New multiband saturation #plugin from the creators of Gullfoss. Need to test, it can be really good. #Musicians #Producers #musicproduction

Google’s AI can now create an “unlimited number” of soundtracks for videoGoogle’s AI research lab, DeepMind, has shared an update on the development of its video-to-audio (V2A) technology, a process that makes synchronised audiovisual generation possible.
According to Google’s AI page, V2A “combines video pixels with natural language text prompts to generate rich soundscapes for the on-screen action.” DeepMind says the technology can “understand raw pixels”, allowing for the real-time generation of video soundtracks.
READ MORE: EU AI Act explained: What does it mean for music producers and artists?
Additionally, the feature uses text prompts to generate rich audio soundtracks. Together, Google’s V2A technology supports the creation of dramatic scores, “realistic sound effects or dialogue that matches the characters and tone of a video.”
Google’s new AI feature means “enhanced creative control” meaning V2A technology can create an “unlimited number” of soundtracks.
While the tech company’s update on AI sounds creatively promising, there is still some progress to be made until the tool is rolled out to the general public.
The development of V2A is “improving”, however, it will be some time before the update will be widely available: “Still, there are a number of other limitations we’re trying to address and further research is underway,” the blog post reads.
The statement continues: “Since the quality of the audio output is dependent on the quality of the video input, artefacts or distortions in the video, which are outside the model’s training distribution, can lead to a noticeable drop in audio quality.”
Watch example clips of Google’s new V2A tool in action below.

In related news, Google recently came under fire from Sony Music, after the label raised suspicions that Google — along with OpenAI, Microsoft and over 700 other tech firms — have made “unauthorised uses” of Sony’s music catalogue to train AI. The public letter was titled ‘Declaration of AI Training Opt-Out’, and reads:
“We support artists and songwriters taking the lead in embracing new technologies in support of their art. Evolutions in technology have frequently shifted the course of creative industries. AI will likely continue that long-standing trend.
“However, that innovation must ensure that songwriters’ and recording artists’ rights, including copyrights, are respected. For that reason, SMG’s affiliates, Sony Music Publishing (SMP) and Sony Music Entertainment (SME), on behalf of themselves and their wholly owned or controlled affiliates, are making this affirmative, public declaration confirming that, except as specifically and explicitly authorized by either SME or SMP, as the case may be, each of them expressly prohibits and opts out of any text or data mining, web scraping or similar reproductions, extractions or uses.”
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The Doobie Brothers at the Forum, Los AngelesLegendary rock band the Doobie Brothers played the KIA Forum on Sunday night and it was their first time at that venue in three years. For the first half of the tour, blues legend Robert Cray opened the show, and the second half will see Steve Winwood take over. 

Back in 2019, to celebrate the Doobie Brothers' 50th Anniversary, the group announced a tour with Michael McDonald to take place in 2020 which had been postponed a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020 also happened to be the year that the Doobie Brothers were finally inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame along with McDonald.

Before the pandemic, they had most recently played the KIA Forum in 2018 with Steely Dan and in 2017 with Chicago. The Doobie Brothers also played Classic West at Dodger Stadium in 2017. The Doobie Brothers have gone through a number of lineup changes over their 50 year history but have always included founding members Tom Johnston (Guitar/Vocals) and Pat Simmons (Guitar/Vocals).

From 1971 to 2016, there had always been two drummers in the group, but in 2016 Ed Toth, who joined in 2005 (Vertical Horizon), became the sole drummer and in 2018, former Allman Brothers percussionist Marc Quinones joined the group.

In the past decade, there was another lineup change when Guy Allison, the group’s keyboardist of nearly 20 years, left the group and former Little Feat. Keyboardist Bill Payne joined from 2015-2021. The Doobie Brothers also include John McFee (guitar/violin/harmonica), who was a member from 1979-1982 and joined again in 1993. 

Bassist John Cowan was a member from 1993-1995 and then again starting in 2010. Since 1998, Marc Russo has been the sax player. McDonald joined in 1975 and in the seven years he was a member until the band split up. In that time the group released four of their biggest selling albums. McDonald had a majorly successful solo career following the end of the group and has appeared with the Doobie Brothers on and off since they reformed in 1987, and this is the longest tour he's had with Johnston and Simmons in around 40 years.  

