Reggae chord progressions: A beginner’s guide
Learn about the three key reggae chord progressions (I - ii, I - ♭VII, and vi - v) that are behind so many of the genre's classics.

Bandsintown High Notes showcases Independent VenuesIn addition to celebrating the year in live music for fans and artists, Bandsintnown’s newly released High Notes showcases the independent venues that makes those magical moments possible. As 2025. Continue reading
The post Bandsintown High Notes showcases Independent Venues appeared first on Hypebot.

The Cinematic Metal Whooshes sample pack is FREE for a limited time
The Cinematic Metal Whooshes by Slava Pogorelsky is a sample pack that is free for a limited time via A Free Sound Effect. I’m a self-confessed hoarder of cinematic sounds, some of which have never seen the light of day. But I know I’ll need every single one of them one day, and it would [...]
View post: The Cinematic Metal Whooshes sample pack is FREE for a limited time

Podcaster, Writer & Consultant Jay Gilbert’s 2026 Music PredictionsHypebot's Future Predictions series is back. Join us as we ask the music industry's expert analysts what they think might unfold in the world of music in 2026.
The post Podcaster, Writer & Consultant Jay Gilbert’s 2026 Music Predictions appeared first on Hypebot.

MeldaProduction MMicSim Plugin is just $17 in 78% Off Deal
Audio Deluxe is currently offering MeldaProduction’s new MMicSim microphone simulator plugin for just $17.10 (normally $79) when you use the additional XMAS10 code at checkout. MMicSim is a 64-bit exclusive release for macOS (VST, VST3, AU, AAX) and Windows (VST, VST3, AAX).  The introductory deal sets MMicSim’s price at $19, but after you add the [...]
View post: MeldaProduction MMicSim Plugin is just $17 in 78% Off Deal

2B Played Music offers QFX Mash FREE for a limited time with XMAS25 coupon
2B Played Music offers the QFX Mash, a one-knob sound degradation plugin for macOS and Windows, for free until December 26 by using the coupon code XMAS25 at checkout. If you’ve followed 2B Played Music releases for a while, you’ll know they regularly turn their QFX series plugins into limited-time freebies around Black Friday and [...]
View post: 2B Played Music offers QFX Mash FREE for a limited time with XMAS25 coupon

Study shows clubgoers feel phones are “ruining” the dancefloorAre smartphones killing club culture? Or are they merely reflecting how nightlife has evolved? A new survey suggests that for many clubgoers, the glow of phone screens is starting to destroy the very thing people come to clubs for: the in-person, shared experience of the dancefloor.
The study, commissioned by Ray-Ban Meta and conducted by Censuswide, found that half of clubbers believe phones are “ruining” the dancefloor. The findings land at a moment when the issue is becoming increasingly hard to ignore, with venues such as London’s Fabric and Fold implementing phone bans, and the relaunched Sankeys in Manchester set to go phone-free when it reopens next month.
Crucially, the survey suggests that such policies may not be as unpopular as some venues might fear. While phones are deeply embedded in club culture, attitudes toward their presence appear more conflicted than ever.

READ MORE: £5.7m per year in royalties from music played in UK clubs is being misallocated, report claims

Among the 2,000 adults surveyed in October, 50 percent say phones were ruining the dancefloor experience. Yet oddly enough, 55 percent also admit to using their own phones while dancing. The irony is clear: many clubbers recognise the problem, even as they actively contribute to it.
Of those respondents, 60 percent say they used their devices to film themselves and their friends dancing, while 34 percent used them to share content on social media or communicate with friends during the night.
The survey also sheds light on what clubbers value most when they’re out. Nearly half (47 percent) say the music itself is what makes the dancefloor special, followed by 43 percent who say it’s the feeling of dancing with friends. Meanwhile, 31 percent point to the experience of being fully immersed and lost in the moment
Weighing in on the findings, veteran DJ Fat Tony says: “Phones have been a blessing and a curse in my DJing life. While I love to be able to document so many special moments, their overuse has certainly ruined the vibe on many a dancefloor at the most iconic establishments.”
“Clubbing is all about energy and connection to the music, and while capturing that matters, the reality is screens take us out of the moment.”
Earlier this year, Fat Tony put that belief into practice with a phone-free event in London dubbed Club 2.0, where attendees placed their phones in sealed pouches. Those who still wanted to document the night were offered wearable technology instead – Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses – as an alternative.
The DJ goes as far as to call the technology “the future of nightlife,” though that raises the question: is replacing one screen with another really the solution?
The post Study shows clubgoers feel phones are “ruining” the dancefloor appeared first on MusicTech.

