by a solo developer from the Czech Republic. Questions or feedback: labs@ciderka.com Read More

Suno launches v5.5 AI model with voice capture and personalization featuresThe voice capture feature lets users record or upload audio of themselves singing and incorporating that vocal identity into tracks generated by Suno.
Source

Retro Open Source Camera Straight from the ’90sIn our modern society, we have started to take the humble camera for granted. Perhaps because of this, trendy standalone cameras have started to take off. Unfortunately, most of the time these cameras are expensive and not any better than those in our everyday smartphones. If only there were some open-source solution where you could build and customize your own standalone device? [Yutani] has done just that with the SATURNIX.
Simple microcontrollers and cameras meant for Raspberry Pis are a dime a dozen these days. Because of this, it’s no surprise to hear that the SATURNIX is based on recognizable hardware, a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W and an Arducam 16MP sensor. The Pi Zero powers both the sensors’ capture abilities and the interactive LCD display.

Some sample filtered shots from the SATURNIX
With a simple visual design, the device could certainly fit into the same market we see so many other standalone cameras. Pictures from the camera look great without or with the included filter options if you want a more retro look. While currently there do appear to be some speed improvements needed, the best part of open source is that you yourself can help out!
We always love ambitious open source projects that look to build a true base for others to work on, and this seems like no exception! If you want similarly impressive feats of optical trickery, look no further than using scotch tape as a camera lens!

Chess/Acoustic Sounds Series Releases Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson IIThe Chess/Acoustic Sounds series has officially launched Little Walter’s The Best of Little Walter, a collection of hits by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and accomplished harmonica player, and Sonny Boy Williamson’s The Real Folk Blues. 

Founded in 1950 by Polish immigrant brothers Leonard and Phil Chess, Chess Records emerged from the south side of Chicago and quickly crossed lines of color and culture to create rhythm and blues music that influenced listeners the world over. Chess’s unmatched roster—and its savvy founders—enhanced and transformed the blues from folk music to a popular sound. 

Today, Chess Records is not only recognizing its own rich musical heritage but inviting fans and new audiences to discover its storied roster and the music revolution that was born over seven decades ago in Chicago. 

Over years the monumental Chess catalog has had various homes, including a 1975 sale to All Platinum Records, and eventually a couple of decades ago the Chess master tapes were purchased by MCA Records, now Universal Music Enterprises. The UMe label for many years has re-released top-notch Chess Records packages, compilations and boxed sets manufacturing product configurations for radio, retail, and digital streaming outlets.

Marshall Chess, born in Chicago, Ill. on March 13, 1942, and was raised during the heyday of the independent record business. Leonard Chess had a piece of a record company named Aristocrat Records in 1947, and later in 1950 he brought his brother Phil into the fold and the brothers assumed sole ownership of the company and renamed it Chess Records. They also operated a club on the South side of Chicago, the Macomba Lounge. 

Marshall “started” in the family business at age 7 accompanying his father Leonard on radio station visits. For sixteen years Marshall worked with his dad and his uncle Phil, doing everything from pressing records, applying shrink wrap and loading trucks to producing over 100 Chess Records projects, eventually heading up the label as President after the GRT acquisition in 1969.

During the seventies Marshall served as president of Rolling Stones Records. In 1984, Chess became a partner in the ARC Music publishing company.  

Now living in Upstate New York and at 84 years old, Marshall Chess is still a record man above all - tending to the Chess Records legacy for his grandchildren and generations to come. He maintains The Chess Records Tribute YouTube channel, which features recorded live performances of Chess Records artists and a multi dozen-part Chess podcast hosted by Marshall where he chats about producing classic Chess albums and songs.  

In March 2026 Marshall sent me an email touting the recent Chess/UMe re-reissues.

"As a member of the Chess family I am so pleased that some of the great Chess music is being released in high quality vinyl again…When I played The Best Of Little Walter LP these two quotes came up in my mind. Willie Dixon told me after  Walter’s ‘Juke’ came out, ‘every blues band added a harp player.’ That's how much influence he had…and years later Miles Davis told me that he thought Walter was ‘a musical genius.’ I agree; he definitely was one of the Chess greats…

“When I played The Sonny Boy LP I remembered one of the most original and creative of the Chess blues artists …his lyrics always seemed more like poetry to me …I remember him coming in my office wearing a suit with  all the parts were different colors a derby on his head …He put his harmonica completely in his mouth and played a short tune…Took it out and asked for some cash so he could buy some wine….Some old memories from an old record man.”

During 2009 and 2010, I interviewed Marshall Chess at length in person in West Hollywood, California at the Sunset Marquis Hotel and by telephone from his office in New York.

