Digital Guitar of the Future has no stringsElectric guitars are great, but they’re just so 20th century. You’d think decades of musicians riffing on the instrument would mean there are no hacks left in the humble axe. You’d think so, but you’d be wrong. [Michael], for one, has taken it upon himself to reinvent the electric guitar for the digital era.
Gone are the strings, and the frets have vanished as well. The neck of this guitar is one long custom PCB, looking very sleek with black solder mask. Gold pads serve as touch sensors to give tone data over i2c (from unspecified touch sensing chips) to the Amtel Mega 32u4 at the heart of the build.
With no strings, strumming won’t work, so a laptop-style touchpad serves instead. That means every user interaction with this guitar is with capacitive touch sensors talking i2c. The X and Y coordinates of the touch, along with pressure are sent to the processor over the i2c bus, triggering an interrupt and offering quite a bit of opportunity for sound control.
Said sound control is, of course, done in MIDI. This lets the guitar control a whole variety of synths and/or software, and of course [Michael] is using more futuristic-sounding synths than a pack of guitar samples. That said, what exactly goes on with the MIDI controls is left frustratingly vague. Obviously fretting provides note selection, but does the touchpad just send a “note start” command, or are the X, Y and pressure data used in interesting ways? Is there multitouch support? The video doesn’t say.
How, exactly, the obviously-plastic body of the guitar was manufactured is also left unsaid. Is it a large resin print? SLS? It looks injection-molded, but that makes no sense for a one-off prototype. On the other hand, it looks like he’s selling these, so it may very well be an injection-molded production case we’re seeing being assembled here, and not a prototype at all.
For all the video leaves us wanting more information, we can’t help but admit the end product both looks and sounds very cool. (Skip to the 4:50 mark in the embedded video to hear it in action.) The only thing that would improve it would be a hurdy-gurdy mode. Thanks to [Michael] for the tip, and remember  we want to hear tips about all the weird and wonderful hacked-together instruments you make or find on the web.

From Live Nation’s $646 million Mexico deal to Universal Music Group’s $3.38bn Q2 results… it’s MBW’s weekly round-upFive of the biggest headlines from the past five days
Source

Scaler 3 Review + 20% OFF discount for BPB readers
When Scaler first hit the scene, it positioned itself as a chord progression assistant with a helpful grasp on music theory. Now in its third iteration, Scaler has grown into something much more ambitious. It has become an all-in-one toolkit for composing melodies, harmonies, basslines, and full arrangements. Scaler 3 is not just a theory [...]
View post: Scaler 3 Review + 20% OFF discount for BPB readers

