Raspberry Pi 500 and the Case of the Missing M.2 SlotRaspberry Pi just dropped the new Raspberry Pi 500, which like its predecessor puts the similarly named SBC into a keyboard. In a detailed review and teardown video, [Jeff Geerling] goes over all the details, and what there is to like and not like about this new product.
The new Raspberry Pi 500 with the new Raspberry Pi Monitor. (Credit: Jeff Geerling)
Most of the changes relative to the RP400 are as expected, with the change to the same BCM2712 SoC as on the Raspberry Pi 5, while doubling the RAM to 8 GB and of course you get the soft power button. As [Jeff] discovers with the teardown, the odd thing is that the RP500 PCB has the footprints for an M.2 slot, as seen on the above image, but none of the components are populated.
Naturally, [Jeff] ordered up some parts off Digikey to populate these footprints, but without luck. After asking Raspberry Pi, he was told that these footprints as well as those for a PoE feature are there for ‘flexibility to reuse the PCB in other contexts’. Sadly, it seems that these unpopulated parts of the board will have to remain just that, with no M.2 NVMe slot option built-in. With the price bump to $90 from the RP400’s $70 you’ll have to do your own math on whether the better SoC and more RAM is worth it.
In addition to the RP500 itself, [Jeff] also looks at the newly launched Raspberry Pi Monitor, a 15.6″ IPS display for $100. This unit comes with built-in speakers and VESA mount, but as [Jeff] notes in his review, using this VESA mount also means that you’re blocking all the ports, so you have to take the monitor off said VESA mount if you want to plug in or out any cables.

Do 3D Printers Dream of LEGO Sheep?Imagine the power to clone your favorite LEGO piece—not just any piece, but let’s say, one that costs €50 second-hand. [Balazs] from RacingBrick posed this exact question: can a 3D scanner recreate LEGO pieces at home? Armed with Creality’s CR-Scan Otter, he set out to duplicate a humble DUPLO sheep and, of course, tackle the holy grail of LEGO collectibles: the rare LEGO goat.
The CR-Scan Otter is a neat gadget for hobbyists, capable of capturing objects as small as a LEGO piece. While the scanner proved adept with larger, blocky pieces, reflective LEGO plastic posed challenges, requiring multiple scans for detailed accuracy. With clever use of 3D printed tracking points, even the elusive goat came to life—albeit with imperfections. The process highlighted both the potential and the limitations of replicating tiny, complex shapes. From multi-colored DUPLO sheep to metallic green dinosaur jaws, [Balazs]’s experiments show how scanners can fuel customization for non-commercial purposes.
For those itching to enhance or replace their builds, this project is inspiring but practical advice remains: cloning LEGO pieces with a scanner is fun but far from plug-and-play. Check out [Balazs]’s exploration below for the full geeky details and inspiration.

Sony Music pulls catalog from Africa-focused music streaming service BoomplaySources tell MBW that concerns have been growing at other rightsholders over late royalty payments from the platform
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AEG Presents strikes strategic partnership with, takes stake in, Germany’s MCT AgenturAEG Presents acquires "partnership stake" in Germany-based concert promoter MCT Agentur
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Song Athletics launch Friends sample library Friends is the first sample library created entirely by Song Athletics, and brings together a comprehensive selection of commonly used instruments with the aim of creating a go-to ‘studio essentials’ sample library. 

You can save $7,000 on an original 1981 Roland Jupiter-8 – but you’ll still need deep pockets…Cyber Week might be over, but if you’ve still got budget – considerable budget, that is – an original 1981 Roland Jupiter-8 is currently available on Reverb at 20% off. That price drop slashes $7,000 off of its usual price tag.
The synth is reportedly in “perfect working condition,” and the photos seem to back this up. “I have never seen another in time capsule condition,” the listing reads. “The absolute holy of holiest grails. For the serious collector.”

READ MORE: Erica Synths Steampipe: features, release date, price and all the details you need to know

The 61-key analogue synth helped define the sound of the 80s. Its distinctive rainbow-coloured switches and 4 voice polyphony were loved by Thomas Dolby, Jean-Michel Jarre and Howard Jones. You can hear the synth on the main theme of the 1982 film Blade Runner, while the synth’s random arpeggiator is in action on Duran Duran’s Rio.
Many regard the flagship Roland to be the Rolls-Royce of Polyphonic Synths. MusicTech has penned its own love-letter to the Jupiter-8 in the past.
While $27,996 is a pretty penny, a near-mint JP-8 is a rare find. And the seller is willing to ship the synth worldwide, so collectors across the globe are in with a chance of owning this pivotal piece of synth history.
The Roland Jupiter 8 is currently available for £27,996 on Reverb.

The post You can save $7,000 on an original 1981 Roland Jupiter-8 – but you’ll still need deep pockets… appeared first on MusicTech.

Watch French DJ Michael Canitrot close out the Notre-Dame Cathedral reopening ceremony with a mighty audio-visual performanceFrench DJ and Producer Michael Canitrot closed out the reopening ceremony for Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral with a vast audio-visual performance at the weekend.
The performance combined Canitrot’s latest electronic compositions, digital art and light design, to celebrate the “magnificence of Notre-Dame in a new light”. The Cathedral was closed after a major fire which occurred back in April 2019.

