‘I know that if I love a song, or an artist really speaks to me, others will feel the same way.’Katie Welle, SVP of Creative A&R at Sony Music Publishing, now at her second spell with the company after a stint at RCA, discusses the art of A&R and the power of disruption
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Custom Mini-Neon Signs in 10 MinutesSometimes, you see a project that isn’t a technical powerhouse but just looks so good you can’t help but think about duplicating it. That’s how we felt with the mini-neon signs made by [makerverse]. From an electronics point of view, it is just some filament LEDs and a 3D-printed casing. But, as you’ll see in the video below, these look like little miniature neon signs, and they look great.
Although we might use a different set of tools to get there, the idea is to create your text in DXF, extrude it in CAD, and then print a dark shell with a light or translucent center using a filament change. Glow-in-the-dark filament is also an option. Obviously, if you are handy in any CAD tool, you could easily pull this off.

After printing, you simply put your LED lighting in the center, and there you go. Sure, there’s no high voltage or neon involved, but it is a cute, fun 3D-printing project.
We’ve seen this trick before, but the contrasting 3D printing really sells it. You can also take a peek at how a pro shop in Korea does it.

SoundExchange AI Music Registry: Protecting Creators RightsSoundExchange is developing a much needed global artificial intelligence (AI) registry for sound recording creators and rights owner
The post SoundExchange AI Music Registry: Protecting Creators Rights appeared first on Hypebot.

UJAM UFX Reverb FREE until 31 October UJAM have announced that their versatile UFX Reverb plug-in is now available for free until 31 October 2024.

Kesha goes independent, launches label with ADA and CrushKesha has launched her own independent label. It will be distributed by WMG's with Crush Music overseeing marketing and promotion.
The post Kesha goes independent, launches label with ADA and Crush appeared first on Hypebot.

Motel 6 offers Musician Discounts, launches Songwriting ContestStaying at a Motel 6 has long been a right of passage for musicians trying to save money on tour. Now Motel 6 offers musician discounts and launched a songwriting. Continue reading
The post Motel 6 offers Musician Discounts, launches Songwriting Contest appeared first on Hypebot.

Limp Bizkit’s Wes Borland launches digital amps and effects suite in partnership with STL TonesLimp Bizkit guitarist and nu metal’s snappiest dresser Wes Borland has debuted a new digital amp and effects suite in partnership with STL Tones.
Tonality: Wes Borland, the sixth entry in STL’s Tonality series, is based on the amplifiers and pedals from Borland’s own touring rig, enabling guitarists to experiment with Borland’s own tones, and recreate the teeth-rattling riffs of Break Stuff, Nookie and more.

READ MORE: Our favourite plugins, effects and VST instruments released this week

“Developed in collaboration with Wes Borland, this signature guitar plugin suite accurately captures the sonic and visual anarchy that Wes has become so distinctly renowned for,” STL promises.
“Using the most advanced hardware modelling algorithms, STL’s software uses internal circuit tracing from the schematics of the amplifiers Wes uses playing live and in the studio, as well as his favourite overdrive pedals, effects, and personal guitar cabinets.”
Credit: STL Tones
Three amps are included in Tonality: Wes Borland. First is the Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus, a mainstay of Borland’s touring rig used for his clean tone. There’s also the Diezel VH4, a versatile and heavy amp that was employed by many nu metal giants in the early noughties. Finally comes the Selmer Zodiac 50 MKII Tremolo, which Borland has for his edge-of-breakup tone.
The plugin also features five pedals. The Mini Filter is based on the Electro-Harmonix Mini Q-Tron, which Borland uses for his wah. The Big Wezz is inspired by the Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi fuzz pedal. There’s also the Borland Delay, which is based on the Dunlop Echoplex delay pedal. Lastly there’s the WB7 Chorus/Flanger, which STL says “is capable of warm, vintage choral tones to morphing flange sounds”, and the Digital Delay WB-8, based on the Boss DD-8.

STL Tones meticulously studied Borland’s rig and playing to make the new plugin; the company measured each amplifier in his live setup using five microphones in 156 different positions to get as close as possible to the nu metal master’s sound.
The company has previously made Tonality plugins in collaboration with Will Putney (Fit for an Autopsy/End/Better Lovers), Josh Middleton (Sylosis/ex-Architects), Andy James (Five Finger Death Punch), and producers Howard Benson and Lasse Lammert.
For more information on Tonality: Wes Borland, head to STL Tones.
The post Limp Bizkit’s Wes Borland launches digital amps and effects suite in partnership with STL Tones appeared first on MusicTech.

