“No one is listening thinking, ‘He didn’t use the right kick mic for that’”: Blake Slatkin on what really matters in music productionWhile a relatively young producer at 27, LA-born Blake Slatkin has worked with the likes of Lil Nas X and The Kid LAROI, so he knows a thing or two about making a hit.
And in a new interview with MusicTech, he shares a similar opinion held by many producers and musicians nowadays: that crafting a good song should always come above the technicalities of the production that follows.

READ MORE: 808 Day: Get Roland’s official TR-808 plugin emulation at a massive discount for a limited time

“Now things are getting so accessible, the only thing that separates good music from bad music is just good ideas,” he explains.
“I’ve been a part of songs where we spend so much money – we’re at fancy studios, and we have the best gear and the best engineers, and we make something that doesn’t do well. And then there’s a kid in Wisconsin who’s in their closet, making a song that goes massive.”
But this is “exactly how it should be”, he explains. “I’m not mad at that at all. There are no rules. No one is listening, thinking, ‘Ah, he didn’t use the right kick mic for that. This song isn’t good.’ It’s really just like, ‘make something good.’ And I think we’re in one of the most inspiring times ever for music. It’s very punk rock.”

He says production is “nothing without a good song”, adding: “Anything I do when I make music is just in service of the song itself.”
“At the end of the day, song is king. We’ll get the good drum sounds later. When I’m making music, I only want to be thinking about the song.”
Elsewhere in the interview, he speaks of his dislike of Pro Tools, often seen as the industry-standard DAW.
“I use Pro Tools and it just sucks ass,” he laughs. “It’s harder to do stuff in Pro Tools; it makes you think a little bit more about what you want to do. It takes that extra five seconds to change the tempo. So it makes me think, ‘Do I really want to change the tempo?’”
Read the full interview with Blake Slatkin at MusicTech.
The post “No one is listening thinking, ‘He didn’t use the right kick mic for that’”: Blake Slatkin on what really matters in music production appeared first on MusicTech.

e-instruments Cremona Quartet Solo 2.0 update e-instruments and Native Instruments have announced the launch of an update that brings some powerful new features to the four members of the Cremona Quartet Solo series.

ZAK Sound BARecorded across the city of Buenos Aires, BA draws its source material from the everyday pulse of the city. From airports and plazas to streets, highways, and shopping centers, we captured the unique atmosphere of each place and shaped it into expressive, playable pads: 67 cityscapes. 20 wavetables. 104 handcrafted presets. 85MB installed size. Read More

Study claims ticket resale saved fans $414M last year. Did it?A study by "data-analytics firm" Automatiq for self-proclaimed "consumer advocacy group" Protest Ticket Rights claims that fans saved $414 million last year. They saved this amount by buying tickets on resale marketplaces.
The post Study claims ticket resale saved fans $414M last year. Did it? appeared first on Hypebot.

What is a Smart Music Release Strategy in 2025?Releasing music without a plan in 2025 is a fast track to getting buried in the noise. Learn how to build a smart, step-by-step music release strategy that gets music heard and keeps momentum going long after release day.
The post What is a Smart Music Release Strategy in 2025? appeared first on Hypebot.

Get 90% Off Softube Producer Collection at Plugin Boutique Until August 31st
Softube’s Producer Collection is currently available at Plugin Boutique for an incredible 90% off, dropping the price from $1,647 to just $180 until August 31st. The exclusive Softube Producer Collection bundle is a powerhouse suite of mixing, mastering, and sound design tools. You get plugins for analog warmth, classic tone, and modern mixing features. It’s [...]
View post: Get 90% Off Softube Producer Collection at Plugin Boutique Until August 31st

808 Day: Get Roland’s official TR-808 plugin emulation at a massive discount for a limited time808 Day is here, and with it comes a celebration of one of music’s most iconic instruments. Every 8 August, beatmakers pay tribute to the mighty Roland TR-808 – a drum machine that’s been shaping genres and shaking subwoofers since the early ‘80s.

