Trump’s DOE proposes cutting billions in grants for GM, Ford, and lots of startupsTrump's Department of Energy wants to cancel billions more in awards that were granted by the Biden administration, and startups are in the crosshairs.

VINCE GILL SIGNS LIFETIME RECORD DEAL WITH MCAPhoto ID (L-R): MCA’s Mike Haris and Rob Femia, Larry Fitzgerald, Vince Gill, MCA’s Katie McCartney and Stephanie Wright (Photo credit: Chris Hollo)

He's going to be the main feature in our November issue, and news just dropped that MCA has announced that country music icon Vince Gill "has signed a lifetime record deal with the label, cementing decades of partnership and collaboration. As part of this unprecedented agreement, Vince will release an EP featuring new music every month for the next year, giving fans a consistent stream of original material from one of country music’s most celebrated voices."

"The series, titled 50 Years From Home, will showcase Vince’s artistry through a combination of new music and carefully selected catalog tracks that complement each EP’s theme," they said in a statement. "The first EP, 50 Years From Home: I Gave You Everything I Had, is set for release on October 17 and will include the recently 2x Platinum-certified classic, Go Rest High on That Mountain."

“Vince has been a major part of the MCA family for decades,” said Mike Harris , President & CEO, MCA.  “This lifetime agreement reflects our unwavering commitment to supporting his artistic vision and providing him artistic freedom while ensuring his legacy continues to grow.”

“I’m feeling the most creative I’ve ever felt in my career these last few years,” shared Vince Gill. “I’ve collected a treasure trove of songs and with my friends and partners at MCA we’ve come up with a way to release all this new music. It’s a partnership that’s lasted 36 years and I’m grateful for it.” 

Vince’s longtime manager Larry Fitzgerald added, “MCA Records has been Vince’s home since early in his career, and now he knows their partnership will endure into the future. Vince’s fans wanting his music won’t have to look any further than MCA to find it.  My relationship with Vince began 41 years ago and I’m thrilled to stand with him at this important moment.”

"This lifetime deal is a testament to the long-standing partnership between Vince Gill and MCA," they said. "It reflects the enduring trust and commitment that has defined their relationship while positioning Vince as a timeless figure in country music, continuing to influence both the current landscape and future generations of artists and fans alike."

"During his time at MCA, Vince has amassed 1.7 Billion global streams and 19.4 Million in domestic album sales. He is up to 28.5 Million in total RIAA certified units with 24 Million in RIAA album certifications and 3.5 Million in RIAA single certifications. He has 2 Gold albums, 5 Platinum albums, 6 Multi-Platinum albums, 3 Gold singles and 1 Multi-Platinum single."

"Throughout his illustrious career, Vince has earned numerous accolades, including 18 CMA Awards, 22 Grammy Awards, and induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 1991 and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012. His songwriting contributions were recognized with induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005, and in 2014, he was awarded the prestigious BMI Icon Award."The post VINCE GILL SIGNS LIFETIME RECORD DEAL WITH MCA first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

JawnCon Returns This WeekendFor those local to the Philadelphia area, a “jawn” can be nearly anything or anyone — and at least for this weekend, it can even be a hacker con building up steam as it enters its third year. Kicking off this Friday at Arcadia University, JawnCon0x2 promises to be another can’t-miss event for anyone with a curious mind that lives within a reasonable distance of the Liberty Bell.
The slate of talks leans slightly towards the infosec crowd, but there’s really something for everyone on the schedule. Presentations such as Nothing is Safe: An Introduction to Hardware (In)Security and Making the GameTank – A New, Real 8-Bit Game Machine will certainly appeal to those of us who keep a hot soldering iron within arm’s reach, while Rolling Recon & Tire Prints: Perimeter Intrusion Detection and Remote Shenanigans via Rogue Tire Stem RF and Get More Radio Frequency Curious will certainly appeal to the radio enthusiasts.

Speaking of which, anyone who wants to make their interest in radio official can sit in on the Saturday study group led by Ed “N2XDD” Wilson, the Director of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Hudson Division. After lunch, you can take your exam to become a licensed ham, and still have time to check out the lockpicking demonstrations from the local TOOOL chapter, the Retro Show ‘n Tell area, and rummage through the self-replenishing table of free stuff that’s looking for a new home.
Attendees can also take part in a number of unique challenges and competitions inspired by the shared professional experience of the JawnCon organizers. One of the events will have attendees putting together the fastest Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) broadband connection, as measured by era-appropriate commercial gear. Easy enough with a spool of copper wire, but the trick here is to push the legendary resilience of DSL to the limit by using unusual conductors. Think wet strings and cooked pasta. There’s also a Capture The Flag (CTF) competition that will pit teams against each other as they work their way through customer support tickets at a fictional Internet service provider.
We were on the ground for JawnCon in 2024, and even had the good fortune to be present for the inaugural event back in 2023. While it may not have the name recognition of larger East Coast hacker cons, JawnCon is backed by some of the sharpest and most passionate folks we’ve come across in this community, and we’re eager to see the event grow in 2025 and beyond.

