Cool careers in music: Ché Leader is creating an accessible music industryIn partnership with dBs Institute.
Ché Leader is a freelance producer, artist, and accessibility enthusiast. After a car crash that impaired his left eye, he embarked on a course at dBs Institute’s Bristol campus, becoming increasingly interested in how the creation and consumption of music can be made more accessible. There, he delved into sound design and created a unique concept that allowed users to perform music via hand movements. This idea gained traction, propelling Ché into the limelight, and advocating accessibility for the visually impaired on stages such as Amsterdam Dance Event.

READ MORE: Music career advice from the pros: dBs Institute’s Pete Day on networking, DAWs, and being persistent

Ché Leader’s story is an embodiment of reshaping the music tech world, breaking barriers for a more inclusive musical landscape. His advice? Say yes to everything, put your fingers in all the pies, embrace opportunities and step out of your comfort zone.
Ché Leader MCing as Rivibes
Hey Ché, what’s your story and how did you get to where you are?
I’m visually impaired in my left eye; I can’t really see too well – 10-20 per cent vision – from a car crash on the first day going to Bristol. I literally left Plymouth, moved all my stuff, played a gig in Somerset 20 minutes away from my new life and the driver crashed the car.
It’s a bit of a pun but it opened my eyes to a lot of things after having less vision. I started dBs Institute doing sound design for games and apps. In the first two years, I didn’t really know what I was doing and I focussed on a lot of Ambisonics, spatial audio and binaural beats. And then I got to the third year and the lecturers were like, ‘You do your thing now. Tell us what you want.’
I started to look into audio games. I became obsessed with accessibility and audio. I started to look at the relationships between audio games and then high-tech developments going on with non-accessible games. I started to make comparisons, asking ‘Why do you have these really shit audio games called ‘audio games’ for the blind, and then you’ve got the most immersive 3D spatial audio, Oculus Rift VR headsets? But why have they not made the VR headset without the screen? Why is no one tying these two together?
I was like, ‘I need to come up with something’. I created a concept allowing you to perform music with your hands, moving sounds like Imogen Heap’s MiMu gloves but more immersive.
I finished university and the concept received press coverage. I got a call from Yvette Chivers, who read about me in Red Bull and she invited me to Amsterdam Dance Event in 2022 to discuss accessibility for the visually impaired, as part of a project called the VIP Experience (Visually Impaired Person Experience), for which we’ve secured funding to make clubs more accessible. Now, I’m an accessibility advocate, doing consultations and guest lectures. We want the world to be a more accessible place. We can always do more.

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A post shared by @rivibes

Was there a pivotal educational moment that stuck with you from dBs Institute?
I went to a guest lecture with Jon Burton, The Prodigy’s sound engineer, at the Plymouth campus before I went to Bristol. He was like “Do everything. Never stop saying yes, because I’ll go on tour with the Prodigy for six months a year living like a king and then I’ll come back and I’m doing guest lectures for £100 with you guys.”
That stuck with me! The people that are smashing it, they’ve got their fingers in loads of pies. Fred again.. – I think in 2019 He had his name on 30 per cent of the songs in the charts because he was working behind the doors. Then, his time came. You can’t be like, ‘I’m a recording engineer’. I try and do everything, really.
Are there any other areas of accessibility in music that you work in?
Yes. I’ve started working for a charity called Art Against Knives. We’re giving younger people either preventative strategies to stay away from knife crime or support strategies if they’ve been affected by knife crime.
We’re like an outreach centre. We allow people to express themselves through a number of different ways in music, whether that’s just coming in and learning how to DJ or producing with me. That has given me a whole new outlook on accessibility because these people are not disabled. They don’t have any disability or visual impairments but they come from low-income households. They don’t have the tools to go and buy something.
So, it’s all well and good me making music, but now my aim for them is to set up a scheme where I’m teaching young people how to do what I can do. So I can empower them with the skills so they can go on and teach so it can stay within a community, so they don’t need to pay me however much they pay me to come every Wednesday to teach, the young people will eventually teach one another.
Pete Day, one of your former lecturers at the dBs Institute, recently told us about the importance of being polite to your peers and potential career connections. What did you learn from him?
He taught me not to be a dick. I’ve heard people saying ‘Someone’s great to work with but they’re not easy to work with’. People stay because you’re approachable and if you can get their vision, it’s a skill. Being nice, saying yes, being open.
dBs also allowed entrepreneurship and empowered me to use my skills and think bigger about things. The belief that you can do this. I try and take a bit of that dBs Institute mindset and offer it to my students. They empower you to make you feel like you can do stuff.
Can you give any advice for anyone considering a course at dBs?
Just say yes. Just say yes to everything. I’m working on a soundscape that’s going to be played in an 8.1 surround sound system in Germany and that’s probably earning me more than I’ve ever done in the music industry. It’s bizarre. I asked Oliver Brand, Head of Learning and Teaching, “What happens when the plates are spinning and they’re going to stop?” and he was like, “Don’t stop.”
And it’s about taking yourself out of your comfort zone. Not like going skydiving. I don’t want to do an MMA match! But my first client was Mykki Blanco. I was like ‘I can’t tell him he’s my first-ever client!’. That’s just getting out of my comfort zone. I was like “Yeah, okay I can do this”.
Check out Ché’s work via his Instagram page.
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Monoprice launch 1073-style preamp The SR Studio 2-Channel Classic Microphone Preamp aims to provide the classic Neve 1073 sound at a surprisingly affordable price point, promising the ‘warm’ and ‘punchy’ characteristics that made the original so popular.

