Traxsource: “Any platform claiming foolproof AI detection is overstating what the technology can currently deliver”Electronic music-focused platform Traxsource has outlined its “nuanced” stance on AI use in a lengthy new statement on its social media channels.
In a somewhat more balanced position than other platforms – some of which have taken an overtly anti-AI stance – Traxsource acknowledges the legitimate use of AI “as a production tool” to “assist within a larger human-driven creative process”, but maintains that entirely AI-generated music “does not belong on Traxsource”.

READ MORE: Following the emergence of AI weekly music charts – the first AI-only radio station has arrived

Within the post, Traxsource downplays the infallibility of AI-detection tools often touted by other platforms and streaming services, saying 100% accurate detection is “not yet possible”.
“Detection tools are improving, but still face significant limitations and remain extremely cost-prohibitive at scale,” the platform says.
“Add in today’s hybrid workflow, which often blends human creativity with AI tools, and accurate detection is nearly impossible. Even the researchers building these systems acknowledge there is no 100% solution.
“Any platform claiming foolproof AI detection is overstating what the technology can currently deliver. We choose transparency over false promises, both to avoid enforcement we cannot accurately execute and to protect human artists from being falsely accused.”
One such platform leading the charge against wholly AI-generated music is Deezer, which last year unveiled an AI content tagging system that filters such content out of royalty payments and blocks it from showing up in editorial playlists. The French streaming service recently announced plans to license the technology out to other companies.
Traxsource touches on the “polarised” conversation surrounding AI use in music, mentioning how some believe AI is a “threat to human artistry”, while others view AI as the “next evolution in a long line of tools” to “push creative boundaries”.
“We believe the issue is far more nuanced and requires an equally nuanced position,” the platform says.
“It’s a fact that house music was born out of technological innovation, and our community has always embraced advancements. But we also must recognise the difference between a production tool in the hands of a skilled human creator and a fully AI-generated song produced from a prompt. This distinction is at the heart of our position.
Traxsource’s stance on AI use on its platform consists of five key pillars:

We champion human artistry – “Traxsource is and will remain a home for music made by artists who pour their talent, experience, emotion and identity into their work.”
We are against fully AI-generated music – “Music created entirely through AI prompting where no meaningful human creative contribution exists does not belong on Traxsource.”
We acknowledge AI as a legitimate production tool – “If an artist or producer uses AI to assist… but the musical vision, composition and artistic direction are their own, we believe that is still their music.”
We believe in transparency for our customers – “We are working towards scanning each upload and including a series of questions which will allow us to determine if a track is Fully Human, Fully AI, or AI-assisted and to what extent, providing the possibility or appropriately labelling each track to provide transparency to our valued customers.”
We will adapt as the landscape evolves – “AI technology, detection capabilities, industry standards and legal frameworks are all evolving rapidly. We are committed to staying engaged with these developments.”

You can read Traxsource’s full statement below:

View this post on Instagram

The post Traxsource: “Any platform claiming foolproof AI detection is overstating what the technology can currently deliver” appeared first on MusicTech.

Eventide releases new version of classic Music Mouse softwarePrior to the release of Music Mouse, digital music software centred around editing recorded tracks – but in 1986, composer Laurie Spiegel launched the software which turned your computer into a standalone instrument.
To celebrate the software’s 40th anniversary, Eventide has modernised and re-imagined Spiegel’s iconic software. And it’s been produced in collaboration with Spiegel herself.

READ MORE: Six synths that define Radiohead’s sound

Originally released on the Mac, Spiegel’s software transformed the common mouse into an “intelligent musical instrument”. By moving your mouse up, down, left or right, across an X and Y axis, you can shape melodies, find new harmonies and explore a bank of diverse sounds and controls via your keyboard.
Four lines on the grid represent four unique voices, which can play simultaneously. Each shift of your mouse can alter where each voice falls on the grid, and as the lines move, they will tweak which notes are played.

Alongside its original sounds, the software comes equipped with a slew of classy retro synth presets, taken from Spiegel’s original DX7 and TX7 patches for Music Mouse. However, Eventide’s refreshed release allows you to control modern hardware and plugins with the software, too.
There are also 10 pattern sequences to utilise, as well as 4 rhythmic treatments (Chord, Arpeggio, Line, Improv) and 6 harmonic modes (Chromatic, Octatonic, Middle Eastern, Diatonic, Pentatonic, Quartal). Users can also control velocity, filter, tremolo and pitch modulation levels.
At its core, Music Mouse focuses on the joy of experimenting with new sounds. For that reason, Eventide hasn’t bloated its reimagined anniversary release; while the UI has had a bit of a tidy up, and you can now sync up your MIDI, it’s still an intuitive software anyone can pick up.
Music Mouse is available now for $29. For more information, head to Eventide.
The post Eventide releases new version of classic Music Mouse software appeared first on MusicTech.

W. A. Production Combustor is FREE for BPB readers (10,000 licenses available)
Combustor ($29.90) is a character compressor plugin for Windows and macOS. W. A. Production offers 10,000 free licenses available exclusively for Bedroom Producers Blog readers. If you’re quick, you can grab your free copy of Combustor by signing up below. After signing up, you’ll receive a redemption key and a link to the instructions page. [...]
View post: W. A. Production Combustor is FREE for BPB readers (10,000 licenses available)

Want to make your own sample pack? Tips from someone who’s actually done itMaking sample packs is a fun way to add a new income stream to your music career. You can explore multiple musical ideas at once without the pressure of finishing them as full tracks.
But that doesn’t mean sample pack creation is easy.

