What are the most popular Social Media apps in 2023?Meta’s Threads signed up 100 million users in days, then struggled to keep them, and X, the app formerly known as Twitter, is a mess. These are just the latest. Continue reading
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2000s Emo Music is making a comebackBetween nostalgic veteran listeners and newfound Gen Z fans, 2000s emo bands like My Chemical Romance and the Used are making a comeback. by Karen Fischer of Chartmetric Blog It’s. Continue reading
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Modartt release Organteq 2 Organteq 2 adds a new collection of German Baroque stops, an enhanced sound engine, new voicing parameters and improved sound design capabilities.

The Roland GAIA 2 has landed – featuring a new hybrid sound engine that combines wavetable and virtual analogue synthesisRoland has unveiled GAIA 2, an advanced synthesizer that combines wavetable and virtual analogue engines, intuitive sound design workflow, and expressive hands-on controls.

READ MORE: AIAIAI’s UNIT-4 Wireless+ is the world’s first wireless studio monitor

Designed to be accessible to both beginners and seasoned musicians, the GAIA 2 boasts a newly developed hybrid sound engine and an intuitive panel layout that makes learning synthesis and exploring sound design fast, easy and fun. In particular, the one-control-per-function panel layout enables instant programming, minimising the dreaded menu diving.
The synth features 37 full-size keys and interactive controls, and is equipped with wavetable and virtual analogue oscillators, offering a never-ending realm of tonal exploration under your fingers.
The wavetable oscillator is a standout feature, capable of morphing between multiple waveforms, enabling everything from dramatic sound shifts to slowly evolving textures. Unique phase and shape modulation options are also available for distorting waveforms and producing complex overtones.
Complementing the wavetable oscillator are twin virtual analogue oscillators, capable of recreating classic synth sounds or crafting futuristic tones. Whether you seek the smooth tones of vintage synths, sharp leads, or futuristic sci-fi soundscapes, GAIA 2 delivers.
Another key feature on the GAIA 2 is its support for Roland Model Expansions, which faithfully replicate iconic synthesizers from the company’s rich history. Users can instantly switch between the built-in sound engine and classics like the JUPITER-8 or JUNO-106 using a dedicated button.
The synth comes pre-loaded with the SH-101 Model Expansion, and additional titles and Sound Packs are available on Roland Cloud.

Speaking of new features, Roland has also added a touch-controlled Motional Pad to the GAIA 2. Users can assign nearly any synth or effect parameter to each of the X/Y points and then morph between them by moving a finger on the pad. You can also record movements to create complex, modulated transformations.
There’s also a free-flowing sequencer for capturing musical ideas, along with a Random Pattern feature for spontaneous pattern creation. The synth comes with over 50 unique MFX effects, a Chorus section for added dimension, and a Reverb/Delay section with studio-grade effects.
Connections wise, GAIA 2 can function as an audio/MIDI interface via USB-C, making it compatible with music production apps on computers, smartphones, or tablets. It also supports Roland Cloud Connect, a wireless adapter for browsing and downloading Roland Cloud content.
For musicians on the move, Roland offers the optional CB-B37 Keyboard Bag. This bag is also compatible with other 37-note keyboards in the Roland lineup (e.g. JUPITER-Xm, legacy GAIA SH-01).
The Roland GAIA 2 is now available for purchase at $899.99.
Learn more at Roland.
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Fender, Yamaha, Korg, Roland and Casio face class-action lawsuit for price fixingInstrument manufacturers Fender, Yamaha, Korg, Roland and Casio are facing a class-action lawsuit after they were found to have engaged in price fixing by a UK anti-trust regulator.

READ MORE: Moog Music shares statement following layoffs and teases new products: “In Asheville, we will continue to design, innovate, and manufacture”

The move comes after 2019 and 2020 rulings by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), who defines price fixing, or Resale Price Maintenance (RPM), as when “a supplier requires a retailer not to sell below a certain price,” with the goal of “keep[ing] prices artificially high, so consumers are then robbed of a fair deal.”
According to Guitar World, the claims have been launched by legal firm Pogust Goodhead and consumer rights campaigner Elisabetta Sciallis, with the goal of securing compensation for customers who bought instruments from those manufacturers during specific timeframes
Any UK customer who purchased instruments or accessories from the following companies between the dates below is automatically enrolled in the relevant class action claim. They are:

Fender: 2013-2019
Yamaha: 2013-2018
Roland: 2011-2019
Korg: 2015-2019
Casio: 2015-2019

