Bitwig and Orchestral Tools launch free sound package with “high-quality brass samples”Bitwig and Orchestral Tools have released a free sound package packed with “high-quality brass samples”.
With its diverse, dynamic palette of rich brass tones, timbres and articulation, the package is set to change the game in terms of digital brass digital sampling.

READ MORE: “There’s nothing I can do in Dolby Atmos to make the song ‘better’”: Music engineers weigh in on the Atmos boom

The broad range will include a wide range of solitary samples to dense ensemble sonics, as well as allowing users to freely combine the diverse selection of sounds; musicians will have the ability to toy with distinctive trumpet and horn sections, layer up trombone and tuba combos, or go all-out with the full force of the entire brass section.
Brass, Trumpet and Horn, and Trombone Ensemble and Tuba recordings will all offer sustained, staccato and marcato samples, with Brass also allowing for sustained soft, muted-sustained and muted-staccato options. The package comes with 18 presents, and eight remix presents for easy manipulation.
Every effort was made to replicate the true colour of each instrument, capturing each instrumental nuance, with natural volume balancing across all instruments to allow ultimate flexibility.
The Orchestral Brass package comes as the third release in the Orchestral Tools Collection specifically optimised for the Bitwig’s Sampler tool, following on from the Orchestral Strings and Orchestral Woodwinds packages respectively.
Orchestral Brass is available to download via the Packages tab within the DAW’s Dashboard, and is free for anyone with an active Bitwig Studio Upgrade plan. It requires 3.7GB of disk space.
For more information, head to Bitwig.
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“There’s nothing I can do in Dolby Atmos to make the song ‘better’”: Music engineers weigh in on the Atmos boomAudio engineers have opened up about how the push for Dolby Atmos-mixed music is altering the music landscape and in turn, their jobs.

READ MORE: This man releases a new album on Spotify every single day – here’s how much money he makes

As Dolby Laboratories Inc. revealed in their latest earnings report, “over 85% of the global Billboard top 100 artists of 2023 have one or more tracks available in Dolby Atmos.”
The growing ubiquity of the format, combined with the push from tech giants like Apple — who recently unveiled plans to offer additional financial incentives for record labels and artists to mix their music using the format — signals one thing: that the technology is here to stay.
Music engineers like James Auwarter, who took their chances with Atmos early on, also tell Bloomberg that their bet is paying off.
“Every other surround format for music has failed,” says Auwarter, who admits he was “sceptical” about Atmos initially. “But partially because Apple Music has pushed it so much and because it’s so accessible nowadays, I think it’s here to stay.”
For engineer Joseph Chudyk, whose collaborators include Crowder, Miranda Lambert and Kane Brown, “It’s a whole new job that has never existed before — Apple created a whole new job title.”
Nathaniel Reichman, who specialises in classical music and Atmos, also says he observed a surge in interest for the format when Tidal first started supporting it, with demand exploding following Apple Music’s endorsement.
Last year, the engineer mixed around 40 albums in Atmos, with the number increasing to 55 this year. Music mixing now accounts for the majority of his business, the most of which includes Atmos. Similarly, Al Lawson, who’s worked with Fred Again.., Tiesto and Swedish House Mafia, says 75 percent of his projects this year involved Atmos mixes.
That said, the technology still has some ways to go before it becomes a household staple. For one, Atmos only works if listeners own the right hardware — which already deters new users from trying it. And even so, not everyone will enjoy the way it makes their music sound, since “sounds are placed around or behind the listener rather than in front of them”.
As Lawson puts it, if a listener prefers sound in front of them, they likely won’t ever opt for Atmos.
He adds that “There’s nothing I can do in Atmos to make the song ‘better’.” Or perhaps more accurately, “There is no ‘better.’ I can only make it different.”
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Let 1,000 AI Startups Bloom: Why the Time to Disrupt the Music Industry Is Now [Kyle Bylin]Former Hypebot editor Kyle Bylin argues that artificial intelligence will soon revolutionize the music industry even more than past innovations like MP3s and streaming. AI tools will enable anyone to. Continue reading
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2024 Music Industry Predictions from Bobby Owsinski of Music 3.0We’re sharing 2024 Music Industry Predictions from our favorite thinkers and doers, and today, Bobby Owsinski takes the stage. Regular Hypebot readers know Bobby as a contributor via his Music. Continue reading
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There is more than one way to make a living as a musicianToday’s Hypebot Flashback Friday resurfaces one of our most popular posts of the year: “8 different ways to make money with music.” These strategies can help whether trying to earn. Continue reading
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NetEase Cloud Music wants to be ‘the bridge’ between artists in the West and audiences in China. Here’s how.In this feature, we speak to Vivian Wei, Vice President of Copyrights at China-headquartered music streaming platform NetEase Cloud Music
Source

The Very Loud Indeed Co. reveal DOMUS The Very Loud Indeed Co.'s latest sample library contains a mixture of loops and single hits that are said to be particularly well-suited to action and crime drama scores.

