Plugin Alliance offers 20 FREE plugins for producing, mixing, and mastering
We usually offer one freebie at a time. However, Plugin Alliance recently expanded its freeware bundle to include 20 plugins! The free bundle has been around for a while, but Plugin Alliance has upgraded it from eight to 20 plugins. The majority of the free plugins come from the developer Brainworx, with a little SPL [...]
View post: Plugin Alliance offers 20 FREE plugins for producing, mixing, and mastering

Tour cancellations are rising as another reliable income source evaporatesTour cancellations are rising as more musicians struggle to earn money from live performances. What once accounted for 60% to 80% of most artists' revenue in the streaming era has become a far less reliable source of income.
The post Tour cancellations are rising as another reliable income source evaporates appeared first on Hypebot.

Vinyl and CD Sales: Why Physical Sales Still Matter in Some GenresVinyl and CD sales still matter. Some music genres, more than others, aren't ready to say goodbye to physical products. Discover why vinyl, CDs, and cassettes still reign supreme for certain audiences.
The post Vinyl and CD Sales: Why Physical Sales Still Matter in Some Genres appeared first on Hypebot.

1,300 Yamaha PSR-F52 keyboards stolen in massive gear theftA container housing 1,300 Yamaha PSR-F52 portable keyboards has been stolen, Yamaha Music UK has confirmed.
“Last night, Yamaha experienced a theft in which an entire container was stolen.” the company writes in an urgent press release. “The container held over 1,300 units of one product – the PSR-F52 portable keyboard.

READ MORE: Native Instruments samples Alicia Keys’ own Yamaha CP-70 electric piano for new virtual instrument, Alicia’s Electric Keys

Yamaha adds that given the volume of the goods stolen, it’s “unlikely” the keyboards will be sold on via individual sales, and that it’s more likely the thieves will attempt to sell the goods in bulk to music retail businesses in the UK.
The company requests that if anyone tries to sell you or your business a large number of PSR-F52 keyboards, report it to Joanne Homer, who can be reached at either Joanne.homer@music.yamaha.com or 07903 251878.

The Yamaha PSR-F52 is a portable entry-level keyboard with 61 keys, 144 instrument voices and 158 accompaniment styles.
Its price varies depending on retailer, but is most typically £79 at the time of writing. And with 1,300 units stolen, that represents over £100,000 in lost revenue if they remain unrecovered.
For more information on the PSR-F52, head to Yamaha.
The post 1,300 Yamaha PSR-F52 keyboards stolen in massive gear theft appeared first on MusicTech.

Jada Kingdom and Govana offer a Caribbean Music Case StudyLearn about the rise of Caribbean Music with a case study of two of its top torch-bearers Jada Kingdom and Govana. by Randi Zimmerman of Symphonic Blog At Symphonic, we. Continue reading
The post Jada Kingdom and Govana offer a Caribbean Music Case Study appeared first on Hypebot.

Wolff Audio’s MeMore personal monitor mixer Wolff Audio have announced the launch of an all-analogue monitor mixing unit aimed at both pro and serious home studios.

Afrojack says it was “disappointing” that Fred again.. used Splice samples on TenWhile Splice is an invaluable resource for producers, some believe artists shouldn’t rely too heavily on sample packs available within the platform in their music, particularly if they are a big name.
And when he found out Fred again.. used a Splice sample pack for Ten – the 2023 track from his upcoming album Ten Days – Afrojack says he was disappointed.

READ MORE: Watch Fred again.. play several unreleased tracks during intimate London rooftop set

In a new interview with XLNTSOUND, Ten is brought up as an example of a hit track which uses Splice loops, to which Afrojack replies: “It’s based off three Splice samples. To me, that was disappointing when I found out. ‘Oh my god, that’s four Splice sample loops on top of each other!’”
He goes on, “I love Fred again.., and he’s super talented, but when I found out that was a sample, I was like…”

Another well-known example of a track made with Splice samples is Sabrina Carpenter’s massive hit Espresso. The track was made using a sample pack called Power Tools Sample Pack III, by a creator named Oliver.