READ MORE: Get over 60% off the “secret weapon for top mix engineers” right now at Plugin Boutique

To mark the occasion, Roland is serving some solid deals on its plugins – with the spotlight on its TR-808 software, available now till 31 August as a perpetual license for just $49, or a third of its usual price of $149.
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The TR-808 plugin is an authentic recreation of the legendary TR-808 hardware synth with full Analog Circuit Behavior modelling. It offers all the sounds on the original plus modern enhancements, including independent step sequencer lanes, per-step articulations, and a resizable UI. If you’ve been waiting to add this essential piece of beat-making history to your DAW, this is the time.
But the 808 isn’t the only one getting love this 808 Day. All Roland plugins at Plugin Boutique are currently 30% off. That includes the TR-909 plugin, now down to $104 from its usual $149.
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In addition to faithfully modelling the TR-909’s analogue circuitry, the software version uses the original sample ROM and models the early digital technology present in the vintage hardware. This results in a spot-on replica that’s still beloved by electronic and dance producers to this day. The plugin version also comes packed with new features to suit modern workflows.
If you want the full vintage arsenal, Roland’s Drum Machine Collection – which includes the TR-808, TR-606, TR-909, TR-707, and TR-727 – is now discounted to $349.
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For those looking for a Roland alternative, D16 Group’s Nepheton 2 is also on sale for $49 – that’s 58% off the original price of $119 – from now till 18 August. It’s a deeper, feature-rich emulation of the TR-808 with expanded controls and an FX section to sculpt your sound “effortlessly”.
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Visit Plugin Boutique for the full list of deals this 808 Day.
The post 808 Day: Get Roland’s official TR-808 plugin emulation at a massive discount for a limited time appeared first on MusicTech.

Your neighbours will hate this: ASCENDO’s new 100-Inch infrasonic subwoofer is a wall-rattling, eardrum-destroying home theatre beastIf you’ve ever watched Back to the Future and thought, ‘I wish my home theater could physically launch me into a bookshelf like Marty McFly’ – well, dreams do come true.
ASCENDO just announced two jaw-dropping additions to its subwoofer lineup: THE64 SUB PRO PASSIVE INFRASONIC SEALED and the absolutely absurd THE100 SUB PRO PASSIVE INFRASONIC SEALED. As the names suggest, these are 64-inch and 100-inch passive sealed subs, designed to generate bass so low you’ll feel it in your DNA.
The German audio specialists aren’t new to big bass. They previously offered 50- and 80-inch infrasonic models, but clearly decided those were simply… too modest. The new 64- and 100-inch subs build on the legacy of those models and have been completely re-engineered for deeper extension, tighter control, and “unparalleled sonic precision at infrasonic frequencies”.

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

“These two new subwoofers are the largest in the world for home cinema,” says Geoffrey Heinzel, Co-Managing Partner of ASCENDO. “[They] are incredibly powerful, efficient, and fast.”
So what exactly has been upgraded?
First, the suspension system has been overhauled with repositioned quad spiders, allowing greater excursion across the entire frequency range – both linear and nonlinear. To handle that movement silently and smoothly, ASCENDO uses carefully selected spider fabrics and resins that ensure high compliance without introducing noise, even during extreme playback conditions. Ultra-low frequency reproduction has also been improved considerably, beyond what any previous woofer design has achieved.
The speaker cabinets themselves have also seen significant refinement. They now feature a single-piece, custom-shaped surround that better supports the increased demands of the massive drivers. Optional application-specific enclosures for both THE64 and THE100 are also available and now feature improved internal bracing, which enhances rigidity and helps the cabinets handle all that energy without unwanted vibration. Meanwhile, ASCENDO’s multi-density damping materials have been fine-tuned to reduce resonance and group delay, resulting in a clean, punchy impulse response.
In short, these new subs are faster, deeper, more precise – and still terrifyingly large.
Thankfully, ASCENDO has also made them easier to service. A new field-replaceable re-cone kit means that if something does blow (or, let’s face it, if your curious friend pokes the cone), it can be quickly repaired without shipping the entire Death Star-sized unit back to Germany.
THE64 now replaces ASCENDO’s former 50-inch model, while THE100 steps in for the outgoing 80-inch version. That said, if you’re still wondering why someone would need a 100-inch subwoofer, you’re probably not the target market. But if your idea of a relaxing evening is watching your popcorn vibrate out of the bowl during the opening credits, head over to AIA Cinema to learn more.
The post Your neighbours will hate this: ASCENDO’s new 100-Inch infrasonic subwoofer is a wall-rattling, eardrum-destroying home theatre beast appeared first on MusicTech.

