Apple is reportedly building a more conversational Siri powered by LLMsApple is developing a new version of its voice assistant, Siri, powered by advanced large language models (LLMs), according to sources cited by Bloomberg. This more conversational Siri is part of Apple’s attempt to catch up in AI, where competitors have released impressive features, like Google’s Gemini Live, that are far more natural to talk […]
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Custom Mouse Rocks Neat Thumbstick DesignA mouse is just two buttons, and a two-dimensional motion tracking system, right? Oh, and a scroll wheel. And a third button. And…now you’re realizing that mice can be pretty complicated. [DIY Yarik] proves that in spades with his impressive—and complex—mouse build. The only thing is, you might argue it isn’t really a mouse.
The inspiration for the mouse was simple. [Yarik] wanted something that was comfortable to use. He also wanted a mouse that wouldn’t break so often—apparently, he’s had a lot of reliability issues with mice in recent years. Thus, he went with a custom 3D-printed design with a wrist rest at the base. This allows his hand to naturally rest in a position where he can access multiple buttons and a central thumbstick for pointing. In fact, there’s a secondary scroll control and a rotary dial as well. It’s a pretty juicy control surface.
The use of a thumbstick is controversial—some might exclaim “this is not a mouse!” To them, I say, “Fine, call it a pointing device.” It’s still cool, and it look like a comfortable way to interface with a computer.
We’ve seen some other neat custom mice over the years, too, like this hilarious force-feedback mouse. Video after the break.
 

Believe unveils new leadership structure in MENA regionLiliana Abudalo appointed Head of Label & Artist Solutions, MENA and Celine Hitti named Head of Artist Services, MENA
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Warner’s ADA appoints Rasti Sryantoro to head up Indonesia, Arisa Maruekatat to lead Thailand, inks deals with DPM, GMM Music“Expanding our operations in Indonesia and Thailand is a crucial step in our strategy to empower artists and elevate their music on the world stage"
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FREE-WILi Turns DC32 Badge Into Hardware Dev ToolWith few exceptions, electronic event badges are often all but forgotten as soon as the attendee gets back home. They’re a fun novelty for the two or three days they’re expected to be worn, but after that, they end up getting tossed in a drawer (or worse.) As you might imagine, this can be a somewhat depressing thought thought for the folks who design and build these badges.
But thanks to a new firmware released by the FREE-WILi project, at least one badge is going to get a shot at having a second life. When loaded onto the RP2350-powered DEF CON 32 badge, the device is turned into a handy hardware hacking multi-tool. By navigating through a graphical interface, users will be able to control the badge’s GPIO pins, communicate over I2C, receive and transmit via infrared, and more. We’re particularly interested in the project’s claims that the combination of their firmware and the DC32 badge create an ideal platform for testing and debugging Simple Add-Ons (SAOs).

Don’t know what the FREE-WILi project is? Neither did we until today, which is actually kind of surprising now that we’re getting a good look at it. Basically, it’s a handheld gadget with a dozen programmable GPIO pins and a pair of CC1101 sub-GHz radios that’s designed to talk to…whatever you could possibly want to interface with.
It’s a bit like an even more capable Bus Pirate 5, which considering how many tricks that particular device can pull off, is saying something. As an added bonus, apparently you can even wear the FREE-WILi on your wrist for mobile hardware hacking action!
Anyway, while the hardware in the FREE-WILi is clearly more capable than what’s under the hood of the DC32 badge, there’s enough commonality between them that the developers were able to port a few of the key features over. It’s a clever idea — there’s something like 30,000 of these badges out there in the hands of nerds all over the world, and by installing this firmware, they’ll get a taste of what the project is capable of and potentially spring for the full kit.
If you give your DC32 badge the FREE-WILi treatment, be sure to let us know in the comments.

Black Friday deals from Soundtoys Soundtoys have announced the launch of their annual Black Friday Sale, with significant discounts now being applied across their entire range of plug-ins until 5 December 2024.

