This Chinese tech giant, worth $4.8bn, just launched a fully AI music streaming serviceFirm has launched what it claims to be 'the world's first AI-powered music streaming platform'
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This Record Label Prioritizes Timeless Music Over StreamsThis week, Ari is joined by Louis Marks and Fabian Brown of Ropeadope Records, where they discuss how Ropeadope supports and uplifts artists in a time when streaming can’t pay the bills.

Edge-Lit, Thin LCD TVs Are Having Early Heat Death IssuesCanadian consumer goods testing site RTINGS has been subjecting 100 TVs to an accelerated TV longevity test, subjecting them so far to over 10,000 hours of on-time, equaling about six years of regular use in a US household. This test has shown a range of interesting issues and defects already, including for the OLED-based TVs. But the most recent issue which they covered is that of uniformity issues with edge-lit TVs. This translates to uneven backlighting including striping and very bright spots, which teardowns revealed to be due to warped reflector sheets, cracked light guides, and burned-out LEDs.
Excluding the 18 OLED TVs, which are now badly burnt in, over a quarter of the remaining TVs in the test suffer from uniformity issues. But things get interesting when contrasting between full-array local dimming (FALD), direct-lit (DL) and edge-lit (EL) LCD TVs. Of the EL types, 7 out of 11 (64%) have uniformity issues, with one having outright failed and others in the process of doing so. Among the FALD and DL types the issue rate here is 14 out of 71 (20%), which is still not ideal after a simulated 6 years of use but far less dramatic.
Cracks in the Samsung AU8000’s Light Guide Plate (Credit: RTINGS)
As part of the RTINGS longevity test, failures and issues are investigated and a teardown for analysis, and fixing, is performed when necessary. For these uniformity issues, the EL LCD teardowns revealed burned-out LEDs in the EL LED strips, with cracks in the light-guide plate (LGP) that distributes the light, as well as warped reflector sheets. The LGPs are offset slightly with plastic standoffs to not touch the very hot LEDs, but these standoffs can melt, followed by the LGP touching the hot LEDs. With the damaged LGP, obviously the LCD backlighting will be horribly uneven.
In the LG QNED80 (2022) TV, its edge lighting LEDs were measured with a thermocouple to be running at a searing 123 °C at the maximum brightness setting. As especially HDR (high-dynamic range) content requires high brightness levels, this would thus be a more common scenario in EL TVs than one might think. As for why EL LCDs still exist since they seem to require extreme heatsinking to keep the LEDs from melting straight through the LCD? RTINGS figures it’s because EL allows for LCD TVs to be thinner, allowing them to compete with OLEDs while selling at a premium compared to even FALD LCDs.

Billie Eilish signs with WME in wake of Wasserman tabloid scandalA report in the Daily Mail recently described Casey Wasserman as a "serial cheater"
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Music publishing forecasts: strong growth and more to comeFollowing hot on the heels of our future of songwriting report, MIDiA is pleased to announce the release of our latest music publishing forecasts report. Here are some highlights.

Thus far, the 2020s have been a good decade for the music publishing industry. Revenues have continued to grow, streaming royalty rates have improved and institutional investment has flowed into publishing catalogues, even after rising interest rates. Covid lockdowns were a speed bump, decimating the live and background components of performance royalties, but the effect was temporary, with live’s post-Covid rebound being particularly strong.

Throughout the earlier stages of the streaming era, publishing was something of a back seat passenger, with the agenda set by labels and DSPs. A state of affairs reflected in the comparably small share of revenues allocated to publishing royalties. But, as the market matured, publishing rights found their voice. Favourable rates board rulings in the US, active lobbying efforts, and increasingly effective licensing strategy from CMOs and publishers have had the combined effect of increasing publishing’s share of the streaming economy –– with further improvement likely. The dispute between publishers and Spotify over its interpretation of the bundling provisions in the US are an important and contentious issue. However, the response from the publishing industry reflects its newfound confidence.

Publishers have also proven able to carve out a favourable space in the new, emerging sections of the streaming economy. The ‘non-DSP’ deals with platforms like TikTok, Meta, and Snap provide for a higher share of royalties flowing tor publishers than for standard DSP deals. In the 2010s, publishers, rightly or wrongly, acquired a reputation for slowing innovation. Now they are spearheading it.

