PRS Guitars to Auction Rare Guitar for Rainforest Sustainability CharityPRS Guitars announced on Tuesday that is had launched, "an auction for a one-of-a-kind guitar made from reclaimed and salvaged woods. Designed as an employee guitar for 40-year PRS veteran Michael Reid (pictured), the company’s senior wood buyer, the guitar was built specifically as a fundraiser to protect rainforests. The guitar is a PRS McCarty 594 Semi-Hollow with a top, back, neck, and headstock veneer of mahogany from trees blown down in Puerto Rico during 2017’s Hurricane Maria. It has been hand-signed by Paul Reed Smith. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to rainforest charity Cool Earth, who work with Indigenous people to protect vital rainforests. Puerto Rico, Cuba and Brazil, where the guitar’s materials are sourced, all contain rainforests."

"The auction runs September 30-October 10, 2025, from noon to noon (Eastern Time). Interested buyers can bid now at https://www.ebay.com/itm/226999416890," they said.

“Our hope is to give back to the communities that live in the rainforests and to help protect such  paramount resources. They're a special people, and it is extremely rewarding to be able to help with the proceeds from selling this extraordinary guitar. Additionally, the guitar is sort of a  physical representation of Puerto Rican poet Lola Rodriquez de Tio's poem 'A Cuba,' where she describes Cuba and Puerto Rico as being like two wings of the same bird,” said PRS Guitars Senior Wood Manager, Michael Reid. 

"Michael obtained the mahogany from a vendor in Puerto Rico, who salvaged logs from a dumpsite where they were scheduled to be mulched," they continued. "As the guitar’s main wood is a Caribbean species often referred to as Cuban Mahogany, Michael decided to have the fretboard feature an inlay of the skyline of Old Havana, Cuba. The headstock is emblazoned with the Cuban flag. The fretboard is rosewood reclaimed from old Brazilian homes that were falling down and razed. From the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil, the wood averages between 75-150 years old. The intricate inlay features mother-of-pearl, Paua, and other materials, created in partnership with Maryland-based Aulson Inlay."

“It was a real wow moment when we found out what PRS Guitars had in mind to help raise  money. Money raised from this auction will have a real impact on the rainforest as well as the people who live there and protect it. The history of the guitar, made from materials worn by weather and storms, is tragically, but beautifully intertwined with the impact a changing climate has on the livelihoods of people who live in rainforest regions. A huge thank you to PRS Guitars,” said Cool Earth Partnerships Executive, Rebecca Leach.

"This auction represents PRS's commitment to environmental stewardship through partnerships with nonprofits across the globe. Rainforests are critical environments that contribute to a thriving global ecosystem, providing large carbon sinks where they are responsible for storing twice as much carbon as they emit. Hurricane Maria took down swathes of these carbon  guardians on its pass of the island in 2017, but what was found on the ground was transformed into a testament to the resilience of the rainforest, the spirit of rebirth, renewal, and the healing nature of music."

"Indigenous peoples and local communities manage 54% of the world’s remaining forests. Formed in 2007, Cool Earth exists to give funds and data directly to rainforest communities, to create choice, tackle the root causes of deforestation and protect these vital carbon sinks. 99% of the rainforest is intact where they work. Cool Earth’s work ranges from giving cash to communities so they can adapt to climate change and say no to loggers who want to buy their forest, providing data and training so communities can monitor the health of their forests and supporting local economies so communities can generate sustainable incomes. As of early 2025, 58,000 Indigenous peoples have been supported by Cool Earth, helping to protect 2.1 million acres of forest for future generations, keeping half a billion tons of carbon where it belongs, and ensuring 380 million tropical trees are still standing."

"NOTE: As this guitar contains Brazilian Rosewood, which comes with strict regulations that vary by country, the winner of the auction must be in the United States."

"This special auction follows last week’s launch of the PRS S2 Special Semi-Hollow Reclaimed Limited Edition, of which only 700 will be made in 2025."