READ MORE: Future-proofing your DAW project: A guide to exporting multitracks, stems, and more

Whether you team up with a marketplace like Splice or decide to sell independently, your success relies heavily on organisation. If you’re unsure where to start, here’s a practical guide based on my real-world experience of making sample packs.
Planning ahead
Companies that release sample packs regularly, such as Splice, BandLab Sounds and Loopcloud, already have their delivery specifications in place. One platform may require true peak levels of -6dB, while another may prefer samples limited to 0dB. Unless you have direct communication, you can’t predict every requirement. But you can optimise your workflow for efficiency.
First, choose a clear theme. You can make a single-genre pack with multiple instruments, a vocal pack filled with EDM toplines, or an instrument-specific collection such as acoustic drums. Song-starter packs often include not only audio, but MIDI files as well. Like an album, a sample pack benefits from creative direction from the get-go.
Even with song-starter packs, it’s not enough to create a few beats, stem them out, and call it a day. Sample packs often contain hundreds, sometimes even thousands of audio files. Sound effects packs tend to be denser, but 200-400 samples is perfectly acceptable for a musical pack. These numbers may seem high now, but many of the samples should be dry or stripped-down versions of fully processed sounds.
For example, imagine building a four-bar drum loop. The full version presents the entire groove. From there, you might mute everything except the kick and snare to create an alternative version. Next, you could export just the hi-hats and shakers as a topper. You can then go further by printing each sound individually. For every loop and one-shot, provide a dry version with no time-based effects for producers who want more control over their mixes.
To plan ahead, sketch out your ideas and prepare a folder with subfolders, such as:

Artwork
Demo track
Loops
One-shots
MIDI

Image: SIRMA
Once you see everything laid out, it’s much easier to focus on one task at a time.
Loops vs one-shots
Many foley and field-recording sample packs consist entirely of one-shots. But for melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic sample packs, providing loops in multiple keys and tempos is standard.
A vocal pack, for instance, may feature toplines in several keys and BPMs. Variety is important, but so is relativity — some one-shots and loops should be easily combinable within the same track.
The main difference between loops and one-shots lies in editing.
A loop is aligned to the grid and cut at a specific tempo, like a shaker pattern or a repeating vocal phrase. A one-shot can be anything from a kick drum to an ambient drone, intended for use as-is or loaded into a sampler.
When editing one-shots, it’s best to remove silence at the beginning of the sample. If it’s a sustained sound or there’s a reverb tail, a natural fade-out tends to work well.
As for loops, maintaining tempo accuracy is critical. Ideally, a loop should play seamlessly when multiplied across the arrangement. To achieve this, insert fades as short as a couple of milliseconds at the beginning and end of the clip.
If a loop contains reverb, try bouncing it in place to capture the reverb tail, then insert it at the beginning of the loop on a separate track. This way, when you sum the two tracks, the reverb tail will be baked into the start of the loop.
Here’s a step-by-step demonstration to walk you through the process.

Editing and mixing with accuracy
Poor editing can be a deal-breaker, regardless of recording quality. Most sample pack platforms have a quality control team to filter out samples that are too loud, too quiet, or plagued by clicks and pops. More often than not, missing fades are the culprit behind such noises. But synthesizers can produce unexpected artefacts too. And vocal recordings typically require careful removal of plosives and excessive sibilance.
Any healthy audio editing workflow should include minimising distracting noises and inserting appropriate fades.
To speed things up, tools such as noise gates or automatic processors like iZotope RX Mouth De-click can be invaluable.
Once edited, you can process your samples in multiple ways to maximise their potential.
Say you cut an electric guitar arpeggio loop with a clean tone and minimal compression. Then, you create an alternative version of it with rhythmic delay and reverb. The same loop can sound quite different with some distortion or tremolo.
This is how experienced sample pack producers approach mixing. With each processing decision, their packs find new homes across multiple genres.
Because varied processing affects levels, it’s best to run all samples through the same limiter. Keeping perceived loudness and true peak levels consistent prevents users from constantly adjusting the volume knob while previewing your sounds.
Consistent labelling and file formats
Consistency in bit depth, sample rate, and file naming makes a pack far more accessible.
MIDI files are straightforward, but audio exports vary by platform. A bit depth of 24-bit is a safe bet. Some marketplaces require a 48kHz sample rate while others accept 44.1kHz. Either way, most major sample marketplaces require WAV files.
Each file name should include all essential information in a single line. For loops, this typically means:

Tempo (BPM)
Key
Instrument type
Loop type
Dry or wet indicator
Descriptive keywords

To differentiate one-shots from loops, you can omit the tempo information.
Let’s break down an example from my Splice pack, SIRMA’s Vocal Palette:
VOX_SIRMA_90_vocal_stack_perfect_storm_lead_wet_Emin.wav
“VOX” — the name of the sample pack label
“SIRMA” — the name of the artist
“90” — signifies the tempo in BPM
“vocal stack” — describes loop type
“perfect storm” — a unique title based on lyrics
“lead” — signals that this is the lead part of the vocal stack
“wet” — indicates that the loop contains time-based effects
“Emin” — means that the key of the loop is E minor
Although some one-shots leave out both the tempo and key information, the formatting remains consistent throughout the pack. The fixed order and the underscores between each word make samples easier to search and work with.
Image: SIRMA
Building a demo track with samples
Most producers stumble upon individual samples while searching for specific vocals or instruments. Even so, a polished demo track still plays an important role in presenting the value of your pack.
A strong demo should function as a medley built largely from your own samples. It can move between tempos and keys, stitching together short sections from multiple song-starters. Taking a DJ-like approach to smoothing the transitions can make your track an enjoyable listen.
Demo tracks typically run between 60 seconds and four minutes. Regardless of length, the first 30 seconds matter most. Grab the listener’s attention immediately: long intros are largely wasted here.
Final checks before delivery
Before finalising your first sample pack, run through a checklist:

Confirm audio specifications
Test loops in a DAW for correct tempo and key
Check perceived loudness and true peak levels
Review file and folder naming consistency
Listen to the demo track
Organise artwork and promotional assets

Remember: this is a repeatable skill. Paying attention to the details that matter will become second nature with practice. Treat your first pack as a test of your system, then refine and build with intention.
The post Want to make your own sample pack? Tips from someone who’s actually done it appeared first on MusicTech.

Pigments 7 vs Absynth 6 vs Serum 2: Which super synth should you buy?A handful of software synths can justifiably don the ‘super synth’ badge. Such instruments are so versatile and powerful that they simply couldn’t exist in hardware form.

READ MORE: Arturia Pigments 7 review: “Almost a no-brainer at $199”

Three synths in particular have long claimed such a title: Xfer Records’ Serum, Arturia’s Pigments and Native Instruments’ Absynth. Each has carved a particular niche: Absynth’s known as a master of pads, evolving textures and complex effects; Serum’s the go-to synth for all flavours of EDM; and Pigments is famed for its modules modelled on classic hardware and its remarkable ease of use.
All three have recently been updated (Absynth 6, Serum 2 and Pigments 7), and I want to find out which one is really the greatest super synth on the market.
Serum 2 wavetable editor. Image: Press
Which synth is most versatile — Serum, Absynth or Pigments
Synthesis is all about creating and shaping waveforms, so the more capable the tools for doing this, the more versatile the synth will be.
Serum and Pigments are similar in this regard, with distinct oscillator, filter and effect stages. The most notable difference is that Serum provides three slots for hosting oscillator modules, while Pigments has just two — although its Utility Engine provides a basic oscillator, noise generation and audio input. Additionally, Serum and Pigments can host two filter modules and offer both send and insert effect busses for hosting effects modules. Serum’s routing of these elements is slightly more flexible than Pigments’.
Absynth takes a different approach, with sound generation handled by three Channels, each combining an oscillator module with a pair of processing modules into which filters and signal processors (waveshaping, for example) can be loaded. The Channels’ mixed and panned (or even 3D panned, if using a multi-channel audio system) output is fed through another pair of processing stages and on to just a single effects stage. This is a far more restrictive effects section than the other two synths, but the modules on offer are less about adding sonic polish and more about creating something that’s an intrinsic part of the sound.
In terms of the actual modules on offer, Serum and Pigments are, again, very similar. Both have an advanced wavetable oscillator model, various pure synthesis oscillators geared to both analogue and digital synthesis techniques, and versatile sample-based engines. Both synths also offer a wide choice of filter and effects models.
Absynth is, again, the outlier. It has the widest choice of oscillator modules — two sample-based and six synthesis-based — but by far the smallest choice of filters/processors and effects. However, Absynth’s versatility arises as much from how flexibly these modules can be combined as from the specific modules themselves. Absynth is also weakest for sample-based emulations of acoustic instruments, although is outstanding when combining a sample-based sound with synthesis-based elements.
Finally, all three synths offer a range of modulation options: envelopes, LFOs, random generators and such. But Absynth is miles ahead in terms of sheer quantity, thanks to its 28(!) envelope generators that can each contain up to 68(!) breakpoints. The more modest modulator offerings of Serum and Pigments are unlikely to ever be insufficient, however.
Winner
Absynth has the most to offer in terms of raw timbral versatility, but it’s the least chameleon-like in terms of its overall sonic character. There’s little to separate Serum and Pigments, though. Serum has the edge for sample-based sounds, but Pigments counters with its physical modelling Modal engine. Overall, then, I call this a draw for Serum and Pigments, with Absynth not far behind.
SCORES
Absynth: 4
Serum: 5
Pigments: 5
Serum 2 clip sequencer. Image: Press
Which synth is easiest to use?
The similarities between Pigments and Serum extend to their ease of use. The visual layout of both is remarkably similar, although where Serum shows all three of its oscillator modules at once, Pigments presents its oscillator modules in tabs. This allows Pigments to spread the controls for its various oscillator models over a wider area of screen real-estate, allowing for more detailed visual feedback and a less-cluttered feel than with Serum.
Once again, Absynth carves its own path here. Many of the changes in its latest, resurrected, version focus on the synth’s appearance, which has been thoroughly modernised while retaining the same general layout as previous versions of the instrument. Notably, Absynth’s oscillator and filter/processor modules are comparatively compact and tend to feature fewer parameters than the other two synths. This makes working with the modules easier overall, although, conversely, it demands one become very familiar with the results of combining different modules in order to truly master the synth.
Modulator assignment is most graceful in Pigments. Each source has its own panel in the main view that shows a real-time graphical representation of the modulator’s activity, and assignment is simply a case of dragging from one of these panels to the destination parameter. Serum is almost as slick, although it lacks the real-time graphical readouts.
In contrast, modulator assignment in Absynth is handled via a dedicated assignment page – select a source in one column, a destination in another, and enter a strength value. This works just fine, but isn’t as intuitive and immediate as Pigments’ and Serum’s solutions.
Winner