Global music publishing revenues grew strongly again in 2023, up 12.0% to reach $10.1 billion. This is compared to record label trade revenue growth of 9.1% in 2023. Music publishing continues to outgrow label revenues.  Warner Chappell had the strongest growing revenues in 2023, up 16.6% on 2022 to reach $1.1 billion, while Sony Music Publishing remained the largest publisher, though Universal Music Group made up ground, growing 10.5% to reach $2.1 billion. Independents meanwhile grew 12.7%.

The ability of music publishing to grow faster than recorded music is in part due to publishers having different levers to pull than the labels. For example, the surge in live revenues post-Covid and non-DSP streaming (where publishing typically enjoys a significantly larger share of royalties than DSP streaming. Meanwhile, the continued rise of subscription video on demand (SVOD) is providing much needed impetus to TV / video performance royalties. These factors will help fuel future market growth.

Not everything will grow unchecked. Public performance royalties will be hit by changing lifestyles (continued demise of the high street, more home-based working, etc.); live music revenues will peak due to market saturation and ticket price inflation; and traditional mechanical royalties will fall when the physical music boom ends.

But these factors will be more than offset by the growth sectors, most important of which will be streaming. The music publishing business is now a streaming-first industry, with streaming revenues having crossed the 50% mark in 2022, and they will close to double between 2023 and 2031. This strong streaming growth will help total music publishing revenues reach $16.8 billion by 2031, an increase of nearly two thirds on 2023 levels.

This is just a small preview of what is in the final report, which includes revenues split by streaming; other digital; total digital; performance; sync; other; as well as country level forecasts for 39 markets; regional splits for revenue categories and publisher market shares. MIDiA clients can access the full report and dataset here. To find out more about how to become a MIDiA client and to access this report, email businessdevelopment@midiaresearch.com

Warm Audio launch redesigned website Warm Audio's new website promises to deliver a completely new visitor experience, and includes some handy new features and tools. 

Bandcamp Alternative Subvert: New Era for Indie Artists and Labels?Bandcamp alternative Subvert is set to launch guided by the intriguing premise, “What if Independent Artists and Labels owned Bandcamp?” Bandcamp had become an essential tool for independent artists and. Continue reading
The post Bandcamp Alternative Subvert: New Era for Indie Artists and Labels? appeared first on Hypebot.

Spotify gained 10 million more paying users in the first half of 2024Back in April, Spotify’s gross profit exceeded €1 billion for the first time in its history. And, with approximately 10 million new subscribers joining in the first half of 2024, profits are set to soar.
According to Music Business Worldwide, Spotify drew in three million new subscribers in the first quarter of the year. Another seven million users went on to subscribe in quarter two.

READ MORE: “Football is played by millions of people – but there’s a very small number that can live off playing full time”: Daniel Ek addresses Spotify’s low royalty payments

The news of Spotify’s influx of subscribers also coincides with the streaming service’s price hike last month. The company announced all subscription tiers are set to raise by $1.
While the price shift is a seemingly minor, it will result in a huge wave of profit for the company. The 10 million new subscribers alone will see Spotify raking in an extra $10 million more every month. And that’s ontop of the extra dollar 230+ million pre-existing subscribers will be paying too.
Spotify’s growth is a marker of how music consumption has pivoted in recent years. Nowadays, streaming is the standard way to listen to music – it’s a shame artists don’t earn more from it. Ditto reports that an artist receives $0.003 – $0.005 per stream on average, with 30 per cent of those royalties going to Spotify.
Reports also showed that China’s Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) also gained over 10 million new paying users since December 2023. Of course, unlike Spotify, the number is spread across the company’s different services (QQ Music, Kugou, Kuwo and the WeSing karaoke app).
“With over 10 million net subscriber additions in the first half of 2024 and ARPPU expansion, we continue to break new grounds within China’s streaming landscape,” Cussion Pang, Executive Chairman of TME, commented on the growth [via MusicBusinessWorldwide].
“We remain optimistic about the music industry’s long-term potential and are committed to sustainably achieving our mid- to long-term goals, at a healthy pace and with the right balance,” he concludes.
As for Spotify, the green streaming giant is only set to keep growing. Spotify recently announced that they’re going to be introducing an even more expensive ‘Supremium’ tier, with high-fidelity audio.
The post Spotify gained 10 million more paying users in the first half of 2024 appeared first on MusicTech.

