AudioUi DARK BLUE – Premium Skin for Serum2DARK BLUE – Premium Skin for Serum2 Give Your Serum2 a Modern Makeover. Transform your workflow with Dark Blue, a sleek, professional redesign for Serum2. Clean lines, smooth visuals, and a dark aesthetic built for clarity, comfort, and style. Why Producers Love It Modern, high-tech interface. Optimized knobs, sliders & panels. Clear modulation and filter feedback. Designed for long, focused sessions. Includes: Premium Serum2 skin (1X + 2X resolution). Easy install guide for macOS & Windows. https://www.audio-ui.com/p/xfer-serum-2-dark-blue-v-1-0/ Read More

Ten Great Books Released in 2025Music Connection reviewed six books every month, leading us to discover some gems. Here are 10 of the very best.

"IRON MAIDEN: INFINITE DREAMS" BY STEVE HARRIS, BRUCE DICKINSON, IRON MAIDEN

One of the greatest and most consistent heavy metal bands of all time, the men of Iron Maiden have come together to create this absolutely stunning, photo-heavy history of the group. As well as a mass of photographs, there are some fascinating tickets and flyers from the very early days, some of founding member, bassist and songwriter Steve Harris’ diary entries from back in the day, guitars, t-shirts, battle vests, and so much more. It’s a pricey book, but for hardcore fans it’s a must.

"VENICE PEACH" BY JESSAMYN VIOLET

Movie Club drummer and super-talented writer Violet has a gift for seeing the magic in her home haunt of Venice, CA and realizing it through fantastical tales. “When I first stepped foot in Venice Beach, I felt the greatest gravitational pull to a place that I had ever felt in my life,” Violet says, and that comes through in her work. Venice Peach is her sophomore novel, and it’s a wild journey into a world of robot presidents, where “art meets lust.” Just read it. 

"DECADE OF DISSENT: HOW 1960S BOB DYLAN CHANGED THE WORLD" BY SEAN EGAN

One might think that, at this point, there’s really nothing new to write about the living legend that is Bob Dylan. There are countless books about the man, and every word that Dylan has written and/or uttered has been analyzed to death. That said, noted journalist Egan has found a credible angle. He’s not treading completely new ground, but still, his approach to Dylan’s identity-shifting '60s period is fascinating. “Dylan now occupies an unparalleled role as venerated elder statesman of music,” reads the blurb. “But during his insurrectionary first decade he was the most important artist in popular music—and, by extension, one of the most crucial figures in Western society.”

"GLIDERS OVER HOLLYWOOD: AIRSHIPS, AIRPLAY AND THE ART OF ROCK PROMOTION" BY PAUL RAPPAPORT

During his 33-year career at Columbia Records, Paul Rappaport played an instrumental role in developing the careers of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Judas Priest, Alice in Chains, and many more. Gliders Over Hollywood, a book that Rappaport described to MC as “for passionate music lovers,” gives us an up-close look at his many successes, allowing the reader to feel like we were right there with him. If you’re looking for industry tips, you’ll get those. If you’re after rock ‘n’ roll shenanigans, you’ll be satisfied in that regard too. Dig in!

"501 ESSENTIAL ALBUMS OF THE 1980S" EDITED BY GARY GRAFF

MC contributor Graff has played an absolute blinder here, working with a long list of esteemed scribes (Cary Baker, Rob St. Mary, many more) to compile the 501 essential albums of the '80s. Naturally, with any sort of book like this, everyone will point to albums that should be in there but aren’t. That said, this is damned extensive. All the appropriate new wave, new romantic, pop, and hair metal albums from that decade are present and correct. But Graff makes sure that gospel, country, jazz, punk, hip-hop, soul, and just about everything else gets a fair shake too. Essential reading for anyone with even a passing interest in that decade.

