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  • Ronroco by Gustavo Santaolalla from Spitfire Audio The latest arrival in Spitfire's Folk & World category has been created in collaboration with Gustavo Santaolalla, the award-winning composer behind the scores of The Last of Us, Motorcycle Diaries and Babel.

    The latest arrival in Spitfire's Folk & World category has been created in collaboration with Gustavo Santaolalla, the award-winning composer behind the scores of The Last of Us, Motorcycle Diaries and Babel.

  • The Bob Moog Foundation is hosting a raffle for a Geddy Lee Minimoog Model D – here’s how to enterFancy getting your hands on a new Moog synth? Well, you’re in luck. The Bob Moog Foundation is hosting a raffle, and a $25 ticket could score you a Geddy Lee Minimoog Model D synthesiser.
    The satin red Minimoog pays tribute to the Rush frontman, taking inspiration from the shiny red stage setup of the band’s 1984 Grace Under Pressure tour. It is also branded with Rush’s signature Starman logo, and received a limited run, with only 500 being made.

    READ MORE: The best free and paid-for plugins you need to know about this week

    This model, officially branded with the serial number GLMD-0233, comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Lee himself. “It’s a thrill to see the Minimoog Model D in that stunning red,” Lee says. “It is so representative of one of the most fertile periods in Rush’s creative history. I’ve always been mad for custom colour instruments, and I’m thrilled with how it turned out. It’s just so beautiful.”
    Originally released in the 1970s, the Minimoog Model D has seen a number of reissues in its time. The Geddy Lee model in particular boasts a custom VCA, capturing the authentic vintage Moog sound while allowing for an extra “sonic punch”.

    The synth is also fitted with some standard modern upgrades, like MIDI, a premium 44-note Fatar keybed and full support of note, velocity, pitch bench, and aftertouch. You can also control loudness, filter, oscillation, modulation, and pitch.
    As well as the synth, the winner will also receive an exclusive poster and a limited-edition 10-inch red translucent vinyl record featuring Rush’s Xanadu and Jacob’s Ladder.

    The raffle will help further the Bob Moog Foundation’s efforts to educate and inspire creativity through science, music, and history. So far, the foundation has helped over 35,000 elementary school students learn about the science of sound with its Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool initiative. It also regularly immerses people in the history of synthetic technology at the Moogseum in Asheville, North Carolina.
    The Bob Moog Foundation Archives also collects rare instruments, photos, prototypes, and more to preserve the history of music technology.
    This is the second raffle the foundation has hosted this year. From February to March, participants could enter to win a signed Oberheim Matrix-12 synthesizer worth $20,000. Those who bought five or more entries were also invited to an exclusive group call with principal designer Marcus Ryle.
    The Geddy Lee Minimoog Model D raffle will be running until 19 May, with tickets costing $25 each.
    Credit: The Bob Moog Foundation
    The post The Bob Moog Foundation is hosting a raffle for a Geddy Lee Minimoog Model D – here’s how to enter appeared first on MusicTech.

    Entries cost $25, and the Minimoog Model D comes with a signed certificate of authentication from Geddy Lee and a Rush vinyl.

  • “There are no strings, no structure to generate revenue”: Moby relaunches royalty-free audio library, mobygratis – and it’s totally freeBack in 2005, Moby launched mobygratis, an extensive digital library of royalty-free music. 20 years on, Moby has given mobygratis a new lease of life, relaunching the online music resource with a wealth of new instrumental tracks and audio files.
    Relaunched in partnership with Little Walnut Productions, mobygratis now boasts 500 new instrumental tracks, with plans to add 250 later this year. The library is also set to continue growing over the coming years, with 500 new instrumental tracks already in the pipeline for 2026.

    READ MORE: “Everybody thinks that it gives them a professional edge… however, you are somehow a villain if you use it”: New study reveals widespread use of AI among music producers, though most “do not want to publicly talk about it”

    While the library used to exclusively offer stereo masters, the re-vamped mobygratis now offers multitrack audio files. This should allow users more freedom to remix and experiment with each file.
    Each audio track is available to download in MP3, stereo WAV and multitrack WAV formats. And searching and filtering functions have also been improved, allowing you to hunt for tracks depending on your desired mood or BPM.
    To date, mobygratis cites that it has supported over 50,000 projects, helping everyone from indie film makers, to students, to choreographers. “One of my goals with mobygratis us is to create as few barriers to use as possible,” Moby explains in the announcement video. “I want you to just dive in, use the music, and see what happens.”
    “Also, to be really clear, it’s free,” he insists. “There’s no bait and switch. It’s not like you sign up for seven days free, then all of a sudden you have to pay. Nope, it’s free.”