In our 2010 discussion, I asked Marshall about the Chess studio.

“We had fabulous engineers. Ron Malo and Malcolm Chism. They were the two best engineers. Ron came from Detroit. He had worked on Motown studios and he was a big part. Before Ron, we had these two Weiner brothers, who actually built the studio.

“It was a basic classic studio design, with the echo chamber in the basement, very small control room. One of the secrets of the Chess studio was not the studio but our mastering. We had a little mastering room with a lathe. Eventually we had a Neumann lathe. The first one was an American one. We did our own mastering and had these Electrovoice speakers on the wall.

“The great part about that room that when it sounded right in that mastering room it would pop off the radio. That’s what it was all about. And the Rolling Stones, the Yardbirds, later Fleetwood Mac had to make visits there.

“I’ll tell you a story about the Chess artists that sort of sums up the ‘blues nerds.’ This is going back to the ‘60s, right. Driving me crazy. I knew the blues fans, the guys from Blues Horizon, Mike and Richard Vernon. I knew them well and loved them. They would come to Chicago and I would show them the original Chess master book, and they’d put their fuckin’ hands on it like it was the bible.

“So, this blues nerd was driving me crazy. ‘I’ve got to know what kind of microphone Little Walter uses to get that sound.’ It drove me crazy. Just so happened, Walter was recording. And I knew Walter from being a very little kid. I said, ‘Walter. This crazy mother fucker is driving me crazy. He wants to know what kind of mike you use?’ ‘Are you crazy mother fucker? Whatever microphone I didn’t pawn that week!’ (laughs).

“You get it. These artists were great and would have been great in any studio. It was the artistry, the playing. The studio was great and we captured a sound, and it had a sound, but it was our artists that made that sound.  

“The best explanation is, this may sound way out. It contains magic. The most apparent magic that we can see or experience is music. Let’s face it. Music changes the way you feel. That’s magical. Chess Records for some reason was a magnet for amazing artistry and all these magicians came to Chess. And we were able to capture it. And it’s something that can be experienced through audio. The music has stood up without a cinematic aspect like video. And the method of recording.”

Marshall then reflected on the Chess catalog.  

“As I grew older, and was a person of the hippie generation, and discovered things like meditation, psychedelic drugs, Buddhism. I realized what was happening in the early Chess studio was like a high Buddhist monk meditation manager. Because when you recorded in mono and two-track with 5 or 6 players and a singer there wasn’t any correction possible. One of the main jobs as a producer was like a meditation manager master.

“I love Chess Records. Because it was the greatest, happiest place in the world. You would love going there. You laughed all fuckin’ day. The artists hung out there, no, not all the artists, but what we would call the family artists. Sonny Boy, Muddy Waters, Dells, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley. I’m proud and I’m thrilled, and helped historically continue the legacy of the Chess Records label. I’m not a classic blues fan, a blues collector, I am not into the anal aspect of what guitar strings Muddy used, or what harmonica did Little Walter play.

“I only wanted to be around my family, and my father, who was a workaholic. It was a family business. They were immigrants and embraced that. For age 7 to age 12 or 13, my dad took me on the road, not because I wanted to be in the record business but because I wanted to be with my father. So, I got it really by osmosis, and that was my real reason for hanging out there.

“But being around the blues, and all these records being made, and knowing the artists, I don’t know, man, it just, got into me. It just became part of me. It’s part of my life. I’ve never even considered it work. I appear and promote Chess and the blues in films and TV documentaries. I do as much as I can because I get a buzz out of it. I’m just amazed, man, that this music that we made in Chicago has become so historical.

“When I play Chess records, I see my dad and uncle. Man, that’s what goes through my head. Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters went to my Bar Mitzvah. A lot of black people were which was a very unusual event back then in 1955.

“The Chess recording artists were always writing about women problems and sex. That’s all I ever heard from them when I was a kid. I saw some of these records being recorded. I sold them originally. I helped their initial exposure and on the SiriusXM radio program I hosted, I brought them exposure.

“With the TV programs on Muddy, The American Masters documentary, it’s all very gratifying. We always knew it. Gratification is the best word. Not for all of them. Muddy, Wolf, Chuck Berry. These are like Beethoven and Bach. They should be right up there.”

In our dialogue, Chess commented on Little Walter.

