Live events company DEAG acquires Italy-based promoter MC² LiveThe 46-year-old company has developed live events and ticketing businesses across Europe
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Samples From Mars Offers FREE MPC60 From Mars Sample Pack + Freebie Draw
Samples From Mars and Sonicstate are giving away a free MPC60 From Mars (normally $29) electronic drum sample pack to anyone who enters their competition. Additional prizes are up for grabs for the competition winners, but everyone can get the free MPC60 From Mars pack by submitting an entry. The competition closes on November 17, [...]
View post: Samples From Mars Offers FREE MPC60 From Mars Sample Pack + Freebie Draw

AlphaTheta’s new DDJ-FLX2 DJ controller is aimed squarely at beginnersAlphaTheta has launched the DDJ-FLX2, an ultra-portable and uber-affordable DJ controller aimed squarely at those starting out DJing.
Key portability-friendly features include a lightweight design and USB bus power, meaning users can simply plug it into their computer via USB-C with no requirement for external power.

READ MORE: AlphaTheta’s new DJ controller hosts a new feature for freely manipulating drum parts and creating original grooves

Other features include Smart CFX – which allows users to “recreate complex and dynamic effect techniques” with the twist of a knob – and a Smart Fader crossfader, which automatically optimises control of the volume, BPM, and bass; simply slide the crossfader in one direction. With this feature, users can mix tracks from different genres, even if they have vastly different tempos.

DDJ-FLX2 is quick to set up, and can be operated via bluetooth with any smartphone, tablet, and computer. You can operate the decks with any of the currently compatible DJ applications. So far, Rekordbox, Djay, and Serato DJ Lite/Pro are all compatible.
AlphaTheta has also made it so you don’t have to download hundreds to tracks to start mixing. The controller is perfectly capable of working with streaming services like Tidal, Soundcloud and Apple Music.
The DDJ-FLX2 is currently available for £159, €189 or $179. Find out more information at AlphaTheta.
The post AlphaTheta’s new DDJ-FLX2 DJ controller is aimed squarely at beginners appeared first on MusicTech.

Jaden Smith on experimenting with release methods: “I think that’s our job, to question the algorithms”Jaden Smith joins a growing number of modern artists who’ve been thinking about the way they release music, as he says he’s working on a project for people “that go to the broken corners of the internet and hang out there”.
Smith has just conventionally released a new EP titled 2024: A Case Study Of The Long Term Effects Of Young Love, but he’s no stranger to releasing music in unique ways. His debut body of work CTV1 is a prime example, as it originally landed as an app.

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 interview with Complex, Smith is asked if he would consider launching a new platform to release music similar to James Blake with his creation, Vault: “Yeah,” he responds. “My first project, CTV1, was released as an app. That was my way of doing that, and I thought it was really cool. You had to get my album on the app store. That was tight.
“I think stuff like that is dope, and everything James Blake is doing is super dope. As artists, it’s our job to not just make music and follow in the status quo, it’s to do the James Blake thing and really start thinking about: ‘How is it released? How is it distributed? How can I affect this process? How can I use my creative mind to make this more efficient for the fans or for the artist?’ I think that’s our job, to question the algorithm and to work around it and try to figure out new things.”
Smith later continues, “I just hope that artists continue to have more control over defined details of what they do and are encouraged to step out of boxes and are allowed to step out of boxes. But I don’t have any major complaints. I think that we have everything we need right now to create some really dope stuff, and the people that are really focused are doing it.”

His new project remains in the works, but you can stream 2024: A Case Study Of The Long Term Effects Of Young Love now. 
The post Jaden Smith on experimenting with release methods: “I think that’s our job, to question the algorithms” appeared first on MusicTech.

Join Bandcamp alternative Subvert: Cooperatively Owned and OperatedBandcamp alternative Subvert has signed up 950 artists, 166 labels, and 230 supporters as founding members and is looking for more.
The post Join Bandcamp alternative Subvert: Cooperatively Owned and Operated appeared first on Hypebot.

“There’s no reason that digital audio can’t sound as good as analogue”: Bill Putnam Jr. on reviving Universal AudioBill Putnam Jr., CEO of Universal Audio, has opened up on his early inspirations for re-launching the renowned gear brand, which was first created by his father.
Putnam Sr. originally founded Universal Audio in 1958, though it later closed in 1965. He was also an audio engineer, producer and studio designer. Before his passing in 1989, he worked with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, and became known as ‘the father of modern recording.’

