NIVA Day 3: Frank Riley, Bandsintown and YouTube’s Ali RiveraThe third day of the NIVA ’25 independent live music conference included actionable insights, a major award and the announcement of NIVA 2026. NIVA Day 3 The National Independent Venue. Continue reading
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KRK launch Kreate Series monitors Catering to everything from casual listening to professional content creation, KRK’s new Kreate Series monitors promise to deliver astonishing accuracy and clarity at a very modest price. 

ANWIDA Soft Filter is FREE (again) for a limited time
ANWIDA Soft offers its Filter plugin as a free download for June, part of the developer’s ongoing “Free Plugin of the Month” series. If you missed out when ANWIDA Soft offered the Filter for free back in 2022, now’s your chance to grab it again. It’s still the same plugin, though. Nothing has changed since [...]
View post: ANWIDA Soft Filter is FREE (again) for a limited time

“I had the original OP-1 as well, but I barely used it”: Why Michaël Brun swears by the OP-1 Field insteadWhen you’re bouncing between time zones and tracking vocals in hotel rooms, studio gear needs to pull its weight and pack light.
For producer and DJ Michaël Brun, that workhorse is the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field.
Known for his genre-mixing productions and global collaborations, Brun often sketches song ideas on the go – usually beginning with voice notes on his phone. From there, his portable rig, anchored by a laptop and OP-1 Field, takes over.

READ MORE: Set your own price for a Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field. Why? “Why not?”

“I use the OP-1 Field a lot,” he tells MusicTech.
“The thing that’s so appealing about the Field in particular is — like, I had the original OP-1 as well, but I barely used it; I always felt like I couldn’t integrate it into my setup properly.
But I was really committed! I thought, ‘This thing is so unique, maybe there’s something I’m not understanding.’”
“And I got the Field, and I was blown away. It’s so amazing sonically; it’s so lush. I use it as my keyboard, as a synthesizer, as a drum machine, and as a MIDI controller. I basically use it as an extension of my laptop.”
The OP-1 Field’s size, in particular, is a big part of its appeal (“It’s the size for me,” says Brun). Whether it’s a full session or a spontaneous beat on the road, the Field easily keeps up.
“I use my phone a lot for voice notes as well,” he adds.
“The voice notes help me get the organic side. And then the laptop plus Ableton Live – that’s everything else that you could ever want, right? So it feels like a good combo between those three things.”
Elsewhere in the interview, the producer also shares a simple but powerful philosophy that keeps him grounded both in the studio and on the road.
“Something passive is just accepting that, if I make stuff, some of it’s gonna be bad, some of it’s gonna be good, right? It’s about allowing that to happen,” says Brun.
“I think the ritual of just accepting whatever life is gonna throw at you, even outside of music, is very important, but in the context of music, it’s saying, ‘today I got nothing, but it’s fine. I’m not gonna be hard on myself. There’s always tomorrow, and I’ll try again.’ That allows me to create with a level of passion and in a very consistent way.”
The post “I had the original OP-1 as well, but I barely used it”: Why Michaël Brun swears by the OP-1 Field instead appeared first on MusicTech.

“Spotify’s intent seems clear”: US senators call for FTC probe into Spotify’s subscription bundles – here’s whyTwo US senators are calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to launch an investigation into Spotify over claims that it has forced Premium subscribers into higher-priced “bundled subscriptions” without their knowledge or consent.
Last Friday, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Democratic Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico submitted a formal letter urging the FTC to examine Spotify’s bundling services — specifically, its combination of music streaming and audiobook services under one plan.

