Soundtoys SpaceBlender is FREE until May 22
Soundtoys offers the SpaceBlender reverb plugin for free until May 22, 2025. Soundtoys is one of the most generous non-indie developers on the market. I recall them offering the Soundtoys Effect Rack for free during the pandemic. And they provided various premium plugins for free on different occasions. Our reader Wiseman summed it up nicely [...]
View post: Soundtoys SpaceBlender is FREE until May 22

GearFest UK returns for 2025 Sound On Sound and Tileyard London are pleased to announce that GearFest UK will be taking place on 19 July 2025.

Bloomberg Intelligence boosts Solana ETF approval odds to 90%Bloomberg Intelligence has boosted its estimated odds of US regulators approving a Solana exchange-traded fund (ETF) in 2025 to 90%, according to an April 30 post on the X platform. The company also set more favorable chances of approval for other altcoin ETFs, including proposed funds holding XRP (XRP) and Dogecoin (DOGE), Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas said in an X post. The estimates reflect an improved outlook from Bloomberg analysts. In a February analysis, Bloomberg pegged the odds of a Solana (SOL) ETF approval at only 70%. They ascribed a 65% and 75% chance of approval to funds holding XRP and DOGE, respectively. As of April 30, six asset managers — including Grayscale, VanEck and 21Shares — are awaiting clearance from the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to list ETFs holding the Solana blockchain network’s native cryptocurrency. The same number of issuers are waiting on approval for XRP ETFs, and three are seeking approval for DOGE funds, according to Bloomberg data. The SEC has until October to review and potentially approve the proposed funds. Revised altcoin ETF approval odds. Source: Bloomberg IntelligenceRelated: SEC acknowledges slew of crypto ETF filings as reviews, approvals accelerateAltcoin ETF maniaAsset managers are seeking the SEC’s permission to list dozens of altcoin ETFs, with up to 70 crypto ETFs awaiting the agency’s review as of April. The deluge of filings reflects US President Donald Trump’s efforts to soften the SEC’s regulatory posture toward cryptocurrencies since taking office in January. In March, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME), the US’s largest derivatives exchange, listed futures contracts tied to Solana.According to Chris Chung, founder of Solana-based swap platform Titan, the listing on the regulated futures exchange signals that approvals for Solana ETFs could be next.“[T]he timeline could extend into 2026 due to the SEC’s precedent of taking […] 240–260 days to review filings,” Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart also said in a previous forecast. In April, US securities exchange Nasdaq asked regulators for permission to list a 21Shares ETF holding Dogecoin, adding to the roster of DOGE funds awaiting a US public listing.Magazine: TV hit Peaky Blinders to launch crypto game, FIFA Rivals on Polkadot: Web3 Gamer

Visa and Mastercard unveil AI-powered shoppingArtificial intelligence is not just infiltrating the startup world. Now, credit card giants Visa and Mastercard are getting into the AI game. Visa announced on Wednesday “Intelligent Commerce,” which it says enables AI “to find and buy.” AI agents will be able to shop and make purchases on behalf of consumers, based on preselected preferences. […]

