Stagecraft Software offers ReContour waveshaping compressor plugin for FREE (1,000 licenses remaining)
Software has offered the ReContour waveshaping compressor plugin as a free download while supplies last. At the time of writing, there are still over 1,000 free licenses available. ReContour usually sells for $49.99, but you can claim a license for free by visiting the promo page and submitting your email address. Stagecraft will send you [...]
View post: Stagecraft Software offers ReContour waveshaping compressor plugin for FREE (1,000 licenses remaining)

Nektar unveil Impact LX mk3 MIDI keyboards Boasting re-engineered keybeds and a wealth of DAW and software instrument integration, the latest versions of the Impact LX promise to offer an expressive playing experience while providing plenty of hands-on control. 

TikTok introduces new Songwriter Features to support its artistsTikTok has announced that it will be introducing new Songwriter Features to aid independent artists in circulating their work across the platform.
The new features will allow songwriters to apply to become certified ‘Songwriter Accounts’. After being approved, artists will add be able to add a ‘Songwriter Music Tab’ to their profile, allowing them to showcase tracks they have written.

READ MORE: Ableton Live 12 is still one of the best DAWs out there

“The new features mean that songwriters’ musical works and their shared content will sit side-by-side in one place on TikTok for the first time,” the company explains.  “[It will give] songwriters the opportunity to highlight the works they have written or co-written, to share stories about their work, their music and their lives, and to help fans of their music to explore, use, share and save further works from their catalogue.”
The introduction of such Songwriter Features was spurred on by MIDiA’s 2025 Songwriter Survey. The survey found that more than 80% of songwriters surveyed rely on social media to share their work, with nearly a quarter claiming that building a strong social media presence was a top priority for 2025.
Most significantly, MIDiA found that 53% of full-time songwriters share their work on TikTok. In light of the data, TikTok felt the need to honour and support its songwriting community. “We are passionately committed to supporting songwriters at TikTok, which is why we built these tools to celebrate and elevate songwriters and their work on our platform,” Jordan Lowy, Global Head of Music Publishing Licensing and Partnerships at TikTok, says.
While the new features are only currently available in beta, they will hopefully be rolling out to everyone soon. And it’s already being supported by music executives across the industry.
“We’re proud to partner with TikTok on this meaningful evolution in how music is experienced and credited,” Derek Cournoyer, SVP of Global Digital Business at Kobalt Music, notes. “Fans are increasingly fascinated not only with the artists they follow, but also with how songs are written, who’s behind them, and the creative journey that brings them to life.”
“These new songwriter features tap into that curiosity by giving songwriters a dynamic way to showcase their work, and TikTok is leading the way in elevating how their contributions are recognised on digital platforms,” he concludes.
Warner Chappell Music’s Director of Global Creative Services, Laura Willoughby, is also supportive of TikTok’s new Songwriter Features: “This marks a significant step toward boosting songwriter visibility on TikTok. We’re seeing a growing trend of music fans wanting to discover and follow the creators behind their favourite songs, and we’re proud to champion an initiative that enhances in-app songwriter and music discovery.”
Despite TikTok shutting down its music streaming service TikTok Music last year, the platform itself remains a go-to for music discovery. The company’s 2024 Music Impact Report found that 84% of songs that entered the Billboard Global 200 in 2024 went viral on TikTok first, as well as the platform’s ‘Add to Music App’ feature having generated over a billion saves.
Songwriters can sign up to a waitlist to become an official Songwriter Account now.
The post TikTok introduces new Songwriter Features to support its artists appeared first on MusicTech.

Crowdfunder for Optimo’s JD Twitch surpasses £90,000 following brain tumour diagnosisOver £90,000 has been raised in support of JD Twitch of the DJ duo Optimo, following a terminal brain tumour diagnosis.
Twitch, whose real name is Keith McIvor, forms part of Optimo alongside JG Wilkes. He revealed his diagnosis earlier this July in a post on social media, in which he said his tumour was untreatable, and that his health had declined quickly over just a few weeks.
McIvor’s family went on to launch the Crowdfunder, which is run by his wife, Marissa, after they made the decision to move him to a private residential nursing facility, where he now receives 24-hour care. The condition has impacted McIvor’s “speech, mobility and his independence”.

