Suno says “accessibility” is the reason for its success — but I think accessibility is the problem with AI musicBandcamp recently made headlines with a simple and clear policy on AI: “Music and audio that is generated wholly or in substantial part by AI is not permitted on Bandcamp.”
This represents the first major music distributor to enforce such a ban, and it comes at a time when AI music companies are growing at breakneck speed. Last November, Suno, the AI music creation platform, signed a new licensing deal with Warner Music Group and was valued at $2.54 billion, with “accessibility ” being the driving force behind this massive number.
“Suno is the world’s #1 music creation app, making music accessible to everyone.” That quote is attributed to Amy Martin, a partner at Menlo Ventures, the venture capital firm that helped Suno raise $250 million on its immense valuation.
Suno’s leadership didn’t use the word “accessible” in their statement, but the gist was there:
“In just two years, we’ve seen millions of people make their ideas a reality through Suno, from first-time creators to top songwriters and producers integrating the tool into their daily workflows,” says Mikey Shulman, Co-Founder and CEO of Suno.
Also, in 2025, Shulman said: “It’s not really enjoyable to make music now […] It takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of practice, you need to get really good at an instrument or really good at a piece of production software. I think the majority of people don’t enjoy the majority of the time they spend making music.”

Apparently, making the creative process as accessible as possible is how making music will be enjoyable again.
Not only is it ridiculous to think that artists don’t enjoy the time spent improving their craft, but accessibility is clearly just an excuse to tap into a larger customer base. The more people who can access something, the more people can pay for it.  How else could a company reach billions in value, and who wouldn’t want to pay for the immediate ability to make music?
To make that process available to everyone with the least effort possible is to dilute the hard work of artists who are pouring everything they have into their craft.
Spotify, the world’s most popular streaming service, provided a similar level of accessibility for releasing music. With the help of a distributor like DistroKid or CD Baby, anyone can upload their music to a streaming service. Arguably, this landscape is a positive for creators because everyone is equally searchable on Spotify. Any time someone discovers a brand new artist, they have the immediate ability to listen to their music. Those artists can also send direct links to their music, and all those streams will lead to royalties (if the song earned 1,000 streams in the previous 12 months).
The downside is that all artists, labels, private equity firms, or whoever owns the music gets the same royalties back from Spotify. They could have invested thousands of hours and millions of dollars into the song on top of the years of their life it took to learn their craft. Or they could have made the song in five minutes on Suno because making music is just that accessible now. Either way, it’s currently the same amount of money earned per stream.
Music data platform Chartmetric tracks roughly 11 million artists, and 80% of them have fewer than 1,000 Spotify monthly listeners. So, really, the result of this extreme accessibility is that millions of hobbyists are now able to share their music. This crowds the landscape for the artists who are giving it their all, and plagues them to earn practically nothing from the medium that most people use to listen to music in 2026.
This dynamic portends what will happen as Suno grows. The vast majority of creators on the platform will be hobbyists who just want to try their hand at making music for a mere moment.
But, Shulman said that “top songwriters and producers” are using Suno, right? That’s true of Timbaland, one of the most successful producers in history. Suno even made Timbaland a creative consultant for the company.
The thing is, according to Rolling Stone, Timbaland uses one function of Suno called “cover song.” As the name suggests, this function takes an existing song and transforms it into different versions. The existing songs Timbaland is using are from his extensive back catalogue, which he’s accrued over three decades of making music the hard way.
Per the interview, Timbaland describes these songs he’s covering as essentially complete. They have lyrics, melodies, beats, and production. Clearly, he is still honouring human creativity and then using Suno to generate new ideas. This is arguably the most benevolent use of the program (even though Timbaland did end up using a copyrighted song to train Suno without permission).
Unfortunately, barely any Suno users will have a Timbaland-level catalogue ready and waiting to transmute into different versions. They’ll have to start from scratch using prompts for an AI that’s trained on recorded music from hard-working artists for what will most likely be paid pitiful royalties.
…all in the name of accessibility.
What’s even more insulting about this idea of accessibility is that music-making is already so accessible! Smartphones and tablets can access free and fully-featured music-making apps and DAWs. These programs have everything a beginner needs: recording capabilities, virtual instruments, and effects. Madlib produced all the beats for, Bandana, his 2019 collaborative album with Freddie Gibbs, on an iPad, as an example.
With a few taps, brand new music-makers can lay down a beat and record some vocals. The first one won’t sound anywhere close to professional, but the 1,000th one will. All Suno does is give everyone the opportunity to skip from one to 1,000 and build music without their own tastes and techniques.
When Bandcamp launched Bandcamp Fridays during the pandemic, the people working there showed they care about the artists who are willing to take the journey from 1 to 1,000. Today, Bandcamp Fridays continue to pay out millions to artists, long after the pandemic has ended.
Clearly, people still want to use their hard-earned money to support artists putting in the work to make music, and rather than give every potential artist the chance to access that source of income, Bandcamp is drawing a line in the sand.
Bandcamp is offering a platform for dedicated musicians, producers and beatmakers to connect with audiences and sell the human-made music and merch that they care about. That’s what real accessibility looks like.
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“A mix engineer’s secret weapon”: Enjoy 83% off this Solid State Logic saturation plugin over at Plugin BoutiqueHave your mixes been feeling a little flat? Well now’s the perfect time to shake things up. As part of its 14th anniversary sale, Plugin Boutique is offering Solid State Logic’s Native X-Saturator for just £7.99, down from $44 – a massive 81% discount running until 15 February.
Whether you’re looking to subtly thicken a vocal, add snap to a snare, or go all-in on drum overheads, X-Saturator has the tools to do it.
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Described as a “mix engineer’s secret weapon”, the SSL Native X-Saturator is a saturation and distortion plugin designed to bring analogue-style warmth and harmonic richness to your tracks. The main Drive control determines how hard your signal hits the saturation stage. Crank it up, and you introduce more harmonic distortion, or keep it gentle for a warm, creamy tone.