Project: BIAS X from Positive Grid Project: BIAS X promises to transform the way that guitarists and producers craft, explore and refine their sound.

HoRNet HoRNet ZeroCompHoRNet ZeroComp is an intelligent compressor plugin that automatically learns audio material characteristics and configures compression parameters without user intervention. The plugin analyzes crest factor, dynamics, and transients in real-time to calibrate threshold, ratio, attack, release, knee, and makeup gain settings. Key Features: Three Compression Models: Smooth: Musical compression for vocals and master bus applications. Tight: Fast, precise response for drums and acoustic instruments. Fat: Full-bodied compression for bass and aggressive sources. Instant model switching during playback without audio interruption. Intelligent Processing: Real-time crest factor analysis for automatic parameter calibration. Convergence indicators show learning progress for each model. Stable processing engine prevents parameter oscillations. User Controls: Compression (0-100%): Single control for compression amount. Distortion: Pre-compression harmonic saturation. Bypass: A/B comparison switching. Real-time meters: Input, output, and gain reduction monitoring. Read More

Supreme Court snubs Live Nation as multiple cases move forwardThe U.S. Supreme Court has has refused to review whether Live Nation and Ticketmaster’s arbitration plan to deal with customer complaints is protected by federal law. The defeat comes as multiple important federal cases against the concert giant move forward.
The post Supreme Court snubs Live Nation as multiple cases move forward appeared first on Hypebot.

Samantha Saturn exits role as Chief Marketing Officer at SESAC Music GroupSaturn says she's about to start "a new chapter" in the music industry, but hasn't offered details
Source

What is a key change and why does it matter?
In this guide, we explore what a key change is and how you can use the technique in your own music.

Artists announced for ROSTR & Bandsintown EARLY showcaseROSTR x Bandsintown's new live showcase EARLY debuts on October 16, 2025 in Los Angeles.
The post Artists announced for ROSTR & Bandsintown EARLY showcase appeared first on Hypebot.

Prime Day is all about Amazon, but these music retailers are also hosting killer deals on synths, controllers and pro audio gearAmazon’s October Prime Day is well under way, and most of the top music retailers are also hosting killer deals on music tech gear in order to compete. And that’s where you can swoop in and grab a bargain…
We’ve seen top deals on synths, controllers, keyboards, plugins and more at Sweetwater, Reverb and Plugin Boutique, and have taken the liberty to collate a few of the best below in this here article, eliminating the slog of deals hunting for you and getting you closer to your new favourite piece of gear, faster.

READ MORE: Akai’s new MPC Live III has launched: here’s everything you need to know about features, pricing, and availability

Take Sweetwater, for example; there’s currently up to 50% off microphones, interfaces, monitors and software in its current Studio & Recording Sale. Highlights include up to $150 off select ADAM Audio A Series studio monitors, $50 off select Focusrite Scarlett USB-C audio interfaces, and an amazing $100 off Universal Audio’s Pro Vocal Plug-in Bundle, which includes the brand’s Classic Leveler plug-in collection, Pure Plate reverb, Oxide Tape Recorder, and more. For the latter, pay just $49 instead of $149.
[deals ids=”7dO5RjUaPZgC6AsW38XzTa”]
Elsewhere, we’ve spotted a number of excellent deals to be had right now over at Reverb, including a cool £200 off this 2010s Access Virus TI2 Desktop Digital Synthesizer, and a sweet 10% off this limited-edition Korg Minilogue Bass 37-Key 4-Voice Polyphonic Synthesizer. Click the button below to browse all the latest deals over at Reverb.
[deals ids=”1EKMQ8ZdBptXrTiIAbn8y4″]
At Plugin Boutique, Prime Day happens to fall during its Analog Emulation Month, which sees fantastic discounts on a whole host of analogue-inspired plugins. For example, you can get up to 88% off a range of Softube mixing plugins, with prices starting at just £9.
You can also get a ma-hoosive 87% off Solid State Logic’s Greatest Hits Bundle, which includes Native Channel Strip 2, G2 MultiBus Comp, and FlexVerb. Get it now for just £44 down from £355. View all the latest deals at Plugin Boutique by clicking the button below.
[deals ids=”177WGQwxDbJpqvV0WoHSbL”]
The post Prime Day is all about Amazon, but these music retailers are also hosting killer deals on synths, controllers and pro audio gear appeared first on MusicTech.