OFFstep Is a Tech-Savvy, User-Friendly Hub for Music DistributionThe following was developed in collaboration with OFFstep, a company Ari’s Take is proud to be partnering with. OFFstep is the simplest, easiest-to-use, and most affordable music distribution platform for independent artists. As a sister company to ONErpm, OFFstep uses the same advanced technology to deliver a seamless experience. OFFstep provides a full range of […]

Bandsintown’s Fabrice Sergent joins NIVA Advisory BoardBandsintown's Fabrice Sergent joins the NIVA Advisory Board expanding on the collaboration that launched the innovative Live Independent certification and marketing initiative earlier this year.
The post Bandsintown’s Fabrice Sergent joins NIVA Advisory Board appeared first on Hypebot.

Music Streaming Fraud Guide For ArtistsMusic streaming fraud is a growing issue that can derail a career. Learn how to recognize, prevent, and protect from fraudulent practices with this music streaming fraud guide for artists.. Continue reading
The post Music Streaming Fraud Guide For Artists appeared first on Hypebot.

2024 Music Trends: Deezer shares data ahead of Spotify WrappedDeezer unveils 2024 music trends, top artists, songs and albums of the year with the release of My Deezer Year. Explore the data shaping the future of music.
The post 2024 Music Trends: Deezer shares data ahead of Spotify Wrapped appeared first on Hypebot.

Flame Sound releases FREE Cinematic Risers Sample Pack (Royalty-Free)
Flame Sound released Cinematic Risers, a free collection of riser sound effects from the premium Blaze SFX ($29) sound library. The library contains 10 royalty-free cinematic risers in 24-bit WAV format. You can use the included content on YouTube without copyright issues. The included sounds cover different types of risers, from simple short bursts to [...]
View post: Flame Sound releases FREE Cinematic Risers Sample Pack (Royalty-Free)

Reloop to launch Stand Hub Pro Aimed at producers, DJs and other creative professionals, Reloop's latest combined stand and hub introduces a larger integrated hub and a rotating base design that allows for flexible positioning. 

Doechii: “I don’t want hip-hop or art to get distracted and lost in trying to make music for a computer”In an era where music creation is increasingly influenced by algorithms, artists must take care not to get “lost” in “trying to make music for a computer,” warns rapper Doechii.
The musician, who recently released her first full-length project – a mixtape titled Alligator Bites Never Heal, tells The Forty Five that while she considers TikTok an “incredible tool” for music discovery, we shouldn’t let it dictate the creative process.

READ MORE: “Just stop it, please; it’s emotionally and creatively draining”: Amelie Lens and Charlotte de Witte tell dance fans to stop comparing female DJs

“I love TikTok, and I also grew up on the internet, so I’m not against anything blowing up on the internet or marketing your music on TikTok and stuff like that,” says Doechii, who rose to fame on the platform after her song Yucky Blucky Fruitcake went viral in 2021.
“TikTok is an incredible tool. But I don’t want hip-hop or art to get distracted and lost in trying to make music for a computer,” she explains. “It’s people who are using the computer to consume the music and I think we’re getting confused.”
As Doechii puts it, it isn’t the “hits” themselves she’s opposed to, but rather the “popularised formula of hits” that she’s pushing back against.
“I’m not against hits. Everybody wants hits, and I’m proud of my hits, and I know I have more to come, but it’s more so about breaking out of this formula of what a hit should be and how hits have to sound like this,” she says.
“That’s the part that I’m challenging in music right now.”
The rapper also emphasises the importance of prioritising authenticity over algorithm-driven content creation, as artists navigate an industry increasingly dominated by data and trends.
“If it feels too much like a TikTok song, nobody thinks that’s cool,” says Doechii, who’s keenly aware of the risk of losing sight of artistry in favour of algorithmic approval. “Me and a bunch of other artists are navigating that because the business is like, ‘This is what’s going to be the future and you should do this because it’s what the algorithm wants’.”
“It’s been an interesting thing to try and navigate. But what’s happening now is I’m continuing to stay true to myself. I’m proving that what I do works, and I’m just going to keep being myself over and over again.”
The post Doechii: “I don’t want hip-hop or art to get distracted and lost in trying to make music for a computer” appeared first on MusicTech.