“He’s the truest genius of all the Chess artists. Because he invented and perfected a new way to play the harmonica, and did it with tremendous creativity and talent. Very much like Hendrix with guitar. They’re exactly alike. Miles Davis considered Walter a genius. Hendrix considered Walter a genius. I liked him as a person but he was always drunk. I never knew him when he wasn’t fucked up. Smelling of liquor. But, yeah, I liked him. There was something ‘sloppy drunk’ about him that I liked. But he had a mean side to him, too. I saw him and my dad go at it with anger numerous times when he was drunk. He’d be a mean drunk. But we loved him. And my dad and my family loved him. We buried him.”

Marshall then reminisced about how the Chess recordings had a devoted following on the west coast in the late sixties.

“At that time, I was very aware and very on top of alternative FM radio. I drove across the United States, visiting FM deejays like Tom Donahue and Bobby Mitchell in San Francisco. I’d meet all the deejays at radio stations in Los Angeles like KMET-FM and KPPC-FM and meet all these people.  And these guys would be smoking joints on the air and they’d take an album right from your arm and play it immediately five times on the air!  Those were the great days. I was part of the generation. When everyone took LSD to watch the Grateful Dead. I’ve been at the Fillmore West sitting on the floor. What happened to me was that I was part of that sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll generation and it blew my mind.

“[Promoter] Bill Graham was the greatest for that for the blues artists of that era. B.B. King on the bills. FM radio was a godsend for the blues. The big commercial AM stations would not play the records at all except some black stations. And I decided to repackage Chess to that market that was getting stoned and going deep. It was a big boost when the English groups covered the music earlier. On records and at their shows. We loved it and something we thought could never happen.

“Some of the Chess artists were booked in San Francisco places like The Matrix Club, Marty Balin of Jefferson Airplane was a part owner, and The Avalon Ballroom, where Chet Helms brought the acts in.     

“Muddy Waters and B.B. King really dug white people doin’ their stuff. Sonny Boy was very much into white people doin’ his stuff. So was Howlin’ Wolf It blew our mind, of course it was a fantastic thing. We loved it. And we never thought that could happen. It was a total fantasy.

“But we first noticed it with the Muddy At Newport album came out. I can remember we got all these orders from Boston on the Muddy album and we knew it was white college kids buying it. The first thing we noticed as the album market developed.”  

With the 2026 reissues on vinyl of Little Walter’s The Best of Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II’s The Real Folk Blues I spoke with some musicians, record producers, and writers about their relationship to these LP’s and the epic Chess Records label.    

Mark Sebastian: Hearing Chuck Berry on a car radio was a rite of passage for us teens of a certain era. I realized within a few bars how capable he was with lyric. Songs like “Maybelline” or “Johnnie B. Goode” were blueprints that explored a topic in verses and a reoccurring chorus.

“Having an older brother helps shape one’s musical tastes. Aside from the fact our dad [John Benson Sebastian Pugliese] was a famous harmonica virtuoso in classical music, my brother, John, was spending all his allowance on blues records, so the apartment was awash in Sonny Terry (a friend of Dad’s,) Little Walter and any other Blues players from who he could learn.”  

Dr. James Cushing.  One of my favorite parts of David Lynch’s Mulholland Dr. is the scene when a dark-suited giant enters Adam Kesher’s house bent on revenge (and knocks out Billy Ray Cyrus). The music accompanying the scene is ‘Bring It On Home’ from Sonny Boy Williamson’s The Real Folk Blues, a brilliant choice on Lynch’s part — the scene’s surreal blend of humor and menace is fully present in the song. I envy any young person discovering Williamson’s music for the first time, especially on this LP. Each cut is a drama all its own

“Little Walter Jacobs also sang and played harmonica, but his great contribution was the thick, saxophone-like sound he got from blowing his harp directly into a microphone. If Williamson was an actor on record, Jacobs was a painter, filling the audible spectrum with unique coloration. The Best of Little Walter is as good a place as any to start — but the man never made a bad record.”

Gene Aguilera: Growing up as a kid in 1964 and spinning 12 x 5 by the Rolling Stones on my suitcase record player had its benefits.  As the LP played, I studied back cover minutiae. Who wrote the songs? Who was the producer?  Who wrote the liners?  Who was the photographer?

“On side one, track two . . . ‘Confessin’ the Blues’ stuck out.  It was hypnotic.  Years later as I explored the birth of the blues, I found out the song belonged to Little Walter.  He wrote it and played it.  And I finally figured out how much Jagger (and a generation of British musicians) wrung out every note and feeling from this extraordinary harmonica player and singer named Little Walter. From then on, every chance I got, I bought Little Walter LP’s and 45s on Chess.