The Doobie Brothers played a set of 19 songs, full of hits. The Doobie Brothers had over 30 charting singles. A Doobie Brothers show is all about the music and no special effects or guests. The set was all Doobie Brothers songs rather than including songs from McDonald's highly successful solo career. The last time they played the KIA Forum, it took place just a week after the release of their first album in seven years Liberte, but it was their first release with McDonald since One Step Closer (1980) with the exception of Southbound in 2014 which was a duets album of the group’s classics. 

The opening song was “Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me a Little While).” Other hits included “It Keeps You Runnin’,” “Minute By Minute,” and “Jesus Is Just Alright." McDonald wad featured on songs "Minute By Minute," "What a Fool Believes," and "Takin' It to the Streets." I would call the last seven songs the sing-a-long portion of the show since they spaced out some hits earlier.

Three of those songs made up the encore. McFee delivered an outstanding harmonica solo for “Long Train Runnin’” and also included a drum/percussion solo from Toth and Quinones. Throughout the show, McFee played several instruments including guitar, pedal steel guitar, harmonica, and for “”Black Water” played the fiddle. McDonald played both keyboard and organ. The second to last song of the encore was “Takin’ It to the Streets,” which started with an extended saxophone and keyboard intro between McDonald and Russo. The final song of the evening was a song that can always make people happy, "Listen to the Music.”

The post The Doobie Brothers at the Forum, Los Angeles first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Denis Ladegaillerie’s consortium now owns 94.99% of Believe, as ex-Shazam boss joins company boardFour months after Ladegaillerie launched bid with EQT and TCV, we're nearly at the finish line
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A comprehensive list of 2024 tech layoffsThe tech layoff wave is still going strong in 2024. Following significant workforce reductions in 2022 and 2023, this year has already seen 60,000 job cuts across 254 companies, according to independent layoffs tracker Layoffs.fyi. Companies like Tesla, Amazon, Google, TikTok, Snap and Microsoft have conducted sizable layoffs in the first months of 2024. Smaller-sized […]
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Why is Bitcoin price down today?The Bitcoin price is down today, hitting a 6-week low as BTC ETF outflow ramps up and traders anticipate selling intensifying in July.

Audius signs licensing deals with ASCAP, BMI, GMR and SESACThe artist-centric streaming platform Audius has signed licensing agreements with all four U.S. Performing Rights Organizations (PROs): ASCAP, BMI, GMR, and SESAC. Songwriters whose songs are played on Audius will. Continue reading
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An Easy Transparent Edge Lit DisplayDisplays are crucial to modern life; they are literally everywhere. But modern flat-panel LCDs and cheap 7-segment LED displays are, well, a bit boring. When we hackers want to display the progress of time, we want something more interesting, hence the plethora of projects using Nixie tubes and various incantations of edge-lit segmented units. Here is [upir] with their take on the simple edge-lit acrylic 7-segment design, with a great video explanation of all the steps involved.
Engraving the acrylic sheets by hand using 3D printed stencils
The idea behind this concept is not new. Older displays of this type used tiny tungsten filament bulbs and complex light paths to direct light to the front of the display. The modern version, however, uses edge-lit panels with a grid of small LEDs beneath each segment, which are concealed within a casing. This design relies on the principle of total internal reflection, created by the contrast in refractive indices of acrylic and air. Light entering the panel from below at an angle greater than 42 degrees from normal is entirely reflected inside the panel. Fortunately, tiny LEDs have a wide dispersion angle, so if they are positioned close enough to the edge, they can guide sufficient light into the panel. Once this setup is in place, the surface can be etched or engraved using a CNC machine or a laser cutter. A rough surface texture is vital for this process, as it disrupts some of the light paths, scattering and directing some of it sideways to the viewer. Finally, to create your display, design enough parallel-stacked sheets for each segment of the display—seven in this case, but you could add more, such as an eighth for a decimal point.
How you arrange your lighting is up to you, but [upir] uses an off-the-shelf ESP32-S3 addressable LED array. This design has a few shortcomings, but it is a great start—if a little overkill for a single digit! Using some straightforward Arduino code, one display row is set to white to guide light into a single-segment sheet. To form a complete digital, you illuminate the appropriate combination of sheets. To engrave the sheets, [upir] wanted to use a laser cutter but was put off by the cost. A CNC 3018 was considered, but the choice was bewildering, so they just went with a hand-engraving pick, using a couple of 3D printed stencils as a guide. A sheet holder and light masking arrangement were created in Fusion 360, which was extended into a box to enclose the LED array, which could then be 3D printed.
If you fancy an edge-lit clock (you know you do) check out this one. If wearables are more your thing, there’s also this one. Finally, etched acrylic isn’t anywhere near as good as glass, so if you’ve got a vinyl cutter to hand, this simple method is an option.