Shazam has identified 100 billion songs since its launch in 2002Since launching in 2002, music discovery app Shazam has identified 100 billion songs, according to a new report. To put this gargantuan number into perspective, that’s 12 songs for every person on Earth. Or if an individual were to identify a song per second, it would take them 3,168 years to reach 100 billion.
“This monumental milestone not only reflects how much people enjoy using Shazam, but also their appetite for new music,” says Oliver Schusser, Vice President of Apple Music and Beats, in a press release. “Music discovery is at the core of everything we do, and we keep innovating to make sure music lovers around the world can tap the Shazam button no matter where they hear music playing!”

READ MORE: The best Black Friday music technology deals 2024: the biggest savings on synths, DJ controllers and plugins right now

The first iteration of Shazam was a text message service for the UK only. Users could dial “2580” and hold up their phone to a speaker so the music could reach the receiver. Then the service delivered the song and artist info via text message.
The current Shazam format launched in 2008 with the advent of the App Store. By 2011, the company’s new iOS app already recognised over 1 billion songs. Apple purchased Shazam in 2018.
Since solidifying this partnership, Apple Music has used the software as a means to share DJ mixes from events for streaming. By using its song identification technology, Apple Music can distribute royalties to rights holders for each song DJs played in their mixes, similar to if the song was streamed individually.
Further innovations that have come from Shazam and Apple’s partnership include integrating the function into the Action Button on newer iPhone and Apple Watch models. This allows song recognition with the touch of a button no matter what other apps may be running on the device.
The post Shazam has identified 100 billion songs since its launch in 2002 appeared first on MusicTech.

Anna Lunoe on her plugin-focused album, finding collaborators, and using your voice as an instrumentSydney-born DJ, producer, and self-professed club music obsessive, Anna Lunoe, is no stranger to knowing her own sound and collaborating with artists who uplift her creatively and sonically. She proudly sits on the boundary of electronic, dance, garage and hyper-pop, offering club audiences a journey through myriad emotions, from pulsating beats that make you want to move and dance, to pure catharsis.

READ MORE: The best Black Friday music technology deals 2024: the biggest savings on synths, DJ controllers and plugins right now

Her debut album, Pearl, which was released on 25 October, marks a milestone in her career, having worked with household names like Skrillex, Blu De Tiger, as well as leading a global club music show on Apple Radio, HYPERHOUSE. In this week’s Studio Files, Lunoe dives into the gear and tools used to build the record and offers insight into her creative processes with the artists that have shown her a new light as a producer.
Image: Danny Draxx for MusicTech
Q&A
Congratulations on the launch of your debut album! How do you feel this release represents you as an artist?
AL: I think I’ve finally found my specific combination of pretty/euphoric texture, rowdy energy and vocal variation and songwriting styles. Well, for now anyway! It feels good to have settled in this place but it’s an ever-evolving balance and I can almost feel it already started shifting.
The electronic scene is often focused on singles and EPs rather than albums. Was that a challenge when piecing together the record?
AL: There were lots of things that were challenging about the idea of making the album. The way we rolled it out didn’t feel that challenging but it was tricky to feel like everything on the promo side had to be put on hold for the tracks until the full album was complete.
Tell us a bit about your studio.
AL: I did a lot of the writing in my home setup which is simple but works for me. It’s really a place for me to work every day, whether I’m making music, making mixes, radio or other work. It’s a fairly basic production setup of Dynaudio monitors, a large MIDI keyboard, and some other smaller keyboard bits as well as a Korg Minilogue, a Shure mic, CDJs and a space where I can practise with my live rig. It’s simple but I find it really efficient.
For the album I recorded my demos here, however, I also worked at my collaborator Jack’s studio a lot. He has heaps of hardware but pretty much everything we made was with soft synths and plugins. I think we put XLN Audio’s RC-20 Retro Colour on everything.
Image: Danny Draxx for MusicTech
What’s your latest gear or plugin purchase?
AL: I love Omnisphere, Unison Drum Monkey, Future Audio Workshop’s Sublab, Arturia’s Mini V3 and Soundtoys plugins the most. I barely buy anything new because I’m ok with just pushing into those.
I find it fun to make unusual mid-range drum textures with Soundtoys Decapitator. I’ve been using iZotope Nectar for vocal production for years and had a few settings pre-saved for the different types of vocal performances I did on the album.
My favourite free plugin? Probably Kickstart by Nicky Romero and iZotope.
What’s been the biggest investment in your career/studio? Was it worth it?
AL: Putting the time aside to work on this album has been the biggest investment I could have given my career right now. Having two kids, my time costs me so much. Quite literally – childcare is crazy expensive! So when I decide to work on music I’m spending $300 a day before I even rent a studio or spend a cent on my gear which makes the time really constrained. Sometimes it’s really hard to give yourself permission to just have open and unfocused creative time. It’s also why I collaborate or outsource whenever I can because it comes down to efficiency. I can’t possibly keep up trying to control every tiny thing myself while trying to also raise two other humans.
Another big investment is spending that $300 and outsourcing some vocal processing that would normally take me a whole day, so I can instead spend that day writing a new song or two. This dynamic changes my creativity a lot, and often means producing a better vocal performance than I can achieve in my home studio anyway.