SEE PART TWO HERE

The post Ten Great Books Released in 2025 first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Peter Edge honored with Sir George Martin Award, as Capitol Records UK sweeps MBW’s Music Business UK AwardsMBW's Music Business UK Awards: All the winners
Source

Steinberg Cubase 15 arrives The latest version of Steinberg’s hugely popular DAW software introduces an array of new features that promise to set a new standard for music-production software.

Billboard Names Top Music Business Schools in the WorldBillboard has released its 2025 annual roundup of top music business schools globally. It features top players like Berklee, Belmont, MTSU, Loyola, NYU-Tish, and University of Rochester's Eastman. But this year's list goes deeper and includes affordable public universities, HBCUs, and schools outside major industry hubs.
The post Billboard Names Top Music Business Schools in the World appeared first on Hypebot.

From Genuine Story to Repeat Exposure: How Listeners Become FansA singer songwriter shares thoughts on how to turn casual listeners into diehard fans, in a way that's authentic to your artist brand and identity.
The post From Genuine Story to Repeat Exposure: How Listeners Become Fans appeared first on Hypebot.

Streaky offers the Body Builder Dynamic Shaper FREE for a Limited Time
You can currently get a free copy of Streaky’s Body Builder (normally $100) dynamic/transient shaper by signing up for the developers’ mailing list. I just tested the offer, and it’s working, but it’s limited to 500 downloads only, so it’s best to get on it quickly! Body Builder is a 64-bit-only release for macOS (macOS [...]
View post: Streaky offers the Body Builder Dynamic Shaper FREE for a Limited Time

Cubase 15 just dropped out of nowhere: Here’s everything you need to knowSteinberg has surprise-launched the latest version of its flagship DAW, Cubase 15, with a slew of new sound shaping features, as well as workflow and UI improvements.
Like previous versions of Cubase, there are three tiers available – Elements, Artist and Pro – allowing producers to select a package with a feature set that matches their needs.

READ MORE: Universal Audio’s LUNA 2.0 DAW has arrived: Here’s everything you need to know

Described as a “new reference standard for music production”, Steinberg says Cubase 15 “truly elevates the music production experience”.
And as Senior Marketing Manager Matthias Quellman notes, many of the updates in Cubase 15 come off the back of customer feedback. “We worked closely with our community to refine what matters most, turning valuable feedback into meaningful improvements that make everyday workflows smoother and more intuitive,” he says. 
“This release builds naturally on the foundation of the previous version – it feels like the perfect evolution, marking a major leap forward for Cubase.”
We’re sure you’re just itching to get into some of the features in detail, so here we go…
New features for “enhanced creativity”

Aiming to make the articulation of VST instruments “more straightforward”, Cubase 15 features a redesigned Expression Maps system, with deep integration with the software’s Key Editor and Score Editor delivering “greater performance realism.
There’s also a new pattern sequencer housed within Cubase’s Pattern Editor, which allows for the creation of melodic patterns in both monophonic and polyphonic modes. This includes step input, custom scales, shape generators and a deep randomiser feature. There’s also a selection of new pattern bank presets, including bass lines, leads, chords and arpeggios.
Modulators – which arrived with Cubase 14 – have been expanded with six new modulators. There’s also 30 brand-new Chord Pad presets, “ready-to-play voicings” for a range of genres for spurring on the creative process.
Enhanced selection of VST instruments and plugins

Cubase 14 came bundled with an impressive selection of virtual instruments and plugins, and this is expanded upon in the latest version.
The Cubase Drum Machine now features 40 fresh drum kits spanning hip-hop- trap, electronic and more, as well as a redesigned Groove Agent SE 6, which now features a scalable UI, new mixer and upgraded effects.
Cubase’s Writing Room Synths collection offers “production-ready” vintage synth recreations – with “rich leads, warm basses and dreamy pads” – while Songstarter Packs features a range of loops for kickstarting creativity.
There’s also the beta Omnivocal vocal synthesis engine powered by Yamaha’s “cutting-edge” vocal synthesis, and a range of new effects including UltraShaper – a transient shaper, clip limited and EQ housed in one – and a new PitchShifter. All Cubase stock effects are scalable for an optimised visual experience.
Workflow improvements

