Vinyl vs. Digital Music: A Battle for Superior QualityVinyl vs. Digital Music: find out which format reigns supreme in sound quality, durability, and overall listening pleasure and how that might change your release strategy.
The post Vinyl vs. Digital Music: A Battle for Superior Quality appeared first on Hypebot.

Parallax X from Neural DSP The latest iteration of Neural DSP’s bass-focused plug-in has arrived, and claims to provide everything that users need to design their ultimate bass tone.

Here’s what the “largest hard techno rave ever” in Amsterdam looked likeAmsterdam’s Johan Cruyff ArenA recently hosted what has been dubbed the “largest hard techno rave” in history.
On 20 July, 40,000 ravers gathered for an exhilarating 10-hour rave marathon that kicked off at 9pm and continued until 7am the next morning. The event, hosted by leading techno promoters Verknipt, featured the sets of DJs like Shlømo, DIØN and Sara Landry.

READ MORE: Four Tet’s production hack for creating “a world” within his tracks so people connect to them “without even understanding why”

Videos circulating on social media provide a stunning glimpse into the impressive scale of the Verknipt ArenA event. Throughout the night, attendees were treated to an epic visual-audio cocktail of exploding pyrotechnics, beaming lasers and the occasional view of the raver in front of them doing everything they can to capture the moment on their phone as they dance along to the thunderous beats.
Organisers Verknipt wrote on Instagram: “We just wrote history with the largest hard techno rave ever, where 40,000 ravers united in chaotic harmony, revelling in distortion, breaking the rules, and exploring sounds that push the boundaries of the rave culture.”
“Here, we are all slaves to the rave and trailblazers of the future.”

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A post shared by VERKNIPT (@verkniptevents)

Check out the full 10 minutes of the Verknipt Experience show below.

Earlier this year, Berlin’s techno culture was officially added to the UNESCO cultural heritage list. The inclusion comes after DJs, festival organisers and fans campaigned to secure the status of the city’s techno scene amidst fears that the culture wouldn’t survive without it.
Techno is one of six new entries to the list in Germany, which features mountaineering and fruit wine among others.
The post Here’s what the “largest hard techno rave ever” in Amsterdam looked like appeared first on MusicTech.

Hip-hop community mourns the passing of DJ PoloDJ Polo, American producer and one-half of the 1980s hip-hop collective Kool G Rap & DJ Polo, has passed away.
His family confirmed the news on social media, writing: “It is with a heavy heart we mourn the loss of my father, the incredible DJ Polo. He was not only a legend to the hip hop community but also to his family and we celebrate his life and legacy now and forever.”
“We would like to thank you all for your beautiful words and tributes – seeing the impact he made has been overwhelming and we are so grateful.”
“We would like to also take the time to address the following: DJ Polo has more than 2 children, whatever is printed otherwise is false and has not been confirmed. Please reach out to a family member if you need to confirm information such as this.”
“Thank you all again for your condolences and for respecting the family’s privacy at this time. We miss you Cuzmo.”
No cause of death has been revealed.
DJ Polo, real name Thomas Pough, is best known for his long-standing collaboration with Queens rapper Kool G Rap. The pair released three albums (Road To The Riches, Wanted: Dead or Alive, and Live and Let Die) together in the late 80s and early 90s before splitting in 1993. Both Polo and Rap were also part of the legendary hip-hop collective, Juice Crew.
In 1998, DJ Polo released his debut solo album, Polo’s Playhouse, featuring Ice-T, Biz Markie, Roxanne Shanté and more.

Musicians from the hip-hop community have taken to social media to honour the late DJ. Fellow New York producer and DJ Eric B was among those leading the tributes, writing on Instagram, “My brother DJ Polo we had some great times you will never be forgotten GODS speed.”
DJ Chuck Chillout also paid tribute to Polo in an Instagram post, writing: “This Hurt real Bad RIP To DJ Polo.”

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A post shared by Eric B – Hip Hop Legend (@therealdjericb)

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A post shared by DJ CHUCKCHILLOUT (@djchuckchillout)

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A post shared by DJ Polo (@officialdjpolo)

The post Hip-hop community mourns the passing of DJ Polo appeared first on MusicTech.

Baby Audio Humanoid review: Vocal tuning and robot harmonies in a fine-tuned package$129 ($79 introductory price), babyaud.io
Baby Audio started out in 2019 with a string of well-received effects plugins and turned its attention to synth releases in 2023, with tremendous success. Humanoid combines the best of both worlds, letting you transform voices into synthesised, robot-like tones, and giving you pitch manipulation and hard-tuning effects.
Humanoid is a refined plugin that excels at more extreme vocal manipulation, but an array of hidden settings mean it can also be fine-tuned for more subtle effects to give your vocal a pro-sounding edge.

