Classical Highlights for March 2024This month we reviewed classical recordings celebrating the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, including a banjo version by Béla Fleck and an inventive medley by Michael Feinstein and Jean-Yves Thibaudet (pictured) that mixes Gershwin's songs with the Rhapsody.

@Potus just joined the fediverse via Instagram ThreadsThe fediverse — the name for the social network made of interconnected servers, like Mastodon and others — just got another boost of legitimacy Tuesday as the @Potus (President of the United States) account on Instagram Threads shared its first federated post. The account operated by Biden’s team published a message regarding the president’s support […]
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How to make lo-fi music: Tools, theory, and techniques
Learn how to make lo-fi music via our in-depth guide that explores the style's key characteristics, music theory, and production techniques.

Suno is a music AI company aiming to generate $120 billion per year. But is it trained on copyrighted recordings?Ed Newton-Rex discovers that Suno produces music with a striking resemblance to classic copyrights
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A Nifty F1C100S Dual-Board ComputerThe F1C100S (and the F1C200S) is a super simple CPU to use – it’s QFN, it has RAM built-in, and it can run Linux. It just makes sense that we bring it up to you once again, this time, on this dual-board computer by [minilogic]. The boards look super accessible to build for a Linux computer, and it’s alright if you assemble only one of them, too – the second board just makes this computer all that much nicer to use!
One the main board, you get the CPU itself, a couple USB ports, headphone and mic jacks, a microphone, a microSD socket, power management, SPI flash chip, plus some buttons, headers and USB-UART for debug. Add the second board, however, and you get a HDMI video output socket, a RGBTTL LCD header, LiIon battery support, RTC, and even FM radio with TV input.
One problem with this computer – it’s not open-source in the way that we expect and respect, as there’s no board files to be seen. However, at least the schematics are public, so it shouldn’t be hard, and the author provides quite a bit of example code for the F1C100S, which softens the blow. Until the design files are properly published, we can at least learn from the idea and the schematics. If you like what the F1C100S CPU offers, there are other projects you can take things from too, like this low-cost handheld we’re patiently waiting for, or this Linux-powered business card.

Changes to Spotify’s royalty model, including the 1,000 annual streams royalty policy, are officially live as of April 1Changes to the way Spotify calculates recorded royalties go live on the platform as of Monday, April 1
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Sony’s Pro Audio Solutions Enhance Grammy-Nominated Artist’s Sonic WorldAs someone who “swam the path of digital technology in the early days” and was an early adopter of Pro Tools, Richard Tozzoli is no stranger to pro audio. His musical transformation may have originally started in the business world of banking, but he would end up taking a diverse path as a Grammy-nominated composer, mixer and producer. With music on over 1800 TV series in 40 countries, his credits range from the NFL, FIFA World Cup Soccer and the MLB to such shows as Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, as well as programs including Pawn Stars, Swamp People and Forged In Fire. As an engineer/mixer, he’s also worked with a number of artists he grew up listening to, including Ace Frehley, Al DiMeola, Hall & Oates and David Bowie.

With a fully equipped home studio for his distinctive productions, Tozzoli blends traditional recording techniques with cutting-edge technology. Sony’s MDR-MV1 headphones and C-100 condenser microphone were the perfect addition to his line-up.

“Sony truly breaks boundaries for me,” says Tozzoli. “I literally rely on these two pieces of gear every day to get my work done. I use the Sony headphones because not only are they ultra-lightweight and incredibly comfortable, but more importantly, they sound amazing. In fact, I literally look forward to using them each day to mix, compose and edit. They are like having clouds on your head.”

He is also a big fan of changing environments when composing and recording. Working with a powerful mobile rig, he travels to the Virgin Islands yearly, recording for a variety of television shows and pushing the boundaries of the latest pro audio equipment. This year, Sony’s MDR-MV1’s made the trip. “I can recall that experience vividly because it felt so good to put those headphones on and to sit there with the sunrise looking out over the Caribbean and composing to that view.” He says.

The headphones also enhance his creativity and productivity. Because of their accuracy, he’s noted how he can hear tiny details such as reverbs and delays that get lost in a room while using speakers, or with other types of headphones. Tozzoli was so impressed with the MDR-MV1’s that he now has two pairs, to make sure anybody working alongside him hears exactly what he is hearing.