    The new royalty-free tracks come from Moby’s back catalogue of creativity over the COVID-19 lockdown. “I went into my archives and ‘finished’ around 1,500 unreleased songs for mobygratis,” Moby explains. “They’re all instrumentals, and my hope is that people can find the music and do whatever they want with it. Remix it, sing on it, use it for films, choreography, social posts, whatever.”
    While the music is free to use, the website lists two guidelines of use. At the very least, Moby requests people use his tracks with a sense of compassion and ethical responsibility. With that in mind, Moby politely asks to avoid using his music to promote right-wing politics/causes, or animal products.
    “Hopefully, mobygratis is egalitarian chaos at its most open and unregulated,” he adds. “Free is a simple concept. mobygratis is just free. There are no strings, no structure to generate revenue, just music, made available for anyone who wants to create.”
    “We’ve also included links to some of my favourite charities, so people can pay it forward if they’re moved to.”
    In terms of licensing, the site offers both Restricted and mobygratis tracks. As the website explains, Restricted tracks are a bit more, well, restricting. The tracks cannot be modified or used collaboratively, and seem to be geared towards filmmakers.
    On the other hand, mobygratis tracks can be fully used however anyone would like. You can modify them, or leave them as they are, and can use them for non-commercial purposes.
    “Restricted tracks are only available to be licensed for independent filmmakers for their not-for-profit/charitable/non-commercial projects,” the site explains. “However all the music (‘restricted’ or ‘mobygratis’) may be licensed for use in any non-commercial films.”
    For more information, head to mobygratis.com.
    The post “There are no strings, no structure to generate revenue”: Moby relaunches royalty-free audio library, mobygratis – and it’s totally free appeared first on MusicTech.

    The library has 500 new tracks, and you can use them for free – as long as you're not promoting right-wing causes or animal products.

  • How an Independent Artist Sold Out first headline showLearn how a completely independent artist sold out their first headline show. Basyl used nothing but smart strategy, community support, and zero ad spend. From DIY posters to a small paid Instagram boost, his blueprint proves you don’t need a big budget to make a big impact.
    The post How an Independent Artist Sold Out first headline show appeared first on Hypebot.

    Learn how an independent artist sold out first headline show using creative methods and community backing with no ads.

  • Live Music Industry News: Fans ♥ Live, Shrinking Tours & MoreThis roundup of the latest live music industry news covers topics from a consumer survey on live shows, to UK grassroots dwindling, and more...
    The post Live Music Industry News: Fans ♥ Live, Shrinking Tours & More appeared first on Hypebot.

    Stay updated with the latest Live Music Industry News, covering consumer trends, grassroots challenges, and much more.

  • “Everybody thinks that it gives them a professional edge… however, you are somehow a villain if you use it”: New study reveals widespread use of AI among music producers, though most “do not want to publicly talk about it”AI in music isn’t just a looming future – it’s already here. And according to a new study, a surprising number of producers and musicians are secretly using it in their work, even as public stigma keeps them quiet.
    The study, titled AI in the Music Industry – Should You Fight It, Ignore It, or Embrace It?, surveyed more than 100 industry professionals and music consumers with the aim of sparking conversation around AI use and helping creatives better prepare for what’s ahead.
    In a new interview with Entrepreneur, Sonarworks CEO Helmuts Bems discusses the most striking findings from the research – chief among them, just “how widespread the use of AI tools already is in the professional music industry”.

