Universal Audio’s Vocal Month promotions Hot on the heels of their recent Guitar Month promotion, Universal Audio have announced a month-long series of deals surrounding their vocal recording and mixing tools.

AI chatbots are ‘juicing engagement’ instead of being useful, Instagram co-founder warnsInstagram co-founder Kevin Systrom says AI companies are trying too hard to “juice engagement” by pestering their users with follow-up questions, instead of providing actually useful insights. Systrom said the tactics represent “a force that’s hurting us,” comparing them to those used by social media companies to expand aggressively.  “You can see some of these […]

Soundtrack Loops Jazzy Trip HopSoundtrack Loops presents Jazzy Trip Hop. Belibat strikes again with Jazzy Trip Hop, a three-kit set of loops and samples with the built-in Belibat magic—the natural ability to take the best sounds of an era and reinvent them to roll with the times. Here, Belibat turns his tight studio focus and unwavering attention to detail loose on the archetypal mid-90s trip hop sound. Minimal jazz voicings that lean toward the exotic, hints of dub, tableisms, echoing textures—they're all here. The cool thing is that all the bases are covered. You'll find tight, deeply saturated mid-tempo grooves, thick basses, all the right synth textures—everything you need to make complete tracks, and the way these loops are produced, you can stack just a few and get full-flavored analog goodness effortlessly. While the classic trip hop period authenticity is obvious and spot-on, shades of the modern shine through (the lightest of shades, actually), bringing to mind the distant happy haze of vaporwave and it's quasi-nostalgic, slowed-down pace that today is seeping into contemporary pop music all over the place. Belibat demonstrates here in 105 loops and 28 one shots that these worlds work ideally together. Jazzy Trip Hop is an update on the art form, and this is perfect because trip hop is a timeless genre with roots that continue to flourish in both experimental and commercial music. As standard practice for all loops created by the Soundtrack Loops team, Key and BPM are tagged in both metadata and file names. Formats: ACIDized .WAV, Ableton Live .alp, and Apple Looped .AIFF. 48kHz 24-bit stereo files. Trippin'strumentals is available for purchase directly from the Soundtrack Loops website and from the KVR Marketplace for $20. ***Orders from the KVR Marketplace will be sent manually. Please allow up to 12 hours for delivery although they're typically sent within the hour. Read More

Bitcoin data, macroeconomic charts point to new BTC all-time high ‘in 100 days’ — AnalystsBitcoin network economist Timothy Peterson raised Bitcoin’s (BTC) chances of hitting a new high in 100 days, and he maintains an optimistic outlook in 2025. In an analysis shared on X that ties BTC’s price action to the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) —an indicator that measures 30-day market volatility expectations — the analyst pointed out that the VIX index has dropped from 55 to 25 over the past 50 trading days. A VIX score below 18 implied a “risk-on” environment, favoring assets like Bitcoin. Peterson’s model, which had a 95% tracking accuracy, predicted a $135,000 target within the next 100 days if the VIX remains low. This aligns with Bitcoin’s sensitivity to market sentiment, as a low VIX reduces uncertainty, encouraging investment in riskier assets.Speaking on Bitcoin’s volatility, Fidelity’s director of global macro, Jurrien Timmer, compared Bitcoin’s nature to “Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde.” Timmer believed Bitcoin’s ability to act as both a store of value (Dr. Jekyll) and a speculative asset (Mr. Hyde) differentiates it from gold, which remains a consistent “hard money” asset. Timmer emphasized the dynamics between Bitcoin and the global money supply and said, “Note that when M2 has grown and the stock market is rallying, Bitcoin has been off to the races because it has both attributes working for it. But when M2 has grown and equities are correcting, not so much.”Bitcoin price against global money supply. Source: X.comThis underscores Bitcoin’s sensitivity to macroeconomic conditions, making its performance less predictable than gold’s.Related: Crypto ‘decoupling’ story ends as stocks follow Bitcoin’s rallyStablecoin market cap hits record $220 billionData from CryptoQuant highlighted that the stablecoin market capitalization hit a record $220 billion, signaling a liquidity surge in the crypto market. This marks Bitcoin’s exit from a bearish phase as capital flows return, and with stablecoins representing crypto liquidity, new BTC highs could be a likely outcome in the coming weeks. While BTC continues its uptrend, lower-time frame (LTF) charts reveal a shift in market dynamics. The funding rate for BTC futures has turned negative again, indicating a rise in short positions as traders bet against the rally. Bitcoin 4-hour chart and funding rate. Source: Velo.chartThe 4-hour chart's funding rate has reached its most negative level in 2025, indicating that short-side liquidity significantly exceeds long-side liquidity. This creates a condition for a potential short squeeze.This imbalance could propel BTC toward the $100,000 level. Cointelegraph pointed out that over $3 billion is at risk for a short-side liquidation, which may amplify upward momentum, catching bearish traders off guard. Bitcoin short liquidations data. Source: X.comRelated: Bitcoin hodler unrealized profits near 350% as $100K risks sell-offThis article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.

