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  • What’s new in Pigments 5?
    Learn all about the newest features in Arturia's Pigments 5 and how they can improve your sound design and composition workflows.

    Learn all about the newest features in Arturia Pigments 5 and how they can improve your sound design and composition workflows.

  • From Warner’s potential bid for Believe to the unveiling of Interscope Capitol Labels Group… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe five biggest stories to hit our headlines over the past seven days…
    Source

  • Apple Music Replay now offers monthly Wrapped-style listening stats – but what’s the point?If, like me, another month has passed soundtracked by a sonic merry-go-round of Aphex Twin’s Selected Ambient Works albums, a monthly recap of your listening habits could make for bleak viewing. Unfortunately for us, that’s just what the newly upgraded Apple Music Replay feature now provides.

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

    Of course, insights into your streaming statistics aren’t new – Apple Music Replay was first introduced in 2019 as a yearly insights tool, following the launch of Spotify Wrapped in 2016. TIDAL has also been running a similar Rewind feature since 2020.
    However, now Apple has made this feature monthly, analysing your play counts and time spent, and calculating your top songs, albums, artists, playlists, genres, and stations. Yes, this roundup isn’t quite as visually or gamefully creative as Wrapped, but the analysis goes deep.
    Subscriber retention might be one reason for the update. In a bid to cut ahead of the competition and keep users from jumping ship to the likes of Spotify, Qobuz, Amazon Music, Deezer or TIDAL, Apple Music’s made an eagerly-awaited feature appear 11 more times in users’ digital peripheries over the calendar year. And will other platforms follow suit? They usually do.
    This seemingly innocent data-gathering exercise reminds us that every move we make – even listening to our favourite music – is constantly under the watchful eye of colossal tech giants. And these giants ultimately want us to stay on their platforms for as long as possible and drain us of our money. Following a week where Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek compared the music industry to sports in a statement he apparently assumed would justify the controversially low payouts artists receive from Spotify, perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to fall into another temptatious web spun by the likes of Apple Music.
    Your data isn’t just there for a fun recap of your favourite music at the end of each month. Streaming services rely on your data to keep you subscribed to their apps. Your listening habits, preferences, and user interactions are analysed to create personalised playlists and suggest relevant content. It’s important to consider how the streaming giants benefit from your data, not just you.
    So, your data is used to suggest music based on your preferences. And when you think about the fact that Spotify, in 2021, revealed it will give artists a prominent position in listeners’ suggested feeds if they agreed to receive a “promotional recording royalty rate”, AKA less royalties, you’ve got to ask, ‘what is my data even being used for?’.
    Yes, there’s something undeniably joyful about discovering new music trends and patterns in our listening habits. I won’t lie that sharing your Spotify Wrapped with your friends – who do not care at all – can provide a self-discovery-fueled dopamine hit. But does this joy outweigh the potential stress of constant analysis?
    Next time you find yourself refreshing your feed, impatiently awaiting your next Apple Music Replay rundown, spare a thought for the musicians receiving approximately $0.003 – $0.005 per stream. Perhaps your money would be better spent benefitting them directly via Bandcamp’s ‘Bandcamp Fridays’ where artists receive 93 per cent of your money, or on a Soundcloud subscription – a platform that in 2021 announced a revised “fan-powered” royalties model.
    It’s about time we questioned our alignment with these music-streaming mammoths. Will we be sucked into another scheme laid out by an $8.3 billion corporation, or are we better than that?
    For more op-ed features, head to MusicTech.
    The post Apple Music Replay now offers monthly Wrapped-style listening stats – but what’s the point? appeared first on MusicTech.

    Apple Music has updated its Apple Music Replay feature to show monthly streaming habits much like Spotify Wrapped. But, is it necessary?

  • Living Wage for Musicians Act put to US Congress would compensate artists at a penny per streamA Living Wage for Musicians Act has been put before US Congress which would introduce a new streaming royalty model. The act, introduced by Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and Congressman Jamaal Bowman, would pay artists by at least a penny per stream.
    The legislation was created in partnership with United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) and local and national artists “who have been directly impacted by the lack of oversight in the music industry”.

