The Decemberists' Jenny Conlee on Her New Solo Album 'Tides: Pieces for Accordion and Piano'Quarantine encouraged Jenny Conlee, the accordion and piano player from indie folk band The Decemberists, to explore a series of pieces based on Greek scales and repeating musical forms. AllMusic spoke with Conlee about her new recordings and the future of The Decemberists.

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Image prompts: Microsoft is enabling Bing users to tap into their most creative selves — through AI, of course, via the use of OpenAI’s DALL-E image creator, Frederic reports. Frederic also writes about two additional features, Visual Stories and Knowledge Cards. “Best I can tell, Microsoft has been testing these quite a bit in recent weeks since they’ve been popping up in my searches with some frequency.”
Look who’s getting into generative AI: Firefly is Adobe’s approach to generative AI and “will be made up of multiple AI models ‘working across a variety of different use cases,’” Kyle writes. More Adobe news in Big Tech.
Get in line: Speaking of generative AI (because that’s really all we’ve been talking about for weeks now), Google opens early access to Bard, its AI chatbot. You can join the waitlist. Romain has more.

Startups and VC
The worlds of technology and medicine are making big bets on AI playing a central role in the delivery of healthcare in the future. Today, a startup out of Durham, North Carolina, called Bionic Health — built by two early movers in the commercializing of AI — is throwing its hat into that ring to build out its approach, Ingrid reports. It raised $3 million for its AI health clinic.
Last week, the FBI arrested a man alleged to be “Pompompurin,” the administrator of the infamous and popular BreachForums, Lorenzo reports. Days after the arrest, the cybercrime website’s new administrator announced that they are shutting down the forum for good.
Another handful of stories worth mentioning:

Baby owl, doo do doo do do doo: Natasha M reports that Duolingo is working on a music app.
Fund-ception: Roundtable raises funding round on Roundtable, Romain reports.
Data-peepin’: Kyle reports that Sifflet raises cash to expand its data observability platform.
Yeah, but did they patent the technology: IPRally is a patent search engine powered by explainable AI. Today, Paul reports that it raised $10.8 million.
Seeing red: eToro secures $250 million at a $3.5 billion valuation after scrapping SPAC and seeing slower growth, Mary Ann reports.
Come fly with me: Mapping drone startup Wingtra is charting a new future after landing $22 million, Catherine reports.

SaaS is still open for business, but it’s going to take longer to buy and sell
Image Credits: Ruslan Malysh/EyeEm (opens in a new window) / Getty Images
More than 225,000 tech workers have been laid off in the last year, which is having a direct effect on SaaS renewal and purchase cycles.
SaaS customers that reduced headcount are buying fewer seat licenses, and sales cycles are taking a little longer than they used to, says Ryan Neu, CEO and co-founder of SaaS-buying platform Vendr.
“Over the last three years, our data has shown a steady decline in multi-year deals,” he writes. “Yet we have also seen a significant increase in [average contract value] from purchase to renewal in mission-critical and sticky software categories, like CRM or email.”

SaaS is still open for business, but it’s going to take longer to buy and sell

Three more from the TC+ team:

Losing steam, still: Even the hottest startup categories are not immune from the venture slowdown, report Alex and Anna.
Learn from others’ mistakes: Jonathan Martinez suggests that, when it comes to early-stage growth marketing, it’s often better to imitate than innovate.
Web100M: Web3 gaming will onboard up to 100 million gamers in the next 2 years, Polygon and Immutable presidents predict, Jacquelyn writes.

