Las Vegas Sphere owner reportedly “in talks” to open a second venue in Abu DhabiJames Dolan, CEO of Madison Square Garden Entertainment, is reportedly “in talks” regarding the potential opening of a second Sphere venue which could be situated in Abu Dhabi.
The Sphere, which is owned by Dolan’s company, currently resides in Las Vegas. It was opened in September 2023, and hosts the world’s largest LED screen.

READ MORE: How Las Vegas’ Sphere is inspiring fulldome performances around the globe

As reported by The New York Post, Dolan is allegedly pitching investors in Abu Dhabi to build a second Sphere arena in the city. “These are serious talks with Abu Dhabi. They keep going back and forth,” a source has told the outlet.
A spokesperson for Sphere has also said, “We are in substantive discussions with multiple international markets”, but they did not specifically name Abu Dhabi.

The report follows a rejection for a potential Sphere in London, which was turned down by the city Mayor, Sadiq Khan, due to concerns regarding light pollution and strains on local areas from residents near the proposed site.
Last month (November) it was also revealed that the Las Vegas Sphere had made a financial loss of $98.4 million since its opening in September. A financial loss is not rare for new businesses, however, Dolan is also allegedly facing a $225 million tab due to a feud over construction costs, which has resulted in a lawsuit (as reported by Fox 5 Vegas).
Since its opening, the Las Vegas Sphere has most notably hosted a residency from rock band U2. The shows focused on their 1991 album, Achtung Baby. At the launch of The Sphere, it was said that the venue would also host sporting events and cinema.
The structure measures at 366 feet tall and 516 feet wide, making it the world’s biggest spherical structure. It cost $2.3 billion to bring to life, and is capable of hosting 20,000 people.
Find out more about the venue and view the full list of its upcoming events via The Sphere Vegas.
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Rhodes Music V-Pan Plugin Is FREE Until January 31st
Rhodes Music offers the V-Pan ($39.95 value) modulation plugin for FREE until January 31st, 2024. V-Pan is a plugin that adds instant depth and dimension, and it’s modeled straight from the Rhodes MK8 Vari-Pan circuit. The Rhodes MK8 is still relatively new, but the classic Rhodes vibrato stereo panning effect was introduced on the suitcase [...]
View post: Rhodes Music V-Pan Plugin Is FREE Until January 31st

Scientific research uncovers why Seeb’s I Took A Pill In Ibiza remix is hugely popularA university has conducted research into how Seeb’s I Took A Pill In Ibiza remix became such a hit by examining the relationship between rhythm and sound in their music production.
As part of the study, researchers at the University Of Oslo interviewed four of the most successful EDM acts on Spotify. One of these acts was the electronic music duo, who have earned over 1.7 billion streams on the platform from the Mike Posner remix alone.

READ MORE: “It’s the basic stuff but it’s going to make you unstoppable”: Kaytranada offers advice for budding producers

As reported by MusicRadar, the findings from the study were published by Partner Science Norway, which revealed that the most successful EDM artists had used a combination of on and off grid quantisation on their biggest hits. This one finding in particular was noted as key to making a track interesting by creating the impression of a difference in sound.
According to the study, Seeb had analysed the swing quantisation in popular EDM songs when making their remix and discovered that “between 22 percent and 40 percent swing gets you the grooviest beats”.
The university researchers studied Seeb’s project files for the track and found that the main chord arrangement used this percentage of swing throughout. They also noted that “the onset of the notes on the second and fourth beats was 23 milliseconds behind”.

“All the producers were aware of how they worked with sound, rhythm, and micro rhythms,” says Jon Marius Aareskjold-Drecker, a senior lecturer in Music Production of the study. “They had different strategies, but they also did some of the same things.”
Professor Ragnhild Brøvig also adds, “If you change the rhythm just slightly, it can be so minimal that we don’t perceive it as a difference in timing, but we experience it as a change in sound.”
As part of the university’s overall conclusion, Professor Brøvig later states, “We saw that very small micro-rhythmic nuances, such as a few milliseconds of deviation of a note from the grid, had a big impact on the listening experience.”
Find out more about Seeb via their official website.
The post Scientific research uncovers why Seeb’s I Took A Pill In Ibiza remix is hugely popular appeared first on MusicTech.

