Hollywood Audio Design War MachineWAR MACHINE. Cinematic Trailer Music Creator. WAR MACHINE is a powerful cinematic trailer music creator for Kontakt, designed to help composers, producers, filmmakers, and content creators build massive trailer cues and cinematic productions in minutes. Featuring 32 complete cinematic trailer song sets packed with professionally edited loops, melodic phrases, rhythmic pulses, drums, basses, hybrid elements, atmospheric textures, impacts, risers, transitions, and more, WAR MACHINE delivers instant inspiration without slowing down your creative workflow. Whether you're producing cinematic trailers, film and television scores, video game music, action sequences, YouTube content, podcasts, or multimedia projects, WAR MACHINE gives you the freedom to mix, layer, rearrange, and create powerful new compositions in real time. With over 2.9 GB of premium audio content, every performance has been carefully edited for seamless playback and maximum flexibility. Each of the 32 song sets includes multiple musical sections and elements mapped across the keyboard, allowing you to instantly create, perform, and build complete cinematic productions inside Kontakt. Features. 32 complete Cinematic Trailer Song Sets. Over 2.9 GB of premium audio content. Hundreds of professionally edited loops, phrases, pulses, drums, basses, atmospheres, impacts, risers, transitions, and more: Real-time cinematic song construction. Instantly layer, mix, and rearrange musical sections. Professionally edited for maximum flexibility. Drag-and-drop WAV source material included. Key and original BPM reference chart included for all 32 song sets. Perfect for Film, TV, Games, Trailers, YouTube, Podcasts, and Multimedia. Royalty-Free for commercial productions. https://soundcloud.com/hollywood-audio-design/sets/war-machine?si=2bfa9a8c484f4ba8a8d36b7f11154a94&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing *Requires Kontakt 7.7.3+. NOT compatible with the FREE Kontakt Player*. **Also Includes full WAV file libraries**. • Over 2.9 GB Of Included Cinematic Trailer Audio Content Kontakt Instruments + HD WAV Source Files. https://www.hollywoodaudiodesign.com/ Read More

Marshall unveils new Auracast-enabled Action IV and Stanmore IV Bluetooth speakersIconic guitar amp and consumer audio company Marshall has unveiled its new Bluetooth Acton IV and Stanmore IV speakers, which deliver a revamped soundstage with more even frequency response.
They also feature Dynamic Loudness, which activates limiters when volume increases to ensure nothing gets distorted. Whether you’re rocking out or putting on a techno dance party, the music will be crystal clear.
“Since first launching in 2012, Marshall’s home speakers have evolved while remaining  true to our heritage. These always-in-place speakers form the foundation of any home setup,” says Simona Berbec, Product Manager at Marshall Group.

READ MORE: FL Studio 2026 has arrived: here’s everything you need to know

Logistically and aesthetically, these two speakers are a great choice. The RCA and AUX cable ports are in the bottom so the speakers can line up snugly against the wall, within a bookshelf, or anywhere right angles make for the best fit. Plus, these cables open connectivity for record players and all manner of analog audio sources.
Then for the look and feel, the speakers maintain the classic Marshall design, flaunting the unmistakable cursive logo against a salt-and-pepper amp mesh with a brass control dashboard featuring precise knobs for volume, bass, and treble. The Marshall app opens even more audio options with an expanded EQ and audio placement optimisation.
And if you ever decide you want to make a stack of Bluetooth speakers (like a true Marshall enthusiast), Auracast technology allows multiple Acton IVs and Stanmore IVs to play music from the same source. Acton IIIs and Stanmore IIIs are compatible as well.
“Acton and Stanmore [are] chosen time and again for their iconic design, premium build quality, rich, powerful sound, and intuitive tactile controls,” Berbec continues. “With our fourth generation, the focus has been on protecting and strengthening these core qualities, building on what people love rather than reinventing it.”
The Acton IV and Stanmore IV are available now in black and cream colors. The Acton IV starts at $329.99, and the Stanmore IV starts at $429.99. For more information, head to Marshall.
The post Marshall unveils new Auracast-enabled Action IV and Stanmore IV Bluetooth speakers appeared first on MusicTech.