Moog is reportedly discontinuing the Moog One polyphonic analogue synthThe Moog One polyphonic analogue synthesizer has reportedly been discontinued, according to Belgian music instrument retailer Turnlab.
Introduced in 2018, the Moog One was the brand’s first analogue polysynth in over three decades. Its release marked a significant milestone, combining Moog’s heritage designs with powerful architecture and highly advanced features. With over 200 knobs and switches on its front panel, the synth has been described as a “dynamic conduit for the expression of one’s own unique creative voice.” And it certainly looks the part.

READ MORE: Beetlecrab Tempera: “As soon as we placed our hand on the grid and played a chord, we knew immediately, ‘Okay, this is it’”

Turnlab announced the news via Instagram, writing: “Moog One is now Discontinued (EOL) Still want one of these beauties? We still have a very limited stock!”.
The retailer has also responded to users in the comment section, confirming that both the eight and sixteen-voice models will be discontinued. Neither Moog nor inMusic (which acquired Moog in 2023) has released an official statement on the discontinuation at the time of writing.

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Among the Moog One’s most celebrated users are Flying Lotus, Flume, Skrillex, Arca, Suzanne Ciani, Jean-Michel Jarre, Jamiroquai’s Matt Johnson, and Lisa Bella Donna. Screenwriter and comedian Duncan Trussell has also appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast to express his love for the Moog One and other Moog products. “It would be fucking cool if you started playing the Moog One,” Trussell said to Rogan.

MusicTech has reached out to Moog for comment, with a response pending.
Although the Moog One may no longer be available, Moog is still looking to future projects. Last month, the American synth maker debuted the Spectravox, a semi-modular analogue synth that specialises in spectral processing.
Moog said that the Spectravox is more than just a synthesizer, and is “an exploration and expansion of the traditional vocoder and filter bank topology, engineered to inspire and transform the landscape of modern music production”.

 
Earlier this year, Moog announced it is moving out of its famous home on Broadway Street in Asheville, North Carolina, where it has resided since 2011. The move came shortly after the brand’s acquisition by inMusic, which also owns Akai, Alesis, M-Audio, Numark, and others, and it was reported that most of its synths would be manufactured in Taiwan moving forward.
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Virgin Music Group, Island sign agreement with Carín León’s Socios Music to release new materialThe first release under the new partnership has already resulted in León’s best first-week album debut to date
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“Human-created works must be respected”: 50 major music tech brands sign Principles for Music Creation with AIOver fifty global music technology companies and associations have penned their support for Roland and UMG’s Principles for Music Creation with AI. Per the principles, the participating companies advocate for the responsible use of AI in music creation, to “protect the essence of music — its human spirit”.
BandLab Technologies, Splice, Beatport, Focusrite, Output, LANDR, Waves, Eventide, Native Instruments, NAMM, Sequential, Oberheim and more have united in a bid to protect the rights of musicians as the industry sees an acceleration of generative AI tech.
The guidelines were established to encourage key figures in the music technology space to be mindful of the potential risks of AI. In a statement, AIformusic says that it’s crucial to responsibly manage the impact of machine learning tools and adhere to the Principles to ensure that the music industry is protecting the integrity of artists. Still, it adds, it acknowledges that AI can be an empowering tool for musicians and creators when applied with caution.
The statement continues to say that the alignment of music industry leaders “cannot be understated and plays an invaluable role in shaping a responsible future for AI in music creation.”
AIformusic also says it “strongly encourages” further organisations and brands around the globe to endorse the principles, as the
The seven Principles for Music Creation with AI are as follows:

“We believe music is central to humanity.”
“We believe humanity and music are inseparable.”
“We believe that technology has long supported human artistic expression, and applied sustainably, AI will amplify human creativity.”
“We believe that human-created works must be respected and protected.”
“We believe that transparency is essential to responsible and trustworthy AI.”
“We believe the perspectives of music artists, songwriters, and other creators must be sought after and respected.”
“We are proud to help bring music to life.”

BandLab Technologies CEO and co-founder Meng Ru Kuok says of the principles, “We are at a pivotal moment in the evolution of music creation. As leaders, it is our responsibility to thoughtfully ensure that AI supports artists and respects their creative integrity. As we develop new tools, we must remember that technology is at its best when it enhances, not overshadows, human creativity.”
Splice CEO Kakul Srivastava adds, “AI brings new opportunities to our industry and many musicians are being inspired by these tools. But this is a critical time to support responsibility around new technology and respect for the rights of creators everywhere. This is about the human at the center.”
“As with all technologies, the Focusrite Group desires to see AI become another toolset to further the creativity of artists vs. a threat to our industry,” said Focusrite PLC CEO Tim Carroll. “We are proud to support AI For Music and to do our part to help ensure this technology is used in a responsible manner.”
Earlier today, the RIAA announced that it had filed a lawsuit against AI music generation platforms Udio and Suno, with the plaintiffs including Sony Entertainment Music, Warner Records, and Universal Music Group. The lawsuit seeks damages of up to $150,00 for each piece of infringed work, and to stop the two AI companies from training on the label’s copyrighted songs.
Read more music technology news. 
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“A lot of time was spent trying to make it perfect”: The Chemical Brothers on ‘Surrender’ 25 years laterThe Chemical Brothers have looked back on their experience making their landmark album Surrender, 25 years on from its release.

READ MORE: The Chemical Brothers live review: Trailblazing electronic duo’s rave spectacle lights up London’s O2 Arena

Tom Rowlands, one half of the electronic music duo, spoke to DJ Mag about the quarter-century milestone of their third album, which arrived as dance music was exploding around the turn of the millennium.
“I sometimes think that the record you make is the reaction to the last one,” Rowlands says. “We’d really chased after something with ‘Dig Your Own Hole’, and we’d kind of got that. ‘Surrender’ was going to open things up to be a more collaborative work. When we started, we were driven by the excitement of coming off the last album and feeling we could do anything, really.”
Rowlands also identifies that the record “has a sheen to it” and was the product of the duo becoming “obsessed” with making what they considered to be the perfect version of an album.

“A lot of time was spent trying to make it perfect. Whereas other music we’ve made, we spent a lot of time making it imperfect. This was us trying to make something that just felt right, as soon as you heard it.”
He continues: “It was a time when we were trying to squeeze in everything we liked about music, everything we wanted to say with our music, trying to get all these elements of our band in one record that didn’t feel disjointed or bolted together.”
“All our records are influenced by our first connection with acid house, and everything within that – the sort of intoxicating feeling that we had when we first found dance music,” he continues. “Obviously we were going out a lot and we were playing live a lot, and I suppose we were playing bigger stages. It’s almost like a sort of feedback loop for us: when we’re DJing or when we’re playing live, some of the music gets really influenced by where we imagine playing it.”
Featuring huge singles including Hey Boy Hey Girl, Let Forever Be, Music:Response and Out Of Control, Surrender sold over 2.3 million copies worldwide in the 25 years since its release.
Read more music technology news. 
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Build Your Own Core Rope Memory Module?[Luizão] wanted to create some hardware to honour the memory of the technology used to put man on the moon and chose the literal core of the project, that of the hardware used to store the software that provided the guidance. We’re talking about the magnetic core rope memory used in the Colossus and Luminary guidance computers. [Luizão] didn’t go totally all out and make a direct copy but instead produced a scaled-down but supersized demo board with just eight cores, each with twelve addressable lines, producing a memory with 96 bits.
The components chosen are all big honking through-hole parts, reminiscent of those available at the time, nicely laid out in an educational context. You could easily show someone how to re-code the memory with only a screwdriver to hand; no microscope is required for this memory. The board was designed in EasyEDA, and is about as simple as possible. Being an AC system, this operates in a continuous wave fashion rather than a pulsed operation mode, as a practical memory would. A clock input drives a large buffer transistor, which pushes current through one of the address wires via a 12-way rotary switch. The cores then act as transformers. If the address wire passes through the core, the signal is passed to the secondary coil, which feeds a simple rectifying amplifier and lights the corresponding LED. Eight such circuits operate in parallel, one per bit. Extending this would be easy.