READ MORE: Best plugins for music producers in all genres, styles and workflows

Like all of Baby Audio’s releases, the interface is clean and easy to read, and is divided into five sections. The first controls the pitch, quantising the notes to major, minor or chromatic scales. Alternatively, you can select a specific note (or two notes to form a harmony), or play in MIDI notes for richer harmonies or melodic lines to follow your track. MIDI input is by far the most fun method, allowing Daft Punk-esque vocoded parts to be produced with ease.
A Robotify dial helps to intensify the tuning effect, and at extreme settings you get a strong hard tune sound. There’s also a Formant dial that can dramatically alter the vocal from chipmunk rave down to deep and filtered.
The next main section is Synthesize. This is used to gradually morph the vocal into a synth waveform. At maximum settings, it almost removes the vocal completely to sound like a pitch-tracked synth.
There are massive 64 factory wavetables to choose from, and you can import your own, ideal for creative sound design. Different waveforms provide variations in the harmonics, from simple classic waveshapes through to more complex options that are perfect for crafting characterful droid voices. That said, it’s hard to know what each one will sound like; it’s a case of experimenting until you find what works best for the current task.

There’s a central Transform control that morphs from vocal to synth, plus a dry/wet for the overall output of the re-synthesis engine. Elsewhere, there’s a Shape control for adding odd or even harmonics, and a stretch control to skew the waveform, with both affecting the overall harmonic output. Finally, you can shift the pitch up or down 12 semitones, and you can blend in an additional octave up or down to thicken the sound. It’s particularly effective if you drop the main pitch down and then blend in the octave, with 12 down giving a gritty bass synth voice, and 12 up adding intelligibility and brightness. You can also use this to create a synthesised harmony alongside the pitch-corrected vocal by setting it to an interval and blending with the Mix control.
A Filter section boasts high-pass, low-pass and a single parametric band. It sits between the analysis and reconstruction parts rather than the output, so it has a direct and dramatic effect on the harmonic content generated. The high- and low-pass slopes are steep, but you can change to smoother or more emphasised responses using the Resonance controls. It’s a useful tool for shaping the sound further, especially when doing parallel processing. However, it would be useful if there was a simple bypass button to switch it in and out.
The final part of the signal chain is a basic effects section with Widen, Warble and Freeze/Buffer controls. Widen is a mono compatible chorus effect, and Warble is more of a vibrato with either a gentle LFO or a more aggressive frequency modulation mode. The Freeze button will capture a segment of incoming audio and loop it, with length defined by the Buffer dial. With careful automation, this can create cool sounding tempo-synced glitches. More interestingly, ultra-short loop times can create a pitched note that can be controlled by the MIDI note input to give a granular-style playable patch.
One of Humanoid’s strengths is its straightforward layout, which succeeds in helping you achieve quick results. But, for deeper control and fine-tuning, you can hit the gear icons next to some controls to show additional parameters. This is also where the Utility section comes in handy, as it can help you clean up your incoming signal to get better results from the Synthesize engine. Using the Range control to set the lowest and highest notes for your melody, the plugin focuses on a narrower range and achieves more accurate results. There’s also a de-esser and a gate to remove unwanted audio, plus a Smoothing control, which smears the timbre and pitch across time to give a fluid sound and smooth out quick, noisy input changes.
Humanoid main GUI
A Sharpen slider applies a custom pre EQ to increase the presence and clarity of the synthesised vocal. Here you can fine tune the signal that is fed into the rest of the plugin and achieve more effective and cleaner results. This is important as vocal intelligibility can often be the downfall of vocoder style effects. For extra control, you can tweak the Buffer size, which can increase the quality of the pitch detection, at the cost of latency. Speaking of which, even at a low buffer setting, the latency is too high for live use. However, Baby Audio has said it may develop a lower-latency Live Mode.
Humanoid comes with a large and varied collection of presets ranging from hard-tuned lead, and vocoded robot voices, to harmonic chords and more subtle thickening effects. In fact, despite it being sold as an extreme vocal effect, Humanoid is as effective at generating more subtle double-track style layers that help vocals to sit in the mix better. For this you can use the overall Dry/Wet amount, which is unfortunately hidden behind a gear icon. Hopefully it could be an easy fix to put this essential control somewhere more accessible in a future update. There also appears to be space left in the preset menu for preset expansion packs in the future.
Baby Audio says it’s developed a new approach to vocal tuning and phase vocoding that uses an FFT-based re-tuning engine. It seems to have worked, as Humanoid can sound vibrant and exciting when used in the right context. That said, singers and vocal styles can vary wildly, and some vocals we try just don’t gel with the effect.