Film - TV - Theater - Games: PropsAward-winning, quadruple-platinum recording artist Jessica Simpson, whose work spans film, television, music, fashion, and publishing, is set to headline the 2025 Women Who Rock Benefit Concert. The concert is slated for September 25 and presented by Gibson Gives at Stage AE in Pittsburgh. The lineup of the annual event is all female-fronted, and proceeds support lifesaving women’s health research and patient care initiatives at Magee-Womens Research Institute and UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital.In addition to music, there will be a silent auction, and the event will be emceed by 100.7 Star personality Kelly Dzanaj with Kiya Tomlin receiving the Impact Award. Learn more, see the lineup, and get tickets at axs.com/events/964223/women-who-rock-tickets.Foreigner is set to appear at a special benefit concert, Foreigner: The Hits Unplugged, on September 5, 2025 at Long Island University’s Tilles Center For The Performing Arts, hosted by the band’s original lead singer Lou Gramm. The event will support the production of Feels Like the First Time – The Foreigner Musical, which is set for an April 2026 world premiere and directed by Broadway star Adam Pascal, as well as LIU’s New Works Initiative, an effort to develop original work. Pascal (Rent, Aida, Cabaret, Chicago, Something Rotten) will lead a creative team that includes book writer Stephen Garvey (The Bardy Bunch, Five Golden Rings, Stages of Rita: The Rita Hayworth Musical) and orchestrator and arranger David Abbinanti (Heartbreak Hotel, Saturday Night Fever The Musical, Ghost The Musical). Feels Like the First Time will also feature 14 of Foreigner’s iconic hit songs. The fall benefit show will include a cocktail reception for 50 special guests and photo opps with the band. For more information, including an opportunity for a local high school choir to be part of the show, visit tillescenter.org/foreignerbenefit. It’s Never Over: Jeff Buckley, the new documentary by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg (Deliver Us from Evil, Phoenix Rising, West of Memphis) opened in theaters on August 8, and will have its premiere on HBO and be available for streaming on HBO Max this winter. Warmly received at its Sundance world premiere, Berg’s portrait of the iconic, late singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley features never-before-seen archival footage and interviews from Buckley’s inner circle, including with his mother Mary Guibert, former partners Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser, former bandmatesMichael Tighe and Parker Kindred, and other artists, friends, and collaborators. The film chronicles his short but boundary-pushing career—from his first, only, and widely acclaimed studio album Grace, released in 1994, to his sudden death in 1997 at just age 30. For more information, contact George Nicholis at gnicholis@magpictures.com.The post Film - TV - Theater - Games: Props first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Online Music Foundry Legends for X-StreamThe first expansion for Steinberg's X-Stream includes organic ambient sounds fused with cinematic textures. Step into the story of Legends, where synthesis meets imagination. This X-Stream expansion, crafted by Gary Gibbons of Online Music Foundry, unveils 110 presets designed to transport you into sonic grandeur. Featuring solo strings, ethnic woodwinds, deep textured atmospheres, evolving stacked pads, and pulse-driven synth basses, Legends for X-Stream is the perfect tool for film scoring, ambient sound design, and electronic music productions: 110 new creative presets for X-Stream, a Spectral Synthesizer for HALion Sonic. 108 manipulated stereo samples. Toolkit for ambient producers, sound designers, film and trailer composers. All presets designed by Gary Gibbons from Online Music Foundry. Exclusive expansion for X-Stream. Watch instrumental demos on YouTube. Listen to Legends for X-Stream on our SoundCloud playlist Read More

The 1982 Commodore 64 is back – and it’s just as you remember itPlenty of plugins have attempted to recapture the timeless 8-bit sound of the Commodore 64’s SID chip – but now music fans can experience the retro magic of the Commodore 64 all over again.
While YouTuber Christian Simpson (AKA Retro Recipes) originally purchased the Commodore licence to create yet another emulation the nostalgic home computer, he’s gone a step further. Simpson has entirely revived the C64 computer, complete with its era-defining MOS Technology 6581 Sound Interface Device.

READ MORE: Best speakers to buy in 2025: 11 best small studio monitors for any budget

Newly marketed as a “digital detox brand”, the Commodore website explains: “Let’s be honest – today’s tech too often feels toxic, bloated, addictive. We wake to algorithmic noise, endless notifications, and devices that demand more than they give. Somewhere along the way, the magic disappeared.”
To bring back the joy of video gaming tech, the company is now “rooted in retro values and nostalgia” and “grounded in digital minimalism”. The revival of the Commodore 64 stays true to this notion of “minimalism”, recreating the 1982 original with minimal tweaks to keep things simple and authentic.

The rebirth of the C64 now features a more modern processor, boasting an AMD Xilinx Artix-7, as well as an amped up 128MB of DDR2 RAM. There’s also an understandable increase on the 1982 original’s 64KB of flash memory, amping it up to 16MB.
A new HDMI output has also been added for modern convenience, as well as USB ports A and C for the connection of keyboards and other modern controllers. It can also be hooked up to your Wi-Fi.
However, the C64 is otherwise a complete replica of the original computer. The programmable FPGA circuit is fully compatible with the original peripherals, cartridges and floppy disks, meaning any vintage ‘80s C64 games and components can still be utilised with the 2025 edition.
In fact, Commodore have quoted a 99% compatibility across the C64’s 10,000+ game library. It even comes with a USB stick containing 50 retro games and demos to start you off – including a brand new Jupiter Lander game.