Get Bloom KSHMR Lite ($35) FREE in KSHMR’s Wild Ride Remix Challenge
Excite Audio and KSHMR are giving away Bloom KSHMR Lite (usually $35) for free as part of the Wild Ride Remix Challenge. The contest invites you to remix KSHMR’s latest track, called Wild Ride. It’s a genre-blending song that also has that signature KSHR cinematic synth flair. It’s a catchy song and I’m a sucker [...]
View post: Get Bloom KSHMR Lite ($35) FREE in KSHMR’s Wild Ride Remix Challenge

Audiomovers update LISTENTO Audiomovers have just announced the release of a significant update that brings a whole host of new features to their audio-streaming application and plug-in suite. 

Winklevoss twins deepen ties to Trump family with Bitcoin mining investment: ReportThe brothers invested an undisclosed amount in American Bitcoin, the mining company co-founded by two of Trump's sons and others.

Rocket Lab eyes big defense opportunities with new acquisitionRocket Lab is taking the concept of an 'end-to-end' space company to new heights with a forthcoming acquisition.

A Repeater for WWVBFor those living in the continental US who, for whatever reason, don’t have access to an NTP server or a GPS device, the next best way to make sure the correct time is known is with the WWVB radio signal. Transmitting out of Colorado, the 60-bit 1 Hz signal reaches all 48 states in the low-frequency band and is a great way to get a clock within a few hundred nanoseconds of the official time. But in high noise situations, particularly on the coasts or in populated areas these radio-based clocks might miss some of the updates. To keep that from happening [Mike] built a repeater for this radio signal.
The repeater works by offloading most of the radio components to an Arduino. The microcontroller listens to the WWVB signal and re-transmits it at a lower power to the immediate area, in this case no further than a few inches away or enough to synchronize a few wristwatches. But it has a much better antenna for listening to WWVB so this eliminates the (admittedly uncommon) problem of [Mike]’s watches not synchronizing at least once per day. WWVB broadcasts a PWM signal which is easy for an Arduino to duplicate, but this one needed help from a DRV8833 amplifier to generate a meaningfully strong radio signal.
Although there have been other similar projects oriented around the WWVB signal, [Mike]’s goal for this was to improve the range of these projects so it could sync more than a single timekeeping device at a time as well as using parts which are more readily available and which have a higher ease of use. We’d say he’s done a pretty good job here, and his build instructions cover almost everything even the most beginner breadboarders would need to know to duplicate it on their own.

