MPG Awards 2024: shortlist announced Now in their 16th year, the MPG Awards celebrate the best talent working behind the scenes in the British music industry.

Kalide’s Collage 2.0 tries to remove the technicalities from music production — but why?$179 (Launch sale price of $129 at time of writing), kalidemusic.com
Music production can be described as harnessing technology in the pursuit of art. But, as Kalide puts it, “creativity is not a one-size-fits-all” — in other words, there are those who lean towards the technical, and others who are all about the musical art. It’s the latter group who are the particular target audience for the newly updated and overhauled Collage, Kalide’s unique take on a multi-effects plugin.

READ MORE: Newfangled Audio’s Recirculate may be the last delay plugin you ever need

Anonymous widgets
Interaction view in the Collage 2.0
Collage’s main view — the Interaction view — comes as a shock when you start loading presets. Each has its own coloured and/or textured background, accompanied by one or more unlabelled, chunky and often unconventional-looking widgets. And that’s it!
Waggling a widget will do something, although it isn’t clear in advance what this will be (and isn’t always clear post-waggle either). Hovering your mouse over a widget opens a chunky label, but the names that are displayed aren’t always helpful. Sometimes, these favour flowery ambiguity over succinct accuracy, but even where a more conventional name is used, it isn’t clear what it refers to — “blend”, for example, could have multiple meanings.
As it turns out, the peculiar widgets are nothing more than artsy knobs and sliders that act as macro controllers, linking to parameters from within the maximum of eleven effects processors that underlie a Collage preset. These processors, accessed from the plugin’s Editor view, can be enabled and disabled as needed and can be arranged in any order.
Editor view in the Collage 2.0
The plugin includes an easy-to-use tool for adding and positioning widgets, and for mapping each to up to three effect parameters. In addition, each widget can be modulated by one of four internal LFOs, adding automatic and rhythmic movement to the parameters they are controlling. There is a large collection of widgets on offer ranging from the almost conventional to the downright bizarre (a knob that looks like a curtain pole finial, anybody…?)
The idea is, of course, that you can create your own blend of the underlying effects along with your own customised user interface for controlling them. The ability to combine parameters from different effect processors under one macro control makes for some interesting performance possibilities too, especially if using a hardware controller.
Controller or no, we strongly dislike the lack of permanent labels. Kalide appears to take the view that this encourages experimentation and focuses attention on the sound rather than the parameter. Unfortunately, we find it deeply off-putting to be presented with screen after screen of peculiar, anonymous widgets, often laid out randomly, against a similarly random background.
Interaction view in the Collage 2.0
Effects and variations in Collage 2.0
Each of Collage’s effect processors handles a particular type of effect — reverb or filtering or whatever — and most offer multiple variants within that type, giving a grand total of 43 different processors to choose from.
Artsiness for artsiness’ sake makes another appearance here in the names of the effects themselves, with examples such as “Starboard” for modulation effects and “Calico” for delay. The type of effect is shown in a pop-up when mousing over, but could just as easily have been included in the static label: “Calico Delay” would be just fine!
This obtuseness continues into the naming of effect variants too, for example “Smear” and “Eskalator” for types of reverb, “Pulley” and “Incidence” for EQs, and “Midas” and “Guardian” for flavours of stereo adjustment.
Interaction view in the Collage 2.0
This manner of naming may make sense to some, but it is meaningless to us. We do not accept the premise that the proper effect names (reverb, delay, compressor, etc.) and effect type names (hall reverb, parametric EQ, chorus, etc.) are confusing or overly technical. Inventing a whole new vocabulary hinders understanding and intuition rather than helping it.
We also feel the editing views, though easy enough to use, are just unpleasant to look at, with overly bright and garish backgrounds, and a hideous, scrawly, Comic-Sans-like typeface. It’s enough to burn your eyeballs — ironic, then, that the plugin offers a high-contrast mode for the visually impaired. On a serious note, it’s very positive that Kalide supports this group of users, but we would strongly advise the brand also includes a skin that is less intense and that uses crisper, more legible typography.
Editor view in the Collage 2.0
Does Collage 2.0 actually work?
Collage’s individual effects sound impressive and the ways you can combine and control them are almost limitless. The main Interaction view encourages real-time control and performance and, if using the right blend of effects and macro configurations, can give some very satisfying results. It is this combining of effects and effect parameters that is Collage’s strongest suit, allowing you to create original and performable effect chains. The unconventional styling aims to encourage experimentation and focus one’s attention on the sound, all of which is perfectly laudable.
However, many of the presets on offer are little more than standard processors — a compressor or an EQ for example — but with only a handful of the processor’s parameters exposed as widgets within the main view; others may combine multiple effects but only expose controls for one — a reverb and EQ, for example, but with only EQ cut/boost controls provided. Such usage fails to take advantage of Collage’s best feature — namely the ability to combine parameters within a single macro, so we struggle to see the point. In such cases, we would always prefer to use a regular-looking plugin with regular controls and accompanying labels.
Assign view in the Collage 2.0
There are a couple of fundamental paradoxes in Collage’s workflow too.
Firstly, the unique styling is supposed to encourage intuitive interaction but, with no commonality of function, layout or design from one preset to another and no permanently visible labels, there is no prospect of developing an intuitive sense of what the plugin’s controls actually do. What ensues, then, is reluctantly loading presets without having a clue what they will do, and then randomly poking at widgets to find out. You may hit on a happy accident, but this is neither a creative nor intuitive way of working.
Secondly, if you wish to take Collage beyond its factory presets, you have to delve into the processes of configuring the effects you plan to use, choosing which parameters to expose and which to combine with other parameters, and designing the user interface to configure the widgets that combine and control those parameters. This is a cool thing to be able to do, but music production doesn’t get much more technical than this!
Design view in the Collage 2.0
Should you buy Collage 2.0?
There will be producers who welcome Collage’s visual quirkiness and (claimed) banishment of technical detail but, for us, it is precisely these aspects of the plugin that we find hardest to get on board with. They just don’t deliver what they are supposed to.
Despite its undeniable versatility and uniqueness, in trying to appeal to our purely artistic sides Collage reduces rather than enhances its accessibility, intuitiveness and, as a result, its creative potential.
Key features