Numark launches two new controllers perfect for anyone who wants to start DJingLongstanding maker of DJ gear Numark has just released two controllers that anyone can use to launch their DJ career: the Party Mix III and MixTrack Go.
The Party Mix III presents all the core functions of any DJ setup, such as jog wheels, a three-band EQ, and three faders, one for each channel and a crossfader. To dial in your mixing skills, try the sync button (don’t let any haters tell you not to use it, especially when you’re starting out), and when you’re ready to try beatmatching by ear, it has beat align indicators as well.

READ MORE: FL Studio 2026 has arrived: here’s everything you need to know

Starting out here can familiarise you with the basics of mixing two tracks together while also offering functions that open the opportunity for some serious creativity. The Instrumental and Acapella buttons use modern tech to isolate the vocals and the backing track, allowing for seamless mashups. Just make sure you’re also in key!
And as another cool detail, the Party Mix III has three LEDs built in that will project a beat-matched light show while you’re spinning. It’s literally the only thing you need for a full production.
Credit: Numark
“The Party Mix has always been the controller that gets people hooked on DJing, and Party Mix III takes that tradition to a whole new level,” says Jake Hill, Senior Marketing Manager – DJ Brands at Numark.
The MixTrack Go is the smaller version, designed for mobile use. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the light show, but it still offers enough to practice those transitions for when it’s time to try a bigger setup.
“MixTrack Go is for the DJ who wants to mix anywhere from their home studio to the back of an Uber,” Hill continues. “Both of these controllers bring modern DJ tools like Stems control and Bluetooth MIDI control to price points where more people than ever can pick them up and start playing.”
Both models come with three DJ software options: Serato DJ Lite, Algoriddim djay (iOS, Android), and Algoriddim djay Pro (Mac, PC). They’re also compatible with Serato DJ Pro and VirtualDJ if you have a license for them. Plus, they have Bluetooth connectivity to run on smartphones, tablets, and any other mobile device.
The Party Mix III is available for $149 / €139.99 / £119.99, and the MixTrack Go is $99 USD / €99.99 / £79.99. For more information, head to Numark.
The post Numark launches two new controllers perfect for anyone who wants to start DJing appeared first on MusicTech.

Tonal Forms releases DADO – Lilac Alloy, a FREE Kontakt Player instrument
Tonal Forms has released DADO – Lilac Alloy, a free Kontakt Player instrument available through Native Instruments. Developer Francesco Sabatini reached out about this one via email, and it was one of the best emails I received in a while. Francesco is a lead product designer at Native Instruments, where he works on Kontakt instruments, [...]
View post: Tonal Forms releases DADO – Lilac Alloy, a FREE Kontakt Player instrument

LANDR expand Fair Trade AI programme LANDR have just announced the next phase of their Fair Trade AI programme, a pioneering opt-in music-licensing programme aimed at independent artists.

FL Studio 2026 has arrived: here’s everything you need to knowFL Studio 2026 has officially arrived, and Image-Line’s popular DAW has been blessed with a number of exciting upgrades.
FL Studio 2026 mainly focuses on improving workflow, but there are creative updates as well. They include a new and improved FLEX function, as well as improved cloud project backup, upgraded music-making tools and more.
Let’s dive right into what is new…
FL Studio 2026: what’s new?