Absynth is easy to navigate and work with, but it isn’t quite as intuitive as Serum and Pigments. While those two are remarkably alike, I have to hand the ease-of-use crown to Pigments. It’s a masterpiece of UI and UX design that makes what is a deeply powerful synth an absolute pleasure to work with.
SCORES
Absynth: 3
Serum: 4
Pigments: 5
Image: Press
Which synth has the best sound quality?
In terms of pure sound quality, all three synths are faultless. There are some subtle differences, and, more to the point, considerations of “sound quality” can extend beyond the basic question of “does it sound any good?”
Absynth is the perfect example of this. The synth’s sound has a clarity and spaciousness that underpins its reputation as a master of soundscapes and atmospheric sounds but beyond this, it also supports up to eight output channels. These are designed to work in conjunction with multi-channel surround-sound systems, so each of Absynth’s three sound generators sports a 3D panner for balancing its signal between those outputs. If composing for cinema, VR, or other surround sound media, this opens up massive potential for creating deeply immersive sonic experiences for listeners.
Serum’s sound tends towards being direct and in-your-face, boasting a clarity that could cut glass, yet with a crushing weight. Its oscillator engines feature a pair of Warp processor slots that allow many ways to mess with the sound so that it doesn’t become clinical. Its filter and effect models are more than capable of adding some character, too. This fabulous sound comes at a cost, though, with Serum being the most CPU-hungry of the three.
Pigments also delivers a pristine sound, but I find it to be a smidgen warmer than Serum’s. It’s also a little easier to make Pigments’ sound sloppier and messier than it is with Serum. But perhaps the biggest differentiator is that Pigments includes models taken from Arturia’s V Collection and FX Collection plugins, and these can lend the synth a satisfyingly vintage tone and flavour.
Winner
The sound quality difference between Pigments, Absynth and Serum is insignificant. I can’t stress it enough: they all sound superb! Still, I place Pigments at the top of the list, but only by the tiniest of margins.
SCORES
Absynth: 4
Serum: 4
Pigments: 5
Image: Press
Which synth has the best preset library?
All three of these synths invite you to dive in and create new sounds, but presets are important too, as a starting point for your own sounds or to save time when composing and producing.
Given its 25+ year history and backward compatibility with patches produced for any previous version, it’s no surprise that Absynth 6 comes with an enormous patch library. I find so many patches to be inspirational, sparking whole new musical ideas from just a few notes. Finding sounds within this mass would be tough, but the synth’s innovative AI-powered Preset Browser makes this easily manageable (see my Absynth 6 review for more on this).
Pigments, too, comes with a generous library containing all of the presets from all previous versions of the synth, along with a collection that’s new for Pigments 7. Although voluminous, this is a smaller library than found in Absynth, but what always impresses me here is the consistently high standard of the presets – Arturia’s sound designers really are something else! Finding the right sounds isn’t as graceful as in Absynth, but Pigments does have its own AI-powered system that suggests presets that are similar to the currently loaded patch.
Serum’s included library is excellent throughout, but at around 600 patches, it’s considerably smaller than both Absynth’s and Pigments’ libraries. Xfer sell additional libraries and, given the popularity of the synth, it isn’t hard to find Serum patches online, but it still feels a bit miserly given this is the most expensive synth of the group. Moreover, aside from simple categorisation, Serum’s only sop to aiding in the hunt for a suitable sound is a preview feature – handy, but not that helpful!
Winner
The sheer size of Absynth’s patch library is enough to hand it the victory in this category, a victory made all the more emphatic by the synth’s amazing Preset Browser. Pigments put up a strong fight with its large and impressive preset collection, but the comparative meagreness of Serum’s library sees it trailing in last place, albeit to a smattering of polite applause.
SCORES
Absynth: 5
Pigments: 4
Serum: 3
Innovative patch browser. Image: Press
Which synth is the best value?
At $199, there’s nothing between Absynth and Pigments in terms of asking price, and Serum’s not far behind at $249. Ultimately, this isn’t a big price range. However, value for money comes down to more than just asking price, and needs to factor in the comparative capabilities and features of each synth – you know, what we’ve been discussing up to now!
Manufacturers’ update policies are relevant too. Updates to Serum 2 for existing users are free, and Arturia hasn’t charged for updating the last few versions of Pigments. Updating Absynth, on the other hand, costs $120. This isn’t unreasonable given how long ago the previous version was released, and for all I know, a future Absynth update may be free. Nevertheless, this fee goes against Absynth in this head-to-head.
Winner
With all of this in mind, Pigments nudges itself into the lead, with Serum close behind and Absynth a further step back.
SCORES
Pigments: 5
Serum: 4
Absynth: 3
Image: Press
Which should you buy — Absynth, Pigments or Serum?
I’ve been a fan of Absynth for years, and love the energy and power of Serum, but the winner here is Pigments 7. Its voice is the most versatile, able to swing from vintage analogue to physical-modelling, taking in digital- and sample-based synthesis along the way. And it’s a joy to use, its design is as functional as it is attractive. If any synth can claim to be the only synth you’ll ever need, I say Pigments is the one.
However, in testing all three synthesizers, one thing is obvious: they are all incredibly powerful and fun to use. Your personal preference may lean towards Serum or Absynth rather than Pigments — to that end, I can say with certainty that you won’t be disappointed by any of these bodacious instruments.
The post Pigments 7 vs Absynth 6 vs Serum 2: Which super synth should you buy? appeared first on MusicTech.

