Damon Whiteside to step down as Academy of Country Music CEOWhiteside will remain as CEO Emeritus for the remainder of 2026 as the organization searches for his successor.
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Toontrack Music Drumopolis SDX Drum Sound Expansion for Superior Drummer 3 by Toontrack The Drumopolis SDX is a premier sound expansion for Superior Drummer 3, meticulously crafted to capture the essence of rock history. Produced by the legendary, Grammy Award-winning producer Tony Visconti—the sonic architect behind iconic records by David Bowie, T. Rex, and Thin Lizzy—this library brings five decades of audio mastery into the digital realm. Recorded at the world-renowned Metropolis Studios in London, the expansion offers a diverse range of drum tones, from the massive, open energy of large room setups to the gritty, focused punch of tight iso booths. Captured by engineer Liam Nolan (known for his work with Adele and Rihanna) and performed by drummer Stephen Gilchrist, the Drumopolis SDX features a versatile collection of kits that mirror Visconti's most famous production eras. The library is divided across two distinct studio environments within Metropolis: the spacious Studio A, known for its soaring ceilings and natural ambience, and a damped isolation booth designed for vintage-style, bone-dry textures. To further enhance the sonic depth, Toontrack included recordings from an adjacent stone room using stereo ribbon microphones, providing an additional organic layer for blending. Beyond the raw samples, the Drumopolis SDX includes an extensive selection of mix-ready presets engineered by Visconti himself. These presets allow users to instantly tap into the "Bowie-era" shimmer or the hard-hitting "Thin Lizzy" drive with minimal effort. Complementing the sounds is a dedicated MIDI library of grooves and fills, also performed by Stephen Gilchrist, ensuring that your productions benefit from both professional-grade tones and authentic human performance. Whether you are producing glam rock, modern alternative, or classic indie, this SDX provides a sophisticated palette of drums that are both historically significant and modernly flexible. Features: Produced by Tony Visconti: Legendary producer of David Bowie, T. Rex, and Thin Lizzy. Recorded at Metropolis Studios: Captured in the heart of London in one of the world's most iconic recording spaces. Two Distinct Environments: Includes the open, natural ambiance of Studio A and a tight, damped iso booth for grittier sounds. Comprehensive Kit Selection: Features multiple full kits including Slingerland (1970s), Canopus (Yaiba 2), and more. Stone Room Ambience: Extra stereo ribbon mic recordings from an adjacent stone room for unique reverb layers. Custom MIDI Library: Includes a wide array of grooves and fills inspired by Tony Visconti's discography. Mix-Ready Presets: Pre-configured channel strips and effects chains designed by Tony Visconti and the Toontrack team. Surround Sound Ready: Recorded with additional height and ambience microphones for immersive audio configurations. High-Resolution Samples: Provided as raw, unprocessed waveforms for maximum flexibility in the Superior Drummer 3 mixer. Versatile Range: Covers everything from 70s glam and classic rock to modern alternative and cinematic percussion. https://youtu.be/guYaC8U-b_4?si=YlQtg_qkj1ypZV61 Read More

Get the Roland TB-303 plugin for $49 at Plugin Boutique (ends March 8)
Plugin Boutique is offering the Roland TB-303 synth plugin at 67% off its regular price, bringing it down to $49 from $149. The deal runs until March 8th in celebration of 303 Day. The TB-303 hardware was released by Roland in 1981 as a substitute for the bass guitar. We all know the rest of [...]
View post: Get the Roland TB-303 plugin for $49 at Plugin Boutique (ends March 8)

Novation introduce the Launch Control 3 Following on from the release of the Launch Control XL 3, Novation have announced that its smaller sibling has just been treated to a similar upgrade. 

A Behringer spring reverb unit for less than £130? Yes, please.Behringer’s take on the Grampian Reverberation Unit Type 636 from the late 1960s is currently on offer at Thomann, with 10% off its normal price tag.
Now down to £129, Behringer’s Spring Reverberation 646 (previously named 636), recreates the preamp/spring reverb combo made famous by the original unit used by artists like Pete Townshend and producer Martin Hannett. It was even instrumental in shaping the sounds of early reggae, and original Grampian units are now rare, often selling for four-figure sums.
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Launched in 2024, this recreation has a simple interface inspired by the original, with control knobs for Reverberate (a dry/wet mix control to adjust the amount of reverb in your signal), Aux Channel, and Mic Channel. It has an overload circuit for warm analogue tone, plus 3.5mm inputs/outputs on the front panel and 6.3mm ins/outs on the back.

