CyDrums: Drum synth from Sonicware CyDrum is an all-digital drum synth that’s powered by a pair of wavetable oscillators and packs in an array of effects, sequencing and creative performance capabilities. 

Robert Plant earned $8 million in songwriter royalties last year aloneRobert Plant earned $8 million in royalties in 2024 from his music publishing companies alone. The sizable payout underscores the timeless power of Led Zeppelin's legendary catalog.
The post Robert Plant earned $8 million in songwriter royalties last year alone appeared first on Hypebot.

Warner Music Group acquires Italy’s DWA Records – including Corona’s megahit ‘The Rhythm of the Night’DWA Records was established in 1989 by Roberto Zanetti and Francesco Bontempi
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Hit’n’Mix RipX Backstage is an “immersive studio experience” for VR and Apple Vision ProHit’n’Mix is launching a brand new VR tool which turns any environment into a “futuristic creative space” so music can be created “anywhere, by anyone”.
RipX Backstage for VR and Apple Vision Pro requires no additional hardware and is designed to be user-friendly for all levels of ability. It works in harmony with the brand’s RipX DAW – which MusicTech rated 9/10 – and an official release is coming soon. In the meantime, Hit’n’Mix is looking for Vision Pro testers to trial RipX Backstage, and also hopes to launch a Meta Quest version in the future.

READ MORE: How will AI impact the next generation of DAWs? These developers have their say

RipX Backstage combines virtual reality and spatial audio, letting creatives produce tracks and hear, watch, and learn any song played back on virtual instruments in a virtual space. It offers the ability to walk up to individual instruments, hear them more clearly, and move them around you.
Vertical separation of notes by pitch ensures users hear each note distinctly, and you can easily interact with the virtual studio by looking and tapping with your fingers, singing or humming any instrument in high definition, playing virtual instruments with your fingers, and even applying FX by speaking them out loud. If preferred, you can also use a portable Bluetooth MIDI keyboard for added convenience.
Check it out below:

Martin Dawe, creator of RipX Backstage and CEO of Hit’n’Mix, comments: “RipX Backstage is set to revolutionise the music production landscape by providing an intuitive and immersive experience.”
He adds, “Our innovative tools empower users to step inside music, to create, hear, see, and interact with it like never before. We’re excited to bring this cutting-edge technology to Apple Vision Pro, and we’re already looking into possibilities for Meta Quest. Our goal is to make RipX Backstage accessible to all music creators, enabling them to bring their artistic visions to life in a truly unique and engaging way.”
To find out more about RipX Backstage, head over to the Hit’n’Mix website. You can also contact the brand directly to register your interest as a Vision Pro tester.
The post Hit’n’Mix RipX Backstage is an “immersive studio experience” for VR and Apple Vision Pro appeared first on MusicTech.

Hit’n’Mix unveils RipX Backstage, an “immersive studio experience” for VR and Apple Vision ProHit’n’Mix is launching a brand new VR tool which turns any environment into a “futuristic creative space” so music can be created “anywhere, by anyone”.
RipX Backstage for VR and Apple Vision Pro requires no additional hardware and is designed to be user-friendly for all levels of ability. It works in harmony with the brand’s RipX DAW – which MusicTech rated 9/10 – and an official release is coming soon. In the meantime, Hit’n’Mix is looking for Vision Pro testers to trial RipX Backstage, and also hopes to launch a Meta Quest version in the future.

READ MORE: How will AI impact the next generation of DAWs? These developers have their say

RipX Backstage combines virtual reality and spatial audio, letting creatives produce tracks and hear, watch, and learn any song played back on virtual instruments in a virtual space. It offers the ability to walk up to individual instruments, hear them more clearly, and move them around you.
Vertical separation of notes by pitch ensures users hear each note distinctly, and you can easily interact with the virtual studio by looking and tapping with your fingers, singing or humming any instrument in high definition, playing virtual instruments with your fingers, and even applying FX by speaking them out loud. If preferred, you can also use a portable Bluetooth MIDI keyboard for added convenience.
Check it out below:

Martin Dawe, creator of RipX Backstage and CEO of Hit’n’Mix, comments: “RipX Backstage is set to revolutionise the music production landscape by providing an intuitive and immersive experience.”
He adds, “Our innovative tools empower users to step inside music, to create, hear, see, and interact with it like never before. We’re excited to bring this cutting-edge technology to Apple Vision Pro, and we’re already looking into possibilities for Meta Quest. Our goal is to make RipX Backstage accessible to all music creators, enabling them to bring their artistic visions to life in a truly unique and engaging way.”
To find out more about RipX Backstage, head over to the Hit’n’Mix website. You can also contact the brand directly to register your interest as a Vision Pro tester.
The post Hit’n’Mix unveils RipX Backstage, an “immersive studio experience” for VR and Apple Vision Pro appeared first on MusicTech.

