TikTok will shut down rather than sell to U.S. owner, Reuters reportsTikTok owner ByteDance will shut down the app rather than sell it if legal options fail to combat legislation to ban the app in the U.S., but the reasons behind. Continue reading
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Get FREE IK Multimedia Quad Image on April 30th at Bedroom Producers Blog
Bedroom Producers Blog will give its readers 25,000 free IK Multimedia Quad Image licenses at 2 p.m. (CET) on Tuesday, April 30th. First of all, a big THANK YOU to our friends at IK Multimedia for sponsoring this giveaway. We asked BPB readers on Facebook what freebie they’d like to see next, and the majority voted [...]
View post: Get FREE IK Multimedia Quad Image on April 30th at Bedroom Producers Blog

Company founded by former Spitfire Audio CEO launches first plugin, OSSSong Athletics, a company founded by former Spitfire Audio CEO Will Evans, has launched its first ever plugin, OSS.
OSS, or One Shot Sampler in full, is a streamlined standalone plugin designed to help creatives “find the joy” in their one shot collection, and it’s just £40.

READ MORE: “The most advanced creative synthesizer ever”: Roland launches new FANTOM EX synth series

Though this is just the first product launch from the new brand, it seems Song Athletics is set to follow a similar theme across many of its other tools too. Described as an independent creative studio, with a focus on music, technology and culture, Song Athletics is a “purposely small” slow business, and the brand says all decisions are made with a long-term view.
“Our approach to products is to be simple and refined,” it explains. “This reflects how we use them. If you want lots of control and features, other people do that much better.”
The uber-sleek OSS allows users to access and trigger their samples quickly and easily. Simply locate your samples, write a melody or hold a chord, and scan through your one shots “like presets on a synth”. There are controls for start, gain, attack, release, sustain and decay. Additionally, the background image and colour scheme in OSS are also customisable.
“We believe that there’s so much to be had from a single one shot sample,” states Song Athletics on its website. “Typically we think of drum kit one shots, and they’re great of course, but one shots taken from more melodic instruments or tonal environments are capable of so much more than they’re given credit for.
“Take a slow, undulating sample of an old keyboard running through delays and reverbs, and with just one note, primitively but beautifully stretched across the keyboard, you’ve got a lush, evolving pad instrument whose limitations create something quite distinctive. Feed OSS your own one shots and we guarantee you’ll be inspired, fast.”
Take a look in the video below:

Find out more at Song Athletics.
The post Company founded by former Spitfire Audio CEO launches first plugin, OSS appeared first on MusicTech.

Crow Hill Company’s Circuit Drums E-drum Plugin is Free for 36 Hours Only
The Crow Hill Company is currently offering the Demon Drop #001 Circuit Drums plugin for free download, and the offer is due to expire in 36 hours at the time of writing.  Circuit Drums is a Windows and macOS release for AU, VST, VST3, and AAX. You can access the download by signing up for [...]
View post: Crow Hill Company’s Circuit Drums E-drum Plugin is Free for 36 Hours Only

MPG Awards 2024: Winners announced Now in its 16th year, the annual event was set up to recognise and acknowledge the talent of those working behind the scenes in the music industry.

Nearly half of DJs say gigs are harder to find and pay less post-Covid, per IMS business reportNearly half of DJs find that securing gigs has become more challenging and less lucrative in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the 2024 IMS Business Report.
The annual report, which evaluates the health of the dance music industry, positions the sector “firmly in its post-pandemic growth phase”. Revenue grew by 17 per cent in 2023 to reach a value of $11.8 billion, with festivals and clubs dominating revenues, accounting for nearly half of the industry total.

READ MORE: Digitakt II is here: Featuring stereo samples, RAM and storage boosts, and tons more goodies

Combined, the 15 leading music companies have increased revenues to almost double pre-pandemic levels. Independent labels in particular, experienced the fastest growth in market share in 2023, reaching 31 per cent. Self-releasing artists, meanwhile, lost share — a likely aftermath of the changes to streaming royalties over the past year.
Live music also continues its post-Covid renaissance, with live companies enjoying the strongest growth of 35 per cent across all business types. According to Pollstar, the top 100 tours generated an impressive $9.2 billion in revenue in 2023.
“2022 was an unusual year, in that it reflected the post-pandemic bounce back effect for live,” said Mark Mulligan, MD & Analyst at MIDiA Research. “There was a risk that 2023 would struggle to live up to those inflated expectations, but instead the electronic music industry grew strongly once again, with impressive growth across virtually all of its constituent parts.”
Although live has returned in force, a sizable number of DJs are still finding things harder than before the pandemic.
40 per cent of those surveyed find that gigs are generally paying less, with 41 per cent finding it harder to even secure bookings. And while performing is where the money’s at for most DJs — as opposed to royalties, an overwhelming majority (85 per cent) believe that making music is still more important than DJing.
The report also spotlights the industry’s concerns about wider industry trends, with 70 per cent agreeing that artist development is falling through the cracks and more than half (57 per cent) worried about generative AI.
Read the full report at International Music Summit.
The post Nearly half of DJs say gigs are harder to find and pay less post-Covid, per IMS business report appeared first on MusicTech.