Back in the ‘80s, the SID chip’s three-voice synthesis and four waveform capabilities were ground-breaking. While that sounds limited by modern standards, its polyphonic potential birthed plenty of iconic video game soundtracks.
For those keen to get your hands on some retro nostalgia, the C64 is available in a classic Basic design, as well as Starlight and Ultimate Founders Edition versions. The Ultimate Founders Edition is limited to a rather fitting 6,400, which is inspired by Commodore’s own Golden Anniversary Edition, which boasts an amber-tinted design and gold-plated keys.
The C64 is available to order now. The Basic model is $299, while the Starlight C64 costs $349. The limitedFounders Edition will set you back by $499. Shipping kick off in October.

The post The 1982 Commodore 64 is back – and it’s just as you remember it appeared first on MusicTech.

30+ vibe coded music apps unveiled at Outside Lands FestivalOutside Lands Music Festival's buildathon and competition Outside LLMs has opened the public voting for it latest crop of AI-powered apps. These vibe coded music apps were each created in less than four hours using Lovable.dev.
The post 30+ vibe coded music apps unveiled at Outside Lands Festival appeared first on Hypebot.

Make your release stand out with Apple Music Album MotionWant to make your album pop on Apple Music and drive more fan engagement? Like Spotify Canvas for Apple Music, Album Motion lets you animate cover art. his guide makes it easy to get started in minutes.
The post Make your release stand out with Apple Music Album Motion appeared first on Hypebot.

New Paraline cabinets from Yorkville Designed for both ground-stacked and flown applications, the latest additions to the Paraline series been designed in response to user feedback, and promise to deliver an impressive output despite their compact size. 

Ash Taylor releases SFLT, a FREE SoundFont player plugin for Windows
Developer Ash Taylor has released SFLT, a free SoundFont player plugin for Windows available in both FL Studio native format and as a VST3/CLAP plugin. I’ll be honest… I haven’t used SoundFonts seriously in over a decade. Back in the day, I relied on a handful of .sf2 files for piano, bass, and drums. But [...]
View post: Ash Taylor releases SFLT, a FREE SoundFont player plugin for Windows

Solid State Logic brings the classic SL 4000 G channel strip to plugin formatSolid State Logic has faithfully recreated the channel strip of its classic SL 4000 G console, used in studios in LA and London by top producers, in a new plugin.
The SSL 4K G is described as “the definitive” emulation of the original channel strip, and it has been created by its original designers. Until 24 August, Plugin Boutique is offering an introductory price on the 4K G, with 33 percent off its full price.

READ MORE: Meet the Solid State Logic Oracle – a revolutionary new analogue console with instant recall and reset capabilities

The original SL 4000 G landed in 1987, and expanded on the legacy of its predecessor: the SL 4000 E. SSL describes it as the pinnacle of the 4000 series, having marked the final chapter in its 4000 B, E, and G console trilogy.
The console introduced a more refined sound compared to those that had come before it, and was notably used in both Olympic Studios in London and the Record Plant in LA. Respected engineers and producers including Spike Stent, Bob Rock, Dr Dre, and MixedByAli are all known to have used the console during their careers.
[deals ids=”3vcCja5ulYfI7DA9LVAJq8″]
This channel strip plugin models the original circuitry in detail, including the component level of its famous Pink ‘292’ and Black ‘242’ EQ, and includes the HMF ×3 and LMF ÷3 selector switches from the 292; these allow the HMF and LMF bands to be shifted to the outer extremes of the frequency spectrum for unique EQ curves.
The 292 EQ itself utilises a variable Q design, meaning that smaller boosts or cuts naturally result in broader curves – a feature well-loved among engineers for gentle tone shaping on vocals in the original console.
The SSL 4K G plugin also models the 4000 G dynamics section, offers the option to engage the classic 4000 E Series Jensen transformer-modelled mic preamp, and includes a Variable Mic Input Impedance control, taken from the FX383 G Series outboard unit – SSL’s first-ever outboard channel strip.
Check out the video below for more information on its abundance of features, and hear how it sounds:

SSL 4K G is available now for an introductory price of £99.99 until 24 August via Plugin Boutique.
The post Solid State Logic brings the classic SL 4000 G channel strip to plugin format appeared first on MusicTech.

Check how your mix sounds through multiple popular headphone models with Kali Audio’s new HP-1 Multi-Reference HeadphonesKali Audio has launched its first ever pair of over-ear headphones, the HP-1, which lets you switch between three voicings to check how your work will sound through the most popular headphones in use today.
Ideal for mixing and quality control in the studio, but also suitable for gaming and everyday use, the HP-1 headphones are DSP-powered and provide a “neutral, accurate representation” of your track.

