Watts Audio The Sultan AmpThe Sultan Amp is a virtual amp simulator for use in a DAW. Inspired by the tones of Mark Knopfler, John Mayer, Jimi Hendrix, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, it features a classic compressor, subtle reverb, two channels, and a traditional tone stack, delivering vintage character in a straightforward interface. Compressor: captures clarity and punch. Reverb: subtle, smooth ambience. Two channels: warm cleans to blues crunch. Tone stack: bass, mid, treble controls. Impulse response: Celestion-style IR reflecting Twin Reverb warmth. Presets: 7 curated starting points for quick results. Formats/OS: VST3, AU (64-bit). macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel) and Windows (64-bit). Read More

How To Use Live Performances to Build A Music Industry NetworkNetworking doesn't have to be so scary! For artists, the concert venue might just be the best environment to put your best foot forward and build connections. Learn how to use use live performances to build a music industry network.
The post How To Use Live Performances to Build A Music Industry Network appeared first on Hypebot.

Karra, bifurcation and YouTube’s gainA couple of weeks ago, electronic music artist Karra posted a video on YouTube about why she took her album down from streaming (one that she spent $100,000 making) and is now going to focus her efforts on YouTube (“an incredible platform for [her] artistry”) as well as selling content to music creators. The details in here will be familiar to most and many of them (fraud, bots, demonetisation, fractional royalties, slow payments, lack of support) are widely recognised as ‘industry glitches’. But when they are all stitched together, they can become an insurmountable challenge for independent creators. Big labels and publishers have the organisational scale to swat these glitches away like flies, but for creators doing everything on their own, it can make the system feel rigged against them. Karra’s solution was to opt out of the streaming economy entirely. Is she an outlier, or a sign of Bifurcation gathering pace?

Karra’s story is one of an artist trying to do what a label artist would do (co-writers, mixing and mastering, photoshoots, videos etc) but on her own. The result was a wholly professional release but because she lacked the operational resources of a record label, all of the glitches (canvass not uploading, social not monetising, music taking down for suspected fraudulent activity, fraudsters posting to her streaming profile, dodgy merch companies not paying etc) simply became too much. The kicker though was that her streaming royalties added up to little more than one percent of her outlay. Sure, if the album had been more successful or if she had spent less making it, that equation might have changed but this was an album with over a million streams, so not nothing. The kicker however, is that her YouTube video telling the story generated more revenue in one week than the album did on streaming in one year. 

There may not be many artists who depend upon streaming royalties to pay their bills, instead using it to fuel their core income streams (live, merch etc). But when the investment and effort vs rewards equation is so imbalanced, it is not surprising that a growing number of creators are now looking elsewhere. Among the non-DSP artists MIDiA has been tracking, YouTube keeps coming up as the place they turn to. Creating ‘content’ on YouTube is not of course for all artists, but now, neither is streaming. The reality of today’s music business may be fragmentation and complexity but this also means that artists now have more paths they can follow. 

The flipside of the complexity and fragmentation is that this strengthens the case for record labels. The depth and breadth of expertise needed to navigate today’s music business simply cannot be recreated by an independent creator’s own team. The likely implication is that successful independent creators have a choice between staying independent but specialising on one or two platforms, or working with a label to work across all of them.

An interesting additional element to the case for YouTube is that it enables artists to tell their story. As we enter the AI era, story telling has never been more important for artists to differentiate from something generated by a text prompt. As Mary Spender puts it, YouTube can play the role of ‘proof of work’. If / when AI music swamps streaming, not only will artists face royalty dilution and attention competition, they will have no meaningful way of communicating their ‘human-ness’ there. Unlike, of course, YouTube.

Streaming’s problems are a combination of self-inflicted injuries, industry dysfunction and unscrupulous third-party behaviour. Fixes are needed from both within and without. While larger rightsholders might look at this and think that these are little more than glitches for their businesses, if streaming fails, they fail. For all its creator-level faults, streaming works well at the rightsholder level. Rightsholders revenues are now dominated by streaming. As we first outlined in Bifurcation Theory in early 2024, streaming’s problems are opportunities for the expanding, non-DSP side of the music business. With a growing body of newer, younger creators prioritising YouTube and social over streaming, it will only be a matter of time before this starts translating into a clear culture-shift. Expect that to happen even faster if Gen AI starts to dominate functional playlists on streaming. YouTube will be waiting with open arms.

Keep an eye out for MIDiA’s forthcoming ‘Future of Streaming’ report that uses conversations with streaming’s leaders to present a bold vision for the industry’s future.

AlphaTheta launches new “flagship” DJ player, the CDJ-3000X – here’s what’s newAlphaTheta has launched its next-generation flagship DJ player, the CDJ-3000X.
An evolution of the CDJ-3000 – which landed in 2020 under Pioneer DJ (Pioneer is, of course, part of the AlphaTheta Corporation) – The CDJ-3000X brings a host of new features and quality-of-life improvements, including improved online music access, updated connectivity and numerous hardware upgrades.