Which AI tools are most popular with musicians and producers?AI for music was one of the year’s hottest topics. But which AI tools are musicians and music producers using the most? The team at the recording studio and rehearsal. Continue reading
The post Which AI tools are most popular with musicians and producers? appeared first on Hypebot.

GForce introduce AXXESS soft synth GForce's latest soft synth delivers the sound of an ARP Axxe, a six-voice polysynth originally released in 1975.

Why Independent Spotify Playlist Curators are so importantIn an age where listeners are overwhelmed by the endless choices of streaming, independent Spotify curators add a personal touch to the music landscape through hand-curated non-algorithmic playlists. by Sonia. Continue reading
The post Why Independent Spotify Playlist Curators are so important appeared first on Hypebot.

Berklee offers free course in Touring For Musicians on CourseraLearn the basics of successful touring with a free course created by Hypebot Founder, Editor, and longtime booking agent Bruce Houghton for Berklee and Coursera. This short four-lesson Berklee Coursera. Continue reading
The post Berklee offers free course in Touring For Musicians on Coursera appeared first on Hypebot.

Chaos Audio Releases FREE Starlight Shimmer Reverb Plugin
Chaos Audio has made their Starlight Night Sky Reverb guitar effect available for free as a native plugin for Windows and Mac. You can get a download link for the plugin by entering an email address on the product page linked below.  The Starlight’s interface is set up like a guitar pedal, and the shimmer [...]
View post: Chaos Audio Releases FREE Starlight Shimmer Reverb Plugin

AI and casual music creation to lead “unprecedented expansion” of music creator economy, per new reportAI and casual music creation are poised to become the key drivers of the music creator economy, according to a new report by global market intelligence firm MIDiA Research.

READ MORE: “It’s the basic stuff but it’s going to make you unstoppable”: Kaytranada offers advice for budding producers

The latest findings reveal that in 2022, the music creator landscape experienced a temporary slowdown, clocking in at 75.9 million music creators, a modest 12 percent increase from the previous year. However, MIDiA’s projections point towards a robust comeback, forecasting accelerated growth in 2024 and 2025, with numbers soaring to 198.2 million by 2030.
Meanwhile, the software and services market for music creators saw a 12 percent surge from $4.2 billion to $4.7 billion in 2022. Music creation hardware revenues are also set to climb to $5.3 billion by 2030, led by production hardware.
Image: MIDiA Research
Notably, the report highlights two key trends that are steering the course of the music creator economy: AI and the rise of the consumer-creator.
Given the consumerisation of photography (Instagram) and videography (TikTok), the music industry is poised to undergo a similar transformation. As casual music creation becomes mainstream, it is also set to trigger an “unprecedented expansion” of the music creator economy funnel. According to MIDiA, the industry’s future will be defined by simplification and consumerisation.
The report also envisions a substantial role for AI in the industry’s future growth, categorised into assistive tools, generative creator tools, and generative consumer tools.
For Mark Mulligan, Managing Director and Senior Music Analyst at MIDiA Research, “The days of discrete sectors for audience, creation, rights, and distribution are numbered.”
“The streaming-centred music business and creator tools, once distinct, are merging into one extended value chain. Projected to hit a combined $10 billion by 2030, the creator tools sector is poised for both commercial and cultural transformation.”
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Detroit funk legend Amp Fiddler dies at 65Detroit funk legend Joseph Anthony “Amp” Fiddler has died at the age of 65. A statement on Fiddler’s Instagram reveals that the musician passed away after “an extensive and noble battle with cancer”.
“We face the insurmountable responsibility of sharing the passing of Joseph ‘Amp’ Fiddler,” reads the post. “Our beloved ‘Amp’ Fiddler, Detroit’s own world-renowned ambassador of funk, soul, and electronic music, keyboardist, producer, Afro-futurist, and guiding force of light for so many, has transitioned at the age of 65.”