“British musicians’ fascination with Little Walter was evident. Digging deeper, I found out ‘Rollin’ and Tumblin’’ (Cream) and ‘Key To The Highway’ (Derek and the Dominos) were recorded by Little Walter years earlier.  As for this, I say thank you, Little Walter, for mesmerizing and influencing this East L.A. soul.”

Robert Marchese: Little Waltermade the harmonica sound like a saxophone. He was the first harmonica instrumental act to get on the charts. He was the first Chicago Southside blues cat to play The Apollo Theater. The only photo that Muddy Waters had on his mantle inside his home was Little Walter.  Paul Butterfield and I were talking around 1965 at The Trip club on Sunset and Paul listed some of Walter’s solos. He mentioned some of the solos were like a train comin’ through.

“Paul and I loved ‘Blue Midnight.’ Paul said it was the greatest blues harp playing he ever heard. Walter took the harp to such of level of strength and volume. It was electric for an instrument you couldn’t plug in. Walter was crazy…Even though he was half juiced when he recorded, his instrumentals were terrific.

“I talked to Miles Davis one time when he played The Troubadour. I managed the club 1970-1983. He told me Little Walter was a genius. Michael Bloomfield and I knew each other. I met him at The Trip in 1965 and connected again with him in 1967 at The Monterey International Pop Festival.  He loved Little Walter. He was from a whole different part of Chicago than Walter but he related to him. Captain Beefheart loved Little Walter. He told me ‘I won’t play one of his songs. I wouldn’t disrespect him like that.’ Beefheart loved him, and he played a lot of chromatic harmonica.

“It’s very hard to master an instrument. John Coltrane chased notes and took it beyond that. Charlie Parker did that to a degree. Walter was the thing on that instrument. Butterfield amazed me with the respect he had for him. And we talked about Walter’s very unique voice. He was a good singer and he had good material. ‘I Hate to See You Go,’ and ‘Whose That Knockin’ On My Door’ are hilarious songs. Great phrasing.”   

Ira Ingber: Because of my older brother, [guitarist/songwriter] Elliot, I was exposed a range of blues and ‘real’ R&B at an early age, well before I was playing guitar. In the early 1960's when most of my contemporaries here in Los Angeles were listening enthusiastically to surf music, I was under the spell of just about everything that was on the Chess, Duke, Sun, King, Ace, Federal, as well as a number of other smaller labels. 

“Chess obviously stood out because of the sheer magnitude of the stars who recorded for them. That Chuck Berry was also on the label didn't seem to be a coincidence. Everything fit neatly together for me. The added important bonus was getting to see most of those luminaries live in my own neighborhood at a fabled joint called The Ash Grove. Muddy, The Wolf, Little Walter; they were up close, and very personal.

“When I later worked with Lowell George, he made clear the major requirement for anyone to be considered for our musical circle would be that they were ‘versed in the ways of Chester Burnett.’

“A very important album I listened to endlessly was the live recording of Sonny Boy with the Yardbirds at the Crawdaddy Club. They were already heroes to me on their own. With them backing Sonny Boy, they took on a new dimension of validity. 

“The archive of the aforementioned giants will be discovered and re-discovered for generations to come. Of this I'm certain!"

In his review of Sonny Boy Williamson His Best (MCA/Chess) for Napster in 2005, music journalist Kirk Silsbee wrote “His harmonica figures were simple enough but he embellished them by cupping and baffling them with his huge hands.  This produced all manner of wondrous sound effects.

“As a songwriter, Sonny Boy was a singular talent.  He was a country poet, putting his experiences and observations into his tunes without a trace of self-consciousness.  For the last ten years of his life (1955 to ’65), Williamson recorded for Chess, Sonny Boy Williamson II was that most rare blues entity: an innovator and an original.”  

(From 1964-1978 Harvey Kubernik witnessed live performances of several Chess Records artists and collected their catalog last century.

Kubernik is the author of 20 books, including 2009’s Canyon Of Dreams: The Magic And The Music Of Laurel Canyon, 2014’s Turn Up The Radio! Rock, Pop and Roll In Los Angeles 1956-1972, 2015's Every Body Knows: Leonard Cohen, 2016's Heart of Gold Neil Young and 2017's 1967: A Complete Rock Music History of the Summer of Love.

Sterling/Barnes and Noble in 2018 published Harvey and Kenneth Kubernik’s The Story Of The Band: From Big Pink To The Last Waltz. In 2021 they wrote Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child for Sterling/Barnes and Noble. 

Otherworld Cottage Industries in 2020 published Harvey’s Docs That Rock, Music That Matters. His Screen Gems: (Pop Music Documentaries and Rock ‘n’ Roll TV Scenes) was published on February 6, 2026 by BearManor Media.