READ MORE: Noble Sceptre: A tiny Bluetooth transmitter that unlocks high-res audio from almost any device – and lets you charge while you listen

Choose from second-order valve-style distortion, third-order transistor distortion, or blend the two for a perfect combination of tube warmth and transistor-like edge. Input and output gain knobs make level-matching simple, and an internal bypass button allows smooth A/B comparisons without clicks, pops, or latency. Extra touches like a +6 dB Boost switch, factory presets, full automation, and undo/redo buttons make it a practical, versatile tool for mixing and creative sound design.
The plugin runs on macOS 11 Big Sur to 13 Ventura (M1 compatible) and Windows 10–11, and supports AU, VST2, VST3, and AAX formats. A free iLok Account is also needed for the authorisation of this software.

Get the SSL Native X-Saturator today at Plugin Boutique.
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Noble Sceptre: A tiny Bluetooth transmitter that unlocks high-res audio from almost any device – and lets you charge while you listenIf you’ve ever felt like your wireless headphones sound better on one device than another, Noble Audio has a fix. The company’s latest release, Sceptre, is a pocket-sized Bluetooth dongle designed to upgrade the wireless audio coming from your phone, laptop or tablet – so you can enjoy better sound without replacing your favourite headphones or earphones.

READ MORE: Audiotonix to acquire DPA Microphones, Wisycom, and Austrian Audio, delivering “substantial advantages to all professional customers who demand the best”

Sceptre connects via USB-C and works as an external Bluetooth transmitter, sidestepping the often limited wireless hardware inside everyday devices. It runs on Qualcomm’s QCC5181 chipset with Bluetooth 5.4 and supports advanced codecs including LDAC and aptX Adaptive, alongside AAC and SBC. In plain terms, that means clearer, more detailed and reliable wireless audio as long as your headphones or speakers support those formats too.
It’s not just about music, either. Noble says Sceptre is built for general media use, so streaming video, gaming and calls should all benefit from a more stable, consistent connection. The dongle supports standard Bluetooth profiles (HFP, A2DP, and AVRCP) for audio playback and controls, and offers a wireless range of up to 20 metres in typical environments.
One particularly useful feature is the charge-through USB-C design. You can keep your phone, tablet or laptop powered while Sceptre is in use – perfect for long flights, commutes or desk sessions where battery drain is a concern.
Setup is handled through the Noble app for the initial pairing, after which the dongle can be plugged into any compatible device as needed.
Priced at $69.99/£64.99/€69.99, Sceptre launches on 6 February 2026 and will be available direct from Noble Audio and selected retailers.
Learn more at Noble Audio. 
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Amazon and Google are winning the AI capex race — but what’s the prize?In 2026, Amazon plans to spend $200 billion in capex. Google is just behind at $175 billion to $185 billion. It's a lot of money!

Will Bitcoin rebound to $90K by March? Here’s what BTC options sayBitcoin fell below 63,000 as investors reacted to dismal US economic data, a weakening stock market and fears of an AI industry bubble. Does data forecast a return to $90,000 by March?