READ MORE: The best free and paid-for plugins you need to know about this week

Learn more and hear it in-use in the video below:

We’ve seen a number of Behringer items reduced in recent weeks. The price of the brand’s LM Drum was also slashed at Thomann. For less than £300, this drum machine is not just a modern take on the LinnDrum. Instead, it captures the essence of “a hundred legendary ’80s drum sounds”, according to Behringer, including those designed by Roger Linn such as the LM-1, LM-2, LM9000 and more.
Meanwhile, you can still get Behringer’s Wave synth – also at Thomann – for under £500…
Learn more about Behringer’s Spring Reverberation 646 – and shop more great deals – over at Thomann.
The post A Behringer spring reverb unit for less than £130? Yes, please. appeared first on MusicTech.

Novation unveils the latest generation of its Launch Control DAW controller: here’s everything you need to knowAfter giving it its first firmware update earlier this year, Novation has given its Launch Control XL 3 a whole new baby sibling with the Launch Control 3.
Designed for additional hands-on control with DAWs plugins and hardware both in studio and stage environments, the Launch Control 3 arrives as the latest addition to Novation’s line of compact control surfaces, bringing a number of upgrades and modern features. It’s essentially a downsized version of the Launch Control XL 3 with a similar sleek aesthetic vibe, eschewing its faders for a knob-and-button-only control surface.

READ MORE: The best free and paid-for plugins you need to know about this week

Novation Launch Control 3: features and specs

DAW integration is the bread and butter of the Launch Control, so like its big brother the Launch Control XL, this new unit is compatible with most major workstations, with “deep integration” with the likes of Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio, Cubase and Bitwig. The unit also features Mackie HUI support for Pro Tools.
At the core of the interface sit 16 endless rotary encoders/knobs, which can be assigned to pan tracks, tweak send levels, or set to control whatever parameters you like. Each of these is customisable using adjustable acceleration curves, and has its own RGB status indicator. You can also store up to seven Custom Modes, and manage them via Novation’s Components hub.
Credit: Novation
There’s also eight assignable buttons which can be used to Solo, Arm, Mute or Select tracks, or indeed mapped to specific functions to suit your own workflow.
The front face of the Launch Control 3 features a crisp OLED display, too, offering “detailed, real-time feedback” of any parameter adjustments.
You can also connect a host of hardware to the Launch Control 3, too, with 5-pin MIDI In, Out, and Out2/Thru options available offering connectivity to other devices without a computer.
Credit: Novation
Finally, the Launch Control 3 also comes with a host of additional software, including entry-level DAWs Ableton Live Lite and Cubase LE, plus Klevgrand Fosfat percussion enhancer, Baby Audio Parallel Aggressor and Output Movement.
Pricing & availability
Credit: Novation
The Launch Control 3 is available now for pre-order, both direct from the Novation website and via select authorised retailers. Shipping is expected to begin in late March 2026. Price-wise the Launch Control 3 clocks in at $169.99 / £ 129.99 / €126.
Learn more at Novation.
The post Novation unveils the latest generation of its Launch Control DAW controller: here’s everything you need to know appeared first on MusicTech.

Flavour your recordings with the sound of the Sunset Strip with this new reverb plugin from IK MultimediaIK Multimedia has unveiled Sunset Sound Studio Reverb II – a standalone version of its popular T-RackS plugin emulating the sound of the famous Sunset Strip recording studio.
Located at 6650 Sunset Boulevard, Sunset Sound is one of Hollywood’s most iconic studios, with classic albums including Van Halen’s debut and the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St. recorded at the facility. The new plugin utilises impulse responses from Studios 1, 2 and 3 so you can use them in your own recordings.