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The Crowdfunder page for McIvor states that professional second opinions about his diagnosis “have been sought”, but “while suggestions for medical interventions or alternative therapies have been gratefully received, it’s important to stress how advanced, inoperable, and untreatable this particular tumour is – and that we can’t be raising false hopes”.
However, the much-loved DJ is currently not in pain, and is “still present as the Keith we know and love”. Immediate plans for the funds raised include the continued funding of his private residential nursing care, plus additional support services including physiotherapy, speech & language therapy, counselling, plus ongoing transport and palliative care essentials.
The crowdfunder had an original target of £50,000, and at the time of writing, it currently sits at close to £95,000, with over 1,800 people having supported the fundraising efforts. NME reports that money over the donation goal will be split between various charities, including Glasgow NW Foodbank, the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights, Brainstrust, and Crete’s Taki’s dog shelter.
An Optimo Music fundraising event featuring DJs from the Optimo Music label will also be taking place at the Queens Park Arena in Glasgow on 20 July. The event was originally planned by McIvor himself to raise funds for the Glasgow NW Foodbank, but will now also support his care and his family. Tickets are on sale now.
The post Crowdfunder for Optimo’s JD Twitch surpasses £90,000 following brain tumour diagnosis appeared first on MusicTech.

“They care more about social media instead of performing”: David Guetta feels a lot of DJs are focusing too much on being “cool”David Guetta has spotted a poor trend among modern DJs that is fuelled by a desire to be perceived as cool and unique online.
The French DJ and producer, who has sold over 10 million records across his career, thinks that when live sets are being filmed, it detracts focus from the music and the atmosphere, both on and off stage, noting that some DJs no longer even look at the crowd to read their mood.

READ MORE: “When you have phones in front of you, it looks like it’s robots”: Producer Raphael Saadiq on the benefits of phone-free shows

Guetta made the comments in a new video for WIRED, in which he answers fan questions about DJing. One person asks about the biggest mistakes he made when first starting to perform, and he responds by sharing the things he hates to see from up-and-coming artists today.
“​​First, there’s always a fine line in how to create your own identity. In order to be successful, you need to have your own style, your own music. Sometimes it’s the music you create yourself, or sometimes you just play a lot of the same style, and when it’s unique, it makes you famous for that,” he begins.
“This is cool, but what I see is sometimes people so [badly] want to create the identity and so want to be cool, they don’t even care if people are liking [the music] or not. Especially today, because it’s filmed. They care more about social media and how people are going to perceive this behind their computers or their phones instead of playing for the people that are in front of them.”
Guetta goes on to reinstate that, of course, every artist wants to be seen as unique and cool, but “you don’t want to forget why people are paying you”. He explains, “You’re getting paid to give a good time and entertain the people that are in front of you.
“That’s what I see a lot. DJs that are playing like this [he looks down] and they never look at the crowd. That’s madness to me, because our job is, before anything, to entertain people, give them a good time. So you need to be able to read them. If you don’t look at them, how can you read them?”
You can watch the full video with Guetta below:

David Guetta is playing a multitude of shows across Europe this summer. He also performs at Creamfields in the UK on 24 August. You can view the full list of his scheduled live dates via his official website.
The post “They care more about social media instead of performing”: David Guetta feels a lot of DJs are focusing too much on being “cool” appeared first on MusicTech.

Subtext now lets Artists on SoundCloud text their fans directlySoundCloud’s Artist Pro users can now directly text their fans via a new partnership with SMS platform, Subtext.
Artists can now launch their own Subtext line to create campaigns and build relationships with their listeners – you can even message one-to-one if you choose. While SoundCloud already enables direct messaging between artists and fans, this partnership goes a step further in building personal connections.

READ MORE: “It’s unstoppable”: ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus says artists who resist AI are “stupid” and “luddite”

Subtext is an award-winning texting platform that connects media companies, brands, artists, and creators to audiences. It has a 98 per cent open rate across all industries, and a 33.64 per cent click-through rate for music campaigns. Subtext already collaborates with Sony Music, BMG, mTheory, and artists such as Barbara Streisand, dJo, Jelly Roll, and Idina Menzel.
“SoundCloud is where community thrives – fans and artists connect directly, influence culture in real time, and shape what’s next in music,” comments Devi Mahadevia, Chief Growth Officer at SoundCloud.
“Partnering with Subtext adds a powerful new layer to that connection, giving artists the ability to scale personal, one-to-one relationships through direct SMS messaging – all while protecting their privacy. It’s another way we’re helping creators build lasting fan relationships and grow their careers on their own terms.”
Mike Donoghue, CEO and Co-founder of Subtext, adds: “By combining Subtext’s powerful SMS platform with SoundCloud’s cultural influence and vibrant artist community, this partnership is redefining how artists connect with their audiences. Subtext gives artists a direct line to fans – fostering authentic conversations, richer relationships, and new opportunities for monetisation.”