Of course, a big part of what makes our DAW of choice is its workflow and ease of use; at the end of the day, the DAW is a tool to facilitate the creative process.
So with Cubase 15, there’s a number of improvements to workflow and UI design, “ensuring the software never gets in the way of creative inspiration”.
There’s a redesigned Hub for smoother project startup, while collaboration is made easier with the DAWproject format now able to share sessions across all previous versions of Cubase, as well as other supported DAWs.
There’s also new AI-powered stem separation tools, automation shortcuts and new quick export options so audio is “rendered faster than ever”.
Pricing and availability
Cubase Pro, Artist and Elements are available now, priced at £481, £273 and £83, respectively. A range of upgrades, crossgrades and education versions are also available via the Steinberg Online Shop.
In addition, those who have purchased any version of Cubase 14 since 8 October, 2025 are eligible for a free upgrade to their corresponding version of Cubase 15.
Learn more at Steinberg.
The post Cubase 15 just dropped out of nowhere: Here’s everything you need to know appeared first on MusicTech.

Cubase 15 just dropped out of nowhere: Here’s everything you need to knowSteinberg has surprise-launched the latest version of its flagship DAW, Cubase 15, with a slew of new sound shaping features, as well as workflow and UI improvements.
Like previous versions of Cubase, there are three tiers available – Elements, Artist and Pro – allowing producers to select a package with a feature set that matches their needs.

READ MORE: Universal Audio’s LUNA 2.0 DAW has arrived: Here’s everything you need to know

Described as a “new reference standard for music production”, Steinberg says Cubase 15 “truly elevates the music production experience”.
And as Senior Marketing Manager Matthias Quellman notes, many of the updates in Cubase 15 come off the back of customer feedback. “We worked closely with our community to refine what matters most, turning valuable feedback into meaningful improvements that make everyday workflows smoother and more intuitive,” he says. 
“This release builds naturally on the foundation of the previous version – it feels like the perfect evolution, marking a major leap forward for Cubase.”
We’re sure you’re just itching to get into some of the features in detail, so here we go…
New features for “enhanced creativity”

Aiming to make the articulation of VST instruments “more straightforward”, Cubase 15 features a redesigned Expression Maps system, with deep integration with the software’s Key Editor and Score Editor delivering “greater performance realism.
There’s also a new pattern sequencer housed within Cubase’s Pattern Editor, which allows for the creation of melodic patterns in both monophonic and polyphonic modes. This includes step input, custom scales, shape generators and a deep randomiser feature. There’s also a selection of new pattern bank presets, including bass lines, leads, chords and arpeggios.
Modulators – which arrived with Cubase 14 – have been expanded with six new modulators. There’s also 30 brand-new Chord Pad presets, “ready-to-play voicings” for a range of genres for spurring on the creative process.
Enhanced selection of VST instruments and plugins

Cubase 14 came bundled with an impressive selection of virtual instruments and plugins, and this is expanded upon in the latest version.
The Cubase Drum Machine now features 40 fresh drum kits spanning hip-hop- trap, electronic and more, as well as a redesigned Groove Agent SE 6, which now features a scalable UI, new mixer and upgraded effects.
Cubase’s Writing Room Synths collection offers “production-ready” vintage synth recreations – with “rich leads, warm basses and dreamy pads” – while Songstarter Packs features a range of loops for kickstarting creativity.
There’s also the beta Omnivocal vocal synthesis engine powered by Yamaha’s “cutting-edge” vocal synthesis, and a range of new effects including UltraShaper – a transient shaper, clip limited and EQ housed in one – and a new PitchShifter. All Cubase stock effects are scalable for an optimised visual experience.
Workflow improvements