During the dates affected, Yamaha’s brands included Line 6 and Ampeg, while Roland has ownership of Boss, and Korg owns Vox and Takamine.
A similar class action lawsuit was previously launched against Fender back in 2022 following a 2020 ruling from the CMA stating that the brand had engaged in price fixing. The guitar giant was ordered to pay a fine of £4.5 million.
In 2020, the CMA also ruled that Roland, Korg and Yamaha had engaged in price fixing in the UK market, and issued fines of over £4 million to Roland and £1.5 million to Korg. Yamaha was granted immunity from these fines, but not the class action, after cooperating with the investigation. Casio was fined £3.7 million in 2019.
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Black Octopus Sound Futuretone - Chill House Dreamer Black Octopus Sound and Futuretone have released 'Chill House Dreamer', a collection of samples and presets ideal for House and a variety of Downtempo music. What's inside:... Read More

James Blake: “It takes about six months before you can get anything out of a modular synth”English producer and songwriter James Blake has spoken about the long journey it takes to create “listenable” music using modular synthesisers.

READ MORE: Updated Roland Juno-60 v2 sports new high-def interface, new sounds and more

Appearing on the latest episode of John Kennedy’s Tape Notes podcast, Blake dives deep into the writing, recording and production of his new album Playing Robots Into Heaven.
Discussing the album’s origins, the musician says that a lot of the material on the record began as modular synth sketches created during his free time between tour gigs. The track, Big Hammer, for one, started out as a “huge long jam file” that Blake describes as “mostly chaotic distress” until he’d arrived at something.

“Eventually I got there, but I didn’t know where I was going, obviously,” he says, adding that “A modular synth is kind of like modern art, in a way.”
“It’s kind of odd. There’s more of a sense of curating something coming in rather than actually composing like you would with the piano, or whatever.”
And as masterful as Blake might be with the modular synth right now, he says that the road to creating “listenable” music using them is a long one.
“I went down a rabbit hole, which every producer gets into it does, of making some of the least listenable music probably ever created, and then eventually being able to harness it into something like, listenable,” he explains.
“But it takes, I’m sure, about six months before you can get anything out of a modular synth when you first start.”

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In other news, Blake recently commented on how AI technology could play a role in making music production more accessible for creators.
“AI is going to open up a lot of possibilities for composition.” the producer told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. “For example, there’s this one guy who created a synth called Synplant – you can put in any sample and then the synth will recreate that sound on a synth, magically – it just does it. You don’t have to do anything. It’s like, you can just imagine a thing and it just… can be there.”
“If you wanted to do that now, you’ve got to sit at a synth, know how to use it, figure it out. There’s going to be a lot of people who [will] make music, who weren’t previously able to in the ways that they want to.”
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Duet 3 Limited Edition Set from Apogee Apogee have announced a new bundle which contains their Duet 3 audio interface, a Duet 3 Dock and three of their best-selling plug-ins.

SEC pushes deadlines for ARK 21Shares, VanEck spot Ether ETF applicationsThe commission also designated a longer period to reach a decision on spot Bitcoin ETF applications from ARK 21Shares and GlobalX on Sept. 26.

Regulators close investigation into Blue Origin’s New Shepard anomalyThe U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has closed the investigation into a mishap that occurred last September during a launch of Blue Origin’s New Shepard vehicle, with the regulator saying that Blue must implement 21 corrective actions before it can fly New Shepard again. New Shepard was grounded after a September 2022 launch ended with an […]

Moog Music shares statement following layoffs and teases new products: “In Asheville, we will continue to design, innovate, and manufacture”American synth designer Moog Music has assured fans and customers in a statement that its “headquarters will remain in Asheville,” despite some manufacturing tasks reportedly being undertaken in Taiwan. The company adds that its “newest innovative products” will be shared in early 2024.
READ MORE: How Moog’s Minimoog Model D became a massive miniature icon
Earlier this week, huge news erupted from the Moog Music camp in Asheville, North Carolina: the revered synthesizer company allegedly laid off over 30 Asheville team members. In addition, the InMusic-owned company is said to be using a manufacturing plant in Taiwan to produce its synthesizers. Today (27 Sept), the brand says its HQ will remain in Asheville – with manufacturing support coming from overseas.
“We want to thank everyone who has reached out over the last several days to check in on us,” the statement reads. “As you probably know, it’s been a very hectic time at Moog. We’re making certain changes to ensure our long-term financial health and continued innovation and would like to share important and accurate information with you.
“First, our headquarters will remain in Asheville where we will continue to design, innovate, and manufacture instruments of the highest standard, such as [the] Moog One, Minimoog Model D, legacy modular [gear], and our newest innovative products, the first of which you will see early next year.
“We are also asking some of our overseas partners who we’ve worked with for years to help finish assembly on some products. This hybrid approach will allow us to get on strong financial footing and continue designing, building, and delivering quality musical instruments for years to come.
“Last week, we made the difficult decision to adjust the size of our assembly team to better match our new approach. While this transition was challenging for everyone, substantial support, benefits, and healthcare was provided to those affected, easing their journey to new opportunities.
“We are looking forward to getting past this painful phase with renewed energy and enthusiasm. We believe the brightest days for Moog Music lie ahead and are excited about our vision for the future.
“Thank you for your continued trust and belief in Moog Music.”
This is a developing story.
Read more music technology and insutry news.
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Latin music generated $627m in US recorded music revenues in H1 2023 – up 14.8% YoYLatin music’s share of overall US recorded music revenues reached 7.5% in the first half of 2023, according to RIAA's Mid-Year 2023 Latin Music Report
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[PIAS] boss Kenny Gates on Deezer x Universal’s ‘artist-centric’ model: ‘For labels who invest every year, relentlessly, in new talent, this has to be good news.’ Thought the debate had died down? Think again...
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Matt Ross-Spang Opens Southern Groove Studios in Memphis, TNGrammy Award-winning producer and engineer Matt Ross-Spang has opened Southern Grooves Studio at Crosstown Concourse in Memphis, TN. Reverb recently featured the studio in their "Show Us Your Space" series, praising, "In the middle of the 20th century, the wonderful mix of soul, country, blues, R&B, and rock 'n' roll that shot out of Memphis studios like Sun and Stax electrified the world. Producer, engineer, and studio owner Matt Ross-Spang—who probably knows as much about this Memphis Sound as anyone still living can know—is giving it new life in the 21st century."

