Lime’s scooter and ebike batteries will be recycled by Redwood MaterialsShared micromobility company Lime has reached an agreement to send batteries used in its scooters and e-bikes to Redwood Materials, which will extract and recycle critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper. The agreement announced Monday makes Redwood Materials the exclusive battery recycling partner for Lime’s shared scooters and e-bikes located in cities […]

Don’t Cut Your Drummer Into Publishing…Whew. I caused quite a stir on social media for my “Don’t cut your drummer into publishing” video.

Sony, Warner Chappell, Concord, Reservoir urge less regulation of PROs in responses to US Copyright Office inquiryAll companies have argued strongly for reduced regulation in the sector
Source

Trade wars could spur governments to embrace Web3 — TruebitEscalating trade wars are rattling cryptocurrency markets — but they are also creating new use cases for blockchain networks, Truebit executives told Cointelegraph. On April 2, President Donald Trump announced plans to charge sweeping tariffs on US imports, prompting other nations to threaten retaliatory measures. Trump later paused the tariff rollout for certain countries — but the possibility of a global trade war still looms, especially after Trump reiterated his commitment to taxing Chinese goods. If high tariffs materialize, blockchain technology can play an important role in ensuring governments apply them fairly, according to the executives. Blockchain can “really help you prove provenance [...] proving the chain of custody,” Federico Kattan, Truebit’s chief technology officer, told Cointelegraph. Trump’s proposed tariffs would transform global trade. Source: StatistaFor example, a company might “assemble or do some packaging in a low-tariff country and then import into the US at 10% instead of 58%... [but] blockchain can help establish where the product actually came from,” Kattan said.Blockchain networks can enhance supply chain transparency by recording every transaction on an immutable public ledger, greatly limiting the scope for fraud across trillions of dollars worth of imported goods. Trump’s proposed tariffs would impact $2.4 trillion worth of imports, according to a report by the Tax Foundation. Retaliatory measures by other countries could add to that figure. Truebit is a blockchain network specializing in helping users add trustless verification to a wide variety of applications. It is already in talks with software vendors servicing the US government and has been working on a European Union-funded project exploring Web3’s potential role in global supply chains, the executives said. "We’re not yet talking directly to governments, but to the software vendors trying to interface with them — because that’s where we want to be,” Jason Teutsch, Truebit’s CEO, said.Truebit’s native token has struggled since launching in 2021. Source: CoinGeckoRelated: Trade tensions to speed institutional crypto adoption — ExecsTruebit was launched in 2017 and launched its TRU token in 2021. The token has a fully diluted market capitalization of $20 million, according to CoinGecko.Trade war risksHowever, several other crypto executives cautioned that tariffs pose serious risks to blockchain networks’ integrity and accessibility to users. Worsening trade wars threaten to disrupt networks’ physical infrastructure, fragment regulatory regimes, and censor users, they said. “Aggressive tariffs and retaliatory trade policies could create obstacles for node operators, validators, and other core participants in blockchain networks,” Nicholas Roberts-Huntley, CEO of Concrete & Glow Finance, told Cointelegraph.Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again

Live Music Stocks mixed Monday despite broad market rally​On Monday, April 14, 2025, U.S. stock markets experienced a notable rally, driven by easing trade tensions and optimistic signals from the Federal Reserve. But live music and entertainment stocks showed a mixed performance.
The post Live Music Stocks mixed Monday despite broad market rally appeared first on Hypebot.

