Minor Drama releases free SendBlender mix knob plugin, with Pro version also available
Minor Drama has released SendBlender, a free utility plugin designed to simplify parallel processing in your DAW. It’s a streamlined mixing tool with a sleek, high-contrast black interface. It makes mixing easier if you’re juggling multiple parallel effects. If you’ve ever built a complex FX bus and struggled to dial in just the right blend [...]
View post: Minor Drama releases free SendBlender mix knob plugin, with Pro version also available

The Crow Hill Company releases Lo-Fi Strings as part of the FREE vaults series
The Crow Hill Company has just released the Lo-Fi Strings as part of their free vaults series. The Crow Hill Company’s Vaults series has long been a source of excellent free instruments. Since the recent overhaul, we’ve seen Bridge Guitar added to the collection, along with the option to recover older Vaults as donationware. The [...]
View post: The Crow Hill Company releases Lo-Fi Strings as part of the FREE vaults series

Serato’s Hex FX plugin gets its first update, bringing 40 more presets and new producer collaborationsSerato has launched the first major update for its Hex FX multi-effects plugin, introducing 40 new presets including signature presets made in collaboration with top producers.
The Hex FX 1.1 update brings the total of presets to over 200. It also introduces a Preset Macro Editor, three new effects, and important UI/UX upgrades and bug fixes. Serato says it will “help music producers take their sonic abilities to the next level” with features “sure to boost inspiration and creativity”.

READ MORE: Spitfire Audio capture Strawberry Studios’ iconic Steinway B – played by Elton John and David Bowie – with Château Piano plugin

Hex FX was first launched in December 2024, featuring signature presets from Guy Lawrence of Disclosure, Lord Finesse, Jake One, Amber Navran, and DECAP. The latest creatives to collaborate with Serato include producer and instrumentalist Kaelin Ellis (Lupe Fiasco, Logic, Joyce Wrice), producer Oh Gosh Leotus (Doechii, Tink, Blxst), and more.
Also inside are three new effect types, these are: Spring Reverb, Cassette Sim, and Three-Band EQ. The four Spring Reverb modes include Vintage, Modern, Cosmic, and Digital. “From slap-backs to warped decay, this effect will propel the possibilities of spring reverbs beyond reality,” says Serato.
As you’d expect, Cassette Sim recreates the old textures of tape, tapping into the lo-fi tones of worn-out decks with Hiss, Wow, Flutter, Mechanical Grab, and Warm Overdrive modes all available to experiment with.
Its new Three-Band EQ allows users to shape their FX chain with parametric Low-Shelf, Mid-Bell, and High-Shelf EQ to offer “clean, classic tone-sculpting”, and with the new Preset Macro Editor, producers can also customise how every effect and parameter in their chain responds to their Hex Dial.

In other Serato news, the brand just launched a significant update for Serato DJ Pro and DJ Lite. Now in public beta, it has been developed with direct input from its global community via Reddit threads, support tickets, and more. It brings “highly requested” features and upgrades designed to improve workflow and enhance performance.
Find out more about Hex FX via the Serato website. You can also view the full update release notes via the download page.
The post Serato’s Hex FX plugin gets its first update, bringing 40 more presets and new producer collaborations appeared first on MusicTech.

“Is AI music real music? I believe that when it’s in the hands of musicians, it can be”: Creator behind There I Ruined It parody music YouTube channel shares his views on AIDustin Ballard, the brains behind AI parody music YouTube channel There I Ruined It, has given a TED talk about the ethics of using the tech.
The There I Ruined It channel has over one million subscribers, and features weird and comical takes on hit songs, remade by Ballard using the help of AI. He calls some of his creations “monstrosities”, and says he “loving destroys” tracks known by many. His creations have even been shared or spoken about online by the original artists featured in them, such as Snoop Dogg and Nicki Minaj.