READ MORE: Is Spotify’s HiFi lossless streaming actually coming? Leaked code says yes

Under US regulations, digital music providers can pay a lower music royalty rate if their paid music subscription offering is bundled with other legitimate product offerings.
The letter argues that Spotify has “exploited” this rule by reclassifying its Premium Individual, Duo, and Family subscription plans as “bundles” after it began including audiobook access last March.
“Spotify’s intent seems clear – to slash the statutory royalties it pays to songwriters and music publishers. Not only has this harmed our creative community, but this action has also harmed consumers,” it states.
Last year, the Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC) sued Spotify for allegedly underpaying royalties to songwriters and publishers by tens of millions of dollars.
The tech giant added 15 hours of audiobook access to its Premium tiers, raising the price to $12 for individuals and $20 for families at the time.
In the suit, MLC argued that after adding audiobook access, Spotify “improperly” categorised its service in a way that would significantly reduce the amount of royalties it paid despite there being “no change to the Premium plan and no corresponding reduction to the revenues that Spotify generates.”
The change reportedly caused a $230 million loss for publishers in its first year, according to Danielle Aguirre, executive vice president and general counsel of the National Music Publishers’ Association.
Blackburn and Luján’s letter also notes that while Spotify has quietly relaunched its music-only “Basic Plan” following backlash from its “bundling” move, this plan is “hidden” from most users and only available to certain existing subscribers.
“As of January 2025, only a handful of Spotify’s millions of Premium Plan subscribers switched back to a music-only ‘Basic’ plan,” the letter states.
In a statement to Variety, a Spotify spokesperson defended the company’s practices, saying that users were notified a month in advance of any price increases and that the platform offers “easy cancellations as well as multiple plans for users to consider”.
The post “Spotify’s intent seems clear”: US senators call for FTC probe into Spotify’s subscription bundles – here’s why appeared first on MusicTech.

Pulsar Audio introduce Vocal Studio All-In-One Vocal Plugin (Intro Price)
Pulsar Audio has released Vocal Studio, a powerful all-in-one plugin designed to streamline vocal production. The software is currently available at an introductory price of €89. Pulsar Vocal Studio combines a complete vocal chain into a single, intuitive, and conveniently hands-on interface. Having a preamp, compression, EQ, effects, and more in a single instance helps deliver [...]
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Waves V16 now available Along with compatibility with the latest operating systems and DAW versions, the refreshed Waves collection benefits from a number of new features designed to help users work more efficiency and streamline their mixing process.

Sam Altman comes out swinging at The New York TimesFrom the moment OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stepped onstage, it was clear this was not going to be a normal interview. Altman and his chief operating officer, Brad Lightcap, stood awkwardly toward the back of the stage at a jam-packed San Francisco venue that typically hosts jazz concerts. Hundreds of people filled steep theatre-style seating […]

Homebrew Pockels Cell Is Worth the WaitWe haven’t seen any projects from serial experimenter [Les Wright] for quite a while, and honestly, we were getting a little worried about that. Turns out we needn’t have fretted, as [Les] was deep into this exploration of the Pockels Effect, with pretty cool results.
If you’ll recall, [Les]’s last appearance on these pages concerned the automated creation of huge, perfect crystals of KDP, or potassium dihydrogen phosphate. KDP crystals have many interesting properties, but the focus here is on their ability to modulate light when an electrical charge is applied to the crystal. That’s the Pockels Effect, and while there are commercially available Pockels cells available for use mainly as optical switches, where’s the sport in buying when you can build?
As with most of [Les]’s projects, there are hacks galore here, but the hackiest is probably the homemade diamond wire saw. The fragile KDP crystals need to be cut before use, and rather than risk his beauties to a bandsaw or angle grinder, [Les] threw together a rig using a stepper motor and some cheap diamond-encrusted wire. The motor moves the diamond wire up and down while a weight forces the crystal against it on a moving sled. Brilliant!
The cut crystals are then polished before being mounted between conductive ITO glass and connected to a high-voltage supply. The video below shows the beautiful polarization changes induced by the electric field, as well as demonstrating how well the Pockels cell acts as an optical switch. It’s kind of neat to see a clear crystal completely block a laser just by flipping a switch.
Nice work, [Les], and great to have you back.

