Expressive E update Osmose firmware Expressive E have announced that the first free major update for their flagship MPE-capable synthesizer is now available.

A Fan Page fills the need for constant social media content creationIn the age of Superfans, keeping them interested and engaged can be an overwhelming task. Fan Pages can provide a free and relatively simple answer to the need for constant social media content creation.
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Martijn Tel appointed Chief Financial Officer of BMI'Martijn’s wealth of experience, particularly working with companies with ambitious growth plans, makes him a perfect fit for BMI now,' said BMI President & CEO Mike O’Neill
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Venus Theory’s free plugin lets you play sounds from the Arturia PolyBrute 12Music producer and content creator Venus Theory recently got his hands on the Arturia PolyBrute 12, and has found a way to put its sounds in your hands, too.
His free new plugin, auras:polyscape, is the first in his new ‘auras’ series of plugins, and gives you “dark, organic” sounds from the PolyBrute.

READ MORE: Arturia’s KeyLab MK3 is a seriously impressive MIDI keyboard controller

The plugin, which is accessed via the free Decent Sampler wrapper, comprises 11 presets, all focused on cinematic and atmospheric sounds. auras’ design is pretty sleek — not only does it look the part, but you get ample control over the tone of each sound with a filter, built-in effects, and envelope parameters. There’s also a Layer slider, which lets you effortlessly blend between layers A and B of the PolyBrute 12 patch. Even more impressive are the dynamics and expression controls (bound to CC1 and CC11, respectively) and a “re-designed velocity response mode tonal”, allowing you to play with more realism.
In his video demo of the PolyBrute 12, Venus Theory — real name Cameron — says he was inspired to create the plugin series by Spitfire Audio. Well…sort of.
Cameron was pretty bummed about Spitfire Audio’s decision to transform LABS into a subscription service, LABS+. Previously, LABS was an outlet of freebies that Spitfire created with unused material from its major releases. Cameron was also a collaborator of Spitfire Audio, until 2023 when ex-CEO Christian Henson came under fire for transphobia accusations.
“I think that fucking sucks, really bad,” says Cameron of Spitfire’s decision to turn LABS into a subscription service. “For me personally, had I not had access to free music-making software — things like Audacity, or all the free plugins I’ve used and so hugely benefited from over the years… I don’t think I would be making music today.
“This is a huge loss for the aspiring musician and composer community. So instead of just sitting here bitching about it on the internet, I figured: Why not just do something about it? Why not take this opportunity to just create my own series of free instruments that run in a free plugin that are free for everyone, forever, with no strings attached?’”
Thankfully, Cameron did exactly that. You can download the plugin from Venus Theory’s Gumroad page for $0.00 — unless you wish to pay something more, in which case you’re welcome to but not obliged.

On the Arturia PolyBrute 12, MusicTech said that it’s “ Possibly the most powerful analogue synthesizer of the modern age.” Cameron said: “Damn — this is one of those pieces of gear that is truly extraordinary and oozes inspiration.”
We praised it for its immense and capable feature set, adding: “It offers an almost endless array of options for adding expression and modulation to your playing. Traditional pitch and mod wheels? It’s got those. A 3D touchpad? Sure, why not? A ribbon controller? Haven’t seen one of those in a while; let’s do it. Expression pedal jacks? How about two? A customisable modulation matrix with 12 sources and 32 destinations? Heck yeah. Oh, and of course, four different implementations of polyphonic aftertouch with MPE compatibility. With all the above on offer, almost every other synth is going to look simplistic in comparison.”
Want to know more? Read the full review.
The post Venus Theory’s free plugin lets you play sounds from the Arturia PolyBrute 12 appeared first on MusicTech.