    READ MORE: “Football is played by millions of people – but there’s a very small number that can live off playing full time”: Daniel Ek addresses Spotify’s low royalty payments

    Spotify, for example, pays the rights-holders of the music on its platform at an average rate of $0.003 per stream. As outlined on Tlaib’s webpage (via Mixmag), this means that it takes artists more than 800,000 monthly streams to equal the earnings of a full-time $15 per hour job.
    The Act would mean music providers would be taxed on non-subscription revenues and a small fee would be added to the price of music streaming subscriptions. Platforms such as Spotify would pass their taxed revenues and royalties to a non-profit collection and distribution fund, that would in turn “pay artists in proportion to their monthly streams”. The bill also includes a maximum payout per track, per month.
    Tlaib comments that “It’s only right that the people who create the music we love get their fair share, so that they can thrive, not just survive.”
    Bowman adds, “Streaming services wouldn’t exist without the brilliant work of artists who choose to share their music with these platforms. Streaming services make billions of dollars a year off the hard work of musicians, but those creators make less than a penny every time we stream their songs. It is unconscionable that in order to buy a cup of coffee, an artist needs someone to stream their song over a thousand times.
    “Artists and musicians across the country deserve to be paid for their work. I represent the Bronx, the birthplace of Hip Hop, where music is the foundation of our communities.”
    Read the full bill.
    The post Living Wage for Musicians Act put to US Congress would compensate artists at a penny per stream appeared first on MusicTech.

    A Living Wage for Musicians Act has been put before US Congress which would introduce a new streaming royalty model.

  • FL Studio partners with Native Instruments on new pluginsFL Studio has teamed up with Native Instruments to bring two new sets of instruments and effects to its DAW.
    Both collections serve up a range of iconic synths, creative effects, and advanced mix and mastering processors. Users can expect classics like Guitar Rig 7 Pro, Ozone 11 Standard, Bite, Dirt, and a range of performance-based Play Series instruments. Each bundle also features Massive X, the successor to NI’s ground-breaking Massive software synth plugin. Check out our review of the Massive X to learn more.

    READ MORE: New AI bassline generator by Sony can create accompaniments that match the “style and tone” of your input music

    In the meantime, here is a rundown of each bundle:
    KOMPLETE Collection for FL Studio
    The KOMPLETE Collection for FL Studio offers 12 inspirational instruments, modern classic synths and effects, mix and vocal polishing tools, and mastering. The package includes Massive X, Empire Breaks, Feel It, Utopia, Lo-Fi Glow, Bite, Dirt, Freak, Ozone 11 Elements, Nectar 4 Elements, Neutron Elements, and Guitar Rig 7 LE.
    KOMPLETE Signature Series for FL Studio
    From legendary synths and track-ready riffs to industry-leading mix, vocal, and mastering tools, the KOMPLETE Signature Series for FL Studio delivers 15 essential instruments and effects for all your studio needs. The package includes Massive X, Ozone 11 Standard, Guitar Rig 7 Pro, Vocalsynth 2, Nectar 4 Elements, Neutron Elements, Empire Breaks, Feel It, Utopia, Lo-Fi Glow, Cloud Supply, Duets, Bite, Dirt, and Freak.
    The best part? There’s currently a massive 85% discount on both bundles, which puts the KOMPLETE Collection at $99 (U.P $678) and the KOMPLETE Signature Series at $199 (U.P. $1,339).
    While these bundles and prices are only available through 19 March 2024, the licences for the individual products never expire.
    Check out a video of FL Studio Power User Larry Ohh using the new plugins below.

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Larry Ohh | FL Studio Power User (@larryohh)

    For more information, visit Image-Line.
    The post FL Studio partners with Native Instruments on new plugins appeared first on MusicTech.

    FL Studio has teamed up with Native Instruments to bring two new sets of instruments and effects to its DAW.

  • Gary Kelly and Jason Kawejsza promoted to key roles at Interscope Capitol Labels GroupKelly appointed Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager; Kawejsza named Executive Vice President, Head of Business & Legal Affairs
    Source

    Kelly appointed Chief Revenue Officer and General Manager; Kawejsza named Executive Vice President, Head of Business &

  • Why Sacred Society use spatial audio to enhance relaxing ambient musicFor thousands of years, people have used sound and music as methods for healing. Sacred Society Music Group is putting those methods in the hands (and ears) of the listener using the power of spatial audio, creating sonic landscapes with ambient music that induces visceral experiences.

