Audiopunks unveil Telefunken Echomixer plug-in Telefunken have teamed up with Audiopunks to create a plug-in version of their vintage Echomixer device, which housed three germanium preamps and a Hammond IV spring reverb.

eBay to pay $3M over cyberstalking campaign that involved sending fetal pig, live insects to coupleeBay has agreed to pay a $3 million fine in connection with a corporate cyberstalking campaign targeting a Massachusetts couple in 2019. The cyberstalking campaign was conducted by several eBay employees, some of whom were executives, who targeted the couple after they posted a newsletter that was critical of the e-commerce giant. The cyberstalking campaign […]
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The Guitar Center Music Foundation wraps up an eventful 2023Members of the Lincoln High School Guitar Club in San Diego show instruments acquired via a grant from The Guitar Center Music Foundation, partnering with Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom.

The Guitar Center Music Foundation (GCMF), a nonprofit organization that advances the healing, transformative power of music by granting instruments to music education and music therapy programs in need, has continued to grow and expand the scope of its philanthropic efforts throughout 2023. All funds raised for GCMF in 2023 total approximately $700,000, with more than $520,000 provided in instrument grants and support for over 100 organizations, including schools, community programs, music therapy and hospitals. These efforts will continue in earnest in 2024, with activities expanding into new realms.

Key to GCMF’s fundraising efforts is partnering with Guitar Center on the “Round Up” program at Guitar Center stores and online, which allows customers to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar as a donation to GCMF. The “Round Up” program evolved in 2023, with a number of corporate partners and individual sponsors pledging dollar-for-dollar matches for funds generated from the program. (Reach out at https://guitarcenterfoundation.org/contact/ to get involved in this capacity). Funds generated via the Round Up program in 2023 totaled more than $425,000.

In addition to instrument grants and lessons program, GCMF has established an Instrument Scholarship Fund, in order to provide instruments to promising high school students going on to study music in college. This year, GCMF provided two trombones to students in New Orleans, working closely with the Preservation Hall.

August saw devastating wildfires ravage the island of Maui in Hawaii, and GCMF’s Maui Relief Fund raised close to $100,000, and to date GCMF has helped numerous local musicians get back on their feet. Q1 of 2024 will see a continuation of these efforts, focusing specifically on schools on the island.

Key grant support went to Shakira’s Foundation Pies Descalzos for the development of a new music school in partnership with Playing for Change in Quibdó, Colombia.

GCMF expanded its support to mariachi programs this year, including the development of a new program in Santa Ana, CA, at NOVA Academy. The Foundation was featured on Good Morning America in September supporting three other school-based mariachi programs.

Key partnerships were solidified or expanded with such organizations as Guitars and Ukes in the Classroom, ASCAP Foundation, Music Forward Foundation, and Musically Fed. GCMF also renewed its ongoing relationship with Challenge America, serving veterans through music therapy and songwriting, providing over 100 guitars to veterans throughout the country. The year also saw the establishment of a new annual tradition in the form of a fundraising gala. Taking place March 30, 2023, at The Canyon in Agoura Hills, CA, the event honored the career of legendary percussionist Pete “Pops” Escovedo as well as the invaluable efforts of local music teachers. A capacity crowd was in attendance, enjoying the evening’s festivities and helping the Foundation raise thousands of dollars in new funds. GCMF Executive Director Myka Miller and GCMF Chairman of the Board David Helfant served as co-hosts for the event. A spring 2024 event is currently in its planning stages.

Finally, GCMF added three new board members this year: Herb Trawick, Fred Croshal and Raul Carrega.

“These are just a few examples of the ways in which GCMF has expanded the scope of our efforts in 2023,” stated Myka Miller, The Guitar Center Music Foundation Executive Director. “Our yearly goal is to continue to grow, and we hit our marks in 2023 and then some. We thank everyone who has supported our efforts in 2023, and we look forward to an even bigger 2024!”

To learn more, visit http://www.GuitarCenterFoundation.org, or follow @GiveMusicLife on Twitter for more news or to discover ways to support The Guitar Center Music Foundation. Also, follow GCMF on Facebook and Instagram.

12 challenges to level up your music production skills
Discover 12 music production challenges that can help you learn a new skill, try something different, and push yourself in ways you haven’t before.

MSG withdraws plans for Vegas-style London SphereMadison Square Garden Entertainment (MSG) has formally withdrawn their plans to build a Las Vegas-style Sphere arena in London, saying it did not wish to participate in a process that was “merely a political football between rival parties”.

