Comparing Adhesives for Gluing PETG PrintsTesting every kind of glue with PETG, including wood glue. (Credit: Cosel, YouTube)
PETG is a pretty great material to print 3D models with, but one issue with it is that gluing it can be a bit of a pain. In a recent video by [Cosel] (German language, with English auto-dub) he notes that he found that with many adhesives the adhesion between PETG parts would tend to fail over time, so he set out to do a large test with just about any adhesive he could get his hands on. This included everything from epoxy to wood glue and various adhesives for plastics
For the test, two flat surfaces were printed in PETG for each test, glued together and allowed to fully dry over multiple days. After about a week each sample was put into a rig that tried to pull the two surfaces apart while measuring the force required to do so.
With e.g. two-part epoxy and super glue the parts would break rather than the glue layer, while with others the glue layer would give way first. All of these results are noted in the above graphic that has the force listed in Newton. The special notes and symbols stand for strong smell (‘Geruch’), the PETG itself breaking (‘Substrat gebrochen’) and high variability (‘hohe Streuung’) between the multiple samples tested per adhesive.
Interesting is that multiple superglues (‘Sekundenkleber’) show different results, while MMA (Methyl Methacrylate) and similar score the highest. The Bostik P580 is a polyurethane construction adhesive, usually used for gluing just about anything to anything in interior and exterior applications, so perhaps its high score isn’t so surprising. Trailing at the end are the wood glue in last place, with the UHU general adhesive also scoring rather poorly.
Clearly there are many options for gluing PETG parts, but some are definitely more sturdy than others.
Thanks to [Risu no Kairu] for the tip.

Ben Vaughn, President & CEO of Warner Chappell Nashville, passes awayIn 2009, Vaughn became the youngest executive to head a major publisher in Nashville
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Retrotechtacular: The Tyranny of Large NumbersAlthough much diminished now, the public switched telephone network was one of the largest machines ever constructed. To make good on its promise of instant communication across town or around the world, the network had to reach into every home and business, snake along poles to thousands of central offices, and hum through the ether on microwave links. In its heyday it was almost unfathomably complex, with calls potentially passing through thousands of electronic components, any of which failing could present anything from a minor annoyance to a matter of life or death.
The brief but very interesting film below deals with “The Tyranny of Large Numbers.” Produced sometime in the 1960s by Western Electric, the manufacturing arm of the Bell System, it takes a detailed look at the problems caused by scaling up systems. As an example, it focuses on the humble carbon film resistor, a component used by the millions in various pieces of telco gear. Getting the manufacturing of these simple but critical components right apparently took a lot of effort. Initially made by hand, a tedious and error-prone process briefly covered in the film, Western Electric looked for ways to scale up production significantly while simultaneously increasing quality.
While the equipment used by the Western engineers to automate the production of resistors, especially the Librascope LGP-30 computer that’s running the show, may look quaint, there’s a lot about the process that’s still used to this day. Vibratory bowl feeders for the ceramic cores, carbon deposition by hot methane, and an early version of a SCARA arm to sputter gold terminals on the core could all be used to produce precision resistors today. Even cutting the helical groove to trim the resistance is similar, although today it’s done with a laser instead of a grinding wheel. There are differences, of course; we doubt current resistor manufacturers look for leaks in the outer coating by submerging them in water and watching for bubbles, but that’s how they did it in the 60s.
The productivity results were impressive. Just replacing the silver paint used for terminal cups with sputtered gold terminals cut 16 hours of curing time out of the process. The overall throughput increased to 1,200 pieces per hour, an impressive number for such high-reliability precision components, some of which we’d wager were still in service well into the early 2000s. Most of them are likely long gone, but the shadows cast by these automated manufacturing processes stretch into our time, and probably far beyond.

ModeAudio Mineral: Ambient Techno LoopsMineral - Ambient Techno Loops from ModeAudio simmers deep beneath the Earth's surface, where liquid synth tones and earth-shaking sub frequencies combine and undulate in rhythm, the immense... Read More

“I realised I had to build my team from scratch”: James Blake reveals how he releases music independentlyJames Blake has revealed how he releases music without a major label using a platform that gives at least 50 percent of royalties to artists.
Blake has been a prominent voice in rising discussions surrounding major record labels, the streaming industry, and low payouts to musicians. Last year, he left the major label system and went on a mission to find the best ways of releasing music as an independent artist, and has even launched Vault, a streaming platform of his own.