Wes Audio refresh Dione & Rhea plug-ins Wes Audio's Rhea and Dione 500 series hardware compressor modules each get a redesigned control plug-in and new features.

PreSonus users rage at Studio One Pro 7 upgrade prices and lack of new feature mentionsLast week, PreSonus unveiled Studio One Pro 7, the latest version of its flagship DAW. The move will see the discontinuation of the Studio One Artist and Studio One Prime Editions, with Studio One Pro being the one-stop solution for everything moving forward.
Exciting as it may sound, the announcement has generated significant backlash from the PreSonus user community, who described the company’s latest pricing strategy as a “slap in the face” to their most loyal users.

READ MORE: Music production is officially in its ‘subscription’ era

Much of the contention surrounding Studio One Pro 7 revolves around the new pricing structure for upgrades. Previously, users with the perpetual license could upgrade from one major version to the next for $149, which included several years (typically two) of updates and bug fixes. With Studio One Pro 7, however, the expectation is that users will pay the same amount for just one year of updates.
As stated by PreSonus, “A full year of new feature releases will be included with all licences and upgrades going forward.” New users will pay $199, while a subscription model is still available for $179 per year.
Some longtime Pro users have also expressed their frustration at being required to pay the same $149 upgrade fee as those transitioning from cheaper, lower-tier versions like Artist or Prime. One user explained, “The upgrade from any Studio One PRO (SOP) version to SOP 7 should be priced lower than it is, because SOP owners are being treated no better than Studio One Artist owners. That is, the difference in the investment already made is neither recognised nor properly appreciated.”
And while the promise of more frequent updates – three to four major releases each year – has been welcomed, fans were disappointed by the complete lack of detail regarding those features in the announcement video.
“Can’t believe that in 2024 a company like PreSonus makes a video like that without mentioning a single new feature,” a user commented.
Check out the launch video below.

Studio One Pro 7 arrives on 9 October. Learn more at PreSonus.
The post PreSonus users rage at Studio One Pro 7 upgrade prices and lack of new feature mentions appeared first on MusicTech.

Is Shure’s SM4 a perfect microphone for the home studio?£195 (standard)
£249 (Studio Kit)
shure.com
When it comes to microphones, commercial studios tend to have all bases covered, the shelves of their cupboards creaking under the weight of legendary models from the likes of Neumann, AKG and Shure. Unfortunately, home studios can rarely afford the luxury of an extensive mic collection, yet may still need to cater for the same diversity of tasks and instruments as a commercial studio.

READ MORE: Warm Audio’s WA-19 microphone unveils a forgotten treasure that truly sparkles