READ MORE: Inside the Las Vegas Sphere and immersive ‘fulldome’ experiences

The company wrote in a letter to the Planning Inspectorate that it was “extremely disappointing” that Londoners would “not benefit from the Sphere’s groundbreaking technology and the thousands of well-paying jobs it would have created”.
It continued: “After spending millions of pounds acquiring our site in Stratford and collaboratively engaging in a five-year planning process with numerous governmental bodies, including the local planning authority who approved our plans following careful review, we cannot continue to participate in a process that is merely a political football between rival parties.”
The 21,500-capacity arena, which was first announced in 2018, was supposed to be built in Stratford, east London, on land that had previously been used as a coach park during the 2012 Olympics. If constructed, it would have been the largest arena in the UK.
Sphere had been a controversial prospect from the start. Concerns had been raised over the impact of light pollution and environmental impact caused by the estimated 1,000,000 LED light bulbs and bright advertisements that would have been used on its exterior. MSG had promised to provide blackout blinds to homes within 150 metres of the venue, as well as those with a direct view of it, and set up a telephone line for complaints.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 17: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB19 on track in front of Sphere during final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 17, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Clive Mason – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Other opponents of the plans pointed to the potential for the venue to put strain on local infrastructure, especially the nearby Stratford station which already handles a large volume of people from Westfield and for London Stadium, which is used by West Ham football club.
The venue also faced opposition from AEG, which objected due to the proximity of the proposed site to its own arena, The O2, which is only four miles away.
The issue became more contentious in November when London mayor Sadiq Khan blocked the plans at the stage 2 decision. However, the UK government then intervened, with levelling-up secretary Michael Gove ordering a six-week pause to give him time to consider calling in the mayor’s decision to pull the plug on the development of the venue.
Despite this, the company said in a statement: “We have informed Mr. Gove that our decision not to move forward with our plans for Sphere in London stands, and we will not be participating in the call-in process. We would like to thank all of those who worked earnestly to bring this project to London.
“We are committed to continuing to work collaboratively with forward-thinking cities around the world who are serious about bringing this next-generation entertainment experience to their communities.”
The Las Vegas Sphere opened in September with a residency from U2, which recently got extended until February 2024. However, it was recently reported that the venue had made a loss of $98.4 million, having cost $2.3 billion to build.
The post MSG withdraws plans for Vegas-style London Sphere appeared first on MusicTech.

Phil Bauer named President of DistroKid – company founder Philip Kaplan transitions from CEO to ChairmanDistroKid claims to be the world’s largest distributor of independent music, and estimates that it distributes 30-40% of all new music in the world
Source

Save a massive £236 on Sonnox’s Oxford Reverb plugin with this insane dealPlugin Boutique is offering a huge 83 per cent off Sonnox’s popular Oxford Reverb until 21 January as part of a New Year deal.
As we continue settling into 2024, many of us are thinking of ways in which we can spice up our production work. If the festive season left a large hole in your wallet but you’re hungry for a new plugin to get stuck into, we may just have tracked down the deal for you.

READ MORE: Plugin Boutique launches Scaler EQ plugin, which enhances note frequencies in key with your song

Originally listed on Plugin Boutique for a price of £282, you can now purchase the Sonnox Oxford Reverb for just £46 – a saving of £236. Released many moons ago back in the late 2000s, the plugin has earned some impressive user ratings on site. Currently, it is rated a full five stars across sound quality, ease of use, features, and presets.
If you need a refresher of what it has to offer, then here are all the key features you need to know about: The Oxford Reverb is a stereo reverb plugin. It comes with 120 presets as a foundation to build upon – from “drier ambiences and open reverberant spaces, to sound effects and settings inspired by classic hardware”. It avoids fixed algorithms to provide users with control of all parameters.
Key tools include:

Independent paths for Early Reflections and Reverb Tail
Paths can be combined or used separately
Integrated five-band Oxford EQ
Separation control alters stereo width of input signal
Presets include Halls, Chambers, Rooms, Ambience and more

The Oxford Reverb works with hosts such as Pro Tools 11, Ableton Live, Cubase and more. Formats include AAX, VST2 and VST3 for Windows, or AAX, AU, and VST3 for macOS.
Find out more over at Plugin Boutique, or view more of MusicTech’s latest deals.
The post Save a massive £236 on Sonnox’s Oxford Reverb plugin with this insane deal appeared first on MusicTech.

“We messed around and played a lot of music”: André 3000 teases SAULT collaborationAndré 3000 has revealed that he has worked on some music in the studio with mysterious collective SAULT.