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A post shared by Amp Fiddler (@amp_fiddler)

Born and raised in Detroit, Fiddler began his musical journey as a member of the soul/R&B group Enchantment in the 70s, before joining as a keyboardist for George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic music collective. Fiddler toured with the band for over a decade, appearing on songs such as Prince’s We Can Funk.
Throughout the 1980s, the artist also lent his keyboard skills to sessions with Warren Zevon and American band Was (Not Was).
Working with his brother Bubz, Fiddler released the album With Respect in 1990, recording under the name Mr. Fiddler. His debut album as Amp Fiddler, Waltz of a Ghetto Fly arrived more than a decade later in 2004 – and would go on to become his most commercially successful solo album.
Over the years, Fiddler has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Prince, Jamiroquai, Moodymann, Theo Parrish, and J Dilla, whom he taught how to use the Akai MPC drum machine. His works were also featured on labels like Mahogani Music and Sound Signature, with his last release being the June single titled Come On Over, a collaborative effort with Luke Solomon.
Tributes have poured from around the globe following news of Fiddler’s passing.
Questlove wrote: “Rest easy brother Amp. For all those talks during the Pfunk tour. For all the music. Especially of course mentoring the one who mentored us (Dilla) – thank you brother.”
Meanwhile, broadcaster and label head Gilles Peterson remembered the late musician as “Detroit royalty” and a “huge influence on musicians from all sides of the globe – he connected generations and scenes… a mentor to so many”.

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A post shared by Gilles Peterson (@gillespeterson)

Read more tributes below:

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A post shared by WAAJEED (@waajeed)

RIP amp fiddler, incredibly sad news. A huge talent who was always a joy to see live, and the man who lent j dilla his first sampler.
— Mr B (@MrBeatnick) December 18, 2023

Devastated to hear that Amp Fiddler has passed away.
His impact on music is impossible to summarise in a post, but we wanted to say that we are honoured & privileged to get to know Amp through his work with Dames Brown. He was a positive force to everyone around him.
pic.twitter.com/Np56aReNbh
— Defected Records (@DefectedRecords) December 18, 2023

Amp Fiddler was a great human.
The impact he had on everyone around him was profound. He treated everyone with nothing but love and respect.
He was also a huge influence on all of the music that I love, not least J Dilla.
An unsung hero in many ways.
Rest in peace, Amp. pic.twitter.com/HNVTMvFjzV
— Thomas Coxhead (@iamcoxhead) December 18, 2023

The post Detroit funk legend Amp Fiddler dies at 65 appeared first on MusicTech.

Native Instruments Kontrol S-Series MK3 controller lets you focus on your music, not your computerKontrol S49 £649
Kontrol S61 £749
Kontrol S88 £1129
native-instruments.com

Native Instruments’ position as the developer of a huge library of software instruments and effects – as well as the gatekeeper of the Kontakt software through which many third-party instruments operate – means that it is uniquely placed to create a hardware system that ties into that software at a very deep level.

READ MORE: Surround mixing on headphones just got serious with OLLO Audio’s S5X

The first and second generations of Komplete Kontrol keyboards proved popular with players and producers. But now, alongside a Native Instruments rebrand comes the third iteration. As well as hardware upgrades the software on both sides – keyboard and computer – has been revamped significantly, something you can read more about in our in-depth interview with the developers. So what does it offer to existing Native Instruments (NI) users – and to those who aren’t?
Native Instruments Kontrol S88 MK3. Image: Simon Vinall
Look and feel of the Kontrol S-Series
The controller comes in three sizes – 49 and 61 keys with semi-weighted keybeds (our review model is a 61), and an 88-key model with fully-weighted hammer action, all from Italian keybed maker Fatar. The build quality is superb, with a new unibody aluminium construction plus capacitive metal knobs boasting a premium feel.
Also new is the large colour screen – the MK2 had dual screens like Maschine – offering excellent clarity. Where previous models required your computer to process the screen graphics, now it’s all done on the controller’s onboard CPU, as are the play assist modes. Sound is still generated on your computer, of course, but the new system allows lightning-fast reaction to your input on the controller itself.
How to connect the Kontrol Mk3
Having more brain power of its own is handy when working in standalone mode without a computer. Normally, you’d connect to your Mac or PC over the supplied USB-C cable – which also provides power – but it also works as a standalone MIDI device thanks to its full-size MIDI sockets.