Mac and Windows plugin (AAX, AU and VST)
Fully customisable main user interface for each preset
11 effects processors:

Calico: delays
Cloak: convolution processor
Colossus: waveshaping or bit crushing distortion
Crest: gates, expanders, etc.
Equator: EQ
Kilter: filters
Panoply: stereo field processor
Quell: compression processors
Quiver: rhythmic gating
Starboard: modulation effects
Verbal: reverbs

43 different effect types in total
4 LFOs that can map to macro control widgets

The post Kalide’s Collage 2.0 tries to remove the technicalities from music production — but why? appeared first on MusicTech.

Unfortunately, this is what I've been saying...to try to use your own resources as much as possible: #MusicTechnology #musicproduction and #Tools if you can. Of course, there are many things to consider, but I've been using ToneDen for ages...I've already changed all the links even before the announcement. #decentralization

Down The Skibidi Toilet: Why Universal Music Group’s ‘Project Timeout’ is hitting TikTok with endless copyright takedown requestsThere is a lot to explain here....
Source

Pornhub disables access in Texas due to age verification lawTexas residents can no longer access Pornhub — without a VPN. As of Thursday, when people in Texas try to access any of the porn sites owned by Aylo, formerly MindGeek, they’ll instead see a long message in opposition to age verification laws. Laws requiring age verification on adult entertainment sites have already gone into […]
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Focusrite & Novation Spring Sale Focusrite and Novation have announced the launch of their Spring Sale, with discounts now applied to a range of audio interfaces, MIDI controllers, and synthesizers until the end of April 2024.

