Seen and heard: The new Edward and Joyce Linde Music BuildingUntil very recently, Mariano Salcedo, a fourth-year MIT electronic engineering and computer science student majoring in artificial intelligence and decision-making, was planning to apply for a master’s program in computer science at MIT. Then he saw the new Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building, which opened this fall for a selection of classes. “Now, instead of going into computer science, I’m thinking of applying for the master’s program in Music Technology, which is being offered here for the first time next year,” says Salcedo. “The decision is definitely linked to the building, and what the building says about music at MIT.”  Scheduled to open fully in February 2025, the Linde Music Building already makes a bold and elegant visual statement. But its most powerful impact will likely be heard as much as seen. Each of the facility’s elements, including the Thomas Tull Concert Hall, every performance and rehearsal space, each classroom, even the stainless-steel metal panels that form the conic canopies over the cube-like building’s three entrances — has been conceived and constructed to create an ideal environment for music. Students are already enjoying the ideal acoustics and customized spaces of the Linde Music Building, even as construction on the site continues. Within the building’s thick red-brick walls, they study subjects ranging from Electronic Music Composition to Conducting and Score Reading to Advanced Music Performance. Myriad musical groups, from the MIT jazz combos to the Balinese Gamelan and the Rambax Senegalese Drum Ensemble, explore and enjoy their new and improved homes, as do those students who will create and perfect the next generation of music production hardware and software. “For many of us at MIT, music is very close to our hearts,” notes MIT President Sally Kornbluth. “And the new building now puts music right at the heart of the campus. Its exceptional practice and recording spaces will give MIT musicians the conservatory-level tools they deserve, and the beautiful performance hall will exert its own gravitational pull, drawing audiences from across campus and the larger community who love live music.”The need and the solutionMusic has never been a minor pursuit at MIT. More than 1,500 MIT students enroll in music classes each academic year. And more than 500 student musicians participate in one of 30 on-campus ensembles. Yet until recently there was no centralized facility for music instruction or rehearsal. Practice rooms were scattered and poorly insulated, with sound seeping through the walls. Nor was there a truly suitable space for large performances; while Kresge Auditorium has sufficient capacity and splendid minimalist aesthetics, the acoustics are not optimal.“It would be very difficult to teach biology or engineering in a studio designed for dance or music,” says Jay Scheib, recently appointed section head for Music and Theater Arts and Class of 1949 Professor. “The same goes for teaching music in a mathematics or chemistry classroom. In the past, we’ve done it, but it did limit us. In our theater program, everything changed when we opened the new theater building (W97) in 2017 and could teach theater in spaces intended for theater. We believe the new music building will have a similar effect on our music program. It will inspire our students and musicians and allow them to hear their music as it was intended to be heard. And it will provide an opportunity to convene people, to inhabit the same space, breathe the same air, and exchange ideas and perspectives.”“Music-making from multiple musical traditions are areas of tremendous growth at MIT, both in terms of performance and academics,” says Keeril Makan, associate dean for strategic initiatives for the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS). The Michael (1949) and Sonja Koerner Music Composition Professor and former head of the Music and Theater Arts Section, Makan was, and remains, intimately involved in the Linde Music Building project. “In this building, we wanted all forms of music to coexist, whether jazz, classical, or music from around the world. This was not easy; different types of music require different conditions. But we took the time and invested in making spaces that would support all musical genres.”The idea of creating an epicenter for music at MIT is not new. For several decades, MIT planners and administrators studied various plans and sites on campus, including Kendall Square and areas in West Campus. Then, in 2018, one year after the completion of the Theater Arts Building on Vassar Street, and with support from then-president L. Rafael Reif, the Institute received a cornerstone gift for the music building from arts patron Joyce Linde. Along with her late husband and former MIT Corporation member Edward H. Linde ’62, the late Joyce Linde was a longtime MIT supporter. SANAA, a Tokyo-based architectural firm, was selected for the job in April 2019.“MIT chose SANAA in part because their architecture is so beautiful,” says Vasso Mathes, the senior campus planner in the MIT Office of Campus Planning who helped select the SANAA team. “But also because they understood that this building is about acoustics. And they brought the world’s most renowned acoustics consultant, Nagata Acoustics International founder Yasuhisa Toyota, to the project.”Where form meets functionBuilt on the site of a former parking lot, the Linde Music Building is both stunning and subtle. Designed by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA, which won the 2010 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the three-volume red brick structure centers both the natural and built environments of MIT’s West Campus — harmonizing effortlessly with Eero Saarinen’s Kresge Auditorium and iconic MIT Chapel, both adjacent, while blending seamlessly with surrounding athletic fields and existing landscaping. With a total of 35,000 square feet of usable space, the building’s three distinct volumes dialogue beautifully with their surroundings. The curved roof reprises elements of Kresge Auditorium, while the exterior evokes Boston and Cambridge’s archetypal facades. The glass-walled lobby, where the three cubic volumes converge, is surprisingly intimate, with ample natural light and inviting views onto three distinct segments of campus. “One thing I love about this project is that each program has its own identity in form,” says co-founder and principal Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA. “And there are also in-between