Bktherula Rules the EchoAtlanta rapper Bktherula is just 21 years old, yet it feels like she's been around forever. It's been five years since she broke out with the "Left Right" track in 2019 when, by our math, she would have been just 16. She started making music long before that, when she was nine. By the age of 13, she was uploading to Soundcloud.

All of which means that, despite the fact that she can only now legally drink, she has bags of experience behind her. This year's LVL5 P2 album is her fifth, which is basically insane.

At the Echoplex, Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 19, a respectably-sized crowd gave Bktherula all of the love in their collective locker, as the rapper blasted through a short, sweet set. "Bkbkbk," she repeatedly told us, resulting in mass whoops and cheers.

The setlist was perfect, as one banger after another snapped out: "Tan," the aforementioned "Left Right," "Pssyonft," and a riotous "Shakin It."

By the end, crowd members had been invited on stage to literally shake it ("21 and up"), and Bk was promising to "sign titties" at the merch table. A triumph.

Earlier, British non-binary rapper and singer Skaiwater saw an energetic set inspire the sort of circle pits and stage diving you'd normally see at a punk show. The Lil Nas X-approved artist jumps genres and blurs every line that there is to blur. We'll be looking out for more.

The post Bktherula Rules the Echo first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Electronic Etch-A-Sketch, No Microcontroller RequiredIn a lot of ways, Etch-A-Sketch is the perfect toy; simple, easy to use, creative, endlessly engaging, and as a bonus, it’s completely mechanical. We find that last attribute to be a big part of its charm, but that’s not to say an electronic version of the classic toy can’t be pretty cool, especially when it’s done without the aid of a microcontroller.
This is one of those “because I can” projects that we always find so interesting, and more so because it wasn’t entirely clear to [BigZaphod] that he had the skills to pull it off. While his initial design centered around a bunch of 8×8 LED matrix displays and a 256×4-bit RAM chip, the rest of it was a lot of hand-waving. After a few experiments with addressing the LEDs, [Zaphod] started filling in the blanks with a refresh circuit using a 555 — naturally — and a pair of counters. Properly debounced encoders for the horizontal and vertical controls came next, along with more counters to track the cursor and a host of other circuits that ended up looking like a “one of each” selection from the 7400-series catalog.
While we do wish for a schematic on this one, it’s still a pretty enjoyable video, and the end product seems to work really well. The electronic version has a few features the original lacks, such as wrapping the cursor to the other side of the screen. We’d imagine that the buttons on the encoders could be put to work, too; perhaps a click could make it so you can move the cursor without leaving a trail behind. That might be a challenge to execute in logic, but then again, that was the point of the whole thing.
Still jonesing for that mechanical Etch-A-Sketch experience? Not a problem.

$125m-backed Suno is being used to make racist and antisemitic musicSuno users are making music with hateful messages, according to report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
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Arduino + TFT = Micro Star ChartWe always look at the round LCDs and wonder what to do with them other than, of course, a clock. Well, [shabaz] had a great idea: use it as a star map display. The project combines the Arduino, a round TFT, a GPS receiver, and some external flash memory to store data. You can get by without the GPS receiver or flash memory, but you’ll lose features if you do.
We like how he approached the problem. The project contains four major parts and he developed each part independently before integrating them into a whole. The four parts are: reading the GPS, driving the LCD, providing storage for star data, and determining the position of stars. The heavy lifting is done using some public domain code ported over. This code derives from a book called Astronomical Algorithms and uses the Yale Bright Star Catalog database.
The post mentions that the screen might well be a larger rectangular screen and we agree that would make this more usable. Now if you could cram it all into a watch, that might be different. If you want to play with the code, you can actually run the core on Linux. You’ll have to settle for a PNG output of the night sky, but that would be handy for debugging.
We have seen a star chart in a watch before. While this is more a star chart than a planetarium, we have no doubt the early planetarium builders would be suitably impressed.

How Wendy Carlos pioneered the evolution of synths
Learn about how Wendy Carlos helped bring synthesizers into the mainstream and pioneered the evolution of the instrument.

Sony Music inks partnership with India’s Maddock Films to produce soundtracks, pop singlesThe move comes amid remarkable growth in India's music market, and in the popularity of Indian music worldwide
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Spitfire Audio Abbey Road Orchestra Symphonic Strings Spitfire have completed the Abbey Road Orchestra string line-up with Second Violin, Violas and Basses libraries, as well as combining the entire section into one plug-in with Abbey Road Symphonic Strings.

