Pamela’s Disco from ALM/Busy Circuits The latest release from ALM/Busy Circuits is an intriguing new module that allows Eurorack rigs to derive a clock signal from a PRO DJ LINK network.

AWS needs you to believe in AI agentsAWS announced a wave of new AI agent tools at re:Invent 2025, but can Amazon actually catch up to the AI leaders? While the cloud giant is betting big on enterprise AI with its third-gen chip and database discounts that got developers cheering, it’s still fighting to prove it can compete beyond infrastructure.  This week […]

A Night at the Opera with Puccini's La BohèmeOreste Cosimo as Rodolfo and Janai Brugger as Mimi in LA Opera's 2025 production of La Bohème. (Photo by Cory Weaver)

In the decades since Music Connection got going in 1977, there are certain genres of music that have never consistently found a home in these pages. There's no good reason for this, besides a general lack of expertise in some areas. Those genres include opera, classical and anything generally orchestral. That's on us, that's our bad, and we're going to endeavor to put it right. It's simply ancient thinking to believe that somebody with an interest in rock, pop, country and/or blues couldn't possibly also enjoy the work of Puccini, Mozart, Verdi, etc. We have more faith in you than that.

And so it was that, on a clear, crisp evening in early December, this writer found himself at the LA Opera, and specifically the stunning Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, for the first time to take in Puccini's beloved La Bohème.

Rod Gilfry as Alcindoro and Erica Petrocelli as Musetta in LA Opera's 2025 production of La Bohème. (Photo by Cory Weaver)

Those who haven't been to the opera before might have some prior expectations. Let's start with the low hanging fruit. Yes, you can dress up in tuxes and evening gowns should you feel inclined. On the other hand, there is no dress code and those in casual wear aren't outnumbered or made to feel out of place in any way at all. If you're worried that a night at the opera is a nose-in-the-air, cartoonish vision of snobbery--don't be. An LA Opera experience is a welcoming one, and it's for everyone.

Nothing highlights this more than La Bohème. Alongside Madama Butterfly and Turandot (famous among casual appreciators of opera for the aria "Nessun Dorma"), La Bohème is one of Puccini's more enduring operas. Over four acts, we're introduced to four hard-up men who live together in the Latin Quarter of Paris (Rodolfo, Marcello, Colline and Schaunard) and the two women who capture the hearts of Rodolfo and Marcello (respectively, Mimi and Musetta).

Gihoon Kim as Marcello in LA Opera's 2025 production of La Bohème. (Photo by Cory Weaver)

The men are arty types--musicians, writers and, as the title suggests, bohemians. So when Marcello sees his spicy ex Musetta at the Café Momus with a rich, older lover called Alcindoro, he's not happy but it offers his chums the opportunity to engage in some witty banter.

The leads are all incredible. Italian tenor Oreste Cosimo, making his LA Opera debut in the role of Rodolfo, is wonderfully engaging, and his chemistry with Illinois soprano Janai Brugger (Mimi) is compelling throughout. Similarly, the characters of South Korean baritone Gihoon Kim (Marcello) and Rhode Island soprano Erica Petrocelli (Musetta) have a playful (if undeniably toxic by today's standards) energy. You simply can't take your eyes off of them, and their voices are never anything other than note perfect.

The Act Two finale in LA Opera's 2025 production of La Bohème. (Photo by Cory Weaver)

Chinese bass William Guanbo Su (Colline) and New York baritone Emmett O'Hanlon (Schaunard) complete the main players, though special mention must go to North Dakota tenor Nathan Bowles for bringing a magical, spritely energy to the role of toymaker/merchant Parpignol.

The set design, by Gerard Howland, is mind-blowing. Fully believable apartment buildings are erected, and they move around before our eyes. We're unquestionably transported to Paris--we see the sights, feel the cold, experience the high and lows. Howland's art is clearly as much a part of the show as that of any of the performers. The orchestra, led by Colombian conductor Lina González-Granados, is impeccable. We can't mention all of the cast, musicians and crew, but this is a team effort.