Krotos launches the “world’s first” commercial AI image-to-sound featureKrotos has launched the “world’s first” commercial AI image-to-sound feature, available now within its Krotos Studio software.
The AI-powered Ambience Generator v2 lets users upload a picture, from which Krotos’s AI will generate a custom text prompt. The prompt is then used to create tailored audio ambiences, which can then be refined by adjusting the prompt and editing the sounds created.

READ MORE: Azealia Banks is obsessed with Teenage Engineering and the OP-XY: “They’re really s**tting on every audio hardware company out there. Nobody is this cool”

Krotos introduced AI Ambience Generator v1 last year, a text-based tool that allowed users to describe a scene and quickly receive a unique ambience preset. Now for version two, users can provide images such as a film still, a video screenshot, or concept art for the AI to work its magic.
Users working with AI-generated videos often need to add their own sounds to silent visuals, and now they can take a still from their video and quickly bring the scene to life with “precision and ease”. The Ambience Generator v2 works within DAWs, NLEs, or as a standalone tool.
For a clearer idea on how it sounds, check out the video below:

Krotos states that its AI is not generative. To get a bit more context on how it works, MusicTech reached out to Krotos directly: “Our approach to AI is grounded in both innovation and ethical responsibility,” a spokesperson told us. “When we say our AI engines are ‘non-generative’, we mean they are not creating entirely new sounds from scratch. Instead, they are designed to assist sound designers by processing and enhancing existing high quality audio assets that have been recorded by professionals.
“This ensures that the creative control remains firmly in the hands of the user and the quality of the sound is always high unlike the results of the existing generative models. Our commitment to ethics is reflected in how we train our AI. We exclusively use professionally recorded assets that we own or have full rights to… The goal is to empower users, not replace them.”

Krotos also confirms that it regularly adds new sounds to Krotos Studio on a monthly basis, to ensure users “continue to receive ongoing value and access to fresh, high-quality content”.
The AI Ambience Generator is available in both Krotos Studio and Krotos Studio Pro. Currently with the Pro version, you can add your own sounds after the software generates an ambience, allowing you to further customise the result to fit your project.
Looking ahead, the brand is planning an update that will allow the generator to create entirely new ambiences directly using sounds from your personal library. This may cause some alarm bells about the possibility of AI being able to train itself on the files that users import, but Krotos says this is not the case.
It explains, “The AI Ambience Generator does not and will not train itself on the files that users import. We prioritise user privacy and ethical AI practices, so any audio files you add are used solely for creating your own custom ambiences. These files remain entirely under your control and are not incorporated into our broader system or models.”
To find out more about the AI Ambience Generator or explore plans for its Studio software, head over to Krotos.
The post Krotos launches the “world’s first” commercial AI image-to-sound feature appeared first on MusicTech.

“I doubt Behringer is making any money from it”: Roger Linn says Behringer CEO did not ask permission to “copy” his LinnDrum machineRoger Linn, the creator behind the iconic LinnDrum, has slammed Behringer for allegedly releasing an unauthorised clone of his instrument.
Launched in 1982 by Linn Electronics, the original LinnDrum was as popular as it was groundbreaking, being the first drum machine to use samples of real drums and feature quantisation capabilities. Along with its predecessor, the Linn LM-1, it quickly became a staple in the music industry, used by artists like Michael Jackson, Prince and Trevor Horn.
Behringer’s LM Drum, which launched last month at $399, is marketed as a modern reinterpretation of this classic device – but with extra features like MIDI support and sampling while closely mimicking the original’s design and sounds.

