Best Christmas Playlists of 2024: Spotify, Apple Music & YouTubeWe take a pause from our regular programming to offer the Best Christmas Playlists 2024 on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube complete with links. Best Christmas Playlists of 2024 Spotify. Continue reading
The post Best Christmas Playlists of 2024: Spotify, Apple Music & YouTube appeared first on Hypebot.

Pitch Perfekt is a FREE Voice to MIDI plugin by Algoriffix
Pitch Perfekt is a new release from Algoriffix, an audio developer focused on AI technology.  Do you ever struggle with programming MIDI parts using a MIDI keyboard? Coming up with melodies using a keyboard can be difficult if it’s not your main instrument. You may have the perfect melody in your head and be able [...]
View post: Pitch Perfekt is a FREE Voice to MIDI plugin by Algoriffix

A free Thing from Acustica! Acustica's recently released Jupiter-8-inspired soft synth is now available in a third, free-to-download version.

A Twenty-Segment Display, ArtisticallyWe all know and love the humble seven-segment display, right? And if you want to make characters as well as numbers, you can do an okay job with sixteen segments off the shelf. But if you want something more art-deco, you’ll probably want to roll your own. Or at least, [Ben] did, and you can find his designs up on GitHub.
Taking inspiration from [Posy]’s epic investigation of segmented displays, [Ben] sat down with a sketchpad and created his own 20-segment font that displays numbers and letters with some strange, but frankly lovely, segment shapes. There is no center line, so letters like “T” and numbers like “1” are a little skewed, but we think it’s charming.
We’ve seen about a bazillion takes on the seven-segment idea over the years here. Most recently, we fell in love with this 21-segment beauty, but honestly the original eight(!) segment patent version is charming as well. Anyway, picking a favorite segmented display at Hackaday is like picking your favorite child, if you have a few hundred children. We love them all.

Thanks [Aaron] for the tip!

A comprehensive list of 2024 tech layoffsA complete list of all the known layoffs in tech, from Big Tech to startups, broken down by month throughout 2024.
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Keeping Track of Old Computer Manuals with the Manx CatalogAn unfortunate reality of pre-1990s computer systems is that any manuals and documentation that came with them likely only existed on paper. That’s not to say there aren’t scanned-in (PDF) copies of those documents floating around, but with few of these scans being indexable by search engines like Google and Duck Duck Go, they can be rather tricky to find. That’s where the Manx catalog website seeks to make life easier. According to its stats, it knows about 22,060 manuals (9,992 online) across 61 websites, with a focus on minicomputers and mainframes.
The code behind Manx is GPL 2.0 licensed and available on GitHub, which is where any issues can be filed too. While not a new project by any stretch of the imagination, it’s yet another useful tool to find a non-OCR-ed scan of the programming or user manual for an obscure system. As noted in a recent Hacker News thread, the ‘online’ part of the above listed statistics means that for manuals where no online copy is known, you get a placeholder message. Using the Bitsavers website along with Archive.org may still be the most pertinent way to hunt down that elusive manual, with the Manx website recommending 1000bit for microcomputer manuals.
Have you used the Manx catalog, or any of the other archiving websites? What have been your experiences with them? Let us know in the comments.

NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM PLANS KING HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONThe Museum emphasizes anniversaries of key Civil Rights Movement episodesMemphis, TN, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Monday, January 20, the National Civil Rights Museum will commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a daylong celebration inspired by the theme "Community Over Chaos," echoing the principles outlined in Dr. King’s seminal work, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Thanks to the generous sponsorship of FedEx, admission will be free for all visitors, allowing everyone to experience this day of reflection, unity, and inspiration.“King Day is a time to honor Dr. King’s profound legacy and his dream of the Beloved Community,” said Dr. Russell Wigginton, President of the National Civil Rights Museum. “The sight of thousands coming together on our campus reinforces his call for unity in the face of division. None of this would be possible without the community’s support, particularly our presenting sponsor, FedEx, and contributions from Ford Philanthropy and Dexcom.”A Day of Service and CelebrationThe museum will extend its hours, welcoming guests from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, with a full slate of programs and activities designed to inspire hope and collective action.This year’s celebration will also mark the launch of the museum’s yearlong observance themed Community Over Chaos, highlighting pivotal anniversaries in civil rights history, including:2025 is the 60th anniversary year of the Selma March and the Voting Rights Act of 1965

The museum is continuing its day of service partnerships with its annual blood drive with Vitalant to help with the critical blood shortage. Anyone donating blood will receive additional free admission for up to four people on any day in 2025.

