Vicious Antelope offers the Vicious Saws Dark Synth for Full Kontakt for FREE
Vicious Antelope just made its Vicious Saws synth (normally $28) available for free download for a limited time via an exclusive Audio Plugin Deals offer.  Vicious Saws is made for creating majestic, gloomy synth tones with a cinematic touch. Keep in mind that running Vicious Saws requires the full, paid version of Native Instruments’ Kontakt [...]
View post: Vicious Antelope offers the Vicious Saws Dark Synth for Full Kontakt for FREE

Geoff Downes on Asia's New Live Album, John Wetton's Legacy, and His Career from the Buggles to YesIn a conversation with AllMusic, Geoff Downes discusses the origins of the new live album, the evolution of Asia's lineup, memories of working with Wetton, and reflections on pivotal moments in his career – from the early days of MTV to his time in Yes and the Buggles.

Nvidia’s version of OpenClaw could solve its biggest problem: securityNvidia announced an open enterprise AI agent platform, called NemoClaw, that is built off of viral OpenClaw.

Price predictions 3/16: SPX, DXY, BTC, ETH, BNB, XRP, SOL, DOGE, ADA, HYPEBitcoin opened the week by rallying straight into a key resistance level. If it holds, BTC and altcoins could embark on the next leg of the crypto bull market.

MMPR Technologies REXALTUSREXALTUS wavetable + subtractive synthesizer plugin REXALTUS is a wavetable + subtractive polyphonic synth software plugin. The sound engine is 2 oscillators, subtractive and wavetable synthesis, and lowpass/bandpass/highpass filtering. It is currently compatible only with Windows, and is in VST3 format. It has two LFOs with selectable shapes, and rate control. It features preset browser, user preset save/load, and arpeggiator. The user interface keeps the core of the instrument in front of you at all times. Oscillator shaping, wavetable tone, filter movement, envelopes, LFOs, modulation routing, arpeggiator settings, and master effects all sit on a single screen for fast efficient workflow. Demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVGNdVs4FAs Read More

Fists Pump for Vince DiCola and Stan Bush at the WhiskyWay back in 1986, before all of the Michael Bay live action stuff, there was the animated The Transformers: The Movie. To this day, many if not most hardcore fans of the franchise will claim that the '86 film is still the best Transformers movie. They'll die on that hill, much like [SPOILER ALERT] Optimus Prime died in the flick.

One of the big reasons that the film remains firmly in the heart of fans is the killer soundtrack. Scored by synth virtuoso Vince DiCola and with a couple of big rock anthems by AOR hero Stan Bush (plus gems by metal band N.R.G. and, amazingly enough, Weird Al), it really is a tremendous piece of work. Yes, it's as cheesy as almighty fuck in that glorious '80s way, but it's unapologetically so and it stands tall today.

On a warm Saturday night in March, DiCola and Bush came together at the Whisky A Go-Go on the Sunset Strip to, in turn, play a bunch of those Transformers tunes and more. The atmosphere in the iconic venue was one of joy. Transformers tees and even a couple of costumes betrayed the affection with which the toy-turned-cartoon-turned-movie franchise is still held, by adults as well as children.

DiCola's set was incredible. As well as his work on the movie, the man has scored a couple of Transformers video games including the odd coming together of Angry Birds Transformers. He played a quirky ditty off of that, plus some stuff from other games that he's worked on, including Saturday Morning RPG.

Most of the fans in attendance were there for the Transformers music. To be honest though, we were there to hear DiCola's Rocky IV work. His "Training Montage" and "War" pieces from that score have, since this writer was a child, made us feel like we could take on Ivan Drago. Bill Conti may have composed the most famous Rocky themes, but DiCola's work compares favorably when it comes to motivational, hair-raising, instrumental sports score. At the Whisky, backed by a great band, those pieces sounded great. The cherry on top was a rendition of "Hearts on Fire" from the same movie. Originally sung by John Cafferty with synth by DiCola, one of the band took up vocal duties here and did the song proud. A great set, all told.

After a short break, it was time for Stan Bush to break out some hard rock anthems. Like DiCola, Bush also had songs on famous fight movies. In Bush's case, he is well known for his inclusions on the Kickboxer and Bloodsport soundtracks (both Jean-Claude Van Damme flicks). At the Whisky, he busted out a wild "Never Surrender" from Kickboxer.

Bush also wrote the power ballad "Love Don't Lie," later a minor MTV hit for House of Lords. Picking up an acoustic guitar, he lovingly ran through the sweet track in Hollywood.

But again, the crowd was there for the Transformers stuff, and the cheers were deafening for main theme "The Touch." Better still, DiCola joined Bush on stage for the song that they both performed on the Transformers soundtrack -- "Dare." An '80s rock belter, "Dare" is one of the best tunes that either man has put their name to.