Behringer Model 15 finally available after two year delayTwo years on from its original announcement, Behringer’s latest Moog clone is good to go. Coming in at $299, the Model 15 semi-modular synth wears its Moog System 55 inspiration on its sleeve in a compact desktop form.
Behringer’s Model 15 is an analogue synth boasting a pair of oscillators, with four selectable waveforms. There’s also a sub-oscillator, as well as oscillator sync and pulse-width modulation.

READ MORE: Behringer reveals smaller UB-Xa D synth which comes without a keyboard

Model 15 also offers an array of features, including a 256-step arpeggiator, sequencer and emulated spring reverb. There are also 3 separate memory slots with multiple playback modes.

The system includes 37 controls that are said to “give you direct and real-time access to all important parameters” you’ll need. It also includes comprehensive MIDI with voice priority.
Visually, the vintage Moog 55 influence is clear. But there are certainly some other Moog-like qualities within the design; considering the colour palette and configuration, Behringer’s Model 15 holds the essence of a Grandmother in rack form. Though, unlike the Grandmother, all 48 patch points are neatly placed on the right hand side of the synth.

People are certainly noticing the similarities. YouTuber Starsky Carr’s comparison between the two synths seems to confirm that the Model 15 offers similar functionality to the Moog Grandmother. Honestly, the differences are barely noticeable – and, at a fraction of the price, the Model 15 could be a great alternative for curious buyers.
While Behringer initially shared the fully developed Model 15 back in 2022, the company were unable to ship the synth due to a chip shortage. Thankfully, that issue seems to have been resolved. Better late than never!
Behringer’s Module 15 is available now for $299. For more information, head to Behringer.
The post Behringer Model 15 finally available after two year delay appeared first on MusicTech.

Guide to Becoming an Artist ManagerThis guide looks at becoming an Artist Manager, their key roles and responsibilities, how they get paid, and essential do's and don'ts.
The post Guide to Becoming an Artist Manager appeared first on Hypebot.

Register.MUSIC domains FREE before September 10Musicians and music companies have until September 10th to register .MUSIC domains name with only a one-time $1.99 identity verification fee per domain name.
The post Register.MUSIC domains FREE before September 10 appeared first on Hypebot.

Gospel Musicians release Gospel Organ Gospel Musicians have announced the launch of a new virtual instrument that has been designed specifically to recreate the distinctive sound of a gospel church organ.

AI song charts in Germany – but people are saying it’s problematicAs musical AI advances, it’s becoming simpler than ever for anyone to bash out a decent track. Whether you’re using Voice-Swap’s AI vocal modelling, or just want TikTok’s AI Song to conjure up a silly jingle, artificial intelligence can transform a tone-deaf dream into a chart-worthy hit, with the right guidance.
Think we’re exaggerating? Just check the current German pop charts. Coming in at number 48, Verknallt in einen Talahon is the first AI-generated song in history to chart in Germany.

READ MORE: More than half of artists would hide the use of AI in their music, per recent survey

The ’70s-inspired crooner track immediately transports you back to the days of twanging Europop. It’s totally nostalgic – because every inch of it, including the artwork, is created by AI. The track is a patchwork of the past, culminating in a timeless pop sound.
German producer Butterbro is the man behind the track. Initially intended as a joke among friends, the creation was never expected to make such a wave with the German public.