Venus Theory releases FREE auras:polyscape for Decent Sampler
Venus Theory has released auras:polyscape, a deep cinematic sound library for the FREE Decent Sampler plugin. I’m sure most of you are familiar with Cameron, also known as Venus Theory, a musician, composer, and sound designer who shares his work and valuable insights on his successful YouTube channel. If you haven’t checked out the Venus [...]
View post: Venus Theory releases FREE auras:polyscape for Decent Sampler

Rewarding Full Plays Of Songs: A Fair Deal for Artists [Bobby Owsinski]Artists get penalized if their songs are not played all the way through, so shouldn’t they also get rewarded for full plays of songs? Streaming services don’t agree. Should Musicians. Continue reading
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Amsterdam Dance Event adds second wave of acts to its line-up for 2024This October, Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) will be taking over the Dutch capital. Over 1,000 unique events will be celebrating every corner of dance and electronic music, from techno yoga workshops, art and photography exhibitions and a slew of live sets.
ADE has just announced an immense second wave of acts that will be performing over the five days of festivities. We’ve got Carl Craig, Jane Fitz, Kerri Chandler, Palms Trax… and that’s only scratching the surface.

READ MORE: Martin Garrix, Peggy Gou and Four Tet among 300 artists announced for 2024 Amsterdam Dance Event

The artists will be joining the 300 acts already named back in July – and that announcement featured some truly gold-star DJs and electronic acts. With sets from Martin Garrix, Peggy Gou, Four Tet and Tiësto, ADE was already looking very strong. The additional acts are a total cherry on top.
The weekend will see dance acts performing across Amsterdam, turning jazz cafes, warehouses and even museums into an exhilarating rave.
Celebrations are set to kick off on 16th October with four extremely unique performances. One such performance will be a lush piano set at the Van Gogh museum by Eefje de Visser.
Elsewhere, the Cello Octet Amsterdam orchestra will also be performing on the opening day. The orchestra will take over the Door Open Space warehouse, backed by an army of 8 robotic arms crafting a gorgeous light display.
The 5-day event will also host a slew of panel talks, as well as art and photography exhibitions. And the panels are sure to offer up some insightful tips for budding musicians; during last year’s event, producer Afrojack spoke about why new producers shouldn’t strive for perfection, as embracing mistakes can help you grow.
A full schedule announcement is set to be shared soon. For those eager to attend, tickets for individual tickets are available. For those who want to access the full range of events, you can also grab the ADE Pro Pass.
ADE will be taking place between 16-20 October. Tickets are available now.
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“I don’t feel like I’m in the same conversation as him – he’s taking it to the next level”: Why Fatboy Slim refuses to work with Fred again..It seems we won’t be getting a Fatboy Slim collaboration with Fred again.. anytime soon, or even at all. The iconic British DJ, real name Norman Cook, feels he “wouldn’t know where to start” if the pair were to be in the same room together.
Fatboy Slim is set to host a special headline show at The Warehouse Project on 22 November, and he’s also got new music on the way. Bus Stop Please has been confirmed as his next single, though no official release date has been confirmed.

READ MORE: “I learn bits from him but mostly it’s all happening too fast for me”: Four Tet says Skrillex’s use of Ableton is like “alchemy”

Fred again.. similarly also has new music arriving imminently, with his new album ten days landing on 6 September, and a huge tour to follow. During an appearance on The Rebecca Judd Show on Apple Music 1, Fatboy Slim explains how watching Fred again..’s immense music career unfold reminds him of how his felt 20 years ago.
“Fred again.. He’s just having the most fun at the moment. He’s the one who’s just absolutely slamming it and got that feeling that [is] the right side of entitlement. It’s like, he’s really talented so he can try anything that he wants and he’s so brave. He’s just like, ‘how far can I push this?’”
He adds, “I was in that position about 20 years ago, I think, the more I break free of the chains of what I’m supposed to do, the more people seem to like it. And that is great. He must be having the time of his life and quite rightly so.”

Because of their similar career trajectories, fans of the pair have been encouraging them to join forces: “A few years back everybody was trying to get us to work together. I was just going, I can’t be in the same room as him. I wouldn’t know where to start because of what he’s doing with technology,” states Fatboy Slim.
“I’m old school, I’m OG and I’m used to just playing records with the cross fader and maybe using a sample a bit, but he’s taking it to the next level. I don’t feel like I’m in the same conversation as him. I would sit there looking at him in awe, going – ‘how the hell did you do that?’”