If you click on the link above and preview a file named “OLIVER_104_pop_loop_surf_dad_rhythm_C.wav”, you’ll hear that distinctive clean guitar hook that’s in the final version of Espresso.
“When I saw that I was like, so a guy took the beat that you produced, and then he looped it and played bass on it, and now it’s his publishing, his intellectual copyright,” Afrojack goes on.
“I’m like, whoa – all due respect to the guy, no disrespect, he used samples and the guy made it a sample – but you made a composition. The composition is the talent. The people appreciate the melody and the composition, they don’t appreciate the guy that put four samples on top of each other!”
While it’s true that selecting samples as key elements of a track does cut corners in terms of composition, there’s still a degree of creativity required in piecing random samples together, and filling the gaps with your own elements, too. Espresso, for example, while heavily reliant on samples, features a totally original bassline, which is undeniably one of the key groove makers of the song.

The post Afrojack says it was “disappointing” that Fred again.. used Splice samples on Ten appeared first on MusicTech.

How trip-hop went from obscurity to chart dominationWhen we look back at its roots, trip-hop was born out of a combination of originality, influence, and adventurous experimentation. In fact, most of the artists that we now associate with trip-hop never sought to make platinum-selling albums, or to even fall into a musical category for that matter.

READ MORE: Why indie labels are mastering the art of reissuing music

Bristol Origins
Deep in the 80s, with equal parts New York hip-hop influence and punk-rock DIY ethos, soundsystem DJ culture began to thrive in the southwest of England, with prominent groups like Bristol’s The Wild Bunch coming to the forefront. Besides turntablism, breakdancing, graffiti, and rap, there were strong Jamaican influences that would shape the sounds to come.
What may have begun as a satellite hip-hop movement quickly developed its own identity. Figures such as Neneh Cherry, Nellee Hooper, and Mark Stewart going on to become pioneers of the Bristol music scene in their own right.
The Wild Bunch dissolved into legend by the end of the 80s. But its core members, Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, and Andrew Vowles formed Massive Attack, a group that immediately took the Bristol sound to a global audience.
In Massive Attack’s initial trajectory, Adrian Thaws aka Tricky made his bones as an artist on the first two albums, while a young producer and engineer named Geoff Barrow began his mentorship with producer Jonathan Sharp aka Jonny Dollar. While Geoff Barrow went on to form a groundbreaking band named after his hometown, Portishead, Tricky has become the quintessential exponent of the Bristol sound today.

Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
Still regarded by many as one of the most important electronic records of all time, Unfinished Sympathy is an organic example of beat-sampling, soulful dance vocals, and high-brow string composition.
Starting with samples lifted from J.J. Johnson’s Parade Strut (Instrumental) and Planetary Citizen by John McLaughlin & Mahavishnu Orchestra, a drum loop inspired by Bob James’ Take Me to the Mardi Gras is then added, forming the main components of the groove.
In the studio, Massive Attack’s early creative approach was uncompromising and organic, with production techniques ranging from using sampled drum loops to classically orchestrated strings. Besides the group’s signature rapping in regional Bristolian accents, the vocals of Shara Nelson and Horace Andy became foundational to the Massive Attack sound.
There were always songs like Daydreaming that drew more directly from hip-hop roots. However, the songs that went on to define the group’s success were vocal collaborations with singer-songwriters like Tracey Thorn, Elizabeth Fraser, and Sarah Jay Hawley.
Portishead performing in Los Angeles, 2011. Image: Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Massive Attack’s iconic debut, Blue Lines (1991) was recorded at Coach House Studios in Bristol, a location that would prove auspicious when Portishead recorded their groundbreaking and critically aclaimed debut album, Dummy (1994) in the very same studio.
Portishead began as a duo of Geoff Barrow and vocalist Beth Gibbons, with guitarist Adrian Utley joining shortly after their first album release. In the studio, Portishead developed a concentrated sound using a range of experimental tape and vinyl sampling techniques to achieve the gritty character for which the band became known.
Shortly after Portishead formed, yet another Bristol outfit began operating as remix producers. A duo comprised of James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy would steadily expand into the band known as UNKLE, another collective that would reach cult status as pioneers of what we call trip-hop today.