    READ MORE: Audient’s ORIA is the Atmos interface that engineers have been waiting for

    Sacred Society Music Group (SSMG) is the record label arm of the Sacred Society Wellness Center, based in Denver, Colorado. Every song SSMG releases is mastered in 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos with one thought in mind: “We’re completely surrounding you,” says Bradley Roulier, one of the co-founders of SSMG, also a co-founder of Beatport and a member of the dance music project Manufactured Superstars.
    Members of the Sacred Society Music Group
    Studies have shown that surrounding oneself in sound baths benefits emotional and physiological health. Sacred Society Wellness Center hosts sound baths in a fully equipped Atmos room, but SSMG also streams its music on Atmos-compatible platforms like Amazon Music, Tidal, and Apple Music.
    By making these Atmos mixes readily available, SSMG is enabling people to listen to their music for self-healing, and in 2024, more and more people are looking for ways to heal themselves.
    In February of this year, “#selfhealers” on Instagram had 955,000 posts. In June 2020, it had 160,000. Furthermore, the self-improvement market in the US was worth $9.9 billion in 2019 and was expected to reach $13.2 billion by 2023, according to a Gitnux study from last year.
    “When we were 22 years old, we weren’t depressed,” says Roulier, who was throwing raves as early as the late 90s. “There wasn’t this isolation that people have [today]. You’re going to spend a lot of time by yourself, so what can you do when you’re by yourself to help yourself? You can have all these people around you to give you support, but at the end of the day, it’s you. You’re the one that has to get yourself out of bed every morning. Society is making it really okay to do whatever it is to make you feel better.”
    SSMG is equipping people to feel better through three playlists: FOCUS, ENJOY, and REST. Each playlist is curated for eight hours of the day.
    Adelio Lombardi in the Kali Audio Atmos studio
    FOCUS is for working, studying, or any activity that requires consistent attention. The playlist includes tracks like Blissful Afternoon that employ lighter beats and smoother motions around the Atmos soundscape. It’s active enough to maintain the listener’s attention, but not so intricate as to be distracting.
    ENJOY is for relaxing after work. Ancient Chant is in the ENJOY playlist because it demonstrates the full power of Atmos. Drums, vocals, and dozens of other different sounds shift through the 12 speakers, placing the listener inside a cocoon of chillout music as they dance, cook, or do anything that lights them up.
    Finally, REST, the sleep playlist, is almost entirely ambient. Many of the tracks like “Dream Space” have no drums at all. Instead, they submerge the listeners in fluid frequencies. No one sound captures any attention. It’s pleasant music to help clear thoughts from the mind. Perfect for winding down at the end of the day.
    Roulier’s had trouble sleeping for years, and he listens to the REST playlist in Atmos every night as part of his routine before bed.
    “Sleep is the most important aspect of our lives. When you rest is when you heal and recover. If you’re not rested, it’s really hard to have a good day,” Roulier says.
    Adelio Lombardi in the Side 3 studio
    “I’m 50 years old. When I was 45–46, I started having these issues with sleeping and anxiety. I turned to [ambient music] as my medicine, and it worked. It made me a believer,” says Adelio Lombardi, another co-founder of SSMG, founder of Side 3 Entertainment, and owner of Side 3 Studios.
    Lombardi and Roulier have known each other for 20 years, and their team masters every SSMG release in Lombardi’s Kali Audio Atmos studio.
    This collaboration was sparked about a year ago, while Roulier was working with Barbie Beltran, founder of the Sacred Society Wellness Center, on a spa that would feature immersive music for sound baths and other wellness activities.
    That project fell through when Lombardi had just started working in Atmos.
    “I was like, ‘Dude, if you want to do it next level, come check this out.’” Lombardi said to Roulier. When Roulier heard music in Lombardi’s studio for the first time, the thought of a rainstorm immediately popped into his mind.
    “I have a vision of doing a track of a West Coast storm. You’re on a beach on the West Coast. You can see a thunderstorm coming from miles away. There’s nothing you can do. The storm rolls in, comes in super heavy, and leaves. Kind of a metaphor for life. Storms are going to happen, and we can translate that through our music,” Roulier says.
    Adelio Lombardi in the Side 3 studio
    Shortly after connecting with Lombardi via the Atmos studio, Roulier brought in Andy Flebe, Head Engineer and Studio Manager at Side 3 Studios, to serve as the lead engineer for SSMG, and Jeziel Quintela, who worked with Roulier on Manufactured Superstars, to be their in-house producer. Quinetela has made 23 of the over 50 tracks SSMG has released.
    Quintela starts his SSMG productions in Ableton Live, using popular wavetable synthesizers like Xfer’s Serum. Oftentimes, there is a specific healing intention behind the tracks as well.
    For example, Beltran wanted to release a track with a focus on sounds in the frequency range of 20-300Hz. That’s around the fundamental frequency of bees’ wings when they fly, which is reported to help people relax. From there, Quintela picked chords that resonate with the notes produced by that fundamental frequency range as the basis for the track Dance of the Bees.