The primary update in the software is the new and improved FLEX, one of the most celebrated features in the DAW, which hasn’t seen this kind of overhaul since 2019! There are tons of logistical upgrades in here. Its new browser can search all sound packs, load sound previews faster, and introduces more specific filters with parameters such as genre to get whatever you’re looking for front and centre as quickly as possible. FLEX also has a new engine to make everything run more seamlessly.
For added peace of mind, FL Studio 2026 includes automatic cloud backup that comes with every FL Cloud plan. Now even if the worst-case scenario happens to a laptop or hard drive, every FL Studio project can be restored. Cloud storage sizes are as follows: 500 MB in Free, 5 GB in Plus, and 1 TB in Pro. Plus, Image-Line has assured that none of the projects in the cloud will be used to train AI.
FL Studio 2026 embraces AI as well with the expansion of its workflow assistant, Gopher. While Gopher doesn’t train on user data, users can give it instructions to take care of more complex tasks than previous iterations, such as organising tracks, routing mixer channels, setting levels, adjusting plugin parameters, generating Piano Roll content, creating VFX scripts, and more.
FL Studio 2026 also introduces Transmitter in the All Plugins Edition. This function is designed to separate transients and sustain elements of audio signals. Transient shaping is common to add different qualities to a sound. So, with this new feature, endless new creative choices will be available as both parts of the signal can be processed and routed completely independently from one another.
Other more creative aspects of the new update include eight more free sound packs in FLEX. They have over 200 presets while also displaying plugin artwork in full size to add that extra visual flair.
Credit: Image-Line
FL Cloud subscribers will also have a far greater library within Loop Starter. The piano roll has received two new updates as well. The chord panel can suggest new chords and notes that will stay in the key of the current project. Notes in the roll will also be able to be renamed for custom visual cues that can help a producer who may not know theory, but knows what they want to hear.
There’s also a new Audio Logger feature – which continuously captures the last 60 seconds of master output, in such cases where you come up with a good idea while not recording. Let’s face it – we’ve all done it at some point…
What has Image-Line said about FL Studio 2026?
Credit: Image-Line
“Every second spent searching, organising, or recovering work is time taken away from creating,” says Constantin Koehncke, CEO of Image-Line.
“With FL Studio 2026, we’ve removed friction throughout the creative process with a wide range of quality-of-life and workflow improvements, while introducing powerful new creative tools designed to inspire new ideas and help more people make more music.”
How can I get FL Studio 2026?
All current license holders can download this new version for free as part of Image-Line’s Lifetime Free Updates policy.
If you’re new to the FL Studio ecosystem, you can get FL Studio 2026 at four tiers offering increasingly comprehensive perks:

Fruity Edition – £89
Producer Edition – £199
Signature Bundle – £279
All Plugins Edition – £469

For more information, head to Image-Line.
The post FL Studio 2026 has arrived: here’s everything you need to know appeared first on MusicTech.

Check out some FREE synths from the KVR Developer Challenge 2026
The KVR Developer Challenge 2026 is underway, and with over 50 freebies on offer, we’ve got lots to choose from. We’re taking a quick look at some of the synths from this year’s contest, and it’s a pretty impressive lineup. We have almost a month before the winners are announced on August 4, 2026, but [...]
View post: Check out some FREE synths from the KVR Developer Challenge 2026

How Lightning in a Bottle 2026 made room for ambient music at 2amDespite being an active international touring artist, Julianna Barwick is always in bed by 10 pm. Well, almost always. At 2:15 am on 25 May, she was onstage in Bakersfield, California, with her Boss RC-50 Loop Station, manipulating her ethereal vocals in the Moon Room at Lightning in a Bottle festival (LIB).
The longstanding California music festival introduced the Moon Room this year as a space for ambient, downtempo, and other more relaxing styles of electronic music. The thousands of colourful and crusty attendees can see hundreds of house, techno, drum ‘n’ bass, and dubstep artists performing across five days. The Moon Room is where they can go to take a break.

READ MORE: “There’s a great opportunity for people who are committed to being creative”: Chris Lake wants you to make something with what you’ve got