KVASS LAB Darkwave Sample PackCollection of over 450 darkwave samples made for producers who want cold moods, melancholic energy, and night-driven sounds. Inside the pack you'll find drum hits, drum loops, guitar loops, synth loops, bass loops, as well as guitar, bass, and synth one-shots. The sounds are moody, raw, and slightly distorted, focused on atmosphere and emotion rather than clean perfection. This pack is inspired by darkwave and post-punk artists such as Mareux, Artemas, Kavinsky, Molchat Doma, Lebanon Hanover, She Past Away, TR/ST, and New Order. It also works great for genres like post-punk, coldwave, synthwave, minimal wave, and darker forms of electronic music. Expect slow and hypnotic rhythms, chorus-heavy guitars, cold basslines, retro-flavored synths, and loops that feel intimate and cinematic. Perfect for tracks built around tension, nostalgia, and late-night emotions. All samples from the demo are included. Royalty free. Contains | Over 450 Darkwave Samples: 43 Kicks. 46 Snares. 138 Drum Loops. 20 Claps. 34 Hihats. 9 Open Hats. 23 Percs. 4 Rides. 8 FXs. 10 Crashes. 14 Bass Loops. 13 Guitar Loops. 17 Synth Loops. 15 Bass Shots. 13 Guitar Shots. 17 Synth Shots. 9 Shakers. 21 Toms. https://youtu.be/KQG3UQNAWLw Read More

WMG generated $1.84bn in calendar Q4; recorded music subscription streaming revenues jump 10.9% YoYTotal revenue was up 7.1% YoY at constant currency, with recorded music revenues up 6.6% YoY
Source

Tommy Torres on Truthful Sound, Studio Magic, and KRK ROKIT 8 Gen FiveAsk a casual listener what makes a great song and they’ll probably mention a hook. Ask a producer like Tommy Torres, and he’ll talk about honesty. For Torres, the path from Puerto Rican garage bands to GRAMMY recognition wasn’t just about writing better songs; it was about building an ear that refuses to be fooled by just pretty sounds.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Torres learned music by ear long before he ever learned it from textbooks. Berklee College of Music later sharpened the technical edges, giving him formal training in both production and arranging, but his instincts were already wired for storytelling. Early studio days in New York placed him in the orbit of landmark sessions and legendary artists, and that exposure quietly shaped a producer who understood that great records aren’t just built, they’re felt.

Fast-forward through collaborations with names like Ricky Martin, Alejandro Sanz, Alicia Keys, and Jesse & Joy, plus a shelf of GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY recognition, and you’ll still find Torres focused less on trophies and more on the room where ideas are formed.

His Miami studio isn’t sterile or hyper-minimal. It’s warm, lived-in, and intentionally human—guitars within arm’s reach, a piano ready for late-night melodies, a sofa that invites conversations that accidentally turn into hooks. It’s less “control center,” more creative sanctuary. The kind of place where a chorus can show up unannounced and feel welcome.

And at the center of that space sit his KRK ROKIT 8 Generation Five studio monitors—not because they glamorize the music, but because they refuse to. Torres gravitates toward tools that challenge him, speakers that spotlight the midrange where vocals, guitars, and emotional nuance actually live. He’s not looking for something that sweetens the mix; he wants something that keeps him honest.

That philosophy comes through in the way he talks about them; for Torres, the appeal is accountability. “What I love about KRK is that the speakers don’t lie to me. They don’t try to sound hi-fi or pretty—they make me work," he says. "The midrange is forward, clear, and honest, and that’s where the magic lives for me. I need a speaker that exposes everything so I can make real decisions, not one that hides things behind big bass or hype. With this generation of KRK ROKITs, the balance feels right—it gives me the truth across the whole spectrum.”

It’s a subtle distinction, but it explains why Torres can mix at lower volumes without losing energy, why his tracks translate across systems, and why his productions rarely feel over-polished or artificially inflated. A monitor that flatters can be fun; a monitor that tells the truth helps a song survive the real world—car stereos, earbuds, festival rigs, and everything in between. He’s chasing clarity that forces better decisions.

For listeners, that honesty is invisible but unmistakable. It’s the reason a chorus still hits when the volume drops. The reason a vocal feels present instead of buried. The reason a song carries the same emotional weight whether it’s blasting through speakers or whispering through headphones.

In a music culture obsessed with bigger, louder, shinier, Tommy Torres is doubling down on truth. And somehow, that refusal to sugarcoat the sound is exactly what makes the final record feel so alive.