READ MORE: “I’ve played to millions of people in my lifetime and I wouldn’t know how to contact them”: James Blake bemoans artists’ lack of ownership of fan data

In a new post shared to his Instagram page, Blake has revealed that he now uses a platform called Indify to put out his music, which puts artists in touch with music services, so you can work with them to request a deal that does not give them permanent ownerships of your masters.
In his post, Blake begins, “Last year I kicked off about the state of the music industry for artists, having left the major label system after more than a decade. Artists have been asking me for viable alternatives, and I couldn’t offer any until I’d actually tried some. I didn’t wanna be someone who just whines about it and offers no solution. Here’s an update on what I think represents an alternative future of the music industry.”
He then goes on to liken a major label deal to a “package holiday” that doesn’t tailor to an artists’ specific needs. He adds, “I realised I had to build my team from scratch. If you don’t have people who understand you working on your music, you won’t be as creatively satisfied or successful as you could be… The best place I’ve found is Indify, and that’s where I’ve done the deal for my next record.”
He later states, “This isn’t an attack but an invitation to majors. This model doesn’t exclude people who work/have worked within the major labels systems as long as they are free to work within a team of your choosing.”
To read Blake’s full statement, and more on the pros and cons of Indify, check out his post below:

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Find out more about Indify, or check out Vault from James Blake.
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Tascam introduce IF-ST2110 card for Sonicview consoles Tascam have revealed a new expansion card that brings 64 channels of SMTPE ST 2110-compliant AoIP connectivity to their Sonicview 16XP and 24XP digital consoles, alongside a firmware update that delivers some handy new features for broadcast users. 

Can AI-generated content be copyrighted? Here’s what a new report from the US Copyright Office says…A work that combines human creativity with AI can be copyrighted, so long as there is a “sufficient” amount of human expression
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How the Ralph Nader of music marketing promotes musicI call Brian Hazard the Ralph Nader of music marketing because he tests strategies and platforms and then shares what works and what doesn't.
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LANDR launches “first-ever” mobile app combining AI mastering, unlimited distribution, and collaborative toolsLANDR, the AI-powered music tool brand, is launching the first mobile app to combine AI mastering, unlimited music distribution, and real-time collaborative tools under one subscription.
The app is available now for both iOS and Android devices for $9.99 per month. LANDR describes the launch as a “groundbreaking update”, giving creators “everything they need to manage their workflows from anywhere”.

READ MORE: “It has its uses, but it shouldn’t rip creative people off”: Paul McCartney and Elton John speak out against potential AI threats amid proposed changes to UK copyright law

The app runs around LANDR’s flagship AI-powered mastering engine, with three customizable mastering styles and unlimited revisions available for use. As for distribution, artists can now release their tracks to over 150 platforms including Spotify and Apple Music within the app, while keeping 100 percent of their royalties. Analytics tools are also onboard so you can track insights for your music once it’s released out into the world.
Users can also share audio, images, and videos with fellow collaborators, as well as providing detailed time-stamped feedback via a built-in messenger, and stream high-quality audio directly from a DAW to the app. Take a closer look at the app below:

Patrick Bourget, VP of Product at LANDR, comments, “We understand that today’s music creators are increasingly mobile and need intuitive and powerful tools that adapt to their workflows. This is a game-changer for musicians who need to stay creative and connected, whenever creativity calls.”
Last year, LANDR was one of over fifty global music technology companies and associations to have penned support for Roland and UMG’s Principles for Music Creation with AI. The participating companies pledged their dedication to advocate for the responsible use of AI in music creation, to “protect the essence of music — its human spirit”.
Find out more about LANDR, or download the app now via the app store for your Apple or Android device.
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Audio Pro refreshes its A28 multi-room speaker system with a new finishSwedish brand Audio Pro, best known for its varying speakers, is relaunching its A28 multi-room speaker system in a new finish.
The A28 was first launched back in 2022, and will soon be available in a new Walnut Veneer style. The brand says it is suitable ​​for use with a TV or games console, as well as listening to music, and is an ideal partner for a turntable.

READ MORE: Audio-Technica’s new ATM355VF clip-on microphone is designed for “high-accuracy, balanced capture” of string and woodwind instruments

Following its predecessor (the A26), the A28 system was branded as a “soundbar killer”, with Audio Pro claiming it could provide even better sound for TV playback. It offers three different systems; AirPlay 2, Google Cast and Audio Pro’s own multi-room system. The multi-room function allows users to easily connect the A28 to speakers placed in other rooms, in order to play the same music throughout the home.
Audio Pro has become synonymous with Scandinavian, minimalist design style, which is often accompanied by standard colours such as black, white and grey, so to shake things up, the refresh sees the A28 with visible wood grain inspired by styles from the 1960s and 70s.
Jens Henriksen, CCO at Audio Pro, states, “We strongly believe that our Scandinavian, minimalistic style is the recipe for our success. Our aim is to keep our design as clean as possible, without any frills or embellishments.
“However, we have recently seen a demand in the market for a surface that highlights the wood structure and its beautiful grain and diverse colour scale. We feel that this does not mean that we have to compromise with our minimalist and plain design, but that it can be combined nicely. We have therefore decided to launch one of our very popular speakers, the A28, in a beautiful walnut veneer.”