Take the subject matter, and it was clearly a satirical creation; the track name, Verknallt in einen Talahon, translates to ‘In Love With A Talahon.’ According to blue News, ‘Talahon’ is used to describe aggressive young men with “an abstruse world view” centring around sexism, patriarchal control and “glorifying violence”.
Uber-macho misogynists draped in Gucci aren’t often the primary focus of a beautiful, timeless love song. It’s the German equivalent of writing an ode to a ‘roadman’ or ‘hypebeast’. It’s clear Butterbro crafted – or prompted – the track with a certain degree of irony.
Of course, in-jokes with your pals are never understood by everyone. People are branding the pop tune as problematic due to its use of the term ‘Talahon.’ The term is sometimes used as a racial slur by far-right groups, often alluding to young immigrants.
While Butterbro hasn’t made any comments on his divisive AI anthem, there’s no denying that the German public love it. DJs are knocking Verknallt in einen Talahon out in clubs, and the German public are happy to howl along to every word.

@domy.berger
DU STEHST IM BIERKÖNIG UND ES KOMMT DIESER SONG #domyberger #djdomy #bierkönig #bierkönigmallorca #ballermann #alterbereich #talahon #verknalltineinentalahon
♬ Verknallt in einen Talahon – Butterbro

A study back in December showed that 30% of musicians surveyed used ChatGPT for songwriting, and it’s likely those numbers have risen since. Butterbro’s track could very well be a sign of AI music’s impending takeover.
The post AI song charts in Germany – but people are saying it’s problematic appeared first on MusicTech.

“We’re honouring the legacy of Bob Moog; making instruments that give you his iconic sound” Moog talks Muse“I think people have a sense of Moog being a much bigger company than it is — but then again, even if we had more resources, it still takes a long time to build an instrument like this.” That’s Moog’s Product Specialist, Chris Miller, and the instrument he’s talking about is, of course, Muse.
For five long years, a small but dedicated team have been quietly crafting an analogue, bi-timbral, polyphonic powerhouse. Rumours have swirled, details leaked, and Superbowl sightings fed into a cresting wave of hype. Now, that long wait is not only over – it was worth it.
Moog Muse. Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
“One of my favourite synths of all time, Andrew Huang tells us; the popular YouTuber, musician, and songwriter got his hands on an early edition of Muse. “It’s very well balanced. You can go super deep into sequencing, editing, and modulation, but at the same time there are great performance features.”
You see, the Muse isn’t a run-of-the-mill release; it’s the new flagship. The Moog One, which offered raw power, versatility, and a premium package, has been officially retired, with Muse taking up the baton and adding a new focus: Accessibility.
“The main vision behind Muse was to design a polyphonic synth for players,” says Miller. “We wanted to design something that was more approachable in every aspect — something that’s immediate, accessible, and playable.”

READ MORE: Review: Moog Muse doesn’t need nostalgia — it’s an outstanding synth for the new generation