"PRS Guitars continues its schedule of launching new products each month in 2025. Stay tuned to see new gear and 40th Anniversary limited-edition guitars throughout the year. For all of the latest news, click www.prsguitars.com/40 and follow @prsguitars on Instagram, Tik Tok,  Facebook, X, and YouTube."The post PRS Guitars to Auction Rare Guitar for Rainforest Sustainability Charity first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

A breach every month raises doubts about South Korea’s digital defensesKnown for its blazing fast internet and home to some of the world’s biggest tech giants, South Korea has also faced a string of data breaches and cybersecurity lapses that has struggled to match the pace of its digital ambitions.

Universal Audio launches UAD Showtime ’64 Tube Amp as a FREE plugin
Universal Audio has released UAD Showtime ’64 Tube Amp, a free native amp simulation plugin for macOS and Windows (no UAD hardware required). The plugin is available for free download via the UA Connect app from October 1 through October 31, 2025. Showtime ’64 is a faithful recreation of a 100-watt Fender Showman amp that [...]
View post: Universal Audio launches UAD Showtime ’64 Tube Amp as a FREE plugin

Hard Hat Becomes Bluetooth Direction FinderHave you ever wanted to find a Bluetooth device out in the wild while looking like the comic relief character from a science-fiction series? You might like Dendrite, the direction-finding hat from [SolidStat3].
Dendrite is intended for hunting down Bluetooth devices. It’s capable of direction estimation based on signal strength readings from four ESP32 microcontrollers mounted on an off-the-shelf hard hat. Each ESP32 searches for BLE devices in the immediate area and reports the apparent signal strength to a fifth ESP32, which collates readings from all units. It then runs a simple multilateration algorithm to estimate the direction of the device. This information is then displayed via a ring of addressable LEDs around the perimeter of the hat. White LEDs marking the direction of the detected device. The only problem? You can’t see the LEDs while you’re wearing the hat. You might need a friend to help you… or you can simply take it off to see what it’s doing.
Ultimately, this project is a useful direction-finding hard hat that would also make a perfect prop from an episode of Inspector Spacetime. We’ve covered direction finding in other contexts before, too. Meanwhile, if you’re cooking up your own innovative hard hat (or radio) hacks, don’t hesitate to let us know!

Audient launch the Oria Mini Audient’s latest hardware release sees them team up with renowned room-correction experts Sonarworks to create a compact, powerful hardware system designed to help studio users get the best results out of their room. 

Spotify leadership update: Daniel Ek explains why he’s stepping back as Spotify CEO to become Executive ChairmanDaniel Ek and Spotify's new Co-CEOs Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström participated in a Q&A about the leadership transition. MBW listened in on the call. Here's what stood out...
Source

ORIA Mini: Audient and Sonarworks team up on portable “professional-grade” acoustic calibration deviceIf you’re a producer or mix engineer, you’ll know the feeling of disappointment when you take a mix which sounds perfect, play it in a new setting and it doesn’t quite hit in the same way.
But with their innovative new ORIA Mini, Audient and Sonarworks seek to eliminate that problem.
A “compact yet powerful” room correction system, the ORIA Mini delivers “professional-grade” acoustic calibration in a dedicated hardware device, granting creators, producers and studio owners the confidence to “trust every mix”, with no software, CPU strain or latency.

READ MORE: Telepathic Instruments Orchid: wildly popular synth and chord generator from Tame Impala gets its global release