For its food drive benefitting the Mid-South Food Bank, the museum asks guests to bring canned goods and nonperishables to help feed the growing number of hungry families in the Mid-South. “We are excited to restore the vibrancy of King Day that our community cherishes,” said Veda Ajamu, the museum’s Chief Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Community Engagment Officer. “Our partnerships with Vitalant and the Mid-South Food Bank are just a few ways we’re turning Dr. King’s vision into action through service.”KING DAY HIGHLIGHTS:Visitors can tour the museum from 8:00 am–6:00 pm. 

The Memphis-based exhibit, The Southern Heritage Classic: Celebrating 35 Years of an HBCU Memphis Tradition, continues. It features founder Fred Jones' vision of sustaining and expanding the popularity of the annual sports spectacle featuring the role HBCUs in America, their connections to the Civil Rights Movement, the rise of black athleticism, the rich culture uniquely inherent to Memphis.

A full day of activities onsite includes Main Stage performances by several local artists, including vocalist Karen Brown, Gerald Richardson and more. Live entertainment, sponsored by Ford Philanthropy, will be staged outdoors.

The Community & Family Activity Tent will feature area organizations, children’s activities, and entertainment.

At 10:00 am the museum will share an online presentation for virtual audiences to explore Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a leader of peace and justice with a fresh perspective on his humanity.FedEx’s sponsorship exemplifies the spirit of collective action that Dr. King championed, making this celebration accessible to all. Additional support from Ford Philanthropy and Dexcom, Home Depot, and other community partners underscores the importance of collaboration in advancing Dr. King’s dream of justice and equity. Area restaurants and businesses will provide in-kind donations, and several corporations and organizations have committed volunteers to serve at the museum on King Day. About the National Civil Rights MuseumThe NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM, located at the historic Lorraine Motel where civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, gives a comprehensive overview of the American Civil Rights Movement from slavery to the present. Since the Museum opened in 1991, millions of visitors from around the world have come, including more than 90,000 student visits annually. The Museum is steadfast in its mission to chronicle the American civil rights movement and tell the story of the ongoing struggle for human rights.  It educates and serves as a catalyst to inspire action to create positive social change. A Smithsonian Affiliate and an internationally acclaimed cultural institution, the Museum is recognized as a 2019 National Medal Award recipient by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS), the top national honor for museums and libraries.  It is a TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Top 5% U.S. Museum, USA Today's Top 10 Best American Iconic Attractions; Top 10 Best Historical Spots in the U.S. by TLC's Family Travel; Must See by the Age of 15 by Budget Travel and Kids; Top 10, American Treasures by USA Today; and Best Memphis Attraction by The Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Business Journal.Connie DysonNational Civil Rights Museum901-527-1225cdyson@civilrightsmuseum.orgFor more information about King Day at the National Civil Rights Museum, visit kingday.org.The event hashtag is #KingDay2025.The post NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM PLANS KING HOLIDAY CELEBRATION first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Wire Grind Audio Releases FREE Honest Overdrive for Windows
Every day is Christmas at Wire Grind Audio! The indie dev delivered the goods yet again for the holiday season, this time with a new freebie, the Honest Overdrive plugin. Honest Overdrive is a Windows-exclusive release in VST3 format. Wire Grind describes the release as a simple, workhorse plugin for general distortion needs.  This ain’t [...]
View post: Wire Grind Audio Releases FREE Honest Overdrive for Windows

How musicians can thrive in 2025: Bruce Houghton on the Music Biz Weekly PodcastBruce Houghton joins Michael Brandvold and Jay Gilbert on a new Music Biz Weekly Podcast to discuss what's ahead for the music industry and how musicians can thrive in 2025. LISTEN & WATCH HERE:
The post How musicians can thrive in 2025: Bruce Houghton on the Music Biz Weekly Podcast appeared first on Hypebot.

Netflix will add Music Streaming in 2025 predicts Bobby OwsinskiWe asked a few of our favorite new music industry pros to help us identify trends that will drive the music industry this year and Bobby Owsinski offered a bold. Continue reading
The post Netflix will add Music Streaming in 2025 predicts Bobby Owsinski appeared first on Hypebot.

The biggest music technology news in 2024If you’ve been following the headlines, 2024 was an exciting, eventful, and often anxious year in music. From AI and legal controversies to innovative new instruments and festival blunders, this year really brought us more than we bargained for.