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The A28 will be available at the end of February at a suggested retail price of €650/$650/£580. Find out more over at Audio Pro.
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Spotify And UMG Rigged The Game a Long Time AgoThe news broke this past Sunday that Universal Music Group and Spotify have struck a new, multi-year licensing deal.

Live Music Industry News: AEG expands Int’l • Live Music Survey • Bookclub opens in ChicagoIn the latest live music industry news, AEG announced a realignment of its international business divisions as part of an effort to expand in major international markets. Adam Wilkes will. Continue reading
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Taylor Swift’s Spotify streams have the same carbon emissions as 20,000 households, claims new reportDo you think about the carbon footprint of your music streaming? Without a physical product, plastic CD cases, vinyl or the notoriously hard to recycle shrink wrap it comes in, it’s easy to assume that streaming would be more environmentally friendly than physical music.
However, this is actually not the case. Storing and processing music in the cloud is reliant on on vast data centres which use huge amounts of resources and energy. Now, a new report has shed light on just how big the carbon footprint of streaming music is.

READ MORE: Björk calls Spotify “the worst thing that has happened to musicians”

The report, conducted by Utilities Now, breaks down the energy impact of music streaming across genres and artists. To estimate the carbon footprint associated with numerous high-profile artists’ music, researchers considered the total number of streams on Spotify, the average duration of a song (in hours), the energy consumption rate for music streaming per hour (0.055 kg CO2) and the average carbon intensity of electricity (0.385 kg CO2 per kWh).
It’s perhaps not a surprise given how popular she is that Taylor Swift was found to have racked up the greatest carbon footprint through streams of her music. Her total streams have generated 127.9 million kg of CO2, equivalent to the annual CO2 emissions of over 20,100 households or driving 319.8 million miles in an average passenger vehicle.

Drake ranks second, with a carbon footprint of 106.2 million kg CO2, closely followed by Bad Bunny at 97.5 million. Rounding out the top five are The Weeknd with 84.5 million kg of CO2 and Ed Sheeran with 70.3 million. The other artists in the top 10 are Eminem, Ariana Grande, Kanye West, Justin Bieber and Coldplay.
The report also compared the carbon footprint of different genres of music. Latin and pop were found to have the highest average energy impact, while electronic and metal had significantly lower ones.
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Instagram Edits takes on TikTok with new Creator Tools AppInstagram Edits challenges TikTok’s CapCut with an app packed with advanced tools, trending audio, and premium features to support creators. Instagram Edits takes on TikTok with new Creator Tools App. Continue reading
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The unflattening of music[This post builds on two other recent MIDiA posts: Background music and What got you here]

At the half way point of the decade it is a good time to reflect on how the business of music is reshaping the culture of music – and where this is heading. 

Streaming – and the ecosystems it feeds / feeds from ≠ has done as much to music culture in ten years as the phonograph and record player each did in half centuries. Of course, streaming would not have been possible without those prior inventions, but it has reached far more people, with more music, more frequently, and with more listening time. 

Most importantly, by pulling consumption, creation, and monetisation closer together than ever before, streaming has transformed the tense but often distant relationship between business and culture into one that now resembles a single entity. People make, and are encouraged to make, music that feeds the machine. This has resulted in what is often referred to as the flattening of music, which is most visible in the rise of ‘functional music’ and of the song over the artist. It is a process that can feel both inevitable and unstoppable. 

At the start of the year I posted a remarkably evergreen quote from Jaques Attali’s 1985 book Noise:

“Fetishized as a commodity, music is illustrative of the evolution of our entire society: deritualize a social form, repress an activity of the body, specialize its practice, sell it as a spectacle, generalize its consumption, then see to it that it is stockpiled until it loses its meaning.”

The fact that this was written long before the internet and music collided illustrates that streaming’s effect is not an isolated phenomenon  but part of a much longer continuum. The 1980s was the decade in which the CD supercharged the commercialisation of music and the Walkman kick-started today’s dominant ‘always on, everywhere’ paradigm. While streaming is massively accentuating trends, it is not creating them. Indeed, the whole idea of music as background filler is at least centuries old. For example,  800 years ago Eleanor of Acquitaine hired minstrels to soundtrack her daily court life. More recently, French composer Eric Satie wrote three pieces of music in 1917 that he called ‘furniture music’ specifically designed to be background music.