     
    Quintella makes these tracks in stereo, but because they will be mastered in Atmos, he can get creative with other elements like reverb and layering.
    “When you create a pad, you can layer more sounds. More pads, more of a lead sound, more of an analogue sound, and from that, you can add texture to it. You can notice the difference in all of the speakers. In stereo, it’s just in two ears. You cannot hear the dynamics in all the sounds and the layers,” Quintela says.
    When Quintela passes a track to Flebe for engineering in Atmos, Roulier listens to every speaker in the room individually. He checks what sound is coming from where and provides notes on what sound may need more volume or may need to come from a different angle. After he approves the final master, SSMG releases the track.
    Adelio Lombardi in the Side 3 studio
    “Pretty much all the time, stuff is coming out of every speaker. Especially in ambient, because ambient by nature doesn’t have drums,” Roulier says. “We’re trying to fill this space around you.”
    “You want to maximize the tech, but you don’t want to make it a circus either. Immerse a person, but if it’s a relaxing song, you don’t want to have 90 million things flying around you just because you can,” Lombardi says. “You can have all the tech in the world; if the music sucks it doesn’t matter.”
    While Atmos systems aren’t standard tech for consumers yet, they are becoming much more accessible.
    For home theaters, a Polk Signa S4 soundbar is $299. Then, for headphones, there are RIG gaming headsets with Atmos capabilities for as little as $29.99. These certainly don’t come close to the 7.1.4 studio at Side 3, nor to the 64-speaker setups Dolby has created before. But they can give you a taste, at least.
    However, SSMG ensures every song they release, regardless of format, will provide the desired sonic effect of FOCUS, ENJOY, or REST. In addition to the Atmos mix, Flebe also makes a stereo mix for each song. He does it immediately after the Atmos mix is approved to ensure the ideal sound is still in his head.
    Adelio Lombardi in the Side 3 studio
    Once the stereo mix is complete, Roulier AB tests the songs on numerous systems. He listens on headphones, laptop speakers, Alexa Studio, and his Sonos Arc system, which mimics Atmos by firing sound at different angles out of its three speakers. So far, Roulier has only taken down two tracks for additional polishing before posting them again.
    “I put our song on a YouTube channel, and it still sounded cool,” Lombardi says. “The Atmos file is going to adapt to what you have, and it’s going to give you the best it can deliver you.”
    No matter how the track is delivered, SSMG’s core intention is always to make people feel good. They want you to feel like you’re being celebrated at a sacred ceremony 2,000 years ago every time you play one of their songs.
    “When you’re listening to this, you’re the most important person in the universe,” Roulier says. “This is all for you.”
    Learn more at sacredsocietymusic.com.
    The post Why Sacred Society use spatial audio to enhance relaxing ambient music appeared first on MusicTech.

    Bee’s wings, brain waves and binaural beats — Sacred Sound Society are on a mission to immerse with spatial audio

  • Avid release Pro Tools 2024.3 The first Pro Tools update of 2024 introduces MIDI effects plug-ins, custom live re-renders for the integrated Dolby Atmos Renderer and enhanced integration with Pro Tools Sketch.