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Millions of people watched the show on French TV channel mondovision, with the event organised to help people rediscover the cathedral’s architecture and spread a message of inspiration.
Canitrot is passionate about heritage which he reflects in his Monumental Tour concept. For this, he fuses electronic music and heritage together to offer immersive experiences. He has previously put on shows at the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, at the top of the Eiffel Tower for Gustave Eiffel’s centenary, and most recently in front of the Basilica del Pilar in Zaragoza, where he drew a crowd of over 45,000.
“I drew inspiration, both musically and visually, from elements unique to the cathedral: the sound of the bells, the artworks inside, the voices of the Maîtrise Notre-Dame choir, and the classical style,” he comments of his latest spectacle. “I want to convey a universal message, so that everyone can connect with my music and feel inspired to say, ‘I want to come back and visit Notre-Dame.’”

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A post shared by MICHAEL CANITROT (@michaelcanitrot)

As part of the ceremony, Jean-Michel Jarre created an immersive VR performance which he shared online. You can check it out below.
Paris also hosted a number of other mighty musical performances this year as it hosted the 2024 Olympics. Jarre headlined its closing ceremony, which also showcased performances from the likes of Phoenix, Air, and Kavinsky. Kavinsky’s track Nightcall  broke the record for the most Shazam’d song in a single day following his set.

Find out more about Michael Canitrot’s Monumental Tour.
The post Watch French DJ Michael Canitrot close out the Notre-Dame Cathedral reopening ceremony with a mighty audio-visual performance appeared first on MusicTech.

Spotify CEO is worth $7.2B, more than 4 Richest Musicians CombinedDaniel EK, the Spotify CEO is worth $7.2 billion - more than the four richest musicians combined.
The post Spotify CEO is worth $7.2B, more than 4 Richest Musicians Combined appeared first on Hypebot.

NITO elects new officers for Indie Agent and Manager trade groupThe National Independent Talent Organization - NITO elects new officers.
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Can Publishers Flip the Split on $42B AI Music Licensing Opportunity?AI is changing music licensing, giving publishers a chance to claim a bigger share of revenue. Learn how attribution technology can help songwriters and publishers take control and get paid.
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FREE Seaquake Techno Rumble plugin can cure your kick drums
Codwaves’ Seaquake Techno Rumble is a free tool to help bring your kicks to the next level.  The plugin is available for macOS and Windows in VST and AU formats. Seaquake Techno Rumble is designed to elevate your kicks by adding rumble with serious depth and resonance.  Codwaves names techno producers as the main target [...]
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Hamstead Soundworks announce the Redwing pedal Hamstead Soundworks' latest guitar effects pedal has been developed in a collaboration with Daniel Steinhardt and Mick Taylor of That Pedal Show (TPS).

Erica Synths Steampipe: features, release date, price and all the details you need to knowAfter introducing it earlier this year at Superbooth, Erica Synths has officially launched the Steampipe, a synth which mimics wind instruments.
Dubbed an “eight-voice polyphonic synthesizer like no other”, the Steampipe is the result of a collaboration with Dutch company 112dB.com, and uses physical modelling to “mimic the rich, organic overtones of wind and string instruments”.

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It’s an interesting prospect. Here’s everything you need to know:
Features
Eschewing conventional oscillators, the Steampipe is designed to recreate the sound of a range of wind instruments, but can also mimic strings, pipe organs and more. Erica Synths says it can also “conjure sonic imagery ranging from wisps of clouds to fairground band organs to industrial horns of the railroad”. That paints quite the picture, so let’s dive deeper into some specs.

As previously mentioned, the Steampipe features eight-voice polyphony, and is powered by a physical modelling engine with 32 adjustable parameters. There’s also five assignable LFOs with delay and sync, an extensive modulation matrix, 192 user preset memory slots and if you want to get straight down to business, 64 factory presets.
You can also plug in a MIDI keyboard via a DIN5 MIDI input and MIDI Thru/out, and all parameters are MIDI CC controllable.
Credit: Erica Synths
In terms of form factor, the Steampipe weighs a modest 3kg, and measures up at 45.5cm x 27cm x 7cm.
What Erica Synths says about the Steampipe
“Due to detailed controls over multiple physical modeling parameters, the Steampipe is capable of generating very organic emulations of real instruments, but it goes well beyond the pitch and dynamic ranges conventional instruments can produce – for instance, imagine how a flute or clarinet would sound in C1 or C7,” the company says.
What creators are saying about the Erica Synths Steampipe

“As a physical modelling synth, this is the most hands-on one I’ve ever used,” says YouTuber loopop. “The fact that it gives you so many direct on-panel touch points into the exciter and resonator, lets you truly dig in and experiment in ways that just aren’t possible in synths where physical modelling is yet another engine among many others and you only get to control a handful of parameters in the menu somewhere…”
“The second pro, in my opinion – and you can easily include this pro as a con, is just how unpredictable and surprising this synth is. The feedback loop is very different from how traditional synths work, and Steampipe is a refreshing change from how other synths sound.”
Release date and pricing
Credit: Erica Synths
The Erica Synths Steampipe will be available from 17 December priced at €990, with orders expected to ship from 7 January 2025.
For more information, head to Erica Synths.
The post Erica Synths Steampipe: features, release date, price and all the details you need to know appeared first on MusicTech.

RYK Modular unveil the Envy Machine The prototype quad-channel modulation module that RYK were showing off at SynthFest 2024 has now been named and officially launched. 

Apple’s Vision Pro might add support for PlayStation VR controllersApple is looking to make its Vision Pro mixed reality device more attractive to gamers and game developers, according to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The Vision Pro has been pitched as more of a productivity and media consumption device than something aimed at gamers, due in part to relying on eye and […]
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