Portishead – Glory Box
With the ingenious sample use of Isaac Hayes’ Ike’s Rap II, Portishead immediately drew the attention of listeners in the US. Its homemade vinyl-sampled breakbeat with the soulful chromatic bassline underneath became the perfect foundation for the powerful lyrics.
Possibly the most unique aspect of the song’s arrangement is the way the emotional dynamics continue to rise throughout. The guitar elevates the choruses before the song erupts into a momentous industrial drum break, before slipping seamlessly back into the verse.
By the mid-90s, with electronic music beginning to spread its wings commercially, styles such as acid jazz and downtempo breakbeat were on the rise with pioneers like Kruder & Dorfmeister. Although the records in this DJ culture were largely instrumental, their popularity showed record labels they could take risks on new acts in this musical scope.
The Rise of Downtempo
The pioneering success of the Bristol scene changed the landscape in the UK. As a result, this completely transformed what was being played on the radio, and the type of acts that were being signed by major labels. However, even among this second wave of so-called “trip-hop bands”, there were artists who offered something fresh that reached outside of the US hip-hop adjacent template.
One of these acts began in Sheffield, a city well-known for being a melting pot for electronic bands who broke ground in synth pop and acid house throughout the 1980s. The band Moloko, formed when singer Roisin Murphy joined forces with producer Mark Brydon. Together, the duo created an eclectic sound that seemed to draw from Brydon’s experience working with Cabaret Voltaire.
Roisin Murphy and Mark Brydon of Moloko performing at Glastonbury 2000. Image: Jim Dyson/Getty Images
Moloko – Fun For Me
Fun For Me represents a more acic house approach to trip-hop. By combining tough AKAI S1000 drum hits with a funky sawtooth bassline and some playfully ambiguous nonsense lyrics, an almost cartoonish atmosphere is created.
Throughout the track, interlocking percussive loops add texture and metric tension, allowing the genius of the vocal performance to come across like various characters in a psychedelic theatre production.

At this time, film soundtracks opened up another avenue for many artists. Trip-hop’s moody and occasionally quirky aesthetic featured in films like Hackers (1995), Stealing Beauty (1996), Batman & Robin (1997), and I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997).
All this momentum, combined with sales and chart attention in the US, allowed bands to bypass years of initial obscurity and stroll into pop success. One such explosion occurred only two years after the formation of the Hartlepool group, Sneaker Pimps, who were subsequently signed to Virgin Records and sold over a million copies with their debut album Becoming X.
Kelli Alli and Joe Wilson of Sneaker Pimps performing in Liverpool, 1996. Image: Jim Dyson/Getty Images
Sneaker Pimps – 6 Underground
Nellee Hooper’s edit of 6 Underground is the quintessential example of trip-hop in pop format. All the hallmarks are present like the hip-hop breakbeat and the mysterious harp melody sample from John Barry’s Goldfinger (1964) soundtrack.
The way the groove of the sub-bassline works off the rhythm section with the acoustic guitar chords is foundational. So, be sure you have your favourite headphones on, as the low-end doesn’t quite translate on laptop speakers.
From the mid-1990s onward, the influence of trip-hop and downtempo music reached its peak. As a result, major label acts began to show a dirgy beat-driven side of their sound on albums such as Depeche Mode’s Ultra (1997), Smashing Pumpkins’s Ava Adore (1998), and Madonna’s Ray Of Light (1998) where producer William Orbit drew from a more ambient sound.

1998 was also an important year in UK music, as we saw the monumental release of Massive Attack’s Mezzanine album and Morcheeba’s sophomore full-length release, Big Calm. Although commercial success brought trip-hop to a broader global audience, it was seen as a passing trend by many of the artists themselves.
Over time, Portishead’s Geoff Barrow became disillusioned with the success of the music he never intended to become a “dinner party” genre, as he states in this candid interview. He wasn’t alone in this sentiment, as Massive Attack founder Andrew Vowles left the band when the Mezzanine sound strayed too far from the original course. Meanwhile, after their first major tour, Sneaker Pimps parted ways with vocalist Kelli Ali for fear of playing into the cliche, and were promptly dropped by Virgin.
In the US, electronic music DJ and producer Moby was making inroads into the mainstream with his own style of sample-based downtempo electronica. Using every medium available at their disposal including advertisement placings, Moby’s management pushed Play (1999) to the widest global audience possible. This campaign was further solidified the following year, when the lead single Porcelain was featured in Danny Boyle’s film, The Beach. As a result, the album became the single greatest selling electronic album of all time.
Moby performing during the 2000 Dancestar Awards at Alexandra Palace. Image: Jim Dyson/Getty Images
Trip-hop Today
One of the most defining characteristics of downtempo music is the time it takes to truly appreciate it as a listener. This is one of the reasons, we believe, why the decline of physical album sales marked the end of more “album-orientated” genres like trip-hop within the pop music space.
Sevdaliza – Rhode
With the trip-hop scene long gone, artists like Sevdaliza can draw from its hallmarks like quotations from a long-lost epitaph. Although productions like this are DAW-based, they still manage to capture the gloomy, grinding industrial feel of the Portishead and Massive Attack records we love.
Instead of dusty 1980s samplers and synths, the digital sheen of the vocal effects and software instruments give the minimalistic production a futurist edge, while the bassline remains an homage to classic 90s tracks like Army Of Me and Fire On Babylon.