You can catch the full interview via Apple Music 1. You can also find out where to catch Fatboy Slim or Fred again.. live.
The post “I don’t feel like I’m in the same conversation as him – he’s taking it to the next level”: Why Fatboy Slim refuses to work with Fred again.. appeared first on MusicTech.

Welcome Music Think Tank readers!Welcome Music Think Tank readers! Longtime Hypebot readers will remember a sister blog Music Think Tank.
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Audiocube’s 3D audio software lets you design sound in a fully immersive environmentAudiocube has launched an app for Windows and Mac that lets users experiment with a suite of 3D audio tools, all designed to transform how sound designers and musicians create immersive audio experiences.
The app’s features allow you to create compositions in a fully flexible, virtual space, incorporating real-time acoustic simulation and binaural HRTF processing, alongside a range of familiar audio tools too.

READ MORE: Producers can now create custom AI voice models in their DAW with Voice-Swap’s plugin

Created with musicians, sound designers, engineers, and audio enthusiasts in mind, Audiocube lets users drop, move and edit their sounds in a vast and environment so your creativity can run wild. Audiocube says that both beginners and experts can “easily navigate the app to produce high-quality, immersive audio projects using the intuitive interface and robust feature set”.
Within the 3D audio workstation, you can import, spatialise, sequence, process, mix, master, and export sounds. Its spatial automation enables you to conduct the position of sounds over time, adding dynamic movement to your audio projects, and you can additionally get creative with custom acoustic environments by adjusting variables like reflections, distance attenuation, and flexible acoustic walls.
There’s also multiple audio device types on board – so you can utilise samplers, emitters, and tickers – plus an array of effects, mixing, and mastering tools. Your final creations are then exported as high-fidelity WAV files for “seamless integration with other software and hardware”.
For a clearer idea on how it works, you can check out the five-minute demo video below:

There’s currently a 40 per cent discount on Audiocube Perpetual for a limited time only with the code SAVE40, bringing the price down from £100 to £60. You can also trial a free version of the app before committing to a final purchase.
Find out more and download over at Audiocube.
The post Audiocube’s 3D audio software lets you design sound in a fully immersive environment appeared first on MusicTech.

FL Studio 2024 review: Image-Line gives free cloud plugins to everyoneFruity Edition £89
Producer Edition £199
Signature Edition £279
All Plugins Edition £469
image-line.com
FL Studio 2024 replaces version 21.2, with Image-Line now choosing to name its flagship DAW after the year of its release. Presumably, point updates (e.g, version 21.3) will no longer have new headline names but all updates will remain free for life, continuing the brand’s generous policy.
FL Studio has had cool stuff added recently, notably stem separation for unpicking mixed tracks into their constituent parts and, while there’s nothing in this update that’s quite as eye catching as that, the no-cost update policy means all the new stuff is free for whatever version you own anyway. So what does it offer the curious DAW newbie or prospective switcher?

READ MORE: How will AI impact the next generation of DAWs? These developers have their say