Myd’s 10-hour Christmas Dinner soundtrack features mixes from Busy P, Laurent Garnier, Sarah Story and moreDJ and producer Myd has revealed his Christmas gift to us all – 10 hours of chilled-out tunage to compliment your festive meal.
Curated and hosted by the French producer, the mammoth mix is the combined effort of Myd’s friends, fellow DJs and producers. From former Daft Punk manager Busy P, to French producer Laurent Garnier, to Radio 1’s Sarah Story, to French DJ Marina Trench feature, the 10-hour playlist has 13 unique mixes to offer.

READ MORE: This man releases a new album on Spotify every single day – here’s how much money he makes

‘The Perfect Soundtrack for your Christmas Dinner’ mix is a gorgeous patchwork of smooth jazz, gentle glam rock, flittering piano, rich R&B and staple Christmas nostalgia. The vast selection of mixes, including one by Myd, allows the mix to feel fresh for its 10 hour runtime, while still feeling effortlessly smooth.
The mix also has a few treats nestled in – with the odd sprinkling of lo-fi hip-hop, soft nu-disco and Mainline Magic Orchestra’s mix even knocking out the Clay K Slider’s Animal Crossing cover of All I Want For Christmas Is You, you’re sure to be kept on your toes.
While Myd has been involved in a few remixes and production efforts over the last few years, this serves as his biggest project since his critically acclaimed 2021 debut album, Born A Loser – and is hopefully a sign of more to come in the new year.
So, if you’re looking for just the right mix to pop on as you stuff as much food as humanly possible into your Baileys addled body, Myd’s mix has you covered. The mix is already available to stream on Spotify and Deezer – but if you’re really wanting to capture the warm, festive vibe, the YouTube stream has got a lovely fire crackling away on screen. Toasty!

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Nile Rodgers thinks David Bowie would have failed in today’s industryNile Rodgers reckons that David Bowie would have been dropped before he’d ever released a global hit if he’d been starting out in music today.

READ MORE: This man releases a new album on Spotify every single day – here’s how much money he makes

Rodgers produced Bowie’s 1983 record Let’s Dance, which afforded the late artist his mainstream breakthrough. Rodgers argued that in today’s hyper-competitive music industry, which he perceives prioritises profit over nurturing genuine talent, no modern label would have given Bowie time to produce a hit record after his run of albums in the 1970s that didn’t make a splash beyond the UK.
“They gave him all that time to try and make a hit, he called me up and we made [Let’s Dance],” he said. “[The labels] took on this financial responsibility and they would carry the artists they believed in that at some point in time would finally break, those days are truly over.”

Rodgers’ comments came during a speech made in front of a House of Commons select committee investigating the streaming economy and artist remuneration. It follows a landmark series of recommendations in 2021 that called for a “reset” across the industry to make streaming fairer for artists and songwriters.
Rodgers demonstrated the extent of the problem faced by modern songwriters and artists by comparing today’s streaming remuneration with what he received in the 1970s. He told the committee he made $100,000 in 1977 after his first Chic album sold a million copies, while in comparison, Snoop Dogg revealed last week he got $45,000 for a billion streams.
In response to Snoop Dogg’s claims, Spotify said it made money for music mainly from two sources – Spotify Premium subscribers and advertisers on Spotify’s Free tier. “Nearly 70% of this money is paid out to music rights holders to what we call the ‘royalty pool’,” a spokesperson said.
Rodgers dismissed labels’ claims that their majority share of streaming revenues is fair because they invest millions into A&R, which involves taking a financial risk on artists who might not succeed as they would hope.
“I really hate the fact that they keep using that argument that is completely archaic,” said Rodgers. “I hate to use words like ‘lie’ – but it’s a lie.”
Indeed, a new report has found that independent musicians need to generate five million streams annually to make the US federal minimum wage.
The report by music financing platform Duetti also found that earnings per stream are down by two percent in 2023, despite price increases by the streaming platforms. Independent artists are said to make $2.95 per 1,000 streams.
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Everything you need to know about the ROLI Seaboard BLOCK MAdvertorial feature with ROLI 
ROLI’s Seaboard BLOCK caused quite a stir when it was first released in 2017 – a portable and versatile MIDI performance device that combined elements of the company’s Blocks modular system and its flagship Seaboard MIDI controller keyboards.