Etsy sells secondhand clothing marketplace Depop to eBay for $1.2BThe deal comes nearly five years after Etsy purchased Depop for $1.62 billion, at a time when secondhand clothing apps were gaining traction during the pandemic.

BEE GEES LIMITED EDITION 4 LP COLLECTION DUE FEBRUARY 27UMe has announced the release of a new limited-edition box set by one of the biggest and most beloved acts in popular music history, the Bee Gees.     

Out February 27, You Should Be Dancing is a four-disc collectors’ item featuring the highly sought-after original 12-inch versions of some of Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb’s most iconic dancefloor-fillers, plus previously unreleased extended versions of five further Gibb brothers’ classics. Additionally, the set also includes the previously hidden 90’s UK club hit, Decadance, as well the long-awaited physical debut of SG Lewis’s viral 2021 remix of More Than A Woman.     

Limited to just 1,000 units, the You Should Be Dancing box set will be a prized possession for music fans the world over.     

You Should Be Dancing boasts the 12-inch versions of the Bee Gees’ era-defining late 70s masterworks Stayin’ Alive, More Than A Woman, Night Fever, and You Should Be Dancing. 

The brothers’ signature R&B-influenced sound is also represented with the inclusion of unreleased extended versions of the smash hits Jive Talkin’, Nights On Broadway, Tragedy, and Love You Inside Out. Elsewhere, there’s the group’s thrilling original take on Yvonne Elliman’s 1978 global chart-topper If I Can’t Have You, the pre-Saturday Night Fever funk of the US top 20 Boogie Child, and the fan-favorite album track You Stepped Into My Life.    

Bridging the gap in the Bee Gees’ astonishing multi-decade career is the inclusion of SG Lewis’s TikTok-conquering Paradise Edit of More Than A Woman, pressed on vinyl for the very first time as part of this collection. And rounding out the set is the group’s ultra-rare update of their own You Should Be Dancing, reimagined as the bonus track Decadance for the brothers’ 1993 album Size Isn’t Everything. Previously only available outside of the US, Decadance is featured in both its original incarnation as well as the Ben Liebrand Vocal Mix.      

The Bee Gees’ impact on popular music and popular culture is undeniable, both as performers as well as songwriters with no less than 21 different Gibb-written songs topping either the US or the UK charts going back to the 1960s. Add to that global record sales approaching a quarter-of-a-billion, nine GRAMMY® Awards, over a dozen Ivor Novello awards, the only songwriters to place five songs simultaneously in the US Billboard top 10, Kennedy Center honors, a knighthood for Barry Gibb, Brit and American Music Awards lifetime achievements and secured spots in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame®, Songwriters Hall of Fame®, and Vocal Group Hall of Fame®, and a picture is painted of why this band of brothers have long been such an extraordinary phenomenon.      

That record-breaking legacy continues into the 21st Century with over 26-million monthly listeners on Spotify, including a staggering near two billion total streams for the band’s signature blockbuster, Stayin’ Alive. Most recently, SG Lewis’ Paradise Edit of More Than A Woman clocked north of 115 million Spotify streams, boosting the original’s popularity to where it’s now also closing in on a billion streams.   

TRACKLISTING LP 1 A1: You Should Be Dancing B2: Boogie Child B3: You Stepped Into My Life   LP 2 A1: Stayin’ Alive A2: If I Can’t Have You B1: Night Fever B2: More Than A Woman   LP 3 A1: Jive Talkin’* A2: Nights On Broadway* B1: Tragedy* B2: Love You Inside Out*   LP 4 A1: More Than A Woman - SG’s Paradise Edit B1: Decadance B2: Decadance - Ben Liebrand Vocal Mix   

“I see the Bee Gees in the tradition of the great songwriting teams of the 20th century–Goffin/King, Lennon/McCartney, Fagen/Becker,” summarized writer and novelist Daniel Weizmann in a 2002 email communication.

“Had they merely been a singing group, an ‘Aussie boy band that went disco’ as they’re sometimes portrayed with scorn, then half of Western civilization wouldn’t know at least three Bee Gees songs by heart. They wrote as they sang, with gusto, subtext, heart, and surprise. And when they cast a foreigner’s shocked innocent eye on the urban chaos of ’70s NYC, they captured modern times for all time–it was magical.

“Give them vanguard credit, too–when the whole culture seemed to gravitate West, the Bee Gees had the good sense to go East, to Miami, with Arif Mardin, and embrace dance music. Only the deepest respect for the genre could have allowed them to pull it off as they did. Like Teena Marie, (and unlike so many other blue-eyed soulsters) the Bee Gees disco actually made it to the dance floor.

“Not bad for three lads raised on the Isle of Man. In the five years that followed Main Course, it seemed like every other white rock act tried to make a disco record–some more cringe-worthy than others, very few as natural.

“Legend has it that the brothers wrote most of the material for a low-budget movie called Tribal Rights of the Saturday Night, for which they only had the roughest idea of a plotline, in under a week, holed up in the village of Hérouville in France. Can you imagine the task being handed to any other songwriting team? I’m guessing the results would have been disastrous. But because the Bee Gees had the spirit of dance music, of hustle, of the New York Times effect on man, deep in their blood, they brought the whole operation to life.

‘‘Sometimes super fame has this embalming effect. Like Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Jackson, the very real artistry gets lost in the shuffle, the phenomenon takes over. But the Bee Gees continued to write unforgettable hooky, moving songs.It’s no wonder so many idiots hated them. They were that good.”