PIANIST AND COMPOSER JAHARI STAMPLEY TO PERFORM AT DC JAZZ FESTIVALThe ASCAP Foundation announced on Thursday that, under the leadership of President Paul Williams and Executive Director Nicole George-Middleton, it "continues its partnership in support of emerging jazz artists for a third year with the DC Jazz Festival, headed by President & CEO Sunny Sumter.""The 2025 DC JazzFest takes place August 27-31. The citywide jazz celebration lineup ranges from renowned jazz legends to emerging artists and features a performance by one of this year’s ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award recipients. Pianist and composer Jahari Stampley will take the DC JazzFest Transit Stage at The Wharf, 1001 7th Street SW in Washington DC on August 30 at 5:15 pm.""Jazz continually reinvents itself, shaping young talent into tomorrow's generation of creators," said ASCAP Foundation President Paul Williams. "We are excited to partner for a third year with DC Jazz Fest to shine a spotlight on up-and-coming jazz creators."“Every summer, we look forward to the DC JazzFest to celebrate the art of jazz and theopportunity to have one of our Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award recipients share their talents on a high-profile stage,” said ASCAP Foundation Executive Director Nicole George-Middleton."The Jahari Stampley Family Band will surely be a performance to watch. Featured are Jahari Stampley on piano, D-Erania Stampley on upright electric bass, sax, synth and vocals, Ofri Nehemya on drums, and a surprise guest who will be announced during the performance. Earlier that day at 1:00 pm, Jahari will join 'Composing the Future,' a free 'Meet The Artists' discussion at DC’s Arena Stage. Jahari will also be a featured guest on “VERSED: The ASCAP Podcast” on August 25."Jahari Stampley"Jahari Stampley is a Chicago-born pianist who began playing at the age of 14. Within two years of exploring the instrument, he won competitions including the Best High School Jazz Soloist Award and the National Young Arts Competition. By the age of 18, he was recognized and followed by many world-renowned musicians such as Yebba Smith, Jill Scott, Robert Glasper, Cory Henry, Jacob Collier, Stanley Clarke, and Derrick Hodge, among others. Jahari has toured with Stanley Clarke and is featured on Derrick Hodge’s Color of Noise album."Jahari has performed at Radio City Music Hall, The Met Philadelphia, Byline Bank Aragon in Chicago, Carnegie Hall, San Francisco Jazz Center and more. He has also headlined and performed solo piano tours in Berlin, Koethen and Magdeburg in Germany, Geneva, and Los Angeles. He has conducted music workshops in Santa Ana, Costa Rica, and taught masterclasses in Spokane, Washington. Jahari is also the band leader and featured pianist playing the part of Bill Withers’ keyboardist in the feature film Spinning Gold.In May of 2025 Jahari released his single “To Be Alive” from his upcoming second album What A Time, which is set to be released in Asia in July 2025 and in the US in September 2025.In 2023, Jahari won first place in the Herbie Hancock Institute International Competition, was named Chicagoan of the Year in Jazz, became the first non-classical musician to receive the Chicago Youth Symphony Alumni Award, and was awarded the 2023 Luminarts Fellowship for his debut album Still Listening. Still Listening rose to #1 on Apple iTunes in the first weeks of the album’s release. The music on Still Listening has also been arranged for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra."Earlier in his career, Jahari won the Bösendorfer prize in the 2019 International American Jazz Pianists Association Competition (for ages 18-25), the 2018 ASCAP Foundation Fran Morgenstern Davis Scholarship, and was a National Young Arts Foundation 2018 Young Arts Winner. Jahari also created and wrote the music for a mobile music training game, 'Piano Chronicles.' It is available as a mobile app for all mobile devices on Google Play Store and the Apple Store.""The Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards were established by The ASCAP Foundation in 2002 to encourage gifted jazz composers up to the age of 30. The program carries the name of the great trumpeter and ASCAP member Herb Alpert in recognition of The Herb Alpert Foundation's multi-year financial commitment to support this unique program. The recipients, who receive cash awards, are selected through a juried national competition."More information on this year’s Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards recipients can be found at https://www.ascap.com/press/2025/03/03-28-foundation-herb-alpert-recipients.The post PIANIST AND COMPOSER JAHARI STAMPLEY TO PERFORM AT DC JAZZ FESTIVAL first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

iZotope launch FXEQ The latest arrival to iZotope’s Catalyst Series brings together a versatile collection of creative effects, but offers a different approach to your typical multi-effects plug-in.