ESP32-Powered Clock Brings Aviation Style To Your DeskThere’s something cool about the visual design language used in the aviation world. You probably don’t get much exposure to it if you’re not regularly flying a plane, but there are other ways you can bring it into your life. A great example would be building an aviation-themed clock, like this stylish timepiece from [oliverb.]
The electronic heart of the build is an ESP32. This wireless-capable microcontroller is a popular choice for clock builds these days. This is because it can contact network time servers out of the box, which allows you to build an incredibly capable and accurate clock without any additional parts. No real-time-clock needed—just have the ESP32 buzz the Internet for an accurate update on the regular!
As for the display itself, three gauges show hours, minutes, and seconds on aviation-like gauges. They’re 3D-printed, which means you can build them from scratch. That’s a touch easier than having to go out and source actual surplus aviation hardware. Each gauge is driven by a NEMA17 stepper motor. There’s also an ATMEGA328 on hand to drive a 7-segment gauge on the seconds display, and a PIR sensor which shuts the clock down when nobody is around to view it.
It’s a tidy build, and one with a compelling aesthetic at that. We’ve seen some similar builds before using real aviation gauges, too. Video after the break.

The Live Beat: My Chemical RomanceMy Chemical Romance has never been one for subtlety—and thank the eyeliner gods for that. The band that soundtracked your teenage angst with a whole lot of “woe is me” is back on the road in 2025, and things are getting beautifully extra.To celebrate the 21st anniversary of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, MCR is not only releasing a freshly remixed and remastered deluxe edition (with zoetrope vinyl and etched sides—because aesthetic), but they’re also hitting the stadium circuit with a tour that sold out faster than you could say “I’m Not Okay.”A statement from the company discloses that their 2025 North American stadium tour—titled Long Live: The Black Parade—"sold out merely hours after tickets went on sale." That’s right: the emos have risen once more, and they brought their credit cards.So dig up your old band tees, sharpen your eyeliner, and prepare to scream along to every lyric like it’s 2005. If you scored tickets, congrats—you’re about to have the most emotionally cathartic night of your adult life. And if not? Well, there’s always a way... as more tickets have been added just for you.More info and ticket prices can be found HERE.Photo credit: Chapman BaehlerThe post The Live Beat: My Chemical Romance first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Audeze launch the LCD-S20 The LCD-S20 feature Audeze's new SLAM technology, and are said to deliver extended, dynamic bass while retaining a clean sound even at high listening levels.

Final Mix Software Mix Bus EQ IIIThe Mix Bus Equalizer is specifically designed for use on your Master Fader. Incredibly smooth & natural. We think it's the best Mix Bus EQ ever. Silky Highs. Massive lows. Punchy midrange. The user interface is simple & elegant. The boost/cut controls are incredibly smooth. The Mix Bus EQ has 60 frequencies across 7-bands with a Low Cut filter to tighten the bottom end. Other features include: Precision Low Shelf & High Shelf filters. Air1 & Air2 EQ for the shine. Soft saturation for transparent peak level control. Read More

How Sober Curiosity and Music Are Redefining NightlifeGen Z is changing how we socialize and redefining nightlife by embracing sober curiosity with music leading the way. With a focus on inclusivity and connection, nights out are becoming more about the people, the music, and the memories, not just what’s in your glass.
The post How Sober Curiosity and Music Are Redefining Nightlife appeared first on Hypebot.

One of the world’s smallest acoustic pianos raises $45k on KickstarterStartup brand Keybird is crowdfunding to support the launch of its new uber-portable, acoustic L1 piano.
This new model follows on from its predecessor, the Keybird X1, and is even more compact, making it one of the smallest acoustic pianos on the market. The brand is “dedicated to bringing the acoustic piano to broad audiences and to people who love the piano, but never imagined they could have one in their living space”.

READ MORE: Teenage Engineering’s EP-133 K.O.II just got its first major OS update – here’s what’s new

Keybird’s L1 design makes the piano far more lightweight and accessible for both established and aspiring players. It takes up just a tad more space than an average acoustic guitar would in your home, and can be tuned with similar ease.
The L1 weighs just 39 kg and has dimensions of 70cm (Width) x 115cm (Height) x 55cm (Depth). Though some may argue that digital pianos and keyboards already offer a smaller alternative to traditional pianos, Keybird argues that nothing beats the feeling and touch of an acoustic classical piano, hence why its model fills a significant gap in the market.
Image: Keybird
Users can also install MIDI to its pianos, and even play them silently with the use of headphones and a foam bar that mutes the sound of the keys while playing. With a USB-C MIDI Out on the L1, you can connect to a computer and use your Keybird as a MIDI controller in DAWs such as Ableton, Logic, or Reaper.