"The worst get-rich-quick scheme in the universe" - #MusicBusiness

Kenny Beats: “There is no one dumber than a person trying to get rich by making music”The music industry has changed considerably in the last few decades. Once upon a time, hitting the big time, landing a record deal and getting your music heard by millions was a fast-track to fortune. But the system has changed.
That was the pre-streaming era; millions more people were buying records and pumping money into the music-making market. It’s no secret that streaming has dealt an all-but-fatal blow to most musicians’ prospects of making a sustainable income directly through their art – at least without multiple other avenues of income.

READ MORE: No, Daniel Ek, the music industry isn’t like professional football

Obviously, it’s a relevant issue to every single artist out there today, so there are many varying opinions. Producer and DJ Kenny Beats has weighed in with a new Instagram post, in which he describes the music industry in its current form as “the worst get-rich-quick scheme in the universe”.
“I’ve been making music as a job since I was 16 years old and in my 30s I can support myself and my family comfortably, yes,” he begins.
“I’m telling you as a multi-platinum multi-Grammy-nominated producer that getting rich off music only in 2024 is impossible without many other sources of income. I’m not lying to you to hate on you. It’s a warning that you should be in it for the love.”
“We are talking 2024. Not all the rich artists you can remember in the past. People making music today,” he continues. “I’m talking about making money in music when you need to have more than a trillion streams to make 10 million dollars, deals are structured against your favour in every single way, and there’s 100,000 songs a day uploaded to Spotify.
“You should try because you care about what you are making in my opinion, not try because of the potential profits (which are way smaller than people assume).”
He goes on to stipulate a typical profit-split breakdown between an artist and their management, agents and other parties.
“Every situation is different, but in general: that first million, take out 15 per cent [for management], 5 per cent for lawyer[s], 5 per cent business manager, 30-40 per cent taxes… possibly 10 percent [for an] agent… You might be left with a down payment for a crib if you spend no other money.
“That 10 mil after came from mostly brand deals/shows/other things besides music if I had to guess.
“The point is, do music you love, this is the worst get-rich-quick scheme in the universe.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pigeons & Planes (@pigsandplans)

In another post on X/Twitter, Kenny Beats adds: “There is no one dumber than a person trying to get rich by making music.”

There is no one dumber than a person trying to get rich by making music
— kennybeats (@kennybeats) April 19, 2024

In other news, earlier this year Kenny Beats recounted the time he gifted a young musician $20,000 in studio equipment, who then started “going live with strippers for 6 hours a day on Insta”.
See more from Kenny Beats via his official YouTube channel.
The post Kenny Beats: “There is no one dumber than a person trying to get rich by making music” appeared first on MusicTech.

4 essential vocal layering techniques
Let’s take a look at a few popular vocal layering techniques that can add depth and dimension to your songs.

Snap says total watch time on its TikTok competitor increased more than 125%As part of its Q1 2024 earning release, Snap revealed that total watch time on its TikTok competitor, Spotlight, increased more than 125% year-over-year. Snapchat launched the TikTok-like feed in late 2020 as a way to compete with the rising popularity of TikTok. The company is touting the success of its short-from video feed a […]
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Songwriter Profile: Mama BLegacy Work

With over 20 years as an artist and music executive, Jacq Becker—under her moniker Mama B—is releasing a second children’s album, following the success of 2021’s collaboration, Zoology (which amassed 50+ million digital and 14+ million YouTube streams). Having performed as a pop artist at Los Angeles’ Hotel Café, The Mint, Harvelle’s, Room 5, etc., and shows in Sweden, Nashville, and the Caribbean, Becker has placements in major TV and film (including Top 5, Pretty Little Liars and Seven Days in Utopia), and leads prominent songwriter and publishing teams, helping artists develop their creative vision and monetize their work. 