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This new feature also joins another recent benefit for Artist Pro users – the ability to have their music pressed on vinyl via a print-on-demand service. Powered by a new partnership with elasticStage, the company will handle all processing, shipping, and customer service requests, and artists simply get paid for every sale.
Find out more about SoundCloud and Subtext.
The post Subtext now lets Artists on SoundCloud text their fans directly appeared first on MusicTech.

You can now talk to Universal Audio’s free LUNA DAW following AI-powered updatesUniversal Audio has launched LUNA v1.9, a software update for its free DAW with new AI‑powered features.
LUNA was released in 2020, and UA says it “continues to evolve into the most musician‑friendly DAW on the market”. The v1.9 update is free for all LUNA users and can be downloaded immediately.

READ MORE: Behringer’s BM-13 is a Moogerfooger-inspired phaser – and “a control freak’s dream”

Five new key features arrive with the update, including a voice control tool that lets users start and stop recordings using a simple “Hey Luna” voice command from anywhere in their space.
It also brings instrument detection, with LUNA now able to analyse incoming audio, identify instrument types, and automatically name and colour‑code tracks. Additionally, LUNA can also listen to performances and set the metronome to match.
On a similar note, the update lets LUNA automatically detect the tempo of any audio loop dropped into the timeline so everything locks in sync, and tempo extraction capabilities can now extract a dynamic tempo map from tracks or stems, including tempo changes and natural timing variations.
“We believe that the best audio tools can ‘disappear,’ and feel like they are simply a part of the creative process,” says UA CEO, Bill Putnam Jr. “We think the new AI‑powered tools in LUNA 1.9 start to make it feel like a behind‑the‑scenes music recording partner, not just a DAW. Ultimately, we always look forward to hearing what our users think.”

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In other DAW news, MusicTech recently reviewed FL Studio 2025 and praised its new AI chatbot, Gopher. The 2025 edition is a free update for existing owners from any earlier version, and it even coexists on your computer alongside the 2024 version if you want to keep both.
Interestingly, FL 2025 also introduces one particularly standout AI-powered update: a chatbot called Gopher, which has been trained on the FLS manual and other sources in a wide range of languages, so it can help users if they get stuck with any FL tools or features.
To find out more or download the LUNA DAW now, head over to Universal Audio.
The post You can now talk to Universal Audio’s free LUNA DAW following AI-powered updates appeared first on MusicTech.

US prosecutors expect to close case against Roman Storm by July 25The fourth day of the Tornado Cash developer’s criminal trial in New York kicked off with witnesses from the FBI.

What is trance music? History, artists, and subgenres
Learn about the history, key artists, and subgenres behind trance music, in addition to tips for how to make your own music in the genre.

Anthropic tightens usage limits for Claude Code – without telling usersClaude Code users have been hit with unexpectedly restrictive usage limits. The problems, many of which have been aired on Claude Code’s GitHub page, seem to be concentrated among heavy users of the service, many of whom are on the $200-a-month Max plan. 

Building a Stirling Engine BikeOver on his YouTube channel [Tom Stanton] shows us how to build a Stirling Engine for a bike.
A Stirling Engine is a heat engine, powered by the expansion and contraction of a working fluid (such as air) which is heated and cooled in a cycle. In the video [Tom] begins by demonstrating the Stirling Engine with some model engines and explains the role of the displacer piston. His target power output for his bike engine is 150 watts (about 0.2 horsepower) which is enough power to cycle at about 15 mph (about 24 km/h). After considering a CPU heatsink as the cooling system he decided on water cooling instead.

[Tom] goes on to 3D print and machine various parts for his bike engine. He uses myriad materials including aluminum and Teflon. He isn’t yet comfortable machining steel, so he had the steel part he needed for handling the hot end of the engine manufactured by a third party.
[Tom] explains that when he started the project he had intended to make a steam engine. But after some preliminary research he discovered that a Stirling Engine was a better choice, particularly they are quieter, more efficient, and safer. After a number of false starts and various adjustments he manages to get his engine to run, which is pretty awesome. Standby for part two to see the bike in action!
We have covered the Stirling Engine here on Hackaday many times before. You might like to read about how to create one with minimal parts or how to make one from expedient materials.