READ MORE: “To me musical instruments are the best user interfaces that have ever been invented”: Why the founding father of virtual reality isn’t convinced by AI music generators

In his TED talk, Ballard asks if music made with AI can qualify as “real” music, and argues for a more balanced view of its use when in the hands of real artists.
Ballard says the question ‘what is real music?’ is a historic one that has come up in regards to sampling, the use of synthesisers, and even with the birth of the phonograph. He quotes composer John Philip Sousa (Ballad describes him as “the Taylor Swift of his day”), who said that recorded music was “a substitute for human skill, intelligence and soul” and that phonographs “reduce the expression of music to a mathematical system” back in 1906.
He goes on to add, “Is AI [music] real music? I believe that when it’s in the hands of musicians, it can be.” With this context in mind, Ballard goes on to question how using AI to make song lyrics differs from using another aid, such as a rhyming dictionary. “What if I used AI to make a new instrument sound that’s never existed, is that much different than a synthesiser?” he quizzes.
With all these questions left up in the air, and even lawmakers confused about the ethics of AI, Ballard says that artists are left to set their own guard rails of what is wrong and right. In his case, he asks himself three core questions: Is it deceptive? Is there artistic intent behind it? How does it affect musicians, especially those involved?
“If you’re one of those people who’s mass producing hundreds of AI songs and uploading them to Spotify, your intent is probably not artistic,” he says.
Ballard features his own bizarre AI mash ups across the talk, including a clip of him using his friend’s voice to sing Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-a-Lot in the style of Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.

Watch the full TED talk from Dustin Ballard via the TED website, or check out more of his AI creations over on his There I Ruined It YouTube channel.
The post “Is AI music real music? I believe that when it’s in the hands of musicians, it can be”: Creator behind There I Ruined It parody music YouTube channel shares his views on AI appeared first on MusicTech.

RØDE’s NTH-50 headphones are $100, but sound like twice the price£99, rode.com
In 2022, RØDE debuted the NTH-100, an incredible pair of over-ear headphones with a $150 price tag, and which we scored a 10/10 in our review. Now, the brand’s brought another model to the series: the NTH-50.
Designed for “DJs, sound engineers and content creators” according to RØDE, the NTH-50s cover a lot of ground, and at around $100, they’re certainly at the more affordable end of the pro headphone market. RØDE generously offers a lifetime guarantee, and both the earpads and headband are user-replaceable meaning that any running repairs down the line should be cheaper than wholesale replacement of the headphones.

READ MORE: Focal Lensys Pro might be the best headphones I’ve ever tried at this price