spaces that can breathe and blend inside and outside spaces, creating a landscape while preserving the singularity of each program.”There are myriad signature features — particularly the acoustic features designed by Nagata Acoustics. The Beatrice and Stephen Erdely Music and Culture Space offers the building’s most robust acoustic insulation. Conceived as a home for MIT’s Rambax Senegalese Drum Ensemble and Balinese Gamelan — as well as other music ensembles — the high-ceilinged box-in-box rehearsal space features alternating curved wall panels. The first set reflects sound, the second set absorbs it. The two panel styles are virtually identical to the eye. With a maximum seating capacity of 390, the Thomas Tull Concert Hall features a suite of gently rising rows that circle a central performance area. The hall can be configured for almost any style and size of performance, from a soloist in the round to a full jazz ensemble. A retractable curtain, an overhanging ring of glass panels, and the same alternating series of curved wall panels offers adaptable and exquisite sound conditions for performers and audience. A season of events are planned for the spring, starting on Feb. 15, 2025, with a celebratory public program and concert. Classrooms, rehearsal spaces, and technical spaces in the Jae S. and Kyuho Lim Music Maker Pavilion — where students will develop state-of-the-art production tools, software, and musical instruments — are similarly outfitted to create a nearly ideal sound environment. While acoustic concerns drove the design process for the Linde Music Building, they did not dampen it. Architects, builders, and vendors repeatedly found ingenious and understated ways to infuse beauty into spaces conceived primarily around sound. “There are many technical specifications we had to consider and acoustic conditions we had to create,” says co-founder and principal Kazuyo Sejima of SANAA. “But we didn’t want this to be a purely technical building; rather, a building where people can enjoy creating and listening to music, enjoy coming together, in a space that was functional, but also elegant.”Realized with sustainable methods and materials, the building features radiant-heat flooring, LED lighting, high-performance thermally broken windows, and a green roof on each volume. A new landscape and underground filters mitigate flood risk and treat rain and stormwater. A two-level 142-space parking garage occupies the space beneath the building. The outdoor scene is completed by Madrigal, a site-specific sculpture by Sanford Biggers. Commissioned by MIT, and administered by the List Visual Arts Center, the Percent-for-Art program selected Sanford Biggers through a committee formed for this project. The 18-foot metal, resin, and mixed-media piece references the African American quilting tradition, weaving, as in a choral composition, diverse patterns and voices into a colorful counterpoint. “Madrigal stands as a vibrant testament to the power of music, tradition, and the enduring spirit of collaboration across time,” says List Visual Arts Center director Paul Ha. “It connects our past and future while enriching our campus and inspiring all who encounter it.”New harmoniesWith a limited opening for classes this fall, the Linde Music Building is already humming with creative activity. There are hands-on workshops for the many sections of class 21M.030 (Introduction to Musics of the World) — one of SHASS’s most popular CI-H classes. Students of music technology hone their skills in digital instrument design and electronic music composition. MIT Balinese Gamelan and the drummers of Rambax enjoy the sublime acoustics of the Music and Culture Space, where they can hear and refine their work in exquisite detail. “It is exciting for me, and all the other students who love music, to be able to take classes in this space completely devoted to music and music technology,” says fourth-year student Mariano Salcedo. “To work in spaces that are made specifically for music and musicians ... for us, it’s a nice way of being seen.”The Linde Music Building will certainly help MIT musicians feel seen and heard. But it will also enrich the MIT experience for students in all schools and departments. “Music courses at MIT have been popular with students across disciplines. I’m incredibly thrilled that students will have brand-new, brilliantly designed spaces for performance, instruction, and prototyping,” says Anantha Chandrakasan, MIT’s chief innovation and strategy officer, dean of the School of Engineering, and Vannevar Bush Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “The building will also offer tremendous opportunities for students to gather, build community, and innovate across disciplines.”“This building and its three programs encapsulate the breadth of interest among our students,” says Melissa Nobles, MIT chancellor and Class of 1922 Professor of Political Science. Nobles was a steadfast advocate for the music building project. “It will strengthen our already-robust music community and will draw new people in.” The Linde Music Building has inspired other members of the MIT community. “Now faculty can use these truly wonderful spaces for their research,” says Makan. “The offices here are also studios, and have acoustic treatments and sound isolation. Musicians and music technologists can work in those spaces.” Makan is composing a piece for solo violin to be premiered in the Thomas Tull Concert Hall early next year. During the performance, student violinists will deploy strategically in various points about the hall to accompany the piece, taking full advantage of the space’s singular acoustics. Agustín Rayo, the Kenan Sahin Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, expects the Linde Music Building to inspire people beyond the MIT community as well. “Of course this building brings incredible resources to MIT’s music program: top-quality rehearsal spaces, a professional-grade recording studio, and new labs for our music technology program,” he says “But the world-class concert hall will also create new opportunities to connect with people in the Boston area. This is truly a jewel of the MIT campus.”February open house and concertThe MIT Music and Theater Arts Section plans to host an open house in the new building on Feb. 15, 2025. Members of the MIT community and the general public will be invited to an afternoon of activities and performances. The celebration of music will continue with a series of concerts open to the public throughout the spring. Details will be available at the Music and Theater Arts website.