Obviously, we’ve covered the Apollo program a fair bit. Here’s a fun tale about recovering the guidance software from the real hardware. Like always, the various space programs create new technologies that we mere mortals get to use, such as an auto-dialling telephone.
(video in Brazilian Portuguese)

New Spotify subscription tiers unintentionally confirm Music’s ValueAfter raising the price of Premium US subscriptions twice in the last year, Spotify has added new plans with and without audiobooks.....
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Record labels sue AI music generators Suno and Udio alleging “unimaginable scales” of copyright infringementUniversal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Records Inc have filed lawsuits today (24 June) against AI music platforms, Suno and Udio. The record labels have alleged copyright infringement of recorded music at “an almost unimaginable scale.”
Suno and Udio have become infamous in recent months for their music-generation capabilities. You can create entire songs using a single-word prompt if you so choose. However, suspicions have arisen about how these models can reproduce sounds and styles so accurately.
READ MORE: What does Suno AI mean for music producers and the music industry?
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is now leading lawsuits, reports Billboard, with Sony, Universal and Warner among the plaintiffs. The lawsuits, filed in the US courts, allege that Suno and Udio have unlawfully trained their generative AI models on the label’s recordings. The RIAA claims that this is “mass infringement of copyrighted sound recordings copied and exploited without permission by two multi-million-dollar music generation services.”
The plaintiffs are seeking damages of up to $150,00 for each piece of infringed work, according to Wired. The lawsuit is also seeking to stop the two AI companies from training on the label’s copyrighted songs.
RIAA adds that Suno and Udio’s generative music could “saturate the market with machine-generated content that will directly compete with, cheapen and ultimately drown out the genuine sound recordings on which [the services were] built.
“AI companies, like all other enterprises, must abide by the laws that protect human creativity and ingenuity,” continues the RIAA per MBW. “There is nothing that exempts AI technology from copyright law or that excuses AI companies from playing by the rules.”
Neither Suno or Udio have publicly stated how they trained their music platforms. However, the lawsuit alleges that the two companies are “attempting to hide the full scope of their infringement.”
As reported by Billboard, RIAA CEO and chairman Mitch Glazier says of the lawsuits, “The music community has embraced AI and we are already partnering and collaborating with responsible developers to build sustainable AI tools centred on human creativity that put artists and songwriters in charge. But we can only succeed if developers are willing to work together with us. Unlicensed services like Suno and Udio that claim it’s ‘fair’ to copy an artist’s life’s work and exploit it for their own profit without consent or pay set back the promise of genuinely innovative AI for us all.”
RIAA Chief Legal Officer Ken Doroshow adds, “These are straightforward cases of copyright infringement involving unlicensed copying of sound recordings on a massive scale. Suno and Udio are attempting to hide the full scope of their infringement rather than putting their services on a sound and lawful footing. These lawsuits are necessary to reinforce the most basic rules of the road for the responsible, ethical, and lawful development of generative AI systems and to bring Suno’s and Udio’s blatant infringement to an end.”
This is a developing story. 
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