FL Studio is a well-established and popular DAW that runs on Mac or PC and also works as a plugin inside other DAWs, bringing all its instruments, sequencing and mixing tools into your Logic Pro, Cubase, Ableton or other projects. Its design and workflow are a bit of a departure for anyone coming from one of those other DAWs – a modular and highly configurable system based around sequencers and plugins. It’s not really like anything else around so there is something of a learning curve for new users though once you get used to the concepts of extensive right-clicking and submenus, things speed up a lot.
There’s heavy emphasis on MIDI programming and sequencing, with many tools for creating and editing beats and melodies. And full digital audio tracking and editing too of course, with a more conventional linear sequencer as well as playlist feature for arrangement. In addition to supporting VST plugins, FL Studio comes with a ton of its own unique instruments, effects and generators and these are the main differentiator of the various versions. Fruity has the fewest, Producer is most popular, and the All Plugins Edition being fairly self explanatory.
Audio editor in FL Studio 2024
In late 2023, Image Line added the FL Cloud service as an expansion option for users and in this update it brings a core of 10 free Cloud plugins and extra sounds to all customers, while subscribers get access to more. A subscription of £5.59 a month gets you all the sounds, 18 plugins and 16 presets and controls for the DAW’s cloud mastering tool, while the Pro service (currently on sale at £7 per month) has all 65 plugins, plus more as they’re added over time. Paid tiers also include distribution of your music to popular social platforms and online stores like iTunes and Spotify. A 30-day free trial is available in which you can decide if the Cloud extras are for you.
New plugins introduced in the 2024 update include Kepler Exo, a lush and retro-sounding soft synth based on the Roland Juno 6 and Jupiter 8, a Low Lifter effect that adds harmonics to bass frequencies, perfect for electronic music, and Spreader which enhances the stereo effect. In the Edison audio module you’ll now find an improved AI-powered de-clipper and a vocal denoiser.
Elsewhere there’s a whole bunch of tweaks and additions, notably new support for CLAP plugins, a non-proprietary format created by Bitwig and u-he, an AI-powered chord progression tool in the Piano Roll, improvements to sample previewing in the Browser and many smaller changes.
Kepler Exo in FL Studio 2024
As noted, all of this new stuff is free when you update the edition you currently own. Bringing some free cloud content to all users seems like a good way to encourage people to at least explore expanding their sonic library that way and potentially to subscribe. Since Image Line offers lifetime free app updates it’s fair enough that they need to make money via alternative avenues, and ones that are entirely optional for users. There’s an impressively varied selection of plugins available and this will grow over time.
FL Studio’s reliance on plugins and modules to do things that most other DAWs integrate more naturally – audio editing, step sequencing – can take some getting used to. It’s mostly there, but you need to add a thing to be able to do it rather than having this already at the core of the app. There are also some gaps if you’re thinking about more heavyweight composition and production tasks. There’s no native support for musical scoring for example. Surround sound is achievable but it’s a bit of a workaround. Video is via an add-on floating module, though in fairness that’s true of most of the competition too.
The extent to which these factors bother you depends on what you’re trying to do. FL Studio started life as Fruity Loops, a fun and accessible tool for making beats and loops. It’s matured hugely since then of course but its core direction hasn’t changed as dramatically as its feature set. It’s still geared up for making beats, patterns, loops and processing everything through cool effects. It has one of the most comprehensive and wide-ranging collections of native plugins of any DAW, especially if you opt for one of the larger versions.
FL Cloud
Could you record an orchestra on it? Technically yes, but really there are better options. On the other hand, does it let you put together beats, songs and patterns quickly in a way that is more performer-oriented than a more conventional DAW? Arguably it does.
That’s not to sell FL Studio short. It’s much more than a way to make beats. Indeed, for programming and MIDI editing its features run very deep. The developers have stuffed a huge number of tools in and for the most part kept it pretty approachable. There’s also the selection of plugins with the bigger versions, which outguns most other DAWs save perhaps for the Ableton Live Suite. Logic Pro’s selection is also excellent though Windows users need not apply, so it’s not quite a direct comparison.
For many users, FL Studio offers a fun and sensibly-priced package for everything from cooking up loops and simpler tracks all the way to more fully fledged recording and arrangement of songs. Expandable via the FL Cloud, it also integrates mastering and distribution services as well as creative new features like stem separation. It will probably always have its own way of doing things but that’s just one of the things that makes it one of the most-used DAWs around. Clearly, Image Line is doing something right.
MIDI editing in FL Studio 2024
Key features

Audio and MIDI recording, editing and mixing
Mac and Windows
Works as a VSTi plugin in other hosts
Bundled effects, instruments and generators
FL Cloud expansion for more plugins
Mastering and distribution features baked in
Piano roll and sequencer-based programming
Playlist and linear arrangement
Drag and drop of plugins and samples
CLAP open-source plugin support

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Eternal Research launch Demon Box Kickstarter campaign Eternal Research's new instrument detects electromagnetic interference, and can be played with anything from a mobile phone to a power tool!

DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ: Meet the enigmatic producer that’s just having fun making dance musicMistaken for Aphex Twin and Taylor Swift, the excitement around critic and cult favourite DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ has remained at boiling point since the pandemic. While the enigmatic producer’s identity remains a mystery — according to her bio, “a cat named Salem is uploading music from an old colonial Dutch house somewhere in 1996” — there is no denying her tireless work rate of releasing a dozen albums since 2017. Like the rest of the dance world, we’re certainly under her spell.

READ MORE: For John Summit, the only real challenge is knowing when to slow down

Now, fresh from the release of her brilliant new album Hex, she talks to MusicTech about anonymity, nostalgia, genre, hours-long releases, sample culture and the resurgence of physical formats.
Tell us about yourself: who are you, where are you from and how old are you? How did you land on the name DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ?
Sabrina Spellman (and my familiar, Salem Thee Cat), from The Other Realm and I’m younger than 20, older than 12. The name was because I needed something that looked dumber on a club flyer than DJ Boring or DJ Seinfeld… I think it’s a winner.
Have you always wanted to remain elusive as an artist?
Being elusive means the music comes first. Anonymous DJs always show their faces when they have their moment of fame, but it ain’t gonna be me. I have no desire to be known for anything other than the music and keeping elusive is probably the best way of doing that.

You’ve said that your music is inspired by “how the comfortable familiarity of nostalgia can tap into the imagination” — can you tell us more?
I’m always nostalgic, it’s my coping mechanism. Without it, what are we? Just people moving around a world with no solid ground beneath. We need some warm, cosy, positive connection between the present/future and the past to have any hope of moving forward with some level of comfort and familiarity. That’s what allows us to be human.
Your music weaves between disco, synth funk, and Y2K pop – are you striving for any genres in particular?
I don’t think of my music as being any one particular genre. Maybe pop is the most reliable label but there are obviously other elements of my songs that aren’t really associated with pop either. I might call it intelligent dance music(IDM)/braindance if I were being pretentious, but that would have the unintended effect of highlighting IDM for the hack genre name it is. My songs don’t sound like IDM, so they can’t be IDM) and, much like progressive rock, it’s just a genre name to make the listener feel better about themselves. I am hugely influenced and inspired by AFX, SquareP, Aute, Plug, VSnares, Heorge/Stein and the gang. It’s often called house because it has a four-to-the-floor beat, but is it really house? I just like lots of music that happens to travel over lots of genres and I kinda roll everything I like about music into my songs.
You’ve released about a dozen albums since 2017, including last year’s Destiny which was 41 songs long. That’s an incredible work rate — what’s the secret?
I work every day on something. Either new songs, mixing old songs, making mixes… it’s just a seven-day-a-week thing for me. Plus, I don’t have anyone else to rely on (just Salem and I, as always) so if I need something done, I just do it. No waiting, no fuss.

A lot of artists in other genres get criticised for releasing albums that are too long…
I originally had a two-hour album because the record label that played with my emotions kept me waiting while I just cranked out more songs over the year. By the end, I had two albums’ worth, decided to forget about the label and release it myself. I was too tired to split them up into two albums and, when you’re releasing on streaming and cassette tape, it’s not a big deal to have a two-hour album. The three-hour album (Charmed) was to compete with Makin’ Magick 1 and the four hour album (Destiny) was to compete with Charmed. People seem to prefer my longer albums so I would say it was a net win for me. I just need albums to be long enough to jog to and I’m happy.
With many of your songs being over 10 minutes long, it feels like a response to the neatly-packaged two-and-a-half-minute songs that mainstream listeners are accustomed to because. Do you feel that music has therefore become too restricted? 
A lot of my favourite songs from the 90s are long and that always stuck with me: Fatboy Slim’s Santa Cruz is 7:30, Lemon Jelly’s Come is 8:29 and Chemical Brothers’ Where Do I Begin/Private Psychedelic Reel Suite is a combined 16 minutes and 19 seconds, so it’s just normal for me. It’s whatever suits the song, I guess.
I spend a lot of time getting the lengths right so the tracks feel perfectly paced for myself as I am always listening to them for fun. Comparatively, my album segues are usually longer than 2:30.
You’ve recently remixed Days of the Week by Australian duo Flight Facilities – what is your process when it comes to remixes and edits? Are you treating tracks like samples, or trying to dissect and rebuild?
I’m trying to create a space in my world for someone else’s idea. Trying to stay respectful to the original intention while making something new with some of the elements. I think remixes are a lot of fun to do. You can connect with a new audience by bridging the two styles of the remixer and remixee.