It’s like the chillout rooms at the psy-trance raves Megan Perez-Carpenter attended in the early 00s. She is the senior producer of music and content at Do LaB (the promoter behind LIB), and in her offer email to Barwick, she explained that Barwick was her top choice to close out the weekend.
“It was so earnest and really sweet,” Barwick says. “Her words, saying that she curated the ambient corner of the festival, and it was her dream to have me close it out. I was like, ‘You know what? Why not?’ Why not do something weird that someone’s gonna really love?”
Moon Room at Lightning In A Bottle 2026. Image: @cassadycreations
The Moon Room was a labour of love for Perez-Carpenter. She also books the festival’s primary stages, where major headliners such as Sara Landry, Mau P, and Chase & Status DJ’d throughout this latest sold-out edition. As with any large-scale festival, there are multiple factors she considers when booking those artists, not the least of which was ticket sales. But for the Moon Room, the only factor to consider was her vision for the stage.
Ahead of my chat with her, I look up every name on Spotify to get a sense of what I would hear there. Of the 16 artists on the list, I only found three or four of them (including Barwick) on streaming services. Perez-Carpenter didn’t book these artists based on monthly listeners, and she knew many of them personally before booking them.
Thugfucker had provided his minimalist psychedelic 4/4 music at LIB numerous times in the past. So, Perez-Carpenter asked him to play one of his Mellow Trip sets, which stem from mixes he curates when he’s making the trip to Burning Man. She knew about zz because of her radio programme, notes of moss, that’s been broadcast on SutroFM, All Day Play FM, and HYDEFM.
“It was very intentional. There were only three or four slots per night. I really wanted to choose the people that I felt passionate about. It was not about moving tickets at all,” Perez-Carpenter explains. “I’ve been booking these main stages for so long. It felt fun to do something creative and different, and also a little bit vulnerable. Do other people have the same taste as me? Are [they] going to like this? It was out of my comfort zone, and I love that.”
I chat with Perez-Carpenter on Thursday afternoon of the festival. The Moon Room only hosted a single set at that point. But even then, she speaks openly about all the excitement she’s been receiving about it. From the effusive reaction to the stage announcement on social media, to the enthusiasm from the artists she booked.
But out of all 16 acts, two of them especially inspired the whole concept: Barwick and the UK heartfelt dance artist, 1-800 GIRLS.
Moon Room at Lightning In A Bottle 2026. Image: @cassadycreations
As Barwick mentioned, she was Perez-Carpenter’s number one choice to close out the festival at the Moon Room. Perez-Carpenter saw Barwick perform her swelling vocal loops and huge bass frequencies at Form Arcosanti in 2024, a boutique festival in the middle of the Arizona desert, and immediately knew she’d be perfect for the new LIB stage.
“Experiencing her set from knowing nothing about who she was as an artist, it just cracked me completely open. I was crying. It was such an emotional experience,” Perez-Carpenter says. “I asked her to close the Moon Room because [LIB] is such a big experience, and I really wanted to have a moment at the end where you can have that reflective time..”
When Barwick played her set (after taking a nap in her trailer for a few hours), she didn’t bring anyone to tears, but a member of the audience jumped on stage as she summoned titanic bass from her Nord Electro 4D during the closing track, Inspirit. In all her years performing, that had never happened before.
“That guy was having the time of his life,” Barwick says. “I’m really ripping the bass. It shakes the rafters. It shakes every electrical thing. I was really going for it.”
When 1-800 GIRLS played his set at Moon Room, summer camp was at its peak. It was Saturday at 10:30 pm, right when the night really kicks off. Plus, he had already spent the previous day at the festival, clearing 35,000 steps as he wandered the grounds and got a feel for what he was going to play.
Perez-Carpenter wanted 1-800 GIRLS, real name Jake Stewart, at the Moon Room because of his Monday night radio show on SWU FM, where he explores softer ambient sounds.
“I always take that opportunity to play the stuff that I wouldn’t necessarily play out in my sets on the weekend,” Stewart explains.
The Moon Room was the first place he ever played ambient music for a live audience, but when I was lying there during his set, inches from the front subwoofer, it was clear he was well-versed in the style. Like Barwick, it was an opportunity for experimentation. He was playing drone, classical music, and anything else that provided respite for a supine audience.
Moon Room at Lightning In A Bottle 2026. Image: @cassadycreations
Stewart only had CDJs onstage, but the nature of the music clashed with the natural DJ instinct to focus on concrete elements such as BPM:
“Piecing it together was the most difficult part. In terms of BPM, ambient songs can be anything from like 60 to 110, but there’s no real beat to it,” Stewart says. Without tempo as a standard guideline, the set became about mood, texture, and timbre. “Moving through organic into more electronic stuff was a transition I felt throughout the set. Doing 15 to 20 minutes of more spaced-out strings and pianos into arpeggiated ambient.”
Reverb and echo effects took on a new importance, adding the spacious quality to more refined tracks while carrying different textures between transitions. He also did loop manipulations to sustain moments that he felt fit the environment.
“I listen to a lot of music, and sometimes I don’t necessarily like the drop. Sometimes, the melodic part of the song speaks more to me,” Stewart says. “There were certain songs that were really pretty at the beginning. I’d find something else in key, loop that, build the suspension, and then bring it back.”
Stewart didn’t get anyone jumping on stage as he was DJing, but at one point, he looked out to see what he described as a shaman helping members of the crowd with breathing exercises. While the music at the Moon Room was intended to be softer than the majority of the programming, for Perez-Carpenter, it was less about being strictly ambient than providing a safe space for people to do what they needed to do in the moment.
“The 2am to 4 am slot is going to be a little different each night. It’s less ambient and more downtempo, sexy, sensual, R&B, dub. It might get a little energetic in those hours,” Perez-Carpenter says. “I just made sure that people can move their bodies if they want, but this isn’t a dancefloor-oriented space. I hope people feel the music and want to move and do whatever they need to do.”
Moon Room at Lightning In A Bottle 2026. Image: @cassadycreations
Personally, at a moment where I needed a break from Sara Landry’s gut-bursting hard techno, I went to the Moon Room, wrapped my pashmina around my face, and performed acupressure on my head. Even though the space wasn’t sonically isolated, and some raging beats still managed to sneak in, the music was perfect. After a few minutes, I was fully energised to do more festival-ing.
Now, in hindsight, Perez-Carpenter is considering how she can use production to create that extra layer of immersion away from the rest of the festival: “It’s a creative challenge to create an ambient space amidst the noise of the rest of the festival but we are creative folks and we are excited to keep developing the concept.”
But overall, the feedback she’s received has only grown from the enthusiasm she received leading up to the festival:
“Every time I stopped by, the Moon Room was full of people, pretty astounding if you consider that it operated mostly during headliner sets! I saw people enjoying the calmer space, cuddle puddles, rave naps, spontaneous group movement, and even a dancing crab made an appearance. It became a touchstone throughout the week as a place to drop in and get grounded amidst the chaos of the festival.”
The post How Lightning in a Bottle 2026 made room for ambient music at 2am appeared first on MusicTech.