Afroplug Shattayard Lite – Shatta VSTCreated by Ms Mavy — founder of Afroplug from French West Indies: Guadeloupe. 50 custom presets. One sound. Born in the French West Indies. The sound of a generation. Shatta Yard is a bold sound plugin inspired by the raw DNA of Raggamuffin, Dancehall, and the rising Shatta phenomenon — born in the French West Indies especially Martinique and carried across the world by artists like Kalash, Maureen, Bamby, Natoxie and more. Built as a tribute to her roots, Ms Mavy, founder of Afroplug, created this plugin with her team in Guadeloupe. Every sound was crafted to capture the unapologetic, rhythmic, and rebellious essence of Shatta culture. What's inside. 50 original presets created for modern producers: Brass: Sharp stabs, orchestral power, and bashment energy. Pianos: Distorted, spooky, and iconic shatta-style keys. 808s & Basses: Deep subs, gritty growls, clean glides. Bells: From tropical sparkle to eerie minimalism. Leads: Melodic, emotional, aggressive, futuristic. Plucks & Synths: Wide range from soft ambient to raw riddim stabs. Percussions: Caribbean one-shots, textures, and rhythmic tools. Drums: Hard kicks, dry snares, dancehall bounces. Built in Guadeloupe. Designed for the world. Shatta Yard is more than a plugin — it's a cultural tool. It captures the underground sound of the French Caribbean, reimagined for today's producers. Created for those who want to produce with culture, intention, and style. Compatible with all major DAWs (VST3 / AU) Exclusive to Afroplug. Read More

Indie artists can now upload videos to Spotify through DistroKid’s video serviceSpotify's music video feature is available in beta in 98 markets, but the US and Canada aren't among them
Source

Jay Webb Signs Global Publishing Deal with Sony Music Ahead of New AlbumJay Webb, the rising country singer-songwriter from Alabama, has officially signed a worldwide publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing. The announcement comes as Webb prepares to release his second album, Where To Find Me, scheduled for July 25.A statement from the company discloses that Sony Music Publishing Nashville EVP of A&R Josh Van Valkenburg called Webb “a superstar in the making.” He highlighted Webb’s ability to connect authentically with audiences through songs that reflect real-life struggles, while also delivering catchy, feel-good anthems. “It’s an honor to be a part of his journey and to champion his songwriting career,” Van Valkenburg said.Webb’s music draws heavily on his upbringing, which was split between country backroads and city life. He began writing songs as a teenager and built a loyal fanbase by independently releasing demos and tracks. Reflecting on his new deal, Webb said, “Songwriting is where the magic happens, and it's always been my goal to write music that real people can relate to. To now have the chance to do that with Sony is a dream come true.”His recent single, “One More Shot,” showcases his raw and honest songwriting style. The song, a poignant ballad about coping with life’s challenges, was praised by All Country News for its “equal parts gravel and gospel” vocal delivery, and serves as a preview for what listeners can expect on Where To Find Me.With this new publishing partnership and a strong upcoming album, Jay Webb is positioned to take his place among country music’s most promising voices.The post Jay Webb Signs Global Publishing Deal with Sony Music Ahead of New Album first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Sonora Cinematic releases FREE Drift cinematic expansion pack for Audiomodern Soundbox
Developer Sonora Cinematic has released Drift, a free cinematic expansion pack for Audiomodern’s Soundbox. For those unfamiliar, Soundbox is a customizable MPE sampler that aims to give users ultimate control over any sound. If you have an MPE controller, such as a Roli Seaboard, you can adjust multiple parameters simultaneously in real-time based on the [...]
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NIVA ’25 Day 2: Indie Live Music Community Looks ForwardNIVA '25 Day 2 was filled with actionable insights, community building and meaningful discussions about the future of independent live music. The annual convention of the National Independent Venue Association continues in Milwaukee through Wednesday.
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MIDI Innovation Awards: Deadline approaching The deadline for entires into the fifth annual MIDI Innovation Awards is now just two weeks away.