    READ MORE: “Staying in the streaming world and trying to play that game is probably more of a threat”: Bandcamp executive says its business model is “timeless” and “well positioned for the age of AI”

    “Those on the frontlines who have to meet deadlines for commercial projects have mostly tested AI systems and have found them to be helpful,” Bems explains. “There were many anecdotes about artists submitting AI-generated songs as their own and labels not being able to detect them. Everybody thinks that it gives them a professional edge, and maybe rightly so.”
    Still, the executive says few are willing to admit it.
    “However, the most surprising [finding] is that these same people do not want to publicly talk about it. The consensus is that AI is an extremely potent technology and already very, very good at creating content, however, you are somehow a villain if you use it.”
    This mirrors findings from a 2023 survey by global studio network Pirate, which revealed that over half of artists would hide their use of AI in their music due to fears of audience backlash.
    According to Bems, AI’s rise will benefit producers and composers the most, allowing them to generate more content independently without relying on session players or expensive studio time.
    “We believe that producers and composers will be the big winners in the AI era. They will be able to deliver more content than ever, without depending on others to deliver their parts,” he says.
    At the same time, commercial musicians may find fewer opportunities in areas like background music or advertising, while indie artists and hobbyists will have unprecedented access to creation tools – but also face an oversaturated market.
    “In this new landscape, creativity alone isn’t enough – artists must also become curators, strategists, and technologists to thrive,” Bems advises.
    In the long term, AI’s ease of use could even deter young people from learning instruments altogether: “If AI gets really good at creating music with a click of a button, it might discourage people to try learning to play an instrument.”
    The CEO also notes that “pure AI-generated content” poses the biggest threat to musicians as it redirects revenue away from artists toward music platforms and AI developers.
    “The economic shift favours those who adapt – producers, composers, and creators who embrace AI tools to boost their efficiency and output. But it also means that royalties and revenue from streaming and licensing could increasingly go to platforms and AI developers instead of artists,” says Bems.
    The post “Everybody thinks that it gives them a professional edge… however, you are somehow a villain if you use it”: New study reveals widespread use of AI among music producers, though most “do not want to publicly talk about it” appeared first on MusicTech.

  • Brainworx launch free bx_mastering studio The latest announcement from Brainworx sees the company bring the algorithms behind the popular mastering.studio online service to a standalone desktop application.

    The latest announcement from Brainworx sees the company bring the algorithms behind the popular mastering.studio online service to a standalone desktop application.

  • Splice acquires Spitfire Audio for a reported $50 millionIn a bid to expand its reach into the plugin market, Splice has acquired British virtual instrument library purveyor Spitfire Audio for a reported $50 million, according to the Financial Times [via Music Business Worldwide].
    In a press release shared with MusicTech, the company says its decision to purchase Spitfire comes as the plugin market is valued at $640 million, and the wider music software and services sector “exceeds $7 billion”.

    READ MORE: Splice’s final instalment of Oliver’s “Power Tools Decades” sample pack series is inspired by hit producers of the noughties

    Described as the “leading platform for music creation”, Splice hosts a sample library with thousands of royalty-free sounds, and a growing suite of AI tools to help creators “unlock inspiration, experiment with sound and generate unique compositions”.
    Spitfire Audio, meanwhile, offers a collection of virtual instrument libraries, including collections made in collaboration with Hans Zimmer, Ólafur Arnalds, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, BBC Symphony Orchestra, and Abbey Road Studios.
    “The teams at Spitfire Audio and Splice have deep respect for composers, musicians and producers and are committed to celebrating and supporting their work”, says Kakul Srivastava, CEO of Splice. 
    “We’re both sound-first, creator-led companies who believe great software and technology can supercharge the creative experience. Our shared vision is to develop tools that expand – not replace – human creativity.
    “With Spitfire’s expressive instruments and Splice’s AI-powered platform, we’re just beginning to explore what’s possible.”
    As part of the acquisition, Splice and Spitfire are planning to release new products which “blend Spitfire Audio’s cinematic soundscapes and orchestral expertise with Splice’s sample catalogue and AI-powered discovery engine”.
    “We’ve always focused on inspiring people to create extraordinary music,” says Paul Thomson, Co-Founder of Spitfire Audio. “With Splice, we can now bring that inspiration to a whole new generation of artists, producers, and storytellers.”
    The music creation market is reportedly projected to nearly double to $14 billion by 2031 [per MIDiA Research]. With this new move, Splice hopes to position itself to lead the market.
    “Splice has already built an incredible business,” added Olivier Robert-Murphy, CEO of Spitfire Audio. “Joining forces means Spitfire Audio’s sounds will find new homes in studios around the world – whether that’s a bedroom producer or a blockbuster composer.”
    In terms of operating, both Splice and Spitfire Audio will continue to operate independently for the time being. Olivier Robert-Murphy will remain as Spitfire CEO, reporting to Splice CEO Kakul Srivastava, while Paul Thomson will continue to oversee Spitfire Audio’s creative direction.