“For decades, achieving apex results meant owning the right gear – this changes the equation completely”: Heritage Audio unveils new all-tube channel strip, TUBESTRIPMadrid-based audio component manufacturer Heritage Audio has just upped the ante on channel strip technology. Its newest product, the TUBESTRIP, is designed to be the only channel strip a studio could ever need. With its four processors – a preamp, EQ, and two compressors – it can refine any audio source to the desired quality.
An audio signal hits the preamp first, with a huge amount of headroom maxing out at 60dB, and a simple MORPH knob which tweaks your sound. All the way to the left is Pentode mode, which is ideal for a harsher sound. All the way to the right is Triode mode for warmth. Bisecting the two is UltraLinear, which balances both.

READ MORE: “It doesn’t raise the bar in instrument amplification technology. It redraws it entirely”: Heritage Audio introduces the Mix Buddy

Then the signal encounters the Type 69 EQ. There are four bands to the equalizer, two of which are a bass boost and cut. Then the mid can toggle between boost and cut. Treble gets a single knob. The two other knobs, making six total, can dictate the specific frequency for the bass and mid.

The first compressor is the Vari-Mu for controlling attack and recovery when more significant compression is needed to manage the signal. A button can also switch the routing for the signal to hit the EQ after the compressor to add more colour once the volume is properly managed.
Last up is the optical compressor. This one adjusts the threshold to put the final touches on what the Vari-Mu sends out. It can also be swapped for a de-esser with a dedicated frequency knob for when that one pesky sound keeps jutting through the mix.
Credit: Heritage Audio
“For decades, achieving apex results meant owning a room full of the right gear, knowing which unit to reach for on which source, and spending years learning how to make them work together. The TUBESTRIP changes that equation completely,” says Heritage Audio.
“Vocals, drums, guitars, bass, keys, room mics, acoustic instruments… whatever you place in front of it, the TUBESTRIP has the tools, the character, and the intelligence to take it exactly where it needs to go.”
The TUBESTRIP is available for $3,499. For more information, head to Heritage Audio.
The post “For decades, achieving apex results meant owning the right gear – this changes the equation completely”: Heritage Audio unveils new all-tube channel strip, TUBESTRIP appeared first on MusicTech.