With that, it was over and the crowd spilled out onto the Strip, stunned by how great these two musicians still are. More than meets the eye, some might say.The post Fists Pump for Vince DiCola and Stan Bush at the Whisky first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Every Ham Shack Needs a Ham ClockEvery ham radio shack needs a clock; ideally one with operator-friendly features like multiple time zones and more. [cburns42] found that most solutions relied too much on an internet connection for his liking, so in true hacker fashion he decided to make his own: the operator-oriented Ham Clock CYD.
A tabbed interface goes well with the touchscreen LCD.
The Ham Clock CYD is so named for being based on the Cheap Yellow Display (CYD), an economical ESP32-based color touchscreen LCD which provides most of the core functionality. The only extra hardware is a BME280 temperature and humidity sensor, and a battery-backed DS3231 RTC module, ensuring that accurate time is kept even when the device is otherwise powered off.
It displays a load of useful operator-oriented data on the touchscreen LCD, and even has a web-based configuration page for ease of use. While the Ham Clock is a standalone device that does not depend on internet access in order to function, it does have the ability to make the most of it if available. When it has internet access over the built-in WiFi, the display incorporates specialized amateur radio data including N0NBH solar forecasts and calculated VHF/HF band conditions alongside standard meteorological data.
The CYD, sensor, and RTC are very affordable pieces of hardware which makes this clock an extremely economical build. Check out the GitHub repository for everything you’ll need to make your own, and maybe even put your own spin on it with a custom enclosure. On the other hand, if you prefer your radio-themed clocks more on the minimalist side, this Morse code clock might be right up your alley.

Sonniss releases the GDC 2026 game design bundle for FREE (7+ GB)
In celebration of the 2026 Game Developers Conference, Sonniss is giving away a game design bundle with more than 347 files (7.47 GB) of high-quality, royalty-free samples (WAV.). Sonniss, founded in 2014, is a digital marketplace for royalty-free sounds. This bundle consists of sounds from several different libraries that you’re free to use with no [...]
View post: Sonniss releases the GDC 2026 game design bundle for FREE (7+ GB)

Live Nation antitrust trial resumes as 30+ states push on despite DOJ settlementStates accuse Live Nation of stifling competition and driving up prices for fans as trial continues without the DOJ.
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Sonarworks Spring Sale Sonarworks' Spring Sale sees promotional prices applied across the company’s online store and retail channels, and users are able to take advantage of 21-day trial versions to see what the company’s renowned software has to offer. 

Everything we know about the Akai MPC Sample so far: Features, pricing and availabilityAkai has officially confirmed that the MPC Sample is on its way, with a full launch due to land on 24 March.
The portable hardware sampler is believed to be inspired by the Akai MPC60 and MPC3000, and was leaked by a retailer based in the US earlier this month. Akai has now shared an official image of the unit on its social media pages, and you can sign up for alerts on its launch via the Akai website.

READ MORE: Is the Akai MPC Live III the ultimate standalone production centre?

Limited information is available right now, and most of what we know about the MPC Sample still stems from the original leak. We will continue to update this article with more information as we get it, but here is all we know so far.
What is the Akai MPC Sample?
The Akai MPC Sample is a portable hardware sampler inspired by the MPC60 and MPC3000. From photos of the unit, it looks as though it will rival other successful hardware samplers from recent years from brands like Roland, with its SP-404Mk2, and Teenage Engineering’s EP-133 K.O II. Casio also teased a new handheld sampler at NAMM 2026.
What are the key features of the AKAI MPC Sample?

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From the retailer leak, the MPC Sample is reported to feature a sampler engine, a sequencer, and an effects processor that puts the workflow of vintage MPCs into a compact, modern format [via Synth Anatomy]. Its effects are believed to include a granulator, ring mod, Lo-Fi, colour, delay, reverb, half-speed, chorus, flanger, phaser, beat repeat, and more.
The leak also claimed that it has a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, a microSD card slot, an internal microphone, a built-in speaker, and USB-C connection. Photos also show a colour display, and it’s also believed that no computer or DAW is required to use it, just like other compact sampler units on the market.
AI-generated Akai MPC Sample mockups exist – and yes, they are very fake

It’s worth noting that due to the speculation surrounding the launch of the MPC Sample, numerous AI-generated videos purporting to show the unit have found their way onto the internet. Like this Sora-generated video, in which the unit’s controls and text are typically distorted. Or this one, which features a 5×3 pad grid instead of the confirmed 4×4 grid. What you see in the above Instagram post is what’s been posted by Akai – so that’s the real deal.
When will the Akai MPC Sample be available?
No launch date is yet confirmed for the MPC Sample, but it does look like the official announcement has been moved forwards in response to the leak. The official release date should be announced, along with more information about its features, on 24 March, 2026.
How much will the Akai MPC Sample cost?
The leak suggested that the MPC Sample will be priced at $399. The official pricing should be revealed on 24 March with all other further details.
To sign up for alerts about the MPC Sample, head over to Akai Professional and input your email address.
The post Everything we know about the Akai MPC Sample so far: Features, pricing and availability appeared first on MusicTech.

Global recorded music revenues up 9.4% in 20252025 was a good year for the recorded music business. After a modestly performing 2024, revenues grew by 9.4% in 2025 to reach $39.5 billion. See MIDiA’s ‘Recorded music market 2025 | Rise of the fan economy’ and accompanying 12 sheet dataset for MUCH more detail.