READ MORE: “What AI means to Universal Audio is less important than what it means to the music-making community”: CEO Bill Putnam Jr. shares why the brand doesn’t “make a big deal” out of AI features

Putnam Jr. revived UA in 1999 with his brother Jim. It has since gone on to be renowned for its plugins, pedals, and focus on the “sound and spirit of vintage analogue technology”. In an interview for a new MusicTech digital cover, Putnam Jr. shares what sets his ownership of UAD aside from his father’s.
“Dad’s thing…I love my dad. I learned so much from him, but I wanted to strike out on my own,” he begins. Of his dad’s ‘father of modern recording’ title, Putnam Jr. continues, “How can you live up to that? [Dad] had all sorts of talents that I didn’t pick up on. I’m not the audio engineer he was, I’m not a recording engineer, I don’t build recording studios like he did…But his love of technology I did pick up on. To me, technology is still magic.”
He adds, “[Jim] was very analogue and I was very digital. We kind of argued with each other, and decided to do both…The vision was: there’s no reason I felt that digital audio couldn’t sound every bit as good and vibey as analogue and have that soul and depth. So let’s have it both ways.”
Universal Audio now has a global team of over 200 employees and hundreds of products, “[UA] means more to me than I ever knew,” he states. “I don’t think I’m ever going to lose this childlike glee with new technology. I still love new stuff.”
In early October, UAD launched seven new models for its Apollo X Gen 2 lineup. You can view the brand’s full product range over at Universal Audio.
The post “There’s no reason that digital audio can’t sound as good as analogue”: Bill Putnam Jr. on reviving Universal Audio appeared first on MusicTech.

Native Instruments introduce Traktor Z1 MK2 Native Instruments’ popular DJ mixer controller and interface has been treated to a design overhaul that promises to combine high performance with an ultra-compact form factor.

Ultimate Guide To A Healthy And Successful Career in Music [Exclusive Book Excerpt]Sound Advice: The Ultimate Guide To a Healthy And Successful Career in Music will be published later this year, but Hypebot has an exclusive book excerpt.
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How to Save Instagram Songs to Spotify to streamline playlist creationSave Instagram songs to Spotify with this simple trick and streamline your playlist creation across both platforms effortlessly.
The post How to Save Instagram Songs to Spotify to streamline playlist creation appeared first on Hypebot.

Waves V-Comp is FREE for Bedroom Producers Blog readers! 🎃
Waves Audio offers the V-Comp (typically $149) vintage compressor VST plugin as a free download for all BPB readers. The offer ends on November 1st at 9 a.m. EST. As most BPB readers know by now, my birthday is on Halloween. 🎃 So, every year, I try to give something back to BPB readers as a [...]
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“For him, reverb was green, distortion was red”: Eddie Kramer says Jimi Hendrix saw music as coloursIconic rock ‘n’ roll producer Eddie Kramer has reflected on his working experiences with Jimi Hendrix, revealing that the famed guitarist had chromesthesia – the ability to see music in colour.
Kramer’s production career kicked off in the 1960s, and saw him work with artists such as Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, David Bowie, and the Rolling Stones across the decades. He was also instrumental in the creation of Electric Lady Studios, which was commissioned by and constructed for Hendrix.

READ MORE: Alex Van Halen has reached out to OpenAI in the hopes of creating new Eddie Van Halen guitar riffs and solos

Speaking of his time working alongside Hendrix in an interview with The Globe And Mail, Kramer recalls, “Jimi and I had this instinctive connection. He didn’t talk about music in technical terms; he used colours. He’d say, ‘I need more purple,’ or, ‘Let’s add some green here.’ For him, reverb was green, distortion was red and each song had its own palette.
“It wasn’t just about notes or chords – it was about creating a feeling, painting a picture in sound. I haven’t really found that same language with anyone else. With Jimi, I’d just know what he meant. It was a kind of shorthand that made our sessions incredibly dynamic,” he states.
Kramer also shares that Electric Lady was Hendrix’s “creative home”, and in turn it reflected his ideas and his colourful visions of music: “The studio became an extension of his mind. He’d say, ‘I want the studio to be a place where the walls inspire music’… It wasn’t just about recording; it was about creating a space for music to happen.”

Earlier this year, a documentary about the studios was released titled Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision. It explores the creation of the studios from a Greenwich Village nightclub to the iconic recording facility it went on to become.
You can buy Electric Lady Studios: A Jimi Hendrix Vision digitally now, or find out if it’s heading to a cinema near you.
The post “For him, reverb was green, distortion was red”: Eddie Kramer says Jimi Hendrix saw music as colours appeared first on MusicTech.

Apple announce M4-powered Mac Mini, MacBook Pro & iMac Apple have announced the upcoming launch of new Mac mini and iMac models equipped with the latest generation of their M-series processors.

Could the Novation Launchkey MK 4 become the new heart of your studio?£279.99, novationmusic.com
Novation’s family of Launchkey MIDI controllers has reached its fourth generation, the company striving to further streamline the way users perform and control their DAWs without constantly switching attention between two devices, as they recently told us.
Having already put the smallest model through its paces we were keen to experience the other end of the spectrum, the 61-key model that’s designed to be a more permanent fixture in your studio setup, and find out how and if it might be a better fit for some producers.

