Spotify active users exceed 640 million, Stock jumps 10%Spotify active users now exceed 640 million monthly, the streamer reported on Tuesday. That's up 16 million in the last three months and 11% over the previous year. 252 million of those are paid Premium users.
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Teaching Computers to Read — Sort OfIf you ask someone who grew up in the late 1970s or early 1980s what taught them a lot about programming, they’d probably tell you that typing in programs from magazines was very instructive. However, it was also very boring and error-prone. In fact, we’d say it was less instructional to do the typing than it was to do the debugging required to find all your mistakes. Magazines hated that and, as [Tech Tangents] shows us in a recent video, there were efforts to make devices that could scan barcodes from magazines or books to save readers from typing in the latest Star Trek game or Tiny Basic compiler.
The Cauzin Softstrip was a simple scanner that could read barcodes from a magazine or your printer if you wanted to do backups. As [Tech Tangents] points out, you may not have heard of it, but at the time, it seemed to be the future of software distribution.

We were impressed that [Tech Tangent] had enough old magazines that he had some of the original strips. Byte Magazine had tried to promote a similar format, but there was no hardware made to read those barcodes.
Of course, there were other systems. For example, the HP-41C famously had a barcode scanner, although creating your own was clunky unless you reverse-engineered the “proper” format (which was done). The basic hardware used there also worked with Byte’s format, but you still had to interface the odd scanner to your computer.
Cauzin sidestepped all this with their product, which was simple-to-interface hardware with software support for the major platforms. However, by the time it was on the market, cheap magnetic media and modem-based bulletin boards were destroying interest in loading software from paper.
This is a great look at an almost forgotten technology. You could probably build something modern to scan these if you had the urge. These days, it would be easy enough to design your own system. Modern laser printers would probably make very dense barcodes.
We wouldn’t suggest making a Cauzin guitar, though. These days we have QR codes and even colorful barcodes.

Thanks to AI, Jerry Garcia can now narrate your books, articles and other written materialIt’s been 29 years since Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia passed away, but Dead-heads can now hear the voice of their fallen idol again. Thanks to a new partnership between Garcia’s estate and ElevenLabs, an AI audio research and deployment company, fans can make a Jerry Garcia vocal model read all sorts of written content.
READ MORE: Waves is giving away a new plugin this Black Friday – here’s how you can sign up
Audiobooks, articles, poetry, and more can be heard not just in Garcia’s smoky elocution, but in 32 different languages via the ElevenReader app.
According to a statement from ElevenLabs, the company worked “in close collaboration with the Jerry Garcia Estate to ensure that the reproduction of Garcia’s voice was as authentic and true to his legacy as possible.” This new AI model of Garcia’s voice is also going to be used as part of upcoming projects by the Jerry Garcia Foundation.
“My father was a pioneering artist, who embraced innovative audio and visual technologies,” Jerry’s daughter, Keelin Garcia, tells Billboard. She is also vice president of the foundation.
“In the 1990s, my dad introduced me to the computer, digital art, and video games. When we travelled on concert tour, we played on [a Nintendo] Game Boy. At home, we’d have fun playing on the Macintosh in the studio where my father created his first digital art, and housed his MIDI guitar. Now, as technological landscapes continue to expand, ElevenLabs AI Audio technology will offer fans the first opportunity to hear and stream a replica of my father’s voice reading their favourite books and other written content.”
Garcia is not the first celebrity voice that ElevenLabs has recreated with the help of AI. Some of the notable examples include Judy Garland, James Dean, Burt Reynolds, and Sir Laurence Olivier, all of whom are part of the ‘Iconic Voice Collection.’
“By bringing voices like Jerry Garcia to our platform, we’re not just enhancing our app – we’re creating new ways for people to experience content. This project has been a labour of love, and we couldn’t be happier with how Jerry’s voice has been recreated. It’s a beautiful thing to bring his sound to life again for both longtime fans and a new generation of listeners,” said Dustin Blank, head of partnerships at ElevenLabs.
AI vocal models have surged in popularity in the past few years, with controversial results. The most widely known example is the fan-made song, Heart On My Sleeve with vocal models of The Weeknd and Drake. More recently, AI vocal platform Kits.AI came under fire for showing producers how to train a vocal model on Splice samples without authorisation.
Check out the Jerry Garcia model at elevenlabs.io.
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Michael Sagov Drops FREE GReverb Plugin for Massive Reverbs
Michael Sagov launched the GReverb gigantic reverberator plugin as a free release in his Gumroad store.  The indie dev released the plugin for Windows (VST3) and macOS (VST3, AU), with native support for Apple Silicone.    Sagov describes the release as a true algorithmic reverberator that can create supermassive structures or small ambiance. He describes the [...]
View post: Michael Sagov Drops FREE GReverb Plugin for Massive Reverbs

