Trump has extended the TikTok deadline againPresident Trump has extended the deadline that would require China-based ByteDance to sell its U.S. TikTok operation or be shut down.
The post Trump has extended the TikTok deadline again appeared first on Hypebot.

Impact Soundworks releases the FREE Orchestral Hit System for Kontakt Player
Impact Soundworks released the freely downloadable Orchestral Hit System: High Intensity Transients sound library for Kontakt Player. Orchestral Hit System: High Intensity Transients can be downloaded for free, but the developer welcomes any donations to help with download bandwidth costs (suggested price $5). The library is compatible with the free Kontakt Player version 7.8 upwards. [...]
View post: Impact Soundworks releases the FREE Orchestral Hit System for Kontakt Player

MIDI Agent MIDI AgentMIDI Agent is an AI-powered MIDI generator plugin (VST/AU) that uses natural language commands to create and iterate on MIDI. It lets producers start fresh or build on existing ideas using advanced AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and Gemini. MIDI Agent streamlines creative workflow by turning text prompts into musical ideas. Read More

From Pophouse’s $1.3bn music rights fund to Morrissey’s legal action… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place…
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SSL launch the Alpha 8 Packing in eight channels of A-D and D-A conversion along with 18-in/18-out audio interface functionality, the Alpha 8 can be paired seamlessly with the recently released SSL 18, and offers a convenient way to expand any ADAT- or S/PDIF-equipped interface.

Roger Daltrey says improving technology is making musicians lose the “heartbeat” of musicWhile we’ve never had more options in terms of the tools we can call on when making music, not everyone thinks this abundance of choice is a good thing.
Take The Who singer Roger Daltrey, for example. He would go as far as to say boundless innovation in music technology is subtracting from the “heartbeat” of modern music making.

READ MORE: MusicTech returns to print after 5 years in a new premium magazine format

Speaking during a launch event for the hardback edition of Buddy Holly: Words of Love – which celebrates the life of the pioneering guitarist – Daltrey dives deeper into how making music has evolved over the years.
In the early days of rock and roll, Daltrey says [via Music-News] “we were throwing shit at the wall and some of it stuck.”
“There’s something about the technology I feel personally, we’re losing the essence of the heartbeat. Maybe it’s because I’m older, but there’s not much new music.”
While Daltrey appears to be talking about rock music more than any other genre – which has been accused of being stagnant and slow to evolve – his comments about music technology stifling the creative process will certainly get those in the electronic music production world talking.
“I think rock music has been so convoluted because we got to be forced and twisted for a mainstream audience to turn the guitar down,” he says. “Modern music’s been in a strange place, but it’s exciting because it’s really, I feel it’s very democratic again.”
Daltrey goes on to explain how the rise of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok has paved the way for artists to take greater control of their own music.
“For the past four years a lot of majors have been able to control what we’ve been placed in front of us, but we know apps like TikTok, Instagram and everything like that I really find that people can provide authenticity again directly.”
He goes on: “If you have a story to tell, you can tell it and tell it to the world. You don’t have to go through seven steps.”
“I think that’s what’s really cool about how rock music [is] at the minute, and modern rock and roll music, I really feel like it’s finding its bounce back,” Daltrey continues. “And it’s becoming hysterical again and it’s exciting. It’s becoming younger again. That’s really cool.”
The post Roger Daltrey says improving technology is making musicians lose the “heartbeat” of music appeared first on MusicTech.

StageBox application by Tracktion Available for both Mac and Windows systems, StageBox makes it simple to transfer instruments and effects setups from a studio session to a live show. 

Former Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flür was once tricked into working with a Thomas Bangalter impersonatorFormer Kraftwerk percussionist Wolfgang Flür was tricked into working with an impersonator pretending to be Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter.
Flür – who was a member of Kraftwerk from 1973-1987, but has been releasing solo music since 2015 – released his new album Times on 28 March. He had previously teased a collaboration with Bangalter in the years prior to its release, but since the album has landed, reports newly claim that the collaboration is not with the real Bangalter, and that Flür has seemingly been tricked.

READ MORE: “When I heard Antenna, I was finally convinced of synthesizer music,” says Former Kraftwerk drummer Wolfgang Flür