AI companies accused of ‘largest domestic piracy of IP in our nation’s history’ at congressional hearing led by MAGA RepublicanAt Meta, 'Mark Zuckerberg himself made the call' to pirate vast amounts of copyrighted material
Source

Here’s how Tomorrowland 2025 will go ahead following the main stage fire: “The plan is perfect”Yesterday, 16 July, the main stage of Belgium’s fantastical Tomorrowland music festival burned down just two days before the electronic music event was set to open its doors. Today, the festival has announced its plans to continue the show, with an outline of two scenarios that could unfold. An attendee at the festival, Thomas George, tells MusicTech: “We’re all happy to be here — the vibe is so good, everyone’s happy, the sun’s out, the food’s good and the music’s great. The plan that the festival has is perfect.”
Tomorrowland’s action plan ensures that all visitors and ticket holders will be able to access the full grounds of the festival from Saturday, 19 July, noon onwards. The organisers say in a statement that, “Even in these challenging times, we will be able to offer a program for all visitors and ticket types.”
Continuing its statement, the festival says: “We will be able to welcome everyone tomorrow. Currently, there are two possible scenarios for Friday, July 18. We expect to have more clarity by tomorrow morning.”
In Scenario 1, says the festival organisers, the mainstage area will be “secured and a new setup completed”, which will allow the festival grounds to open as planned for all visitors and ticket holders.
If not, Scenario 2 will be put in place, which means, “DreamVille [the festival’s campsite] and the festival grounds will function as two separate areas on Friday to ensure the safety of all guests,” says Tomorrowland.
In this instance, the Gathering Stage at DreamVille will be open for campsite ticket holders, where the Main Stage acts will perform on Friday, instead of playing their scheduled sets on the Main Stage. DreamVille visitors will be required to stay in this area and will not have access to the festival grounds.
Meanwhile, the festival grounds (minus the Main Stage area), will be open to all other ticketholders from 2 pm instead of 12 pm. This includes Friday Day Pass, Global Journey Hotel Packages and Full Madness Pass holders.
Scenario 2 means that acts, including Alok, Artbat b2b Kölsch, Axwell, ANNA, Martin Garrix, Meduza, Mike Williams, NERVO, Odymel b2b Pegassi, Sub Zero Project, Vini Vici, will all perform at DreamVille.
Speaking to MusicTech, festival attendee Thomas George continues: “I think the plan [Tomorrowland has] is perfectly fair, because the people have travelled from all over the world to be here.
“I was speaking to a couple who’ve wanted to come to Tomorrowland for years, and they were so upset when they found out about the Main Stage. But I told them that the Main Stage, in reality, is a minor detail — marketing-wise, it’s the pinaccle of the festival, obviously — however, the 14 other stages, the story behind everything that’s going on, the spectacle that you can see among the grounds…The Main Stage is amazing and, of course, we all want it to be here, but the festival as a whole is incredible. I keep telling people, if you’ve not been here before, the festival will be just as good as last year, even without the Main Stage this year.”
“The beauty of this place is that the magic isn’t within the festival, it’s within the people that are so fucking happy to be here.”
Continuing in its statement, Tomorrowland says: “We are still devastated, but the support we’re receiving from all over the world and the energy and joy of the visitors at DreamVille (the campsite) today are truly heartwarming. Meanwhile, hundreds of people are working tirelessly at the Mainstage area to ensure we can open the gates tomorrow. It’s a race against time, but we’re doing this together with the best and most amazing people in the world.”
For continued updates, check Tomorrowland’s website. 
The post Here’s how Tomorrowland 2025 will go ahead following the main stage fire: “The plan is perfect” appeared first on MusicTech.

The Crow Hill Company releases Bridge Guitar, the latest addition to the FREE vaults series
The Crow Hill Company released Solo Bodhrán and Acid Synth earlier this year, before rebranding for Season Two. Bridge Guitar is the first release since the rebrand. Bridge Guitar focuses on a particular sound that started in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, around 2010: the rubber bridge sound. The rubber bridge innovation is credited to Reuben [...]
View post: The Crow Hill Company releases Bridge Guitar, the latest addition to the FREE vaults series