    The first Pro Tools update of 2024 introduces MIDI effects plug-ins, custom live re-renders for the integrated Dolby Atmos Renderer and enhanced integration with Pro Tools Sketch.

  • You can get a VCA Compressor from Softube totally free for a limited timeSoftube’s VCA Compressor plugin is currently free, and it’s branded as a “meticulous model” of a famous 1970s compressor – seemingly having taken inspiration from the DBX 160 of 1976.
    The compressor already forms part of Softube’s Icons: The Compressor Collection, which is priced at €299, and is now available separately at no cost.

    READ MORE: Softube Console 1 Channel MK III promises console-like mixing in your DAW

    “Quirky and characterful, the legendary hardware we used to model our VCA Compressor is unique and highly acclaimed,” says Softube. “Much of that is owed to its famed hard knee compression curve and the harmonic content it adds in the gain stages.
    “We left the grabby, vintage character and the unique attributes – such as RMS level detection and feed-forward gain reduction – intact,” says Softube. “But gave VCA Compressor a slate of modern features for mixing and production. The combination delivers snap and sheen in spades, plus superior Softube sound quality and an enhanced workflow.”
    Controls available within this plugin include drive, dry/wet, compression, ratio, attack and release. There’s also a Sidechain section (with a punch switch and dials for filter/external level), and further switches for HF make-up and stereo link.
    Check out more in the walkthrough below:

    MusicTech rated The Compressor Collection an 8/10 in our review. We noted that the bundle offered well-judged new features which increased the flexibility of the processors, and that their aesthetic made them look just as good as they sound.
    However, we also noted that there was no way to monitor the sidechain signal and that the Modern Extended Features of the plugin window were not accessible from all host DAWs.
    View more of our choices for the best mastering compressor plugins and software processors.
    You can get the free VCA Compressor plugin now via Softube.
    The post You can get a VCA Compressor from Softube totally free for a limited time appeared first on MusicTech.

    Softube’s VCA Compressor plugin is currently free, and it’s branded as a “meticulous model” of a famous 1970s compressor – seemingly having taken inspiration from the DBX 160 of 1976.

  • Pandora AMP adds spotlight picks, custom Bios, cover photosPandora does not get the headlines that its streaming competitors do, but with 50 million monthly active users, it would be a mistake not to include Pandora in every music marketing plan.....
    The post Pandora AMP adds spotlight picks, custom Bios, cover photos appeared first on Hypebot.

    Pandora does not get the headlines that its streaming competitors do, but with 50 million monthly active users, it would be a mistake not to include Pandora in every music marketing plan.....

  • TikTok offers Musicians new ways to make money and grow an audienceTikTok is under fire from Congress, music publishers, and the world's largest music group, but it's battling back on multiple fronts. In addition to asking users to call their Representatives, its trying to keep creators happy by offering them new ways to monetize content and grow on the platform.....
    The post TikTok offers Musicians new ways to make money and grow an audience appeared first on Hypebot.

    TikTok is under fire from Congress, music publishers, and the world's largest music group, but it's battling back on multiple fronts. In addition to asking users to call their Representatives, its trying to keep creators happy by offering them new ways to monetize content and grow on the platform.....

  • BEWARE: OpenAI Sora text-to-video AI may be the most dangerous threat yet!Attorney Wallace Collins looks at OpenAI's new text-to-video tool and its implications for creators and rightsholders.....
    The post BEWARE: OpenAI Sora text-to-video AI may be the most dangerous threat yet! appeared first on Hypebot.

    Attorney Wallace Collins looks at OpenAI's new text-to-video tool and its implications for creators and rightsholders.....

  • The Human League’s Don’t You Want Me was recorded in a toilet with an SM58The Human League lead singer, songwriter, and co-founder Phil Oakey has reflected on the recording of the band’s 1981 hit song Don’t You Want Me.