For some context, the saga dates back to February 2023, when – as documented in a timeline of events by Luke Perez, the Daft Punk Historian – producer and music partner of Flür, Peter Duggal, posted on social media that “cool things” were emerging from a collaboration with Thomas Bangalter, along with an image from Blitzed Magazine in which Flür and Duggal describe getting a Facebook message from him.
Fans did believe this to be odd, as Bangalter does not have a social media presence, and the post was later deleted. However, skip to January 2024 and in an interview with Blick, Flür mentioned that he had an album releasing in September of that year and that Bangalter (among other artists) would be featured on it. The album was eventually pushed back to March 2025, and Flür further discussed the collaboration on Ben Cardew’s Line Noise Podcast in February, though the episode has seemingly been taken down now.
Eventually, its track listing was revealed, and showed collaborations on two tracks from someone named Thomas Vangarde. ‘Vangarde’ was a fake surname Bangalter’s father previously used to preserve his anonymity, so it was brushed off as being nothing more than a pseudonym.
With the official release of the album, Bangalter’s real name was not credited anywhere, with platforms like Spotify crediting the Vangarde name instead. Shortly after, a representative of the Daft Punk team who runs their official Discord channel wrote online, “PSA: recently a ‘Thomas Vangarde’ was credited on Wolfgang Flür (of Kraftwerk)’s latest album, and it was assumed/reported that this was an alias of Thomas Bangalter. This is confirmed false! Unfortunately it is not Thomas of DP on the project and news otherwise is inaccurate.”
They later stated that legal teams have been made aware, and asked for people to extend Flür some kindness. “It’s not his fault that oversight failed here! Just because the media is being unkind about the mistake doesn’t mean fans have to be. Please do not harass him about the mistake or tell him to feel embarrassed. And please still listen to the rest of Times!” They said.
Wolfgang Flür’s Times is still available to stream or buy now.
The post Former Kraftwerk member Wolfgang Flür was once tricked into working with a Thomas Bangalter impersonator appeared first on MusicTech.

MusicTech returns to print after 5 years in a new premium magazine formatFollowing a near-five-year hiatus, MusicTech is set to return to print with an all-new premium magazine format which, alongside our monthly digital covers, will spotlight emerging talent and the gear you need to hear about.
Guitar.com, MusicTech’s sister website, is also returning to print, with Guitar.com launching on 29 May and MusicTech on 31 July. Both magazines will be jam-packed with unmissable features, expert reviews and loads more.
The new MusicTech and Guitar.com print editions will alternate with every bi-monthly edition of NME Magazine – which was also relaunched as a premium version in 2023. This means both brands will get three print editions per calendar year, offering exceptional value for superfans, artists and readers worldwide.
The MusicTech monthly digital cover will continue to spotlight both artists and gear, supported by an in-depth feature, behind-the-scenes video and social-first content.
“Following the successful relaunch of NME Magazine in 2023, we’re thrilled to bring back both Guitar.com and MusicTech in high-quality print formats,” says Holly Bishop, Chief Operating & Commercial Officer at NME Networks.
“These new magazines will reward our global audiences with the thought provoking features and insightful reviews our brands are world-famous for. We can’t wait for you to dive in.”
MusicTech is the world’s leading media brand at the intersection of music and technology, covering how technology is shaping the future of sound for the new generation of music creators and consumers.
Guitar.com is the destination for all things guitar, led by a knowledgeable, curious and expressive editorial team dedicated to connecting audiences with their passions through fun, authentic and helpful content.
To be in with exclusive opportunities in tandem with each launch, make sure you sign up to the Guitar.com and MusicTech mailing lists.
The post MusicTech returns to print after 5 years in a new premium magazine format appeared first on MusicTech.

Expert music producers react to Serum 2
Watch expert producers John Grand and Devon Johnson share their first look at the highly-anticipated Serum 2.

EigenLayer to begin 'slashing' restakers in AprilEigenLayer plans to start “slashing” restakers on April 17, resulting in the Ethereum restaking protocol’s “first feature-complete iteration,” it said in an April 2 announcement. Implementing slashing will mark EigenLayer’s final step toward establishing the protocol as “infrastructure for a new generation of verifiable apps and services built on the Verifiable Cloud,” it said in a post on the X platform.In 2024, EigenLayer started distributing rewards — including emissions of its native EIGEN token — to incentivize restakers. However, slashing has so far been limited to EigenLayer’s testnets.Once slashing is live, node operators and restakers will be able to voluntarily “opt-in,” resulting in a gradual transition for users, EigenLayer said in a blog post.Slashing starts on EigenLayer’s mainnet soon. Source: EigenLayerRelated: EigenLayer eyes consumer adoption post EIGEN unlock, founder saysGradual roll-outLaunched in 2023, EigenLayer secures third-party protocols — dubbed actively validated services (AVSs) — against a pool of “restaked” cryptocurrencies used as collateral. Restaking involves taking a token that has already been staked — posted as collateral with a validator in exchange for rewards — and using it to secure other protocols simultaneously. Slashing is the primary method for securing proof-of-stake protocols — including Ethereum as well as “restaking” protocols such as EigenLayer — and involves penalizing a network’s node operators for poor performance or misbehavior.“If Operators do not meet the conditions set, the AVS may penalize them. But, if the Operator runs the service successfully, AVSs can reward the Operator’s performance and incentivize specific activity,” EigenLayer said in an April 3 blog post. This “allows for a free marketplace where Operators can earn rewards for their work and AVSs can launch verifiable services,” the post said. EigenLayer’s total value locked (TVL) over time. Source: DeFILlamaGrowing ecosystemUpward of 30 AVSs are already live on EigenLayer’s mainnet, and dozens more are being developed.They include EigenDA — run by EigenLayer developer Eigen Labs — and ARPA Network, a protocol specializing in trustless randomization.In October, EigenLayer unlocked its native token, EIGEN. It is designed as a more flexible option for securing consensus-based protocols than other proof-of-stake tokens, such as Ether, according to EigenLayer.EigenLayer is prioritizing onboarding crypto-native apps in segments such as decentralized finance (DeFi) and gaming before expanding beyond Web3, founder Sreeram Kannan told Cointelegraph in October. “We’re starting with the inside-out approach, focusing on high-throughput consumer apps like DeFi and gaming, but once we grow a little bigger and have critical mass, we’ll go outside and start targeting broader consumer markets,” Kannan said.Magazine: XRP win leaves Ripple a ‘bad actor’ with no crypto legal precedent set

