Substack isn’t the right model for music. But there’s still a future to believe in.MBW Views is a series of exclusive op/eds from eminent music industry people… with something to say. The following comes from Matt Jones, CEO of Medallion and former CEO of Songkick. Jones has spent over 15 years building direct-to-fan platforms and has facilitated hundreds of millions in artist revenue through various fan engagement models. Substack … Continued
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5 simple pitch shifting plugins (free and paid)
We've rounded up five essential pitch shifting plugins that every producer should know, ranging from industry favorites to hidden gems.

Upwork is buying its way into corporate staffing beyond freelancersThe company will merge Bubty and Ascen with its existing enterprise business to form a separate entity later this year.

A Robot Controller With The Compute Module 5The regular Raspberry Pi line is a flexible single-board computer, but sometimes you might find yourself wishing for a form factor that was better designed for installation into a greater whole. This is why the Compute Module variants exist. Indeed, leveraging that intention, [Hans Jørgen Grimstad] has used the powerful Compute Module 5 as the heart of his “Overlord” robot controller.
The Compute Module 5 offers a powerful quad-core 64-bit ARM chip running at 2.4 GHz, along with anywhere from 2 to 16GB of RAM. You can also get it with WiFi and Bluetooth built in onboard, and it comes with a wide range of I2C, SPI, UART, and GPIO pins to serve whatever ends you envision for them. It’s a whole lot of capability, but the magic is in what you do with it.
For [Hans], he saw this as a powerful basis for a robot controller. To that end, he built a PCB to accept the Compute Module 5, and outfit it with peripherals suited to robotics use. His carrier board equips it with an MCP2515 CAN controller and a TJA1051 CAN transceiver, ideal for communicating in a timely manner with sensors or motor controllers. It also has a 9-axis BNO055 IMU on board, capable of sensor fusion and 100Hz updates for fine sensing and control. The board is intended to be easy to use with hardware like Xiaomi Cybergear motors and Dynamixels servos. As a bonus, there is power circuitry on board to enable it to run off anything from 5 to 36V. While GPIOs aren’t exposed, [Hans] notes that you can even pair it with a second Pi if you want to use GPIOs or camera ports or do any other processing offboard.
If you’re looking for a place to start for serious robot development, the Overlord board has plenty of capability. We’ve explored the value of the Compute Module 5 before, too. Meanwhile, if you’re cooking up your own carrier boards, don’t hesitate to let the tipsline know!

Sly-Fi AxisThere's a reason the eq that inspired this plugin has endured 45 years of musical fashion & trends: it does all the right things to sound. But even a stunning classic isn't safe from my meddling tastes. For starters, this eq's curves are a bit tighter than the original. Next, I added a Saturation knob to overdrive a customized op-amp. That knob generates a very creamy, lush distortion, I'll often use the Sat on its own, no EQ'ing. It's fat, and very much a signature Sly-Fi sound. Stepped/fixed controls can be perfect, or they can get in my way, so I added a UBK mode where all freq and gain knobs sweep freely; I love being able to point this magical eq in between the usual frequencies. Last, I put both a classic 'A' and modern 'B' mode on a switch with the UBK mode, so you can choose the one that works best for each track. At the request of Tchad Blake, Axis can now transfer your settings from A or B mode straight to UBK mode for fine tuning. It also sports a phase flip switch, because sometimes things just sound better flipped. Read More

Sonible introduce learn:bundle Sonible's latest offering brings together a collection of five plug-ins that aim to cover all of the fundamental mixing tasks while helping users to develop a deeper understanding of how each process affects their mixes. 

Vivid Seats sinks as ticket resales drop 900,000 in 3 monthsHave we reached peak ticket presale or is Vivid Seats just not as good is its competitors? The company is clearly struggling, reporting that its marketplace ticket resales fell to 2.2 million compared to 3.1 million in Q2 last year.
The post Vivid Seats sinks as ticket resales drop 900,000 in 3 months appeared first on Hypebot.

“We want to take clubbing back to its core”: The Warehouse Project to introduce phone ban – as phone-free shows continue gaining popularityThe Warehouse Project is introducing a phone ban at its upcoming 2025/26 season events, following an influx of artists and venues doing the same.
The club series, based in Manchester, UK, will ban dance floor photography at its Concourse-only shows, in the hopes of fostering a more present environment for attendees. Addressing a highly raised request from music fans who have attended other phone-free events, THP will be sharing photos and videos with the crowd at the end of each night.

READ MORE: Oasis fans to watch more than 12 minutes of each show through their phone, new study claims

The ban follows the likes of Pikes Ibiza and also artists such as Ghost who have already implemented such policies. Even pop superstar Sabrina Carpenter has considered doing the same. After attending a Silk Sonic show where no phones were allowed, Carpenter told Rolling Stone that she’d “never had a better experience at a concert”.
The Warehouse Project founder, Sam Kandel, has shared his thoughts on the move (via Mixmag): “We want to take the clubbing experience back to its core, which is being in a room with like-minded people feeling connected through music,” he says.
“We also want people to have a piece of the night to remember it by and share with friends, which is why we are sharing our amazing content with everyone at the end of the evening.”