Building A Hydraulic Loader For A Lawn TractorLawn tractors are a great way to mow a large yard or small paddock. They save you the effort of pushing a mower around and they’re fun to drive, to boot. However, they can be even more fun with the addition of some extra hardware. The hydraulic loader build from [Workshop from Scratch] demonstrates exactly how.
The build is based around a John Deere LX188 lawn tractor, which runs a 17 horsepower Kawasaki engine and features a hydrostatic transmission. It’s a perfectly fine way to mow a lawn. In this case, though, it’s given new abilities with the addition of a real working loader. It’s fabricated from raw steel from the arms right down to the bucket. It’s all run from a hydraulic pump, which is mounted to the engine via an electromagnetic clutch. The clutch can be engaged when it’s desired to use the hydraulics to actuate the loader.
As you might expect, the humble lawn tractor isn’t built for this kind of work. Thus, to support the extra equipment, the mower was also given some frame reinforcements and a wider track for stability.
If you’re trying to give your neighbours mower envy, this is how you do it. Or, you could go another route entirely. Video after the break.

Record companies are better placed than streaming platforms to monetize superfans… and 3 other things Robert Kyncl said in his new Q&AWarner Music Group’s CEO has some “radical” ideas on how to change how streaming services pay music rights holders
Source

New Brains Save 12 V Fridge From the Scrap HeapRecently [nibbler]’s Evakool 55L vehicle fridge started to act strangely, reporting crazy temperature errors and had no chance of regulating. The determination was that the NTC thermistor was toast, and rather than trying to extricate and replace this part, it was a lot easier to add a new one at a suitable location
Bog-standard fridge internals
A straight swap would have been boring, so this was a perfect excuse for an overboard hack. Reverse engineering the controller wouldn’t be easy, as the data wasn’t available, as is often the case for many products of this nature.
While doing a brain transplant, the hacker way, we can go overboard and add the basics of an IoT control and monitoring system. To that end, [nibbler] learned as much as possible about the off-the-shelf ZH25G compressor and the associated compressor control board. The aim was to junk the original user interface/control board and replace that with a Raspberry Pi Pico W running CircuitPython.
For the display, they used one of the ubiquitous SH1106 monochrome OLED units that can be had for less than the cost of a McDonald’s cheeseburger at the usual purveyors of cheap Chinese electronics.  A brief distraction was trying to use a DS18B20 waterproof thermometer probe, which they discovered didn’t function, so they reverted to tried and trusted tech — a simple NTC thermistor.

Testing testing
The final puzzle piece was to interface the Pico to the compressor controller. The controller expected a variable resistance to control the speed, for which they could have used a digitally controlled potentiometer. However, after failing to tame this particular beast, an easier solution was to build a small PCB with a few relays and some fixed resistors and call it a hack.
An annoyance was the lack of interrupt support in CircuitPython. This meant that interpreting the fault codes from the controller would be a bit tricky. The solution was to wedge in another microcontroller, a small Arduino. Its job is to sit there, listen for commands on the serial port, control the relay board to drive the compressor, listen for any error codes, and pass those back to the Pico. Of course, this could have all been done directly on the Pico, just not with CircuitPython, and a lot more learning would have been needed.
Of course, you need to own a working refrigerator to hack it, but you can easily build it from scratch. Even on a tight budget, you can get your beers cold. Needs must!

30th Anniversary Limited Edition SansAmp Bass Driver DIThe SansAmp Bass Driver DI has been an arsenal staple for players and studios almost since the day it was introduced in 1994. To commemorate its 30th anniversary, Tech 21 is issuing a limited edition with an anodized precision-machined aluminum billet housing and all metal knobs.

This all-analog multi-function, multi-application pedal dials up big vintage tube tones, bright modern slap sounds, gnarly distortions, and all in between. There are three different outputs to drive power amps, recording desks, PA mixers, or simply enhance your current rig. Controls include Presence for definition and upper harmonic content; Blend to combine the ratio of direct signal and SansAmp circuitry; and active 3-band EQ with 12dB of cut or boost.