“No other company delivers as many innovative and affordable products as we do”: Behringer hits back at “vapourware” critics following NAMM 2025 announcementEarlier this week, Behringer made headlines after announcing its return to the NAMM show in 2025 after a decade-long absence.
Amidst the celebration, the German manufacturer also took the opportunity to hit back at critics who have labeled it a “vapourware” company — suggesting that it produces more hype than actual products. For context, “Vapourware” is a term that refers to software or hardware that has been advertised but is not yet available or never actually manufactured at all.

READ MORE: Stevie Wonder demoed the Apple Vision Pro, according to CEO Tim Cook: “It’s always great to get feedback from Stevie”

In a new statement, Behringer stressed its prolific output, claiming to be one of the most innovative and affordable manufacturers in the music gear industry. It also revealed plans to launch “another 6 to 8 groundbreaking products” before the end of the year.
“Do you remember the comments some people made not so long ago? They said, ‘Behringer only makes vaporware.’ Well, time has certainly proven otherwise,” states the firm.
“Today, Behringer stands as one of the most prolific manufacturers in the industry. No other company delivers as many innovative and affordable products as we do. This year alone, we’ve brought numerous exciting instruments to market, and the best is yet to come.”
“At Behringer, we’re driven by our love for creating exceptional instruments and making them accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or background. This passion fuels everything we do.”
The post continues: “Behringer – the ‘vaporware company’? Maybe. But only if vaporware means delivering more music-making tools than anyone else. Stay tuned. The journey has begun.”

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Speaking of new releases, Behringer recently unveiled the Centaur Overdrive, a $69 overdrive pedal that aims to capture the essence of the legendary Klon Centaur at a fraction of the price.
The post “No other company delivers as many innovative and affordable products as we do”: Behringer hits back at “vapourware” critics following NAMM 2025 announcement appeared first on MusicTech.

VirtualDJ 2025’s new StemSwap Sampler feature lets you capture and interchange stems from different tracks in real-timeVirtualDJ has launched a new version of its flagship software, VirtualDJ 2025, that promises to “revolutionise what DJs can do.”
At the heart of the latest update is a new feature called StemSwap Sampler that allows for instant on-the-fly recording of stem samples, playback with stem replacements, as well as many other improvements. Users can mix the various components of their tracks in real-time (vocals, instruments, kicks, hi-hats, etc), making “on-the-fly remixing easier than ever”.