“He said ‘What’s wrong with this instrument? It only plays one note at a time!” Producer recalls Stevie Wonder’s first encounter with the TONTO synthSynth history buffs and fans of ’70s classics like Stevie Wonder’s Superstition and Boogie On Reggae Woman might be familiar with The Original New Timbral Orchestra or TONTO, the instrument behind many of these iconic tunes.
In a new interview, producer and TONTO co-creator Robert Margouleff looks back on the first time Wonder laid his hands on the legendary synth and the creative partnership that blossomed following their initial collaboration.

READ MORE: This DJ has a price list for overplayed song requests, and Mr Brightside will cost you a grand

According to Margouleff, Wonder had approached him and fellow TONTO mastermind Malcolm Cecil after hearing their 1971 album, Zero Time.
“Stevie came in and we showed him the instrument [TONTO] and he put his hands all over it,” says the producer [via Music Radar], recalling the way Wonder showed up at their studio with a copy of the record in hand. “And then he started trying to play chords on it and he said ‘Malcolm! Bob! What’s wrong with this instrument? It only plays one note at a time!’”
“And Malcolm said ‘Stevie it’s sort of like a trumpet or a saxophone. You have to use your whole body just to get the mood and the sound and it only plays one note at a time and it comes out of your mouth.’”
“Stevie got it in a second,” he continues. “We started recording that weekend — we recorded like 15 or 16 songs. We went completely bonkers.”
“We never recorded [music] to create an album, so to speak. We just recorded music and we had a huge library of music, all in different kinds of places.”
The producer adds that this happened while Wonder was renegotiating his contract with record label Motown: “He was sick of Motown,” Margouleff explains. “Why? Because there was a formula for Motown — it had four guys dancing in sort of uniforms and a front person, male or female. It was a formula and Stevie didn’t want to be inside the formula. And also, his music was so socially significant and important it wasn’t just about ‘do-bop’ and ‘how I love you baby.’”
Watch the full interview below.

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Recording Academy updates 2025 Grammy categories and eligibilityStay ahead of the curve with the latest updates from the Recording Academy for the 2025 Grammy Awards, featuring new categories and eligibility criteria. via CelebrityAccess The Recording Academy, the. Continue reading
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Protect your music rights [Free Split Sheet Download]Here are the essential steps to master your music rights and ensure you’re properly credited with this comprehensive guide. Download your free split sheet today and take control of your. Continue reading
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Rock falls as Electronic Music rises at Festivals in 2024Over the past decade, multi-genre festivals like Bonnaroo and Coachella have seen a surge in electronic music bookings, while genres like rock and alternative are falling. by Harry Levin of. Continue reading
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“We didn’t want to live and die by someone else’s sword”: Avenged Sevenfold’s Zacky Vengeance on ditching major labels and nurturing better fan connections with the blockchainWith the launch of their NFT-based fanclub Deathbats Club back in 2021, and a 2023 album, Life Is But A Dream… – which divided opinion, to say the least – Avenged Sevenfold are defined by their drive to innovate and keep things fresh.
Indeed, they’re always gracefully riding the wave of wherever the music industry is headed next, and aren’t afraid to call out redundant industry practices which no longer serve them.

READ MORE: “We’re taking power away from corporate networks, and saying, ‘No, we’re gonna reward our fans, not you’”: M. Shadows on Avenged Sevenfold’s new Fortnite-style Season Pass

