Lucid pumps $1.5B from Saudi wealth fund after CEO warned relying on its ‘bottomless wealth’ was ‘dangerous’Saudi Arabia is committing even more money to Lucid Motors as the EV startup struggles to erase its losses. Lucid announced Monday as part of its second-quarter earnings report that an affiliate of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund is committing another $1.5 billion, with half coming in the form of a private placement and the […]
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Amazon Needs a Music CoordinatorAmazon is seeking a Music Coordinator to join the dynamic music team supporting the Studios Film and TV productions for Latin America. The Music Coordinator will work closely with the Head of Music and be an integral part to the music team. This position is based in Miami, FL.

Apply here: geebo.com The post Amazon Needs a Music Coordinator first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

A Two-Stroke Engine Made From Scratch Using Basic Hardware Store PartsA working DIY two-stroke in all of its glory, with the flywheel removed. (Credit: Camden Bowen)
How hard could it to be to build a two-stroke internal combustion engine (ICE) from scratch? This is a challenge that [Camden Bowen] gladly set for himself, while foregoing such obvious wastes of time like first doing an in-depth literature study on the topic. That said, he did do some research and made the design in OnShape CAD before making his way over to the hardware store to make some purchases.
As it turns out, you can indeed build a two-stroke engine from scratch, using little more than some metal piping and other parts from the hardware store. You also need a welder and a lathe, with [Camden] using a Vevor mini-lathe that totally puts the ‘precision’ in ‘chatter’. As building an ICE requires a number of relatively basic parts that have to move with very little friction and with tight tolerances, this posed some challenges, but nothing that some DIY spirit can’t fix.
In the case of the very flexible boring bar on the lathe, improvising with some sturdy metal stock welded to a short boring bar resolved that, and precision was achieved. Together with an angle grinder, [Camden] was then able to manufacture the crank case, the cylinder and crank shaft and all the other pieces that make up an ICE. For the carburetor he used a unit off Amazon, which turned out to have the wrong throat size at 19 mm, but a 13 mm version worked. Ultimately, the first ICE constructed this way got destroyed mostly by running it dry and having the starter fluid acting as a solvent, but a full rebuild fixed all the issues.
This second attempt actually ran just fine the first time around, with oil in the crank case so that the poor engine wasn’t running dry any more. With a 40:1 fuel/oil mixture the little engine idles and runs as well as a two-stroke can, belching blue smoke and making a ruckus. This answers the question of whether you can build a two-stroke ICE with basic machining skills and tools, but of course the question that’s now on everyone’s lips is whether a four-stroke one would be nearly as ‘easy’. We wait with bated breath.

In case you missed it… HYBE, the company behind superstars BTS and Seventeen, just launched a label services business in the USMBW Explains is a series of analytical features in which we explore the context behind major music industry talking points
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Asteroids: Kessler Syndrome EditionAsteroids, the late-70s arcade hit, was an immensely popular game. Often those with the simplest premise, while maintaining a fun, lighthearted gameplay have the most cultural impact and longest legacy. But, although it was popular, it doesn’t really meet the high bar of scientific fidelity that some gamers are looking for. That’s why [Attoparsec] built the Kessler Syndrome Edition of this classic arcade game.
The Kessler Syndrome is a condition where so much man-made debris piles up in low-Earth orbit that nothing can occupy this orbit without getting damaged or destroyed by the debris, and thus turning into more debris itself in a terrible positive feedback loop. [Attoparsec] brings this idea to Asteroids by reprogramming the game so that asteroids can be shot into smaller and smaller pieces but which never disappear, quickly turning the game into a runaway Kessler Syndrome where the chance of survival is extremely limited, and even a destroyed player’s ship turns into space junk as well.
To further the scientific accuracy and improve playability, though, he’s added a repulsor beam mechanism which can push the debris a bit and prolong the player’s life, and also added mass effect reactions so that even shooting bullets repels the player’s ship a bit. The build doesn’t stop with software, either. He also built a custom 70s-style arcade cabinet from the ground to host the game.
Asteroids is still a popular platform for unique builds like this. Take a look at a light-vector game using lasers to create the graphics, or this tiny version of the game that uses a real CRT.
Thanks to [smellsofbikes] for the tip!

As Suno and Udio admit training AI with unlicensed music, record industry says: ‘There’s nothing fair about stealing an artist’s life’s work.’Suno and Udio suggest that the record companies may have themselves violated music publishing copyrights
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Vox Tune Auto Pitch is a FREE Pitch Correction plugin for Windows and macOS
Vox Samples releases Vox Tune Auto Pitch, a free autotune plugin for macOS and Windows. Most readers who follow BPB’s news section have heard of Vox Samples by now. The developer regularly offers free plugins alongside its paid products. This time, they released Vox Tune Auto Pitch, a free pitch correction plugin for macOS and [...]
View post: Vox Tune Auto Pitch is a FREE Pitch Correction plugin for Windows and macOS

Thomann has discounted swathes of gear for the first 10 days of August – here are the best dealsFor any company, 70 years in business is a big milestone. And for German retail giant Thomann, it’s celebrating its Platinum anniversary in style by offering killer savings on a host of music gear throughout the entirety of 2024. 
Some deals are year-round, but others – and often the best ones – are only active for the first 10 days of each month. And if you’ll check your calendar, you’ll see that we are indeed still in the first 10 days of August, which means incredible savings to be had on music tech gear right now.

