Veteran music exec Peter Rudge to step away from artist management after 55 yearsRudge has managed bands such as The Who, The Rolling Stones, and Lynyrd Skynyrd, among many others
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How To Succeed in Sync: 4 tips for top Music CreatorsMusic industry experts recently came together for UK PRO's PRS Members’ Day including a session on tips from top creators on how to succeed in sync.
The post How To Succeed in Sync: 4 tips for top Music Creators appeared first on Hypebot.

Human Artistry Campaign seeks signatures for AI Training statementThe Human Artistry Campaign is working to ensure that AI works for musicians, artists, and other creators rather than against them. As part of that effort, the coalition has launched a new campaign soliciting sign-ons to a simple public generative AI training statement.
The post Human Artistry Campaign seeks signatures for AI Training statement appeared first on Hypebot.

Vinyl Sales are up in 2024: Luminate report of 33% decline under fireAfter music sales data leader Luminate published data showing a 33% decline in 2024 vinyl sales, those directly involved in the sector offered stats showing that vinyl sales are up and an explanation for the discrepancy.
The post Vinyl Sales are up in 2024: Luminate report of 33% decline under fire appeared first on Hypebot.

Abbey Road EMI TG1234 Mk.I for sale! Online music marketplace Reverb.com have announced that the console used by The Beatles to record their iconic ‘Abbey Road’ album will be up for sale via their platform.

Boom Library StereoLab Giveaway is back! (20,000 Free Licenses)
Boom Library just announced that the StereoLab giveaway is back in motion, with 20,000 free licenses available. Unless the free licenses are depleted earlier, the giveaway will end on October 24th. This announcement comes roughly a week after the initial StereoLab giveaway, which was plagued by technical issues. This left many users without a free [...]
View post: Boom Library StereoLab Giveaway is back! (20,000 Free Licenses)

“It sounds so good that it holds up against any modern console”: Recording console used on The Beatles’ Abbey Road to go up for saleA legendary recording console used on the Beatles’ last recorded album, Abbey Road, has been beautifully restored and will soon be available for purchase on Reverb. It will be sold at a fixed price, though interested buyers can submit offers for the unit.
The EMI TG1234 recording console will be available through the official Reverb shop of London’s recording studio experts, MJQ Ltd, starting 29 October (7 AM CST), with fans able to preview the console on Reverb beginning today.

READ MORE: Martin Garrix declared world’s No.1 DJ for the fifth time

Custom-built for EMI Studios in 1968, the console was the first of just 17 consoles worldwide made by EMI. It was used the following year to record Abbey Road — the Fab Four’s last-ever recorded album before their breakup in 1970.
“Abbey Road is one of the best albums that’s ever been made, and it sounds so good because of this recording console,” says engineer Dave Harries, who participated in numerous Beatles studio sessions with the console in the 60s. “Because of the way that Abbey Road was recorded, the album has a distinctive sound that hallmarked the future of pop recording.”
Following the recording of Abbey Road, all four Beatles would go on to use the recording console for solo projects, including John Lennon’s standout single Instant Karma! Albums ranging from Lennon’s John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Paul McCartney’s McCartney, to George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and Ringo Starr’s Sentimental Journey were all recorded with the help of the TG1234.

According to Harries, Harrison was so impressed by the console’s sound that he asked EMI if he could buy one for himself, only to be turned down out of fear that the console would be replicated and sold to one of their competitors.
“This particular console is a one-off. It’s unique. You can’t replace it,” Harries adds. “It sounds so good that it holds up against any modern console and, in many respects, it’s probably better. Because in those days, it was built to a different standard, cost no object. EMI built this to be the best in the world.”
Mike Hedges, acclaimed producer and engineer known for his work with The Cure, U2, and more, says of the TG1234: “If you talk to the engineers who have used it, they’ll tell you the same thing: It’s a beautiful sounding machine… it enhances everything that goes through it.”