“Any list of the greatest groups in music history has to include the Bee Gees:  their harmonies, the sheer quality and quantity of their songs,” stressed author David Leaf, currently an adjunct professor, UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in a 2020 interview I conducted with him.   

“I’ve been a fan since 1967 and so fortunate to have worked with them writing their authorized biography, creating the retrospective packages for the Grammy tribute to the group and, probably best of all, being entrusted to tell their story in the feature documentary, This Is Where I Came In.” 

I spoke with Leaf in 2020 and asked about the authorized biography he wrote on the Bee Gees.

“When my Brian Wilson biography, The Beach Boys and The California Myth, was still in galleys, in spring 1978, Jay Levy, an executive at RSO Records (the Bee Gees label then), read it because they were looking for somebody to write the authorized biography of the Bee Gees.

“I got the job and flew to Miami that summer to begin work on it. I spent time interviewing all three Bee Gees, their wives, Robert Stigwood, Andy Gibb and their parents, wrote the book and it came out in 1979. Throughout the rest of the century, I worked with the Bee Gees on various projects, including, perhaps most significantly, their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction,” underscored Leaf.

In the January 21, 1978 issue of the now defunct Melody Maker, I interviewed the Bee Gees for an article, How The Bee Gees Captured America. In the seventies I saw the group in concert, with an orchestra in 1971, and at The Midnight Special NBC television show tapings in Burbank, California.

“One of the reasons for the Bee Gees’ success,” explained Robin Gibb at their rented Benedict Canyon home, “is that we’ve never used music as soap box,” he underlined.

“Music, I’ve always believed, can take you away from reality and you have the option to identify with the music. Something happens when people are bound together through a song.

“Like, ‘How Deep is Your Love.’ Personalities are examined in that tune, but female or male aren’t even mentioned. It has universal connotations and it clicks with everyone. Before we cut that song, we knew we could fuse some of our own personalities into the track. Love is an anchor, it’s a foundation. Not all our songs are light and breezy. I’ve said it before, but we write our songs. We’re not interpreters. Ten years ago, most music was a social outcry, and we never subscribed to that pattern. We didn’t jump on trends and we’ve seen a lot of them the last decade. Flower power. Glitter… I think the Bee Gees have always realized that there is so much love to bring out in songs that it is a catalyst to bring people together.”

“Maurice is singing harder parts, falsettos,” offered Barry Gibb. “Before, we played it safe and strict. We used the orchestra as a cushion. It was beautiful, but we weren’t taxing our abilities. When I look back at the days when we toured with 30 pieces, I know we were on display and opposed to communicating with the audience. Going to a bigger band and leaving the orchestra at home was a logical extension. We didn’t want to cling on to something that didn’t make us feel comfortable. I think our stage act improved 100 per cent. The orchestra was beautiful, but restrictive at times.

“I think the kids and younger people want to open up a bit more at concerts. We’re now more self-contained on stage and I really dig working with our band. Looking back, the orchestra did colour many of our songs. But at times we might have overused the strings and some of our work became mushy. Strings are beautiful tools to work with. They can break your heart.”

During my handful of group interviews with the Bee Gees, in 1978 I visited the set of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band which Michael Schultz directed.

I spent part of the entire afternoon walking around the yellow brick road at the fabled Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie studio in Culver City with Barry Gibb and Peter Frampton, who also appeared in the film.

Del Shannon, Bobby Womack, George Benson, Helen Reddy, Johnny Rivers, Minnie Riperton, Mark Lindsay, Jack Bruce, Monte Rock III, Al Stewart, John Mayall, Alan White, Jose Feliciano, Tina Turner, Peter Noone, Carol Channing, Keith Carradine, Etta James, Leif Garrett, Sha-Na-Na, the Paley Brothers, Kim Fowley, Margaret Whiting, Gwen Verdon and others appeared in a celebrity-driven finale conducted by George Martin.

It was the last movie to be made at M-G-M under the guidance of the studio’s existing management.

A security guard at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer main entrance lot gate recognized me from the nearby El Marino elementary school we had attended in Culver City. He handed me an all-access pass and parking permit for a space once reserved for Elvis Presley when he did Speedway.

On his lunch break my childhood friend insisted on taking me on a tour inside the M-G-M universe, including the dressing rooms of Judy Garland, Clark Gable and Frank Sinatra. We both marveled at a huge lobby poster of director Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason.

On the M-G-M lot, I asked Maurice Gibb about their last studio album, Children of the World, which yielded the hit single ‘You Should Be Dancing’. The LP was much harder-sounding than its predecessor, Main Course.

“We wanted an album that was more nervous,” underlined Maurice. “We felt Main Course was a little too varied. There were too many directions. We wanted to take the R&B flavour in Main Course a step further with Children of the world. We are always trying to establish a direction. Groups should have guidelines, but also be open for experimentation. When we did Mr. Natural we didn’t have a positive direction. We were thrashing about and some good things came out of that album.”

All three Gibbs were quick to credit Arif Mardin, producer of Mr. Natural and Main Course, for showing them new studio tricks and techniques.

“Our studio tactics had become lazy,” admitted Barry. “We had to own up and Jerry Wexler recommended Arif.”

They had some meetings with producers Thom Bell and Richard Perry but nothing came out of these discussions.