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Big Tech Inc.
Well, this is an interesting turn of events in the age of credit: DoorDash is adding support for cash. Sarah writes that it’s only being rolled out as a DoorDash Drive feature, but that when it was tested, about 20% of U.S. customers ordering pizza paid with cash. She notes that the cash option has helped attract customers who aren’t a fan of handing over their payment information.
Meanwhile, Devin wants to have some words with Amazon, which he reports is shutting down DPReview, “the best camera review site on the web.” He writes that the company’s team was let go as part of Amazon’s latest round of layoffs and that “DPReview is hardly the first media property to get the axe during these turbulent times, but it is surely one of the oldest and most unique. Here’s hoping the talented and knowledgeable team lands on their feet, and Amazon comes to regret its decision.”
And we have five more for you:

Control, I like to have a lot: And a lot you shall have. A new WhatsApp feature gives admins an easier way to control who can join a group, Aisha reports.
Over at Adobe: There is much to unpack. Ivan writes about Adobe Express’ enterprise tier, while Frederic has a look at the Experience Cloud. And Kyle writes that there are some new generative AI tools aimed at marketers, and Ron reports on artist compensation for works used to train Adobe’s generative AI product.
Car talk: Ford unveiled its €45,000 Explorer EV for the European market, Matt writes. And Ferrari says a ransomware attack exposed customers’ personal data. Carly has more.
Poised in the face of adversity: Before speaking in front of Congress, TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew shared that the streaming giant has 150 million active users in the U.S., Ivan reports. Meanwhile, Aisha writes that TikTok overhauls its community guidelines, adding some new policies on AI and climate misinformation.
Priorities: Some goods and services might be more expensive amid inflation, but a new Counterpoint study shows consumers are still splurging on premium smartphones. Ivan has more.

Daily Crunch: Bing allows users to generate images using ‘very latest DALL-E models’ by Christine Hall originally published on TechCrunch

Coinbase teams up with Brazilian central bank’s Pix to offer expanded servicesBrazilians will have more options for trading in crypto and better customer service as the U.S.-based exchange partners with the popular instant payment app.

Tencent Music Entertainment had 88.5m paying users at the end of 2022, up 16.1% YoYTencent Music Entertainment Group has published its financial results for Q4 and the full year, ended December 31, 2022
Source

"Music Performance Trust Fund" Launches 75th AnniversaryThe recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF), a leading non-profit organization enriching lives and uniting communities through the power of music, has launched its 75th Anniversary with new plans to expand initiatives and increase funding for live music performances in thousands of community events and senior centers, as well as Music in the Schools programs, scholarships, and more. 

Primarily funded by four major record companies, including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Walt Disney Records, the MPTF has also played a vital role in support of the music industry’s gig economy. The independently run organization has distributed millions of dollars in financial resources and grants, engaging professional musicians that are members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) to perform live in admission-free events across North America. Since its founding in 1948, it has distributed approximately $620 million (USD) in sponsorship money.

By partnering with businesses, chambers of commerce, arts councils, municipal government organizations and parks programs, the MPTF supported during the previous calendar year more than 1,200 concerts in parks and public spaces, 400 Music in the Schools events, over 1,000 performances in senior centers and assisted living facilities, and other special events. It also funded and facilitated more than 1,500 live virtual music events held free via MPTF’s Facebook platform since the early days of the pandemic. More than 1,000,000 people also attended MPTF-supported in-person and virtual events last year. 

With the live music sector continuing to rebound from the impact of COVID-19, the MPTF projects it will significantly increase support in the upcoming 2023-2024 calendar year, with funding of more than 3,500 live music events in 100+ markets in the U.S. and Canada, including $3.3 million (USD) in grants and scholarships. The organization additionally aims to fund over 500 music education programs in 2023-2024, through important partnerships with national and local organizations such as Save the Music, Young Audiences Arts for Learning, and more.  

Dan Beck

“As we launch our 75th Anniversary and celebrate this major milestone, the MPTF continues to evolve and successfully navigate the impact of COVID on live music by developing new initiatives, partnering with businesses and organizations, and streamlining operations, while expanding the breadth of our programs across North America,” said Daniel Beck, Trustee of Musicians Performance Trust Fund. “I’m also very pleased to announce that by the end of our fiscal year in March, we anticipate having funded a total of more than 3,000 events with a distribution of over $3.0 million in grants. MPTF will increase our allocations for the upcoming year by 33%, with financial support of $3.3 million in grants, plus $165,000 in scholarships.  This is the largest grant budget in twenty years.”   

