Russ on independence, entrepreneurialism, and what he’d change about the music businessTrailblazers is an MBW interview series that turns the spotlight on music entrepreneurs with the potential to become the global business power players of tomorrow. This time, we speak to artist and producer, Russ. Trailblazers is supported by TuneCore. As the name of this series suggests, and explains in the opener above, MBW’s Trailblazers turns the … Continued
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The Orchard signs global distribution deal with Peso Pluma’s Double P RecordsThe deal expands The Orchard's involvement with Latin music, following its partnership with Rimas Entertainment in 2021
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ChatGPT is the most-used AI tool among musicians, study findsA new study has revealed which musicians are using available AI tools and how, revealing that ChatGPT is currently the most-used tool among musicians.

READ MORE: YouTube’s Dream Track could be the tipping point for AI-generated music

The study, which was carried out by Pirate and involved 1,000 musicians, unveiled the top 10 AI tools utilised for music production. Topping this list is ChatGPT, which can help in songwriting and composition by generating ideas and providing valuable feedback on lyrics.
The OpenAI tool is closely followed by iZotope’s Ozone 11 plugin, which simplifies the mastering process with its one-click solution, enhancing workflow for artists.
Stem separation tool LALAL.AI secured the third spot while BandLab SongStarter, which aids in combating writer’s block and generates tracks based on user input, was fourth. GOYO, which specialises in audio segmentation, de-noising, and de-voicing for improved audio quality, was fifth.
AIVA, AWS DeepComposer, Moises.ai, Google’s Magenta Studio and StemRoller also made the cut.
In terms of how musicians are using these AI tools to create music, the study reveals that 30 percent of musicians use AI use it to help with songwriting and composition, while 21 percent use it for research and inspiration.
Credit: Pirate
Breaking it down even further, the study shows that twelve percent use it for beat and rhythm creation, according to Pirate, 10 percent for mastering, eight for arrangement, eight for mixing, and five percent for vocal processing, with the remaining six percent using AI for reasons categorised as ‘Other’.
This study also found that over 50 percent of musicians would conceal their use of AI to others.
The inclusion of AI technology in music creation has been a hot topic in 2023. Just recently, Disclosure launched a project in partnership with beatport.io and Bronze AI that lets fans remix their track Simply Won’t Do using AI.
Gorillaz and Blur frontman Damon Albarn recently praised the use of AI to help make the ‘new’ Beatles track, //Now And Then//, happen. He said he sees it as a “good opportunity for everyone”, saying “there could be hundreds of my songs released after my death”.
LimeWire also got in on the AI action recently, as it launched its new LimeWire AI Music Studio that lets you create a whole track using AI. Co-CEO Julian Zehetmayr said in a press release: “Our platform is designed to break down barriers, allowing aspiring musicians and creators to unleash their potential with the power of AI.”
Read more at Pirate.
The post ChatGPT is the most-used AI tool among musicians, study finds appeared first on MusicTech.

“It’s the basic stuff but it’s going to make you unstoppable”: Kaytranada offers advice for budding producersKaytranada has shared some tips for producers hoping to land a break.
The producer offered some words of wisdom in an extensive interview with Montreality, where he was asked what he’d recommend new producers doing to help get their career off the ground.

READ MORE: Kaytranada is trying to keep sampling alive: “It’s like a collage; Not everyone is going to get it”

“I feel like producers can just be unique, you know. You don’t need whatever I’m using,” he says. “A lot of people just need a laptop or computer, you can just start from there. You’re always going to go through the rough patches before you become who you become as a producer. But you definitely gotta go through things, you can’t become the best just like that.
“You just definitely [have to] learn things. Learn how to play the keys, learn some instruments, just practice and practice. Remake your favourite producers’ beats. That definitely unlocks a lot of things. Watch a lot of tutorials… it’s kind of like the basic stuff but it’s going to make you unstoppable, honestly.”

