Sir Lucian Grainge on rewarding ‘real’ artists, Universal’s global expansion strategy and more from the company’s Q2 earnings callHighlights from Universal Music Group's Q2 earnings call...
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EastWest Hollywood Fantasy Percussion HOLLYWOOD FANTASY PERCUSSION Hollywood Fantasy Percussion provides a full suite of thunderous, mystical struck and shaken instruments to complement even the most epic soundtracks.... Read More

Big Fish Audio Unleashed: Epic Trailers Unleashed: Epic Trailers from Sample Factory and Big Fish Audio is a 14 GB+ sample library that ignites the full force of cinematic power and intensity. Take your audience on an unforgettable... Read More

Get A FREE Impulse Response Pack From OwnHammer
OwnHammer offers the Rock-Box-H30L-2011A impulse response pack as a FREE download for a limited time. Ah, free guitar stuff is my absolute favorite. After I’ve spent all my money on lord knows how many dual humbucker guitars, there is at least the occasional guitar freebie to act as a salve upon my self-inflicted wounds. This [...]
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AI meets multiplayer creation: Using Create to kickstart a collaborative jam in Endlesss
The Endlesss team show how you can kickstart your creative process with Create, develop the idea with collaborators, and then bring everything into the DAW to build a track.

Spotify study confirms importance of superlisteners + How to reach themSpotify has published new data insights about how super listeners, aka superfans, drive streams, buy more merch, and help power artists’ careers through long-term fandom and strategies to reach them. . Continue reading
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Soundiron's new Quadral 3 soft synth The latest version of Soundiron’s versatile Kontakt-based synthesis engine promises to be an ideal solution for film and game composers who need to work quickly whilst maintaining their creative spark. 

You just booked a show; now what?Micahel Brandvold and Jay Gilbert dive into the essential things every musician needs to do after they book a show or tour. MichaelBrandvoldMarketing · 574 Checklist of Everything You Need. Continue reading
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“The perfect blend of design culture, creative culture and engineering”: New Beats headphones collaboration with Samuel RossBeats has released new Studio Pro headphones in collaboration with fashion designer Samuel Ross and his design venture SR_A.
READ MORE: AIAIAI’s new 168g TMA-2 DJ XE headphones are a DJ’s dream
The new headphones look the part but the brand assures it’s not a case of style over substance. They have fully-adaptive noise cancellation and transparency modes, and bespoke spatial audio with dynamic head tracking.
There’s 40 hours of battery life, too, and engineered leather and premium metal sliders. The headphones’ custom acoustic platform and 40mm drivers are designed for almost-zero distortion and improved clarity, and there are optimised sound profiles to suit listening to music, watching movies, playing games, or having conversations.
You can choose from four different colourways: black, deep brown, navy, and sandstone.
Image: Beats
In a press release, Ross said, “When Beats approached me to bring a new design language to the Studio Pro, my goal was to retain the integrity of the design while creating a more sophisticated look and feel that compliments all of the technological advancements. The result is the perfect blend of design culture, creative culture and engineering coming together”.
It’s not the first time the A-COLD-WALL* founder has worked with Beats, either. In 2021, he worked with the brand to revamp its Studio3 Wireless headphones.
Samuel Ross / Image: Beats
And, in June this year, he became Beats’ first principal design consultant. The move was part of Beats’ strategy to target younger consumers. Chris Thorne, CMO at Beats, said products must “have the right design, the colours right, the messaging and positioning. That’s something that Samuel is so good with for the brand.”
Thorne continued, talking about Ross’ previous work with Beats, “It went so well and designers enjoy working with him so much, they were almost asking for more”.
You can find the new headphones at Apple, where they’ll be available soon at a price of £349.99.
The post “The perfect blend of design culture, creative culture and engineering”: New Beats headphones collaboration with Samuel Ross appeared first on MusicTech.

A beginner’s guide to YouTube ShortsYouTube Shorts is growing and has proven successful for music marketing, partly because of its integration with the full YouTube ecosystem. by RORY DONAHUE of The Daily Rind Blog YouTube. Continue reading
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RZA’s signed E-Mu SP-1200 sampler sells for $70,000 in auctionThe E-Mu SP-1200 sampler that RZA used in 1991, and signed this year, has been sold for almost $70,000 in a Sotheby’s auction.
READ MORE: The E-mu SP-1200: How one sampler ushered in a revolution
The hip-hop legend used the equipment to create some of Wu-Tang Clan‘s 1993 debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Judging by the worn nature of the SP-1200, RZA used it for quite some time after the album was released, too. The listing does not mention whether the sampler is in full working order – but it does bear the RZA signature, at least.
Sotheby’s expected the sampler to sell for between $50,000 and $80,000, and eventually went for $69,850 yesterday (26 July).
Image: Sotheby’s
The E-Mu SP-1200 was first released in 1987, combining a drum machine and sampler into one. Per Sotheby’s, it was a “fundamental tool in unleashing the Wu-Tang’s inimitable sound”. It described the machine as one of the “greatest contributions” to both hip-hop and American music more generally.
“This is the first SP-1200 that I ever owned,” RZA said of the SP-1200. He confirmed that it was used in the production of a number of classic Wu-Tang releases, too, saying, “There’s DNA in this.”