As the principal client in studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios throughout the ‘80s, Hedges even “once threatened to stop working at Abbey Studios after being told that they planned to switch from EMI to a different brand of consoles.”
After being disassembled and sitting unused for more than five decades, the recording console underwent a five-year restoration process led by Beatles collaborator and former EMI engineer Brian Gibson. Along with a team of audio engineers and technicians, Gibson successfully reunited the console with 70% of its original parts, working with expert British companies to reproduce the replacement components that seamlessly integrated with the older parts. After years of work, Gibson and his team restored the console to nearly its original condition from when it was at EMI Studios (now known as Abbey Road Studios).
According to Hedges, the console hadn’t been used since the Beatles’ solo sessions in the ‘70s until this autumn, when Reverb gathered artists and engineers at the former home of London’s celebrated Decca Studios to put the recording console to the test ahead of its sale.

Head to Reverb to learn more and sign up to be notified when the recording console goes live.
The post “It sounds so good that it holds up against any modern console”: Recording console used on The Beatles’ Abbey Road to go up for sale appeared first on MusicTech.

Studio Bridge: Multitrack recorder from Tascam Tascam's new Studio Bridge supports direct recording to an SDXC card, and also features a built-in 24-in/24-out USB audio interface for integration with a DAW. 

“I trained it ethically using all of my own music” Meet LoopMagic, the AI sound generator by producer !llmind that lets you create copyright-free loops and melodies from scratchGrammy Award-winning producer !llmind has teamed up with generative AI music platform Boomy to launch LoopMagic, a music production tool that allows you to instantly create copyright-free sounds, loops, one shots, percs, melodies and more with a simple prompt.

READ MORE: LANDR Composer is an AI-driven plugin for creating chord progressions, melodies and harmonies

LoopMagic sets itself apart from the competition with a bold claim: it is “ethically trained” from the ground up using !llmind’s very own music catalogue — and only that. This means users can confidently incorporate LoopMagic generations into their projects without the need for clearances, unlike some of the other apps on the market.
“I trained it ethically using all of my own music (thousands of beats, loops and sounds) from scratch,” says !llmind. “The results were insane.”
In terms of features, LoopMagic AI is able to understand musical concepts like key and BPM, producing grid-aligned loops ready to drop into your DAW. Whether you want to perfectly emulate existing instruments or create entirely new sounds that are one-of-a-kind, LoopMagic delivers.
Have a vision for a firetruck siren submerged underwater at a specific BPM and key? Just ask, and LoopMagic will make it happen.
As !llmind explains, “This is not just a MIDI generator on the back end. It’s using actual AI technology to manifest sounds and melodies from scratch, every time.”
The producer says of the tool’s origins: “I remember back in 2011 before sound packs were a thing. We didn’t have too many places to get our sounds from. I wanted to help solve that problem, so I released my first drum kit that year and it blew up [and] changed the entire landscape.”
“Now fast forward to 2024. I decided to leverage the power of Ai to create the ultimate tool to generate infinite amounts of any sound or loop you can imagine.”
“Anything you generate is yours,” he adds. “No one else will have the same sounds you generate. It’s all trained on Illmind original compositions, beats, patterns, drum textures, everything (ethically)”
Check out a demo of LoopMagic below.

Learn more at LoopMagic.
The post “I trained it ethically using all of my own music” Meet LoopMagic, the AI sound generator by producer !llmind that lets you create copyright-free loops and melodies from scratch appeared first on MusicTech.

Tool’s Maynard James Keenan feels they made a “mistake” by not being on streaming platforms sooner: “That’s the gateway into vinyl and CDs”Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan feels the band made a “mistake” by not putting their music on streaming platforms sooner.
The LA rock band – popularly known for their albums 10,000 Days, and more recently, Fear Inoculum – didn’t have their discography on streaming platforms until 2019. At the time, their third album Lateralus (2001) immediately topped the albums chart on Apple Music’s iTunes, even fending off competition from Billie Eilish.

READ MORE: TikTok Music is shutting down after just one year

During his recent appearance on the Allison Hagendorf Show, Keenan reveals that by avoiding streaming sites, he feels the band actually missed out on a new generation of fans.
“I feel like we missed the boat. Like it started with downloads 24 years ago, and then by the time we actually came out, downloads [were] done. We missed 20 years of reaching two generations of people to understand what it is that we do.
“I don’t like listening to the mp3 version, I listen to CDs and vinyl, but that’s the gateway to get them into the vinyl and the CDs. And I feel like we made a mistake not being on those mediums for 20 years. Me every year, saying, ‘We should do this,’” he explains (via NME).
Of their chart-topping success at the time, Keenan says it came as a complete “surprise”: “People didn’t know who we were because we weren’t around. My son just finished law school, and his peers have no idea who we are. They weren’t exposed to it. It’s not on your phone.”
Check out the interview below:

Streaming services have been subject to much debate for years, with artists such as Avenged Sevenfold, James Blake, and St. Vincent having criticised the model for low royalty pay outs and the way it has incentivised songs to be consumable over and over again, meaning songs which are more complex and less likely to be replayed miss out.
Most artists recognise that streaming is ideal if you’re a huge pop star, but for others the market can feel unfair. Avenged Sevenfold have in turn started their own fan club to better reach fans, and Blake has even created his own streaming model called Vault.
Spotify’s CEO, Daniel Ek, has previously compared the streaming market to professional sport. “Football is played by millions of people,” he said, “but there’s a very small number that can live off playing full time.”
Despite the resurgence of physical formats, streaming still remains the most popular way to consume music, and just as Keenan acknowledges, it often acts as a gateway of discovery for younger listeners. Spotify gained 10 million more paying users in just the first half of 2024.
The post Tool’s Maynard James Keenan feels they made a “mistake” by not being on streaming platforms sooner: “That’s the gateway into vinyl and CDs” appeared first on MusicTech.

Is Shure’s MV6 really the best USB microphone for gamers and podcasters right now?£129, shure.com
A pro-quality audio feed is essential for many of our tasks, be it conferencing, podcasting or online gaming. And the less setup you must do to achieve it, the better. A relative of Shure’s popular MV7 podcast mic, the new MV6 is significantly lower in price, coming in at around half the price of the older model.
Dig beneath the surface and you’ll find a bunch of cool automatic features to keep the sound clean and consistent without you having to worry. While a web search will serve up plenty of glowing reviews of the MV6, we’re putting it to the test so you can make up your own mind.

READ MORE: Is Shure’s SM4 a perfect microphone for the home studio?

The MV6 is solidly constructed in black metal and has a sturdy desktop stand to which it can be affixed. There’s also a universal screw thread for using other kinds of stand or a boom. The stand’s foot is large-ish but this is a worthwhile trade-off since it makes the relatively heavy mic super stable at any angle.
The mic comes with a USB-C cable, though its short length means you might need to reach for a longer one. A 3.5-mm headphone socket makes monitoring simple but there’s no XLR output as found on the MV7 so it’s limited to digital input to your computer or iPad. The striking green mic surround is also made of quality metal and this is covered by a foam windshield.
There’s only one physical control on the body: a capacitive mute button, handy for quickly silencing the mic. You’ll handle everything else via the downloadable MOTIV Mix desktop software for macOS and PC, which acts as a basic audio recorder but, more importantly, a way to configure the microphone. You can add input channels from various sources or devices and live-mix them for recording or for sending to another application via the MOTIV Virtual Mix channel. So you could easily send your streams to a DAW for recording.
MOTIV Mix app
In the software, you can control the mic’s various DSP processors. This starts with choosing between a manually-set gain level or Auto-level which intelligently reduces the gain if you move closer to the mic and raises it if you move away — as gamers and podcasters periodically do. In practice, it strikes a nice balance of being reactive but not aggressive. Even when we try to catch it out with quick movements, the results are pretty smooth and balanced.
Next up is a monitor mix control, a fairly straightforward way to blend the signal from your own voice and that sent back from the computer. Then there’s Tone, a way to EQ the sound a little to make it warmer or more clinical, which we find best left on Natural. A real-time denoiser is a clever way to filter out ambient sounds like traffic noise that are superfluous to the recording. This too is effective and, although not quite as capable as a dedicated plugin, it’s impressive for a built-in tool.
Still in beta, MOTIV Mix does have a few rough edges. While you can now save microphone settings as presets, you still cannot access recording quality settings within the app. Hopefully, Shure will continue to update and improve the app to a finished state.
The MV6 without its windshield
The MV6 comes with a foam shield but also has a digital pop stopper which, like most of the other functions, has a variable level in the software. It’s surprisingly effective and better from a visual point of view than having a physical pop shield between yourself and the mic, especially when appearing on video. Shure doesn’t divulge how it works but we’d assume some combination of processes including fast and highly-tuned compression. Finally, you can activate a high-pass filter to roll off bass rumble or proximity effect from voices.
Shure’s MV6 has a cardioid polar pattern and uses ‘Voice Isolation Technology’ – the brand’s own term – to reject sound from the rear and focus on your voice. As such, it’s very directional.
The frequency response of 50 Hz to 15kHz is typical for a dynamic microphone, but you might find other USB mics can stretch up to 20kHz. This perceived technical limitation is actually helpful for picking up vocals in this instance; the impressive voice isolation, close-up use and slightly reduced high-frequency response compared to a condenser make it ideal for capturing voices naturally in a bedroom or other acoustically untreated space. The narrowed frequency response ensures a focus on your vocal range without introducing sibilance, as some condensers do.
The capture of spoken audio is achieved tremendously. Voices are abundantly clear and free of unwanted artefacts thanks to the various digital tools. Pops and ambient noise are successfully removed and when using Auto-level our deliberately inconsistent movement while speaking isn’t an issue.
A streamer using the MV6
Ideally, presenting or streaming would involve a mic mounted on a boom arm — like with the yoke-mounted MV7+ and SM7 — since it can get closer to your mouth and be at head height. But that’s also restrictive in terms of your own movement, plus the MV6 with its clever digital tools does an excellent job of maintaining a strong level when desk mounted, at a wholly different angle than a boom.
If we could, we’d add a physical gain control on the mic body. However, it could be argued that this would only be of any use with Auto-level switched off in the software and in a situation where you could be confident that you’re not going to move around much. Still, some people might prefer that.
MOTIV Mix does a capable job of simple recording though you’d likely want to route sound to a heftier application for podcast production. For simpler gaming or streaming where your sound is just being fed to an app or website that’s less of a concern.
A solidly built and well-thought-out mic with nifty digital tools, the pickup and performance from the MV6 is perfect for podcasters, gamers and streamers alike.