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Currently, Keybird has a funding goal of €59,400 ($67,551 USD), which covers essential production costs and confirms demand for the design. The model itself is priced at roughly $3,378 (not including taxes and shipping), and so far, over $45,000 has already been raised to support its launch.
You can find out more via the Keybird Kickstarter page, or head to the Keybird official website to shop its current products.
The post One of the world’s smallest acoustic pianos raises $45k on Kickstarter appeared first on MusicTech.

Sonarworks update SoundID VoiceAI With the latest update installed, SoundID VoiceAI is capable of generating up to eight unison parts from a single voice recording.

Is a Daft Punk comeback happening… in Fortnite?Daft Punk could be making a comeback, but not as you might expect – the electronic duo are currently rumoured to join Fortnite Festival for its Season 9 event.
Fortnite Festival is a music-driven game mode for Epic Games’ Fortnite, in which players can play their favourite hits in different virtual stage environments. Pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter was recently unveiled as its Season 8 icon, bringing tracks such as Espresso and Please Please Please to the game as playable songs.

READ MORE: “Daft Punk were deadpan people trying to be techno… It was too gimmicky”: Why John Lydon turned down a collab with the robots

Talk of a Daft Punk revival within Fortnite were first rumoured by a prominent leaker for the gaming franchise, FNBRintel, on X earlier this April. The pair have remained in retirement since 2021, but have put out a 10th anniversary edition of their final album, Random Access Memories, and other archival releases since their disbandment.

BREAKING: DAFT PUNK WILL REPORTEDLY BE THE NEXT FORTNITE FESTIVAL ARTIST
(Via @FNBRintel) pic.twitter.com/nzqeYEgpPU
— Stream (@StreamFNBR) April 7, 2025

While many are excited by the potential addition of the famous robotic duo, others are a little doubtful that it will happen – for examples, some fans are perplexed as to why Daft Punk would choose to collaborate with Fortnite, rather than make a comeback for the new Tron: Ares film. The pair formerly scored music for Tron: Legacy, released in 2010, but the new movie is being tackled by Nine Inch Nails instead.

Though most fans and fellow artists are convinced that Daft Punk will not be making a real-life reunion anytime soon, a former collaborator has previously claimed that they are sitting on an unreleased fifth album.
Session drummer Quinn worked with Daft Punk on Random Access Memories, and made the claim in a 2024 interview with the student-run media organisation, alt.news 26:46. In the interview, he mentioned that Daft Punk began working on what would have been their fifth album in 2018, and he was also supposed to be involved with it.
Neither Epic Games nor Daft Punk have confirmed any of the rumours surrounding Fortnite Festival. Be sure to check back on MusicTech for any further information.
The post Is a Daft Punk comeback happening… in Fortnite? appeared first on MusicTech.

Best free plugins 2025: 14 free drum machines that’ll help you make beats fasterPhysical drum machines are brilliantly tactile and can give you punchy percussion sounds that aren’t always immediately available in your DAW. However, there are plenty of plugins that can get you in the groove and shake up your workflow with functions that most hardware is simply not capable of achieving. We love the charm of hardware, but sometimes it’s best to build interesting beats in the box and experiment with the power of software.

READ MORE: Best free plugins 2025: 15 free synths that you didn’t know you needed

What’s even better is there is a range of drum machine plugins out there that are free to download, with many compatible on both macOS and Windows. We’ve collated some of the most impressive drum machine plugins that come at no cost at all and are far more fun than lining up samples in your DAW’s arrangement window.
The best freeware drum machines at a glance:

Native Instruments Beats Collection
BPB Cassette Drums
99 Sounds Drum Machine
606 Koncept
Synsonic BD-909
AudioSpillage MiniSpillage
Beat Factory Drums
Drum Pro
MeldaProduction MDrummer Small
Manda Audio MT Power Drum Kit 2
Jamstix 4 Free
Speedrum Lite
Triaz Player
BFD Player