    READ MORE: Moby breaks down how he made his classic track Extreme Ways

    Speaking to WA Today, Oakey reveals that the track’s rather unconventional recording location was chosen due to the superior acoustics it offered over any other parts of the Sheffield studio they were in.
    “At one stage, while I was recording with the headphones on, our producer Martin Rushent sent the engineer to scare me by jumping down from above,” the musician recalls.
    “Someone kept flushing the toilet behind me as well. Martin had quite a lot of little jokes for the artists and we did record that song in a toilet with quite a cheap microphone, a Shure SM58,” says Oakey. “But I’m not complaining.”
    The synth-pop band is set to kick off their Australian tour this week, and the members have shipped out their synths from Sheffield in preparation for it.
    “We can’t hire them in because then we’d sound like a cover band,” Oakey says.
    Speaking about his love for electronic instruments and the annual Synthfest UK that’s held in Sheffield, he says: “It’s truly fantastic. You just walk into a room where there’s hundreds of bald guys with round glasses making horrible noises. I’ve bought two different voltage-control filters in the last two days alone. You can’t ever get enough of it.”
    Elsewhere, Oakey also reflects on the band’s achievements over the years, a feat he attributes to being “incredibly lucky”.
    “We’re not musicians. We never trained. We’ve managed to continue as a band by always just feeling lucky about everything we’ve ever done. I have never been the greatest songwriter in this group. I’ve never been the best singer in this group. I’m not a very good frontman or anything, we just do our best and hope that the audience will fill in the rest.”

    The post The Human League’s Don’t You Want Me was recorded in a toilet with an SM58 appeared first on MusicTech.

    Human League lead singer, songwriter, and co-founder Phil Oakey has reflected on the recording of the band’s 1981 hit song Don’t You Want Me.

  • Waves MaxxVolume Is FREE For A Limited Time (Ends Soon!)
    Mastering.com and Waves Audio are offering the MaxxVolume plugin as a free download for a limited time. The offer will soon end; however, we don’t know the exact end date. We already covered a similar MaxxVolume deal in September last year. If you missed that opportunity to get MaxxVolume for free or simply want to [...]
    View post: Waves MaxxVolume Is FREE For A Limited Time (Ends Soon!)

    Mastering.com and Waves Audio are offering the MaxxVolume plugin as a free download for a limited time. The offer will soon end; however, we don’t know the exact end date. We already covered a similar MaxxVolume deal in September last year. If you missed that opportunity to get MaxxVolume for free or simply want toRead More

  • Best free sample packs for future bass soundsAd feature with BandLab Sounds
    In future bass music, there’s no point keeping things subtle. As masters of the dark arts like REZZ, Zeds Dead and WHIPPED CREAM show us, boisterous, ear-grabbing basslines and dramatic, ethereal atmospheres make a successful pairing.