The 100% analog SansAmp Tube Amplifier Emulation technology encompasses the entire signal chain, from pre-amp to power amp to speaker simulation. An integral part of the circuitry, the individually-tailored SansAmp speaker simulation will complement any type of bass speaker cabinet system.

It is rare an electronic music-related product can withstand such a test of time. The SansAmp Bass Driver has been used for every kind of music style from death metal to commercial jingles, in countless studios, and on tours around the globe. In fact, many mammoth stage rigs you see are actually driven by a SansAmp nestled behind the backline. It has defied the odds and to this day, SansAmp remains the standard of the industry.

Spitfire Audio unveil Hearth and Hollow Folk Voices Spitfire's latest sample library captures a range of solo and ensemble vocal performances in St. John's Anglican Church.

“Right now, the economics of streaming are very broken”: sonu.stream co-founder Laura Jaramillo wants to re-shape streamingProducer TOKiMONSTA has been involved with an up-and-coming streaming service sonu.stream, which she collaborated with Laura Jaramillo on to help “increase the pie” for artists.

READ MORE: Fortnite players can now rock out with an iconic Fender Stratocaster or Precision Bass in-game

Jaramillo speaks to MusicTech in a new feature about the new streaming services hoping to offer artists a fairer deal than many of the streaming market’s big hitters. Within the feature, she elaborates on the technology sonu.stream employs and how it is geared to be more equitable than its competitors.
“Right now, the economics of streaming are very broken,” she tells MusicTech. “It’s a tragedy that all these other ways that artists show up for the music industry don’t get reflected in what pays for the passive consumption of music.”
sonu.stream uses Web3 technology – using a blockchain, it traces who creates and owns a song, ensuring that this data cannot be changed or altered. Though it uses NFTs, which are often referred to as digital ‘collectibles’ but Jaramillo argues that they can offer a way to protect artists.
“It allows you to create a strong foundation that decentralises the permission for AI-generated music,” she adds. “This kind of progress is only possible through the blockchain and this kind of tech.”
The Spotify logo is being displayed on a smartphone with Spotify visible in the background in this photo illustration in Brussels, Belgium, on February 11, 2024. (Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Jaramillo also takes issue with the way that the giants distribute music in such a non-selective way ‘en masse’, despite that being the main appeal of the likes of Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
“For an artist to be heard or discovered on some of the major streamers it’s all about being playlisted by the editorial, and that process is so opaque,” explains Jaramillo, “It’s what makes and breaks an artist — as well as maybe a TikTok moment.”
She adds: “People are disappointed in these giants and they see sonu.stream as an opportunity for change,” says Jaramillo. “Artists and labels are extremely excited by the opportunity. It’s a chance to make more revenue and single out those people that show up for them.”
For more information, head to sonu.stream.
The post “Right now, the economics of streaming are very broken”: sonu.stream co-founder Laura Jaramillo wants to re-shape streaming appeared first on MusicTech.

“Balance cannot be thought of as an objective truth”: Oeksound’s “adaptive tone shaper” plugin Bloom is available nowYou may remember Oeksound’s Bloom plugin being announced during NAMM earlier this year. On the surface, the mystical plugin seemed to be like an EQ, but the brand assured that it’s a whole other beast.
Bloom is an “adaptive tone shaper” which Oeksound says delivers “what we wish an EQ would do”. It’s available now, and you can try it out with a 20-day free trial if you don’t feel like committing right away.