It was a year that saw strong performance across the board – to the extent that even downloads stopped its decade-plus race to oblivion. But there was one revenue category that left all others for dust: expanded rights (labels’ participation in merch, live, brand etc), growing by a whopping 21.5%. Expanded rights and physical – which also had a strong 2025 – are the centre pieces of record labels’ fandom strategy. 

The fan economy has fast become a central part of the recorded music business, from the global success of K-pop, through indie sales on Bandcamp, to major label D2C strategy. This is why MIDiA has been including expanded rights as part of our recorded music market value since 2020 – during which time revenues for the segment more than doubled.

2025 represented a milestone for the rise of the fan economy: for the first time in the streaming era, streaming revenues grew slower than the total market, due to strong increases in expanded rights and physical. In fact, the contribution of expanded rights was so significant that using the traditional measure of recorded music (i.e. not including expanded rights), total revenue growth was a significantly smaller 7.7%.

To be clear, 7.7% is still strong growth and a welcome rebound from the 4.2% growth registered in 2024. This 2025 uptick was underpinned by a good year for streaming, with the growth rate increasing from 2024, indicating that there is still plenty of momentum left in the market. Streaming still represents the majority of revenues and contributed more new revenue than any other segment. Yet in percentage growth terms, physical licensing and expanded rights all grew faster in 2025.

The key signal here is that the recorded music market is diversifying. Streaming is the industry engine room, but labels are building an increasingly multifaceted business on and around it.

A mix of currents flowed underneath the headline global market figures: 

Latin America recorded the fastest regional growth

Non-major labels grew market share with expanded rights but lost it without

Artists Direct (self-releasing artists) saw their market share fall as streaming payout thresholds took effect – despite strong growth in streams

In fact, streaming is the place where all the complexity lies, with factors such as Artist Centric, Discovery Mode, audiobook licensing carveouts, price increases, major label distribution of independents and many other dynamics bringing an unprecedented degree of nuance to the market. 

2025 threw the recorded music business no end of challenges and disruption, not least of which being AI. The industry’s response? Grow revenues faster than in 2024, diversify income streams, optimise existing models and license new ones. Growth requires more work and effort now than it did during streaming’s peak growth years, but the fact it is increasingly spread across multiple formats, reduces risk and over-reliance on streaming. This state of affairs will prove invaluable in the years of fast change that will lie ahead.

‘Recorded music market 2025 | Rise of the fan economy’ ’ is available now for MIDiA members. If you are not a client but would like to learn how you can gain access to this report, please reach out to enquiries@midiaresearch.com.

Kenton reveal the USB Solo Mk2 Said to be the ideal solution for anyone wanting to incorporate an analogue synth into their MIDI setup, the unit combines MIDI to CV conversion with a USB MIDI interface and is capable of transmitting MIDI simultaneously over its five-pin DIN and USB connections. 

RC-20 Retro Color is 60% OFF for a limited time!
Plugin Boutique is offering the XLN Audio RC-20 Retro Color character plugin for $40 (down from $99) until March 29th. The RC-20 Retro Color is envisioned as a real trip down memory lane regarding audio effects and production methods. Warming saturation, wow and flutter that creates organic movement, noise, and hiss for that sonic patina [...]
View post: RC-20 Retro Color is 60% OFF for a limited time!

Was £870, now just £130: UJAM’s 2025 Season Bundle has all the plugins and instruments to supercharge your production arsenalRight now at Plugin Boutique, you can get a massive 85 percent off a selection of top UJAM plugins in its 2025 Season Bundle – paying just £130 instead of the usual price of over £870.
The 2025 Season bundle consists of 13 plugins, spanning advanced multi-FX processors, cinematic and synth instruments, distortion/lo-fi tools, and rhythm-focused engines with deep modulation and hundreds of presets.
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The offer runs until 5 April, with all 13 plugins for £130. You’ll get four of its UFX plugins including the Delay, Filter, Distort and LOFI, each of which has a super simple interface and 20 modes/algorithms and over 150 presets each to experiment with.

READ MORE: The best polyphonic synthesizers to buy right now

Also included is Cinedream, which offers 30 cinematic guitar styles, as well as its Chromed, Kaya, and Percs percussion plugins. You’ll also get the Gloom beatmaker plugin – designed for producers who work in minimal, ambient, and textural styles – and the virtual pianist GRIT plugin, providing “the gnarly bite and iconic bark only a rare, customised Wurlitzer piano from the 1950s can”.
The bundle also features the following Usynths:

WEBCORE (for glitchy and chaotic modern genres like hyperpop)
VORTEX (trance essentials from the late 90s and Y2K era)
DUST (dusty tones stemming from acoustic and electric instrument sources)

In other UJAM news, the plugin brand launched its first vocal processing tool earlier this year. Unlike many vocal plugins on the market, Voxcraft does not focus on repair or clean up, but instead is designed for creative processing and sound design. At its core, it offers a voice-shaping section with tools for tuning, formant shifting, and voice multiplication, followed by a chain of effects.
To shop this deal and more, head over to Plugin Boutique. 
The post Was £870, now just £130: UJAM’s 2025 Season Bundle has all the plugins and instruments to supercharge your production arsenal appeared first on MusicTech.