READ MORE: These are the 10 best synthesizers of 2024, according to MusicTech’s reviewers

In case you missed what went down, this list will catch you up on some of the most interesting, divisive, and entertaining news stories we covered this year.
Telepathic Instruments
Telepathic Instruments’ Orchid. Image: Telepathic Instruments
One of the biggest developments this year in the music tech community was the launch of Telepathic Instruments and the fledgling company’s first product, the Orchid. With Kevin Parker of Tame Impala as one of its founders and Tom Cosm as its technical director, Telepathic promises to be a manufacturer with a “by artists for artists” philosophy.
This is certainly evident in the Lo-Fi branding aesthetic and the creative versatility we’ve seen so far in the video demonstrations of the Orchid. In case you’re wondering, the Orchid is a compact 16-voice digital synth with a single-octave keyboard. The idea behind the Orchid came to Kevin over 10 years ago, bringing a new approach to chord generation.
The first 1000 units of the Orchid go on sale from 18th December, directly from the Telepathic Instruments home page.
Read more about the Telepathic Instruments Orchid here.
The US Election and Music Tech
DJ Snake and Beyoncé. Image: Frazer Harrison/Michael Buckner/Getty
With this year being an election year, we saw an unprecedented amount of campaign coverage on YouTube and Spotify, where candidates were platformed by some of the biggest podcasts globally including The Joe Rogan Experience and Call Her Daddy. Whether this held much sway in the polls is another matter.
However, what was surprising was how little pushback and critical dialogue there was from interviewers like Joe Rogan, Theo Von, and Alex Cooper who let the candidates control their respective narratives completely. Conversely, entertainment figures in music picked and chose their allegiances explicitly, with artists like DJ Snake and Beyoncé preventing their music from being used by one candidate or the other.
Read more about the music used illegally by US Election candidates here.
Drake vs Kendrick
Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Image: Joseph Okpako and Prince Williams/Getty
If you’re a music fan and you were on social media platforms at any point this year, chances are you would have heard about the unavoidable tale of the Drake vs Kendrick beef. In May, the long-standing online animosity between the two artists came to a head with the release of Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us, which is now nearing a billion streams on global platforms.
Drake’s response to this was to sue his (and Kendrick’s) label UMG and Spotify, claiming that the companies colluded to purposefully push the viral diss track in an allegedly elaborate illegal scheme to sabotage his brand as an artist. From using Bots to cutting royalty rates, all of Drake’s lofty claims filed in the lawsuit have so far been denied by UMG, so we can only watch it unfold.
Get the details on Drake’s allegations against UMG and Spotify here.
UMG vs TuneCore (Believe)
Universal Music Grouop Logo. Image: Zuma Press/Alamy
Of course, this wasn’t the first time UMG was in the headlines this year. After pulling its entire catalogue from TikTok, the label eventually settled its dispute with the popular short video platform in early May after finally coming to a mutually beneficial agreement regarding licensing.
Meanwhile, just last month, UMG, as well as ABKCO Music & Records and Concord Music Group filed a lawsuit against the music distributor TuneCore and its parent organization Believe for alleged broadscale copyright infringement. According to the filings TuneCore is said to be involved in the distribution of fraudulent remixes of major artists, as well as manipulating the Content ID system on YouTube.
Read more about UMG vs TuneCore here.
Rick Rubin on Creativity
Rick Rubin. Image: Christian Charisius/picture alliance via Getty Images
Back in 2023, multi-platinum-selling producer Rick Rubin launched a book entitled The Creative Act: A Way of Being. As a disciple of the creative process, Rubin often appears on podcasts, both as a guest and an interviewer on his own Tetragrammaton series. Because he speaks on the subject so often, Rubin has become a target in the media for artists who in one way or another disagree with his views.
One such commenter was award-winning artist and producer Jacob Collier who strongly disagreed with many of Rubin’s statements surrounding what constitutes “pure art” and its creation process. More recently, Pete Townsend of The Who also spoke out on the Rockonteurs with Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt podcast, regarding some of Rubin’s views as contradictory or even hypocritical. Although he never intended to come across as an authority on creativity, it seems many of Rubin’s statements were simply taken out of context.