READ MORE: AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X review: Bigger, sharper, smoother, and cloud-ready — but you’ll need very deep pockets

Heading up the selection of new features on the CDJ-3000X is its expanded media support, including built-in Wi-Fi – which removes the previous need for a LAN cable – an NFC touchpoint allowing easier-than-ever access to online media, and, via the Wi-Fi, access to online music via cloud storage or streaming services like TIDAL and Beatport.
Worth noting, though, that you’ll need a subscription to rekordbox Creative or Professional to use CloudDirectPlay.
Hardware improvements include a larger 10.1” touchscreen – up from the CDJ-3000’s 9” screen – enabling DJs to see up to 16 tracks onscreen at once, a more precise jog wheel, and more robust play and cue buttons, with AlphaTheta promising “over 500,000 additional presses compared to the previous model”.

There’s also a new USB-C port, which expands compatibility with USB storage devices.
AlphaTheta also promises enhanced audio quality via high-performance DAC (digital-to-analogue conversion), as well as a redeveloped power supply, and improved channel separation and frequency response.
The CDJ-3000X also brings the ability to edit playlists directly on the unit, and supports Universal DJ Library – an evolution of rekordbox’s DJ Library Plus – meaning you can play music exported via USB from rekordbox, djay Pro and Traktor Pro 4.
Since its launch, DJs, content creators and producers have been weighing in with their thoughts on the CDJ-3000X, and whether it’s a significant step forward for DJ gear.
In our own review, we commended the addition of Cloud-based functionality as well as improved hardware, particularly the larger, crisper touchscreen.
Meanwhile, Mojaxx of DJcityTV implores DJs to “temper your expectations” and see the CDJ-3000X as more of an “incremental upgrade” than a fully-fledged evolution of the CDJ blueprint.

Elsewhere, YouTube channel Digital DJ Tips called the CDJ-3000X the “future of DJing”, but noted, as did we, a persisting lack of stems functionality.

Price-wise, the CDJ-3000X clocks in at €2,799/£2,399/$2,999. For more information, head to AlphaTheta.
The post AlphaTheta launches new “flagship” DJ player, the CDJ-3000X – here’s what’s new appeared first on MusicTech.

4 Ways Artists Can Use YouTube Analytics to Grow Their ReachYouTube's guide for using analytics to help creators grow their channels offers artists some interesting tips and insights. Let's take a look!
The post 4 Ways Artists Can Use YouTube Analytics to Grow Their Reach appeared first on Hypebot.

IK launch iLoud Precision MkII studio monitors  IK Multimedia have unveiled the iLoud Precision MkII, the next generation of their studio monitor range, featuring the company’s new ARC X acoustic correction system.

KG Series is a new collection of 12 FREE plugins for Windows by KageMusicKorea
KageMusicKorea, an independent record label and audio developer based in Seoul, South Korea, has released the KG Series, a free collection of 12 audio plugins designed to provide affordable (or rather, free) creative tools for music producers. The KG Series is aimed at breaking down the financial barriers one might associate with music production. Of [...]
View post: KG Series is a new collection of 12 FREE plugins for Windows by KageMusicKorea

AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X review: Bigger, sharper, smoother, and cloud-ready — but you’ll need very deep pocketsPrice: €2,799/£2,399/$2,999
DJ tech doesn’t move at the breakneck pace of synths, plugins, or studio gear. In fact, most advances feel like refinements rather than revolutions. It’s this evolution, rather than revolution, that we are seeing again here in AlphaTheta’s CDJ-3000X.
The original CDJ-3000 had the misfortune of arriving in 2020, during a global pandemic that shuttered clubs worldwide. Since then, Pioneer DJ has rebranded many products under the AlphaTheta name, while aiming to continue its dominance as the global industry standard.

READ MORE: Sound Advice from AlphaTheta’s managing director Hiroaki Nishikawa: “Trust is incredibly important; micromanaging often causes friction”