However, music has never been shunted so far into the background as it is now, including music that was intended for the foreground. It is driven by a vicious / virtual circle of influence of consumer behaviour and the algorithm. As Jeffrey Antony puts it in his 2024 piece ‘The Great Flattening’:

“These algorithms are designed to keep users engaged with the platform, ensuring that music remains a background experience rather than a foreground focus.”

 Spotify shifted its business model and user experience in pursuit of this paradigm, further fueling it with lower-cost production music (often termed as ‘fake artists’). Antony argues that this has moved music from being “deeply personal” to “commodified [and] disposable”. 

Meanwhile Daniel Ek mused that some music has a short shelf life and other music a long one. But music has always been both highly personal and commodified. Before streaming, radio was the main way most people heard music most of the time. Radio listening was often commodified background filler but the exact same songs could be deeply personal when listened to in a different way. 

The difference is that today, streaming is catering for both the deeply personal and commodified in the same platform while the behaviour / algorithm circle is nudging the needle ever further away from personal. As one writer puts it in The Mighty Pluck: “This is the blurred scenery of my life.” 

There are very clear and obvious commercial rationales at play (lowering rights costs, fragmenting rightsholder power, increasing platform power, etc.). Howevever,  it would be wrong to assume that this is all about the “fuelling the global circulation of capital”. It is also part of a much wider trend of digital platforms being terrified of losing users and their time in the saturated attention economy. In a digital economy defined by convenience, everyone wants to remove friction, which often means making decisions on users’ behalf. 

It results in a strategy of seeking not to offend rather than to delight. Nowhere is this better seen than Elon Musk’s suggestion that the most important metric of all is “Unregretted user minutes”. If one statement summarises the path towards the absolute reduction of culture, it is that.

Generative AI threatens to accelerate the trend even further. However, the seeming inevitability of all of this is only possible because of streaming’s fusing of business and culture. It is possible that algorithmically charged, functional, and generative music will become most (even all) of music in the future. But it is not yet. And it would only be able to get to that point because everyone else (labels, artists, publishers, songwriters) is, to some degree or another, playing by the new rules, terrified of missing out on audience and revenue / income. They play by these rules because the system is defined by being optimised for monetisation.

But what happens when monetisation stops working? The whole edifice comes tumbling down. It is incumbent on the system to manage the transition, so that by the time monetisation is completely broken, it is too late for a withdrawal of creative labour to break it, because the traditional creator’s role is no longer crucial or at least decisive. It might just be that the cracks in the monetisation machine are appearing early enough to change the trajectory.

With streaming growth slowing, larger rightsholders are doing everything they can to optimise including making it harder for longer tail creators and rightsholders to earn from their work. This adds to the already-growing difficulty many mid and long-tail creators have making streaming’s fractionalised royalties add up. Streaming services may not yet realise it, but they are breaking music’s 21st century social contract. Creative labour has thus far been given despite deteriorating conditions because value was returned. As value diminishes, more artists are beginning to question why they should give their labour any longer. 

We are already seeing more artists going non-DSP (e.g,. Ricky Tinexz, SEIDS, Mary Spender), triggering the start of the bifurcation of the music business, with an emerging generation of creators bypassing streaming entirely. Meaning that the foundations of tomorrow’s music culture are being laid elsewhere. It may only be a trickle for now, but already, one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 2024, Cindy Lee’s Diamond Jubilee, was pointedly not released onto streaming. How long before the trickle of streaming exiles becomes a flood?

What makes the non-DSP world so important for the unflattening of music is not the absence of algorithm (because there are plenty of those there too) but: a) the diversity of models (bandcamp, TikTok, SoundCloud) and b) being different and distinct is a feature not a bug.

Music business and culture are flattening, no doubt. The tide can be turned but it will not happen on its own. It will take both commercial and creative bravery. It will require a new social contract for music and it will be a long, tough fight. Not least because consumers (the actual people doing the listening) are not exactly throwing their hands up in dismay at having music that soundtracks the mundanity of their daily lives.

Yet, streaming may also hold the key to reversing the trend. Today’s music creators have a far bigger and more diverse musical canon to call upon than in any previous generation. Yesterday’s artists’ influences stemmed from inherently limited sources (their parents’ and friends’ record collections, their local record store, etc.). Today’s can listen to virtually every song ever written. The history of music is a steady evolution, with each generation of genres imitating and innovating the previous one. Now, creators can pull from over a hundred years’ worth of popular music, thousands of genres and millions of artists to create their own, unique take on just what music is. 

Streaming may have made itself the (flattened) establishment – but the thing about the establishment is that culture almost always rebels against it.