Of course, a big part of what makes our DAW of choice is its workflow and ease of use; at the end of the day, the DAW is a tool to facilitate the creative process.
So with Cubase 15, there’s a number of improvements to workflow and UI design, “ensuring the software never gets in the way of creative inspiration”.
There’s a redesigned Hub for smoother project startup, while collaboration is made easier with the DAWproject format now able to share sessions across all previous versions of Cubase, as well as other supported DAWs.
There’s also new AI-powered stem separation tools, automation shortcuts and new quick export options so audio is “rendered faster than ever”.
Pricing and availability
Cubase Pro, Artist and Elements are available now, priced at £481, £273 and £83, respectively. A range of upgrades, crossgrades and education versions are also available via the Steinberg Online Shop.
In addition, those who have purchased any version of Cubase 14 since 8 October, 2025 are eligible for a free upgrade to their corresponding version of Cubase 15.
Learn more at Steinberg.
The post Cubase 15 just dropped out of nowhere: Here’s everything you need to know appeared first on MusicTech.

Reimagine your voice using AutoTune’s new “ethically trained” AI transformation plugin, MetamorphAutoTune maker Antares Audio Technologies has released Metamorph, a new AI-powered vocal transformation plugin that lets you reshape your voice using “ethically-trained” AI.
While many AI voice transformation tools rely on cloud servers, Metamorph runs entirely offline inside your DAW. It comes with 12 “ethically trained” voice models – plus six more voices developed in partnership with Voice-Swap, another AI vocal transformation platform which emphasises ethical AI and fair compensation for the performers whose voices it is trained on.
With Metamorph, Antares says producers can reimagine lead vocals, layer harmonies or craft completely new vocal textures – all without leaving their session or worrying about usage rights.

READ MORE: Slower Fragment: e-instruments’ new plugin brings half-speed tape magic – for free

“Metamorph isn’t about replacing the human voice – it’s about expanding what’s possible when human creativity meets responsible AI,” says AutoTune CEO Jeff Wright. “We’ve built this technology with artists at the centre, ensuring every voice model is ethically sourced and every transformation preserves the soul that only human creators can bring to music.”

A supporter of The Principles for Music Creation with AI, Antares has long championed ethical AI – the practice of ensuring the rights of original performers and artists are protected.
Metamorph uses only licensed data from compensated artists, and that transparency, Antares says, is key to keeping human creativity at the heart of music production.
For subscribers of AutoTune Unlimited, Metamorph is available now at no extra cost. It’s also being offered as a standalone perpetual license for $100 (a 50% discount from its $200 regular price) as part of Antares’ Early Bird Black Friday sale, which runs from today.
The sale also includes major discounts across the brand’s vocal production tools like the AutoTune Pro 11, AutoTune 2026, and Vocal Chain suite.
Learn more at Antares Tech.
The post Reimagine your voice using AutoTune’s new “ethically trained” AI transformation plugin, Metamorph appeared first on MusicTech.

Jacques Greene and Nosaj Thing on ditching file-sharing for Ableton Link: “We could build songs without speaking”For producer Jacques Greene, electronic music was, at first, a fine excuse to post up in a dark room, away from the outside world, and take complete control of his music-making process.
“I got so excited about electronic music as a way to not be in a band. I played in some rock bands in high school. Now I can make the drum part myself. I don’t have to argue with my drummer about the fill at the end of this bar,” says Jacques Greene, real name Phil Aubin-Dionne.

READ MORE: How Jim-E Stack turns the studio into a sandbox: “I’m not trying to push anyone through a certain mould”