In the CDJ-3000X, small tweaks and improvements add up to an enhanced experience without jeopardising the familiar layout DJs have adopted and grown accustomed to.
The headline change? A 10.1-inch high-res touchscreen, increased from 9 inches on the CDJ-3000. It looks more like a tablet bolted on top of the deck, which isn’t the prettiest design move, but function beats fashion here. Plus, there’s still enough slick improvements in the overall look with a new matte black anodised finish and subtle LED tweaks give it a stealthier, more premium feel.
With such upgrades, AlphaTheta is seemingly futureproofing the CDJ-3000X for another five years in the booth. Can the brand hold onto its crown in clubs, venues, festivals and house parties around the world in that time? You can count on it.
Still, with such a hefty price tag, is the CDJ-3000X really that impressive?
Image: Press
Browsing, Playlists, and Cloud
The CDJ-3000X’s larger screen makes browsing vastly more intuitive: up to 16 tracks visible at once versus 12 on the 3000. Long-pressing on text lets you copy and paste for fast searches, and you can now edit and reorder playlists on the fly. AlphaTheta tells us that more playlist editing, such as track add and moving tracks between playlists, will come in future firmware updates.
A small but slick touch: rekordbox’s USB colour preferences now translate to additional hardware. Set your stick to green in rekordbox preferences, and the track selector knob glows green when that source is active.
Built-in Wi-Fi is a big step forward, finally removing the need for LAN cables to access rekordbox CloudDirectPlay or streaming services like Tidal and Beatport. But remember: you’ll still need a rekordbox Creative/Professional subscription.
Connecting to the cloud is easier too: either use an authenticated USB, or simply tap your phone over the old CD slot (thanks to NFC), or scan an on-screen QR code. Loading seemed a little slow per track unless you do this pre-tagging at the start of your set, and we were on a gigabit fibre connection too. Tagging cloud tracks in a playlist auto-downloads the tracks for quicker loading times, with currently 16GB of memory for downloaded tracks, but the number of tracks of course, will vary with file sizes, formats and track lengths. You can tag an entire playlist also, to speed this process up. But, annoyingly, you can’t “untag” a playlist in one go. A bit irritating if you accidentally tag a playlist and end up combining those tracks with your existing tag list. Your only solution is to clear the whole tag list or manually delete tracks individually.
It seems AlphaTheta isn’t expecting DJs to show up to play without any USBs or media quite yet. So, as is becoming more and more the DJ’s job (aside from making lip-sync and dancing content for TikTok), preparation is still key here when using cloud-based music for a smooth flow.
Image: Press
Features DJs Actually Asked For
As is usually the case with top-of-the-line CDJ updates, many of the additional features implement what pro users called for from the last CDJ.. Especially important since the competition heated up from Denon DJ, which launched products years ago with internet connectivity, streaming, and even dual-layer mode, allowing two separate tracks to play simultaneously.
There’s no dual-layer mode here, but it’s not something that’s ever seemed entirely practical for me as a feature anyway. But, alongside the previously mentioned addition of Wi-FI, the additional USB-C port is welcome, sitting just below the classic USB-A. It’s future-proof, faster, and perfect for modern laptops and devices.
An easily missed but new feature, an “eye” icon, hides track names on-screen, protecting gatekeeping DJs who want to keep their secret weapons… secret.
The Playlist Bank (lifted from the XDJ-AZ and XDJ-RX3) gives quick access to four playlists on the side after hitting the main Playlist button above the screen. However, AlphaTheta has the screen real estate to easily expand this to six, and add playlist images, or custom text for quicker playlist ID. Again, hopefully, a firmware update will unlock some of that potential.
And then there’s Touch Cue. This is a game-changer: you can now drop hot cues while previewing a track in real-time, then jump to them perfectly quantised to the mix. The addition of being able to quickly change track BPM readings to double or half-time on the deck is a huge relief. Any DJs that play drum and bass, reggae, or hip hop will be used to seeing their tracks analysed at double or half BPM speeds, and now they can correct that quickly on the deck. A huge relief for Grimes, for sure.
Hot Cues can now also be switched into Gate Cue mode by a simple on-screen button in the waveform view mode. This means Hot Cues will only play when the button is held down, another much-requested DJ performance feature.
Image: Press
Build & Feel
As you’d expect, the 3000X is built like a tank. The jog wheels feel tighter and more buttery-smooth than ever, with a wider range of tension adjustment for ultra-precise control. The Play/Cue buttons have also been refined, with AlphaTheta claiming they are now tested to withstand over 500,000 more presses compared to the CDJ-3000.
On the audio side, AlphaTheta has upgraded the DAC to a new ESS unit, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 115dB. A new power supply also promises deeper bass and cleaner highs. In practice? These players sound immaculate, though the difference may only be clear in a huge club system, which AlphaTheta has tested with seasoned sound engineers.
Verdict? A dominant Alpha
The CDJ-3000X is very clearly aimed at the pro club, hire, and festival market. For that purpose, it’s almost faultless — rock-solid, familiar, and forward-looking without alienating DJs who live by muscle memory.
That said, the price, although unsurprising, is eye-watering, and there’s still no stems functionality, no over-the-air firmware updates, and limited streaming service options at launch. You’ll also need new flightcases thanks to the extra width.
Still, DJs who want cutting-edge without surprises will feel right at home. We’re confident that these improvements will finally convince any DJs who haven’t updated their tech riders from the 2000NXS2. The bottom line is that using these decks is an absolute pleasure if you encounter them in the booth.
Image: Press
Key Features

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC tap-to-connect for rekordbox Cloud Library
Preview Hot Cue and Touch Cue during playback
10.1-inch touchscreen (up from 9”)
Improved jog wheels with extended tension control
Refined Play and Cue buttons
Improved sound quality
Dimensions: 344.6 × 490.4 × 130.1 mm
Weight: 6.0 kg

The post AlphaTheta CDJ-3000X review: Bigger, sharper, smoother, and cloud-ready — but you’ll need very deep pockets appeared first on MusicTech.