The post Tommy Torres on Truthful Sound, Studio Magic, and KRK ROKIT 8 Gen Five first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Toybox Tractor: Plywood, Lathe Hacks, and 350W of FunWhen you think of a toy tractor, what probably comes to mind is something with fairly simple lines, maybe the iconic yellow and green, big rear tires, small front ones. Well, that’s exactly what [James] built, with simple, clean lines and a sturdy build that will hold up to driving around off-road in the garden. This Tractor is a great build, combining CAD, metal and wood work, some 3D printing, and electronics.
Starting at the power plant for the build, [James] went with a 350W DC motor powered by a 36V Li-ion battery from an e-bike. The motor turns a solid rear axle he made on a mini-lathe, connected to a set of riding lawn mower wheels. The mini-lathe spindle bore was too small to accommodate the shaft, and the lathe was not long enough to use the tailstock, so [James] had to get creative, using a vice and a piece of wood to make a stand–in tailstock, allowing him to turn this custom rear axle. The signature smoothly curved bonnet was made possible with plywood and body filler, rather than the sheet metal found on full-sized tractors. In fact, most of the build’s frame used plywood, giving it plenty of strength and, once painted, helping give it the appearance of a toy pulled out of a toybox.
This build had a bit of many domains in it, and all combined into a fantastic final result that no doubt will bring a smile to any face that gets to take the Tractor for a ride. Thanks [James] for documenting your build process, the hacks needed to pull off the tough bits along the way in making this fun toy. If you found this fun, be sure to check out another tractor related project.

This FREE plugin syncs your DAW tempo to your heartbeat
Developer Conscious Audio has released HeartSync, a free public beta VST3 plugin for macOS and Windows that maps your real-time heart rate to your DAW’s tempo. The developer reached out to me about HeartSync, and it made me realize that it’s been ages since I’ve seen a plugin concept that feels really innovative. We see [...]
View post: This FREE plugin syncs your DAW tempo to your heartbeat

Blueprints & Layers from LANDR Blueprints serves as inspiration for new song ideas and providing raw materials to sample or extract parts from, while Layers provides creators with professional, mix-ready instrument performances that adapt to a track’s structure, key and tempo.

The IPS Training Weekend 2026 The IPS Training Weekend 2026 will include a whole host of talks led by industry experts, along with spatial audio listening rooms and a number of lounge and bar areas for socialising and networking.

I tried ROLI’s AI Music Coach — the tech works surprisingly wellROLI has officially launched its AI music coach. The new AI assistant, named Roli (of course), is now part of the ROLI Learn app to tailor your music lessons based on your musical interests and skill level.
In an era where the term ‘AI’ feels cheaply tacked onto products for the sake of it, I don’t blame you if you’re dubious. I was, too, when I tried it at NAMM 2026. But, actually, I’m surprised at how useful it seems.
The music coach works in tandem with the ROLI Airwave, a hand-tracking device that, when paired with a synth or virtual instrument, can offer new modes of expression similar to how a Theremin works. In the instance of the ROLI Learn App, the Airwave becomes an essential tool in mastering your hand placement and getting real-time feedback on your playing. It uses infrared camera technology to track the 27 joints in your hands at 90 frames per second. This, ROLI says, means that “it doesn’t just respond to the notes you play but, crucially, how you are playing them.” Plus, when paired with the ROLI Piano, you also get real-time visual feedback on individual keys (although you can use any keyboard or piano with the Airwave).

This all worked impressively well when ROLI gave me a preview. I’m not much of a piano player, but the hand-tracking and visual feedback had me playing a few new songs in no time. A representative for ROLI told me at the time that the AI music coach isn’t necessarily designed to replace music lessons, but instead to help music pupils have better practice sessions at home.
ROLI’s AI music coach also introduces a conversational aspect to your piano lessons. The voice assistant is as you’d expect from a typical AI voice model: placid, encouraging, and just annoying enough to consider turning it off. It does, however, help you better navigate lessons and the app, and it does allow you to talk through your preferences and musical tastes. There’s also support for 40 languages right now.
We’ll be publishing a full review of ROLI’s AI Music Coach in due course, but in the meantime, I’ll say here that it’s an impressive preview of the future of musical instrument education. It’s not, however, readily accessible. A ROLI Airwave is £299, and you’ll need a modern tablet to use the ROLI Learn App — and a subscription to the app starts at £13 a month or £70 a year. Plus, the ROLI Piano is £499.
Current Airwave owners, however, can access a closed beta today, with a public beta open by the end of March 2026. ROLI promises that “the AI Music Coach will be a cornerstone of ROLI’s learning experience.”
Learn more at roli.com
The post I tried ROLI’s AI Music Coach — the tech works surprisingly well appeared first on MusicTech.