The NTH-50 comes with a semi-coiled 1.7m cable that allows you leeway to move around a little during use and generally lowers the risk of straining or jerking the connection. At 220g, the lightweight headphones are constructed in various plastics and aluminium, but still feel pretty solid. Unusually, the headband is actually static while the cups can be moved up and down using a stepped system.
It’s easy enough to find the correct fit, though the on-ear design is going to divide opinion among some people — some can find them less comfortable to wear over long sessions than over-ear models, putting pressure on the ears. The counterargument is that they are generally smaller and lighter, which may be important to you. The fit here is snug, and the headphones don’t move around or slip even while you’re nodding along to music, but the pressure on the outer part of your ears can indeed become apparent over longer sessions.
This is by and large a characteristic of on-ear models and not unique to these headphones, but it’s worth bearing in mind if your ears are prone to becoming sore or overheating when wearing headphones for several hours. This model doesn’t fold down for transport, unfortunately, though they do come with a carrying bag.
Image: Press
Speaking of sound, the headphones use 40mm dynamic drivers with an impressive frequency response of 5 Hz – 35 kHz and a low impedance of 32 Ohms. This moderate power requirement makes them usable with a wide range of sources from smartphones and laptops to DJ mixers and beyond. A maximum SPL of 124 dB means they can handle plenty of volume. RØDE says it uses a “revolutionary” resonant chamber that helps the headphones achieve deep bass while maintaining midrange and treble clarity. That bottom figure of 5Hz is outside the scope of human hearing which generally stops around 20Hz but it’s good to know that you are not being denied those particularly low frequencies in the playback.
In use, the NTH-50s sound impressive, especially considering their compact size compared to over-ear models like the Audio Technica ATH-M40x or the Beyerdynamic DT770s. The compact nature of the cups combined with the on-ear design does affect the character of the playback a little in a way that isn’t apparent with, say, a pair of open-backed over-ears, although that’s fundamentally a different kind of design and less useful for tracking, for example. It’s not the case that they colour the sound in a significant way, just that a larger model would sound more open.
Low end is rich but not boomy; those resonant chambers are evidently doing their job in allowing the drivers to move enough air. Meanwhile, the mids and top end are crisp, detailed and well-defined, never jumping out or sounding unduly harsh or over-emphasised. Like all quality headphones, they show up the variations between different productions (rather than smoothing tracks together sonically), so things like limiting, stereo width and EQ are apparent where they have been handled differently on different tracks.
To name just a few of the tracks auditioned, Nils Frahm’s Spells buzzes and bleeps with visceral live energy, Leftfield’s Dusted sounds positively massive, digital bass thundering along, while a selection of jazz recordings reveals the cans to be equally adept with acoustic material. The design is closed back, which means you won’t get sound leakage at reasonable volume levels – this is crucial for recording during monitoring without bleed-through. At higher levels, some sound will be audible in the room, though we are really talking about volumes higher than most people would be using when recording anything through a microphone.
Image: Press
Many headphones are described by their designers as ‘ideal’ for a wide range of tasks, but it’s sometimes true and sometimes not. In the case of the NTH-50s, though, I’d say it largely is. They’re fun and punchy for DJs, pleasurable for general listening, podcasting or movie work and suitably accurate for monitoring, arranging and mixing. Are you going to entrust your final mixes and masters to a £100 pair of headphones? Well, maybe not without checking them on some other systems too. As good as they are, you will want to test any potential mixes on a decent pair of speakers and ideally a good pair of open headphones too, to judge the soundstage in a way that’s harder to do accurately on compact cans.
You can’t overlook the price point either, especially given that they come with a lifetime guarantee and that the earpads and headband are user-replaceable. The more accomplished NTH-100s are available with a street price just slightly higher at $115, though they are larger and don’t come with a coiled cable. Both headphone sets can be transformed into a headset with the optional NTH-Mic module (around £50).
The NTH-50s are excellent value, suitable for a wide range of pro audio as well as leisure listening tasks and sound better than their size or price would suggest. The only minor quibbles are potential comfort issues when wearing for long periods, but this can vary from person to person. And, the smaller on-ear design doesn’t offer as wide and neutral a soundstage as a pair of open backs.
For many producers, though, the NTH-50s punch above their weight and whether you’re a DJ, you’re tracking audio, or even just listening on your commute, they will more than pay you back for your modest investment.
Image: Press
Key features

Closed-back, on-ear design
40mm dynamic drivers
32 Ohms impedance
3.5mm wired connection with 1.7m cable
Frequency response of 5 Hz – 35 kHz
Special resonant chamber
Locking plug
6.3mm adaptor, carry case
User-replaceable parts
Lifetime guarantee
220g weight

The post RØDE’s NTH-50 headphones are $100, but sound like twice the price appeared first on MusicTech.

Co-founder of Elon Musk’s xAI departs the companyIgor Babuschkin is leaving xAI less than three years after he co-founded the startup with Elon Musk, following a series of scandals at company.

Crypto lawyer signals challenge to NY AG with 'lawfare' messageLetitia James, who holds New York state’s top law enforcement position, has come under scrutiny from some, claiming she was engaging in “lawfare” against the crypto industry.

