Five audio randomization tips to break your writer’s blockIt happens to the best of us. There comes a time when the music just isn’t flowing. It can happen at any time during the music production process: sound design, sequencing and even mixing. Don’t despair though, as randomization is a fun and surprisingly effective method of getting past the doldrums and back into a flow state.

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Brian Eno knew this well and, in 1975, developed the Oblique Strategies, a set of cards with vague instructions written on them like “Turn it upside down” and “Cut a vital connection”. What these are meant to do is get you thinking in a different — but highly creative — way.
You don’t need to fork out for a set of the cards (though they are worth looking into). In a similarly creatively inspiring way, try employing randomization in your production process. Below are five ways to use chance to spice up your track at the sound design, processing and sequencing stages. If you like what you get, freeze the track or bounce out the audio to preserve it. Or use it as inspiration for a new idea and keep going.
Spice up synthesizer sound design with sample and hold
Not feeling inspired by any of the presets in your soft synth? Sounds lacking in movement and interest? Try using sample and hold to add some unpredictability to your patches.
Sample and hold is a circuit that samples (grabs) the voltage of a constantly changing signal and holds (freezes) its value at a constant level for a specific period of time. This adds a ‘bubbly’ effect, perfect for livening up static pads or, in this case, the low-pass filter on a bass.
Not every synth has sample and hold. It’s more common on emulations of older analogue synths, like the Roland Cloud System-100 in this example.
First, patch out from the noise generator to give the sample and hold a random signal to clock to. Next, connect a cable from the S&H circuit to the external CV In on LFO-1 and set it to S&H. Then another patch out to LFO in on the VCF. Make sure the LFO control is up. Play with the Sample Time slider on the sample and hold circuit to change the speed of the effect. Finally, dial in the appropriate cutoff and resonance levels.

Here’s the effect in action with a beat after being bounced to audio and arranged:

Throw the dice with randomization plugins
There are some plugins out there that are designed to add random movement to a signal. This can be especially useful when processing or mixing pads or audio beds: sounds that could benefit from some movement and change.
One such plugin is Randomachine by Soundevice Digital. It has a number of different effects like distortion, pan and reverb, all of which turn on and off at different intervals. You can set the trigger to transient, DAW tempo sync or MIDI.
Drop Randomachine into an effects slot on a pad, such as this string patch made with U-he Zebra 2. Set the Trigger to Sync and then tweak the different effects controls until you get something that catches the ear. Don’t worry too much about precision. Remember, you’re letting chance take the reins.

Here’s the finished pad now run through more reverb and with the same beat as before.

Cycle randomly through Recycle loops
Dr. OctoRex, the loop player in Reason Studios’ Reason DAW, has a random way to audition loops. Any loop will work, as long as it’s been turned into a Rex file first. (If you don’t have Reason, don’t fret. Many other DAWs can do a similar thing.)
Load Dr. OctoRex into your Reason project. Using the Browser plus Run button, audition loops. Once you find one that sounds promising, hit the Copy Loop To Track button in the bottom half of the device. (Be sure and turn off Run or you’ll hear two copies of the same loop play when you start the transport.)
Now when you cycle through loops using the Select next loop buttons, you’ll hear the new loops playing according to the MIDI pattern of the first loop. This can yield all sorts of unique patterns that you would never think of on your own.

Here’s a processed random loop playing with a techno beat.

Randomize your step sequences
Some step sequencers have random functions, which can help you develop unusual patterns for leads and basslines.
Phoscyon 2, an emulation of the Roland TB-303, has an intuitive sequencer with plenty of randomization parameters. You can even export the sequence as a MIDI file and use it with another instrument.
In the Phoscyon 2 sequencer, use the Amount knobs under Random to add or subtract the number of notes, slides and accents. Finally, click Export and Drag MIDI file to the target lane in your DAW. If you don’t like it, try again!

Here’s a random acid sequence driving U-he’s Hive instead of Phoscyon’s internal synth engine.

Add chance to DAW sequences
Most DAWs have built-in features to randomize sequences. In Ableton Live there are two ways.
First, add a copy of the stock Random MIDI effect plugin before an instrument in a MIDI clip, such as in this percussion pattern. Increase the amount of Chance and Choices to change the notes randomly – in this case, the triggered percussion sounds.
Next, try playing with the Random function inside the piano roll. Click on the MIDI clip then at the bottom of the piano roll, press the button to reveal the Chance lane. Finally, hit Randomize to vary the probability that any note will play during the sequence. Lower the percentage from 100% for a less chaotic result.

Here’s that Latin percussion track with a strong beat and additional processing.