The CDJ-3000X is here: an iterative upgrade of the media player for $3,000 / £2,399CDJ-3000X: AlphaTheta’s Next Flagship DJ Player AlphaTheta has unveiled the CDJ-3000X, successor to the CDJ-3000. At first glance, it is the same familiar form factor, but the updates are focused on connectivity, browsing, cueing, durability, and sound. Some of these changes are substantial, significant improvements, while others are a bit more unknown as to if […]
The post The CDJ-3000X is here: an iterative upgrade of the media player for $3,000 / £2,399 appeared first on DJ TechTools.

Erica Synths launch the MIDI Dispatch Erica Synths have introduced a new utility tool that serves as a successor to their first desktop unit, the MIDI Thru Box. 

HashKey launches $500M digital asset treasury fund in Hong KongThe launch follows Nasdaq’s call for tighter scrutiny of corporate crypto holdings, which HashKey framed as a test for the industry.

Emmy-Nominated Composers and Songwriters Attend BMI Brunch(Top, L-R) Robert Lydecker, Kenny Wood, Christopher Lennertz, Brian Claeys, Bailey Gordon, Jesse Hartov, Ilan Eshkeri, Sean Douglas, Kathryn Bostic, Sherri Chung, Dominic Lewis, Mark Evitts, Carlos Rafael Rivera, Carl Johnson, Julia Newman, (Bottom, L-R) Duncan Thum, Rickey Minor, BMI’s Tracy McKnight and Barbie Quinn, Tova Litvin, Kyle Rodriguez, BMI’s Louie Stephens, and Doug Rockwell at BMI’s Emmy Brunch on Thursday, September 4, 2025, in Beverly Hills, CA. Photo credit: JC Olivera for BMI.On Monday, BMI released a statement to report that it had, "hosted an exclusive brunch at its Los Angeles office to celebrate its Emmy-nominated composers and songwriters, bringing together top talent and industry professionals for a morning of recognition and connection. Held on Thursday, September 4, 2025, the event honored the exceptional work of this year's Creative Arts Emmy contenders.""A highlight of the brunch was a video montage showcasing standout moments from the nominated scores, prompting cheers and applause from guests. Among the Emmy-nominated attendees were Sherri Chung (Based On A True Story), Christopher Lennertz (The Boys), Dominic Lewis (Your Friends & Neighbors), Rickey Minor (The Kennedy Center Honors), Julia Newman (Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story), Thomas Newman (Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story) and Carlos Rafael Rivera (Dept. Q), to name a few," they said. The celebration highlights BMI’s continued commitment to supporting and recognizing excellence within the composer and songwriter communities."The post Emmy-Nominated Composers and Songwriters Attend BMI Brunch first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Nuclear startup Deep Fission goes public in a curious SPACDeep Fission had been seeking to raise $15 million in a seed round as recently as April. The reverse merger will raise twice that amount.

The Incrediplotter: Voice Controlled Plotter from Repurposed PrinterThere’s something uniquely satisfying about a pen plotter. Though less speedy or precise than a modern printer, watching a pen glide across the page, mimicking human drawing, is mesmerizing. This project, submitted by [Jacob C], showcases the Incrediplotter, a brilliant repurposing of a 3D printer built by him and his brother.
Starting with a broken 3D printer, [Jacob C] and his brother repurposed its parts to create a voice-controlled pen plotter. They 3D-printed custom components to adapt the printer’s framework for plotting. An STM32 Blue Pill running Klipper controls two TMC2208 motor drivers for the x- and y-axes, while a small standalone servo manages the pen’s height.
The unique twist lies in the software: you can speak to the plotter, and it generates a drawing based on your prompt without needing to select an image. The process involves sending the user’s voice prompt to Google Gemini, which generates an image. The software then converts this image into an SVG compatible with the plotter. Finally, the SVG is translated into G-Code and sent to the plotter to start drawing.
Thanks to [Jacob C] for sharing this impressive project. It’s a fantastic example of repurposing a broken machine, and the voice-to-image feature adds a creative twist, enabling anyone to create unique artwork. Be sure to check out our other featured plotter hacks for more inspiration.

SoundExchange launches appeal of ruling in SiriusXM lawsuit, says satellite radio firm has underpaid royalties by $400MSoundExchange is challenging a judge's ruling that the PRO doesn't have authority under the law to sue on behalf of rightsholders
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