Ross-Spang has worked at the most iconic studios in Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and Nashville — Sun, Sam Phillips, Fame, RCA — producing, engineering, and mixing music by artists like Elvis Presley, Lou Reed, Al Green, John Prine, Jason Isbell, Lori McKenna, Margo Price, S.G. Goodman, Drive-By Truckers, Mountain Goats, Cut Worms, Iron & Wine, and more. He has won two Grammy Awards, for engineering Isbell’s 2015 album Something More Than Free and again for its follow-up, 2017’s The Nashville Sound. Out this year alone, he produced Peter One's Come Back To Me, Lucero's Should've Learned by Now, St. Paul & the Broken Bones' Angels In Science Fiction, Blind Boys of Alabama's Echoes of the South, and Old Crow Medicine Show's Jubilee, in addition to engineering Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit's Weathervanes and mixing Morgan Wade's Psychopath.

On designing his new studio, Ross-Spang offers, "When I decided to build this studio I wanted to combine the spirit behind some of my favorite historical studios and my love of mid-century modern design. The studio follows the tried and true method of avoiding parallel surfaces, even utilizing an undulated ceiling - a preference of Sam Phillips. Like many of the great early 60s studios, I went with a tile floor for a livelier sound. The acoustic treatment (wood and burlap) is similar to what you’d find in Studios in the 70s, especially in Memphis and Muscle Shoals. We designed the studio around Crosstown's distinctive structural columns. They are 3 feet thick and at 17 feet intervals. The columns add unique acoustic and visual properties to the room.   I live in a time capsule Mid-century Modern home built in 1957. I used some of its wood paneling and ceiling beams as inspiration in my studio for the live room and iso booth. The furniture was hand-picked to match the studio’s aesthetic. I wanted a custom chair rail around the live room and had it sized for microphones, drinks, and even guitar pedals to add stylish shelving and comfort to the room without clutter. Most importantly the studio, although brand new, feels like it’s been around for decades."

Of the studio's custom equipment, he adds, "As the studio was taking shape I realized that I needed to synchronize the equipment and functionalities seamlessly with the studio's aesthetic. As a student of music history, I’ve always loved how classic studios like Abbey Road and Decca would custom-build their equipment and needs. You can look back at old studio photos and know exactly what studio it was by just pictures of the acoustic treatment or even the gobos. This is somewhat lost in modern studios and I wanted to bring it back. Ken Capton and I designed brand-new gobos from the ground up. They are stackable with removable panels (a lively hard side or a “dead” treated side). The Top half of the gobo is even designed to be the same height as the chair rail in the live room for us with amplifiers. We even designed custom casters for the Hammond B3 to be portable and visually appealing. Greg Pace and I designed my favorite piece: a modern Cue System to fit my studio's needs and looks. The boxes were hand-built and painted pistachio green. They feature our own 2 channel design and are all analog. They are screwed into some sleek space-age end tables. Each table was modified with the connectors and cabling!"

In celebration of adding the final touches to Southern Grooves, Ross-Spang is hosting a private Grand Opening Shindig for industry and press at the studio tomorrow, September 28, starting at 5:30pm CT. Attending press can RSVP HERE. Can't make it? Find more photos of the space and equipment HERE.

Rupert Neve Designs MBT: Review now live! Our full review of the Master Bus Transformer is now available for all to see online.