READ MORE: Heritage Audio i73 Pro brings a classy vintage console flavour to your digital studio

Of course, you – our valued MusicTech readership – are going to be beelining straight for the deals on music tech gear, synths, keyboards and the like. So let us save you some time and bring you the very best deals from the first 10 days of August below.
First up, if you’re in the market for a new digital stage piano, Korg’s B2 Black and LP-380U BK models are discounted by €61 and €101, respectively. Priced at €398 for a limited time, the B2 Black features 88 keys, 12 sounds, 120-voice polyphony, comprehensive I/O, and two 15-watt speakers.
[deals ids=”6BXPuN9BIrNxoAKIQestnI”]
The LP-380U, meanwhile, has an upright piano form factor, and comes with onboard reverb and chorus effects, a transposer, metronome, three pedals, three velocity curves and 30 sounds. This one is priced at €698 for a limited time.
[deals ids=”3GjNn7b3xDev25xzMaSqEO”]
There’s also a host of plugins on offer until 10 August; get Baby Audio’s Crystalline reverb plugin for half price at €49, Sonible’s Smart:Essentials suite of production tools with over €100 discounted, or Cherry Audio’s GX-80 Synthesizer for only €49.
[deals ids=”2QGoLidNCqdYpUlmbsG7gB”]
[deals ids=”3rNpOzUbDZkPNuqV7Y1yDx”]
[deals ids=”5J4Y5P12GEGYRAdBcOVnQJ”]
Browse the full lineup of discounts over at Thomann.
The post Thomann has discounted swathes of gear for the first 10 days of August – here are the best deals appeared first on MusicTech.

Musician’s Guide to Spotify Countdown PagesUnlock the secrets to boosting your streams with this Musician's Guide To Spotify Countdown Pages. Learn how this powerful tool can amplify your music release strategy and keep your fans engaged.
The post Musician’s Guide to Spotify Countdown Pages appeared first on Hypebot.

Acustica Audio release Zaffre suite Acustica Audio’s latest release comprises two separate plug-ins that draw their inspiration from high-end British outboard gear.

Are you eligible to collect Music Publishing Royalties?Are you eligible to collect Publishing Royalties? This guide shares the simple steps to check your eligibility and collect your well-deserved earnings.
The post Are you eligible to collect Music Publishing Royalties? appeared first on Hypebot.

Your Morning Coffee Podcast: Streaming as a savior • Songwriters in 2024 • NO Fakes legislation • MoreEpisode 208 of the Jay Gilbert and Mike Etchart podcast Your Morning Coffee: Weekly News for the New Music Business is available now. Listen here.
The post Your Morning Coffee Podcast: Streaming as a savior • Songwriters in 2024 • NO Fakes legislation • More appeared first on Hypebot.

Pioneer celebrates 30 years of the CDJ with limited edition zinePioneer DJ is celebrating 30 years of its CDJ with a special zine. Titled deckades, the limited edition zine features 42 exclusive pages of photos, interviews and commentary.
The CDJ-500 landed back in 1994 as a new, modern tool for DJs and has thoroughly evolved since. Though the zine is available to read for free digitally, there will also be a limited print run of just 1000 copies – these are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

READ MORE: This DJ has a price list for overplayed song requests, and Mr Brightside will cost you a grand

The publication also hosts interviews with DJs Fatboy Slim, Fabio, Anna Tur, Kikelomo and TSHA, and includes an overview of all 23 models of the CDJ “alongside plenty of nostalgic imagery”.
“In the high-speed world of digital technology, 1994 sort of feels like the ancient past. When Pioneer DJ launched the CDJ-500, its revolutionary first CD deck, the average clubgoer might have consulted a paper map to find the venue, listened to an FM radio to get them in the mood, and arrived to find a DJ playing vinyl records to an audience that couldn’t have even conceived of a smartphone,” states Pioneer.
“deckades tells the story of how the CDJ went from a strange new alternative to vinyl to becoming the quintessential tool of modern DJing. The limited-edition zine, which we’re now making available digitally, shows how the CDJ dovetailed with the major advancements in music technology – from CDs and MP3s, to USB and touchscreens, and the more recent developments of AI and VR.”

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A post shared by AlphaTheta/Pioneer DJ Global (@pioneerdjglobal)

DJ gear has come on leaps and bounds since the birth of the CDJ. At MusicTech, we created a guide of the best standalone DJ controllers for 2024 so you can choose the right one for you.
Find out more about deckades or have a read over at the Pioneer DJ blog.
The post Pioneer celebrates 30 years of the CDJ with limited edition zine appeared first on MusicTech.

Rough Trade apologises and shuts down vinyl selling platform after criticism for “insulting” pricesRough Trade has taken down its vinyl selling platform FlipVinyl following backlash over its “insulting” prices. The company has also issued an apology, and says it is reassessing how to move forward.
Powered by Rough Trade, the scheme was launched on 2 August and allowed people to sell their records “in a flash” through the FlipVinyl company. Rough Trade described FlipVinyl as the “fastest-growing second-hand vinyl buyers in Germany who have revolutionised the way to sell vinyl online”.