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Logic Pro 11 is amazing for macOS users — but what about the rest of us?£199 / $199, apple.com
Apple acquired Logic Pro from eMagic in 2002 and has built it into one of the most powerful DAWs on the planet. With a relatively affordable price of £199, the entry barrier to its professional-grade music production tools is today incredibly low — so long as you’re a macOS user. And the investment is worth it, particularly thanks to the free upgrade plan, meaning if you already own the DAW, the new Logic Pro 11 update is ready for you to download.

READ MORE: The best DAWs for music producers in all genres, styles and workflows

If you’re new to music production or considering switching from a different DAW, there are some compelling reasons to choose Logic Pro 11. Having your computer, operating system and DAW all built by the same company comes with its positives, including far fewer bugs and a higher likelihood of stellar performance. Plus, built-in stem separation, spatial audio mixing features, a killer library of stock samples and plugins, and impressive arrangement tools makes Logic Pro even more tempting.
But is it really the DAW for you?
Logic Pro 11 tracks
Logic Pro 11 is Apple through and through
You’ll need a Mac from 2017 or later to support Logic Pro 11 — Intel Macs are supported for now but you can expect this to quietly and gradually change over the next couple of years, with newer features requiring Apple Silicon.
This transition has already started, with the new stem separation tool in Logic 11 only available on M-powered systems. Other applications, such as RipX DAW, can do more advanced stem separation on macOS and Windows anyway, but Apple’s trajectory will inevitably be towards its own processor chips.
But Apple goes even deeper into its ecosystem — Logic Pro only supports Audio Unit format plugins. To be fair, most third-party plugins come in all major formats, but if you do have VST-only versions of your favourite plugins, you’ll have to try using a wrapper (a plugin that converts one format to another in real time) to get them working in Logic Pro.
It’s a shame that Apple is still so restrictive on this front, but we’re glad that many plugin developers have adapted to build AU versions of their software, at least.
Logic Pro 11 mixer
Logic Pro 11’s stock plugins
Logic’s instruments and effects library is incredible, boasting 108 effects and 28 instruments. It includes venerable classics from older versions of Logic Pro to new, state-of-the-art synths, samplers and instrument libraries.
There’s a wealth of sounds too; up to 72GB of selectively-downloadable loops and banks including over 13,000 Apple loops and 1,250 sampler instruments. This is all managed using a handy, searchable library interface inside the app, with easy drag-and-drop of content into a project.
The Drummer instrument from Logic Pro X is now joined by two other Studio Assistants — Bass Player and Keyboard Player — which are tied to the new Studio Bass and Piano instruments. Essentially, these auto-generate melodies and patterns based on settings that you make, but in a way that all hangs together in terms of timing, musicality and structure. You can tweak all kinds of parameters and use the new chord track to have the parts follow your changes. It’s super smart and is genuinely useful to have Logic create ideas or backing parts for songs, even if just for experimentation or inspiration.
You can think of the Studio Assistants as collaborators coming up with melodies and beats by themselves, not based on any kind of conventional MIDI sequencer but operating as their own engines.
Of course, you can ‘direct’ these, choosing different levels of complexity and intensity for the melodies and patterns, as well as settings specific to each instrument. For example, the piano has tweaks for grace notes, humanization and fill complexity, plus a manual option gives you more control on which notes are played. Still, the smart generative mode is more likely to create parts you wouldn’t have thought of yourself.
The new chord tracks, which Steinberg’s Cubase has had for some time, make these parts more flexible as they can follow your song’s key structure rather than being static.
The Studio Assistants are much more creative than standard MIDI generators and have a genuinely musical feel. Hopefully we will see more added in future, like guitars or even vocal generators.
Apple is among the first developers to integrate such AI-powered technology directly into a DAW. The new stem splitter tool is effective as well, though it’s a technology that has been adopted by a number of competitors like FL Studio and is presently done more comprehensively by RipX DAW.
Logic Pro Session Players
Logic Pro 11’s spatial audio tools
Aside from its top-level tracking and editing tools, Logic excels in its support for surround sound mixing and exporting. Increasingly important in today’s world of Dolby Atmos and spatial audio for film, TV and music, Logic’s approach is actually among the friendlier ones out there. And while surround mixing is something of an art, it’s easier to understand here than on some other platforms.
At the other end of the spectrum, Live Loops is a grid-based method of triggering and sequencing parts and loops that makes Logic a fun way to work with music in a style quite unlike its conventional timeline-based tools. And Remix FX turns the whole thing into a DJ-style performance tool.
Do you really need Logic Pro 11?
There’s a lot of choice for aspiring producers now, and tools like GarageBand and BandLab Studio are free if your needs don’t extend much beyond simple audio tracking and putting together beats. Stepping up to Logic Pro, however, takes you into a world of infinitely more powerful options. You can still do the simple tasks, but the arsenal of plugins, loops, advanced editing, programming and mixing tools and support for scoring and working with video open up immense creative potential. Even if you don’t use those features now, you can learn them later and expand your skill set.
Users of other DAWs can often be married to their workflows and invested in a particular platform. Ableton Live, for example, is popular with electronic and performance-based artists, while it arguably lacks the sheer depth of features that Logic Pro boasts. On the other hand, perhaps it’s overkill for your workflow.
But there’s also the attractive price point to consider and lifetime free updates. It’s incredible value considering its feature set and the extras that Apple throws in, such as Logic Remote, a free iOS app for comprehensively controlling your sessions. And then there’s iCloud syncing and decent project exchange with the iPad version of Logic Pro.
We still think Apple should consider opening the DAW up to systems outside of macOS. But, for now, if you can bear to be tied into Apple’s world, Logic Pro offers an unbeatable combination of features and value.
Logic Pro 11 output
Key features