While continuing to re-grow its free, live public music events, MPTF is also focusing efforts in several areas which have been affected by the pandemic or suffered setbacks from lack of funding, staffing, or government support. The trust fund will further expand its programs to foster music education and bolster its signature national Musicianfest initiative that brings the power of music to senior citizens, a segment of society which has been isolated more than ever, as well as strapped by fixed incomes, inflation, immobility, and the devastation from the COVID virus.    

Later this year, MPTF will announce new details related to several upcoming special events and initiatives. In April, the trust fund aims to support over 250 live music performances in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month. The MPTF will also be partnering with local businesses and organizations in events celebrating Juneteenth, as well as anticipating support for the good work of the Chicago Lyric Opera, French Quarter Festival, the Make Music Alliance, and the Broadway League’s annual Curtains Up! event held in Times Square. 

Justin Trudeau, President, Prime Minister of Canada, released the following statement in support of MPTF: “MPTF’s work to spread its joy as far and wide as possible deserves the utmost praise. Furthermore, as a former teacher, I have seen firsthand the tremendous value of encouraging children’s participation in, and appreciation for, music. It makes an indescribable impact on their souls. To the entire team behind this incredible venture, please accept my gratitude for all that you do. Your commitment towards supporting musicians, making music a part of every child’s life, and adding to public knowledge about music, is unmatched.”

A minimum of $150,000 will be awarded to students in the Fall of 2023 through two scholarship programs, MPTF’s Music Family Scholarships and the Music’s Future Scholarship, which was established to help advance music majors. Over the previous year, more than 90 Music Family Scholarships were given to AFM musicians with family members attending college, while 30 Music’s Future Scholarships went to music students unaffiliated with the union.  

For more information on MPTF programs, live stream and in-person music events, and more, visit www.musicpf.org and www.facebook.com/the.mptf/ 

Twitch cuts over 400 roles amid widespread layoffs at parent company AmazonAmazon announced another 9,000 job cuts this week
Source

HeadRush Prime modelling processor HeadRush's new flagship pedalboard system greatly expands on the capabilities of its predecessor, boasting built-in amp cloning, new effects and amp models and onboard Auto-Tune processing courtesy of Antares.  

ModeAudio Gradient: Guitar Texture Samples Gradient - Guitar Texture Samples from ModeAudio carries you skyward, drifting weightlessly through the clouds as soaring jet-streams of soothing sound transport you over the gently shifting... Read More

RELEASE DETAILS
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SXSW Is Worth It (If You Know How To Work It)I just got back from SXSW and true to SX form, I’m in need of some serious recovery. 

This was my 8th year in a row at the festival (save for the two years during the pandemic that it didn’t happen) and, as always, it was a blast. An exhausting blast. But a blast no less. And it flew by too fast. 

Inear Display Antagone Antagone is a dual delay plugin designed to turn incoming sounds into glitchy chaos. This is a complete rewrite of the now discontinued Bucephal plugin released by Inear Display in 2012.... Read More

Bring more life to your mixes with dynamic panning.
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D.I.Y. musicians share their Top 5 Tips in new CD Baby video seriesNo one knows what works and doesn’t better than those doing it. So the team at CD Baby asked some successful D.I.Y. musicians: “For your particular area of strength in. Continue reading
The post D.I.Y. musicians share their Top 5 Tips in new CD Baby video series appeared first on Hypebot.

How Nickelback launched a fan club using affordable, easy to use toolsLearn how Nickleback successfully relaunched their fan club using two affordable and simple-to-use tools – a Shopify online store and Single’s Membership product. via Single It’s quite rare when a. Continue reading
The post How Nickelback launched a fan club using affordable, easy to use tools appeared first on Hypebot.

6 Questions with The ShootoutsThe Shootouts are known for their fun blend of honky-tonk, Americana, and old-school country. For this latest edition of 6 Question With, we caught up with the band during an. Continue reading
The post 6 Questions with The Shootouts appeared first on Hypebot.