Spotify Q1 2025 earnings call: Daniel Ek talks growth, pricing, superfan products, and a future where the platform could reach 1bn subscribersSix things we learned from SPOT's Q1 earnings call...
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When the Room Is the Studio: Peter Chaikin Captures Acoustic Gold with Sanken MicsPeter Chaikin is the kind of guy whose resumé might need its own mixing console. A GRAMMY-nominated recording engineer and video producer, he’s spent his career helping top-tier audio companies bring award-winning music gear to market. He’s not someone who grabs a microphone on a whim. So when Chaikin picked Sanken Chromatic’s CU-44X MK II and CU-51 mics for his latest acoustic session, it wasn’t just a product endorsement—it was a professional decision made with finely tuned ears.The project? A down-to-earth collaboration with filmmaker and singer-songwriter Ian McCrudden and East Coast vocalist/guitarist Wendy Joyner. Together, they tackled a cover of John Prine’s “In Spite of Ourselves”—a song known for its offbeat humor and understated emotional bite. Not exactly the type of track you smother in post-production glitter.A statement from the company discloses that Chaikin’s “objective was to capture a recording that was authentic, and the key to that is compelling vocals, present, honest and clear without embellishment.” So, naturally, he skipped the studio and headed into a cottage living room with hardwood floors and lots of natural light. It was the kind of DIY setup that could easily go sideways—if it weren’t for the gear.To capture vocals, he used a pair of Sanken CU-51s. For the guitars, two CU-44X MK IIs. A statement from the company explains why: “They are cardioid mics with very neutral off-axis response and virtually no proximity-effect.” In human terms: these mics don’t color the sound or get boomy when things get close. They just... listen.McCrudden and Joyner brought very different textures to the table. “While Ian's vocal is gruff with lots of character, Wendy's is pure and clear,” Chaikin noted. A classic case of opposites attracting—sonically, at least. But blending contrasting voices and instruments can be tricky. A lesser mic might turn things muddy or boxy when the tracks are mixed. Not these.A statement from the company discloses that “listening in the control room, [Chaikin] was taken by surprise.” The vocals sounded natural. The guitars were crisp but not overpowering. The stereo image had space. Nothing got lost in the shuffle. “The vocal sound didn’t change when summed with the guitar mic,” he said. “I was really impressed by the neutrality, realism, and lack of coloration overall.”McCrudden, who’s no stranger to high-stakes music production (his Rickie Lee Jones – Live in Stockholm concert doc wasn’t exactly shot on a camcorder), heard it too. “To my ears,” he said, “the result was a sound that was faithful to the playing and singing in the room, giving us a spirited and unique duet.”These weren’t fresh-out-of-the-box mics, either. They were loaned by longtime Chaikin friend Jim Pace, principal at plus24 and Sanken’s U.S. distributor. The CU-44X MK II features dual titanium-matched capsules for wide dynamic range and headroom. The CU-51, meanwhile, is known for its ability to deliver the warmth of a vintage tube mic without sounding like it's trying too hard.In the end, Chaikin found himself in unfamiliar territory—and loving it. “I really enjoyed these mics,” he said. “It was a new experience for me. Rather than turning to my familiar go-to mics, the Sanken mics delivered neutrality and a sense of presence I hadn't experienced before.”Now available on Spotify, the track is more than just a duet—it’s a case study in how good gear, good ears, and a good room can still make magic. No plugins required.The post When the Room Is the Studio: Peter Chaikin Captures Acoustic Gold with Sanken Mics first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Layout A PCB with TscircuitMost of us learned to design circuits with schematics. But if you get to a certain level of complexity, schematics are a pain. Modern designers — especially for digital circuits — prefer to use some kind of hardware description language.
There are a few options to do similar things with PCB layout, including tscircuit. There’s a walk-through for using it to create an LED matrix and you can even try it out online, if you like. If you’re more of a visual learner, there’s also an introductory video you can watch below.

The example project imports a Pico microcontroller and some smart LEDs. They do appear graphically, but you don’t have to deal with them graphically. You write “code” to manage the connections. For example:

If that looks like HTML to you, you aren’t wrong. Once you have the schematic, you can do the same kind of thing to lay out the PCB using footprints. If you want to play with the actual design, you can load it in your browser and make changes. You’ll note that at the top right, there are buttons that let you view the schematic, the board, a 3D render of the board, a BOM, an assembly drawing, and several other types of output.
Will we use this? We don’t know. Years ago, designers resisted using HDLs for FPGAs, but the bigger FPGAs get, the fewer people want to deal with page after page of schematics. Maybe a better question is: Will you use this? Let us know in the comments.
This isn’t a new idea, of course. Time will tell which HDLs will survive and which will whither.

Plugin Alliance HUM Audio Devices LAAL When HUM Audio Devices placed a fully analog look ahead delay line into a discrete circuit of the highest quality modern analog components, they created something truly special: a limiter that delivers loudness without brickwall deadness. The LAAL is a limiter with life: no other hardware can preserve and enhance your micro dynamics like it can. Thanks to Brainworx's expertise, you can finally get this extraordinary sonic signature in the box. Intelligent look-ahead limiting LAAL stands for Look Ahead Analog Limiter. This is the detection circuit that makes its special sonic characteristics possible – a fully analog delay line (0.2 ms) 'looks ahead' with the dynamic transient function to respond intelligently to signal peaks before they occur. This results in responsive peak limiting without harshness or distortion. Achieve your RMS levels and loudness targets while preserving detail, air, and low-end punch. And use its smoother limiting curves and acres of headroom, to bring life to your mix. The fall of the lifeless brick wall Hum Audio Devices designed the LAAL to remain in the analog domain throughout the mastering process. All the magic happens in its unique and sophisticated detection and gain stage circuits. The limiter does not use any soft clipping or similar processes to artificially increase RMS levels. Whether you're mastering subtle acoustic music or slamming brick-wall levels in electronic or pop, it provides surgical precision, harmonic integrity, and stability. A plugin only Brainworx could create Brainworx has captured every aspect of this analog chain in the plugin. From the discreet signal pathway to its studio-grade transformers and ultra-precise detection circuitry. You can't just hear the difference LAAL makes, you can see it too. The peaks of the waveforms from audio passed through the LAAL limiter are notably smoother and more harmonically rich than what can be achieved with other limiter plugins. Expanded features As a Brainworx-made plugin, the LAAL Limiter comes with all the expanded digital-exclusive features you'd expect from the makers of the iconic bx_masterdesk series. This includes TX Drive control, M/S processing and so much more. Most interesting of all, the plugin version can compensate for the delay in processing time required for the delay circuit, meaning that Look Ahead processing is more immediate in-plugin than in the original hardware. Features Officially approved digital model of Analog Look Ahead circuit. Maximise stereo imaging with pre-limiter Stereo Width functionality. Preserve transients with Dynamic Transient mode. Variable release time (stepped, from 2ms to 100ms). Plugin only feature - Control the amount of color with the TX-Drive connected to the Transformer button. Detect Link L+R automatically limits the first signal that hits the threshold and applies it to the other channel in addition to the mix amount thereof. M/S Processing for total Mid/Side control. True Peak Limiting. Read More