Aside from the headphones, he’s also a big fan of Sony’s microphones, especially the C-100. “I started with the classic Sony C-800G and have used that on several projects, including guitarist Romero and Al DiMeola.  But now I love the C-100 because they not only capture the lows and mids beautifully, but because of the second capsule, they have an amazing high frequency response.” he says. Aside from their clarity, he’s also impressed with their ability to take equalization and compression well, which allows him to push their boundaries in a mix.

“I love the C-100 so much that on a recent project for Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, I had a pair flown to Budapest, Hungary where the Budapest Recording Orchestra was tracking the piece. I ended up using a huge amount of those two mics in the final mix, because they sounded that good. I also used them on the same piece to track Omar Hakim’s drums, using them as overheads, along with some C-80’s for the drums. We were both blown away by the sounds. We’re now mixing the piece in Atmos and Sony 360RA, so stand by for that!” says Tozzoli.

“Sony’s pro audio products really enhance your sonic world,” he adds. “You’re going to play better, you’re going to write better and you’re going to perform better. When it comes to creating music, Sony’s pro audio equipment is a definite must.”

Wear Testing Different 3D Printer FilamentsOver the couple of decades or so since it started to be available at an affordable level, 3D printing has revolutionized the process of making custom objects. But as anyone with a 3D printer will know, sometimes the materials don’t quite live up to the application. There is a huge variety of available filaments to help make better prints, but which one really is the most hard-wearing? [My Tech Fun] set out to measure the resistance to wear of a variety of different 3D printed materials.
The test takes a standard print made across a variety of different materials, and several of each using different manufacturers’ offerings. These are then put on a test rig that moves backward and forward twice a second, with the test piece rubbing against a steel shaft under pressure from a 2.5 kg weight.
As might be expected, the common and cheap PLA performed the worst while PETG, PA, and TPU performed the best. But for us the interesting part comes in the variance between brands; the best PLA sample outperforms the worst ABS and nearly equals the worst of the PETG. Proof that maybe you do get what you pay for.
The whole test is well worth a watch, and if you 3D print anything that might be subjected to mechanical stress you should find it to be of interest. If comparing filaments is something you’d like to see more of, we’ve featured some tests before.

Biography on MF DOOM dissecting his “personas, projects, tracks, and lyrics” lands this yearA biography on the life and work of rapper and producer MF DOOM will be published this year, and it’s set to offer a deeper look into his personas, projects, tracks and lyrics.
Landing on 7 November 2024, The Chronicles of DOOM: Unraveling Rap’s Masked Iconoclast will also include exclusive interviews with those who worked with him.

READ MORE: “With artificial intelligence, digital filters and programming, I wanted to go back to real instruments”: Beyoncé on her new album Cowboy Carter

The biography has been written by journalist S. H. Fernando JR, and as reported by DJ Mag, it has been newly announced that it will land later this year via Faber. News that a biography was in the works originally circulated back in May of 2022.
In the biography, Fernando lays out the history of east-coast rap against DOOM’s life story and provides an “intimate, behind the scenes look” into his life. The book “recounts the rise, fall, redemption, and untimely demise of MF DOOM”, and is broken down into five sections: The Man, The Myth, The Mask, The Music, and The Legend.
MF DOOM, real name Daniel Dumile, sadly passed away in October 2020. He was admitted to St. James University Hospital in Leeds after suffering a reaction to blood pressure medication. An inquest was later held following his death after concerns were raised over the care provided at the hospital. Leeds Hospital Trust then issued an apology.
Back in 2021, it was announced that MC Serch’s Did I Ever Tell You The One About… podcast would take a look back on the legacy of MF DOOM for the entirety of its second season. The programme was created with the approval of the late rapper’s wife and estate, with his story being told by his “family, friends and artists who knew him best”.
Copies of the new biography signed by the author are available through Rough Trade to pre-order now for £25.
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Songwriters: Are you getting paid all the Mechanical Royalties you’re truly owed?Navigating the digital music royalty maze can be challenging. This guide reviews what all songwriters need to know about royalties so that they are correctly compensated.....
The post Songwriters: Are you getting paid all the Mechanical Royalties you’re truly owed? appeared first on Hypebot.

SongTools adds SongFly, an advertising tool built for musiciansMusic and playlist marketing platform SongTools has added SongFly, an advertising tool designed to help artists grow their fanbase on streaming platforms.....
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Drum Depot Offers Vinyl Drums For FREE For A Limited Time!
Drum Depot, Marco Scherer’s boutique sample imprint, is offering the Vinyl Drums sound pack for free for a limited time. You might know Marco as the man behind the German Beat magazine (which has also been published in English in recent years). Vinyl Drums contains 24 WAV samples, numbered chronologically and ready to use in [...]
View post: Drum Depot Offers Vinyl Drums For FREE For A Limited Time!