READ MORE: Nothing’s first pair of over-ear headphones are integrated with ChatGPT

HP-1’s key voicings include a studio mode for transparent sound that translates faithfully, a bass-heavy mode that replicates headphones popular with hip-hop and EDM listeners, and a consumer voicing that replicates the sound of popular, everyday headphones sold alongside phones and computers.

When producing or mixing, these voicings let you tap in and out of what your listeners will hear when playing back your work. They can be switched between with the press of a button, and a LED on the right earcup will change colour to indicate the selected tuning, along with a voice response that confirms what voicing is active.
A wired connection is available via a 3.5mm jack on the headphone and an included cable, which will give the highest fidelity playback for serious studio use, but Bluetooth pairing is also possible for casual listening.
Other all-round features include active noise cancelling, wireless calling, and physical playback controls. They offer a closed-back design, 40mm drivers, and a long battery life for 40 hours of playback on a full charge.
Check out more below:

The Kali Audio HP-1 headphones are available now for £199. You can find out more or shop now via the Kali Audio website. 
The post Check how your mix sounds through multiple popular headphone models with Kali Audio’s new HP-1 Multi-Reference Headphones appeared first on MusicTech.

IK Multimedia introduce T-RackS 6 Prism Reverb The latest arrival to IK Multimedia’s ever-expanding T-RackS 6 collection aims to provide sound designers, producers and guitarists with “more than just another shimmer reverb”.

MeldaProduction Analog Empire: Brass & WindsAnalog Empire: Brass & Winds is a premium MSoundFactory instrument delivering the majestic power and subtle nuances of synthesized brass and wind instruments. With a core of over 30 meticulously sampled real synth multi-samples. Its dual-layer engine allows you to forge entirely new brass and wind textures, blending classic analog warmth with modern sound design possibilities. https://youtu.be/zkx8rMQKAdI Why Choose Analog Empire? Analog Empire is designed for producers who demand expressive, high-quality sounds without the complexity. Its intuitive interface makes it incredibly fast to dial in the perfect brass or wind sound that sits beautifully in your mix. Whether you're scoring a film with epic fanfares, adding soulful horn stabs to a funk track, or designing unique atmospheric pads, Analog Empire provides the rich sonic palette you need to bring your vision to life. Two Layers of Power At the heart of Analog Empire: Brass & Winds is a powerful dual-layer engine. Load any of the rich brass or wind sounds into two independent slots, Sound A and Sound B. Each layer features its own dedicated controls for pitch, analog-style Drift, and Unison, allowing you to craft everything from tight, focused leads to wide, detuned ensembles. A Full Suite of Studio Effects The comprehensive FX page transforms your raw sounds into polished, production-ready tones. Modulation: Add movement and texture with dedicated Tremolo, Flanger, and Chorus effects. Time: Create space and rhythm with a versatile Delay and a lush Reverb featuring a gorgeous Shimmer control for ethereal, celestial textures. Character: Infuse your sounds with a vintage vibe using the Lo-Fi Tape effect, complete with Dust, Filter, and Warmth controls. Master Your Sound The final Master section ensures your instrument fits perfectly into any professional mix. It includes high-pass and low-pass filters (HP/LP), a 3-band EQ, one-knob Compress, Saturate, and Maximize controls, plus stereo Width adjustment and a mono switch for complete sonic control. Professional Presets Dive straight into creativity with amazing presets crafted by pro sound designers. MPE Compatible Fully supports MIDI Polyphonic Expression for nuanced and expressive performances. User-Friendly Interface Designed for simplicity and speed, allowing you to achieve the perfect sound quickly with easy sculpting. FREE for some If you already have MSoundFactory or MSoundFactoryLE, Analog Empire: Brass & Winds is completely free to download. You just need to run MPluginManager and get it. However, you can buy it separately and use it with the free version of MSoundFactory - MSoundFactory Player. Read More

Apple has now sold 3 billion iPhonesThe rate of iPhone sales growth has accelerated too. This uptick in sales might be temporary, though.