    To read some FAQs surrounding the acquisition, head to Spitfire Audio.
    The post Splice acquires Spitfire Audio for a reported $50 million appeared first on MusicTech.

    In a bid to expand its reach into the plugin market, Splice has acquired British virtual instrument library purveyor Spitfire Audio.

  • Supercharging creativity: Splice acquires Spitfire Audio
    Splice and Spitfire Audio are now under one roof—two pioneers in music creation are joining forces to build the future.

    Splice and Spitfire Audio are now under one roof. Two pioneers in music creation are joining forces to build the future.

  • New Music Critique: Heidi VincentContact: trulyheidivincentmusic@gmail.comWeb: heidivincent.comSeeking: Review, Film/TV, Label, PublishingStyle: Pop-Rock, CountryWhile Vincent lists pop-rock and country as her genres, don’t make the mistake of thinking that she’s an empty, chart-hungry country hopeful. There are no superficial lyrics about beer and trucks here. Rather, she has a sultry, mildly melancholy voice that proves beautifully expressive. “Vancouver singer-songwriter Heidi Vincent launched her music career in the early ‘90s when K97.5 FM picked up her first song, inspired by personal tragedy.” That fact that her music is so intimately inspired by her life absolutely comes across, resulting in sound that is wonderfully authentic.The post New Music Critique: Heidi Vincent first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

  • 'Strategy is synthetically halving Bitcoin' — Author and analystMichael Saylor's Strategy is "synthetically halving Bitcoin" (BTC) by purchasing half or more of the newly minted supply from miners every single month, according to Adam Livingston, a BTC analyst and author of "The Bitcoin Age and The Great Harvest."Livingston said miners currently produce around 450 BTC per day or approximately 13,500 BTC per month, but Strategy acquired 379,800 BTC in the last six months. This translates to the firm purchasing roughly 2,087 BTC per day — far in excess of daily miner output. The author added:"When Bitcoin becomes this scarce, access to Bitcoin will require paying a premium. Lending against Bitcoin will cost more. Borrowing Bitcoin will become a luxury business reserved for nation-states and corporate whales, and Strategy will control the bottleneck.""BTC's global cost of capital will no longer be set by 'the market.' It will be set by the gravitational policies of the first Bitcoin superpower: Strategy," Livingston continued.The author's prediction of a Bitcoin supply crunch translates into much higher BTC prices if Strategy can continue its pace of BTC acquisitions while market demand for the supply-capped digital asset grows among institutional and retail investors.The Bitcoin miner reserve, a metric tracking the total amount of BTC held in miner wallets, continues to decline. Source: CryptoQuantRelated: Michael Saylor hints at Bitcoin purchase as whales stack aggressivelyInstitutions like Strategy are driving the world toward hyperbitcoinizationCypherpunk and Blockstream CEO Adam Back predicted that Strategy and other institutions that have adopted a Bitcoin corporate treasury plan will drive the market capitalization of BTC to $200 trillion."Strategy and other treasury companies are an arbitrage of the dislocation between the Bitcoin future and today's fiat world," Back wrote in an April 26 X post.Critics of the company warn that the debt-based approach to BTC acquisition could sink Strategy financially if a prolonged BTC bear market takes effect and also warn of greater systemic risks to BTC from such a high concentration of the digital currency held by a single entity.An overview of Strategy’s Bitcoin investment performance. Source: Michael SaylorHowever, Bitcoin advocate and author Saifedean Ammous recently said that Strategy's concentration of BTC doesn't threaten the protocol.Ammous argued that institutions like BlackRock and Strategy holding high concentrations of BTC could not engineer a hard fork increasing Bitcoin's maximum supply, as it would massively devalue their holdings, which, at the end of the day, belong to shareholders with the power to divest.Magazine: Bitcoin in Senegal: Why is this African country using BTC?