Oliver on 3 key practices for making your best music yet
Oliver took a moment with us to share some of the key learnings around making music that he's gathered across the span of his career.

“Whenever you work on something for a long time, you can’t see straight”: Jayda G on long production sessionsCanadian-born, London-based producer Jayda G has commented upon the struggles of long production sessions, saying that working on a track for a long time can leave you asking “What is music?”

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The dance artist, whose latest album, Guy, was released in June, made the comment during in a recent interview with MusicTech.
“Whenever you work on something for a long time, you can’t see straight,” she says, comparing it to working on a thesis. “You’re so close to the material that you can’t really see the difference in it and anything; you start wondering ‘What is music?’”

Also in the chat, Jayda G – real name Jayda Guy – implores budding producers to avoid trying to sound like other artists, saying it can result in feeling as though “you’re not enough”.
“If you’re trying to sound like someone else, you’ll be chasing your tail and feel like you’re not enough”, she says, before adding that this is “probably the biggest issue within the music industry in general.
“If you can stay true to what makes you feel good and listen to that voice,” the Both Of Us producer goes on, “that’s the key to everything – and life in general.”
She’s not the only producer to have graced MusicTech with production advice recently. Similarly, TSHA said in 2022 that it’s important to step away from the screen during long sessions.
“I always like to leave my music for a little bit otherwise you can get stuck in a rut.” She says. “You could go on forever if you’re not careful. When you hear it, anyone listening to the song will not realise how you might have changed the chord progression or arrangement. Only you will know that difference.”
At Glastonbury, we spoke to Flava D, who advised taking the low ends off “unnecessary” elements of a track, as well as leaving mixing til the end of a project. On the day, Syreeta also told us, rather simply, “Don’t delete shit”.
Stream or buy Jayda G’s Guy album via her Bandcamp page.
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FREE WEBINAR: ‘Understanding The Future Of Live Music’ this WednesdayBandsintown and MIDiA are presenting a free webinar, “Understanding The Future Of Live Music,” this Wednesday, August 16th. Earlier this month, top music and entertainment consultancy MIDiA released ‘Return to live. Continue reading
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Fred again..’s new track, adore u, is dedicated to his younger sisterFred again.. has released his popular track, adore u featuring Obongjayar.

READ MORE: Brian Eno and Fred again.. announce upcoming collab album Secret Life

The track’s been teased in Fred again..’s live sets here and there this year but saw the light of day with a full official release on Friday 11 August.
adore u revolves around the sampled vocals of Nigerian-born, London-based singer Obongjayar’s 2022 track I Wish It Was Me. Listen to it below:

Both the original track and Fred again..’s recontextualisation are dedicated to the artist’s siblings – Fred’s to his younger sister and Obongjayar to his younger brother. Before playing the then-unknown track in his Glastonbury 2023 set, Fred again.. explained the wholesome meaning behind the track.
MusicTech was there for the Secret Life producer’s in-demand Glasto performance on the Other Stage this year. In our review, we remarked upon how he “had the crowd in the palm of his hand” throughout the sunset set, playing tracks such as Danielle (smile on my face), Sabrina (I Am A Party) and 2022’s Clara (night is dark).
During the seminal Glasto set, Fred again.. also played Jungle, a track on which the bassline, recently revealed on TikTok, was made when using a dodgy cable.
adore u isn’t the only song to be released that’s been produced by Fred again.. recently. The XX’s Romy put out her new song The Sea in July, which was made in collaboration with the man himself.
If you’re a fan of adore u, check out Fred again..’s other tracks via his Bandcamp page.
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MNTRA Instruments Releases FREE Mirage Cinematic Instrument
MNTRA Instruments releases Mirage, the FREE cinematic instrument for macOS and Windows. It’s difficult to summarize Mirage in a headline; a cinematic instrument is the most encapsulating description I could think of because it’s ideal for scoring videos or games. The reason it’s ideal for scoring video or games is that it allows you to [...]
View post: MNTRA Instruments Releases FREE Mirage Cinematic Instrument

Spotify shares Hip-Hop stats, top markets, and local to global growthHip-hop accounts for nearly 25% of all streams on Spotify, led by artists like Drake, Nicki Minaj, 21 Savage, Ice Spice, and Metro Boomin, the DSP shared as part of. Continue reading
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How musicians can make money on TwitchThe popular live-streaming app, Twitch, may not seem like the first choice for music marketing, but plenty of features can even make musicians a profit. Keep reading to learn more…. Continue reading
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Dawn reverb plug-in from Wave Alchemy Dawn recreates the sound of the iconic EMT 250 reverb unit, and also introduces a range of versatile modern features. 

The Chainsmokers to sponsor a year of rent for an aspiring artist in New York CityHere’s your chance to get The Chainsmokers to pay your rent at a luxury apartment in New York City for a year.

READ MORE: “You have to be defensive and offensive at the same time as a creator”: ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus on the “mind-boggling” potential of AI

This one-in-a-lifetime opportunity will go to the winner of an artist-in-residence program co-sponsored by the duo. To enter, all you have to do is upload some basic information and submit a TikTok video.
Launched in collaboration with The Blumenfeld Development Group, The Chainsmokers’ JAJA Tequila, and creative agency NOISE, this initiative aims to help an emerging artist focus on music without worrying about rent.
The lucky winner will be provided with a free apartment equipped with a recording studio at apartment building The Smile. Developed by The Blumenfeld Development Group and located in Harlem, the building was designed by architect Bjarke Ingels and is named for its curved design.
The 794-square-foot apartment unit was designed by The Chainsmokers themselves, and features dining, working, sleeping and living room spaces.

Want to win a free apartment with a recording studio in NYC? Designed by us. Apply at https://t.co/oWLtNGz9Is pic.twitter.com/c2ywLM1ZSd
— THE CHAINSMOKERS (@TheChainsmokers) August 8, 2023

“We started our careers in New York City and our experiences living in the city really shaped us into who we are today,” The Chainsmokers said in a statement. “The city is fun and inspiring, but we also know all too well how expensive it can be to live there, especially as a new artist.”
“For the longest time we worked out of a shoebox-sized apartment making music every day,” the pair said. “We’re so excited to offer a talented artist the chance to thrive by providing a free apartment with a music studio at The Smile for a year.”
“At NOISE we love working with clients who are willing to think outside the box. Especially those who are not only willing to push boundaries in their respective industries but also are excited to create culture-forward and impactful campaigns – David [Blumenfeld] and the entire team at BDG are one of those clients,” says Joe Laresca, founder and CEO of NOISE.
“This is definitely out of the norm for a real estate company, and of course, partnering with The Chainsmokers is iconic, but being able to change an artist’s life and career trajectory is something we’re really proud of.”
Geared towards creatives in the music industry, the contest will run from now till 5 September. Winners must be 21 and older, a US resident outside of Alaska and Hawaii and be a musician, singer, song writer or a “participant in the music industry.”
Learn more and check out the swanky apartment at thechainsmokersgiveaway.
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“You have to be defensive and offensive at the same time as a creator”: ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus on the “mind-boggling” potential of AIABBA legend Björn Ulvaeus has opined on the “mind-boggling” potential of AI in music, and the need for creators to be both “defensive and offensive” in dealing with the technology.