Let’s Go Home is based on voice notes recorded with your family. Where else in the album do you lean into your creative freedom as a producer?
AL: I would hope that every track in my album demonstrates that creative freedom, but both Body Heat and Look My Way also really show it. For both of these tracks, I experimented using the Korg Minilogue and with different vocal resampling. I just really had fun with it.
You’ve worked with many artists such as Y U QT, Iglew, and DJ Boring. How do you stay true to your style whilst also honouring your collaborators?
AL: Collaboration is my favourite thing. I love creating alone and having autonomy, too, but there comes a point where feedback and shared energy are so important and truly make the process so much more enjoyable for me. Over the years, I’ve worked out certain ways to keep songs cohesive to my sound, and also accepting that in collaboration there is always compromise too. But these days, I’ve learned to trust my gut for when something feels like it strays too far from my intention.
How do you see your sound and studio evolving in the next two years?
AL: I’m really torn. I have two paths I want to push — I want to get deeper into songwriting and push my concepts. I want to push my vocal production and experiment more with effects and resampling. And also I want to focus on using my voice as an instrument and keep honing into a sonic palette that feels aspirational and unique for me.
The other path is that I want to make a fully stripped-back and raw EP that’s strictly made for clubs with barely any vocals. This album was more of an electronic album, even though the tracks are club adjacent – so I think I have to go hard and club-focused next. I’m really craving it. This means I need at least one drum machine to play with – maybe the Roland TR-8S… but I’m open to suggestions.
Image: Danny Draxx for MusicTech
Do you have a dream piece of gear? What is it? Why?
AL: It’s got to be the SP-1200 fantasy. I’ve not played with one but from what I can gather, I’d get so annoyed trying to program it but I also really enjoy random happy accidents as I’m not a perfectionist. I think I’d love it.
What’s a music production myth you think needs debunking?
AL: The idea that “perfect” mixing/production is more important than bold ideas. I’d much rather create a raw mix with big ideas than another perfectly produced track that sounds like everything and everyone else.
Who gave you the biggest lesson in your career? Can you tell us about how it impacted you?
AL: It was probably Chris Lake when I was making 303. He really encouraged me to leave the track raw like the demo – not to over-produce, not to layer or to suffocate the original idea, just find ways to let the five main elements really hit in the mix. I still think about that when I’m developing a demo.
The post Anna Lunoe on her plugin-focused album, finding collaborators, and using your voice as an instrument appeared first on MusicTech.