READ MORE: The indomitable Jonna Lee: Building the audiovisual dream of iamamiwhoami

But the company has undergone changes in recent years. Renamed as Luminary ROLI, it released the LUMI Keys system for beginners and, in 2022, the Seaboard RISE 2 for more advanced players. Now, its latest creation – the Seaboard BLOCK M – is an evolution of the original Seaboard BLOCK that incorporates the very latest technology and refinements to make it more creative than ever before.

For fans and new users alike, it’s an exciting return of a much-loved product that underlines ROLI’s commitment to pushing technological boundaries. As the company explains, “ROLI is now democratizing access to its groundbreaking music creation tools with the launch of the Seaboard BLOCK M, offering unparalleled expressive capabilities, at an accessible price point. These innovations reaffirm ROLI’s commitment to shaping the future of musical expression.”
Its founder Roland Lamb goes on to expand on the thinking behind the upgrade – “The reintroduction of the Seaboard BLOCK M marks a monumental step in making the revolutionary MPE and 5D Touch technology accessible to more music makers around the world. We believe that this tool will not only foster creativity but also redefine the landscape of music production. It’s more than an instrument; it’s a gateway to infinite musical possibilities.”
It’s a bold statement – so what exactly is new?
Evolution of a classic
Retaining broadly the same iconic design as its predecessor, the M has been modified to better withstand the rigours of touring and long studio sessions. Its compact size means it’s easy to take with you anywhere, and now it’s more robust than ever.
To enable you to be a truly mobile music-maker, it has ten hours of battery life, charging over USB-C and using its USB port to connect to your computer. Here, you can send MIDI to control instruments or link with the ROLI Studio software for advanced device management.

Welcome, MIDI hardware
There’s still class-compliant MIDI over Bluetooth too, of course, but now the M also features a hardware MIDI output in the form of a 2.5mm jack, with a cable supplied in the package to let you hook up your gear.
With a resurgence in the popularity of MIDI-triggered hardware such as synths and other modular equipment, this opens up a whole new world of possibilities for using Seaboard BLOCK M in a standalone way, creatively triggering and controlling hardware with no computer required.
Plus, thanks to its DNA connectors, the Seaboard BLOCK M can be connected to a second unit to give you a total of 48 Keywaves (that’s 24 per unit) as well as pairing to the company’s LUMI Keys Studio Edition for an even bigger setup. It’s plenty powerful on its own as well though, with the unit covering two octaves with an octave shift control giving you expanded access to seven octaves of playback.

Next Generation MPE
You can switch the Seaboard BLOCK M between single channel and MPE modes. Anyone who has used ROLI’s controllers will know that MPE – MIDI Polyphonic Expression – is a revolutionary system that goes beyond the limits of conventional MIDI to offer unparalleled control to the player. MPE is supported by many of the big names in the music tech world – Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Cubase, Bitwig Studio, Reaktor and UVI Falcon to name just a few, plus all of ROLI’s own applications, of course.
MPE is a powerful evolution in musical control and expression. As we ask more and more of our music tools, the ability to go beyond conventional MIDI parameters is more important than ever and MPE helps us not only be more creative but also streamline workflows, for example being able to record multiple dynamic changes and modulations as automation all at once. For more about how MPE works, check out ROLI’s guide.
Ride The Keywave
The M’s advanced multi-touch control works via its unique 24-keywave playing surface which incorporates ROLI’s 5D Touch system, offering intuitive sound shaping through gestures such as Strike, Press, Glide, Slide, and Lift.
While the classic gestures are all still present and correct, there have been improvements over the original too. ROLI explains that “the upgraded Seaboard BLOCK M offers enhanced consistency and expressive control through the latest firmware, enabling users to personalize their velocity curve via the ROLI Dashboard.”
Extolling the virtues of this new tech, they continue, “5D Touch technology lets you play intuitively on a tactile keyboard surface where you can easily manipulate pitch, modulate sounds and explore unique sonic landscapes with gestures that go far beyond conventional keyboard playing.”

The Software Side
It’s not just cool hardware that you get when you enter into ROLI’s universe. The ROLI Dashboard and Studio applications are also integral to how you use Seaboard BLOCK M, enabling not just management and configuration of your devices but also hosting sounds, instruments and effects.
The company describes ROLI Studio as “a comprehensive platform for creative potential, offering inspirational features such as Smart Chords, Multi-Layered Arpeggio and Macros, all specifically tailored to enhance musical output and production.” You also get custom ROLI soundpacks, which have been designed to work with MPE controllers, and the unit can naturally be used with any MIDI-capable software including your DAW and plugin software instruments too.
The future of MPE-based MIDI control has never looked brighter and, with the Seaboard BLOCK M, ROLI is making access to a new world of creative performance and control more affordable than ever. The Seaboard BLOCK M is available for preorder now for £299.95 / 349.95 EUR / $349.95 and the first batch is expected to ship in March 2024.
Find out more about the ROLI Seaboard BLOCK M here
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This man releases a new album on Spotify every single day – here’s how much money he makesThe idea of recording an album a day might send the average person running for the hills, but for ambient artist Michiru Aoyama, the routine has been a part of his everyday life for the last two years.