If you’re looking for clean pitch manipulation then there are better plugins out there, as Humanoid applies a bit of a gritty digital edge even with the Synthesize section bypassed. It’s also lacking in additional effects and modulation, which are present on some competing products. iZotope’s VocalSynth 2 for example, has an array of characterful effects that can alter the sound, and Waves’ OVox has a comprehensive modulation section.
However, for pure robot voices, vocoded chords, and upfront, edgy and modern vocal layers, Humanoid is up there with the best vocal processors we’ve heard.
Key features

Vocal transformer and hard tuner plugin (VST, VST3, AU, AAX)
64 factory wavetables plus import your own
180 presets in a variety of styles
Morph vocals into synth waveforms
Quantise pitch to scales or notes, or MIDI input
Intuitive, resizable interface
Add widening, wobble or freeze/buffer effects
Fine tune your sound with additional parameter controls
Adjustable buffer/quality control

The post Baby Audio Humanoid review: Vocal tuning and robot harmonies in a fine-tuned package appeared first on MusicTech.

Free Immersive Audio Webinar with Alan Parsons Join us for an insightful webinar on immersive audio with Alan Parsons and David Reyes from ASSR.

New Music Critique: Changing TymzContact: changingtymzinfo@gmail.com

Web: changingtymz.com

Seeking: Label, Press

Style: Hard Rock, Metal

It’s not so much that they don’t make metal like this anymore, but you certainly have to dig around to find it. Joann E. Wolfe’s vocals are strong and insisting, recalling the likes of German Warlock queen Doro Pesch. Powerful and teutonic. Meanwhile, the musicians back her elegantly and expertly.

The lead guitar is present and makes itself known, without feeling the need to jump in with two feet Steve Vai-style. Prog-metal bands such as Queensrÿche, Crimson Glory and Dream Theater are obvious references, but Changing Tymz have their own thing going on. The post New Music Critique: Changing Tymz first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Compound Finance proposals elicit ‘governance attack’ allegationsCommunity risk assessors warned against the perceived centralization effort days before the proposal’s passage.

An RC Tracked Robot, Without The PainSmall robots can be found at all levels from STEM toys for kids all the way through to complex hacker projects. Somewhere along that line between easy enough for anyone to build and interesting enough for hackers lies the PlayCar, from [ComfySpace]. It’s a small build-it-yourself tracked robot that’s controlled from your smartphone via an app.
At the PlayCar’s heart is a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, and surrounding it are a set of inexpensive off the shelf modules for power and motor control. The juice meanwhile comes from a set of AA batteries, and the motors are geared DC units. Having acquired all the components, the 3D printable parts can then be downloaded from Printables, and the ComfySpace app can be downloaded for either Apple or Android platforms.
It’s clear that ComfySpace is a start-up targeting the education sector, and we wish them every success. The approach of making an open platform is one we like, as it has the potential to create a community feeding back designs and add-ons rather than remaining proprietary. You can take a  look at the video below the break for more information.

Dear Google, who wants an AI-written fan letter?The first time I saw Google’s latest commercial, I wondered, “Is it just me, or is this kind of bad?” By the fourth or fifth time I saw it, I’d stopped wondering. It starts innocuously enough, with a father talking about how much his daughter loves Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (she “might even be the world’s number […]
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A Demo Party On A ChipThe demoscene has provided our community with its artistic outlet since the first computers which could handle graphics, and has stayed at the forefront of technology all the way. For all that though, there’s a frontier it hasn’t yet entirely conquered, which exists in the realm of silicon. To address this cones the ever awesome Tiny Tapeoput, who are bringing their ASIC-for-the-masses scheme to the world of demos with an ASIC demo competition.
With a closing date of 6th of September, all accepted entrants get a free Tiny Tapeout tile for their entry. Entries are limited to two tiles or less. with VGA and audio outputs via a specified PMOD pinout. There are a variety of categories including the expected best sound and best graphics, but among them we’re most interested by the mixed signal one that includes analogue circuitry.
Tiny Tapeout has been a particularly exciting project over the last couple of years, truly breaking new ground for the hardware hacker world. Since they’ve just recently been able to start doing some analog design on the chips, we’re excited to see what people come up with for this competition, and we hope it will provide significant advancement to the art. In the best tradition of the demo scene, they’ve even made an intro for the competition, which you can see below the break.
Want to know what all the fuss is about? Start here!