Alesis Drums Nitro Ultimate kit announced Alesis' new Nitro Ultimate is a nine-piece kit that’s been designed to offer a complete practice-to-performance solution, and promises to bridge the gap between entry-level and professional electronic drumming.

MIDIpushr MK2 is a FREE browser-based MIDI chord player for your DAW
Alex from Germany, the creator behind MIDI Pusher MK2, has released MIDIpushr, a free browser-based virtual MIDI controller that lets you play and send chords directly to your DAW or hardware synths. Funny timing with this one. Just the other day, while watching the awesome “How to Orchid” marketing video for the Orchid ORC—1 chord [...]
View post: MIDIpushr MK2 is a FREE browser-based MIDI chord player for your DAW

Session Loops releases VocalNet, a real-time AI-powered vocal cloning & transformation plugin
Session Loops has released the updated real-time version of VocalNet, a new AI-driven voice cloning and transformation plugin for macOS and Windows. The plugin enables you to transform vocals in real-time directly within your DAW, and it’s available for instant download with a fully functional 14-day trial, as well as lifetime or subscription purchase options [...]
View post: Session Loops releases VocalNet, a real-time AI-powered vocal cloning & transformation plugin

Splice Instrument first impressions: A sparkling new home for Spitfire Audio’s LABSSplice Instrument is a new sample-based plugin that gives you instant access to expressive software instruments. You don’t even have to know much about music production to get going.

READ MORE: “I’m doing it for something bigger than me”: Telepathic Instruments’ Orchid is Kevin Parker’s dream synth — he hopes it’ll be yours, too

With a free version available, Splice Instrument is accessible to every DAW user, and the library of free sounds is expanding each month. What’s more, with Splice’s recent acquisition of Spitfire Audio, LABS is now a part of the Splice Instrument library, adding even more value for producers and composers.
From Native Instruments’ Kontakt and SampleTank to Omnisphere and Vienna Ensemble Pro, the range of software instruments that use ROMpler technology is vast, so the Splice Instrument is entering a competitive space. At first glance, you might even be reminded of LANDR Chromatic, which uses a similar approach.
Image: Splice
Why Splice Instrument makes sense
As a platform, Splice already offers integration with DAWs such as Pro Tools, Studio One, and, more recently, Ableton Live in its latest beta (12.3b12). Furthermore, the Splice Bridge plugin lets you access the Splice library within almost any DAW, so it only makes sense that, with this resource, Splice would now offer subscribers a dedicated instrument.
The free version of the Splice Instrument gives you access to hundreds of sounds, with more added each month. However, if you want all the sounds, you’ll need to sign up for the Creator plan ($20/monthly), Creator+ plan ($40/monthly), or the Instrument plan ($13/monthly).
Using the Splice Instrument is as straightforward as it gets. The two main areas are the Discover panel, where you browse and select sounds, and the Play panel, for adjusting the sound you’ve loaded. Naturally, it can’t function without a preset loaded, so when you open the Splice Instrument, you’ll be prompted to select and load one so you can start playing or sequencing from your DAW.
When you load a preset, you’ll notice that each one is, in fact, a sound set with a collection of different articulations or variations of a particular sound. As you cycle through different sounds, you’ll see that the controls are preset-specific, so you only have access to anywhere between two and five parameters to shape the timbral, tonal, and spatial characteristics of each sound.
This seems limited, but the idea is clearly to streamline your workflow and give you nothing more than the essential tools you require to create a compelling performance before moving on to the next element in your song. Although it can sound like one, the Splice Instrument is not intended as a sound design tool — no need to spend an afternoon crafting and refining a single sound.
Instead, as with the Splice library, the Splice Instrument has been designed to appeal to the next generation of artists and producers. With a straightforward interface, you can find sounds and play them expressively, keeping the creativity flowing.
Image: Splice
What makes the Splice Instrument unique?
Within the Play panel, the Dynamics control stands out as the main port of call for adding expression while playing. This macro control, which is assigned to the mod wheel by default, increases the overall scale or stature of the sound. As the Dynamics control is available on every preset, the role it plays is completely different depending on the sound you select.
In the case of an electric piano sound that has been recorded on tape, the Dynamics control introduces saturation for a thicker, more textured sound. Alternatively, when you’re playing a choir patch, the same control increases the number of microphone signals and the natural reverb captured during the recording of the samples.
Because the macro controls in the Play panel change as you load each preset, and the sample range indicator tells you which keys to play, the Dynamics control becomes a surprise package. This means you can get the feel of each sound by playing and experimenting by making timbral adjustments to explore the sonic extent of the instrument.
The relationship between the amount of R&D that went into the creation of the backend of the Splice Instrument and the ease with which you can coax articulate sounds from your MIDI keyboard becomes more evident the further you explore the sound library.
There is an incredible scope of sounds, ranging from your bread-and-butter beat production fare, like R&B keyboard patches, to a composer sound set created in the famous New York apartment used by Philip Glass.
The sound library has been curated in a way that allows you to quickly find functional sounds for the intro, verse, or chorus of the song you’re creating. Meanwhile, there is an impressive range of more niche sounds that will inspire the creative process of a wide range of artists and producers outside the scope of commercial music production and motion picture scoring.
One of the most notable inclusions is that the Splice Instrument gives you access to all of the Spitfire Audio LABS and LABS+ sounds. This provides a sound palette that includes rare acoustic instruments, so you’re bound to find some hidden gems here. Overall, the strength of the Splice Instrument lies in its constantly growing sound library, which is easy to navigate and is brimming with sounds that have both commercial and artistic value.