READ MORE: Stevie Wonder demoed the Apple Vision Pro, according to CEO Tim Cook: “It’s always great to get feedback from Stevie”

For instance, you can sample your choice of stems in real-time from any playing track, and play them over other tracks. The software will automatically mute the corresponding stems on those other tracks, replacing them with your chosen stems. Multiple stems can be captured simultaneously, allowing for creative combinations, such as capturing both the vocals and kick drum.
Image: Atomix VirtualDJ
VirtualDJ 2025 also allows you to lock sampler banks so you won’t accidentally record over samples while you’re having fun with a mix.
“VirtualDJ’s mission has always been to pioneer new technologies that will shape the future of DJing, and help DJs around the world to bring their creativity to the next level,” says Atomix.
“With on-the-fly recording of stem-separated samples, and easy instant playback with stem replacement, the possibilities are endless. Replace the drums with higher-energy ones, reduce a break by keeping the beat going, play creatively with the lyrics, it’s all easy and instant.”
VirtualDJ is free for non-professional use, and the 2025 upgrade comes free of charge for professionals who own a previous license.
Learn more at Virtual DJ.
The post VirtualDJ 2025’s new StemSwap Sampler feature lets you capture and interchange stems from different tracks in real-time appeared first on MusicTech.

Erica Synths launch the Steampipe Erica Synths have announced that the Steampipe, the innovative physical-modelling synthesizer that they unveiled at Superbooth 2023, will be shipping by 17 December 2024.

Get FREE Oxide Tape, Vapor Keys, Nectar Elements, or Rhythm Box With Any Purchase
By making any purchase on Plugin Boutique this December, you can nab yourself a free copy of either UAD’s Oxide Tape Recorder ($149), Karanyi Sounds’ Vapor Keys ($49), Izotope’s Nectar 4 Elements ($49), or Pitch Innovations’ Rhythm Box ($29). All four plugins are macOS and Windows releases, and the December offer will expire on January [...]
View post: Get FREE Oxide Tape, Vapor Keys, Nectar Elements, or Rhythm Box With Any Purchase

Cleerly raises $106M from Insight Partners for AI heart health early detectionAlthough heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, a significant portion of people who experience heart attacks are unaware that they have the underlying condition. Cleerly, a cardiovascular imaging startup, hopes to fix this. By analyzing CT scans of the heart, the company’s AI software aims to identify early stage […]
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Runway-to-Space No More, Reaction Engines Cease TradingIt’s not often that the passing of a medium sized company on an industrial estate on a damp and soggy former airfield in southern England is worthy of a Hackaday mention, but the news of hypersonic propulsion company Reaction Engines ceasing trading a few weeks ago is one of those moments that causes a second look. Their advanced engine technology may have taken decades to reach the point of sustainable testing, but it held the promise of one day delivering true spaceplanes able to take off from a runway and fly to the edge of the atmosphere before continuing to orbit. It seems their demise is due to a failure to secure more funding.
We’ve written about their work more than once in the past, of their hybrid engines and the development of the advanced cooling system required to deliver air to a jet engine working at extreme speeds.  The rights to this tech will no doubt survive the company, and given that its origins lie in a previously canceled British Aerospace project it’s not impossible that it might return. The dream of a short flight from London to Sydney may be on hold for now then.
Writing this from the UK there’s a slight air of sadness about this news, but given that it’s not the first time a British space effort has failed, we should be used to it by now.
Header: Science Museum London / Science and Society Picture Library, CC BY-SA 2.0

The 21 biggest music business deals of 2024: From Irving Azoff to Daddy Yankee, Hipgnosis, and Queen.The year's biggest deals were dominated by private equity, securitization of music assets, and some blockbuster acquisitions by Sony Music
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FLOSS Weekly Episode 812: Firefox and the FutureThis week, Jonathan Bennett and David Ruggles chat with Sylvestre and Brian about Firefox! What’s up in the browser world, what’s coming, and what’s the new feature for Firefox on mobile that has Jonathan so excited? Watch to find out!

https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/developer/
https://briangrinstead.com/blog/firefox-webcomponents/
https://browserbench.org/announcements/speedometer3/

Subscribe to catch the show live, and come to Hackaday for the rest of the story!