The solution is to seek an all-rounder mic whose frequency response and performance characteristics are suited to as wide a range of sound sources as possible. While many mics on the market fit this bill, Shure took a look at these and figured it could do better. To prove the point, it created the SM4 Home Recording Microphone.
Why is the Shure SM4 a good choice for home recording?
SM4 is a side-address condenser mic featuring a one-inch diaphragm. It has a smart, professional appearance that will satisfy those creating video content, and a compact size that ensures it is not too obtrusive.
Good looks are more than just skin deep, with the mic’s solid metal shell and foil grille conveying the solidity and robustness we’d expect from Shure. We’re confident the mic will come to no harm if thrown in a backpack for lugging to sessions, or even if used on stage.
The SM4 in a home recording environment. Image: Press
One problem Shure’s engineers identified with many home studio mics is a susceptibility to interference from the plethora of radio-frequency sources that surround us in our daily lives – wi-fi, Bluetooth, monitor screens, LED lights and so on. Such interferences can be particularly problematic when reading a script, lyrics or music from a phone held close to the mic, or when using ring lights for filming. To combat this, SM4’s capsule and circuitry are wrapped within a cylinder of ultra-fine mesh that acts as a Faraday cage, protecting the innards from interference.
This acoustically-transparent mesh also serves a secondary function as an integral pop shield, and this is not just a happy side effect of the interference screening. Shure also identified susceptibility to pops as a shortcoming of many mics aimed at the home studio market, and so designed-in as much plosive tolerance as possible.
Engineers also tested many different capsules for plosive tolerance before settling on a dual-diaphragm brass configuration. In addition, the low frequency response (flat from 1 kHz down to 200 Hz, with a gentle roll-off below that) was chosen to reduce boominess and lessen the impact of pops and bumps that do make it to the capsule.
Further plosive control is available if buying the Studio Kit bundle, as this comes with a wrap-around pop shield that clips conveniently via magnets to a shock mount (the mic-only package comes with a basic hard mount). The shock mount is solid, effective and well designed, and uses short rubber bands to limit the amount of stretching that will occur over time – it’s neat that replacement bands are also included. Studio Kit also comes with a padded case with cutouts for each part to nestle in.
The SM4 in use in a home recording environment. Image: Press
How well does the Shure SM4 perform?
SM4 has a cardioid polar pattern that remains impressively stable across the entire frequency range, thus ensuring accurate directionality and excellent off-axis rejection. These are particularly useful traits when recording in smaller rooms, reducing sensitivity to, and pick-up of, unpleasant resonances and echoes that may be bouncing around.
Somewhat unusual for a cardioid mic, though, is SM4’s modest proximity effect (this being an increase in low-end the closer a mic gets to a sound source). On the down side, this reduces the importance of mic placement and the control this gives over the timbre of the captured sound. But on the plus side, it creates a larger tonal ‘sweet spot’ and makes it easier for someone who is recording themself to maintain a consistent tone as they flit between playing takes and operating controls.
SM4 has the sensitivity you’d expect from a mid-priced condenser but it can also cope with extremely high sound pressure levels of up to 140 dB. So it does as good a job of capturing a whispered vocal as it does a guitar amp turned up to 11.
Another key to the mic’s versatility is a wide frequency response. We’ve already mentioned the lower-mid flatness and low-end roll off, and this, as well as controlling plosives, delivers warmth and weight without becoming boomy. The sensitivity starts to pick up above 1 kHz, with a small presence peak around 4 kHz that suits vocals and guitars, and a significantly stronger, wider peak in the highs, centred around 15 kHz.
The SM4 Studio Kit case. Image: Press
These peaks ensure the mic captures a lot of spectral detail in the all-important upper-mid and high frequency bands, but they can give the raw sound a harsh edge. This is exactly what EQ is designed to fix so it isn’t an issue, and of course it is preferable to be cutting frequencies that are too loud rather than boosting ones that are too weak.
All the above characteristics add up to a mic that is an exceptional all-round performer. It’s as happy in front of a guitar amp as it is a bass amp, as pleased to capture a snare drum as a kick, and all whilst sounding crisp and clear when being sung or spoken into.
While the ‘Jack of all trades’ approach may not be to everybody’s tastes, Shure SM4 will be an attractive prospect for those looking for an affordable, robust and professional mic that can turn its hand to any recording task with minimal fuss or complication.

Key features

Front-address condenser mic
Cardioid polar pattern
Designed to handle a wide range of sound sources
Incorporates Shure’s interference shielding technology

Mic-only package includes:

SM4 mic
Swivel mount
Mic stand thread adapter
Carry/storage pouch

Studio Kit includes:

SM4 mic
Shock mount with spare rubber bands
Mic stand thread adapter
Pop shield
Carry case with cutouts for all kit items

The post Is Shure’s SM4 a perfect microphone for the home studio? appeared first on MusicTech.

WA Production launch Babylon 2 WA Production have released Babylon 2, an upgraded version of their popular and comprehensive synthesizer based around all controls appearing on a single screen.

Repercussions: Meet the dB's, the Big Star of College RadioFrom time to time, here at AllMusic, we shine a spotlight on overlooked albums in the discography of a major artist. In the case of the star-crossed dB's, that pretty much means their entire catalog.

New Music Critique: SieskaContact: worldpeachrecords@gmail.com

Web: sieski.com

Seeking: Review, Feature

Style: Pop

Sieski’s electro-pop/synth-pop vibe is instantly attractive, from the moment we hear the pulsing beat and insistent melody on “Gumdrops.” Think classic female-fronted acts such as Goldfrapp, but also more contemporary projects like Magdalena Bay and Sofi Tukker. “Lady Deity” is better still—a sultry, brooding statement of intent. This strong woman knows what she wants and what she likes.

Her voice is evocative and emotional, while maintaining a level of chill like a modern Beth Orton or Beth Gibbons. All the while, the electronic backdrop is exemplary. Never intrusive, the music frames the vocals. “Happy to be Here” is perhaps the most expansive song of the three—a hypnotic journey. But there’s much to admire here.The post New Music Critique: Sieska first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Samourai wallet forked into 'Ashigaru' Open Source ProjectAccording to the website, Ashigaru uses CoinJoin and other mechanisms to shield users from analytical heuristics and tracking.

SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son has been planning his comebackA new Financial Times profile of Mayayoshi Son opens with SoftBank CEO seeming to hit bottom, staring at his “ugly” face on Zoom and telling himself, “I have done nothing I can be proud of.” The scene is presented as the prelude to a hoped-for a comeback, with Son largely disappearing from the public eye […]
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