Kaytranada wasn’t just offering advice for budding producers, however – he is asked later in the interview for advice for people who want to come out. The producer came out publicly as gay in 2016.
“I came out, but still, not everybody knows,” he says. “Don’t just confirm it to yourself. I came out in an article, that was an affirmation to just to make me believe that I’m actually coming out… just find a way to make it secure. Don’t even come out to everybody, just come out to yourself. Trying to take it to the next level’s not going to be easy, you know. Meditate, do things that are self-care as well, because it’s kind of like a rebirth.
“You’ve definitely got to learn things again and be ready for the world. You know, not everyone’s going to love it. You’re going to lose some people around you but you’re going to gain a lot of respect and a lot of love. It’s like the truest love you gon’ get because you’re full yourself now.”
The post “It’s the basic stuff but it’s going to make you unstoppable”: Kaytranada offers advice for budding producers appeared first on MusicTech.

New on Splice: Create mode updates, better search, and more
We’ve recently made a few improvements that we hope will make Splice an even more inspiring place to start your musical creations.

Mark Mulligan of MIDiA’s 2024 Music Industry Predictions: The algorithm is not listeningWe’re sharing 2024 Music Industry Predictions from our favorite thinkers and doers, and today, Mark Mulligan and the team at top consultancy MIDiA take the mic. Mark and his peers. Continue reading
The post Mark Mulligan of MIDiA’s 2024 Music Industry Predictions: The algorithm is not listening appeared first on Hypebot.

Vinyl trades call Billboard chart change ‘abdication of responsibility’Two top vinyl manufacturing trade groups have joined a coalition of independent music stores in opposing the December 29th launch of changes in how sales of physical goods (vinyl, CDs,. Continue reading
The post Vinyl trades call Billboard chart change ‘abdication of responsibility’ appeared first on Hypebot.

Trailbender Is A FREE Delay Multi Effect Plugin By Signal Perspective
Signal Perspective released the free Trailbender delay-based multi-effects plugin for Windows and Mac. Trailbender is a versatile plugin that can be set to act as a mod FX, pitch shifter, synthesizer, and more. The developer Giorgio Presti explained that the origin of the Trailbender came when he developed a tool to show his students “how [...]
View post: Trailbender Is A FREE Delay Multi Effect Plugin By Signal Perspective

ChatGPT is the most-used AI tool among musicians, study findsA new study has revealed which musicians are using available AI tools and how, revealing that ChatGPT is currently the most-used tool among musicians.

READ MORE: YouTube’s Dream Track could be the tipping point for AI-generated music

The study, which was carried out by Pirate and involved 1,000 musicians, unveiled the top 10 AI tools utilised for music production. Topping this list is ChatGPT, which can help in songwriting and composition by generating ideas and providing valuable feedback on lyrics.
The OpenAI tool is closely followed by iZotope’s Ozone 11 plugin, which simplifies the mastering process with its one-click solution, enhancing workflow for artists.
Stem separation tool LALAL.AI secured the third spot while BandLab SongStarter, which aids in combating writer’s block and generates tracks based on user input, was fourth. GOYO, which specialises in audio segmentation, de-noising, and de-voicing for improved audio quality, was fifth.
AIVA, AWS DeepComposer, Moises.ai, Google’s Magenta Studio and StemRoller also made the cut.
In terms of how musicians are using these AI tools to create music, the study reveals that 30 percent of musicians use AI use it to help with songwriting and composition, while 21 percent use it for research and inspiration.
Credit: Pirate
Breaking it down even further, the study shows that twelve percent use it for beat and rhythm creation, according to Pirate, 10 percent for mastering, eight for arrangement, eight for mixing, and five percent for vocal processing, with the remaining six percent using AI for reasons categorised as ‘Other’.
This study also found that over 50 percent of musicians would conceal their use of AI to others.
The inclusion of AI technology in music creation has been a hot topic in 2023. Just recently, Disclosure launched a project in partnership with beatport.io and Bronze AI that lets fans remix their track Simply Won’t Do using AI.
Gorillaz and Blur frontman Damon Albarn recently praised the use of AI to help make the ‘new’ Beatles track, //Now And Then//, happen. He said he sees it as a “good opportunity for everyone”, saying “there could be hundreds of my songs released after my death”.
LimeWire also got in on the AI action recently, as it launched its new LimeWire AI Music Studio that lets you create a whole track using AI. Co-CEO Julian Zehetmayr said in a press release: “Our platform is designed to break down barriers, allowing aspiring musicians and creators to unleash their potential with the power of AI.”
Read more at Pirate.
The post ChatGPT is the most-used AI tool among musicians, study finds appeared first on MusicTech.