In this instance, you need to power using your own USB-C PSU, but since the units only require 7.5w – a remarkably low wattage – it’s easy to achieve. Separate USB ports are available for data and power, and there are four TRS pedal inputs on the rear for sustain, expression and two assignable ports.
Taking Kontrol
NI has updated its NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) format to version 2, allowing much deeper integration with instruments that have been updated to work with it, including a plethora of NI’s own, plus an ever-growing list from developers such as Arturia and U-he. Essentially the new system makes more parameters map directly to the keyboard’s screen and controls as well as integrating more deeply with the browsing system.
The idea is that you spend less time looking at your computer when playing or producing. While that has always been the goal of pretty much any controller, the implementation here feels a real step forward. This is partly thanks to the excellent graphical feedback on the screens, with NKS 2 instruments displaying custom graphics and colour schemes on the controller as well as properly-formatted parameter labels.
Native Instruments Kontrol S88 MK3 encoder. Image: Simon Vinall
The result is precisely what NI has set out to achieve – that you feel like you are really playing the instrument as if it’s on board the keyboard, rather than running on your computer. Workflow is facilitated by navigation buttons on the controller, though thanks to the advanced screen and four-way knob controller, fewer of these are required for deep-dive interaction. So many of an instrument’s controls are available directly, with multiple pages available where required.
Direct Konnection
The MK3 now has a direct connection into Kontakt 7, which means all its browsing and tweaking features can work with Kontakt running standalone or in a DAW. You can stack instruments, browse and edit them all from the hardware, making it an excellent solution for building ensembles and live performance. Registering your hardware also unlocks the new Komplete Kontrol software, a wrapper that again can run standalone or in a DAW and into which you can load any plugins including third-party instruments and effects. This basically makes them available to the keyboard’s browser and controls. The software also allows you to load individual loops and samples and includes a sample player and editor – a welcome bonus.
It’s backwards compatible with NKS 1 instruments of course, and where a plugin isn’t NKS compatible you can create custom MIDI mappings and labels in the software, then save and load these as user presets. DAW transport controls are available on the keyboards too, with Logic, Cubase, Live, Bitwig, Digital Performer and Studio One supported, with FL Studio and Pro Tools coming soon. Here again the large screen makes feedback very helpful, showing mixer levels and the like.

Multi touch
A big new feature is polyphonic aftertouch, which can be switched on or off as you prefer. Previously only available in a small number of specialised or higher-end synths, it’s a way to play more expressively on the keys. The way it works is this; usually, if you assign aftertouch to control something like vibrato or filter and you press and hold a chord, pressing more notes at the same time will play those notes in the same state as the held chord – i.e. with the filter closed, or whatever the parameter is. With polyphonic aftertouch, extra notes that you play behave independently, letting you play them with their own expression. It’s a really nice addition and one that will be very useful for composers or anyone looking to go beyond regular keyboard playing. This parameter can be read by software with MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) and the MK3 also supports MIDI 2.0, making it ready for future developments in the field.
Speaking of playing, the MK3 has had its Light Guide system refined, with a more elegant set of colour-customisable lights showing you what notes you are able to play when scale and chord modes are active. There’s also an extensive arpeggiator system and thanks to the onboard CPU these all work in MIDI mode too, making the controller more useful than ever for working with external MIDI-triggered hardware. Other minor (but welcome) changes include moving the touch strip above the pitch and modulation wheels – which also share colour backlighting – making it more comfortable to perform control gestures with your hand. These can now be remapped directly from the hardware too.
Native Instruments Kontrol S88 MK3. Image: Simon Vinall
Conclusion
The Kontrol S-Series MK3 is a wonderfully playable and tactile controller, its keybed responsive and nuanced and its hardware providing unparalleled direct control of instruments. Yes, it’s NI’s own or those updated to support NKS 2 that will offer the most detailed level of control, but it does come with a very impressive software bundle in the form of Komplete 14 Select, with over 15,000 sounds. If you’re considering an NI controller there’s a good chance you are already at least partly invested in this world anyway, even if that simply means you use Kontakt instruments.
If you aren’t planning to explore the deep integration on offer then these might seem like pricey products; indeed, there are many cheaper and more generic controllers out there if that’s all you need. Think of these first and foremost as the ultimate controller for any NKS instrument or effect – which are huge in number – and also a customisable way to control other plugs as well, control your DAW and even go computer-free with MIDI mode. NI tells us that it has made great strides in integration and it certainly shows when you get hands-on with this new system – it’s an incredibly rich and immersive way to play and to create.
Key features