At approximately half the size and weight of the Moog One, and at a lower price of £2998/$3499, Muse is an attractive option for those who want to take a serious synth on tour – but that’s just the start. The instrument’s design is a masterclass in balancing quick and easy performance controls against powerful and highly specific sound design capabilities.
That’s no fluke: Miller says the team regularly consulted with performers and artists including Misha Mansoor and Stephan Moccio at Moog HQ in Asheville, North Carolina, as Muse came together. “We really wanted to make something that was going to speak to the needs of touring musicians,” Miller emphasises. “And we worked especially closely with artists like Lisa Bella Donna, who we’ve had a very long and fruitful relationship with, to bounce ideas back and forth and get those performative elements worked out.”
Those performative elements include instant switching between timbres, a very powerful arpeggiator, and an innovative, per-key chord memory function. But perhaps the most illustrative example is how Muse handles modulation.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
“It’s about having all the most important controls right at hand,” Miller says of the design. “A lot of the modulations can be done right on the panel. We know you probably want to add some kind of vibrato to a lot of patches, so there’s a Pitch LFO right there and ready to go. Maybe you want a tremolo on the VCA, so the Modulation Oscillator has a knob for that. There are lots of knobs on Muse, but if you can sit behind it, close your eyes, and hit the right knob then we’ve done our job well.”
While Muse’s control surface preempts the most common modulation routings, that doesn’t reduce its scope for experimentation. By streamlining the basics, says Miller, the Muse frees up creative brain space for more inspired sound design. “Our thinking was, ‘If we can make this easier, make it immediately accessible, then people can spend their time working on deeper, weirder modulations if they want.’”
The inspiration I consistently find in the probability, parameter recording, and gesture recording features make it something I know I will keep returning to.” — Andrew Huang
With an eight-lane modulation matrix for each timbre and a host of additional settings hidden just beneath the surface, there’s no shortage of options for players who like to sculpt and refine their sound. “One of the really nice innovations we took from the Moog One is the ‘More’ menu,” Miller enthuses. “We want you to look at the LFO and go, ‘Okay, I get it’, but then be able to immediately go a step further with one button press.
“The Muse emerges mostly from the Matriarch family,” he continues. “That series explicitly references the modular circuit designs from the sixties. The Muse is different, of course, but does have a similar kind of voice architecture. We started calling it a ‘digitally modular’ synthesizer because of the capabilities of the mod matrix, the on-panel modulation routings, and the ability to store and recall presets. These are features that most people like, and for good reason. Having to patch everything on the Matriarch is fun, but you wouldn’t necessarily want to tour with it.”
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
A digitally modular design is one of Muse’s most striking features; another is its embrace of probabilistic programming. Huang spent over six months playing on a pre-release model before producing a fantastic demo of its most powerful features – he had high praise for the instrument’s interface, and, in particular, its probabilistic sequencer.
“The inspiration I consistently find in the probability, parameter recording, and gesture recording features make it something I know I will keep returning to,” Huang says. “I’ve been making lots of music with it, including a single, HOLY, that’s already out. Most of the synth parts were created with Muse.
“I’m a big IDM nerd,” Huang continues. “So, I love the workflow of playing notes into the sequencer live, while bouncing between live and step-edited parameter recording, and dialling in probability over some of the steps. Never fails to produce sequences I love.”
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
As one of the team members who worked directly on Muse’s sequencer, Miller says Moog’s motivation mainly came down to the fact that he and his peers “just love sequencers and spend a lot of time thinking about them.”
“Sequencers are such a personal thing,” Miller reflects. “Some people get really into sequencers that I would just never touch because they simply don’t work with my brain. On Muse, we took some of the things I really like about simple sequencers – the basic ability to just press record, put in notes, and play it back – and then combined that with these deep editing controls to get something that felt intuitive.
“We think Muse can really be the centrepiece in a studio,” continues Miller. “That’s something we really wanted to nail. So, we could have put a basic sequencer on there and it would have been fine, but diving in and making something really special just seemed a lot more fun.”
The Muse isn’t the first instrument from Moog that uses probability to powerful effect. The recently released semi-modular synth, Labyrinth, dives deep into generative music, and, alongside Muse, hints at a new strength in the company’s product line.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
“Both Muse and Labyrinth strike me as great new steps for Moog,” says Huang. “I like that these instruments are embracing more generative and probabilistic approaches to sequencing, but they still deliver on everything you’d look for in analogue synthesis.”
In a moment of serendipity, Miller says production of the two instruments dovetailed just as they were working on some of the core sequencer functions. “Development of Muse predates Labyrinth — which came about pretty quickly — but we were working on Muse’s sequencer and Labyrinth at roughly the same time, so there’s a lot of shared DNA there.”
“InMusic is ‘committed to Moog remaining in the city and community where Bob Moog chose to establish his legacy’”