So we watch and listen as the two couples break up in Act III, before reaching the devastating conclusion of Act IV, with Mimi succumbing to tuberculosis. Mimi and Rodolfo were at least reunited before she died, but it's too little, too late. We've been carried by incredible voices through a full range of emotions, and it ends with tragedy.



Tears wiped, this writer spilled out onto the streets of L.A. knowing full well that he'll be back at the opera in 2026. You should go too!The post A Night at the Opera with Puccini's La Bohème first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Garage Fridge Gets New DIY Controller[Rick] had a problem. His garage refrigerator was tasked with a critical duty—keeping refreshing beverages at low temperature. Unfortunately, it had failed—the condenser was forever running, or not running at all. The beverages were either frozen, or lukewarm, regardless of the thermostat setting. There was nothing for it—the controller had to be rebuilt from scratch.
Thankfully, [Rick]’s junk drawer was obliging. He was able to find an Arduino Uno R4, complete with WiFi connectivity courtesy of the ESP32 microcontroller onboard. This was paired with a DHT11 sensor, which provided temperature and humidity measurements. [Rick] began testing the hardware by spitting out temperature readings on the Uno’s LED matrix.
Once that was working, the microcontroller had to be given control over the fridge itself. This was achieved by programming it to activate a Kasa brand smart plug, which could switch mains power to the fridge as needed. The Uno simply emulated the action of the Kasa phone app to switch the smart plug on and off to control the fridge’s temperature, with the fridge essentially running flat out whenever it was switched on. The Uno also logs temperature to a server so [Rick] can make sure temperatures remain in the proper range.
We’ve seen some great beverage-cooling hacks over the years. If you’ve mastered your own hacky methods of keeping the colas chilled, don’t hesitate to let us know on the tipsline.

Ueberschall Ueberschall Creator Pack The Ueberschall Creator Pack is a focused and highly flexible loop and sample library designed to jumpstart musical creativity for producers, content creators, and composers across numerous genres. This soundbank represents a carefully curated selection of essential content, handpicked from a large collection of 176 different Ueberschall loop packs. Rather than being genre-specific, the Creator Pack provides a diverse set of professional-grade sonic building blocks, making it an excellent resource for generating new ideas quickly or adding high-quality elements to existing projects. With an impressive 9.3 GB of content, the Creator Pack is structured into two main, complementary parts for versatile music production. The first section contains 93 Construction Kit parts, which are miniature song sections drawn from over 40 genres. Each kit part is organized in the Elastik Player's Pad View, providing individual loops for full drums, multitracks, instrument layers, and effects. This organization allows for instant arrangement and the ability to easily mix and match components from different kits to experiment with hybrid genres and unique sonic combinations. The second section is dedicated to a wide variety of Instrument Loops and unique performance phrases, sourced from 83 Ueberschall Instrument Series libraries. This collection includes professional recordings of instruments such as guitars, basses, keys, brass, drums, and percussion. The library is fully optimized for the free Elastik Player, which features advanced time-stretching and polyphonic scale-shifting algorithms (like ReTune). These tools ensure that all 2,262 loops and samples can be instantaneously adapted to match the tempo, key, and scale of any user project with superior audio quality, providing maximum creative freedom within a streamlined workflow. Key Features Curated Content: Contains 2,262 loops and phrases handpicked from 176 different Ueberschall soundbanks. Content Size: Totals 9.3 GB of professional sample material. Construction Kits: Includes 93 Construction Kit parts spanning over 40 genres, each with multiple instrument layers for easy arrangement. Instrument Loops: Features a diverse collection of instrument performances (guitars, basses, keys, drums, brass, etc.) sourced from 83 Instrument Series packs. Elastik Player Optimized: Content requires the free Elastik Player for full functionality. Advanced Manipulation: Utilizes zplane.development's sophisticated algorithms for high-quality time-stretching, tempo synchronization, and polyphonic pitch/scale correction (ReTune). Efficient Interface: The Elastik Player provides a central Loopeye editor, a powerful browser with advanced tagging and filtering, and an Inspire function for generating new sound combinations. Formats: Compatible with major DAWs via VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin formats, as well as a standalone application. Professional Quality: All samples are recorded using high-quality equipment, providing 24-bit/44.1 kHz stereo audio. Read More