READ MORE: Novation on the future of MIDI control and why Launchkey MK4 is “a big step forward”

Novation was keen to explain how basically all of the MK4’s MIDI functionality is baked into the firmware and this means that the keyboards’ ‘brains’ are essentially the same, even though they have some hardware differences. So like the Minis, the 61 key model can operate in standalone mode using its MIDI output though here it’s a full size 5-pin MIDI port on the rear panel so there’s no need to use an adapter.
It powers and sends data over its USB-C connection so in standalone mode any power adapter will do, and you hook up to drum machines, modular synths or other gear over the regular MIDI port. The various MIDI tools – of which more shortly – all work independently of a computer.
The controller also has a sustain pedal input, vital for most kinds of creative keyboard playing, and full-size conventional pitch and mod wheels, where the Minis use touch strips. Indeed the 25, 37 and 49 key versions also have these and these models also use full sized keys. While the 25 and 37 have a synth action, the 49 and 61 have semi-weighted keys. This provides a significantly more tactile response that’s closer to the feel of a piano.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
As any seasoned player will attest, it’s possible to play semi- or fully-weighted keys with more nuance since they behave in a more responsive way to synth action keys. They’re also somewhat heavier though. Even if these larger models are not particularly intended to be as portable as the Minis, the 61 still only weighs in at 5kg.
Like every member of the Launchkey MK4 family, the 61 works without drivers on the Mac and requires a simple download for Windows, then the controller can talk to your computer. There’s an app called Components that lets you upload and download configurations to the hardware and also create custom setups easily thanks to its graphical interface. Impressively, the system also works via a MIDI-compatible browser like Chrome so you can log in to access and tweak all your settings even if you are away from home.
Novation’s long association with Ableton means that the integration with Live is particularly tight here – it even comes with a copy of Live Lite – and the controller is automatically recognised by the software. With other DAWs – Logic, Cubase, Reason – you will need to download a script from the website and do a little setup in the DAW. By and large this is painless, with Cubase’s MIDI Remote editor in particular letting it tie in nicely to the hardware. If your DAW is a little more esoteric it will still work though there will initially be some playing around with the Mackie HUI controller protocol to make it go.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
The 61 fits an impressive selection of hardware controls onto its top panel. There are 16 RGB backlit pads with velocity sensing and polyphonic aftertouch, two pad page buttons, scene launch and function buttons. The eight continuous encoders also have two page buttons for extended functionality and unlike most of the smaller models, the 61 also has nine faders and buttons, ideal for mixer channel control. There are transport controls of course as well as tool buttons like undo, quantize and metronome, plus track navigation buttons. The vast majority can be customised and in many cases a control’s behaviour will update dynamically as you move between different features or tools in your DAW.
Another feature that only the two larger models have thanks to their more expansive keyboards is zoning. This allows you to assign key ranges to different destinations, splitting or layering two instruments or MIDI channels. There’s also a generative arpeggiator with step editor, Scale mode with 30 scales so you can’t play ‘wrong’ notes outside a particular scale, Chord modes that let you trigger preset or custom chords from single keys or pads and of course octave buttons, though these are less essential than on the smaller models.
The 61 has more physical space and more controls which means there’s less learning of sub-functions like pressing a button to change the behaviour of pads or encoders. The faders and fader buttons are a big plus especially for mixing. Though the display is the same small one from every model it’s still perfectly serviceable, with backlighting providing visual feedback. There’s still a learning curve initially but it’s not arduous. Since most people will be using one or at most two DAWs it’s not like you have to keep learning different layouts.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
In studios you often see a controller sitting between the computer keyboard and the screen, something on which the producer needs to play parts without getting up from their chair, but with more nuance than a synth action keyboard would allow. An 88-key beast is usually too big for this, but 61 or potentially even 49 keys is a sweet spot for many people. Throw in a bunch of DAW controls too and you have a convenient and powerful all-in one device that does its job without cluttering your space.
While the Minis are designed to be taken anywhere, the 61 is more at home front and centre in your setup, likely becoming something you play with muscle memory as you perform repeated actions – navigating a Live set, tweaking a favourite soft synth or programming beats.
The models in between represent differing trade-offs between portability and the full feature set, though admittedly, most of the core functions are common to the entire range. While a hardware controller is probably never going to be able to free you completely from a computer screen and mouse, Novation has done an excellent job here of integrating hardware and software, and also promises more software-based developments going forward. There’s a generous bundle of plugins to be had too.
Most producers need a tactile everyday keyboard hooked up permanently to their DAW and ideally some well-thought-out transport and control features too. The revamped Launchkey 61 delivers both, and at a sensible price.

Key features

61 semi-weighted piano style keys
USB data and power
16 RGB backlit pads with polyphonic aftertouch
8 continuous encoders
9 faders and buttons
MIDI out and sustain pedal input
Integration with all major DAWs
Components app and website for management
MIDI layering and zoning
Software bundle

The post Could the Novation Launchkey MK 4 become the new heart of your studio? appeared first on MusicTech.

Avid Pro Tools 2024.10 update now available The latest update for Pro Tools delivers a range of new features that cater to both music and post-production users.

How Partisan Records Markets ArtistsThis week, Ari is joined by Zena White, the COO of Partisan Records, to discuss how labels can support and market their artists effectively.