    READ MORE: REZZ just wants to keep it simple

    Whether you want to cause carnage or transport ravers to an epic space, creating electronic sounds for future bass music can be tough. Introducing a sample into the mix can help inspire you and drive your project forward.
    We’ve partnered with BandLab to gather a selection of the best sample packs from the BandLab Sounds platform that suit this ruckus future bass sound. They’re all completely free, instantly downloadable, and royalty-free. There’s a range of sounds on offer, from modern, hard-processed bass riffs, to psychoacoustic textured bass and subs and packs that deliver otherworldly inspiration with ethereal melodies.
    Big Room Bass Vol. 1, 2 & 3
    Credit: BandLab
    Big Room Bass has become so popular among producers that BandLab has gone on to release two more editions. This trio of free sample packs are full to the brim with speaker-rattling bass risers, atmospheric effects, “sizzling basslines”, and loads more.
    In each, you’ll find 100 loops that will elevate any project, whether it’s in the style of DnB, dubstep or house.
    Download Big Room Bass Vol. 1
    Download Big Room Bass Vol. 2
    Download Big Room Bass Vol. 3
    Textured Bass II
    Credit: BandLab Sounds
    When it comes to future bass, a track’s distorted, dark bassline tends to be the track’s main character. Pushing melodies to the back, it’s important to let your crushing bass sit front and centre, growling, giving your track a dose of raw attitude.
    One way to make your basslines rich is with a textured bassline. This sample pack, Textured Bass II, contains 100 loops of “ripped, modified and manipulated” bass riffs that add another layer to your track.
    Download Textured Bass II
    Textured Subs
    Credit: Textured Subs
    You can’t make bass-heavy music, without a strong sub-bass.
    This pack, Textured Subs, is sure to rattle ravers’ skulls, featuring 80 loops of “hard-hitting sub-basses processed with psychoacoustic magic”, BandLab says. There are processed 808 bass hits, driving reese basses, analogue basses and loads more on offer.
    Download Textured Subs
    Dubstep Essentials
    Credit: BandLab Sounds
    Dubstep has evolved vastly from its beginnings in the London suburb of Croydon. Today, the typically 140 bpm, head-bopping genre has been amplified, compressed, distorted, and able to cause chaos in huge venues — not just grimy basements.
    This sample pack, Dubstep Essentials, explores sounds that suit many facets of modern dubstep. You’ll find punchy dubstep beats, dramatic synth leads and arps, strings, pads – all the sounds you need to build up to that bassy drop.
    Download Dubstep Essentials
    Kawaii Future Bass FX & Kawaii Future Bass Vol. II
    Credit: BandLab Sounds
    Kawaii future bass is a subgenre of future bass, known for its happy and cute timbre and strong Japanese pop culture influences. It’s all about rising, rising, rising… and then switching up on the drop with a booming bass and a dramatic crash.
    These two Kawaii bass-orientated sample packs, Kawaii Future Bass FX and Kawaii Future Bass Vol. II, help deliver those main stage moments, offering “ambient melodies, swooshing downlifters, and impactful sub drops” that tie segments of a track together. There are also some gnarly drum loops.
    Download Kawaii Future Bass FX
    Download Kawaii Future Bass Vol. II
    Future Bass
    Credit: BandLab Sounds
    The fundamentals of future bass lie in the relationship between the drums and bass. This pack, aptly called Future Bass, is sure to give you the tools to build a strong basis for a future bass track that will get the crowd moving.
    The free sample pack focuses on the more upbeat side of bass music. Inspired by the likes of Flume and Marshmello, it features 98 loops, from intense, scene-setting basslines to shuffly hi-hat sequences, intriguing claps and clean percussion.
    Download Future Bass
    ARIUS: Bass Lab
    Credit: BandLab Sounds
    When they’re not delivering mindblowing live shows, Australian EDM duo ARIUS are busy helping producers by creating their own awesome free-to-download sample packs. These packs reflect the duo’s own dubstep-led sound, offering destructive low-end sonics and high-end dreamy melodic elements.
    This collection, Bass Lab, follows that thumping sound, offering melody loops, dramatic risers, plucks, chords, and one-shot samples of slamming snares and kick drums.
    Download ARIUS: Bass Lab
    Ambient Downtempo
    Credit: BandLab Sounds
    Although electronic music can be high-energy, brash and chaotic, at times it’s allowed to be soft, sombre and melancholic. If you’re more inclined to create the latter, you might find inspiration in downtempo, ambient sounds evoking the likes of Photek, Phaeleh or Kelly Lee Owens.
    This BandLab sample pack, Ambient Downtempo, features 50 electronic loops that can be layered to produce mellow soundscapes. Even if you’re building up to a big drop, this diverse collection of sounds – synths, pads, bass, drums, voice samples and effects – set the tone instantly.
    Download Ambient Downtempo
    Jordan Blackmon: Low-Budget Sci-Fi
    Credit: Jordan Blackmon
    Jordan Blackmon is an American artist who up until recently was the live guitarist for Toro Y Moi. Now, he goes solo, having created a wide-ranging catalogue of music, dipping his toe in funk, soul, or even experimental noise.
    This sample pack, Jordan Blackmon: Low-Budget Sci-Fi, has been created using Blackmon’s array of specialist hardware in his studio. Included are a series of one-shots that evoke retro sci-fi movies. They feel very Solaris – and when played as melodies, will give you an eerie vibe that works well with bass-heavy, dark music.
    Download Jordan Blackmon: Low-Budget Sci-Fi
    For more sample pack guides, head to MusicTech.
    [Editor’s note: MusicTech and BandLab are both part of the Caldecott Music Group.]
    The post Best free sample packs for future bass sounds appeared first on MusicTech.

    Looking to make your listeners pull serious bass faces? These free future bass sample packs will put you in the right direction.