READ MORE: “Sometimes it feels inauthentic for me to rap because I don’t have anything to talk about in that way”: Why André 3000 isn’t rapping in his latest album, New Blue Sun 

Last month, the rapper – real name André Benjamin – said in an interview with BBC 6 Music that he had been introduced to the collective when they were in “their secrecy stage” by a friend of his who is also a musician.
“You know, we hung out, went to the studio, messed around a bit… yeah. And once I was turned on to them, I kind of listened to what was done before. I think they’d only had like one or two albums out at that time,” he says.
Host Gilles Peterson then asked Benjamin if he had recorded any music with SAULT, and whether fans could “look forward to” hearing it. “We can look forward to it in the future,” he responded.
“We’ve talked about me coming there [to London], actually, to work in the studio with them. But I’ve hung out [with them] in the studio here in LA before. You know, we messed around and played a lot of music,” he says.
“But we’re hoping to do something a little bit more substantial, soon.”

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Benjamin made headlines late last year with his new album New Blue Sun,  an 87-minute record consisting of minimalist and experimental flute music without any rapping. Its long titles, one example being  I swear, I Really Wanted To Make A ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time, also grabbed particular attention. That track also broke the record for the longest song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.
Meanwhile, SAULT played their first ever live show at London’s Drumsheds last month, but fans were divided over them charging close to £100 per ticket.
The post “We messed around and played a lot of music”: André 3000 teases SAULT collaboration appeared first on MusicTech.

CES 2024: Mercedes-Benz enlists Will.i.am for “interactive music experience”, MBUX Sound DriveCES 2024: Will.i.am is working with Mercedes-Benz to create a new “interactive musical experience” for its cars.

READ MORE: “You know it’s gonna make better songs than you. It’s Super Mario Bros. right now – we ain’t even got to Call of Duty yet”: will.i.am on the future of AI in music 

The company recently announced MBUX Sound Drive, a new feature which uses sensors and software to match the music playing in a vehicle to the way someone is driving. Mercedes says it has composed musical tracks to pair with regular driving functions such as acceleration, steering, and braking, turning the whole car – as Will.i.am explains – into its own “orchestra”.
Drivers can opt in for this unique musical experience by selecting Sound Drive through their infotainment screen, which then links the car’s hardware with the music software through “precise ‘in-car signals’ that enable the music to react to the driving characteristics in real-time”.
Credit: Mercedes Benz Group
This could work in several different ways – for example, turning on the windscreen wipers could activate lo-fi beats for driving to in the rain, while an EDM beat would get progressively faster as you accelerate down a motorway.
On top of this, Mercedes has said it wants Sound Drive to be an “open music platform” so any musician can create their own auditory soundscape for driving. Artists around the world have been invited to “create tracks” for a variety of driving functions.

Sound Drive will be available to owners of Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with the second generation of the MBUX system from mid-2024. The feature can be downloaded via an over-the-air software update. Pricing information was not immediately available.
In August, the Black Eyed Peas rapper offered his thoughts on AI, reminding listeners on the Diary of a CEO podcast that despite the fears around the technology, it’s still only in its infancy.
Credit: Mercedes Benz Group
“If you’re a marketer, if you’re an artist that works for a brand, if you’re an agency that works for brands – this technology is gonna give super creatives agency,” he says. “So why do they need agencies?”
“Just the vast transformation – and for hyper creatives, now they just need a new tool to help them birth stuff. It’s a new renaissance.
“It’s the ultimate dream if you’re preparing. A section of the world whose problems have always been ignored [can] now go out and solve those problems with this tool.”
The post CES 2024: Mercedes-Benz enlists Will.i.am for “interactive music experience”, MBUX Sound Drive appeared first on MusicTech.

NAMM 2024: MOTU’s 828 audio interface receives “complete redesign”When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. For more information on how this works click here.
NAMM 2024: Audio brand MOTU (Mark Of The Unicorn) has released a revamped edition of its ever-popular 828 rack-mounted audio interface.