Digital wizardry is all well and good, but what elevates Muse to a top-tier synthesizer is its rock-solid sonic foundations. The output is instantly iconic, and it’s no secret why – just about every module is directly inspired by an historical piece of Moog gear. The oscillators call back to the Minimoog Voyager, the frequency modulation takes its cues from the Moogerfooger MF-102, the 904-A provided the basis for Muse’s VCFs and the Moog 902 the VCAs. Even the mixer section is influenced by the classic Moog CP3.
“Muse is like a greatest hits of Moog circuits,” laughs Miller. “But then we’re taking those concepts and pushing them a lot further. The Voyager influenced the circuit design, the guts of Muse’s oscillators – that’s a very classic design, and it’s one that has served us very well – but here it’s been changed and extended. So, on the Voyager, you have one continuous knob for wave shape control, whereas Muse has three different controls; shaping between the triangle and sawtooth, the pulse width modulation, and then a mix between the pulse and triangle-sawtooth.”
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
‘Refinement’ is a word that comes up repeatedly as Miller talks about the sound of Muse. All of the core elements draw upon a mechanical lineage traceable back to the company’s eponymous founder, Robert Moog. But, at the same time, he emphasises how important it was to move the sound forward and push the bar higher.
“It’s a lot of little things,” Miller says. “For example, if you want a three-oscillator bass Minimoog-style patch, then you can totally do that on Muse. But, there are other possibilities. Muse’s modulation oscillator can be used as an audio oscillator and it’s much stronger, at audio rate, than the third oscillator on the Minimoog or the fifth oscillator on the Matriarch. This makes it both more useful as an audio oscillator and more capable for modulation duties.”
“We probably spent eight or nine months just working on the code for Muse’s delay.”
If there’s one element of Muse which takes a ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach, it’s the bass. Lush, deep, and physical – it’s a sound you know, but one that still manages to surprise you. Asked how Moog seems to always be one step ahead when it comes to the low-end, Miller isn’t giving any secrets away but instead points to the company’s dedication to discrete circuitry.
“I’m not knocking synthesizers that use integrated circuits, because they sound very good – but, in the case of Muse, these are discrete designs. You can open it up, you look at the voice cards and there’s a bunch of resistors and capacitors and op-amps on there. These are the raw building blocks that can give you those very classic Moog sounds.”
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
The heart of Muse may be proudly analogue, but there’s also a surprisingly deep digital delay section that adds a new layer of sound design potential. Inspired by late seventies and early eighties twelve-bit rack units, Miller says the team dedicated a significant amount of time to developing the module.
“We probably spent eight or nine months just working on the code for Muse’s delay,” he recalls. “We wanted to make something interesting, something flexible, almost a little instrument in its own right housed within Muse. Even more importantly, we wanted to make something tailored to suit the raw sound. Rather than simply adding a delay on top, it was important for this to be a harmonious thing that becomes part of the instrument.”
That attention to detail is evident, and audible, across all of Muse’s modules. What is also apparent is Moog’s willingness to evolve and adapt where needed, and the confidence to stick to their guns when necessary. Muse deftly balances past and present while leaving space for a spoonful of future; no mean feat in a market environment that seems to only get more competitive year on year.
Consider how tumultuous the past few years have been for Moog: After battling accusations of discrimination, a contentious unionisation movement, unpopular price increases, and a global chip shortage, Moog was then acquired by the global music brand, inMusic. Then, the company announced a 50 per cent reduction in its Asheville factory workforce, the closing of its Asheville store and even a relocation of its iconic Asheville HQ— so even further negative commentary circulated around the brand.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
In particular, the announcement that the company would end its stalwart practice of manufacturing synths in America was met with dismay from fans. Although a spokesperson assured MusicTech last year that InMusic is “committed to [Moog] remaining in the city and community where Bob Moog chose to establish his legacy,” fans worried about potential quality control issues, but also felt a sense of betrayal from a brand that had woven its public image with Americana, social responsibility, and the hippie ideals of the 60s and 70s.
In that context, Muse can be seen as a triumph — proof that Moog still makes world-class synthesizers — and as an acknowledgement of the changing realities of the pro audio business.
The company continues to design and prototype in the US, but Muse is made in Taiwan. However, by our assessment, this practice has not impacted the sound or quality of the instrument. And if you like that £2998/$3499 price tag then you also have to acknowledge that Muse would likely cost a lot more if it had been manufactured entirely in Asheville.
With a history that stretches back almost to the dawn of synthesis, it’s only natural that customers have certain assumptions and expectations regarding the sound, features, and build quality of any instrument bearing Robert Moog’s name. Miller says he and his colleagues are “very cognizant” of those expectations and of the legacy they’ve inherited – but he also sees modern, forward-thinking instruments like Muse as simply a “continuation” of the ethos that built the company in the first place.
“I think we’re honouring the legacy of Bob and making instruments that give people the sound of Moog,” Miller says thoughtfully. “At the same time, Bob was always innovating, and we want to continue that spirit and look towards the future.”
A company can be supported by a legacy, or be chained to it. Muse shows that Moog’s storied foundations aren’t an anchor – they’re a springboard.
The post “We’re honouring the legacy of Bob Moog; making instruments that give you his iconic sound” Moog talks Muse appeared first on MusicTech.