The band recently parted ways with longtime label Warner Bros. and decided it was time to go their own way. Last week, frontman M. Shadows took aim at major labels and their relevance in 2024, saying: “You’re going to take 24 cents on our dollar and that’s all you can do, come up with a f**king fake viral TikTok moment?”
Now, in an interview with NME conducted before the band’s recent set at Download Festival, guitarist Zacky Vengeance elaborates on why the band have chosen to part with major labels, and use the blockchain to facilitate a better connection with their fans.
Vengeance says the decision “came after spending an entire career depending on record labels and radio”, adding: “We didn’t want to live and die by someone else’s sword – we have true fans and we need to connect with them in our own way.”
“The technology emerged and a light bulb went off collectively in all of our heads,” he says. “We’ve had to dodge arrows from everyone because of it. People saying it’s a cash grab or that it’s stupid, but we actually have a real connection with our fans and it allows them to reap some rewards.
“We have probably the coolest fan club through the Deathbats Club, and they have complete ownership of it. If ever they want to sell it to somebody else because it doesn’t suit them anymore, they can. They can get early access to concerts, join us at exclusive parties, get free tattoos. It’s just a way that we can instantly connect to them.
“So companies steal your information and use it for themselves to sell ads to you, but we’re asking you to volunteer your information as a fan so we can reward you for being a fan.”
Elsewhere in the interview, ZV explains why it’s important the band continues to stylistically innovate and take their music in new directions.
“The easy route would be writing songs similar to our most-played hits, or the ones that go over the best at festivals,” he says. “But, truthfully, I think that’s just career suicide. We want to have fun, make new memories for people, give them an experience to remember for the rest of their lives and maybe even change their whole perspective.”
Head to NME to read the full interview.
The post “We didn’t want to live and die by someone else’s sword”: Avenged Sevenfold’s Zacky Vengeance on ditching major labels and nurturing better fan connections with the blockchain appeared first on MusicTech.

Aphex Twin announces Selected Ambient Works II reissue featuring two new tracksAphex Twin has announced an expanded reissue of Selected Ambient Works Volume II in celebration of the album’s 30th anniversary.
Arriving on 4 October via Warp, the record will be available in digital, 3xCD, double-cassette, and 4xLP standard and box set editions.
Included in the limited box set are special features such as a fold-out poster, sticker sheet, and a booklet containing original artwork sketches by designer Paul Nicholson. It will come in a hinged oak case and a bespoke etched copper plate. Each copy is made to order and no two are the same.

READ MORE: “Streaming incentivises songs to be consumable over and over again”: St. Vincent says “excellent” music is missing out on streaming payouts because it doesn’t fit the mould

This marks the first time that every track from the album will be universally accessible across all formats, bridging a gap that previously limited access to certain tracks, notably the vinyl-only release #19. The expanded edition also features two additional songs, th1 [evnslower] and Rhubarb Orc. 19.53 Rev. The reissued record is now up for pre-order from Aphex Twin’s web store.
Originally released in March 1994, Selected Ambient Works Volume II is Aphex Twin AKA Richard D. James’ second studio album, and is characterised by a beatless ambient sound the musician once likened to “standing in a power station on acid.”
Listen to the track #19 below.

Last year, Aphex Twin made his official return to live performances after a four-year break at London’s Field Day festival. The performance saw Aphex Twin sampling tracks from his extensive discography, including hits from his new EP Blackbox Life Recorder 21f / In a Room7 F760. NTS Radio has also released a 360 video of the full set online.
The post Aphex Twin announces Selected Ambient Works II reissue featuring two new tracks appeared first on MusicTech.

Steinberg SpectraLayers 11 has arrived The latest version of Steinberg’s powerful spectral editing software comes packed with new features that they say take unmixing and spectral repair to a new level.

At $5 per month, is Apple’s Logic Pro 2 for iPad the best DAW for tablets?£5/$5 per month or £50/$50 per year
1-month free trial available
apple.com
Almost exactly a year ago, Apple released Logic Pro for iPad, alongside Final Cut Pro for the same device, in a bid to convince you that iPadOS has the potential to replace your computer.
In our review, we lauded the remarkable achievement of adapting such a complex application to a touch interface. Here was a product that answered critics who complained that a lack of Pro apps kept the iPad from being considered a serious platform for audio.