READ MORE: Five modern, innovative EQ techniques and how to use them

During NAMM, details on pricing and the features of Bloom were very limited. But now, further details are here, including a handy overview video from Oeksound itself.
The plugin is said to control irregularities in a rough sound, increase warmth, clarity, or brightness in a “safe and controlled fashion”, transform the tone of a sound with natural-sounding results, and allow users to track through Bloom with a low latency mode.
“Since 2018, we at Oeksound have been looking into warmth and presence in audio. These two topics led to the same question: How do we bring out and balance overtones present in a sound? From there, the idea of an adaptive tone shaper started to form,” it explains.
“We developed an algorithm that refines the tonal balance of a sound, optimising for both warmth and presence. However, balance cannot be thought of as an objective truth.
“We’ve taken this into account by offering the user plenty of control over the processing, making Bloom an alternative for replacing entire plugin chains dedicated to tone-shaping. Bloom is the culmination of six years of research, development, and critical listening. It is by far our most complex processor to date.”
Bloom hosts dials for amount, attack and release, as well as featuring a processing graph and tone control sliders for your lows, lo-mids, hi-mids, and highs.
Check out more in the video below:

Bloom is officially priced at £169. Find out more at Oeksound.
The post “Balance cannot be thought of as an objective truth”: Oeksound’s “adaptive tone shaper” plugin Bloom is available now appeared first on MusicTech.

MIDiA independent label and distributor surveyMIDiA is fielding its annual independent label and distributor survey. This is the chance for the independent sector to have its voice heard. Given all of the changes that are taking place in the streaming economy, there has perhaps never been a more important time for this. In the survey, we ask about topics such as two-tier licensing, artist cut through, AI, catalogue and marketing.

All participants will get a copy of the final report so you can get a definitive view of how the wider independent marketplace is performing and how it is responding to today’s market challenges and opportunities. 

Crucially, all of the data is treated as strictly confidential. We never share respondent level data with anyone and we only use the respondent level data to create the aggregate market figures. This means your company-level responses are not seen by anyone else.

MIDiA has fielded this survey for years now and have been trusted with their data by many hundreds of labels and distributors.

Click here to complete the survey.

Justice, Nia Archives, Peggy Gou, James Blake and more are playing Glastonbury 2024It’s that time of year again – festival season is just round the corner and with that in mind, Glastonbury has finally confirmed who will be performing at Worthy Farm this June.
Dua Lipa, SZA and Coldplay will all be topping the bill on the Pyramid Stage this year, with Shania Twain taking the illustrious Legends slot late on Sunday afternoon.
READ MORE: Glastonbury 2023: The best moments in electronic music
The bill also features plenty of electronic and dance-leaning acts, including Justice, Peggy Gou,, Nia Archives and James Blake, while Disclosure are set to headline The Other Stage. The festival will also be welcoming  Orbital, Faithless, Bonobo, Jungle and Skream & Benga to whet the appetites of electronica fans.
Meanwhile, some of this year’s other significant bookings on the Pyramid Stage include Little Simz, LCD Soundsystem, Burna Boy, Janelle Monae, while IDLES and The National will also be headlining The Other Stage.

Here is the first Glastonbury Festival 2024 line-up poster. Many more acts and attractions still to be announced.
Tickets for this year's Festival are sold out, but our prize draw for 20 pairs is raising emergency funds to support people affected by conflict, at… pic.twitter.com/1NhUYmghuE
— Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) March 14, 2024

According to organisers, “so many more artists, stages and performance areas” will be announced in the coming weeks and months.
The announcement marks Coldplay’s fifth time headlining the Somerset festival, having last topped the bill in 2016. Both Dua Lipa and SZA are making their Pyramid Stage debuts – Lipa last performed in 2017 on what was then known as the John Peel Stage (now Woodsies), while SZA is making her first ever appearance at Glastonbury.
It had been widely publicised since last year that Glastonbury 2024 would have two female headliners, which is the first time in the festival’s history that this has happened. Booker Emily Eavis first disclosed this following controversy last year over the 2023 line-up‘s all-male, all-white headliners – Arctic Monkeys, Elton John and Guns N’Roses – which she said only happened because a female headliner (rumoured to be Rihanna) dropped out.
Glastonbury 2024 will take place from Wednesday 26 through to Sunday 30 June at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset.
For more info, head to the official Glastonbury website.
The post Justice, Nia Archives, Peggy Gou, James Blake and more are playing Glastonbury 2024 appeared first on MusicTech.