 
Manoeuvres from Moog Music
Moog Muse. Image: Simon Vinall for MusicTech
This year was a busy one for Moog Music with a range of new hardware synths to increase your gear acquisition syndrome. For starters, the manufacturer expanded the Moog Studio line with two new 60 HP modules. This includes the Spectravox 10-band vocoder and the Labyrinth generative synthesizer, both equipped with extensive patching matrices for creative sonic exploration.
However, the headliner was the impressive Moog Muse, a 61-key 8-voice dual-layer analogue synth with amazing sound-shaping capabilities and all the bells and whistles you’d expect with its $3000 price tag. From built-in effects and a programmable macro control to a 64-step pattern sequencer, the Muse has all the hallmarks to make it that aspirational piece of gear worth saving up for.
Check out the Moog Muse review here.
The Generative AI Saga
Suno AI. Image: MusicTech
One of the most controversial topics on the internet this year in music production circles and among fans was generative AI. When Roland and UMG joined forces to create a manifesto outlining the principles for using AI technology in music creation, most of the major music industry players and music tech companies co-signed the list of guidelines in support.
As positive as this was, in an almost inevitable turn of events, Sony, UMG, and Warner subsequently sued the generative AI music platforms Udio and Suno for widespread copyright infringement. Led by RIAA, the plaintiffs claimed that the AI platforms used technology modelled upon popular songs, seeking damages of up to $150,000 per instance.
Find out more about the Generative AI Lawsuit here.
A Big Year for Teenagers
Teenage Engineering OP-XY. Image: Teenage Engineering
2024 was a big year for the cult Swedish tech manufacturer, Teenage Engineering. From design collaborations like the Rabbit R1 to being featured at the Art Of Noise exhibition in San Fransisco, the brand covers plenty of ground. With the EP–1320 Medieval, the company showed it certainly has no qualms about doing something completely leftfield for fans.
However, the main event for Teenage Engineering this year was undoubtedly the release of the new OP-XY portable performance synthesizer. With an array of synth engines and effects, sampling capabilities, and a 16-track sequencer, the OP-XY promises endless hours of fun. Will it stand up to the hype previously generated by the OP-1? Only time will tell.
Art of Noise

 
Find out more about Teenage Engineering here.
Grimes’ Coachella Catastrophe
Grimes at Coachella Weekend 2. Image: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Coachella
One of the year’s most confusing moments for Grimes and her fans was when she took the stage at Coachella for her highly anticipated DJ set. To say that things did not go smoothly for the indie electro-pop queen would be an understatement. From around the 20-minute mark onward the transitions between songs became intermittent with some tracks playing at double their original tempo.
Although she explained to the crowd over the mic that she was experiencing technical difficulties, she continued to plow through her set claiming partial responsibility for the blunder. Apparently, the Rekordbox analysis of her tracks had bugged out, resulting in most of them reading at double speed (with the tempo sync active) in the CDJs which threw her off completely. Overall, this type of drama is completely on-brand for Grimes, and probably endeared her to her fans even more.
Read more about Grimes’ Coachella performance here.
Fred… Again?
Fred Again. Image: Kieran Frost/Getty
This year was also a massive year for electronic music artist Fred Again, who did his first sold-out stadium show at the 77,500-capacity Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum stadium. Shows of this magnitude at the Coliseum are historically associated with acts like Pink Floyd or Metallica, so it certainly shows us exactly how far EDM has come as a cultural phenomenon.
From inventive stage design that created a more engaging experience for fans to a sound system that used a circular arrangement with 68 triple 21-inch cardioid subwoofers, you can be sure that the show was a night to remember. Hopefully, we can look forward to more exciting performances from Fred again and other artists of his ilk in 2025.
Read more about Fred Again here.
The post The biggest music technology news in 2024 appeared first on MusicTech.

Augmented Mallets Play: free instrument from Arturia Arturia’s Augmented series offers a blend of synthesis and sampling, combining a range of acoustic...

Splice in 2024: New sounds, mobile recording, and AI-powered creativity
As we look towards 2025, Splice remains committed to helping you explore new artistic directions, find your signature sound, and bring your ideas to life faster and more completely.

Elon Musk’s xAI lands $6B in new cash to fuel AI ambitionsxAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, has raised $6 billion, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday. Investors gave a minimum of $77,593, per the filing (97 participated, but the document doesn’t reveal their identities). xAI later announced (confirming some earlier reporting) that Andreessen Horowitz , Blackrock, Fidelity, Kingdom Holdings, […]
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Aave mulls Chainlink integration to return MEV fees to usersThe DeFi protocol aims to capture around 40% of MEV profits from adding Chainlink's new oracle service.