READ MORE: Google and Universal Music in talks over AI “deepfake” royalties

Speaking to Rick Beato, Ulvaeus admits to being “blown away” by an AI model demonstration he was shown recently by “one of the really big tech companies”.
“The potential of what they showed me was mind-boggling,” he says. “And what you’ve heard so far, it’s nothing against what’s coming.”
Discussing some of the anxieties surrounding the technology, Ulvaeus argues that one has to be “defensive and offensive at the same time as a creator.”
“[AI] is a fantastic tool, it will be the most fantastic co-writer you will ever have. But on the other hand, these AI models will be training on music that people have written, right? I don’t know if it’s too late, but certainly, we have to fight for the writers of that music so they get remunerated in some form or other.”
“I don’t know if [artists] will be able to opt-out if they don’t want [AI] to be trained on [their music],” he says. “But I suspect that it’s going to be very difficult to prove whether a model is trained on ABBA music or not… From what I heard [during] that demonstration, if you ask it to write an ABBA-like melody, you would never be able to recognise that. You’ll never be able to hear that it [came] from Benny and me, if it’s sung by someone else, which in this case it was.
“And then, it’ll be so difficult to trace. Hopefully, these big companies will be good guys. And I think some of them want to be on the side of the creators, rather than against [them].”

The use of AI to aid (or even replace) human creators in music-making has been a topic of fierce debate lately. Paul McCartney, for one, has jumped on the artificial intelligence bandwagon, revealing earlier this year that AI has been used to extract John Lennon’s voice from old audio, and strip it from its instrumental background to help create “the final Beatles record”.
Amidst confusion and speculation about the song’s origins, the bassist then made a statement saying that despite the use of AI, the song had not been “artificially created.”
“Seems to be a lot of guess work out there,” he said. “Can’t say too much at this stage but to be clear, nothing has been artificially or synthetically created. It’s all real and we all play on it. We cleaned up some existing recordings – a process which has gone on for years”
Elsewhere, will.i.am recently made comments which echo Ulvaeus’s about the future of AI in music. He said: “Are you using this tool to make songs? You know it’s gonna make better songs than you. It’s Pac-Man right now, we ain’t even got to Halo. We’re in freakin’ Super Mario Bros., we ain’t even got to Call of Duty yet. This thing’s gonna make better songs than you soon.”
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PRS for Music and PPL are using Audoo’s audio meters to detect songs at public spaces for fairer royalty paymentsBritish music copyright collectives PRS For Music and PPL have joined forces with music technology company Audoo, to improve music royalty detection and distribution for creators, using Audoo’s audio meters.

READ MORE: AVID acquired by private equity firm Symphony Technology Group for $1.4 billion

The installation of Audoo’s audio meters in businesses including cafés, bars, hair salons, restaurants, and retail locations across Great Britain, aims to help drive forward and accelerate accurate and transparent royalty distribution to music creators. The device works by identifying the background music being played and reporting this usage back to PRS for Music and PPL.
According to Audoo, the audio meters installed are designed to be GDPR-compliant and use smart plug-in technology to securely track and report the music being played in quasi-real-time, without capturing any non-music audio such as private conversations.
The move will help PRS for Music and PPL enhance distribution efficiency by delivering optimum payments for their 300,000 collective members – including artists, recording rightsholders, music publishers, writers and composers.
“We are continually investing in new technologies and services to ensure we can pay out royalties more quickly and accurately, delivering the best possible service to members,” said Tim Arber, PRS for Music’s Director of Operational Improvement.
“We have been working with music recognition technology for many years and are excited to see how this collaboration with Audoo can support our ambition to pay out over £1 billion annually in the next few years. Helping businesses across the UK to report the music they play through smart data capture will be integral to reaching this milestone and maximising our members’ public performance royalties.”
Russell Chant, PPL’s Head of Distribution, said: “At PPL, we’re always working to ensure that performers, record labels and self-releasing artists are fairly and accurately paid for the music they create. This initiative with Audoo will complement our existing suite of advanced technological tools and public performance music usage data, offering us a further way to check that our distributions are as accurate as possible.”
Ryan Edwards, Audoo’s founder and CEO, said: “This collaboration with PRS and PPL is a milestone in the evolution of the public performance royalty space, for creators, performers and rights holders, as well as licensees delivering an enhanced experience for customers through the joy of music played in public spaces.”
Learn more at Audoo.
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