READ MORE: The best DAWs for music producers in all genres, styles and workflows

Those expecting a radical overhaul from version 1 won’t find it — this is mostly an iterative upgrade in the same way that Apple develops the desktop version of Logic Pro. But the pricing model – a monthly or yearly subscription – means that the upgrade isn’t technically free because you pay to use the app on a rolling basis.
You might find yourself in one of two positions; wondering whether to keep subscribing, or contemplating Logic as a new user. The question that arises either way is: is it worth it?
Much core functionality remains the same as version 1, including that Logic will run on a wide range of iPads with the A12 Bionic chip or better. As you’d expect, a newer M-powered model feels slicker and handles higher track counts but performance on older devices is more than respectable. One way in which the more recent models do have an edge is that most have increased internal storage — important for tracking 24-bit audio at higher sample rates and downloading instrument content.
Tracks on Logic Pro 2 for iPad
Logic can use your iPad mics and speakers but you’ll want to connect a dedicated audio interface that supports iOS, like models from Focusrite, Steinberg and IK Multimedia to name a few. Bluetooth and networked MIDI are supported so there are plenty of options for getting signals in and out, if you have the correct kit.
User interface and design remain extremely impressive, making excellent use of the space available and of touch input.
As we noted, version 2 is really about additions rather than changes, so let’s look at the big ones.
There are new Session Player instruments as found in Logic Pro 11 for Mac. Joining the Drummer are Bass and Keyboard Player instruments which work in a similar way with controls to change the melodies, timing and patterns generated by the instruments. Since they are pitch-based (unlike Drummer), Logic has a Global Chord track which is used to make these parts and others like Apple Loops follow chord changes over time. The two new players are tied to the new Studio Bass and Piano plugins which can also be used on their own as regular instruments, and require a few gigabytes of downloadable library content.
Drummer on Logic Pro 2 for iPad
Logic has had audio and MIDI loops in its library for many years but the Players are much more organic, generating entirely human-sounding piano and bass parts that can be modified, and variations created without messing around editing MIDI. The extent to which you use them will depend on your approach to songwriting but they’re certainly capable of providing inspiration, backing, ideas or indeed entire songs for you should you choose. New downloadable lessons that can show you how to use them are also on tap — a nice touch.
Elsewhere, Logic Pro for iPad gets the same Stem Splitter as the desktop version, which can separate out mixed tracks into vocals, bass, drums and ‘other’ for remixing, sampling or editing. Stem separation techniques are being explored by an increasing number of developers and it works well here. It’s nice not to have to go back to the desktop to do it, and as a process it will likely get more advanced in time. Even with a relatively simple four-component capability like this you can easily extract a vocal or a beat from a mixed track and the results are impressive. There’s sometimes a small amount of bleed from other parts but this can happen on other systems too, and is barely noticeable except when the track is soloed.
A new ChromaGlow plugin joins Logic’s impressive effects lineup — a useful way to warm up and add saturation to tracks. You’re now able to route MIDI internally, like from an effect to a software instrument, giving greater flexibility. And real-time bouncing of external instruments is now supported, so externally-triggered sounds can be included when bouncing a project in place.
In our original review we questioned why a company as wealthy as Apple has gone down the subscription route with Logic for iPad. In the year since, the answer to this question has become clearer: Apple has been pushing ‘software as a service’ more actively to the point it is now its second biggest earner behind iPhone sales – far bigger than its Mac or iPad profits. So that’s your Apple Music subscription, iCloud storage, and now, apps like Logic Pro for iPad too.
Inserts on Logic Pro 2 for iPad
Those who dislike subscriptions won’t be playing tiny violins for Apple but it’s a model that is increasingly employed by developers as market conditions change. If you only need to replace your iPad every five years, Apple wants to make some money out of you in the meantime. Honestly, Logic for iPad is such an impressive and capable app that $5 a month (or $50 annually) isn’t a huge ask.
It’s not the only game in town when it comes to iPad DAWs, but Logic remains the most comprehensive and powerful DAW in its class. FL Studio for iPad is fun and more lightweight, while Cubasis is a serious contender but lacks the sheer depth of tools and features Logic has. BandLab is a free DAW with some superb songwriting tools and collaborative features, but Logic really is the benchmark for pro-level mixing tasks on an iPad.
Combining desktop-class tools and workflows with an innovative, approachable design, additions such as new Session Player instruments and stem separation bolster its capabilities and bring it even closer to the functionality of the Mac version, with which it can exchange projects via iCloud.
Ultimately, Logic for iPad is powerful enough that you really can use it for end-to-end music production, entirely on its own.
Audio Edit on Logic Pro 2 for iPad
Key features

Complete audio/MIDI recording and editing environment
For iPads with A12 Bionic chip or later
Up to 32-bit, 96kHz recording
Library of loops, effects and instruments
Multiple touch-based performance options
Session Player instruments to generate parts
Stem Splitter
Live Loop mode
Project exchange to desktop version
Downloadable content and lessons

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