Soundiron Blazer - Retro Anime FXBlazer captures all of the flavor and punch of that classic anime sci fi sound of the '70s and '80s. This mighty collection of playable synths and sound design elements has been lovingly-crafted to tap into the funky vibe of that first golden wave of Japanese animated science fiction television that so many of us grew up on. This 5GB astro-futuristic instrument and sound design collection comes packed with dozens of unique trans-galactic synths and lushly harmonious cosmo pads, spanning a variety of iconic styles inspired by our favorite old school mecha battle hymns and space opera anthems. Every synth pad is richly detailed with character and nuance, showing reverence to the vintage sounds of yesterday, while blasting its way into the infinite tomorrow. Blazer also includes a cool library of HiFi and Lofi sound design elements, with hundreds of sounds that are equally as perfect for creative stingers, drums and percussion as they are for retro animation foley and effects. The sharp high-fidelity sounds are powerful and sleek, while the intentionally distressed and degraded Lofi sounds are packed with plenty of crunch and soul. SFX categories include: Energy particles, bubbles, beams, fireballs, and blasts; Bright, dark, high, low, fast and slow laser blade shwings; Clothy, zingy, electric, springy, swirly, and magical swooshes; Speeder, hovership, mech, star ship, and space fighter vehicle engines and fly-bys. The Kontakt interface includes a suite of automation-ready sound-shaping controls to give you total creative flexibility. You have control over swell, attack, release, offset, vibrato, filter, pitch (coarse & fine), articulation switching, cross-fading and layering, and so much more. This library comes with an adaptable LFO system, with selectable LFO shape, modulation target parameter, speed, intensity, tempo-syncing and fade-in time. You can also apply your choice of 12 lowpass, high-pass and FX filters, with assignable modulation targets such as velocity, modwheel, expression, after-touch, key position and step-sequencer table control. Our customizable arpeggiator offers a velocity table and control over arp direction, timing, swing, randomization and duration. We've included a key and scale lock system to constrain your notes to common scales and keys for easy melodic composition and live performance. The interface is rounded-out by our modular FX rack panel, with 27 different DSP effect modules that you can assign in any of 8 available slots, in any order that you wish. You'll find classic phaser, flanger, delay, distortion, amp and cab simulators, compressors, EQ, rotator and so much more. The Reverb effect includes our favorite convolution reverb impulse responses, including 99 different rooms, halls, chambers and outdoor environments, plus another 40 custom FX impulses to radically transform the sound and open up whole new worlds of musical possibility. We've added a great bank of FX rack chain factory presets to get you started. Listen to demos of Blazer on Soundcloud Product Specs: Hundreds of anime sci-fi sound effects inspired by 1970s-80s TV, recorded in low & high fidelity. Vintage sound designed stingers, boomers, risers, swooshes, percussion, foley, and more. 53 Retro Synths and Cosmo Pads. 21 Powerful Kontakt .nki instrument presets. 12 Powerful Decent Sampler presets. 2,186 stereo samples in unlocked .WAV format. 5.5 GB Installed. A flexible, intuitive user interface and mixer with pro features and deep customizability. Full FX rack with convolution reverb with custom rooms, halls, chambers & FX environments. https://youtu.be/EOg-w9X3ewY Read More

What is melodic techno? Artists, history, and characteristics
Learn about the characteristics, history, and artists behind melodic techno, a genre that's become a global phenomenon at a remarkably fast pace.

2025 One Hertz Challenge: A Game Of LifeThe 2025 One Hertz Challenge asks you to build a project that does something once every second. While that has inspired a lot of clock and timekeeping builds, we’re also seeing some that do entirely different things on a 1 Hz period. [junkdust] has entered the contest with a project that does something rather mathematical once every second.
[junkdust] wanted to get better acquainted with the venerable ATtiny85, so decided to implement Conway’s Game of Life on it. The microcontroller is hooked up to a 0.91″ OLED display with a resolution of 128 x 32 pixels, however, [junkdust] only elected to implement a 32 x 32 grid for the game itself, using the rest of the display area to report the vital statistics of the game. On power up, the grid is populated with a random population, and the game proceeds, updating once every second.
It’s a neat little desk toy, but more importantly than that, it served as a nicely complicated test project for [junkdust] to get familiar working inside the limitations of the ATtiny85. It may be a humble part, but it can do great things, as we’ve seen many times before!