Who is the Splice Instrument for?
The strength of the Splice Instrument lies in the easy access it provides to an ever-expanding landscape of beautifully recorded and curated sounds. This makes it useful to any user with a demand for new sounds in their workflow.
As we’ve mentioned, this makes it a particularly exciting prospect for pop-adjacent music producers, as well as composers for film, TV, and video games. Besides these avenues, the Splice Instrument is also extremely useful for hip-hop beat makers and electronic music producers. While its simple workflow lets you maintain creative fluidity, the range of sounds means you’ll always be able to find something usable.
Compared to alternative options, the Splice Instrument does have some unique benefits. While LANDR Chromatic gives you a similar style of online library-driven plugin interface starting at $8.25 per month, it doesn’t have the depth of sounds offered by Spitfire Audio. On the other hand, Audiomodern Soundbox is a really affordable option that gives you a slightly more involved plugin interface with seven soundpacks for 99 Euros, but the library isn’t on the same scale as Splice’s, of course.
Meanwhile, existing Splice subscribers are the most likely to immediately adopt the Splice Instrument, as you can do so with little extra cost involved. With Spitfire Audio, Splice has strengthened its position considerably, giving it a major advantage over competitors. This makes the Splice Instrument a valuable music production resource that allows you to create quickly and efficiently as a complete beginner or a seasoned professional.
The post Splice Instrument first impressions: A sparkling new home for Spitfire Audio’s LABS appeared first on MusicTech.

The Collective lives on: former ICON Collective staff have started new educational programsOn May 30, 2025, students arriving at ICON Collective in Los Angeles to continue their music production studies were hit with a blow. A piece of paper hanging on the locked front door delivered an abrupt message: the school had been shut down.
“Dear Students,
As of Thursday, May 30th, 2025, ICON Collective has officially ceased operations. The building is closed and no further classes or administrative functions are taking place. We understand this news may come as a shock and we are deeply sorry if you’re learning about it for the first time here.”

READ MORE: Daniel Ek just stepped down as CEO of Spotify — now what?