READ MORE: A Minimoog Model D for less: Save over $1,000 on one of the most influential synths of all time

The plugin harnesses IK’s Volumetric Response Modelling (VRM) technology to accurately capture the acoustic detail of the rooms, and features up to 27 different live room source positions per studio.
It also features both directional and omnidirectional modes, with dual-engine architecture so you can combine the sound of Live Rooms, Chambers, Iso Booths, EMT plates and AKG spring reverbs, each with their own EQ, stereo control and routing options.
There’s also a size control, so you can dynamically scale the virtual room between 0% and 200%, all while “preserving the original capture’s tonal fingerprint and spatial behaviour”.

Additionally, the plugin’s onboard capture library features 336 live room stereo impulse responses, with variable acoustic damping modelling available in studios 1 and 3, which emulate the real Sunset Sound’s adjustable absorption panels.
You can also choose between two preamp and signal path emulations modelled on Sunset Sound’s professional gear: the API/DeMedio Sunset Sound Custom and Class-A Discrete NEVE 8880.
The new standalone version of Sunset Sound Studio Reverb sports an updated 3D user interface, offering “immediate feedback while maintaining precise control”.
Sunset Sound Studio Reverb II is available now, priced at $/€149.99. Get it now at IK Multimedia.
The post Flavour your recordings with the sound of the Sunset Strip with this new reverb plugin from IK Multimedia appeared first on MusicTech.

A Minimoog Model D for less: Save over $1,000 on one of the most influential synths of all timeGuitar Center is currently offering a huge deal on Moog’s 2022 reissue of its Minimoog Model D, with over $1,000 off its original price.
Regarded as one of the most influential synthesisers of all time, the Minimoog Model D was introduced in 1970, and condensed the sound of Moog’s modular systems into a portable instrument. The Minimoog marked the first portable synth to land on the market, and was used by artists like Herbie Hancock, Pink Floyd, Kraftwerk, and more.
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Its three-oscillator analogue architecture, famous ladder filter and hands-on interface made sound design much more easier to navigate. This 2022 reissue features modern enhancements including a dedicated LFO, MIDI and CV connectivity, custom reissue transistors, and a premium Fatar keybed with velocity and aftertouch.

READ MORE: Six synths that define Radiohead’s sound

It retains the classic three-voltage-controlled oscillator design at the core of this synth to deliver the  rich textures it is best known for. These oscillators feed directly into Moog’s legendary 24dB/oct ladder filter, known for its saturation and warmth. Learn more with the videos below:

Back in 2022, MusicTech looked back on the legacy of the Minimoog Model D in a feature with artists Lisa Bella Donna, Gareth Jones, Ashibah and Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory. In the piece, Gregory said, “The Model D is the distillation of a lot of processes into a format that was accessible to more lowly musicians without the wall space or the budget for a modular synthesiser.
“My first experience of it was that it had this punch to it. There’s something about the speed of the attack that is huge. It’s also got these low and warm oscillators. It doesn’t sound like some of the other American synthesisers, the Arps or the Oberheims, or the Japanese, like Roland. What they don’t have that the Minimoog has is this low, animalistic punch…”
The Minimoog Model D is available for $3,749.25 – down from $4,999 – over at Guitar Center.
The post A Minimoog Model D for less: Save over $1,000 on one of the most influential synths of all time appeared first on MusicTech.

Gong Piano from The Crow Hill Company The Crow Hill Company’s latest release delivers an answer to that age-old question: “what would a piano sound like if its strings were replaced by gongs?”

Variety of Sound releases epicVerb mkII, a FREE reverb plugin for Windows
From Variety of Sound comes epicVerb mkII, a free early-reflection-based reverb plugin for Windows. When Variety of Sound releases a new plugin or update, I like to imagine Windows users dancing and punching the air, like the Microsoft team did when launching Windows 95. Please don’t tell me otherwise. In any case, a Variety of [...]
View post: Variety of Sound releases epicVerb mkII, a FREE reverb plugin for Windows

No one has a good plan for how AI companies should work with the governmentAs OpenAI transitions from a wildly successful consumer startup into a piece of national security infrastructure, the company seems unequipped to manage its new responsibilities.

US authorities seek to recover $327K USDt from romance fraud schemeA February report claimed that Tether had frozen about $4.2 billion worth of its USDt stablecoin allegedly connected to illicit activities since 2023.