READ MORE: “There’s still work to be done” on CHOMPI sampler, say Hainbach and Ricky Tinez

The 828 has been a mainstay in professional studios since the first model was launched in 2001, because of its connectivity options, reliable performance, and industry-standard compatibility. Since then, we’ve witnessed MK2 and MK3 versions launched, followed by the Thunderbolt-compatible 828x and the 828es, which draws on MOTU’s own AVB (audio video bridging) technology.
Now, just in time for NAMM 2024, MOTU has gifted us with a “complete redesign” of the 828. It looks to be a complete refresh, hence the simple ‘828’ name, as opposed to being the 828 MK4 or another version.
What’s new with the MOTU 828 (2024)?
This 1U (‘one rack unit’) rack-mounted device features ESS Sabre32 Ultra DAC technology, which provides exceptional analogue quality, according to MOTU. Through a 5 Gbps USB3 connection, the 28×32 interface has 60 channels of I/O, including a 24-channel mixer with onboard effects like reverb and EQ.
The front panel hosts a vibrant 3.9-inch LCD display for precise metering and convenient control room features. Noteworthy front-panel components include two combo XLR/TRS mic inputs with individual controls and dedicated send/return inserts. Additional I/O options comprise TRS analogue in/out, ADAT optical I/O, S/PDIF digital I/O, and headphone outputs.
Advanced features include wireless control via the CueMix 5 app, loopback USB channels for streaming, and guitar re-amping. The interface comes bundled with essential software, including CueMix 5, MOTU Performer Lite, Ableton Live Lite, and premium loops. With its sleek 1U design and USB audio class compliance, the MOTU 828 stands as a powerful and versatile solution for professional music producers.
The new MOTU 828 costs $1,307, and is available to buy at Thomann.
The post NAMM 2024: MOTU’s 828 audio interface receives “complete redesign” appeared first on MusicTech.

Midilab Offers FREE JC-303 Bass Synth VST Plugin
Midilab released JC-303, a freeware bass synth VST plugin for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Dust off your rave gear because Midilab released the JC-303 bass synth plugin, which you can pick up for your favorite DAW on any major OS. The JC-303 bass synthesizer is designed to be an authentic clone of the Roland TB-303 [...]
View post: Midilab Offers FREE JC-303 Bass Synth VST Plugin

Spotify is now calculating royalties differently. How will it affect you?The much talked shift in how Spotify calculates royalties has happened. But what do the changes actually mean for independent musicians? The changes focus on three areas: Spotify claims these. Continue reading
The post Spotify is now calculating royalties differently. How will it affect you? appeared first on Hypebot.

Tascam to launch TH-11 headphones Tascam's latest headphones promise to offer a high-quality solution for everyday listening as well as standing up to recording or performance duties.

How to press records using eco-friendly “Green” vinylWe all love vinyl, but there is no escaping the fact that records are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and, therefore, have a lasting carbon footprint. Greenpeace says that PVC. Continue reading
The post How to press records using eco-friendly “Green” vinyl appeared first on Hypebot.

CES 2024: Samsung debuts ‘Music Frame’ at CES 2024 – a screenless Bluetooth speaker that doubles up as a picture frameCES 2024 is off to a flying start over in Las Vegas. Every year, the event continues to showcase the finest, most innovative pieces of new tech – and 2024 is shaping up to be no exception.
Samsung has unveiled a selection of exciting new products at its showcase event, including a stylish new way to listen to your favourite records. The Music Frame serves as the musical counterpart to Samsung’s The Frame TV, a wireless bluetooth speaker that doubles up as a nifty picture frame.

READ MORE: CES 2024: Sennheiser announces Momentum 4 earbuds with lossless audio

The Music Frame is designed to provide a top-notch listening experience. With Samsung’s SpaceFit tech, it’s able to calibrate the sound to the room, the company insisting it is capable of a “wide radial sound range” that should impress in just about any size space. The speaker is also capable of Dolby Atmos audio, as well as being fit with two woofers, two tweeters, and two mid-range drivers.
But surely popping a photo or a vinyl in the frame in front of the speaker will muffle the sound? Nope – while four drivers are front-facing, the two woofers are on the reverse side of the frame, which allows the speaker’s sound to remain crystal clear.
The frame can be used via bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and is able to be linked in as part of a home theatre set-up due to its compatibility with Samsung’s Q-Symphony technology. That means it will pair easily with any TV speakers or Samsung soundbar you may already own.
As well as the Music Frame, Samsung has also unveiled an advanced, AI-powered version of 2020’s Ballie, allowing anyone to have their own cute robotic AI companion. There’s also an AI fridge on offer, as well as an 8k projector and an incredibly futuristic transparent TV.
No prices have been announced for Samsung’s latest array of tech, but we expect they will be announced later down the line.
Read more CES 2024 news via MusicTech.
The post CES 2024: Samsung debuts ‘Music Frame’ at CES 2024 – a screenless Bluetooth speaker that doubles up as a picture frame appeared first on MusicTech.