Moog Muse doesn’t need nostalgia — it’s an outstanding synth for the new generation£2998/$3499, moogmusic.com
Having a legacy like Moog’s is a double-edged sword. The more beloved the brand, the higher the expectations. And the more iconic the sound, the harder it is to change things up.
So when the North Carolina company set out to build a new bi-timbral polyphonic flagship, it must’ve known it was walking a tightrope. It has to have that Moog sound, it has to suit multiple playing styles, it has to be ready for both studio and stage, and it has to stand out in an increasingly crowded field.
Luckily, the Muse not only walks that line – it dances along it.

READ MORE: “We’re honouring the legacy of Bob Moog; making instruments that give you his iconic sound” Moog talks Muse

A brief history of Muse
The sound of Muse is firmly rooted in Moog’s storied past. Working across its different modules – oscillators, filters, envelopes – is like taking a tour through some of the best gear the company has ever produced.
Two analogue oscillators, inspired by 1997’s Minimoog Voyager, form the beating heart of the instrument. The sound is immediately rich and full, with options to blend between triangle, sawtooth, and square wave with variable pulse width. Using these, and little else, you can quickly bang out deep bass tones and vibrant leads that you’d usually associate with the Moog name.
There’s also bi-directional FM (frequency modulation) between the two oscillators. This, too, is inspired by a classic piece of gear – the Moogerfooger MF-102, released in 1998 – and enables everything from beautifully clear bell tones to truly harsh and chaotic ear candy.
Another handy addition is Muse’s modulation oscillator. On one level, it’s the primary hub for quick and easy LFO modulation, with dedicated assignment buttons and depth knobs for the oscillator’s pitch and pulse width, the filters, and the VCA. But this isn’t just an ordinary LFO; it can also be used to produce audio-rate modulation, or as a third oscillator. Pressing the Audio button extends its frequency range all the way up to 20Hz and, with keyboard tracking mode and a selection of waveforms to choose from, you can fatten up the texture even further.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
To hear the modulation oscillator at audio-rate, or to hear anything for that matter, head to the mixer panel. It’s a simple thing, but having all your audio signals in one place is incredibly useful, and, in addition to the oscillators, FM, and modulation oscillator, there’s also a noise generator and an overload circuit to provide soft analogue clipping.
The filter module is outstanding, with two discrete Moog Ladder filters at a 24dB-per-octave slope. Taking inspiration from the classic 904-A module of 1966, the filters are supremely satisfying to use, with rich harmonics that get wonderfully crunchy once you start to drive the incoming signal. The first filter also boasts a switchable high-pass mode and, with the ability to link the two filters, you can do tasty band, notch, and formant filtering. There’s also keyboard tracking, and the ability to run these filters in sequence, parallel, or stereo.
Moog Muse is bi-timbral, so all of the above settings can be independently set for timbre A and B. Switching between the two timbres is instant and you can split them across the keyboard or stack them for amazingly deep and complex sounds. Muse has eight voices to work with and, while this is plenty when working with a single timbre, once you stack or split the timbres then voice stealing is something you’ll become aware of.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
Moog Muse’s arpeggiator and sequencer
The sound palate may be like a warm hug from an old friend, but this is not an instrument that rests on nostalgia alone. Once you start to dig into the arpeggiator and sequencer, the modulation matrix, and the additional parameter settings, it becomes clear that Muse not only meets the current moment, but outlines a path to the future.
Muse’s arpeggiator and chord memory functions are excellent, but the sequencer, in particular, deserves special praise. Where Arturia’s new PolyBrute 12 caught some criticism for its underwhelming sequencer, Muse’s counter offer is packed with deeply-considered features for stage and studio. There are 64 steps with up to eight notes being stored per step, and notes can be entered manually, recorded in live, or overdubbed. Once you have your sequence, every aspect of it, right down to the micro-timing between notes, is opened up for editing and tweaking via Muse’s small, centrally-positioned OLED screen. There’s also a parameter recording function that allows for detailed sound design of each individual step, or on-the-fly sculpting during live performance.
If there’s one downside here, it’s the sequencer presets. On the one hand, sequences are globally available – meaning that you can write a sequence on one patch and then use it elsewhere, which is fantastic. However, the included factory presets for the sequencer are a mixed bag. Loading up a combined patch-plus-sequence preset might get you something that sounds great, or, at worst, you’ll get a pattern that sounds like it was arbitrarily slapped on top of a patch rather than written specifically for it. It’s not a huge problem, but it does stand out in comparison to the patch presets themselves, which are generally excellent.
On its own, the sequencer is highly functional, but it’s the new Probabilistic features that set it apart. These days, the word ‘generative’ is often a red flag for a cash grab, but Moog has thankfully packed Muse full of genuinely useful, undeniably cool probability functions. For starters, you can set the gate probability for each step – meaning a step may or may not trigger — but you can also set probability for the note values themselves. In practice, this means each step can trigger random notes within a preset melodic scale and within a set number of semitones. But that’s not all: if your sequence is made up of chords, then the note probability function will instead trigger a chord inversion or alternate chord voicing.