But how does the ORIA Mini work, exactly? Well, it sits as a hardware DSP solution between your audio interface and speakers, and measures and corrects the acoustic imperfections of any space – whether it’s a home studio or professional control room. The device then applies corrective calibration directly via its onboard DSP.
Audient and Sonarworks say this ensures accurate, reliable monitoring without having to rely on plugins or system-wide software.
Powered by Sonarworks’ SoundID Reference technology, the ORIA Mini boasts 32-bit converters, 127dB dynamic range and support for up to 2.1 speaker systems, while users can load up to four unique calibration profiles to the unit and switch between them instantly.
Credit: Audient
With Sonarworks, users can even create calibration profiles that simulate different playback environments like a car or mobile phone, to check how their mix will sound in these common listening scenarios.
“Every engineer knows the frustration of chasing mixes that don’t translate outside the studio,” says Andrew Allen, Product & Marketing Director at Audient. 
“The truth is, your room is usually the problem and if you can’t trust what you’re hearing, you can’t trust your mix. ORIA Mini fixes that in minutes, giving you a professional monitoring environment you can actually trust and the confidence to unlock your best mixes yet.”
“We understand whilst room correction has such a positive impact on your ability to achieve great mixes it is also complicated!  It is for that reason that ORIA Mini is designed to be a set and forget box – offering consistent, reliable performance with ultra-low latency, doing its job quietly in the background with zero fuss. No crashes, no CPU strain – just high resolution, consistently accurate monitoring whether you’re mixing in your DAW or simply streaming music via Spotify.”
Credit: Audient
“At Sonarworks, our mission has always been to help creators hear every detail with confidence, no matter where they work. With ORIA Mini powered by SoundID Reference, that promise extends into a dedicated hardware solution – giving creators studio-accurate sound without CPU strain, latency, or workflow disruption,” says Martins Polelis, CPO at Sonarworks. 
“By correcting room imperfections and ensuring mixes translate across every playback system, ORIA Mini embodies the core of what Sonarworks delivers: consistency, reliability, and freedom for creators to focus purely on their music.”
Importantly, calibration and setup is simple, and can be done in just 20 minutes, according to Audient and Sonarworks.
Pricing & availability
The ORIA Mini is available now in the following configurations:
ORIA Mini + SoundID Reference Complete Bundle – £379 / €439 / $449
Ideal for users just getting started with room and monitor calibration. Includes ORIA Mini hardware, SoundID Reference for speakers for Speakers and Headphones license, SoundID Reference Measurement Microphone.
ORIA Mini Add-On Bundle – £335 / €398 / $398
For existing SoundID users, or users with multiple ORIA Minis, this bundle includes ORIA Mini hardware, SoundID Reference for ORIA Mini Add-on License and SoundID Reference Measurement Microphone)
ORIA Mini hardware only – £249 / €299 / $299
Includes ORIA Mini hardware and SoundID Reference Measurement Microphone
Learn more about the ORIA Mini at Audient.
The post ORIA Mini: Audient and Sonarworks team up on portable “professional-grade” acoustic calibration device appeared first on MusicTech.

Daniel Ek is stepping down as Spotify CEODaniel Ek is stepping down as CEO of Spotify, and will step into an Executive Chairman role from 1 January 2026.
Spotify co-presidents Alex Norström and Gustav Söderström are to step in as co-CEOs, it has been announced.

READ MORE: Spotify to crackdown on AI “slop” in bid to protect artists

“Spotify has a strong leadership team in place and a solid plan we are executing against. That’s not changing.” Ek writes in a statement on Spotify’s Newsroom.
“What changes is my time and focus. As Executive Chairman, I will spend more of my time on the long arc: strategy, capital allocation, regulatory efforts and the calls that will shape the next decade for Spotify.”
Ek notes that Norström and Söderström will continue to report to him, and the three will “work closely together” with Spotify’s Board of Directors.
He goes on: “Why now? Because Alex and Gustav have clearly demonstrated that, with the support of this remarkable team, they are ready to lead Spotify as co-CEOs. And because you all have stepped up, I can confidently step back from the day-to-day.
“Together, we’ve shown the world that Spotify is not only a great product but also a great business – delivering our first full year of profitability in company history. We couldn’t be better positioned. And to be clear, I’m not leaving. I’ll remain deeply involved in the big, defining decisions about our future, partnering with Gustav and Alex as they lead the way forward.”
Ek notes that part of his new focus will be on building “more Spotifys” and “more of these super-companies”. He describes his intention to create “companies that are developing new technologies to tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time.”
Daniel Ek drew criticism earlier this year when it was revealed that his investment company Prima Materia led a €600 million investment in AI military weapons company Helsing, of which Ek is also Chairman.
The move sparked several high-profile artists to remove their music from Spotify, including King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Deerhoof, and Xiu Xiu.
After English trip-hop collective Massive Attack also announced their intention to remove their music from the platform, Helsing issued a statement responding to the “misinformation” surrounding its activities.
“Currently we see misinformation spreading that Helsing’s technology is deployed in war zones other than Ukraine,” the company wrote on its website. “This is not correct. Our technology is deployed to European countries for deterrence and for defence against the Russian aggression in Ukraine only.”
Read more about Spotify’s leadership changes via its Newsroom.
The post Daniel Ek is stepping down as Spotify CEO appeared first on MusicTech.