A statement published by ICON owners cited financial difficulties for the shutdown, leaving hundreds of students with unfinished educations and dozens of instructors and staff without jobs.
However, after the school closed, ICON’s community proved that the commitment to music the school curated will live on. Different goodbye events popped up. Students, staff, and alumni started a massive Instagram group chat, and within weeks, new educational programs were available to any aspiring producer who sought to follow the same path as SLANDER, NGHTMRE, Jauz, Mindchatter, Kayzo, Sullivan King, Pauline Herr, Wenzday, SIPPY, Lumberjvck, Skellytn, and numerous alumni who have gone on to play the biggest events, organise their own festivals, and earn Platinum records.
Two of such programs are Resident Artist House and Futureproof Music School.
“I saw a true community of people really creating and working towards a craft. Not working towards a degree or a piece of paper,” says Vito Finamore, director of Resident Artist House and the former director of student services at ICON Collective.
“It was full of people who were dedicated to their art and were encouraging each other in the best way, both the teachers and the students,” says John von Seggern, former Director of Educational Technology at ICON and founder of Futureproof Music School.
Here’s how these new programs are building on ICON’s community through individual educational philosophies.
John von Seggern. Image: Press
Resident Artist House
Resident Artist House (RAH) is a platform for “real artist development,” which the directors of the program describe as such:
“Real artist development goes back to the core of what artistry is and what music is. It’s the expression of human emotion through vibration. It’s not a product. It’s not a franchise,” says Chevy Bhorntus, Director of RAH and former Chief Operating Officer at ICON Collective.
Bhorntus mentions he knows A&Rs who have been laid off from major labels, as business models are shifting towards investing in artists based on metrics.
Finamore remembers when it was the opposite. “When a label used to sign you, they invested in you. They genuinely had a passion for what you were doing,” he says.
The directors of RAH, all of whom are working music professionals, will invest in the artists who sign up and provide individual guidance on whatever element of their journey needs attention. Whether it’s related to music production, performing, branding, or anything else.
Resident Artist House. Image: Press
To that end, RAH is not the place for an aspiring artist who is still learning the basics of Ableton Live:
“The ideal person for us is someone who has been making music. They are passionate about what they’re making. They’ve had a reasonably decent response from their immediate circle, but they need help taking the next steps,” says Bhorntus.
There are two tiers through which artists can move forward with RAH. The Ground Floor provides access to the community. For $10 per month, users can join weekly live streams to engage with the directors and other artists, get feedback on their music, and attend in-person events in locations like their current home base of Apex Art Studios in North Hollywood.
The second tier, called Full Development, essentially hires the RAH directors as the artist’s personal team. Manager. Branding specialist. Mastering engineer. This tier requires an application to ensure the artist is ready for this phase, and if they are, “We have the ability to go big,” Bhorntus says.
“It’s not one size fits all. It’s not ‘Come and learn how to produce music.’ We’re the next step,” Bhorntus adds. “We are offering the ability to work in custom with every artist on what they need.”
Protohype. Image: Press
Futureproof Music School
Futureproof Music School was developed by Seggern and Protohype, the prominent bass artist, former instructor, and alumnus of ICON. Their goal is to create sustainable music careers by providing educational options that keep up with the constantly changing music industry.
As the former Director of Educational Technology, Seggern oversaw ICON’s online program, handling all the logistics such as filming courses and organising mentor sessions.
Futureproof follows a similar model, except it isn’t tied to a specific curriculum like ICON was. For $99 a month, students get access to a monthly mentor session with a professional producer and the full library of courses, which includes topics such as “How To Make Dubstep” and “How To Promote Your Music In 2025: Facebook Ads.”
However, after running ICON’s program, Seggern has built Futureproof in a way that is much more adaptable. One example of this methodology involves filming simpler courses with relevant information that can be updated as new techniques arise. At ICON, he produced videos that had an extremely high quality visually, but were very difficult to alter once they were complete.
“We’re trying to make a structure that can stay flexible and move quickly instead of getting out of date rapidly,” says Seggern.
With such a large library, students will sign up and select their own goal for their music career. Then, Futureproof’s proprietary AI system, Kadence (which Seggern developed), will lay out a custom lesson plan based on the courses available, but also provide guidance outside of their offerings.
“It’s future-proof because it can create a roadmap for any goal,” Seggern says. A test goal he delivers to Kadence is “I want to be a world-famous breakcore DJ, but I don’t know anything about music, and I just started learning FL Studio.”
“If I put that in, it does a bunch of AI-powered research trying to figure out how I can become a breakcore DJ in 2025. I’ve also told it certain information sources, like music industry sites and blogs to search. Then it’ll set you a goal for the end of the year,” Seggern says. “Maybe your goal should be releasing your first EP. That’s a pretty good goal, considering you’re starting from not knowing anything. The intention of the program will be to achieve the goal that you set when you joined. Instead of the goal being some arbitrary thing that we made up.”
Futureproof also embraces Kadence within its courses. Seggern designed it to help by offering tips on mixes and similar advice for producing. Plus, it has a deep memory attached to every student’s activities at the school. The more they participate, the more personalised the advice. But don’t worry, Seggern ensured that students can’t cheat with Kadence.
“I put a thing in there not to help the students with quizzes,” Seggern says. “The homework is mostly making tracks. Kadence can’t make tracks. You have to make them yourself. But it can tell you if you’re more or less on the right track for the assignment you’re doing.”
The post The Collective lives on: former ICON Collective staff have started new educational programs appeared first on MusicTech.