Amazon Kindle’s new feature uses AI to generate recaps for books in a seriesAmazon is introducing a new “Recaps” feature for Kindle users to help them recall plot points and character arcs before picking up the latest book in a series. While the company’s press release for the new feature doesn’t mention AI, Amazon confirmed to TechCrunch that recaps are AI-generated. “We use technology, including GenAI and Amazon […]

Live Music stocks dropped more than overall markets Thursday​On a very bad day on Wall Street, most publicly traded major live music stocks dropped more than overall markets Thursday. Live Music stocks dropped more than overall markets ​On. Continue reading
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Teardown of a Scam Ultrasonic CleanerEveryone knows that ultrasonic cleaners are great, but not every device that’s marketed as an ultrasonic cleaner is necessarily such a device. In a recent video on the Cheap & Cheerful YouTube channel the difference is explored, starting with a teardown of a fake one. The first hint comes with the use of the description ‘Multifunction cleaner’ on the packaging, and the second in the form of it being powered by two AAA batteries.
Unsurprisingly, inside you find not the ultrasonic transducer that you’d expect to find in an actual ultrasonic cleaner, but rather a vibration motor. In the demonstration prior to the teardown you can see that although the device makes a similar annoying buzzing noise, it’s very different. Subsequently the video looks at a small ultrasonic cleaner and compares the two.
Among the obvious differences are that the ultrasonic cleaner is made out of metal and AC-powered, and does a much better job at cleaning things like rusty parts. The annoying thing is that although the cleaners with a vibration motor will also clean things, they rely on agitating the water in a far less aggressive way than the ultrasonic cleaner, so marketing them as something which they’re not is very unpleasant.
In the video the argument is also made that you do not want to clean PCBs with an ultrasonic cleaner, but we think that people here may have different views on that aspect.

DPA MICS DELIVER PRISTINE SOUND FOR BAD BUNNYCarlitos Lopez conducting the Philharmonic Orchestra Project during Bad Bunny’s tour, which deployed DPA microphones on stage.Fans of Puerto Rican rapper and singer Bad Bunny can't fail to have noticed the impeccable work of producer Carlitos Lopez. The man born Carlos Fernando Lopez is a GRAMMY®- and Latin GRAMMY-winning producer, composer and conductor, who specializes in bridging the worlds of classical and popular music. Lopez co-produced Bad Bunny’s 2023 hit single “Nadie Sabe,” bringing a full orchestral accompaniment to the artist’s already-electrifying music. That symbiosis, the lush arrangements sitting comfortably alongside the contemporary edge, has been revelatory. Lopez recently toured with Bad Bunny across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, conducting the Philharmonic Orchestra Project (POP), as it performed Bad Bunny’s songs. As a welcome bonus feature, POP also showcased a collection of Lopez’s original music compositions at the start of the shows.“Benito (Bad Bunny) loves all styles of music and decided to open his album with a classical sound,” says Lopez. “So, I wrote orchestral music for him to use with ‘Nadie Sabe’ and recorded with a full orchestra in Prague. Then, from that collaboration and while producing that song, Benito decided he wanted to take a full orchestra on tour and asked me to conduct. He also requested new orchestral pieces to open the show, which I turned around in just a few days.”A statement reveals that Lopez is, "a native of Colombia [who] has been inspired by music his entire life, following in the footsteps of his opera singer grandfather, who ignited the passion. Whether in the studio or on the stage, Lopez continually strives to ensure his productions are top-of-class and insists on utilizing only the best gear to support his work. Included among Lopez’s preferred solutions is DPA Microphones, which he deployed for both his studio and live orchestral projects with Bad Bunny."“We had a team of 12 engineers working on the tour, and from the very start I asked to have input on the microphones we would use,” says Lopez. “I had used a selection of DPA mics in the studio, when we recorded the orchestra, and I knew that I wanted to deliver the same sound to live audiences. The orchestra we recorded in the studio was much larger than the one we used on tour because the stage was smaller, so the mics played an important role in ensuring we didn’t lose the perception of a big ensemble.”For more about DPA Microphones, visit dpamicrophones.com.For more about Carlitos Lopez, visit carlitosmusic.com.The post DPA MICS DELIVER PRISTINE SOUND FOR BAD BUNNY first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.