A Brief History of Cyrix, or How to Get Sued By Intel a LotIn a new installment on computer history, [Bradford Morgan White] takes us through the sordid history of Cyrix, as this plucky little company created the best math co-processors (FasMath) and then a range of interesting x86-compatible CPUs that would give competing x86 CPUs a run for their money. Even though Cyrix played by the rules of licensing agreements, Intel would keep suing Cyrix repeatedly since the 1980s well into 1990s, for a total of seventeen times until Cyrix counter-sued for patent violations in May of 1997.
This case was settled between Cyrix and Intel, with a cross-licensing agreement established. Unfortunately these mounting legal costs and the stresses of keeping up with the competition (i.e. Intel) was proving too much and Cyrix was sold off to National Semiconductor, who wasn’t enthusiastic about competing with Intel. After this Cyrix got split up into Geode (sold to AMD) and Cyrix Technologies (sold to VIA). Interestingly, VIA’s x86 patent licenses and patents ended up being the foundation of Zhaoxin: a joint venture between VIA and Shanghai’s government which produces x86 CPUs for primarily the Chinese market.
We looked at the Cyrix Cx486DLC processor a while ago, and why their 386 upgrade options were perhaps not that great. Their later CPUs have however left a strong legacy that seems to endure in some way to this day.

These are the music producers up for Grammys in 2025 – from Four Tet to Not Like Us mastermind DJ MustardThe 2025 Grammy Awards are mere months away, but proceedings have already begun, as the official nominations have now been announced by the Recording Academy.
As expected, superstar names like Taylor Swift, Beyonce, and Billie Eilish are spread across the biggest categories like Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. But farther down the list, many top-tier producers and engineers are being recognised for their work.

READ MORE: The Blessed Madonna: “There’s never been a moment where I wasn’t learning something; this album is the sound of that”

UK producer Four Tet has received his first Grammy nominations for his own music, with his newest album, Three, and its lead single, Loved, listed in the Best Dance/Electronic Album and Best Dance/Electronic Recording categories, respectively. Also nominated in the Best Dance/Electronic Album category are Charli xcx, Justice, Kaytranada and Zedd, while the Best Dance/Electronic Recording category also sees nominations for Disclosure, Fred again.., Justice and Kaytranada.
Elsewhere, this year’s Best Remixed Recording category sees nominations for Mark Ronson for his take on Sabrina Carpenter’s smash hit Espresso, David Guetta for his version of Shaboozey’s A Bar Song (Tipsy), Kaytranada for his remix of Doechii’s Alter Ego, and A.G. Cook for his remix of Charli xcx’s Von Dutch.
Producers vying for Producer of the Year include Daniel Nigro – who was behind two of the biggest artists of this year, Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan – DJ Mustard, who produced Kendrick Lamar’s legendary Drake diss track, Not Like Us, Ian Fitchuk, who has worked with Beyonce, Still Woozy, Leon Bridges and Kacey Musgraves, and Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II, who has worked with Usher, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and more.
Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well is up for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical against Sabrina Carpenter, Peter Gabriel, WILLOW, Lucky Daye, and Charlotte Day Wilson.
The Grammy Awards will be broadcast on 2 February 2025 from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
View the full list of nominees at Grammy.com.
The post These are the music producers up for Grammys in 2025 – from Four Tet to Not Like Us mastermind DJ Mustard appeared first on MusicTech.

Michael Rapino talks superfans, the secondary ticketing market and more on Live Nation’s Q3 earnings callThe live events company is also 'hopeful' about its antitrust fight under a Donald Trump administration
Source

Musical.AI teams up with China’s Kanjian to deliver licensed music to AI developersMusical.AI says it has built the world’s first secure platform for rights management in AI training
Source

BPB Exclusive: FREE Lachrimae Renaissance Lute for Decent Sampler
Gray Cat Music has released Lachrimae Renaissance Lute ($5), and BPB readers can download it for free! Decent Sampler is a treasure trove of musical riches provided by some awesome developers. One such developer is Gray Cat Music, the name that gave us the utterly charming Uncle John’s Banjo. Kyle Gray, the man behind Gray [...]
View post: BPB Exclusive: FREE Lachrimae Renaissance Lute for Decent Sampler