Omnisphere Corvus by The Very Loud Indeed Co. The latest announcement from The Very Loud Indeed Co. sees the company shift their focus back to Spectrasonics’ Omnisphere, and introduces a collection of 126 new sounds that contrast the character of their recently released Cobalt sound set. 

How To Leverage Year End Streaming Recaps After They’ve LaunchedSpotify Wrapped, Apple Music Replay and YouTube Recap 2025 Are Out. Learn how to leverage year end streaming recaps to enhance your music marketing - even if you didn't update your profiles in advance.
The post How To Leverage Year End Streaming Recaps After They’ve Launched appeared first on Hypebot.

How to Throw an Unforgettable Listening PartyHere's why listening parties have become so popular in recent years and how to throw a listening party your fans will never forget.
The post How to Throw an Unforgettable Listening Party appeared first on Hypebot.

Heritage Audio unveil the Herchild Next Gen Model 670N Heritage Audio's latest Fairchild recreation has been designed to deliver the same performance as the Herchild Model 670, but at a fraction of the price. 

From Epidemic Sound suing Meta again to Robert Kyncl’s new deal as WMG CEO… it’s MBW’s weekly round-upThe biggest headlines from the past few days...
Source

Say goodbye to Cyber Week with AIR Music Tech’s $99 Tape Double Track plugin – now available for free!Cyber Monday might be over, but there are still a number of music technology deals worth grabbing – including AIR Music Tech’s Tape Double Track plugin, which usually costs $99 and is available for free until Monday, 8 December.
Tape Double Track faithfully recreates a legendary studio effect, combining the classic 1960s Automatic Double Tracking (ADT) technique with modern digital convenience. Originally developed at Abbey Road Studios for The Beatles’ 1996 album Revolver, ADT allowed engineers to simulate double-tracked performances using tape delay, varispeed, and subtle pitch modulation without the need to re-record parts.

READ MORE: Cyber Weekend is over, but you can still save up to 55% on Korg plugins all of this week!

Ken Townsend, the engineer behind ADT, responded to John Lennon’s request for a faster alternative to manual double-tracking. The result was a lush, layered sound that became a defining feature of Revolver and influenced countless recordings through the 1970s and beyond.
With Tape Double Track, you can recreate the subtle pitch variations and natural movement of classic tape-based ADT, giving your tracks instant dimension for an overall richer sound. The plugin’s intuitive interface mimics a vintage tape machine, with a central dial controlling the delay offset between the two “tapes”.
You can easily alter modulation, change the pitch and speed of your recording, and visualise delay in real time between channels as the sound moves back and forth, emulating the ADT tape-stretching technique.
Take full command of your sound with independent control over source and double-tracked channels. Adjust pan, drive, mute, phase, and level for each track individually. Modulation can be adjusted via the Warp control, with three available waveforms – sine, triangle, and random – while the Bass Mono option helps keep your low frequencies centered .
Tape Double Track is available in VST/VST3/AU/AAX formats. The plugin also works inside standalone MPC hardware, making it a versatile tool for both classic and modern production workflows.
Download the plugin today at Air Music Tech.
The post Say goodbye to Cyber Week with AIR Music Tech’s $99 Tape Double Track plugin – now available for free! appeared first on MusicTech.