Top Social App for Teens is not what we expectedAs a tuned-in music industry pro, you may think you know the top social media platforms, but think again. This report is bound to surprise… by Bobby Owsinski of Music. Continue reading
The post Top Social App for Teens is not what we expected appeared first on Hypebot.

Watch Vulfpeck’s Jack Stratton recreate Stevie Wonder’s I WishVulfpeck‘s Jack Stratton is a Stevie Wonder fan – particularly when it comes to his 1970s work on the Rhodes piano. And more specifically the one he played on his 1976 track I Wish, from his album Songs in the Key of Life.
He’s created an instrument patch to allow him to recreate it, and he’s shared his experience in a YouTube video.

READ MORE: Fred Again.. has produced a track on Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s VULTURES album

He begins with some famous footage of Wonder in the studio trying to recreate I Wish, as seen in the Classic Albums TV show that looks at the making of Songs in the Key of Life, and he says, “This is the straight-up funkiest footage on Earth.”
Stratton brings up the original I Wish electric piano stem in Logic Pro as a reference, and then gets up his personal favourite Rhodes plugin, the Scarbee Classic EP-88s. He records the part himself, and describes the resulting sound as “super-close” to Wonder’s.
However, it’s not quite there yet, with Stratton explaining that he hears “Huge EQ difference, and I hear way more attack in Stevie’s”. So, he uses FabFilter Pro-Q.3’s Match EQ feature to analyse and emulate the original sound, adding “a ton of high-end and a low-end boost,” coming from the Lots Of Attack preset in the Vulf Compressor.
But as Stratton thinks there’s still too much l0w-end, he uses GoodHertz Tiltshift EQ, and then adds some crunch from GoodHertz’s Tupe tape/tube simulator plugin, some Softube EQ for more brightness, and then a final Logic Pro Match EQ.
Stratton then has a patch he can use, something he describes as “so exciting for all involved,” before he shouts out Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff for the part they played in developing Wonder’s famous 1970s-era sound.
His video is an excerpt from the Jack Stratton Mixing Masterclass course. And you can watch it below:

The post Watch Vulfpeck’s Jack Stratton recreate Stevie Wonder’s I Wish appeared first on MusicTech.

Andrew Huang names his top 10 plugins of 2023Andrew Huang has rounded out 2023 by ranking his favourite 10 plugins of the year.
Topping the list is the “mind-blowing” Sonic Charge’s Synplant 2, which is the recently released upgrade to the 15-year-old two-oscillator and FM synth.

READ MORE: Andrew Huang shows off his (music) junk in new video

“Synplant 2 just levels things up in a totally ridiculous way because you’ve got a lot more control over the original synth perimeters than you did in the previous version,” Huang says in the video. “But [the Genopatch] screen is absolutely mind-blowing. You can load a sound into it and then using machine learning, it tries to recreate it with its synth perimeters.”
Huang then goes on to demonstrate how the Genopatch feature works.”Now I have a synth that’s closer to a sample that I dropped in and I can use it as a synth. I can play it on different keys without the thing that happens when you’re playing samples on different keys, changing the tone of it, changing the length of it. I can manipulate it in so many more ways.”

He does joke, however, before revealing his top plugin of the year that the real winner is Transit, the multi-effects plugin he worked on himself with Baby Audio.
Also appearing in Huang’s top 10 countdown are Minimal Audio‘s Current synth, which claims the joint 2nd and 3rd place spot alongside RANDOM by Beatsurfing. Rounding out the top 5 are Reason Rack’s Objekt, which Huang says is one of the best physical modelling synths he’s ever used, and mastering plugin Master Plan, created by MusikHack.
Elsewhere in 2023, Huang was also involved in launching the new Ableton Push 3, posting a video showcasing the power of the pad’s MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) capabilities, live recording workflows via the built-in interface, and he also demonstrates how to integrate external synths.
He also recently took EarthQuaker Devices inside his studio in Toronto in the latest instalment of their acclaimed YouTube series Show Us Your Junk!
The post Andrew Huang names his top 10 plugins of 2023 appeared first on MusicTech.