Key features

USB-C
Dynamic, cardioid design
50 Hz to 15 kHz frequency response
Detachable desk stand
Digital popper stopper
3.5-mm headphone output
DSP noise reduction
Auto-level and manual gain-setting
MOTIV Mix software
Capacitive mute button

The post Is Shure’s MV6 really the best USB microphone for gamers and podcasters right now? appeared first on MusicTech.

Cocaine & Rhinestones - Jukeboxes, Bullfighting, and George & TammyIn constructing the mammoth "Cocaine & Rhinestones: A History of George Jones and Tammy Wynette," author Tyler Mahan Coe has effectively combined three separate books: An expertly told love story/cautionary tale, an in-depth reference material, and a philosophical exercise.

Meta’s smart glasses outsell traditional Ray-Bans in some stores, even before AI features roll outThe Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses are the top selling product in 60% of all Ray-Ban stores throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, according to Upload VR. The detail came from EssilorLuxottica CFO Stefano Grassi, who revealed during the eyewear giant’s earnings call last week that Ray-Ban Meta proved to be a significant driver for […]
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Mining PAC launches ad for Ted Cruz as early voting begins in TexasMore than 18 million registered voters in the Lone Star State will decide whether to replace Senator Ted Cruz with Representative Colin Allred starting in 2025.

The 1983 Clock Four Decades in the MakingIn 1983, a 14-year-old [Will] saw an LED clock in The Sharper Image store. At $250, it stayed in the store. That was a lot of money back then, especially for most teenagers. But [Will] didn’t forget. After high school, he and a friend planned to build one from scratch. They worked out how they would do it and did a little prototyping, but never really finished. Well, they never really finished at the time. Because 33 years later, [Will] decided to finally put it together. Check it out in the video below.
[Will’s] learned a lot since his original design, plus we have tech today that would have seemed like magic in the late 1980s. But he wanted to stay true to the original design, so there’s no microcontroller or smart LEDs. Just binary counters and a lot of LEDs. There’s even a 555 doing duty as a reset timer.

The original design used the 60 Hz signal from the AC power supply. [Will] made that one concession to modern times and powered the clock from USB-C. That meant adding a reference oscillator, which is a good thing, anyway, as he explains in the post.
The result looks good and we don’t envy him soldering 275 SMD parts! He even graciously made a few and sent one to his old friend.
We don’t know why we were surprised [Will] soldered all those parts. He’s a key member of the people who put on the SMD soldering challenge each year at Supercon. Most LED clock projects from those days used 7-segment displays.