Harvey spoke at the special hearings in 2006 initiated by the Library of Congress held in Hollywood, California, discussing archiving practices and audiotape preservation.

Kubernik was in the 2013 BBC-TV documentary spotlighting Bobby Womack: Across 110th Street, directed by James Meycock. Other interviewees included Ronnie Wood, Chuck D, Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, Barney Hoskyns, actor Antonio Fargas, Bill Withers, and family members.    

In 2017, Harvey appeared at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, in its Distinguished Speakers Series and as a panelist discussing the forty-fifth anniversary of The Last Waltz at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles in 2023.

During 2025, Kubernik was interviewed in the Siobhan Logue-written and -directed documentary The Sound of Protest,airing on the Apple TVOD TV broadcasting service. The film also features Smokey Robinson, Hozier, Skin (Skunk Anansie), Two-Tone's Jerry Dammers, Angélique Kidjo, Holly Johnson, David McAlmont, Rhiannon Giddens, and more.

Harvey was an interview subject along with Iggy Pop, the Beach Boys’ Bruce Johnston, Love’s Johnny Echols, the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs, Victoria and Debbi Peterson, and the founding members of the Seeds for director/producer Neil Norman’s documentary The Seeds: Pushin' Too Hard. In summer 2026, GNP Crescendo will release the film on DVD/Blu-ray). Author Miss Pamela Des Barres narrates).

Muddy Waters photo (top) courtesy of ChessUMG

Other photos courtesy of Anthony PolisThe post Chess/Acoustic Sounds Series Releases Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

KERN Audio offers a complete plugin mixing chain (SMOOTH, WARM, WIDE + free CHECK)
You’ve probably read our article about the free KERN CHECK spectral mono compatibility analyzer earlier this month. We absolutely loved it. CHECK shows you where your stereo image collapses in mono across 40 frequency bands, and it’s a very useful little diagnostic tool. The developer behind CHECK, Jonas R, also makes three paid mixing plugins [...]
View post: KERN Audio offers a complete plugin mixing chain (SMOOTH, WARM, WIDE + free CHECK)

SOS Music Creators Survey 2026 Complete our survey and enter the prize draw for a chance to win one of three $50 Amazon vouchers!

The GrainHeads app transforms your iPhone into a granular synthesizerGrainHeads is a new iOS app that brings granular synthesis to your iPhone, totally free.
A quick primer: granular synthesis essentially slices audio samples into tiny fragments called grains, rearranging them to create new, evolving textures and soundscapes. It sounds complex, but now you can play with granular synthesis in your phone.
Available as a standalone app or as an AUv3 plugin for use in any compatible DAW or host app on iOS, GrainHeads offers eight independent granular playheads for experimentation, each with its own set of parameters, volume control and Moog-style modulatable ladder filter.

READ MORE: The best free synth plugins you can download right now

The app also offers 8 LFOs, allowing “virtually every” parameter to be modulated for “complex, evolving motion”.
It features a multi-touch 2D performance pad, which supports the tweaking of numerous parameters simultaneously. The previously mentioned Moog-style ladder filter on each of the eight playheads has a selectable 12dB or 24dB/octave slope, self-oscillation and even overdrive for “warm, analogue-inspired tonal shaping”.
GrainHeads also comes with a 16-step polyrhythmic sequencer, with the ability to lock to parameters for pitch, grain size, position and more.
The app also comes with a slew of effects, including noise, stereo delay (BPM-syncable), and reverb with filtering. Again, the touch pad makes them easy to access, as they can be dragged and dropped to re-route your signal flow at will.
For truly wild textures, the app also features a Dice Randomizer – with which you roll a virtual dice to randomise “everything” in one tap for “infinite happy accidents and unexpected textures”.
GrainHeads is free to download, but users can also pay for a $6.99 upgrade, which grants the ability to record directly to the app using your iPhone’s built-in microphone, and load up external samples.
GrainHeads is available now via the App Store, and you can learn more via the official GrainHeads website.
The post The GrainHeads app transforms your iPhone into a granular synthesizer appeared first on MusicTech.

The Crow Hill Company has added 1986, a Prophet-VS-inspired synth plugin, to the FREE Vaults series
1986 is the latest addition to The Crow Hill Company’s Vaults series, and it’s available in AU, VST, VST3, and AAX formats for macOS and Windows. As always, Vaults releases are free to download for six months before moving into the donationware category. At which point, they are available to purchase with a £3 donation, [...]
View post: The Crow Hill Company has added 1986, a Prophet-VS-inspired synth plugin, to the FREE Vaults series