NoizLabs offers the Beheader clipper plugin FREE for a limited time
NoizLabs has released Beheader, a free-for-a-limited-time clipper and saturation plugin for macOS and Windows. Beheader is a surgical clipper with a simple interface. Like any clipper, instead of pulling the whole signal down to avoid a ceiling, it clips only the peaks that exceed it, so you can control loud transients while keeping more of [...]
View post: NoizLabs offers the Beheader clipper plugin FREE for a limited time

AlphaTheta’s new XDJ-AN makes the leap from bedroom DJ to club booth a whole lot easierIf you’ve learned to DJ on a controller at home, stepping up to a club setup can feel like being thrown in at the deep end.
AlphaTheta’s new XDJ-AN is designed to smooth out that learning curve, packing a familiar club-style workflow into a 2-channel all-in-one system that works with USB drives, streaming services, laptops and even your phone.

READ MORE: Short on booth space? AlphaTheta’s new CDJ-1500X multi player packs flagship features into a smaller footprint

Borrowing its layout from AlphaTheta’s flagship CDJ-3000X multi player and DJM series mixers, the XDJ-AN is designed to make the jump from a bedroom setup to a club booth feel as natural as possible.
At the heart of the controller is a 7-inch touchscreen paired with two 132mm jog wheels, giving DJs a familiar hands-on experience inspired by club-standard gear. Performance features include three Beat FX – Reverb, Echo and Flanger – alongside six Sound Colour FX: Space, Dub Echo, Sweep, Noise, Crush and Filter for adding texture and movement to your mixes.
Credit: AlphaTheta
According to AlphaTheta, the XDJ-AN makes it “easy to perform using multiple music sources”. It supports USB drives, DJ apps on mobile devices and PC/Mac, and compatible streaming services, while StreamingDirectPlay lets you mix tracks directly from supported platforms.
There’s support for rekordbox Cloud Library Sync and CloudDirectPlay as well, allowing you to access cloud-based playlists and tracks without manually exporting them to a USB drive. If you’re using a compatible rekordbox subscription, edits such as Hot Cues and playlist changes are automatically synced with the cloud. The XDJ-AN also works with rekordbox and djay for iOS, as well as the DJM-REC app for recording and live streaming.
The unit also features a built-in SonicLink transmitter, allowing DJs to pair compatible wireless headphones for ultra-low-latency monitoring without additional hardware.
Finally, the XDJ-AN features balanced XLR and RCA outputs for everything from home speakers to professional PA systems, alongside Bluetooth input and output for added flexibility. The result is a compact all-in-one system that delivers professional connectivity and clear, powerful sound whether you’re practicing at home or playing out.

The XDJ-AN is available now with a price of €1,149 including VAT / $1,099 excluding tax / $1,199 (Only in the US, excluding sales tax).
Learn more at AlphaTheta.
The post AlphaTheta’s new XDJ-AN makes the leap from bedroom DJ to club booth a whole lot easier appeared first on MusicTech.

AlphaTheta XDJ-AN: A $1,200 Standalone 2-Channel Replacing the XDJ-RR, Only Takes USB-C DrivesA decade after the XDJ-RR, AlphaTheta's $1,200 XDJ-AN weighs the same and costs about the same, just with streaming and cloud sync built in.
The post AlphaTheta XDJ-AN: A $1,200 Standalone 2-Channel Replacing the XDJ-RR, Only Takes USB-C Drives appeared first on DJ TechTools.

The Over‍looked "Australian Invasion": The '80s Down Under Expl⁠osi⁠on Tha‍t Ne‌ver G‍ot Its DueFrom AC/DC's Back in Black to Men at Work, INXS, and Midnight Oil, Australian artists left an undeniable mark on the 1980s. In this exclusive excerpt from Down Under: The Men at Work and Colin Hay Story, Greg Prato investigates why this remarkable era has remained one of rock history's most underappreciated musical movements.

Bitcoin tumbles back to key $60K support level: What’s behind the sell pressure?Bitcoin faces renewed sell pressure amid an oil price surge, Japan economic contagion risks and a fresh round of selling from Strategy.

Feds demand autonomous vehicle companies stop interfering with first respondersThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said emergency scenes are not "edge cases."