“Arif was incredible to work with,” disclosed Robin, “especially with Maurice. He changed our style of recording. We would start with one instrument and build up from there, as opposed to all playing at once. It is a clearer process.”

“Arif was a producer and a referee. He organized sound around a creative base,” Maurice acknowledged.

When the Gibbs recorded Main Course, they knew of previous problems and the result was three hit singles. Olivia Newton-John covered “Come On Over,” “Fanny (Be Tender with My Love)” was a huge hit in the US and “Jive Talkin’” was another at the top of the hit parade. “Nights on Broadway” was a top ten smash.

There was charted R&B airplay for “Jive Talkin’” and some compared the Bee Gees to the Average White Band, another Mardin-produced group.

“I can’t believe what a rush we’re all in. Things have never been better,” exclaimed Barry.  

“We were nervous wrecks at the end of the Sixties: touring, recording, promotion. I was living in Eaton Square and my neighbors must have thought I was a bit freaky. I can remember a time when I walked out of my front door and there were six cars and they all belonged to me. That’s madness,” he confessed.

“I feel very close to my family. We are all living in this house and planning for the future. There was an adjustment period five years ago, but all the little hassles and hang-ups have disappeared. We began to relate to each other as brothers.

“We don’t want to sit on our laurels. We knew we always had a lot more to offer to people than they thought we had. Right now, the family is throbbing. No one is looking out for himself and all are looking in.

“We’re working faster and I feel I can write a song in a minute with Maurice and Robin. I’m really happy that people are acknowledging our influence on popular music. You have no idea what a thrill it is to have a top five single in England. With all the new wave and punk rock out, I would have thought something like ‘How Deep Is Your Love’ wouldn’t have a chance. We always kept going forward and we’re getting stronger every day.”

“We’ve never been inclined to follow other people’s ideas,” reinforced Robin. “If anybody’s gonna follow an idea they’re gonna follow ours. Even though the Beatles influenced a lot of our music, we never aimed to follow what they were doing. We’re still very young as far as I’m concerned and there’s a lot of work around the corner, like films. In a way, we’re just starting.

“We’ve been through all the stages, struggling, and then hitting it big, we’ve split and re-formed, had number ones, toured the world. Of course, we want to continue improving in all areas, but our main concern now is strong albums.”

Robin has changed over the last few years. He appears more confident and far from the insecure figure that toured the US in the last part of the sixties.

“I know what people think of me,” he sighs. “I used to be very insecure. There was a lot of pressure around me and I had trouble coping with initial stardom and touring. That’s changed, as I’ve come from this boy-to-man period the last five years. A new era has started. I feel great about the people around me. I know the Bee Gees have touched people. I can see that by our fan mail and questions fans ask when they want me to sign an autograph. The most typical question we receive through the post is ‘When are you visiting again?’”

(Harvey 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.

In 2017, he appeared at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio, in its heralded Distinguished Speakers Series, and as a panelist where he discussed 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, Debbi Peterson, and founding members of the Seeds for director/producer Neil Norman’s documentary The Seeds: Pushin' Too Hard. In summer 2026, the GNP Crescendo company will release it on DVD/Blu-ray.

Kubernik is a featured interview in the Alex Rotaru directed documentary Elvis, Rocky and Me: The Carol Connors Story that premiered in January 2026 at the 37th Palm Springs International Film Festival. She was Elvis Presley’s lover, and Rocky Balboa’s lyricist. The twice Academy Award nominated songwriter’s career is captured in interviews with friends Dionne Warwick, Dianne Warren, Bill Conti, Talia Shire, David Shire, Barbi Benton, Mike Tyson and Irwin Winkler. Her songwriting credits include the Rip Chords 1964 hit “Hey Little Cobra,” and Billy Preston & Syreeta Wright duet “With You I’m Born Again.”  During 1977, Carol Connors co-wrote “Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky”).  The post BEE GEES LIMITED EDITION 4 LP COLLECTION DUE FEBRUARY 27 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Bitcoin bottom signal that preceded 1,900% rally flashes againBitcoin’s “short-term holder stress” metric has fallen to lows not seen since 2018, suggesting the market has capitulated and possibly bottomed.

Get free haunting strings for Splice INSTRUMENT
Download our free haunting strings preset for Splice INSTRUMENT—grab these presets during the drop window and they’re yours to keep forever.

Creating the World’s Most Efficient Quadcopter DroneKeeping an eye on remaining battery charge. (credit: Luke Maximo Bell, YouTube)
Although not a typical focus of people who fly quadcopter drones for a hobby or living, endurance flying has a certain appeal to it for the challenge it offers. Thus, as part of his efforts to collect all the world records pertaining to quadcopter drones, [Luke Maximo Bell] has been working on a design that would allow him to beat the record set by SiFly Aviation at 3 hours and 11 minutes.
By using knowledge gained from his PV solar-powered quadcopter, [Luke] set about to take it all a few steps further. The goal was to get as much performance out of a single Watt, which requires careful balancing of weight, power output and many other parameters.
Crucial is that power usage goes up drastically when you increase the RPM of the propellers, ergo massive 40″ propellers were picked to minimize the required RPM to achieve sufficient lift, necessitating a very large, but lightweight frame.
The battery packs are another major factor since they make up so much of the weight. By picking high-density Tattu batteries and stripping these down even more this was optimized for as well, before even the wire gauge of the power wires running to the motors were investigated to not waste a single Watt or gram.
All of this seems to have paid off, as a first serious test flight resulted in a 3 hour, 31 minutes result, making it quite feasible that [Luke] will succeed with his upcoming attempt at the world’s longest flying electric multirotor record. Another ace up his sleeve here is that of forward movement as well as wind provides effectively free lift, massively reducing power usage and possibly putting the 4 hour endurance score within easy reach.