This instrument brings Windows Vista-style, Frutiger Aero-inspired sounds into your DAWHold tight, as we’re gonna give you a real quick history lesson in user interface design… You may or may not have heard of Frutiger Aero, a design style prevalent in the mid-2000s and early 2010s, characterised by the blending of nature with technology in optimistic and utopian themes, often featuring highly vibrant blue and green colour palettes. Think Windows Vista or 7, for example.
That style was broadly replaced by more minimalist themes as we ventured deeper into the 2010s, but there’s a real sense of nostalgia associated with the Frutiger Aero style.

READ MORE: “We sincerely hope this won’t be the last rave at Abbey Road!”: Soulwax will be DJing at Abbey Road’s first-ever rave

That’s why music software company Cradle has unveiled the latest addition to its State Machine series, with an instrument library inspired by all things Frutiger Aero.
Arriving with 200+ mix-ready presets, as well as a custom suite of Frutiger Aero-inspired audio effects including reverbs, delays, modulation effects and smart MIDI tools, State Machine: Frutiger Aero offers producers the “sound of the new millennium” in a single piece of software.
“Some instruments simply give you more sounds. This one gives you a feeling: hopeful, nostalgic, and undeniably dreamy,” Cradle says.
“Whether you’re building nostalgic pop, ambient worlds, game cues, or modern electronic, Frutiger Aero brings the glossy and inviting sounds from the early 2000’s straight into your DAW.”
State Machine: Frutiger Aero is available now for an intro price of $47.50 for a limited time. Regular price will be $59. A 14-day free trial is also available.
Learn more at Cradle.
The post This instrument brings Windows Vista-style, Frutiger Aero-inspired sounds into your DAW appeared first on MusicTech.

“We sincerely hope this won’t be the last rave at Abbey Road!”: Soulwax will be DJing at Abbey Road’s first-ever raveAbbey Road is set to open its doors to ravers for the first time ever, with an all-night party planned for Saturday 21 February.
That’s right – the iconic studio space has announced the world’s first Abbey Road After Hours event, which will transform Studio One into a full-blown rave space. The party will run from 9pm until 2am, and will be hosted by DJ brothers Soulwax.

READ MORE: Inside Abbey Road Studios’ new collection of rare and vintage instruments: “We wanted not just the digital version of this gear, but the original”

Soulwax’s David and Stephen Dewaele were personally invited to curate the evening’s tunes, and they’ll be joined by a slew of special guests. The DJ duo are also planning to debut some new Soulwax tracks, which they will record in Abbey Road’s Studio Two in the days prior. The pair will have full rein of the studio’s vintage gear, and they’ll be cutting each new track straight to vinyl to perform at the inaugural Abbey Road rave.
The evening will also see the Dewaele brothers bringing along their DEEWEE Soundsystem, a unique speaker array based on New York’s iconic disco Paradise Garage. It should be the perfect ingredient to making the evening one to remember.
The first Abbey Road After Hours event will be ultra-exclusive, with a maximum limit of 300 guests. For those keen to get involved, you’ll have to enter a ballot by calling Soulwax’s ‘rave hotline’ on 07886072699. And don’t worry about the cost – if you’re lucky enough to secure a spot, entry is entirely free.

Speaking about the event, the Soulwax brothers say: “It’s hard to say whether we have a perverse or healthy attraction to crazy ideas, that’s for other people to decide, really. So to be approached with a crazy idea is one thing, but to be approached with a crazy idea by the most iconic recording studio in music history is even more attractive. We embrace and accept this challenge and also sincerely hope this won’t be the last rave at Abbey Road.”
Mark Robertson, Abbey Road’s Director of Marketing & Creative, is equally as excited for the event: “Abbey Road After Hours is part of our mission to devise unexpected moments and creative collisions in our house. I’ve talked about hosting a rave for years, so it’s a genuine thrill for Soulwax to accept the invitation to curate the first night – which will include new music that they’ll record here the day before.”
“Studio One has been home to countless era-defining firsts – from Elgar to John Williams – and opening the room to bold new forms of creativity feels both true to our heritage and audacious.”

Abbey Road’s Studio One has played host to many iconic pieces of history. It hosted the very first global satellite broadcast when the The Beatles performed All You Need Is Love for the world’s first global satellite broadcast in 1967, and it’s allows the sonic worlds of The Lord of The Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter and more to form. Abbey Road After Hours will be yet another piece of history ticked off – so get down if you can.
Abbey Road After Hours will take place on 21 February. Ring up Soulwax’s ‘rave hotline’ on 07886072699 to enter the ticket ballot. If you miss out, the night will be filmed for broadcast on YouTube on Thursday 5 March.
The post “We sincerely hope this won’t be the last rave at Abbey Road!”: Soulwax will be DJing at Abbey Road’s first-ever rave appeared first on MusicTech.