In this spirit of individuality, many collaborations have become as separate as possible (especially during the pandemic). Sending computer files over vast distances with little to no communication about the music in question.
But when Aubin-Dionne and his good friend Nosaj Thing, real name Jason Chung, started their band Verses GT, they sought to celebrate the spirit of individualism that is unique to electronic music while working towards the common goal of creating something gestalt.
At the core of this intention was Ableton Link. With two computers running Live separately, but perfectly in sync, Chung and Aubin-Dionne had total freedom to operate as they would on their own while enhancing and expanding the ideas of one another. In short, they let each other cook.
Nosaj Thing of Verses GT. Image: Press
“There’s a beauty in playing into each other’s strengths and letting the people who are genuinely the best at what they do, [do what they do]. It’s as much a coming together as it is allowing space for expertise,” Aubin-Dionne says.
“It’s a pleasure to work with long-time friends that you fully trust,” Chung continues.
On top of a longstanding friendship and individually impressive solo careers producing moody, alternative dance music, Verses GT is not the first time Aubin-Dionne and Chung have collaborated. They embarked on a co-DJ tour back in 2017, and have shared credits on several production precursors to the band, such as the spacey break tune Too Close (2023) and the dense techno track RB3 (2024).
Both of the aforementioned singles are now credited under Verses GT on Spotify, but making an official project together gradually bubbled to the surface throughout their years of camaraderie.
Image: Press
“We so slowly started working together, but at first, there wasn’t a plan. We didn’t know we were gonna do a band or an album,” Aubin-Dionne admits. “Over that time, we built this tacit understanding of a workflow that really worked for us.”
The first layer of that workflow is simple, yet becoming less and less necessary: working in the room together. Verses GT was produced in London, Los Angeles (Chung’s hometown), Tokyo, Paris, and Montreal (Aubin-Dionne’s hometown). A truly global process, and no matter how much time passed between sessions (sometimes it was months), they made music in person in every place. Working alongside each other defines the core theme of the album:
“This record is about our relationship with the internet and friendship,” Aubin-Dionne says, sharing how rejecting internet communication and leaning into their personal connection sparked many of the ideas that became tracks. “I’m visiting LA, and we’ll drive out to the valley and get some Vietnamese food. Then we’re talking about a movie we just saw or a friend’s photo show that we’re excited about. We felt pretty strongly about making sure we started all these ideas in person.”
The second layer of the workflow is Link, which, as simple an update as it may seem, transformed the ability of these two longtime friends and bedroom producers to collaborate. Rather than a stop-start method of trading the hot seat in front of the computer, they could operate different machines simultaneously to build the songs as a band. Some of their favourites are the Prophet 5, Prophet 6, and the Erica Synths PĒRKONS HD-01.
Image: Press
“We often refer to ourselves as a band, which is maybe an insult to people that are out there playing real instruments, but the songs genuinely came up that way,” Aubin-Dionne says. “Having the two laptops running Live at once, in sync, meant that we could build a whole song without speaking. It allowed a spontaneity and musical conversation that if you stop and pass the baton, you’re always iterating, as opposed to something emerging.”
“Everyone uses Ableton quite differently. So, it’s almost like we both had our own refrigerators with our ingredients,” Chung adds, sparking immense enthusiasm and laughter from Aubin-Dionne, who Chung then describes as an “amazing chef.” It seems like Chung is referring to Aubin-Dionne’s ability to make food, but he could also be lauding his production skills per the aforementioned metaphor.
With such a strong rapport, they mixed their separate ingredients with minimal hassle, never being set into specific roles like drums or melodies, and adding what was best for the song rather than what they each wanted to hear.
“Once a song and the structure come into place, everything has to work together,” says Chung. “I always feel like writing a good song with vocals is like solving a 1,000-piece puzzle.”
Image: Press
“We were almost cautious about always leaving enough room for the other person to respond to something,” Aubin-Dionne explains. “The initial bursts of ideas in Link were more of a controlled chaos than a messy situation.”
One aspect that helped balance the individuality with collaboration was leaning on particular synths to create a cohesive sound. Chung loves the Prophet 5, and Aubin-Dionne loves the Prophet 6, and the emanant noise from the Erica Synths PĒRKONS gain stage became a sonic hallmark of the record.
“It’s this really unruly drum machine that a lot of people use for industrial techno. But if you use two or three of the drum parts, it’s an amazing machine for these strange noise oscillator bass percussion sounds,” Aubin-Dionne says. “It’s quite a noisy machine, and instead of painstakingly trying to EQ all that away, we let a bit of that fuzz take up space.”
By leaning into the commonalities, they were able to eliminate extra steps of getting into the flow state during their sessions.
“Hardware gear allows that, because the well-constructed, simple stuff we can turn on, hit play, and punch in a few sounds,” Aubin-Dionne says. Their flow state started by having something come out of the speakers as soon as possible. As long as something was playing, they could build from there.