49, 61 or 88 keys
USB-C for power and MIDI data
Metal, capacitive knobs for tactile control
Colour screen powered by onboard CPU
Deep integration with NKS-compatible instruments
Standalone MIDI mode for controlling external gear
Komplete Kontrol software brings in all your plugins
Scale, chord and arpeggio modes plus Light Guide
4 pedal inputs
Comes with Komplete 14 Select bundle

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On the borderline: The different synthesis styles of the worldWhat do we mean when we say an analogue synth has an American or Japanese sound? In our recent review of Black Corporation’s ISE-NIN, we said that it’s “very Japanese-sounding.” This means its overall sound follows the general trend of Japanese synthesizers having a sound that’s clean and precise but powerful where it counts.

READ MORE: Black Corporation’s ISE-NIN shoots for Jupiter – and lands lavishly

There are four main synthesizer-manufacturing countries: America, Japan, England and Germany. Just as each of these nations has its own cultural characteristics, so too do the sound of their synthesizers. You’ve probably played a Moog or heard one in a YouTube demo video and thought, “Wow, that’s beefy!” On the other hand, you may have noticed that Japanese synths tend to be more understated and subtle. This is largely due to the specific combination of oscillators and filters.
Of course, not every instrument from a nation will follow these rules but the trend is true enough that generalizations can be comfortably made.
Everything is big in America
Bob Moog developed the first commercial music synthesizer in 1964 with his modular creations. Although synthesizers existed before this in different forms, Moog did two things that set his apart. The first was the voltage-controlled oscillator. Pegging the pitch of the oscillator to a keyboard made the synthesizer playable in a musical way. He also pioneered the use of the filter as a tone-shaping component.
Oscillators and filters. When we talk about the sound of a synthesizer, this is fundamentally what we mean. Moog primed the pump with his early modular systems and laid the blueprint with the Minimoog Model D in 1970. Both feature massive-sounding oscillators; brawny and strong, they command the room, stage or mix. If you’ve ever put finger to keyboard on a Moog synth, you can understand why Gary Numan was so inspired by the sound that he abandoned guitars in favour of synths, or why Memorymoog owners sometimes complain that the polyphonic Moog is a little too powerful.
A Moog 55 synthesizer from 1972 on display at an exhibition. Image: Francois Guillot/AFP via Getty Images
The Moog Ladder filter is also a commanding sonic presence. More than just a way to temper frequencies, its creamy contours – coupled with the musical resonant bump – excite and exaggerate the sound of the oscillators. It’s a potent combination that is very much still in demand today.
Moog was American, so it makes sense that his instrument would tend towards the big and powerful. To make a cultural metaphor, America can be seen to be advocating of freedom, with the needs of the one (or the One, to bring it back to Moog) taking precedence over the group. It’s okay if your synth doesn’t fit in the mix so well so long as it dominates on the stage.
Another American manufacturer known for powerful oscillators is Oberheim. From the first SEM (Synthesizer Expander Module) in 1974 through to 2022’s OB-X8, Oberheim synths are revered for sounding absolutely massive. Wild and woolly oscillators stack into unison monsters. Add a little detune and some stereo spread and you have the ultimate expression of the American synthesizer sound.
While Bob was inventing subtractive synthesis on the east coast of America in New York, Don Buchla was simultaneously developing the West Coast sound in California. Based around foldable sine wave oscillators and low pass gates instead of filters, Don’s creations were sonically rich and timbrally exciting in a way different to Moog’s. Aimed at experimental musicians rather than traditional ones, his version of the American sound is uniquely individualistic and anti-authoritarian.
A Moog Matriarch synthesizer. Image: Olly Curtis/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Japanese gentlemen, stand up please
Japan is also a large manufacturer of synthesizers. The so-called Big Three companies of Roland, Yamaha and Korg have released countless instruments over the years but it’s safe to say that there’s a defining characteristic to them: precise yet musical, with a tendency to sit well in the mix. Japan is a group-based society that values harmony in social interactions. It’s not a stretch to say that its analogue synthesizers (and modern digitals inspired by them) follow this same ethos.
The ISE-NIN that we mentioned at the beginning is a modern recreation of the Roland Jupiter-8. Upon its release, and despite the high price tag, the Jupiter-8 became the standard poly for music studios for just these reasons: it was musically precise and always fit in the mix. This doesn’t mean that it was underpowered in any way, just that it had the magical ability to work well with other instruments in a song.
Other Japanese analogue instruments from the 1970s and 1980s, such as Yamaha’s CS-80 and Korg’s Polysix, have similar characteristics. Beautiful and finely tuned, they are the Toyotas and Hondas of the synthesizer world. Compare them to an American muscle car-style Moog or Oberheim, with a V-8 oscillator engine, and the comparison should be clear.
Of course, a society is made up of individuals and not everyone will fall neatly in line. Korg’s MS range is proof of that. With its brash, screamy filters and steel fist oscillators, 1978’s MS-20 is more punk than synth pop and an outlier in the Japanese synthesizer pantheon. It is telling, though, that Korg swapped out the filters to more a conventional circuit for the second revision. There’s a saying in Japan: “The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.” Of course, these days, when you talk about the MS-20 filter, you’re talking about the more famous first revision.
