Make a Cheap Robot Mower Much SmarterThe Parkside range of tools as sold in European Lidl stores may be reasonably priced, but it contains some products of far better quality than their modest cost would suggest. This means that Parkside hacking has become as much of a cottage industry as IKEA hacking, and they’re a firm favorite for modifications. [Gabriel-LG] has taken a Parkside robot mower, and converted it from a relatively mundane device to a fully-connected smart robot, with the aid of an ESP32.
The hardware is surprisingly simple, as all that’s really needed is a stop/go command. This can be readily found by hooking up to the input from the mower’s rain sensor, allowing the ESP to control its operation. Then there’s an accelerometer to allow it to count motion, and a hookup tot he battery to measure voltage. The firmware uses ESPHome, resulting in a mower now connected to home automation.
This isn’t the first time we’ve shown you someone upgrading the smarts on  robot mover, and of course we’ve also taken a tour through the history of lawn mowers in general.

Arturia announce AudioFuse X8 IN & OUT Arturia's new expanders offer a convenient way to add some line-level I/O to ADAT-equipped interfaces.

3 Strategies that turn Superfans into Super Marketers [YouTube Culture & Trends Report]According to the new YouTube Culture & Trends Report, 89% of Gen Z describe themselves as fans of someone or something. In comparison, 65% consider themselves "video content creators," and 80% say they consume content about their favorites at least once a week.
The post 3 Strategies that turn Superfans into Super Marketers [YouTube Culture & Trends Report] appeared first on Hypebot.

BandLab rolls out advanced mobile features including automationIn an effort to enhance and fine-tune the creative experience, BandLab has introduced some new improvements and features to its mobile app. The music production platform has introduced a pair of features for its paying members, as well as general enhancements to its mobile filters.

READ MORE: Iconic music shop Manny’s returns with digital pop-up store in partnership with BandLab

One of the new features allows users to take advantage of a tool previously restricted to BandLab’s desktop software: automation. Now, users can utilise Mobile Automation on the go. The feature works much like typical automation, allowing users to automate volume, pan and effects with precise control.
The Automation tool should enable even the most novice of users to produce complex sounds and smooth transitions. While Mobile Automation is currently in beta, users will be able to take it for a spin if they have a membership.
Elsewhere, members will also be able to access a new Suite of AudioPitch Vocal Effects. All users will still be able to access the ‘Essential’ effects, but members will have an expanded selection including ‘Hip Hop’, ‘HyperPop’ and ‘Sci-Fi.’
All users will benefit from BandLab’s filter improvements. The team have introduced a new pop-up menu for sample and loop filtering, minimising the need for constant scrolling. The menu will enable users to tweak BPM, key, genre and instrument tags all in one convenient pop-out.
There is also a new ‘Recent’ toggle for users to search through their most recently used sounds, meaning you’ll be able to hunt down that killer sound you thought you’d lost. The key filter has also had a makeover; the key filter now displays a piano keyboard, so you can select the righy keys for your project with ease.
If you’re interested in utilising any of the new features, you can take advantage of BandLab’s free 3-day membership trial.
Editor’s note: BandLab and MusicTech are both part of the Caldecott Music Group.
The post BandLab rolls out advanced mobile features including automation appeared first on MusicTech.

40 resources for aspiring musicians
Explore these resources for aspiring musicians that can help you unlock inspiration, finish your productions, and share them with the world.

How Music Street Teams have evolved and why you still need oneIf you have a street team or have ever thought about starting one and want to learn how they've evolved in the digital age, this Music Biz Weekly podcast episode is for you.
The post How Music Street Teams have evolved and why you still need one appeared first on Hypebot.

Master Your Music Library: Top Tips for Organizing Music FilesTransform your music library with these expert tips for organizing your files. Learn the secrets to seamless file management and boost your productivity quickly.  by CRISTINA CANO of DIY Musician. Continue reading
The post Master Your Music Library: Top Tips for Organizing Music Files appeared first on Hypebot.

Moog Music is shuttering its Asheville store – and fans aren’t happy about itMoog Music has announced the closure of its iconic retail store in Asheville, North Carolina.
The company shared the news on its Facebook page last week: “Since opening in 2011, the Moog Store has served as a public portal to the Moog factory, inviting passionate synthesists to come inside and experience the sonic capabilities of Moog first-hand.”
“As we prepare for the next chapter of Moog Music, the Moog Store will be closing its doors. Our factory will remain open, and our talented engineers will still be in there, hand-crafting the instruments that define us.”

READ MORE: DC Snares: Plugin Boutique unveils the “ultimate snare construction kit”

According to the synthesizer giant, this “shift away from brick-and-mortar sales” affords them “greater bandwidth” to focus on researching and developing new synthesizers and support more classic Moog releases.
“To those who have visited the store to explore our instruments, participate in our workshops and factory tours, and engage with our engineers and designers, we have the utmost gratitude,” Moog added. “We encourage everyone to visit the Moogseum in downtown Asheville at 56 Broadway Street where Bob Moog’s legacy is carried forward through education and archive preservation.”
Responses to the news are mixed to say the least, with many lamenting the loss of a unique and cherished aspect of the Moog experience: “My kids had a blast visiting that shop,” wrote a user in the comment section, while another remembered the store as a “magical place to visit”.
Many fans have also expressed concerns about the brand’s legacy and direction under its new ownership by inMusic, which acquired Moog Music in 2022. The company earlier this year announced that it would be leaving its manufacturing headquarters on Broadway Street in Asheville. The legendary Moog One polyphonic analogue synth has also reportedly been discontinued.
Of Moog’s latest decision, one user slammed: “Cost cutting presented as progress. The suits are firmly in control.”
“I am glad I got my Moog when I did. Y’all are doing this wrong,” said Tansy Harris. Another added, “This is sad watching an icon fall to a slow death.”