READ MORE: How the vinyl industry weathered pandemic disruptions to emerge stronger than ever

Through FlipVinyl, users could search their records and get a price instantly before packaging them up and sending them off to get paid, but many criticised the very low payments they would potentially receive, even for rare or sought after albums.
One user wrote on X, “One of the rarest and most sought after Beatles albums will not even net you £50. This site is a joke.” Another said, “Take my £3.57! Might be able to buy a Tesco’s meal deal with that”, along with a screenshot which showed Tool’s Aenima LP listed at such price. Replies have since been turned off.

SELLING YOUR VINYL MADE EASY…
Swap your pre-loved records for cash with FlipVinyl, powered by Rough Trade.
Look up your records Get a price instantly Package and send Get paid
Find out more and try it for yourself >>https://t.co/2gIViWPCSO pic.twitter.com/qT1p79Q0YL
— Rough Trade (@RoughTrade) August 2, 2024

Please note! We appreciate this service won't be suitable for everyone's needs i.e. those seeking to maximise collectible items. However for anyone looking to trade casually for a quick turn-around i.e. to make space, then this could well be a great solution. https://t.co/KPI1uoJL2x
— Rough Trade (@RoughTrade) August 2, 2024

One of the rarest and most sought after Beatles albums will not even net you £50. This site is a joke. pic.twitter.com/2Ec7IpEeJl
— Parlogram (@Parlogram) August 2, 2024

Take my £3.57 ! Might be able to buy a Tescos meal deal with that. pic.twitter.com/iNlMmb1MsH
— Real Ghostbusters Fridge Magnet (@Endangered_Duck) August 2, 2024

 
 
 
Rough Trade closed the platform and shared an official statement on 3 August from its managing director, Lawrence Montgomery, after the backlash. The letter takes “full responsibility”, and apologises for the “mistake”: “It’s clear based on feedback from a number of customers that we made wrong assumptions and that people viewed this service as inappropriate and saw us as profiteering.
“This was not our intention,” it continues. “However we understand and appreciate these criticisms and take full responsibility. As a result, we are going to suspend the service to give us time to reassess. We’re very sorry for this mistake.”

A statement on the launch of FlipVinyl for the UK market. pic.twitter.com/iifjSNdLrZ
— Rough Trade (@RoughTrade) August 3, 2024

Last year, it was revealed that vinyl sales in the UK had reached their highest figures since 1990. Vinyl LP sales have been consecutively rising for 16 years, and following a 2.9 percent improvement in unit sales in 2022, the market in 2023 had increased more than four times as fast with an 11.7 percent rise to 5.9 million units.
The post Rough Trade apologises and shuts down vinyl selling platform after criticism for “insulting” prices appeared first on MusicTech.

Suno claims using copyrighted songs to train its AI model constitutes “fair use”AI music generation startup Suno says using copyrighted music to train its AI model constitutes “fair use”.
CEO and founder Mikey Shulman makes the claim in response to a lawsuit by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) against Suno and fellow AI startup Udio. The suit alleges that the companies train their models on copyrighted music.

READ MORE: Will RIAA’s lawsuit against Udio and Suno really be the win we’re hoping for?

In a blog post published on 1 August, Shulman argues that AI “learning” from copyrighted material “is not infringing”.
“We train our models on medium- and high-quality music we can find on the open internet,” he writes, later adding: “Much of the open internet indeed contains copyrighted materials, and some of it is owned by major record labels.
“But, just like the kid writing their own rock songs after listening to the genre – or a teacher or a journalist reviewing existing materials to draw new insights – learning is not infringing. It never has been, and it is not now.”
While it’s heavily open to interpretation, the US “fair use” doctrine permits the use of portions of copyrighted work for such purposes as criticism, commentary and education.
Udio also pushed back against the lawsuit on August 1.
“The premise of their case is that musical styles – the characteristic sounds of opera, or jazz, or rap music – are somehow proprietary,” it has claimed. “Decades of judicial precedent establishes that no company controls a genre or style of music.”
The RIAA has responded to both companies and criticised their statements.
“After months of evading and misleading, defendants have finally admitted their massive unlicensed copying of artists’ recordings,” says a spokesperson. “It’s a major concession of facts they spent months trying to hide and acknowledged only when forced by a lawsuit. Their industrial scale infringement does not qualify as ‘fair use’. There’s nothing fair about stealing an artist’s life’s work, extracting its core value, and repackaging it to compete directly with the originals.”
The RIAA filed its lawsuit against Suno and Udio on June 24, with plaintiffs including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Warner Records Inc.
The record labels have alleged copyright infringement of recorded music at “an almost unimaginable scale”, and are seeking up to $150,000 in damages for each infringed work.
The lawsuit is also seeking to stop the two AI companies from training on the labels’ copyrighted songs.
Learn more about Suno and Udio.
The post Suno claims using copyrighted songs to train its AI model constitutes “fair use” appeared first on MusicTech.