SLAB: the first hardware controller for Serato Studio has arrived – here’s everything you need to knowSerato has ushered in a new chapter in its beat-making ecosystem. In collaboration with AlphaTheta, the company has unveiled SLAB, its first piece of hardware and the first dedicated controller designed specifically for Serato Studio.
Serato Studio launched in 2018 as an entry-level DAW aimed at DJs who wanted to get into production without facing the steep learning curves of traditional music software. Borrowing visual cues from Serato’s DJ platforms, its focus is on creating quick edits, mashups and beats – giving DJs and performers a fast, frictionless way to sketch ideas.
While still not as comprehensive as full-scale DAWs like Pro Tools, Logic Pro or Ableton Live, Serato Studio has evolved into a capable beat-making environment with audio and MIDI recording, step sequencing, stem separation, built-in instruments and effects, automation and more.

READ MORE: Arturia’s KeyStep mk2 is a refined and feature-packed MIDI controller keyboard

Said to “enhance the creative power of Serato Studio”, SLAB brings hands-on production to a platform that was previously software-only. Let’s take a closer look at what SLAB has to offer.
Key features of the SLAB
Credit: AlphaTheta
At a glance, SLAB is a pad-focused controller in the vein of Akai’s MPCs – compact, performance-oriented and built for sample-based workflows. The unit features a grid of 16 velocity and aftertouch-sensitive pads, supported by touch-sensitive encoders, a long-stroke touch strip and dedicated buttons for navigating Serato Studio’s various tools.
A streamlined transport section provides essential controls like play, record and seek, while a multifunctional dial enables faster browsing and seeking. One of the dial’s key features is Focus Control, which you can use to manipulate third-party plugins in real time without the need for manual mapping.
An OLED display delivers clear, real-time feedback on integration status and parameter values, while the four touch-sensitive encoders to the side offer direct access to EQs, stems, effects, and parameter controls in Serato Studio.
Although designed for Serato Studio, SLAB is equally flexible in other environments. Its general-purpose MIDI mode enables integration with Serato Sample, Serato DJ Pro and a wide range of DAWs. When used with compatible Serato software, the Stems Level feature lets you independently adjust vocals, melody, drums and bass directly from the encoders, which comes in handy both in the studio and during DJ performances. And if you pair SLAB with Serato DJ Pro, it serves as an Official Serato Accessory (OSA), expanding the possibilities of your DJ sets.
Pricing and specifications
Measuring 284.3 × 209 × 44.6 mm (11.19” × 8.23” × 1.76”) and weighing 1kg (2.2lbs), SLAB is compact enough to slip into a backpack, making it suitable for home setups or mobile production on the go.
SLAB is priced at $299/£259/€299  and comes with a full license for Serato Studio.

Learn more about the SLAB or locate a dealer via the Serato website.
The post SLAB: the first hardware controller for Serato Studio has arrived – here’s everything you need to know appeared first on MusicTech.

Feds ask Waymo about robotaxis repeatedly passing school buses in AustinThe agency already opened an investigation in October over Waymo's performance around school buses.

Build A Pocket-Sized Wi-Fi AnalyzerWi-Fi! It’s everywhere, and yet you can’t really see it, by virtue of the technology relying on the transmission of electromagnetic waves outside the visual spectrum. Never mind, though, because you can always build yourself a Wi-Fi analyzer to get some insight into your radio surroundings, as demonstrated by [moononournation].
The core of the build is the ESP32-C5. The popular microcontroller is well-equipped for this task with its onboard dual-band Wi-Fi hardware, even if the stock antenna on most devboards is a little underwhelming. [moononournation] has paired this with a small rectangular LCD screen running the ILI9341 controller. The graphical interface is drawn with the aid of the Arduino_GFX library. It shows a graph of access points detected in the immediate area, as well as which channels they’re using and their apparent signal strength.
If you’re just trying to get a basic read on the Wi-Fi environment in a given locale, a tool like this can prove pretty useful. If your desires are more advanced, you might leap up to tinkering in the world of software defined radio. Video after the break.

24 Wavell St liminal machineEffect rack inspired by the sounds of analog horror. controllable parameters includes: reverb. shimmer. bit depth. bit reduction. Read More