Your songs obviously feature a lot of samples: how do you choose which things to sample? Have you had any clearance trouble?
Anything and everything – if it sounds good, I’ll use it. If I was making 200% organic music, nobody would be interested as they could just make their own music themselves and it wouldn’t have that huge, universal feeling that sampling has. Estates of the late greats, along with washed up Gen X/boomers, seem to have fun suing young songwriters that have never even heard their songs (the nouveau ambulance chasers?). Looking at how popstar writers keep adding credits of other popstars to their writing credits just in case, I think it’s more risky to write original music right now.
Are there any particular samplers or software you gravitate towards using?
I just use PreSonus’ Studio One 4 (the last version). It went awful and buggy with version 5 upwards, so I just stick to what I know and update my computer around it.
You’ve just released Hex. What is the best setting for people to experience it and how do you want people to feel when they hear the record?
Most of the songs were made this year. Some are leftovers from the last few albums and one is from 2021, but it’s mostly new. I jog to listen to the albums, but driving/riding while listening would also work. I guess you can’t do that with vinyl, though. Jai Paul was always recommended as headphone listening so probably that would work best (I’m not comparing myself to him, I just always liked that idea).
Hex was originally meant to be part of a three-album simultaneous release, along with Bewitched and half of what Destiny ended up being. The heatwave of 2022 made it unbearable to mix anymore and I was exhausted so I just finished Bewitched up. Destiny ended up being a mega-release so Hex had to wait a while (that’s also why the early version of the song Hex is on the vinyl EP from 2022). It puts a hex on you, ya know?
DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ’s Hex album cover
You’re releasing it on CD, audio tape and vinyl – why the physical formats?
I love glass-mastered CDs, so it’s awesome for me. Tape and vinyl are cool, and I’m also doing a few more fun formats in a few weeks when they’re ready. They’re slightly more work for me and my big albums, but that just makes it mean more for anyone buying something they can put in a player or on a deck. I think people are just tired of not feeling like their money is buying them something tangible; they want to have something physical to own that they can probably pass down or bury in a time capsule. Streaming is really just convenient – it doesn’t make you feel particularly connected with something you love.
Did you ever expect to grow such a cult fanbase?
Absolutely no expectations whatsoever. I never thought anyone would like my music and I still just make it for myself and imagine no one else is even listening. It’s hard to remember that, even after this many years, it just feels like no one else would like what I’m doing. It’s truly humbling every day and I can only hope that in trying to please myself with music, I can make at least one other person happy with it. That’s all I’m looking to do.
What are you expecting Anthony Fantano to rate your album?
Hmm… well he gave Charmed a six and has never gone higher on any of my other albums, so I would hope he’d give it a Hex!
The post DJ Sabrina The Teenage DJ: Meet the enigmatic producer that’s just having fun making dance music appeared first on MusicTech.

A Human Classical Pianist Composing With AIThis week, Ari is joined by AyseDeniz, a classical pianist who’s using AI music generation tools to compose new music.

Moog update Muse firmware With the latest firmware installed, Muse benefits from significant enhancements to its Chord Mode, which now allows users to save up to eight different key maps.