Facebook Marketing for Musicians: New tools to grow a fanbaseFacebook has added tools that can bring musicians and creators and their fans together. Discover how to use Facebook marketing for musicians to grow a fanbase, boost engagement, and build a loyal superfan community. Learn practical strategies like fan challenges, custom badges and more.
The post Facebook Marketing for Musicians: New tools to grow a fanbase appeared first on Hypebot.

Free Healthcare For Musicians and Industry ProfessionalsAffordable healthcare has always been a problem for musicians and music industry professionals. Recent cuts to federal subsidies will only exacerbate the problem. This is happening at a time when premiums and other costs are on the rise. While not the same as full health insurance, some programs are expanding. They aim to offer access to free healthcare for musicians and music industry professionals.
The post Free Healthcare For Musicians and Industry Professionals appeared first on Hypebot.

smaolab M4L POP DRUMMER POP Drum Step Sequencer M4L POP Drummer is a new Max for Live Multi Track Step Sequencer with original features: Create modern POP sequences & FILLS using the special Wizard function. Access up to 8 tracks (Polyphonic). Remix your production in real time. Create groovy beat sequences using an advanced special Roger LinDrum Swing mode. And many more features. A functional Demo is available :-). Video: https://youtu.be/4YI_hPNFEOY?si=nicp_bdYNGPvFcwg Read More

Telepathic Instruments Orchid: Latest batch incoming Telepathic Instruments have revealed that the latest batch of their innovative hardware instrument is set for launch on 10 October 2025.

Telepathic Instruments Orchid: wildly popular synth and chord generator from Tame Impala gets its global releaseTelepathic Instruments – the gear brand co-founded by Kevin Parker, better known as Tame Impala – has announced the global launch of Orchid, a synthesizer with an emphasis on chord generation and helping musicians “get out of their head and into the music”.
Orchid has already proved wildly popular, with two limited drops in January and May this year selling out 1,000 and 3,000 units, respectively, in “minutes”.

READ MORE: “Never thought I’d be saying this, but thank you Fortnite”: Daft Punk fans hail “closure” with Fortnite collab

Now, Orchid is being released worldwide, meaning thousands of synth fans and music producers can now get their hands on one.
First conceived by Kevin Parker more than a decade ago as a personal songwriting tool, Orchid first arrived as a 12-key, 16-voice polyphonic synth with three synth engines, and crucially, a chord logic system for quickly building chord progressions. That chord generator comprised a matrix of eight chord-type selecting and chord-modifying keys, with users able to play a root note and subsequently generate chords and voicings.
It featured a collection of onboard effects including reverb, chorus and delay, four LFOs and envelope generators for modulation, and even a separate bass engine.
Credit: Telepathic Instruments
Since it first launched, Orchid has been adopted by a wide array of music industry professionals: it can be heard on Kid Cudi’s Submarine from his 2025 album Free; Don Toliver used it to write chords for his track Call Back, while other artists harnessing its creative potential include Janelle Monáe, Diplo, Ryan Tedder, Fred Again, Joy Anonymous, Madison Beer, Logic, Mark Hoppus, Murda Beatz, Gracie Abrams and Sarah Landry.
Now, the first 4,000 customers who were lucky to get their hands on Orchid during the first two drops – known as the Garden – have offered input leading to the latest iteration of the groundbreaking synth, and the one which is now available as a global release.
“Telepathic has turned feedback into features, ideas into interfaces, and accidents into innovations in this third release,” the brand says.
“Orchid is designed to help songwriters, producers, and artists find what’s on their mind, and what began as Parker’s sketchpad has evolved into a refined, community-shaped instrument, now ready for its first true global release.”
These community-led improvements and enhancements include: Beats, a number of pre-programmed beats by Kevin Parker; a dedicated cutoff frequency filter for sound shaping; Quantisation; the ability to save and modify sounds directly on Orchid; Drum FX, new rhythmic controls for the unit’s beat engine and more.
Watch Telepathic’s irreverent instructional video to celebrate the global launch of Orchid, which features comedians Matt Berry and Jemaine Clement, and channels ’90s synth DVDs in its equal part tutorial and comedy.