READ MORE: Seth Troxler says he wants to resurrect the “anti hero” in dance music

The key, Aoyama says in a new Guardian feature, is having a rigorous routine that he dedicates himself to.
Each morning, the man wakes up at 5am, watches “a whole digest” of European football for 30 minutes, and then composes music from about 6am to midday. After which he goes on a two-hour walk, eats a meal, and then resumes composing again until 7pm, when he uploads the day’s work – which itself is a two-hour job.
“After that, I study a little,” says Aoyama, who goes to bed at around 11pm.
As for his creative process, the artist shares that he adopts a tried and true “compositional mould”, where his PRS McCarty guitar or Prophet-10 analog synth is run through an FX bank to create his own brand of ambient tunes.
For Aoyama, “Writing a song is like keeping a diary… I disclose all the good memories and bad memories, and writing songs every day has become a fun routine.”
“It is a trial and error process, but I release it all, the good sound quality and the bad sound quality without any concealment,” he adds. An approach that’s mostly certainly controversial, but not without reward, for the musician estimates that around 90% of his income is derived from the many Spotify playlists that feature his music. The rest, Aoyama says, comes from Bandcamp.
At present, the musician has more than 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and earns a total income of about £2,400 a month. In April this year, Aoyama “retired” from his role at the tech investment firm SoftBank, where he served as an event organiser and employee trainer.
Asked what he would do if he stopped writing someday, Aoyama replies: “For me, writing songs is like brushing my teeth. So I would not feel comfortable stopping.” When pressed, the man says: “I would take pictures, draw pictures, or write novels. But what I would most like to do is to make movies.”

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This egg-shaped personal audio chair from Solodome boasts a “flawless acoustic environment equal to pro studios”Let it be known that humanity has officially reached the peak of home audio with Solodome’s latest invention: an egg-shaped personal audio chair that offers its users a “flawless acoustic environment equal to pro studios”.

READ MORE: Apple to reward musicians who mix their songs in Dolby Atmos format

Custom-built in Southern California, Solodome is a personal media chair providing an ideal spatial audio experience without the inconvenience of installing speakers or sacrificing quality by relying on headphones alone.
As its name suggests, both the ‘solo’ and ‘dome’ aspect are key to the experience: The enclosed unit provides an individual media experience that does not encroach on others within the same space, while the dome-shaped furniture features 2 full range dynamic speakers and 2 subwoofers to optimise audio experiences for music, films, gaming and even wellness treatments.
In the words of the creators, Solodome is designed to leave no parallel surfaces for sound to create standing waves. Its natural sound-cancelling properties create a transparent environment that allows the listener to hear the properties of the source audio without the adultering effects of a room and individual speaker cabinets.
All you have to do is sit back, relax, and place your head in the “sweet spot” by the design of the headrest and seat cushions.
The chair’s cosy interior is also lined with durometer foam that dampens the speaker driver, allowing it to perform within its specifications while further diffusing reflective sound. You can feel free to turn things up, as the cave-like shape reduces the volume outside the chair by “more than 90 percent”.
By providing an enclosed acoustic space, Solodome users get a “full-spectrum visceral audio experience” exceeding a multi-speaker room set-up, all in a single unit that requires zero installation (connection is via Bluetooth or a 3.5mm audio jack) and just one power cable. Perfect for audio enthusiasts who lack the space or ability to dedicate an entire room.
Image: Solodome
Users can choose between three different sizes — the Solodome for personal listening, Solodome XL for those who want a little more wiggle room and the Solodome Mini for tiny listeners.
Order yours now at Solodome’s website.
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e-instruments release Desolate Guitars Desolate Guitars captures a selection of classic solid, hollow body and baritone guitars plugged straight into a pair of iconic vintage amps.

Why Spotify’s New Payment Model Falls Short For Emerging ArtistsListen on your favorite podcast platform: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Acast This week, Ari discusses his recent Variety article entitled “Why Spotify’s New Payment Model Falls Short For Emerging Artists.” Read the full article on Variety: https://aristake.io/spotify-variety Articles mentioned: Spotify’s article (Modernizing Our Royalty System to Drive an Additional $1 Billion toward Emerging and Professional Artists): https://artists.spotify.com/blog/modernizing-our-royalty-system Streaming […]

AllMusic Loves 2023This year, our editors chose 271 different albums on their respective lists, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the consensus picks were not records by emerging artists but rather institutions that continue to do remarkable work. Peruse these individual lists and you'll find all of these, plus dozens of other records, all giving AllMusic reason enough to love 2023.