FiXT Launches Music Industry Educational Membership PlatformArtist-owned independent record label FiXT has announced the launch of the educational membership platform – FiXT Academy."Led by FiXT Co-Founder and President, James Rhodes, FiXT Academy was created after years of delivering in-depth educational webinars, workshops, and coaching services to FiXT’s internal label roster," reads a statement."Now, FiXT is leveraging the company’s widespread experience – from billions of streams, thousands of Film/TV/Game Sync Placements and decades of industry relationships, to empower external musicians and producers with the tools, knowledge, and inspiration they need to elevate their careers. With a mission to educate, develop and inspire, FiXT Academy serves as a one-stop resource for those aiming to refine their craft, build sustainable careers, and connect with like-minded professionals in the music industry.""I’m incredibly honored to get to share not only my knowledge and experience with aspiring artists but also provide them access to amazing guests and resources not available anywhere else. We’ve got an amazing line-up of Spring & Summer events from industry veterans like Ryan Shuck (Julien-K / Orgy), Dustin Boyer (Venture Music), Hisham Dahud (Artist Pro), Klayton (Celldweller / Scandroid) and more to be announced,"explains James Rhodes.FiXT Academy’s membership tiers offer a content library of webinars and resource guides as well as monthly programming of live webinars, workshops and member-only calls and newsletters each month, along with interactive Q&A opportunities and community interaction in a private Discord server. FiXT Academy has also announced a monthly event it calls the Black Box Sessions, where a featured artist, producer or label shares a communal listening and discussion experience where you might hear demos, or unreleased tracks, as well as stories behind existing releases followed by an intimate Q&A session.Find out more at fixtmusic.com/academy.The post FiXT Launches Music Industry Educational Membership Platform first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Smart Speaker Gets Brain Surgery, Line-OutSometimes you find a commercial product that is almost, but not exactly perfect for your needs. Your choices become: hack together a DIY replacement, or hack the commercial product to do what you need. [Daniel Epperson] chose door number two when he realized his Yamaha MusicCast smart speaker was perfect for his particular use case, except for its tragic lack of line out. A little surgery and a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) breakout board solved that problem.
You can’t hear it in this image, but the headphones work.
[Daniel] first went diving into the datasheet of the Yamaha amplifier chip inside of the speaker, before realizing it did too much DSP for his taste. He did learn that the chip was getting i2s signals from the speaker’s wifi module. That’s a lucky break, since i2s is an open, well-known protocol. [Daniel] had an adafruit DAC; he only needed to get the i2s signals from the smart speaker’s board to his breakout. That proved to be an adventure, but we’ll let [Daniel] tell the tale on his blog.
After a quick bit of OpenSCAD and 3D printing, the DAC was firmly mounted in its new home. Now [Daniel] has the exact audio-streaming-solution he wanted: Yamaha’s MusicCast, with line out to his own hi-fi.
[Daniel] and hackaday go way back: we featured his robot lawnmower in 2013. It’s great to see he’s still hacking. If you’d rather see what’s behind door number one, this roll-your-own smart speaker may whet your appetite.

Sony Music Publishing wins 2025 Publisher of the Year at ASCAP Pop Music AwardsSMP songwriters honored for their work across 28 top-performing songs
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4 Takeaways from the Live Nation Earnings Call Q1 2025Live Nation and its Ticketmaster subsidiary missed forecasts, reporting an overall revenue decrease of 11% in Q1 2025. But the concert giant predicted a record year ahead based on advance ticket sales and tour volume.
The post 4 Takeaways from the Live Nation Earnings Call Q1 2025 appeared first on Hypebot.

Melbourne Instruments’ Roto-Control gains Bitwig integration Melbourne Instruments have teamed up with Bitwig to bring Bitwig Studio integration to the Roto-Control.

Track your DAW time and challenge your friends with Signalbash, a FREE Time Tracking VST Plugin
You can now get Signalbash, a time tracking utility plugin for Windows, macOS, and Linux, for free! Ever wondered how much time you’ve spent rotting in front of the computer, justifying it with an unimpressive amount of subpar DAW projects? Alternatively, have you ever wanted to track your “ingame” DAW time and see how you [...]
View post: Track your DAW time and challenge your friends with Signalbash, a FREE Time Tracking VST Plugin

Spotify Exec: Ignore per-stream rates and focus on engagementMuch of the debate over whether or not Spotify is paying artists and songwriters fairly centers on estimated per stream rates. But according to Spotify executive Sam Duboff, it's time to ignore per-stream rates which he calls "one of the most misleading metrics in music."
The post Spotify Exec: Ignore per-stream rates and focus on engagement appeared first on Hypebot.