FILM - TV - THEATER - GAMES: DROPS for March '26Gibson Films premiered Volume One, the first installment of a limited music docuseries series called Iommi: The Godfather of Heavy Metal, streaming exclusively on Gibson TV throughout 2026. Best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of heavy metal icons Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi’s life and career—from his humble roots in the U.K.’s Birmingham to building a lasting, influential legacy across international stages—is captured in this series. Viewers are offered in-depth interviews with the likes of Brian May, Slash, Zakk Wylde, and Rob Halford, as well as Iommi himself. For more information, contact Libby Coffey at lcoffey@primeprgroup.com.

East West Players will present the world premiere of David Henry Hwang’s newly updated 2026 book for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Flower Drum Song, opening in April at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center’s Aratani Theatre in Los Angeles. Directed by EWP Artistic Director Lily Tung Crystal, the production will serve as the finale of the company’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Legacy season and the final show before the venue’s major renovation. The reimagined musical will feature a cast led by Grace Yoo, Emily Kuroda, Marc Oka, and more, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Set in 1960s San Francisco Chinatown, the revival explores themes of identity, assimilation, and cultural legacy through a contemporary Asian American lens. Visit eastwestplayers.org for tickets and details.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), featuring an original score by Academy Award-, Emmy-, Golden Globe-, and GRAMMY-winning composer Hildur Gudnadóttir, is out now via Milan Records. The album accompanied the second chapter of the Nia DaCosta-directed horror saga, which is a dark exploration of survival, with a foreboding blend of strings, primal percussion, and unsettling instrumental effects. The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Jack O’Connell, and Alfie Williams. Gudnadóttir made history with her soundtrack for Todd Phillips’ dark psychological thriller Joker when she became the first solo woman winner of the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score (Motion Picture) since the category’s introduction in 1947. For further details, contact Sarah Roche at sarah@whitebearpr.com.

In response to early demand, Pasadena Playhouse extended its production of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus to now run through March 15. Directed by Tony Award-winner Darko Tresnjak, the production stars Tony winners Jefferson Mays as Salieri, Sam Clemmett as Mozart, and Tony nominee Lauren Worsham as Constanze, alongside a talented ensemble including Kenajuan Bentley, Matthew Patrick Davis, Jennifer Chang, and more. Theater goers will see rivals Antonio Salieri, the court’s celebrated musician, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the vulgar prodigy, go head to head in this beloved, award-winning and witty drama. Visit pasadenaplayhouse.org for tickets and more information or contact Peter Goldman at p.goldman@dcpublicity.com.

The digital soundtrack for Return to Silent Hill is out now, coinciding with the 20th anniversary since the first Silent Hill film hit theaters. Directed by Christophe Gans and starring Jeremy Irvine as James Sunderland, the film was based on Konami’s classic horror video game Silent Hill 2. The score was composed by longtime series collaborator and executive producer Akira Yamaoka, who revisited familiar melodies in tracks like “Chasing Laura” and “Moth Mary.” Yamaoka’s soundscape was intentionally composed not to tell listeners or viewers what to feel, but to leave them with an unsettling feeling of ambiguity. Contact Greg O'Connor-Read at greg@topdollarpr.com for more information.The post FILM - TV - THEATER - GAMES: DROPS for March '26 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Live Nation Antitrust Trial: 3 things to know as landmark case kicks off in New York courtHere are three things to know as the trial gets underway.
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SNES Controllers are (Almost) SPI-CompatibleConsidering that the Serial Peripheral Interface bus semi-standard has been around since the early 1980s, it’s perhaps not that shocking that the controllers of the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) would take at least some strong design hints for the used protocol. This does however raise the question of exactly how compatible a SNES controller is when connected to the SPI master peripheral of any random MCU. Recently [James Sharman] set out to answer this question decisively.
The impetus for answering this question came after [James] designed a separate SNES controller board for his homebrew computer system, which led to many comments on that video saying that he could just have hooked the controller up to the SPI board in said homebrew system.
Here the short answer is that the SNES controller protocol is very close to SPI Mode-1, with a similar arrangement of clock/data/chip select (latch) lines and clocking. If you think of the SNES controller as an SPI device with just a MISO line, you’re basically there already. The only niggle that popped up was that the ‘MISO’ line does not get pulled into a high-impedance state when the active-low latch connection is pulled high.
This was fixable by introducing a 74HC125 tri-state buffer IC, after which both the original SD card and twin SNES controllers could be used simultaneously.