Steinberg update Cubasis and Dorico apps With the arrival of their latest updates, Cubasis and Dorico for iPad now benefit from new built-in instruments powered by the company’s HALion sampling and virtual instrument engine.

MIDiA’s 2024 predictions: The algorithm is not listeningNovember is one of my favourite times of year, as an analyst anyways. Why? Because it is when the MIDiA team pool their collective brainpower to formulate our end-of-year predictions. What gives our predictions their unique angle is that they are constructed within an inter-connected framework, factoring in the cross-industry trends that will shape the coming years. A music industry trend does not happen in isolation of social media trends, nor vice versa, and so forth. We boast a solid track record, with an 88% success rate in both our 2023 and 2022 predictions, following 84% and 79% in the previous two years. The report is available to clients here. Meanwhile, here is a quick look at some of the meta (not the company) themes:

·   The algorithm is not listening anymore: This is our headline prediction and one that we think will have far reaching impact across all forms of entertainment. Algorithms on large scale platforms once super-served users, encouraging them ever closer to their respective niches. Now algorithms are increasingly pushing users to the content that supports platform monetisation priorities over user priorities. Users end up feeling that the algorithm is not listening to them anymore. This trend will accentuate in 2024 among the world’s biggest consumer platforms, resulting in user dissatisfaction and creating a window of opportunity for new, user-need-focused platforms, starting the cycle all over again.

·   Creation as consumption: If the late 2010s and early 2020s were the era of the creator, the remainder of the coming decade will become the era of the consumer creator. The proliferation of consumer-focused creator tools on major social platforms and beyond, will herald the next phase of the consumerization of creation. Not only will this see more content be user created (thus competing for consumption time), creation itself will become entertainment, thus adding to the competition for time.

·   Rise of the threataverse:  The metaverse may feel like a bus that never quite arrives, but something much more tangible is already gaining scale – the threataverse. This is the growing trend of social platforms becoming toxic environments in which diversity of opinion is transforming into intolerance, divisiveness and hate speech. Accentuated by bot farms and clandestine actors, enabled by failing platform moderation policies, social platforms are shifting from places to share opinions, to platforms where more moderate voices no longer feel safe to speak up. Threats, bullying, fake ‘facts’ and aggressive counter-commentary have created the new defining framework of the online social world – the threataverse.

·   The future will be gated communities: Change is wrought as much by reaction as it is by action. The rise of the threataverse creates the foundations for what will come next: the shift from open-social worlds into gated communities, where groups of like-minded individuals can converse safe in the knowledge that they will not be subject to abuse and attack. The early promise of ‘everywhere, everyone social’ has proven toxic and unworkable. Expect more social platforms, to ramp up gated community features. These will also prove to be a boon for fandom. Artists and other creators will be able to converse with fans without having to worry about torrents of negative discourse from users who can currently occupy and even co-opt, their open fan spaces.

·   AI will continue to reshape entertainment: While the rights framework will continue to be disputed and defined in 2024, AI technology will continue to accelerate, both in sophistication and adoption. It will find its loudest voice in the consumerization of creation but its subtler and more pervasive impact will be a steady assimilation into creative workflows, becoming an ever more utilised set of tools for creation across all forms of entertainment, from Chat GPT creating lines of code for games, through Eleven Labs generating podcast narration, to Beatoven creating soundtracks for influencer videos.

Like what you have seen so far? Then come and engage with MIDiA’s stellar analysts as they walk through their industry-specific predictions in our free-to-attend webinar, the algorithm is not listening, on the 11th of January, 2024.You can find the full report here with 32 predictions across music, games, video, social, audio, and media and marketing.

Orchestral Tools announce Benjamin Wallfisch Strings Collections The latest offerings from Orchestral Tools promise to redefine contemporary sampled strings and set a new standard for expression and realism.