    Author and BTC analyst Adam Livingston predicts that Strategy will become a Bitcoin superpower by regularly buying half or more of the newly mined BTC supply.

  • 4chan is back online, says it’s been ‘starved of money’4chan is partly back online after a hack took the infamous image-sharing site down for nearly two weeks. The site first went down on April 14, with the person responsible for the hack apparently leaking data including a list of moderators and “janitors” (one janitor told TechCrunch they were “confident” that the leaked data was […]

    4chan is partly back online after a hack took the infamous image-sharing site down for nearly two weeks. The site first went down on April 14, with the

  • How Methane Took Over the Booster WorldSpace X Starship firing its many Raptor engines. The raptor pioneered the new generation of methalox. (Image: Space X)
    Go back a generation of development, and excepting the shuttle-derived systems, all liquid rockets used RP-1 (aka kerosene) for their first stage. Now it seems everybody and their dog wants to fuel their rockets with methane. What happened? [Eager Space] was eager to explain in recent video, which you’ll find embedded below.
    At first glance, it’s a bit of a wash: the density and specific impulses of kerolox (kerosene-oxygen) and metholox (methane-oxygen) rockets are very similar. So there’s no immediate performance improvement or volumetric disadvantage, like you would see with hydrogen fuel. Instead it is a series of small factors that all add up to a meaningful design benefit when engineering the whole system.
    Methane also has the advantage of being a gas when it warms up, and rocket engines tend to be warm. So the injectors don’t have to worry about atomizing a thick liquid, and mixing fuel and oxidizer inside the engine does tend to be easier. [Eager Space] calls RP-1 “a soup”, while methane’s simpler combustion chemistry makes the simulation of these engines quicker and easier as well.
    There are other factors as well, like the fact that methane is much closer in temperature to LOX, and does cost quite a bit less than RP-1, but you’ll need to watch the whole video to see how they all stack up.
    We about rocketry fairly often on Hackaday, seeing projects with both liquid-fueled and solid-fueled engines. We’ve even highlighted at least one methalox rocket, way back in 2019. Our thanks to space-loving reader [Stephen Walters] for the tip. Building a rocket of your own? Let us know about it with the tip line.

    Go back a generation of development, and excepting the shuttle-derived systems, all liquid rockets used RP-1 (aka kerosene) for their first stage. Now it seems everybody and their dog wants to fuel…

  • Sampleson release Predictor Sampleson have announced the launch of a new plug-in and application that’s capable of generating notes, triads and chord voicings from simple clicks.

    Sampleson have announced the launch of a new plug-in and application that’s capable of generating notes, triads and chord voicings from simple clicks.

  • ENGL EP635 Fireball IRThe EP635 Fireball IR Pedal brings the raw power and precision of the ENGL Fireball amplifier into a pedalboard-friendly enclosure, offering unmatched flexibility and tonal control for guitarists of all styles. This cutting-edge pedal is equipped with advanced features, making it a must-have for players seeking high-gain perfection with modern digital convenience. Key Features: Authentic Fireball Tone – Designed after the renowned ENGL Fireball amplifier, the EP635 delivers the unmistakable high-gain aggression and clarity that ENGL fans love. Two Independent Channels – Easily switch between two distinct channels, with each channel's knob settings saved independently, allowing for seamless transitions between tones. Built-in Midboost Function – Enhance your tone with the integrated Midboost switch, perfect for cutting through the mix with extra punch. Advanced Noise Gate – Eliminate unwanted noise and maintain articulate clarity, even with high-gain settings. IR (Impulse Response) Loading via USB-C – Customize your sound with user-loadable IRs using the included software, bringing studio-quality cab simulations to your pedalboard. Headphone Output – Silent practice has never been easier, with a dedicated headphone output for direct monitoring. Premium Build and Intuitive Controls – Featuring a rugged chassis and responsive controls for Volume, Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble, and Presence, ensuring precise tonal shaping. Specs: Input 1/4" (6,35mm) Jack. Output 1/4" (6,35mm) Jack. Headphone Output 1/8"(3,5mm) Jack. 9V DC / 300mA (center negativ) / power supply, sold separately. USB-C. Read More