Pistil: a software companion to Orchid
Coinciding with the launch is a brand-new piece of software named Pistil, which takes the original synth engine Kevin Parker used to design Orchid’s 60 onboard sounds and turns it into a plugin.
Through Pistil, users can access Telepathic’s universe of sounds, create, customise and save sounds without an Orchid hardware synth, and take advantage of two-way sync with Orchid, meaning you can take sounds and put them straight into your DAW.
Pricing & Availability
Credit: Telepathic Instruments
Orchid will be available exclusively via telepathicinstruments.com on October 10, 2025, at 10:00AM local time across Telepathic’s key markets. Early access will also be available to members of the Garden via Patreon.
Orchid is priced at $549, while Pistil is available bundled with Orchid for $699, or as a standalone plugin at $129.
In the leadup to the launch, Telepathic Instruments is opening a ‘Flower Shop’  for people to play with Orchid in Los Angeles on 2-5 October, followed by a pop-up at Amsterdam Dance Event, taking over Filling Pieces in the heart of the city on 22-26 October.
For more information, head to Telepathic Instruments.
The post Telepathic Instruments Orchid: wildly popular synth and chord generator from Tame Impala gets its global release appeared first on MusicTech.

W. A. Production’s Satyrus distortion plugin is FREE via BVKER for a limited time
W. A. Production is giving away Satyrus, its $39.90 distortion plugin, completely free via BVKER until October 3, 2025. This is a limited-time offer. To get it, you need to register an account on BVKER’s site, complete the zero-cost checkout, and redeem your license with W. A. Production. This is one of several deals and [...]
View post: W. A. Production’s Satyrus distortion plugin is FREE via BVKER for a limited time

“Never thought I’d be saying this, but thank you Fortnite”: Daft Punk fans hail “closure” with Fortnite collab“Never thought I’d be saying this, but thank you Fortnite.” Such was the overwhelming sentiment from fans after the launch of the new Daft Punk Experience, which many have hailed as a moving tribute – and, for some, the closure they didn’t know they needed.
The “first-of-its-kind” in-game event landed 27 September, offering players an immersive trip through a Daft Punk-inspired world. From remixing tracks in the Dream Chamber Studios to blasting robots in the Robot Rock Arena and dancing at the Daft Club, the experience was billed as part interactive concert, part celebration of the duo’s legacy.
But many longtime fans, it went deeper.

READ MORE: A rare Daft Punk skateboard made by the duo’s long-time creative director is listed for sale at $15,000

One Redditor, who has followed Daft Punk since 2003, says the experience was nothing short of cathartic.
“Once it loaded up, floating above Earth with Contact playing I immediately got choked up… Entering that pyramid, gazing at the visuals, TV turned up too loud, and just being fully surrounded by the sound with a bunch of like-minded fans was like one last, perfect concert.”
The fan describes the moment as “a confirmation of all that they did was so great,” recalling how they broke down when their wife asked how it was: “All I could say was ‘fucking perfect.’”
That same user, who played the game with their 9-year-old son, also shares how the event created a generational bridge: “I heard him in the headset, literally screaming with glee and running around his room dancing to the music. He’s been addicted ever since and he’s constantly asking me questions about the robots and their music.”
“Fortnite has exposed an entire new generation to two of the most innovative artists of our time, and provided a 20+ year fan with a memory with his son that we’ll both have forever.”
Other fans have echoed the emotional weight of the collaboration. User Odysseymanthebeast comments, “I became a Daft Punk fan early 2021, and their break up absolutely broke me. This whole experience re-ignited that spark I once had for the band.”
Another, too, praised Epic Games (the developer of Fortnite) for striking the right chord: “Say whatever you want, no matter how valid the criticism: this is an unquestionable win of a release.”
For many, Fortnite didn’t just host a flashy crossover – it gave fans the chance to celebrate Daft Punk’s legacy, pass it on to a new generation, and say goodbye, fittingly, one more time.

The Fortnite x Daft Punk Experience is set to run until 1 November.
Learn more at Epic Games.
The post “Never thought I’d be saying this, but thank you Fortnite”: Daft Punk fans hail “closure” with Fortnite collab appeared first on MusicTech.