Waves SuperRack V15 Expands to Full Immersive Audio MixingWaves Audio, a global leader in professional audio plugins and signal processing technologies, has released SuperRack V15, bringing full immersive audio mixing capabilities to its entire SuperRack lineup.A statement from the company discloses that V15 introduces support for 5.1.4, 7.1.4, and 9.1.4 channel configurations across SuperRack SoundGrid, Performer, and LiveBox. This update enables engineers to create immersive mixes for live broadcasts, streamed events, and concert sound, unlocking new workflows for modern audio production.The update also includes the Waves Immersive Wrapper plugin across all SuperRack products. A statement from the company explains: “Any Waves mono plugin can now be transformed into an immersive processor: simply insert Immersive Wrapper into any SuperRack slot, load a mono Waves plugin inside, and mix immersive live audio in real time.”Immersive Wrapper is now bundled with SuperRack LiveBox, making it a comprehensive solution for immersive mixing. With Dante® or MADI connectivity and compatibility with all major mixing consoles, LiveBox allows engineers to run multiple plugins natively in real time for live broadcast and concert applications.Joel Singer, co-founder and Chief Engineer of Music Mix Mobile, commented: “As we expand into immersive broadcasting across our mobile units, flight packs, and studios, SuperRack V15 has solved a longstanding challenge: access to a wide array of immersive plugins. Its release now allows us and our guest engineers to deploy favorite dynamics and effects tools within an immersive environment. This marks a major advancement for both M3 and Waves.”Key features of SuperRack V15 include:Support for 5.1.4, 7.1.4, and 9.1.4 configurations in SoundGrid, Performer, and LiveBox

Compatibility with immersive-ready VST3 plugins, including non-Waves plugins

Bundled Immersive Wrapper with LiveBox

Improved plugin search menu for faster workflow

Support for Intel Core Ultra computers

Learn more here.The post Waves SuperRack V15 Expands to Full Immersive Audio Mixing first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Lorena Cabral, Daniela Gutiérrez promoted at Downtown Artist & Label Services, as firm expands presence in Música MexicanaDA&LS recently expanded its collaboration with Genesis Records to include the catalog of Mexican singer-songwriter Edgardo Nuñez
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Get Gooey Audio’s new Control Plugin for just $6.99 with BPB discount
Gooey Audio has released Control, a feedback-based diffusion plugin for macOS and Windows. BPB readers can get it for just $6.99 (regular price $19.99) using the coupon code BEDROOMGOOEYCONTROL at checkout. This offer expires on August 21st, 2025. Control isn’t your typical reverb plugin. It’s based on a feedback delay network (FDN), and while the [...]
View post: Get Gooey Audio’s new Control Plugin for just $6.99 with BPB discount

Daybreak Audio releases Omega Knob, a FREE one-knob compressor plugin
Daybreak Audio has released Omega Knob, a free version of the developer’s flagship product, Omega Comp. Omega Knob features the default Omega Comp preset and a taster of the premium version, which is currently on sale for $57 (usually $119). You can hear the paid version in action in Daybreak Audio’s short demo video. A [...]
View post: Daybreak Audio releases Omega Knob, a FREE one-knob compressor plugin

MSGE, VIVID, StubHub, NIVA reports show a slowdown in concertsReports from Madison Square Garden Entertainment, two major ticket resellers and the National Independent Venue Association point to a slowdown in concerts and ticket sales. That view stands in stark contrast to Live Nation's recent stellar report investors.
The post MSGE, VIVID, StubHub, NIVA reports show a slowdown in concerts appeared first on Hypebot.