Since opening in 2011, the Moog Store has served as a public portal to the Moog factory, inviting passionate synthesists…
Posted by Moog Music on Friday, June 28, 2024

On a more positive note, Moog last month debuted the Spectravox, a semi-modular analogue synth that specialises in spectral processing.
More than just a synthesizer, the Spectravox is touted as “an exploration and expansion of the traditional vocoder and filter bank topology, engineered to inspire and transform the landscape of modern music production”.
The post Moog Music is shuttering its Asheville store – and fans aren’t happy about it appeared first on MusicTech.

GearFest UK 2024 - Tickets On Sale! The UK's premier audio equipment show is returning to Tileyard London for its third year, and tickets are now on sale.

“When you’re in the presence of that kind of voice, all you want to do is capture it”: The pop sensation Jack Antonoff calls “unbelievable”Jack Antonoff is a widely acclaimed and highly sought after producer, with artists like Taylor Swift, FKA Twigs, and Grimes all having worked alongside him, to name a few. You’d think, with his illustrious career, he’d have seen it all – but, every now and then, a fresh talent still manages to surprise him.
And Sabrina Carpenter is the current apple of Antonoff’s eye. In an interview in the new issue of Rolling Stone, the producer is awestruck discussing her vocal talents. “She’s an unbelievable singer,” he insists.

READ MORE: “I always know when it’s done. It’s a feeling”: Jack Antonoff explains how he knows when a track is finished

Antonoff worked on a slew of tracks on Carpenter’s upcoming record, Short n’ Sweet, set to drop 23 August. Judging by his enthusiasm, Carpenter’s vocal ability well and truly charmed him. “When you’re in the presence of that kind of voice, all you want to do it capture it,” he explains.

When dissecting the charms of the new record, Antonoff notes the country twang of Please Please Please in particular. “The little vocal runs she does are so bizarre and unique,” he says. “They’re doing this really odd, classic, almost yodel-y country thing… [Please Please Please] is such a statement of expressing yourself, not just lyrically, but sonically.”
Considering Antonoff’s star-studded catalogue of collaborators, his praise holds a lot of weight. Especially when he’s calling you the hottest new star in town. “She’s becoming one of the biggest young stars,” he says.
Elsewhere on the record, you’ll find the irresistible mega hit Espresso. Antonoff had no part in crafting that track, but it certainly made its impact on the music world. It has, though, garnered some criticism for being three unaltered loops from Splice.
Short N’ Sweet is out 23 August.

The post “When you’re in the presence of that kind of voice, all you want to do is capture it”: The pop sensation Jack Antonoff calls “unbelievable” appeared first on MusicTech.

Sinuslabs Releases FREE Bandbreite Tape Saturation Plugin
Sinuslabs released Bandbreite – Free Tape, a freeware saturation plugin that can “add warm, analog character to your drums, basses, and 808s.” The open-source plugin is available for VST3 and AU formats for Windows, macOS, and Linux. As Sinuslabs explains, this free plugin delivers the goods, ranging “from subtle warmth to slamming saturation.” Bandbreite is [...]
View post: Sinuslabs Releases FREE Bandbreite Tape Saturation Plugin

RME launch MADIface XT II The latest version of RME's flagship MADIface interface delivers some impressive technical improvments across the board. 

Real gang members were hired to voice characters in GTA: San AndreasIn the gritty streets of Los Santos, where virtual gangsters roam and digital drive-bys reign supreme, Rockstar Games apparently decided that fake thugs just wouldn’t cut it for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
In a surprising revelation, former Rockstar developer Lazlow Jones revealed that real-life gang members were actually recruited to record voiceovers for certain characters in the game.

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“One of the things that I’m really proud of is the level of authenticity that we would go for,” Jones says in an interview with Kinda Funny Games. He adds that the company would regularly fly out to record people with the accents they needed, saying: “If you need specific accents or languages, we’d travel to those places.”
“So the gang members in [GTA: San Andreas], those were real gang members that they recruited and to come do voice over. We brought them into the studio, we showed them the scripts and they were like ‘We wouldn’t say that, we wouldn’t say that, we’d say this.’”
It happened so frequently that the creators eventually told them to “just say what you would say.”

Released in 2004, GTA: San Andreas is the seventh title in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, following 2002’s Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. It is the best-selling PlayStation 2 game with 17.33 million units sold by 2009.
In related news, Tom Petty’s 1989 rock anthem Love is a Long Road is enjoying a resurgence since its inclusion in the GTA 6 launch trailer last December. In fact, Spotify tells BBC Newsbeat streams for the track have increased 36,979 percent in just one week – a feat that’s been a long time coming according to Mike Campbell, the co-founder and guitarist of Petty’s Heartbreakers band.
The post Real gang members were hired to voice characters in GTA: San Andreas appeared first on MusicTech.

TechCrunch Space: Star spangledHello and welcome back to TechCrunch Space. I hope everyone has a fantastic July 4 this week. Go eat a hot dog. Read my story from last week on the causes of Starliner’s additional delay and what it might mean for Boeing’s Starliner program. Want to reach out with a tip? Email Aria at aria.techcrunch@gmail.com […]
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Bitcoin hashrate drawdown reaches December 2022 levelsThis metric can be used to spot relative bottom points in the market price of Bitcoin and signal potential accumulation opportunities.