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Recently, Beyoncé producer Raphael Saadiq also weighed in on the rise of phone bans, citing his experience after mandating phones be locked away at some of his No Bandwidth: One Man, One Night, Three Decades Of Hits shows.
“Taking the phones away just made it so I can give people the same opportunity that I had as a young [person] going to the Oakland Coliseum and watching The O’Jays,” he told Tonya Mosley of NPR.
“I mean, I could see them walking up the stairs. I could see the lights on their shoes. I could see the lights on the amps. I paid attention to so much detail. Now, when you have phones in front of you, you see people stiff, and nobody’s moving in the crowd.
“It looks like it’s robots. It’s not really real people. So when there’s no phones… I just – I like it,” he said. “The testimonies I heard, people said they got a chance to hug, kiss, dance with each other.”
The Warehouse Project’s 2025/26 season kicks off on 4 September at Amber’s in Manchester, with Annie Mac’s Before Midnight event taking over its usual Depot Mayfield location the following day. View the full event calendar over at The Warehouse Project.
The post “We want to take clubbing back to its core”: The Warehouse Project to introduce phone ban – as phone-free shows continue gaining popularity appeared first on MusicTech.

Grow Spotify Streams with the Power of Super ListenersYour most valuable Spotify fans aren't just streaming, they're fueling your growth and income. Here's a guide on how to attract, retain, and activate super listeners to level up your audience and grow Spotify streams.
The post Grow Spotify Streams with the Power of Super Listeners appeared first on Hypebot.

A rare Daft Punk skateboard made by the duo’s long-time creative director is listed for sale at $15,000A super-rare Daft Punk-branded skateboard is listed for sale on Ebay, which was created by the duo’s long-time creative director Cédric Hervet.
The skateboard is listed for a rather hefty price tag, just shy of $15,000, and is one of only 25 of this kind that were produced – it’s the 11th one out of the run, to be exact. It’s in mint condition and is still in its original box.

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

The seller originally purchased the board in LA at a Maxfield pop up store. It was created in 2017 for the limited release, and as reported by EDM.com, came out of Hervet Manufacturier: the design studio co-founded by Hervet after his work with Daft Punk.
Hervet was involved in vital art direction for the pair, including the album artwork for their iconic Random Access Memories album. He also co-wrote and co-produced Interstella 5555, the accompanying film to their Discovery record, and also co-wrote and edited Daft Punk’s 2006 Electroma film.

In other Daft Punk news, former Kraftwerk percussionist Wolfgang Flür was sadly tricked into working with an impersonator pretending to be Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter on his Times album, which was released in March this year.
Flür was a member of Kraftwerk from 1973-1987, and has been releasing solo music since 2015. He had previously teased a collaboration with Bangalter in the years prior to its release, but after it officially landed, reports claimed that the collaboration was not with the real Bangalter, and that Flür had been tricked.
Things continue to remain quiet in the official Daft Punk camp. Ever since their retirement in 2021, the world has continued to hope that the two will team up once again; in 2024, former collaborator and session drummer Quinn claimed the duo are sitting on an unreleased album. He told student-run media organisation alt.news 26:46 that the pair began working on what would have been their fifth album in 2018.
You can view the full listing for the Daft Punk skateboard via Ebay.
The post A rare Daft Punk skateboard made by the duo’s long-time creative director is listed for sale at $15,000 appeared first on MusicTech.

Sonora Cinematic launch Softstruck Said to be one of Sonora Cinematic's most unconventional offerings to date, Softstruck takes the concept behind the ‘felt piano’ sound and applies it to the guitar. 

Liquidize is a FREE fluid-like vocoder effect for macOS and Windows
Developer Bespoke Samples has released Liquidize, a free effect plugin designed to add a watery, fluid-like character to your sounds. Liquidize blends a self-modulating vocoder, reverb, and phaser into a streamlined interface that excels at transforming ordinary audio into lush, liquid textures. At its core, the plugin uses a vocoder with modulating characteristics that respond [...]
View post: Liquidize is a FREE fluid-like vocoder effect for macOS and Windows

1 Billion Streams of Children’s Music Completely DIYThis week, Ari is joined by Dave and JJ Heller to discuss their journey of building a completely independent music business for a niche audience of moms.

PRS Guitars Announces Four Fresh Colors for the SE Silver SkyPRS Guitars released the SE Silver Sky Rosewood in four new colors on Tuesday, "created in collaboration with Grammy award-winning PRS Signature Artist, John Mayer. The fresh finishes, offered for the first time on any PRS model, are Derby Red, Trad Blue, Laurel Green, and Dandy Lion (a brilliant and eye-catching yellow)."“The new Silver Sky SE lineup features four new colors inspired by traditional American fashion. These are time-tested hues that have been popular through decades, and I’m excited to share them with the world as the latest SE colorways,” said John Mayer. "The SE Silver Sky is a familiar iteration of the original Silver Sky model that was first introduced with John Mayer in 2018," a statement reads. "The SE starts with a poplar body, bolt-on maple neck, and rosewood fretboard with PRS trademark bird inlays. The 22-fret, 25.5” scale length neck features the original 635JM carve and an 8.5” fretboard radius. It is anchored by three single-coil 635JM “S” pickups, a two-point steel tremolo, synthetic bone nut, and vintage-style tuners.""The SE Silver Sky Maple colorway is also being updated to include two new finishes previously offered on the rosewood-equipped model. The SE Silver Sky Maple's new color palette is Moon White, Stone Blue, Summit Purple, and Nylon Blue.""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 Announces Four Fresh Colors for the SE Silver Sky first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Michigan pension fund deepens Bitcoin exposure with $11M stake in ARK ETFThe State of Michigan Retirement System has nearly tripled its Bitcoin ETF holdings, signaling rising institutional confidence in digital assets.