Up to 32-bit, 192kHz audio
108 effect and 28 instrument plugins
72 GB of downloadable content
Session Player instruments
Mastering assistant
Sound-to-picture support
Powerful surround features
Loop and Remix modes
Logic Remote for iOS
Works with Logic Pro for iPad

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Aptos Labs, NBCUniversal partner for Web3 fan experiences, gamingMore fun is in store for filmgoers like Free Renfield The Game and the Excorcist 3: Believer premiums.

SpaceX debuts portable Starlink Mini for $599SpaceX unveiled Starlink Mini, a more portable version of its satellite internet product that is small enough to fit inside a backpack.  Early Starlink customers were invited to purchase the Starlink Mini kit for $599, according to an invitation sent to customers and viewed by TechCrunch. That’s $100 more than the standard Starlink kit. They […]
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Bktherula Rules the EchoAtlanta rapper Bktherula is just 21 years old, yet it feels like she's been around forever. It's been five years since she broke out with the "Left Right" track in 2019 when, by our math, she would have been just 16. She started making music long before that, when she was nine. By the age of 13, she was uploading to Soundcloud.

All of which means that, despite the fact that she can only now legally drink, she has bags of experience behind her. This year's LVL5 P2 album is her fifth, which is basically insane.

At the Echoplex, Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 19, a respectably-sized crowd gave Bktherula all of the love in their collective locker, as the rapper blasted through a short, sweet set. "Bkbkbk," she repeatedly told us, resulting in mass whoops and cheers.

The setlist was perfect, as one banger after another snapped out: "Tan," the aforementioned "Left Right," "Pssyonft," and a riotous "Shakin It."

By the end, crowd members had been invited on stage to literally shake it ("21 and up"), and Bk was promising to "sign titties" at the merch table. A triumph.

Earlier, British non-binary rapper and singer Skaiwater saw an energetic set inspire the sort of circle pits and stage diving you'd normally see at a punk show. The Lil Nas X-approved artist jumps genres and blurs every line that there is to blur. We'll be looking out for more.

The post Bktherula Rules the Echo first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Electronic Etch-A-Sketch, No Microcontroller RequiredIn a lot of ways, Etch-A-Sketch is the perfect toy; simple, easy to use, creative, endlessly engaging, and as a bonus, it’s completely mechanical. We find that last attribute to be a big part of its charm, but that’s not to say an electronic version of the classic toy can’t be pretty cool, especially when it’s done without the aid of a microcontroller.
This is one of those “because I can” projects that we always find so interesting, and more so because it wasn’t entirely clear to [BigZaphod] that he had the skills to pull it off. While his initial design centered around a bunch of 8×8 LED matrix displays and a 256×4-bit RAM chip, the rest of it was a lot of hand-waving. After a few experiments with addressing the LEDs, [Zaphod] started filling in the blanks with a refresh circuit using a 555 — naturally — and a pair of counters. Properly debounced encoders for the horizontal and vertical controls came next, along with more counters to track the cursor and a host of other circuits that ended up looking like a “one of each” selection from the 7400-series catalog.
While we do wish for a schematic on this one, it’s still a pretty enjoyable video, and the end product seems to work really well. The electronic version has a few features the original lacks, such as wrapping the cursor to the other side of the screen. We’d imagine that the buttons on the encoders could be put to work, too; perhaps a click could make it so you can move the cursor without leaving a trail behind. That might be a challenge to execute in logic, but then again, that was the point of the whole thing.
Still jonesing for that mechanical Etch-A-Sketch experience? Not a problem.