Attendees demo the OB-X8 synthesizer at the Oberheim booth during the NAMM show in 2022. Image: Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The synth never sets on the British Empire
Compared to America and Japan, England’s synthesizer output is much smaller. And yet the country should not be forgotten when it comes to characterful synths. Less easy to define than the States and Japan, the UK is a bit of a wild card, with two major players helping to define its independently developed sound.
The first, of course, is EMS. Electronic Music Studios was formed in 1969 and is famous for its string of experimental and sonically cranky instruments, including the VCS 3 and Synthi A. With its synths famously adopted by the legendary BBC Radiophonic Workshop and space rock pioneers such as Pink Floyd and Hawkwind, the name EMS is practically synonymous with voltage-controlled experimentation.
The other larger-than-life presence in British synthesis is the late Chris Huggett. Huggett’s unique sonic fingerprint came from his trademark one-two punch of digital VCO and analogue VCF. At a time when digital elements in synthesis were few and far between, Huggett pioneered the use of digital oscillators in his Wasp (released under the name Electronic Dream Plant, or EDP, in 1978) and OSCar (as Oxford Synthesizer Company, or OSC, in 1983). Huggett went on to work for a number of other companies, most notably Novation, some of whose instruments carry on Huggett’s legacy.
Germania: Wavetable oscillators and Eurorack experimentation
Germany is the last visit on our whistle-stop tour of synthesizer countries. Unlike the first three, Germany has pioneered styles of synthesis rather than characteristics. Its two biggest contributions are the wavetable oscillator and the Eurorack format. Both have proven immensely influential to modern synthesis so they should not be overlooked when examining how countries contribute to synthesis.
Wolfgang Palm of Palm Products GmbH– better known to the world as PPG – is a Teutonic titan in the world of synthesis. He is best known for inventing wavetable synthesis, whereby the oscillator in a subtractive system is capable of playing back not just a single sample but an array of them. By scanning through the arrangement of samples (the ‘table’ of the name), users can create evolving sounds and textures, ones not possible with traditional analogue oscillators.
First released in the late 1970s, his PPG Wave instruments proved hugely popular with artists like Tangerine Dream and Depeche Mode. They sounded different from the usual analogue, of course, but being sample-based they were also flexible and imbued with a uniquely powerful sound. Fast forward to the 21st century, and Palm’s invention has become a dominant force in modern synthesis. A large number of synthesizers, both hard and soft, feature wavetable synthesis as part of their design. Modern dance music production is unthinkable without instruments like Massive, Serum, and Vital, and they’re all wavetable synths.
Mutable Instruments Beads synthesizer module. Image: Olly Curtis/Future Publishing via Getty Images
When looking at the state of modern synthesis, the other element that stands out is modular. Although one of the oldest methods of organizing synthesizers — that being in pieces that you assemble yourself into a cabinet rather than a prewired device — it’s exploded in the last 10 years or so. This is due entirely to the popularity of Eurorack, the brainchild of German company Doepfer.
In 1995, Doepfer released the A-100, a new modular system based around units that were three standard rack units high and two HP (Horizontal Pitch) wide. This was much smaller and more compact than traditional Moog or Buchla module sizes. And — crucially — they were more affordable. As time went on, more manufacturers began creating their own Eurorack-sized modules and cases. Now it’s become an industry unto itself, with everyone from small boutique outfits to established synthesizer companies like Moog and Behringer getting in on the Eurorack action.
What Doepfer’s creation has done is free synthesis from the shackles of normalled (prewired) synthesizer systems. With so many kinds of oscillators, filters, and other components available, you’re free to create any kind of instrument that you want. Dieter Doepfer didn’t set out to revolutionize the synthesizer world, however. This was no Prewired Reformation nailed to the doors of NAMM, just a man quietly making the kinds of instruments that he wanted. However, his invention helped liberate synthesis and introduce it to a whole new group of people attracted by the freedom and possibility of Eurorack.
Arturia MicroFreak synthesizer. Image: Olly Curtis/Future Publishing via Getty Images
The big blend
Many of the country characteristics explored here were set down in the early days of synthesizers. In our modern, interconnected times, it’s become common to mix and match components and thus national synthesizer styles. For example, the MiniFreak and MicroFreak, which come from a French company, Arturia, feature SEM filters borrowed from the American Oberheim. Some of Roland’s recent releases, such as the Jupiter-X, have multiple filter types, including Moog Ladder and Sequential Prophet-5 variants along with their own. This is even more common in software synthesizers, with varying filter types from the global history of synths all appearing under one drop-down menu roof. Eurorack has also helped encourage this trend, as mentioned, with individual modules of different oscillator and filter types available for mixing and matching.
As with fusion-style cooking, which borrows ingredients and spices from different cuisines and combines them into new dishes, modern synthesizers allow us to combine not only different synthesis styles such as analogue, FM and wavetable, but also the sonic characteristics of different countries. It’s an incredible time to be a musician and music producer, with the whole world available for our immediate use.
The post On the borderline: The different synthesis styles of the world appeared first on MusicTech.