Thanks [Inne] for the tip!

ADDAC System announce Pressure to CV module Drawing its inspiration from breath controllers, the ADDAC310 Pressure to CV module offers an interesting new way to play modular gear.

Signing Story with Rockers CursiveDate Signed: March 25, 2024

Label: Run for Cover

Type of Music: Rock

Management: Paul Clegg - Cursive

Booking: Eric Dimenstein - Ground Control

Legal: Matthew Kaplan

Publicity: Amanda Pitts, Christina Cambria - Chromatic PR

Web: cursivearmy.com

Try this (Signing) Story on for size:  Two college kids from Omaha enroll in a business class requiring them to complete a commercially minded project before the semester ends. The longtime friends, engineer Mike Mogis and friend Justin Oberst, are so pleased with the results of the project that they decide to continue with it outside academia. In its first year in operation, 1993, Saddle Creek Records (originally called Lumberjack) unveiled its first release: the self-titled solo debut by the then-unknown, 13-year-old younger brother of Justin: Conor Oberst.

As Cursive bassist Matt Maginn told New Noise in an interview in mid-June, Saddle Creek “started as a collective, and then after a while, it became sole ownership for one person (co-founder and now President Robb Nansel), and we lost some of our love for (the label). We still love Saddle Creek—past, employees, all that stuff—but once everyone realized there really wasn't a collective anymore, they just all gave up and walked away.”

Turns out Cursive’s Plan B for how to release their next album didn’t pan out either, as 15 Passenger went into the ether.

“The label gave us enthusiasm again, and that spiraled into, “Let’s use (Run for Cover) to put out our own record, since we have this outlet now,” Maginn recalled. “We just didn’t have enough time to dedicate to our on label.”

Thus, for their 10th album overall and first in five years, Cursive didn’t opt to release Devourer through 15 Passenger or Saddle Creek, but rather Run for Cover Records. Incidentally, a 17-year-old founded that Boston-based label in 2004 at college. Sound familiar? 

Of course, the similarities between Saddle Creek and Run for Cover weren’t the only reasons Cursive opted to release Devourer, due September 13. Cursive had many suitors, according to Maginn, not to mention that one of the band’s trusted friends put the two parties in touch in February.

“Between their roster, friendliness toward artists, and creativity—and the easy hangs we had over Zoom—it seemed like the right move,” he said of Cursive signing to Run for Cover. “They have great digital marketing strategies and are fan-friendly too.”

Under the terms of the deal, Cursive maintain ownership of their music and also have a 50/50 profit split with their new home. Run for Cover also repaid Cursive what they spent from their own personal savings to make Devourer.

“We’ve been a DIY band our whole lives, and (Run for Cover) understands that and is cool with whatever we deliver to them,” Maginn concluded. “That label is doing it right.”The post Signing Story with Rockers Cursive first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Bitcoin wobbles as Trump delivers pro-crypto conference speechThe 45th president of the United States caused some minor ripples throughout the cryptocurrency market with his speech at Bitcoin 2024.

Need Many Thin Parts? Try Multi-material Stack PrintingAdmittedly it’s a bit of a niche application, but if you need lots of flat 3D printed objects, one way to go about it is to print them in a stack and separate them somehow. An old(er) solution is to use a non-extruding “ironing” step between each layer, which makes them easier to pull apart. But another trick is to use the fact that PLA and PETG don’t stick well to each other to your advantage. And thus is born multi-material stack printing. (Video, embedded below the break.)
[Jonathan] wants to print out multiples of his fun Multiboard mounting system backplates, and these are the ideal candidate for stack printing: they’re thin, but otherwise take up the entire build plate. As you’d expect, the main trick is to print thin layers of PETG between the PLA plate layers that you do want. He demonstrates that you can then simply pull them apart.
There are some tricks, though. First is to make two pillars in addition to the plates, which apparently convinces the slicer to not flatten all the layers together. (We don’t really understand why, honestly, but we don’t use Bambu slicer for multi-materials.) The other trick that we expect to be more widely applicable, is that [Jonathan] extrudes the PETG interlayers a little thicker than normally. Because the PETG overflows the lower PLA layer, it physically locks on even though it chemically doesn’t. This probably requires some experimentation.
As multi-material printers get cheaper, we’ve seen a lot more innovative uses for them popping up. And we wouldn’t be so stoked about the topic if there weren’t a variety of hacker projects to make it possible. Most recently, the impressive system from [Armored_Turtle] has caught our eye. Who knows what kind of crazy applications we’ll see in the future? Are you doing multi-material yet?