Audient update ORIA Control software With ORIA Control V1.2 installed, users can now use their Elgato Stream Deck and Avid EUCON surfaces to control their units in addition to the existing iPad option.

Tariffs, tight wallets may disrupt fragile Superfan EconomyAs economic uncertainty looms and tariffs shake up global supply chains, the music industry’s push to monetize superfans faces serious headwinds. With merch, vinyl, and fan experiences under pressure, are US labels betting too big on a fragile superfan economy?
The post Tariffs, tight wallets may disrupt fragile Superfan Economy appeared first on Hypebot.

Live Music News: Beyoncé, Rauw Alejandro, Rostr, LIVE, MoreTopping live music news, Rauw Alejandro has become the first Latin artist to perform three back-to-back sold-out nights at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome.
The post Live Music News: Beyoncé, Rauw Alejandro, Rostr, LIVE, More appeared first on Hypebot.

Bastl Instruments’ Kastle 2 Wave Bard is a “semi-autonomous” patchable sample player for discovering new rhythms and riffs Bastl Instruments has launched a new “experimental”, patchable sample player, inspired by its popular Kastle Drum synth launched in 2020.
The new Kastle 2 Wave Bard brings the Kastle range “to the next level”, according to the brand, with user-uploadable samples, stereo, effects, plus better sync and patch capabilities. It’s compact and runs on 3 AA batteries or USB-C, and it “loves to jam” with other portable gear thanks to sync in/out ports and an audio input.

READ MORE: Splice’s final instalment of Oliver’s “Power Tools Decades” sample pack series is inspired by hit producers of the noughties

The Wave Bard is described as a semi-autonomous companion that continually delivers its fresh ideas to its user. The launch marks the second firmware release for the Kastle 2 platform, which already hosts the FX Wizard effects processor, and is cross-compatible between both devices, meaning the Wave Bard can be loaded onto the FX Wizard, or the other way around.
Samples are organised in banks, which can be selected and sequenced using knobs or CVs from a built-in pattern generator and LFO. You can also reverse your sounds with a ‘length’ knob and a unique reversing envelope, and in addition to your own samples, rhythms and scales can be loaded on to the Bard with the accompanying web-based app/editor. You can also play melodic samples in quantized scales, and experiment with a built-in filter, plus delay or chorus/flanger effects.
Take a closer look below:

The Kastle 2 Wave Bard is available now for €190. Both Kastle 2 instruments – the Wave Bard along the FX Wizard – will be presented at Superbooth 2025 at booth #0385. Find out more via Bastl Instruments. 
The post Bastl Instruments’ Kastle 2 Wave Bard is a “semi-autonomous” patchable sample player for discovering new rhythms and riffs  appeared first on MusicTech.

Lewitt introduce Space Replicator plug-in Space Replicator comes loaded with a set of virtual acoustic spaces, and uses binaural rendering to provide headphone users with realistic-sounding room emulations.

Don’t Cut Your Drummer Into Publishing…This week, Ari hops on for a solo episode to explain how to fairly compensate session musicians without cutting them into your publishing.

Classical Highlights for April 2025Solo virtuosity shone in the latest batch of new releases that we reviewed in April. Pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet delivers an exciting set of works by Khachaturian, while Jan Lisiecki combines Chopin's Preludes with those of other composers and violinist Liza Ferschtman (pictured) shines in Brahms' concerto.