First studying classical music before switching to jazz, then pop, Becker holds a deep love of lyrics and melody, emphasizing her affinity for ‘’timeless songs and energy,” and was drawn to Norah Jones and the idea of audiences sitting quietly and truly listening. First writing as a teen, her focus expanded to business in her 20’s, and she is passionate about helping women improve their music business and publishing education, and exploring options. Says Becker, “I get the pleasure of helping expand their business and shining light on songwriters and producers. I feel very lucky to be doing it.” To have a sustainable career in music, Becker advises a focus on learning about publishing, rights management, monetization, and exploring the organizations that manage it all.

Leading with melody, then tone of voice and production, Becker says that what resonates most in music for her is the collaboration, emphasizing the dramatic difference between the sound that comes out of a collaborative project versus the energy felt from constant ‘session-churning.’ “You can hear that trust in each other,” she says. “I listen for musicianship of the whole song (not just melody and lyrics) [and] how it came together.” In repeat collaborations, she says, “I trust their instincts. It’s [about] bringing the right people together with different skill sets that meld together.” See differences as an enhancement, not a threat, and when entering first-time collaborations, Becker says to be as prepared as possible by bringing a few concepts or lyrical ideas.

Struggling to find children’s music she could listen to when she became a mom, Becker felt she could add something and, inspired by the musings of her children and their friends, worked to make music from their perspective while adding contemporary production. Says Becker, “We’re trying to take everything we know about song composition and structure and not do anything different because it’s for kids and families. Why would the formula change?”

Starting organically with guitar and piano melodies, using live instruments and no corner-cutting, Becker wanted to deliver purpose and meaning. Taking two years to complete, some sessions had starting points (“Princess In A Castle” was a request of her son’s classmate), or incorporated elements she heard her children jamming out to (Harry Nilsson’s “Coconut” inspired “Puffer Fish”). Finding a lightness and joy that was missing in the pursuit of pop affirmation, children’s music reignited her songwriting passion. “There were no restrictions on creativity. The fact that we took so much time with it speaks to the integrity of the project,” says Becker. “Everything about it was pure, honest, and no pressure, which is a good place to be when you're releasing music.” 

Imaginology feels like Reading Rainbow-meets-The Spice Girls: fun, catchy, and equal parts soothing and enjoyable for all ages. Set for release on Mother’s Day.

Contact Jon Bleicher, Prospect PR - jon@prospectpr.com; 

Experience Mama B at instagram.com/mamabsongs

Stripe bringing back crypto payments, this time with a stablecoinStripe customers will be able to pay with USDC beginning this summer, president Jack Collison said, after the company canned BTC payments in 2018.

4 essential vocal layering techniques
Let’s take a look at a few popular vocal layering techniques that can add depth and dimension to your songs.

A Smart Power Distribution Unit for Home AutomationPower distribution units, as the name implies, are indispensable tools to have available in a server rack. They can handle a huge amount of power for demands of intensive computing and do it in a way that the wiring is managed fairly well. Plenty of off-the-shelf solutions have remote control or automation capabilities as well, but finding none that fit [fmarzocca]’s needs or price range, he ended up building his own essentially from scratch that powers his home automation system.
Because it is the power supply for a home automation system, each of the twelve outlets in this unit needed to be individually controllable. For that, three four-channel relay boards were used, each driven by an output on an ESP32. The ESP32 is running the Tasmota firmware to keep from having to reinvent the wheel, while MQTT was chosen as a protocol for controlling these outlets to allow for easy integration with the existing Node-RED-based home automation system. Not only is control built in to each channel, but the system can monitor the power consumption of each outlet individually as well. The entire system is housed in a custom-built sheet metal enclosure and painted to blend in well with any server rack.
Adding a system like this to a home automation system can simplify a lot of the design, and the scalable nature means that a system like this could easily be made much smaller or much larger without much additional effort. If you’d prefer to keep your hands away from mains voltage, though, we’ve seen similar builds based on USB power instead, with this one able to push around 2 kW.

Opaque Sound Essentials Bundle Is FREE For A Limited Time
Opaque Sound, a new company from L.A.-based producer and engineer mattvalentine, is offering the Essentials Bundle for free for a limited time. It’s a package of essential one-shot samples and loops for all music makers, containing over 360 samples and MIDI files. The bundle contains everything from 808s and drum loops to basslines, hooks, and [...]
View post: Opaque Sound Essentials Bundle Is FREE For A Limited Time