When they were making the haunting breakbeat Unknown, they had the pocketed drumbeat playing in a loop as they swapped out different melodies. But there are also ambient tracks on the album, such as the album’s closer, Vision + Television, that were, by nature, built without a defined foundation.
Chung was noodling around, building a patch on the Sequential Prophet T8. Then Aubin-Dionne silently recorded it into the session and began building more elements on top. But after sitting on that initial raw recording for months in between their in-person sessions, Aubin-Dionne came to a conclusion: They only need the chords.
“They’re so nice and pleasant, and it comes after the back half of the record that’s really drum-heavy and intense. Let’s just have a soft landing,” Aubin-Dionne says. “A lot of my music starts as ambient songs, then I add the drums later.”
“Me too. 80% of the time, I start my songs with chords,” Chung says, chiming in.

“That’s our Venn diagram of where we meet on our separate projects. Mood and texture are very important,” Aubin-Dionne adds.
Mood and texture are the most nebulous elements of any piece of music, but no matter how undefined they may be, with a uniting process, any two producers can come together like Jacques Greene and Nosaj Thing.
The post Jacques Greene and Nosaj Thing on ditching file-sharing for Ableton Link: “We could build songs without speaking” appeared first on MusicTech.

How A&R at Publishing Companies WorkThis week, Ari is joined by Ralph Torrefranca of Angry Mob Music to discuss A&R, publishing, and the fight for songwriter equity.

Classical Highlights for October 2025A handful of noteworthy classical albums to sample: Alexander Gergelyfi plays a clavichord owned by Mozart himself in a recording that also features baritone Georg Nigl; Vox Clamantis once again sings music by Arvo Pärt (both pictured), this time to mark the composer's 90th birthday.

People Inc forges AI licensing deal with Microsoft as Google traffic dropsPeople Inc. signs an AI licensing deal with Microsoft, which will use its media content in Copilot.

BLUE ÉLAN RECORDS SIGNS MAN BOY BROWNBlue Élan Records announced on Tuesday the signing of Man Boy Brown, "the new solo project from Raul Pacheco, vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, and co-founding member of the three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning band Ozomatli. Pacheco introduces his alter ego with the debut single, 'Moving On, out today on all streaming platforms.""The track marks a powerful new chapter for Pacheco, blending his warm, soulful baritone with lyrics that question nostalgia while embracing change: 'Are you ready to move on / From glory days and same old songs.' The song reflects his desire to explore a fresh artistic identity while continuing to perform with his longtime Ozomatli bandmates.""Under the moniker Man Boy Brown, Pacheco channels the spirit of eternal youth and creative freedom—what he calls his 'forever in his crown' outlook," a statement reads. "His forthcoming album, set for release in 2026, offers a playful yet reflective journey through the sounds that shaped him—from romantic Latin ballads and Mexican corridos to the grooves of ‘70s R&B and rock. The project brings together a global cast of collaborators, underscoring the cross-cultural storytelling that has always defined Pacheco’s music."“This is me reconnecting with my roots while also allowing myself to try new things,” says Pacheco. “I’m still part of Ozomatli, but Man Boy Brown is about giving myself space to grow and to see where that creativity leads.”"With 'Moving On,' Pacheco reaffirms his place as one of Los Angeles’ most distinctive musical voices—honoring the past while boldly stepping into the next phase of his career." The post BLUE ÉLAN RECORDS SIGNS MAN BOY BROWN first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.