$125m-backed Suno is being used to make racist and antisemitic musicSuno users are making music with hateful messages, according to report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
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Arduino + TFT = Micro Star ChartWe always look at the round LCDs and wonder what to do with them other than, of course, a clock. Well, [shabaz] had a great idea: use it as a star map display. The project combines the Arduino, a round TFT, a GPS receiver, and some external flash memory to store data. You can get by without the GPS receiver or flash memory, but you’ll lose features if you do.
We like how he approached the problem. The project contains four major parts and he developed each part independently before integrating them into a whole. The four parts are: reading the GPS, driving the LCD, providing storage for star data, and determining the position of stars. The heavy lifting is done using some public domain code ported over. This code derives from a book called Astronomical Algorithms and uses the Yale Bright Star Catalog database.
The post mentions that the screen might well be a larger rectangular screen and we agree that would make this more usable. Now if you could cram it all into a watch, that might be different. If you want to play with the code, you can actually run the core on Linux. You’ll have to settle for a PNG output of the night sky, but that would be handy for debugging.
We have seen a star chart in a watch before. While this is more a star chart than a planetarium, we have no doubt the early planetarium builders would be suitably impressed.

How Wendy Carlos pioneered the evolution of synths
Learn about how Wendy Carlos helped bring synthesizers into the mainstream and pioneered the evolution of the instrument.

Sony Music inks partnership with India’s Maddock Films to produce soundtracks, pop singlesThe move comes amid remarkable growth in India's music market, and in the popularity of Indian music worldwide
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Spitfire Audio Abbey Road Orchestra Symphonic Strings Spitfire have completed the Abbey Road Orchestra string line-up with Second Violin, Violas and Basses libraries, as well as combining the entire section into one plug-in with Abbey Road Symphonic Strings.

“He said ‘What’s wrong with this instrument? It only plays one note at a time!” Producer recalls Stevie Wonder’s first encounter with the TONTO synthSynth history buffs and fans of ’70s classics like Stevie Wonder’s Superstition and Boogie On Reggae Woman might be familiar with The Original New Timbral Orchestra or TONTO, the instrument behind many of these iconic tunes.
In a new interview, producer and TONTO co-creator Robert Margouleff looks back on the first time Wonder laid his hands on the legendary synth and the creative partnership that blossomed following their initial collaboration.

READ MORE: This DJ has a price list for overplayed song requests, and Mr Brightside will cost you a grand

According to Margouleff, Wonder had approached him and fellow TONTO mastermind Malcolm Cecil after hearing their 1971 album, Zero Time.
“Stevie came in and we showed him the instrument [TONTO] and he put his hands all over it,” says the producer [via Music Radar], recalling the way Wonder showed up at their studio with a copy of the record in hand. “And then he started trying to play chords on it and he said ‘Malcolm! Bob! What’s wrong with this instrument? It only plays one note at a time!’”
“And Malcolm said ‘Stevie it’s sort of like a trumpet or a saxophone. You have to use your whole body just to get the mood and the sound and it only plays one note at a time and it comes out of your mouth.’”
“Stevie got it in a second,” he continues. “We started recording that weekend — we recorded like 15 or 16 songs. We went completely bonkers.”
“We never recorded [music] to create an album, so to speak. We just recorded music and we had a huge library of music, all in different kinds of places.”
The producer adds that this happened while Wonder was renegotiating his contract with record label Motown: “He was sick of Motown,” Margouleff explains. “Why? Because there was a formula for Motown — it had four guys dancing in sort of uniforms and a front person, male or female. It was a formula and Stevie didn’t want to be inside the formula. And also, his music was so socially significant and important it wasn’t just about ‘do-bop’ and ‘how I love you baby.’”
Watch the full interview below.

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Recording Academy updates 2025 Grammy categories and eligibilityStay ahead of the curve with the latest updates from the Recording Academy for the 2025 Grammy Awards, featuring new categories and eligibility criteria. via CelebrityAccess The Recording Academy, the. Continue reading
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Protect your music rights [Free Split Sheet Download]Here are the essential steps to master your music rights and ensure you’re properly credited with this comprehensive guide. Download your free split sheet today and take control of your. Continue reading
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Rock falls as Electronic Music rises at Festivals in 2024Over the past decade, multi-genre festivals like Bonnaroo and Coachella have seen a surge in electronic music bookings, while genres like rock and alternative are falling. by Harry Levin of. Continue reading
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