There’s even a Coin Toss feature that allows you to record an entire new 64-step sequence and then randomly switch between the two sequences on a step-by-step basis. These features open up a huge range of possibilities for producers and composers who want to add some generative music to their studio workflow, or even live performers who want to add the element of unpredictability to a jam.
Muse’s layout
All of that might sound complicated, but, in practice, Muse is surprisingly easy to set up and play with. This is a testament to the instrument’s layout and design, which prioritises creative flow and tactile controls without skimping on deeper-level parameters.
The modulation and routing workflow is a prime example. Muse features two dedicated LFO’s, a pitch LFO with a modulation depth fine-tuned for vibrato, and two loopable envelope generators. Each one features an Assign button for quick mapping – simply press a modulator’s assign button, move the desired dial or slider, and the connection is made.
However, if you want to get more specific with your mappings, there’s a dedicated menu to define control sources for your modulation. You can also add mathematical functions, such as slew time and cubic waveshaping, to drastically transform how the modulator affects its destination.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
Musing deeper
You can go deeper across many elements of the Muse. Each module features a small triangle button in the top right corner that exposes a More menu, and it’s here that Muse’s more complex capabilities are revealed.
Take the digital delay module – by default, its Character dial will act as a DJ mixer-style filter. But, in the More menu, this can be set to control a multi-tap delay for rhythmic timings, to shape the style of diffusion into a chorus-like sound, or to control all three parameters simultaneously. You can change the bit depth, pitch-shift the delayed signals, and drastically increase the delay time to get washes of sound. The options are deep enough that a happy afternoon could be spent exploring just the delay section alone.
Should you get the Moog Muse?
All that said, there are moments when you feel its limitations. The Muse doesn’t have the expansive sound design capabilities of an analogue digital hybrid like the UDO Super Gemini, or the innovative performance features or Full-Touch MIDI Polyphonic Expression of the PolyBrute 12. It doesn’t even have a polyphonic aftertouch keybed or a USB-C port – something that feels like a missed opportunity.
Make no mistake, Muse is a synth for the new era, but Moog has, perhaps wisely, chosen not to go all in on the latest innovations. Instead it’s clearly focused its efforts and production budget on what matters most: the sound.
Ultimately, this is an instrument that you will want to play. With its considered feature set, tactile control surfaces, and an oh-so-premium analogue sound, Muse has an addictive quality that keeps you coming back for more, and more, and more.
Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
Key features

Bi-timbral analogue sound engine
Eight polyphonic voices
Dual voltage-controlled oscillators per voice
Dual voltage-controlled Moog filters
Analogue ring modulator
Analogue modulation Ooscillator
Arpeggiator and sequencer
224 preset patches per timbre, totalling 448 unique patch sounds.
Bright OLED panel for presets, global settings, module specific settings
CV in/out, clock in/out and MIDI in/out/thru
Size: 99 x 42 x 11 cm
Weight: 14.55 kg

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