Did you know you can watch the live recording of the show Right on our YouTube Channel? Have someone you’d like us to interview? Let us know, or contact the guest and have them contact us! Take a look at the schedule here.

Direct Download in DRM-free MP3.
If you’d rather read along, here’s the transcript for this week’s episode.
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Theme music: “Newer Wave” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Disney Music Group Needs a Digital Sales and Marketing SpecialistThe Sales and Digital Specialist focuses on and supports multiple verticals within the Sales and Digital Department. This includes guiding DMG's efforts in opportunities with voice technology and marketing for smart speakers, handling the editorial placement of music on fitness applications and being the liaison with select digital accounts. They are responsible for the delivery of podcasts produced by DMG to podcast platforms via the corporate distribution agreement, ensuring accurate lyric delivery to DSPs, facilitating UGC sound delivery and claiming, oversight for pertinent Wiki pages, as well as managing pivot pages and QR Codes as needed.Apply via EntertainmentCareers.net.The post Disney Music Group Needs a Digital Sales and Marketing Specialist first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Stevie Wonder demoed the Apple Vision Pro, according to CEO Tim Cook: “It’s always great to get feedback from Stevie”While one might assume the Apple Vision Pro is marketed squarely towards users who are not visually impaired, CEO Tim Cook says getting feedback from visually impaired users was integral in the design process.
In a new interview with Wired’s Steven Levy, Cook explains how blind music veteran Stevie Wonder had a demo with the Vision Pro, and that his feedback was “key” in designing the headset.

READ MORE: “I did not get a penny back for any of this”: Producer’s studio robbed of $40,000 worth of gear through Peerspace booking

Describing Wonder as a “friend of Apple”, Cook explains: “It’s great to get feedback from Stevie. And of course, his artistry is just unparalleled. He’s so fantastic. But accessibility was always important for us, from designing all of our products. One of the common threads through Apple over time is that we don’t bolt on accessibility at the end of the design process; it’s embedded in the design process. And so getting that feedback was key.”

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Cook is also asked about poor Vision Pro sales, to which he replies: “It’s an early adopter product, for people who want tomorrow’s technology today. Those people are buying it, and the ecosystem is flourishing. The ultimate test for us is the ecosystem. I don’t know if you’re using it very much, but I’m there all the time. I see new apps all the time.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Cook speaks once again on Apple’s desire to ensure accessibility is at the heart of its products. Asked about the company’s AirPods Pro 2, which sport a clinical-grade hearing aid feature, Cook says: “The vast majority of people with hearing issues have not been diagnosed.
“For some people, hearing aids have a stigma, and we can counter that with AirPods. And we can have people diagnose themselves. It’s the democratisation of health.”
The post Stevie Wonder demoed the Apple Vision Pro, according to CEO Tim Cook: “It’s always great to get feedback from Stevie” appeared first on MusicTech.

Maximizing Spotify Wrapped 2024 to Connect with Fans (even if you missed the deadline)Spotify Wrapped 2024 is finally here and it is not too late for every musician to hop on board this global cultural phenomenon - even if you forgot to update your profile before last week's deadline.
The post Maximizing Spotify Wrapped 2024 to Connect with Fans (even if you missed the deadline) appeared first on Hypebot.

Why Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans Isn’t Enough in 20241,000 True Fans Isn’t Enough in 2024. Kevin Kelly’s "1,000 True Fans" theory is outdated in today’s digital world. Learn how creators must adapt to thrive in the age of streaming and fan-driven content.
The post Why Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans Isn’t Enough in 2024 appeared first on Hypebot.

TikTok reveals its top songs of 2024; says that 13 of 16 No.1 hits in the US this year are linked to trends on its platformTikTok has published its Year-End Music Report for 2024. Gata Only by Chilean artists FloyyMenor and Cris Mj was revealed as the platform's top track globally.
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The Resurgence of Record Stores: Exploring the Vinyl RevivalDive into why vinyl has become so popular in the digital age and driven a resurgence of record stores.
The post The Resurgence of Record Stores: Exploring the Vinyl Revival appeared first on Hypebot.