TBProAudio Releases TBPAVolume, a FREE Precision Gain Plugin for macOS and Windows
TBProAudio has released TBPAVolume, a free volume control utility plugin for macOS and Windows built for precision gain staging and volume automation inside your DAW. Obviously, all modern DAWs already offer basic volume controls. However, TBPAVolume is one of those tools you don’t even know you need until you see them. It is a dedicated [...]
View post: TBProAudio Releases TBPAVolume, a FREE Precision Gain Plugin for macOS and Windows

This upcoming film is dubbed a “love letter to techno music and Berlin nightlife” – watch the trailer nowFancy taking a dive into the underbelly of the Berlin rave scene? Techno drama Rave On is set to debut later this month at Cannes Film Market, and it promises to be a “rave odyssey” like no other.
Written and directed by Nikias Chryssos and Viktor Jakovleski, the film will sink viewers into the vibrant world of Berlin’s nightlife. The film is a “singular cinematic experience that blends a fictional narrative with a guerrilla documentary approach and immersive cinematography,” Variety reports.

READ MORE: Another new club is opening in London – despite predictions that 57% of clubs will be closed by 2030

Filmed across a series of iconic Berlin clubs during real-life techno nights, the film follows a chaotic evening of clubbing. Sales agency The Playmaker will be sharing the film, and head of sales Moritz Hemminger considers it “a love letter to techno music and Berlin’s nightlife”.
While just one trailer for Rave On has been, it already showcases the film’s intensity. “Our international distributors are in for a wild ride!” he laughs.

The film stars a number of German talents. Aaron Altaras, star of dark comedy TV series The Zweiflers, is at the forefront, while Clemens Schick, who appeared in 2023 action-thriller Dogman, also features. A slew of DJs are also involved, from Hieroglyphic Being to Lucia Lu.
Musically, the film’s techno offerings will vary, spanning from club classics to new DJ mixes. Exclusive tracks have been provided by Ed Davenport and Berlin composer John Gürtler, who has also composed tracks for 2024 movie The Outrun and 2019’s System Crasher.
“Techno music is one of the most important German cultural exports,” producer Andro Steinborn tells Variety. “Rave On is as raw and as real as the music itself. It is an authentic and rare cinematic rollercoaster, bringing that culture to the big screen.”
Rave On will be screening at the Cannes Film Market on 15 May, and will hit German cinemas on 31 July.
The post This upcoming film is dubbed a “love letter to techno music and Berlin nightlife” – watch the trailer now appeared first on MusicTech.

Steinberg launch Dorico 6 The latest version of Steinberg’s composition and music notation software comes packed with new features that promise to help users produce their scores faster than ever. 

Mango Markets exploiter sentenced to over 4 years on child porn chargesAvraham Eisenberg was sentenced to more than four years in prison on child pornography charges, unrelated to his role in the 2022 exploit that drained the decentralized exchange Mango Markets of roughly $100 million.According to reporting from Inner City Press, a judge sentenced Eisenberg to 52 months in prison at a May 1 hearing in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The case was filed in April 2024 after Eisenberg’s 2023 indictment on fraud for the Mango Markets exploit.Eisenberg was initially scheduled to be sentenced in July 2024 following his guilty plea on the child porn charge. In May 2024, the judge suggested the sentencing for both cases would occur simultaneously in a consolidated proceeding. However, as of May 1, the fraud sentencing remains pending. The prosecution in the Mango Markets case reflects the growing probability of apprehension for hackers and cybersecurity exploiters plaguing the crypto industry with malicious attacks on platforms and users.Related: SafeMoon boss cites DOJ’s nixed crypto unit in latest bid to toss suitThe case of Avraham EisenbergMango Markets, a former decentralized crypto exchange, was exploited in October 2022 through a price oracle manipulation, losing $100 million in user funds as a result.The exchange’s native token, Mango (MNGO), also plummeted immediately following the hack, shedding 52% of its value within 24 hours and leading the Mango Markets team to suspend deposits.Eisenberg defended the exploit, arguing that the $100 million heist was done through “legal open-market actions” and claimed that he negotiated a settlement for the return of user funds after the exchange’s insurance fund failed to cover the shortfall.In December 2022, US federal law enforcement authorities arrested Eisenberg in Puerto Rico. FBI officials charged the hacker with one count of commodities fraud and one count of commodities manipulation.A jury found Eisenberg guilty of wire fraud, commodities fraud, and commodities manipulation in April 2024. The defense argued that the exploit was not a cybercrime and represented a “successful and legal trading strategy.”Following the conviction, the Mango Markets exploiter’s attorneys filed a motion for acquittal in September 2024, which was heavily opposed by US prosecutors, who argued that Eisenberg was correctly convicted through careful evaluation of a “mountain of evidence.”Magazine: Influencers shilling memecoin scams face severe legal consequences