How to use the same strategies that Major Artists use to Top the ChartsLearn what not-so-secret strategies top artists are using to rise up the charts, so you can see your own ranking rise. from single.xyz How You Can Learn from Top Artists. Continue reading
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Pendulum’s huge arena show proves the electro-rockers are still at the top of their game after two decadesFew bands manage to unify ravers, rockers and screamo fans quite like Pendulum – and, on the strength of their sonic explosion of a headline performance at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena, it’s easy to see why.
Taking to the massive stage amid their biggest UK tour in more than 10 years, which also includes a headline show at The 02 in London, the platinum-selling Australian band’s aural and visual onslaught instantly proves why they’re certainly no legacy act.
READ MORE: Kevin Saunderson is the past, present and future of techno
Despite bursting onto the scene two decades ago, it’s clear that the platform-elevated group – consisting of vocalist Rob Swire with his Ztar Z6S-XPA MIDI guitar (custom built by Starr Labs), Gareth McGrillen on bass and vocals, Peredur ap Gwynedd on guitar, KJ Sawka on drums, and Paul Harding on DJ duties – are as energised as ever.
Rob Swire, Starr Labs’ Ztar Z6S-XPA MIDI guitar. Image: Jaden Tiger Moss
The band’s diverse, 8,000-strong crowd is equally dedicated: a mix of ages, ranging from dads introducing their sons to the band’s hybrid sound to couples reliving their teenage years, the sea of black leather jackets and band hoodies (including many Korn and Nirvana ones) further reflect their wide-ranging appeal.
Onto the high-tech show and, after glitchy visuals on tall screens and a narrator-led opening that signals it’s time to “awaken the beast within”, the group kickstart their intense live production with the unreleased anthem-in-waiting Napalm.
An eruptive fusion of drum ‘n’ bass, dubstep and Slipknot-style metal, it somehow manages to fuse Rage Against the Machine’s Killing in the Name with dystopian-future Black Mirror-esque lyrics that unleash an anti-establishment message: “Right control, break it strong; Keep ’em up, break them all”.

After just three songs, including a wildly-revived Propane Nightmares, circle pits break out left, right and centre. Before long, people are up on shoulders crowd-surfing to the front, with jumpers and beers flying overhead.
“If you took three pills and told your girlfriend it would be like Baddadan, you’re going to have a very difficult train ride home,” booms an ominous voice through the speakers early on. Alluding to the top-10 hit by Chase & Status, it’s a statement that resonates strongly with the band’s uncompromising ethos.
Yes, there’s plenty of on-trend live drum ‘n’ bass, but their sound stretches far beyond, incorporating plenty of screamo moments and thrashing guitar riffs; there’s even a curveball hardstyle moment with neon strobes that, while being a barrage of gabber, certifies that you really do get it all at a Pendulum gig.
Pendulum at Resorts World Arena, Birmingham.Image: Ross Silcocks, EntiretyLabs.
“This is the sonic recreation of the end of the world”, the narrator accurately tells the audience halfway through the 90-minute set, which balances nostalgic throwback hits and newer anthems.
Seamlessly flitting between tracks from their breakthrough 2010 album Immersion and cuts from their most recent EP, 2023’s Anima, tried-and-tested fan favourites from almost a decade and a half ago, like Watercolour and Witchcraft, work well alongside the band’s latest screamo-leaning releases, such as Halo (featuring Bullet For My Valentine).
Pendulum Live at Birmingham Resorts World Arena. Image: Ross Silcocks, EntiretyLabs
A reappearance from support act Scarlxrd elevates the rapper’s rage-trap-rock collab with the band, Mercy Killing, to a whole other level, with the refrain of “time is running out” coalescing into a headbanging apocalypse.
With a slot at Reading and Leeds Festival — the perfect festival, considering it’s split between rock and dance music — lined up for the summer, Pendulum are likely to once again welcome a new legion of fans into their world. Suffice to say, these electro-rockers are at the top of their game and aren’t going anywhere any time soon.
Pendulum Live at Birmingham Resorts World Arena. Image: Josh James
Check Pendulum’s upcoming dates and music at pendulum.com
The post Pendulum’s huge arena show proves the electro-rockers are still at the top of their game after two decades appeared first on MusicTech.

Playtime Engineering preview Blipblox myTRACKS The latest addition to the Blipblox range has been designed to introduce sampling and sequencing to young children.