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Also at the auction, the custom-made ring 2Pac wore at the last public appearance he made before his death sold for over $1 million, which far exceeded the estimated sale price of $300,000.
Both sales were part of Sotheby’s third annual hip-hop sale, which this year coincides with the genre’s 50th anniversary. But they were just two of almost 120 sales. Also up for grabs were a pair of Nike Dunks, Afrika Islam’s SP-1200 machine, and a curated collection of 394 sealed cassette tapes showcasing two decades of hip-hop.
And Wu-Tang fans were able to get their hands on more gear besides the drum machine. Up for grabs were nine cassettes of early Wu-Tang demos and RZA’s handwritten liner notes for the Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) album sleeve.
Read more music tech news. 
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London’s XOYO launching new Birmingham club in SeptemberXOYO is branching out of London with a new club in Birmingham opening in September 2023.
READ MORE: Primavera Sound will not return to Madrid in 2024, organisers confirm
This week, there have been a number of cryptic posters around the West Midlands city, reading “All we wanna do is dance” alongside a QR code. Scan the QR code, and you’re taken to a brand new XOYO Birmingham website.
On the website, there’s a countdown clock with 50 days remaining as of 27 July. So, it looks as though it’s going to open on 15 September – a Friday night.
And XOYO Birmingham has its own Instagram page, too. Its bio reads, “Coming Autumn 2023. New sister venue to XOYO London”.

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The page has shared some photos, too, adding that the venue will “embody the spirit of Birmingham itself” and will “embrace incredible homegrown talent in the Midlands”. So, while it’s not yet been revealed who’s going to be performing there, there could be some exciting local talent.
It continues, “Created by and for the people of Birmingham, this space will serve as a vibrant hub where creativity, music, and community converge.
“Celebrating international stars, while shining a spotlight on our city’s homegrown talent and an atmosphere of inclusivity. A dancefloor that welcomes everyone.”
It’s set to be another addition to Birmingham nightlife, alongside venues like LAB11, Snobs, Tunnel Club, and The Mill.
XOYO, in Shoreditch, opened in 2010, and has played host to a range of big names over the years. It’s led residencies from the likes of Goldie, Flava D, Andy C and Interplanetary Criminal, while DJ Randall has a residency throughout August.
Learn more about the upcoming venue launch at xoyobirmingham.co.uk.
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“Most of the music released nowadays is empty of any soul and emotions”: Folamour on modern dance musicFrench electronic DJ and producer Folamour has lamented the state of modern electronic music and the way it is, in his words, “empty of any soul and emotions”.

READ MORE: This £13k ‘Bauhaus-style’ turntable by Reed doesn’t include tonearms

The Marseille-based artist — who recently performed at the Hideout Festival in Croatia — told Complex that he hopes to see “a comeback of meaningful and messageful music in the electronic/dance scene.”
“Nowadays, I feel that sharing a message, values, even stories, is often overlooked,” he explains, adding that “most of the music released nowadays is empty of any soul and emotions, and I regret that.”
“Making music for people to dance to is great, but music 30 years ago carried a stronger social message, actually telling something to the world. So I’d love to see that come back.”
When asked about the one trend or scene that ‘absolutely needs to die right now’, Folamour doubles down on his previous comments, saying “All the soulless music made for people to get drunk on. Music should be more than that.”
The musician also shares the inspiration behind his latest mix at Hideout, saying “I didn’t think much about what I was going to play before my set, so I followed the flow of the night. It was warm and electric, and I think it pushed me into starting funky and moving to the housier part of my spectrum towards the end. The energy in Croatia is always special.”
Citing his remix of Udo Jürgens’ Peace Now as the one track he just had to include in the set, Folamour says, “Udo is a legendary German artist, and I was humbled to be offered to rework this gem of his. It has found a very special place in my sets these days with its universal love message.”

“I always express something in my sets and each track is selected for a reason, and this one has a clear message about peace that I truly cherish.”
Speaking with MusicTech for the May digital cover feature, Folamour elaborated on his values as an artist and producer, and explains why he is always the number one fan of his music.
“If I’m not dancing, something is wrong,” he said. “When I’m listening to my own music, I try to separate myself from it. I’ve been making music for almost 10 years, and there are some songs that I forget that I’ve made. I listen to music on Spotify, and a track comes on and I’m like, ‘Wow, this track is cool. I don’t remember who it is.’ And I find out it’s myself, in a weird way.
“So even with Manifesto, sometimes I would sit and listen to it like I’m someone else, and try to understand the message. I try to put myself in the case of someone discovering it. And it’s really important for me to still enjoy it, no matter what. Because if I’m not one hundred per cent a fan of something I do, it’s not meant to be out.”
Read more Folamour news. 
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VIRTU online mastering from Slate Digital Slate Digital's new online mastering service promises to give mixes the clarity, space and depth they need to compete with modern chart-topping hits.

This £13k ‘Bauhaus-style’ turntable by Reed doesn’t include tonearmsAttention all vinyl aficionados (with some serious cash to spare): Reed has unveiled the Muse 3A, a ‘Bauhaus style’-inspired turntable boasting a myriad of premium features and an equally premium price tag to boot.

READ MORE: Todd Edwards unpacks the floppy disk containing all 70 samples for Daft Punk’s Face To Face

Like its Muse 3C sibling, the new 3A uses a reverse sliding thrust ball bearing for its main axis. The bearing ball is made from stainless steel and lateral stability is achieved by using a very durable and low-noise sliding bearing.
Key features of this beast of a vinyl player include a Coreless DC motor, a toggleable traction system with both belt drive and friction drive options, as well as its ability to accommodate two tonearms. The unit also comes with a digital control system indicator that displays essential operating information such as the rotating speed of the platter.
Available in three colours — carnelian red, white, and black, the Muse 3A features an angular design and its entire body (including the bottom) is made out of birch plywood, which makes it durable, stable, and non-resonant. Meanwhile, the platter, which is raised slightly above the main body, has hidden feet that create the illusion of it hovering above your hi-fi rack.
This beast of a turntable also tips the scale at 15kg before any tonearms are mounted.
Price wise, the Muse 3A will cost you an eye-watering £13,000. But what’s money in the face of all that unadulterated audiophile deliciousness, right?
Find out more at the Reed website.
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