READ MORE: Azealia Banks is obsessed with Teenage Engineering and the OP-XY: “They’re really s**tting on every audio hardware company out there. Nobody is this cool”

Sharing his thoughts on the release of the LM Drum, Linn claims that the firm’s CEO Uli Behringer “never asked my permission to either copy my visual design or my drum sounds.”
The engineer reveals that while Uli had invited him to collaborate on a future drum machine in 2020, he “respectfully declined” due to “concern about Behringer’s past business ethics and legal practices.”
“My feelings are mixed,” Linn explains, though he notes that it’s “not unusual for companies to borrow ideas from older products”. He adds, “Plus, my old drum sounds are all over the web, controlling copying is difficult, and I don’t enjoy legal stuff so I’ve generally ignored the issue so far.”
However, Linn makes it clear that even if the copying of the “visual design, logo style, and sound circuit” of the LinnDrum were overlooked, the LM Drum still replicates his sounds: “So I’d have preferred for Uli to ask my permission. Even if he thinks it is legal, I question whether it is ethical.”
Linn, who received an LM Drum from Uli last August, also describes Behringer’s latest drum machine as “a bit of a head-scratcher.”
“It is clearly intended to evoke my 1982 LinnDrum drum machine, borrowing its visual style, control layout, colours and logo style, as well as copying its sounds and those of my LM-1 and Linn9000 drum machines,” he explains. “I took it apart and it even copies much of my LinnDrum sound generation circuit, even my bad ideas like the inability to tune any drums except the snare, toms and congas.”
“However, it uses an entirely different operating system and user interface, one that is based on earlier Behringer drum machines.Personally, I found it somewhat confusing and difficult to use, though I was given an unfinished manual,” Linn describes his experience.

He also expresses confusion over the LM Drum’s $399 price tag, stating: “Having taken it apart and seeing how complex the copied old circuitry was to reproduce, I doubt Behringer is making any money from it.”
“I suspect that they originally intended to sell it for much more, then discovered that while many people may say they want a LinnDrum clone, few are willing to pay more than a low price for it.”
Linn concludes his statement by questioning the music tech industry’s supposed obsession with “nostalgia”. He argues that modern alternatives offer greater capabilities in this day and age.
“I can understand that some people value analogue synthesis, though I find the many types of innovative software synthesis created in recent decades to be far more capable, versatile and interesting. But even if people value vintage analogue synths, why vintage digital drum machines?” He questions. ”I ask this because an old bit is no different than a new bit.”
Read Linn’s full statement on his website. 
The post “I doubt Behringer is making any money from it”: Roger Linn says Behringer CEO did not ask permission to “copy” his LinnDrum machine appeared first on MusicTech.

Benn Jordan has made an algorithm that can detect if music has been made by AI or notBenn Jordan has managed to create an algorithm that can detect when music has been made with AI technology.
In a new YouTube video, Jordan unpacks how using the power of missing song data from file compression can catch and identify artists who download AI-generated music from sites such as Suno and Udio, and then upload it to streaming platforms such as Spotify to make royalties.

READ MORE: Kits.AI removes ad encouraging producers to train custom AI vocal models using Splice samples — here’s why that matters

So far, Jordan’s AI model has been able to detect if a song has been generated by AI on Suno with 100 per cent accuracy. For the experiment, he scraped 560 of Suno’s top generated songs and staff picks, and alleges that out of those 560 only 11 were not being monetised by posing as a human artist on a digital streaming platform.
To further explain, Jordan unpicks how most humans cannot tell the difference between compressed and lossless audio: “Ultimately our brains are just collecting pressure waves and then passing them through latent inhibition and then only really registering data that’s useful to us, and audiovisual file compression has managed to make a surgical art out of exploiting that distinctly human information processing workflow,” he states in the video.
“Earlier this year it dawned on me that very little of what generative AI companies were non-consensually scraping off the internet was uncompressed or lossless, they scraped things like YouTube and Spotify and SoundCloud to make their data sets generate AI music.
“A neural network of this type – even if it’s a convolutional neural network – is a black box, you can’t tell it to note these limitations in a functional way. Even if you could, you can’t technically describe the differences you might hear in compressed files, you just say ‘it’s glitchy sounding’, or ‘it sounds a little bit off’, and that’s useless information in machine learning.”
Jordan continues, “My point here is that 75-to-90 per cent of information that humans don’t realise is missing when listening to compressed audio could potentially be used as a fingerprint when identifying if something was created with generative AI, and potentially even identifying the content that was scraped in the data set.”
Benn Jordan has revealed to MusicTech that he plans to speak to TuneCore, DistroKid and other distribution platforms “about changing their terms to disallow 100 per cent AI-generated content, and revoke royalties to people uploading Sudo/Udio creations while posing as human artists.” He goes on: “I don’t care if there’s AI music on Spotify. I just care it’s siphoning royalties away from musicians.”
You can watch the full video below to find out more:

The post Benn Jordan has made an algorithm that can detect if music has been made by AI or not appeared first on MusicTech.

Shure’s new MV7i Smart Microphone & Interface Shure's latest USB mic boasts the same audio performance and onboard DSP as the MV7+, but includes an additional input that can be used to connect a second microphone or instrument source.

Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S25 on January 22In what as an otherwise uneventful CES 2025 press conference, Samsung on Monday announced January 22 as the date for its next Unpacked event. The timing lines up with earlier reporting. The event, which is being livestreamed through Samsung’s site, will almost certainly serve as a launching pad for the company’s latest flagship, the Galaxy […]
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Genelec UNIO ExplainedGenelec UNIO Explained | How the ecosystem offers seamless in-room and personal headphone monitoring

A quick guide to the UNIO Ecosystem – which offers audio engineers seamless bridging of in-room and personal headphone monitoring. https://genelec.com/UNIO The Genelec UNIO Ecosystem – which combines the power of our renowned GLM, SAM Monitoring and Aural ID adaptive technologies – gives audio engineers the flexibility to work anywhere, anytime, from stereo to immersive. And now, with the new UNIO Personal Reference Monitoring (PRM) solution, audio professionals benefit from the pinpoint accuracy of pioneering active monitoring headphone solution, which combines the 9320A SAM Reference Controller with uniquely factory-calibrated 8550A Professional Reference Headphones. To learn more, visit https://genelec.com/UNIO Subscribe for more: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_c... |   / genelec   |   / genelec   |   / genelec_oy   |   / genelec-oy  The post Genelec UNIO Explained first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

No Frills PCB Brings USB-C Power to the BreadboardAt this point, many of us have gone all-in on USB-C. It’s gotten to the point that when you occasionally run across a gadget that doesn’t support being powered USB-C, the whole experience seems somewhat ridiculous. If 90% of your devices using the same power supply, that last 10% starts feeling very antiquated.
So why should your breadboard be any different? [Axiometa] has recently unveiled a simple PCB that will plug into a standard solderless breadboard to provide 3.3 and 5 VDC when connected to a USB-C power supply. The device is going to start a crowdfunding campaign soon if you want to buy a completed one — but with the design files and Bill of Materials already up on GitHub, nothing stops you from spinning up your own version today.

What we like about this design is how simple it is. Getting the 5 V is easy, it just takes the proper resistors on the connector’s CC line. From there, a TPS63001 and a handful of passives provide a regulated 3.3 V. As you can see in the video, all you need to do when you want to change the output voltage for either rail is slide a jumper over.
Sure, it wouldn’t be much harder to add support the other voltages offered by USB-C Power Delivery, but how often have you really needed 20 volts on a breadboard? Why add extra components and complication for a feature most people would never use?
As an aside, we were very interested to see the torture test of the SMD pin headers at the end of the video. There’s considerable debate in the world of badge Simple-Add Ons (SAOs) about whether or not surface mount headers are strong enough to hold up to real-world abuse, and apparently similar concerns were raised about their usage here. But judging by the twisting and wrenching the pins withstood in the video, those fears would appear unwarranted.

Number of Do Kwon’s victims could exceed one million — court filingThe Terraform Labs co-founder is in US custody after pleading not guilty to nine felony charges related to fraud at the platform.

Growing Semiconductor Layers Directly With TMDsTransition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are a class of material that’s been receiving significant attention as a possible successor of silicon. Recently, a team of researchers has demonstrated the use of TMDs as an alternative to through-silicon-vias (TSV), which is the current way that multiple layers of silicon semiconductor circuitry are stacked, as seen with, e.g., NAND Flash ICs and processors with stacked memory dice. The novelty here is that the new circuitry is grown directly on top of the existing circuitry, removing the need for approaches like TSV to turn 2D layers into 3D stacks.
As reported in the paper in Nature by [Ki Seok Kim] and colleagues (gift article), this technique of monolithic 3D (M3D) integration required overcoming a number of technological challenges, most of all enabling the new TMD single-crystals to grow at low enough temperatures that it doesn’t destroy the previously created circuitry. The progress is detailed in the paper’s schematic (pictured above): from TSV to M3D by transfer of layers and high- and low-temperature growth of single-crystal layers.

Ultimately, the demonstration device with vertically grown transistor arrays (nMOS and pMOS) on a silicon substrate was grown at 385℃, which, if commercially developed, could mean a significant boost in transistor density and possibly the development of 3D semiconductor circuits rather than stacked 2D ones. We are still worried about making them the old-fashioned way.

Heritage Audio’s BritStrip now available virtually BritStrip recreates the hardware unit of the same name, providing DAW users with a combination of 1073-style EQ and the diode-bridge-based compression found in the company’s Successor stereo compressor.