RØDE RELEASES THE WIRELESS MICRO THE PERFECT POCKET-SIZED WIRELESS MIC FOR SMARTPHONE CREATORSRØDE is excited to announce its smallest, simplest and sleekest wireless microphone to date – the Wireless Micro. RØDE has been the premier brand for cutting-edge, high-quality wireless microphones for over a decade. The WirelessGO was the world’s first compact wireless microphone system, revolutionizing on-camera audio for creators around the world. Its small size, clip-and-go design, professional sound quality and in-built microphones formed the foundation of the RØDE wireless range, which soon grew to include wireless audio solutions for creators at every level and across every category. Now, the Wireless Micro is changing the game again, revolutionizing smartphone content creation by delivering RØDE’s wireless foundation in its most accessible format yet.The Wireless Micro is a pocket-sized wireless microphone system tailor-made for smartphone creators. Available in both black and white, and with versions for either USB-C or Lightning devices, the slimline receiver connects directly to a phone with no need for cables, making for a super compact and tidy recording setup. It features two ultra-compact, ultra-lightweight transmitters with integrated clips and magnetic attachments that are incredibly easy to mount on a subject while remaining discreet on camera. The built-in microphones are housed in acoustic chambers with a patent-pending design, purpose-built to capture exceptionally clear and intelligible audio while mitigating wind noise. Combining this innovative design with RØDE’s legacy of pristine wireless audio transmission and intelligent GainAssist technology, the Wireless Micro delivers perfectly balanced audio, every time. Finally, the super sleek charging case is perfectly pocket-sized and delivers two full recharges for up to 21 hours of battery life, all while keeping the system safe and secure – the ideal grab-and-go solution for smartphone creators.KEY FEATURES OF THE WIRELESS MICRO:In-built microphones and automatic pairing makes it incredibly easy to use

Receiver connects directly to a smartphone with no cables required (USB-C or Lightning version available)

Patent-pending acoustic chamber design purpose-built to capture exceptionally clear and intelligible audio while mitigating wind noise

IntelligentGainAssist technology automatically controls audio levels for perfectly balanced sound in any application

Pocket-sized charging case provides additional two charges for up to 21 hours battery life, making it the ideal grab-and-go companion

Ultra-compact, ultra-lightweight form factor with a sleek design for discreet on-camera presence and elegant aesthetic

Additional furry windshields included

Works seamlessly with RØDE’s free iOS video app, RØDE Capture

Available in both black and white

The post RØDE RELEASES THE WIRELESS MICRO THE PERFECT POCKET-SIZED WIRELESS MIC FOR SMARTPHONE CREATORS first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Key Takeaways from Live Nation Investor Report Q3 2024Live Nation stock hit an all time high on Tuesday after the concert and tickering giant's latest report to investors.
The post Key Takeaways from Live Nation Investor Report Q3 2024 appeared first on Hypebot.

Polyend unveil the Synth Simply named the Synth, Polyend's first standalone synthesizer packs in eight sound engines that offer a vast array of sounds ranging from classic to contemporary. 

Press for Independent Musicians: Strategies for Gaining ExposureLearn proven strategies and practical steps to get press for independent musicians.
The post Press for Independent Musicians: Strategies for Gaining Exposure appeared first on Hypebot.

VoxPlay by Rast Sound is FREE for a limited time
Black Friday is approaching, and we have a brand new deal to look at. Until November 17, Rast Sound is offering their VoxPlay Kontakt library for free. We’ve previously reviewed Rast Sound’s Mad Filter, a very cool free filter and distortion plugin. And now, they are giving away VoxPlay for free, which normally sells for 49€. [...]
View post: VoxPlay by Rast Sound is FREE for a limited time

You can get up to 95% off Waves plugins at Plugin Boutique for a limited timeIf you’re eager to expand your mixing and mastering tool belt, look no further. Plugin Boutique has just announced a huge flash sale on Waves plugin bundles – and you could save thousands.
With prices slashed by up to 95%, you can get Waves’ top-rated Horizon, Diamond, Platinum and Gold collections at a steal of a price. But you’ve only got until 17 November to take advantage of the deal.

READ MORE: 5 of the best new plugins, effects and VST instruments released this week

The Horizon Bundle serves as the biggest saving, with a whopping 95% discount dropping the price from £3,771 down to £186.
Packed out with 93 plugins, Horizon is the definitive Waves bundle. From vocal restoration tools, a bucketload of analogue models such as Kramer Tape and the PuigChild compressor, and the entire Waves Renaissance series of plugins, Horizon offers all Waves’ best mixing, mastering and production tools.

While Horizon is kitted out with just about everything a producer might need, Waves has a bundle suited for everyone. If you don’t need 93 plugins, you can take a step down a tier and grab the Diamond Bundle. Currently sitting at £168, the bundle boasts over 80 versatile plugins, spanning from standard mastering and mixing offerings to vocal restoration and vintage analogue tools.
You can also grab the Platinum bundle for £119, dropping from £1,885. The bundle contains 67 plugins, including all the essential EQ, reverb, delay, and pitch correction plugins you might desire.
The Gold Bundle is also in the sale, slashing its usual £754 price down to £93. The bundle has a slightly more limited offering, with 40 mixing tools. But this kit prioritises quality over quantity.
But the savings aren’t limited to Waves’ complete collections. Plugin Boutique is loaded with Piano & Keys bundles, Restoration bundles, Signature Series Bass and Drums, the Abbey Road Collection, and more.
The flash sale is on ’til 17 November. Head over to Plugin Boutique to find out more.
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