Avantone's CLA-10A Limited Edition monitors Avantone have made their CLA-10A monitor available with a limited edition North American black walnut cabinet design. 

Lingrove’s carbon-negative wood alternative branches out with $10M roundThese days even niche industries have concerned souls looking for more eco-friendly options for materials and processes, from washing machine waste to artificial wool. Lingrove is taking on laminates — thin layers of wood and other materials — with a carbon-negative option that they claim performs better while looking as good. Laminates or veneers are […]
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Ian Charbonneau & Niko Bolas Record Neil Young's "Stand For Peace"Neil Young films "Stand For Peace" at StageThis in Los Angeles. (Photo by Ian Charbonneau.)

Los Angeles, CA, December 2023 - The Recording Project by Ian Charbonneau and recording engineer Niko Bolas captured audio for a quick Neil Young music video directed by Daryl Hannah for holiday release. Recorded and filmed at StageThis soundstage in downtown LA, Charbonneau provided his engineering services along with his state-of-the-art mobile flypack system and microphones to capture the intimate performance.  To meet Young's specifications, audio was captured at high-resolution 192K format, as well as for Dolby Atmos.

"This was a nice challenge," said Charbonneau, "and a great success for my new portable flypack system. It was great to have METalliance member Niko Bolas producing our first 192K project. The video performance had a very quick one-day turnaround for release a day later on Thanksgiving morning." Bolas added, "The famous Charbonneau recording ethic and Ian's talent - a remote dream team."

Having worked for 30+ years with his father Guy Charbonneau and Le Mobile remote recording truck, Ian recently founded The Recording Project and created his unique flypack portable recording system, which can be loaded into a few cases and checked as baggage on an airline. With his new mobile system, Ian has already recorded live projects for Imagine Dragons, Melissa Etheridge, Mana, Macklemore, Dolby Laboratories, and parts the Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival, to name a few.

Ian explains, "My new system consists of a DirectOut Technologies, MC Prodigy modular audio converter loaded with 64-channels of high quality MicHD preamps packaged in a custom rack. It allows to capture great multitrack recording in standard and high resolution formats. The converter / preamp connects via Fiber cable to two Avid Madi Pro Tools systems for redundancy."

For more info about The Recording Project visit: https://www.therecordingproject.com