Artists in DSP releases Euclyd, a Euclidean multitap delay with an exclusive BPB discount
Artists in DSP has released Euclyd, a multitap delay plugin for macOS and Windows that takes a unique approach to rhythmic echo effects. BPB readers get a 50% off discount with the coupon code EUCLYDBPB50. Instead of thinking in terms of simple repeats, Euclyd is built around Euclidean rhythm, turning delay taps into evenly distributed [...]
View post: Artists in DSP releases Euclyd, a Euclidean multitap delay with an exclusive BPB discount

Sonora Cinematic introduce Refraction Refraction has been built using high-quality samples of a premium upright piano, but rather than aiming to recreate the acoustic instrument, it instead uses the recordings to craft an array of evolving pads and hybrid acoustic-electronic soundscapes. 

How Luminar’s doomed Volvo deal helped drag the company into bankruptcyLuminar says trouble with Volvo started as early as 2022, and that the Swedish automaker made -- but then backed away from -- large orders of its lidar sensors.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs see $358M outflow: Are investors abandoning BTC?Bitcoin price held above $85,000, but weakening spot BTC ETF flows and a disappointing end-of-year performance cast doubt on a December rally to $100,000.

Italian Blackened Atmospheric Death Metal Project Frostmorner Signs With WormholedeathAccording to news on Tuesday, "Italian blackened atmospheric death metal project Frostmorner is proud to announce its official signing with Wormholedeath. The collaboration will see the worldwide release of Frostmorner's debut album, Orbital Kaos, scheduled to drop on February 13, 2026."

"Founded by Mario and rooted in Sicily, Frostmorner began its journey in 2019. What started with the support of other musicians soon evolved into a fully solo project, allowing Mario to build a sound that reflects his vision without compromise. Over the years, Frostmorner has caught the attention of magazines, fanzines, and radio stations, opening the door to collaborations and conversations with artists across the extreme metal world."

“Orbital Kaos marks the first full-length chapter of Frostmorner and showcases the project’s foundation: a blend of blackened intensity, atmospheric layers, and death metal grit. The album pulls inspiration from Nile, Hypocrisy, Belphegor, and Death, while weaving in modern influences from Lorna Shore and Rings of Saturn. Its thematic core draws from a lifelong fascination with Lovecraft, mythology, space, and horror."

"The album’s title captures its essence. Each track stands on its own, shaped by its own narrative and energy, yet all orbit around the central concept of Kaos. The result is a record built on fragmentation, unpredictability, and tension: an audio universe where no two moments land in the same place."

The post Italian Blackened Atmospheric Death Metal Project Frostmorner Signs With Wormholedeath first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Get a free drum machine for Splice INSTRUMENT
Download our free drum machine preset for our new Splice INSTRUMENT plugin—grab these presets during the drop window and they’re yours to keep forever.

ACE Studio 2.0 from Timedomain The latest version of ACE Studio is now available, and comes kitted out with a whole host of new AI Voices and languages, additional AI Instruments, new Generative Kits, an improved workflow and seamless DAW integration.

Building A Granular Sampler SynthSynthesizing sounds from scratch is all well and good, you just use a bit of maths. However, the latest build from [Daisy] eschews such boring concepts as additive or subtractive synthesis, instead going for a sample-based approach.
This build is based around the Daisy Seed microcontroller platform. It was actually inspired by an earlier project to create a ribbon synth, which we covered previously. In this case, the ribbon potentiometer has been repurposed, being used to control the playback position of a lengthy recorded sample. In this build, the Daisy Seed is running its audio playback system at a rate of 48,000 samples per second. It’s capable of storing up to 192,000 samples in memory, so it has a total of 4 seconds of sample storage. The Daisy Seed uses an analog-to-digital input to record two seconds of audio into the sample buffer. It can then be replayed by placing a finger on the ribbon at various points. Playback is via granular synthesis, where small sections of the overall sample buffer are used to synthesize a new tone. The video explains how the granular synthesis algorithm is implemented using the Plugdata framework. Design files are available for those eager to replicate the build.
Once you start tinkering in the world of synthesis, it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole. Video after the break.