Spotify says it has ‘helped artists generate’ $1bn+ in ticket sales to date. Now it’s teaming up with SeatGeek to drive even moreSeatGeek becomes the latest ticketing platform to join Spotify's growing live events ecosystem.
Source

ivoschi NoteWarpNoteWarp generates melodies, basslines, chord progressions and variations from your MIDI input – right inside your DAW. Key Features: - VST3/AU plugin for macOS & Windows. - Easy Mode for quick results, Pro Mode for full control. - 9 built-in algorithms: melody variation, chord generation, bassline creation & more. - AI generation: describe what you want in plain text and let the AI write it*. - Chord Fit: snap any melody to your chord progression. - Audio-to-MIDI transcription: drop WAV file or record from DAW – NoteWarp converts it to MIDI. - Built-in piano roll with loop markers. - Record or load/drag files for import or export. - NoteWarp Receiver: route MIDI to multiple instruments/tracks in your DAW. *for AI: Own LLM-API key needed (BYOK) or AI credits to buy (via homepage). 10 credits=generations included in initial buy. Perfect for: Producers who need instant inspiration, melody ideas, or harmonic variations without leaving their DAW. Try it FREE – download installer from homepage - Full functionality, no time limit or buy now. No subscription, no BS • Own it forever • Install on all your computers. Built by a producer, for producers. More info on homepage NoteWarp on YouTube Read More

DAWJunkie releases Padness 2 Jr, a FREE lush pad synth for macOS and Windows
Developer DAWJunkie has released Padness 2 Jr, a free lush pad synth for macOS and Windows. We checked out DAWJunkie’s Padness Jr in September 2025, and by all accounts, it’s a simple freebie that packs a bigger punch than expected, which is the DAWJunkie way. Now, the developer is back with a bigger and better [...]
View post: DAWJunkie releases Padness 2 Jr, a FREE lush pad synth for macOS and Windows

Sonnox releases followup to its flagship Oxford Drum Gate pluginSix years on, Sonnox has released a fresh version of its Oxford Drum Gate plugin. The Oxford Drum Gate 2 update comes as a huge step up, improving on sound quality, workflow and adding a slew of features to provide a “comprehensive” toolkit to clean up your drum recordings.
Back in 2020, MusicTech awarded Sonnox’s original drum tidying plugin top marks at 10/10. To build on the previous release, the company has added new time, polarity and phase alignment features, as well as an improved classification model to detect your kicks, snares, toms and hi hats with accuracy.

READ MORE: Six synths that define Radiohead’s sound

The alignment improvements should make tidying up multi-track drum recordings a piece of cake. Rather than having to suffer through phase coherence issues that come with tracking on multiple mics, Oxford Drum Gate 2’s new Align tab has an “intelligent algorithm” to refine your tone, punch and regain clarity. And Sonnox has made every effort to minimise timing artifacts, a pesky downside of other alignment tools.
Elsewhere, the new Adaptive Resonant Decay algorithm also lends from Sonnox’s Claro EQ plugin, adopting its resonance detection in order to detect and separate resonant decay from your drums. The algorithm is able to separate the initial drum hit form the corresponding spill, while still maintaining transients.
Users can also tweak their parameters of Gain Reduction, Decay, High-Frequency Damping and High and Low cutoffs.

Sonnox has also added an external sidechain input, making Oxford Drum Gate 2 more versatile than its predecessor. There are three input modes to allow flexibility, with Internal input, the External sidechain, and MIDI triggering.
Elsewhere, there’s also the new Hit Clip leveller clipper, another effort to maintain punch and clarity within your drum track. Hit Clip consults a hit’s post-leveller peak level and calculates the ceiling for each hit following hit. The tool also provides separate controls for Soft Hits and Loud Hits, to aid with your transient shaping.
To make the UI experience clear and intuitive, Oxford Drum Gate 2 also automatically groups tracks by name, as well as providing visual feedback. The plugin also offers stereo linking for overheads and room mics.
Of course, if you do miss the previous Oxford Drum Gate instalment, you can flick on Standard mode. The option to hop back to the original version allows a sense of familiarity, allowing you to pick and choose between the newer features and the tried-and-true original Oxford Drum Gate experience.
Existing Oxford Drum Gate owners can upgrade for £41.66, while customers who purchased Oxford Drum Gate on or after 1st September 2025 will receive Oxford Drum Gate 2 as a complimentary upgrade.
Sonnox Oxford Drum Gate 2 supports both Windows and macOS in VST3, Audio Unit, and AAX plug-in formats.
Oxford Drum Gate 2 is available now at an introductory price of £99.99 until 31 March (normal price £149.99). For more info, head to Sonnox.
The post Sonnox releases followup to its flagship Oxford Drum Gate plugin appeared first on MusicTech.

Sonible releases puffer:fish, a playful FREE saturation plugin with three modes
Sonible has released puffer:fish, a free saturation plugin for macOS and Windows that wraps harmonic distortion in a colorful, character-driven interface. We’ve seen plenty of one-knob saturation tools over the years, including the super popular Softube Saturation Knob, among countless other freebies. puffer:fish follows the same concept but approaches it from a different angle, at [...]
View post: Sonible releases puffer:fish, a playful FREE saturation plugin with three modes