Native Instruments Beats Collection
Image: Native Instruments
NI’s Beats Collection is part of Native Instruments’ free Komplete Start plugin suite. It offers 288 pre-made Grooves across 90 kits for fast rhythmic patterns. You can play your own rhythms with a keyboard or pads, export Groove patterns with MIDI drag and drop, and customise drum sounds with studio-grade effects like chorus and reverb.
Features:

288 pre-made Grooves across 90 kits
Customisable drum sounds with studio-grade effects
Dedicated parameters for tweaking built-in effects
Grooves page for pattern playback adjustment

Find out more at Native Instruments.
BPB Cassette Drums

The BPB Cassette Drums plugin bundle includes three digital drum machines, using sounds sampled from BPB’s Cassette 606, Cassette 808 and Cassette 909 drum sample packs. You get Roland TR-606, TR-808 and TR-909 replicas that sound pretty convincing. Not bad, considering you’re not paying a dime for them.
Each of these lovely-looking and easy-to-use plugins have three modes, effectively giving you nine separate drum machines to play with. The clean original sounds of each drum machine are available, while the Warm and Hot modes give you saturated recordings and have been re-sampled from an audio cassette deck, giving each engine a slightly different feel.
Features:

Compatibility: VST/AU, 32-bit, 64-bit, PC/macOS
Number of voices: 7
Clean, Warm and Hot kits
Release and volume knobs
Options to route drums to individual outputs
On-screen keyboard

Find out more at BedroomProducersBlog.com.
99 Sounds Drum Machine

The simply named Drum Machine by 99Sounds is a nifty little thing used, in the developer’s video tutorial, to make bright, energetic EDM beats. But, of course, it can be used to build drum patterns for any genre and style, so long as you spend the time getting to know it.
It boasts 12 kits with the ability to include eight drum sounds per kit, with each sound being sourced from the 99Sounds Drum Samples library. Users can pan each drum sound, or the whole pattern, to their preference. There is also a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter, giving you options to tweak your sound within the plugin.
Features:

Compatibility: 64-bit VSTi/AUi Host, macOS & PC
Number of voices: 8
12 drum kits
Low filter & high filter
Multiple outputs

606 Koncept

Sample Science’s 606 Koncept plugin is a free 606 emulation with its unique own processing capabilities.
You can pitch sounds down or up using the plugin’s intriguing pitch control feature, change the decay of each track, and set the individual levels and panning. There are multiple LFO options including the depth and rate of filters. You can add glide, reverb and set the cutoff of your drum sequence, and, on top of all that, users are able to add vinyl, tape and sub sound layers to provide a layer of texture over everything.
Features:

Compatibility: 64-bit VSTi/VST3/AUi Host, PC & Mac
Number of voices: 7, each with polyphonic, monophonic and legato modes
Vinyl, tape-hiss & sub sound
Multi-pitch sum mixers
LFO & room reverb effects
Amplitude range controls

Find out more at Sample Science. 
Synsonic BD-909

You didn’t think we could possibly do a freeware drum-machine round-up without including at least one TR emulation, did you? This is (obviously) a 909 emulator, but only the actual kick drum from that machine. Okay, that’s not a lot, you might think, but the 909 kick has backed tens of thousands of dance tracks and there are plenty of controls to shape it into just any incarnation of that sound you can imagine. There are 16 presets, too, if you think you need them.
Features:

Compatibility: macOS and PC, 32/64-bit
Multiple tweaking controls: pitch, accent, decay, tune decay, attack, hold, tune depth, noise decay, distort
Distortion effect
MIDI control
Factory presets

Find out more at Synsonic.
AudioSpillage MiniSpillage

A returning drum favourite and must inclusion is MiniSpillage, a synth/drum plugin. It’s still macOS only, we’re afraid, but an essential download for that platform. It’s a cut-down version of AudioSpillage’s DrumSpillage with three drum pads for kick, hat and hollow drum. It comes with several kits and synth features – LFO, filter, modulation and distortion – to stretch those kit sounds far and wide. It’s been around for aeons, but several updates keep this as one of the best macOS drum/synth freebies.
Features:

Compatibility: macOS (AU), 64-bit
LFO, filter, modulation & distortion
12 exclusive drum models
Classic analogue, physical modelling and FM synthesis

Find out more at Audio Spillage.
Beat Factory Drums

Some of our free drum plugins do dance music, some rock – and Beat Factory Drums is designed to fill in the gaps, since it’s aimed primarily for hip-hop, dubstep and more. It features 10 kits, limited but essential sonic tweaks and hands-on MPC pads. It sounds great and is very well worth the 50MB download, which gives you the kick sounds and a plugin that runs on any system, old or new.
Features:

Compatibility: macOS & Windows/ 32/64-bit
10 drum kits
120 drum hits included

Find out more at Beat Skillz.
Drum Pro

Make no mistake, Drum Pro is unashamedly a shell drum machine to add paid-for kits later, but it does come with 20 kits sampled from nine drum machines (from Roland, Boss, Novation and more) so you get a very decent start, without paying a thing. You get MPC-style pads and basic mixing and while it won’t quite cover all your drumming needs as developers Studio Linked claims from the off – but will with their paid-for packs – it still delivers a great variety of beats, for free.
Features:

Number of voices: 12
Compatibility: macOS and PC, 32/64-bit
Attack, decay, sustain & release
Global ADSR/ reverb

Find out more at Studio Linked.
MeldaProduction MDrummer Small

Melda doesn’t seem to be shouting about MDrummer Small as much as it once did, but you can still download it from the download/archive part of the company’s website. It’s well worth it, featuring hundreds of drum sets, components, multisamples, rhythms and loops and some of the features from the larger, paid-for MDrummer. So it might be worth downloading fast before it (possibly) disappears.
Features:

Compatibility: macOS and Windows
30 drumsets
500MB of samples
400 drumset components
AI engine loads new editable loops (2,500 available)

Find out more at Melda Production.
Manda Audio MT Power Drum Kit 2

It was all getting a little bit too electronic around here, so how about a piece of freeware to rock your world? This will still shake your cones like any TR drum machine, though, because MT Power Drum Kit 2 is all about power sounds, albeit from a pop, rock or metal perspective. You get plenty of kit sounds and groove, fill and rhythm MIDI files to get you up and running. It’s a great real and acoustic option if your world is to machine led.
Features:

Compatibility: macOS and Windows
32/64-bit
Number of voices: 13
1000s of assorted rhythms
In-built compresser
Easy-to-use Composer tool
DAW-like track dashboard
MIDI capability

Find out more at Power Drum Kit.
Jamstix 4 Free
Jamstix 4 Free. Image: Press
This lite version of Rayzoon’s drum modelling instrument has no restrictions that will slow you down – just a smaller content set than the paid version. In VST and AAX formats for Windows only, it has 8 drummers and 21 style models as well as 200 acoustic drum samples. Focusing on the feel and style of a real drummer, it provides 3D models of real drums that sound great when programmed by MIDI or played by hand.
Features:

VST for Windows
Onboard sequencer
Onboard FX
200 drum samples
Can be upgraded to the full version with all content

Find out more at Rayzoon. 
Speedrum Lite
Speedrum Lite. Image: Press
This cool MPC-style sampler instrument comes for macOS, Windows and Linux. Designed to be quick and easy to use with a fast workflow, it provides 16 MPC-style pads onto which you can drag and drop samples, plus swap samples between pads.
There are a couple of filters and mono or poly voice modes, and flexible pad behaviours, including cut and cancel for more advanced performance styles. Edit waveforms inside the plugin and route each pad to one of 16 outputs if required.
Speedrum Lite has support for all major audio formats so you don’t even have to convert files first – just get making beats and loops! Also check out Transperc by the same developer, a transient shaper that pairs well with the instrument.
Features:

16 MPC-style pads
Supports multiple audio file formats
Onboard sample waveform editing
Cut and choke groups for pads
Multiple audio output routing

Find out more at Apisonic Audio. 
Triaz Player
Triaz Player. Image: Press
Triaz Player by Wave Alchemy is a surprisingly fully-featured free version of Triaz, a sample player plugin for macOS and PC. It comes with 4,000 samples and 200 presets and lets you tweak sounds with filters, envelopes, LFOs and other effects. You can import expansion packs, and though some features of the full instrument are disabled in this free version, you are able to export beats by dragging and dropping audio stems, mixes, one-shots or MIDI right into your DAW. While the full version offers more content, this free one has a ton of cool stuff to get you started.
Features:

4,000 samples
200 presets
Mac or PC plugin
Sound tweaking
Drag and drop from plugin to DAW

Find out more at Wave Alchemy. 
BFD Player
BFD Player. Image: Press
BFD is a legendary “real” drum plugin, and the Player version is completely free! With a slick interface based on the paid version, it runs as a plugin or in standalone mode, and the developers have provided a mixture of professional drum kits sorted into separate elements and grooves to get you up and running, making beats in no time. It also supports expansions, should you want to grow your sound set in future.
Though you can play it manually, BFD Player encourages you to use any of the 340 bundled grooves across the different kits to make a backbone for your tracks. Then, use the built-in mixer to tweak your sound, even routing the drum sounds out individually for more processing with your favourite effects plugins.
Features

Plugin or standalone for Mac and PC
340 bundled grooves
Expandable with new packs
Built-in mixer
Kits split by drum element

Find out more at BFD. 
For more buyer’s guides, check here. Looking for more freeware? Head this way.
The post Best free plugins 2025: 14 free drum machines that’ll help you make beats faster appeared first on MusicTech.

Commerce Secretary Lutnick walks back tariff relief on electronicsCommerce Secretary Howard Lutnick walked back the recent reciprocal tariff exemption on select electronics announced in an April 12 bulletin from the United States Customs and Border Protection.On April 13, Lutnick told ABC News that the reciprocal tariff exemption was temporary until the administration established a sector tariff regime for semiconductor products, which includes phones, graphics processors, and computing chips in a "month or two." Lutnick added:"President Trump has called out pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and autos. He called them sector tariffs, and those are not available for negotiation. They are just going to be part of making sure we ensure core national security items are made in this country.""We can't be relying on China for fundamental things we need. Our medicines and our semiconductors need to be built in America," Lutnick continued. The official also said he was confident that the US and China would arrive at a trade deal through negotiations.The emphasis on national security and onshoring critical industries could signal that the trade tariffs will be a long-term geostrategic policy and not simply a short-term negotiation tactic to make US exports more attractive, as some analysts have suggested.The Volatility S&P Index (VIX), a measure of the S&P stock index’s volatility, remains elevated amid macroeconomic uncertainty. Source: TradingView Related: Bitcoin ‘decouples,’ stocks lose $3.5T amid Trump tariff war and Fed warning of ‘higher inflation’Trade war heightens volatility and sends markets tumblingTrump's trade tariffs crashed the stock and crypto markets, wiping away trillions in shareholder value as investors dumped riskier assets on fears of a lengthy trade war between the United States and its trading partners.In an April 10 X Post, Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas cited the SPY US Equity History Volume chart as evidence that the S&P 500 stock market index is now more volatile than Bitcoin (BTC).According to the analyst, the S&P 500 Index hit a volatility level of 74 in April, compared to Bitcoin's 71.Stocks and crypto pumped following rumors of the Trump administration initiating a 90-day reciprocal tariff pause. Approximately $2 trillion was pumped into stocks on rumors of softer trade policies.Much of this value was then wiped away when Trump claimed that rumors of a 90-day pause were false and returned once the Trump administration did, in fact, issue a reciprocal tariff pause in the following days.Magazine: Financial nihilism in crypto is over — It’s time to dream big again