Like so many styles of music that existed before the dawn of digital music streaming, trip-hop developed its strong identity and connection with listeners from the physical sales of full-length albums. Without this, we can still draw inspiration from its musical ingenuity and punky spirit.
What’s more, the tempo of the average pop song today is slower, providing the perfect backdrop for creating new Trip-Hop-infused music styles. Could it be the next Robert Del Naja? All it takes is creativity.
Read more music technology features. 
The post How trip-hop went from obscurity to chart domination appeared first on MusicTech.

New Toys: D’Addario Autolock Swivel Guitar StrapD’Addario has come up with a simple and affordable solution to the age-old problem of guitar straps versus Strap Locks. The D’Addario Auto Lock Guitar Strap is a simple integrated strap locking system and requires no drilling or luthiers. Simply slide the strap end over the guitar strap buttons and you are locked in—it’s that easy. The grey latch is spring-loaded so it automatically clamps down on the strap button and won’t come loose until you release it.  Just push up on the grey latch, slide off the end, and the strap is removed. 

This innovation is a welcome relief to the market. If you have been playing guitar for a length of time, no doubt you have either seen or been the victim of a guitar strap letting go and damaging a precious expensive guitar. Additionally, it is ready to go right out of the store. You don’t have to consider whether to drill an expensive or vintage guitar—long a negative aspect of most of the Strap Lock. It just snaps right on.

I found the Auto Lock to be very secure and easy. The strap version I tried is made of Polypropylene, which has a similar feel to Nylon… it is a bit slippery, and the guitar moved a bit, so it made me want to try the leather version of the strap. New, and an additional innovation of this particular guitar strap is the Swivel feature.

The Auto Lock Swivel is designed specifically for guitars with rear-facing strap buttons. Rear-facing strap buttons can be a challenge for standard straps and can lead to twisting. This may cause the strap end to stretch, creating a risk that the guitar may fall off. The Auto Lock Swivel rotates as the strap is pulled in different directions and eliminates this issue completely. The strap stays straight and comfortable for the player. 

Two things to be careful about—use care when installing the strap on a guitar with a neck heel strap button, it can get a little tight there. Also, I would remove the strap when putting a guitar in a case so that the strap swivel does not hurt the guitar. 

The Auto Lock Swivel Strap was forged by virtuosic guitarist Joe Satriani and inventor Ned Steinberger. Steinberger designed the Auto Lock and Satriani formulated the swivel concept.

Available with multiple graphic designs, styles and materials, the Auto Lock Guitar Strap works with most strap buttons on the market. Ideal for electric guitar, acoustic guitar and bass. $16.99-$39.99

daddario.comThe post New Toys: D’Addario Autolock Swivel Guitar Strap first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Kamala Harris campaign may focus on highlighting innovation over cryptoMany in the industry don’t expect the Vice President to mention digital assets at the DNC, but her views on technology and regulation could signal a shift from Biden-era policies.

Gimbal Space takes on legacy suppliers with fast-paced component supply chainAmerica’s space industry seems mature, but the supply chain that provides all the parts and components for rockets, satellites, and other spacecraft is considerably less so. Gimbal Space is aiming to change that, starting with components in the crucial subsystem that enables a spacecraft to orient itself in space — but delivered cheaper and a whole […]
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You Can 3D Print Yourself Some Simple Magnetic SwitchesPermanent magnets aren’t typically switchable. They’re always doing their magnet thing. However, if you align them with a bunch of other magnets in just the right way, you can create a permanent magnet that you can effectively switch on and off. [Andrew Klein] has done just that with his 3D-printed magnetic switch design.
The concept is simple enough. The design consists of a 3D-printed housing in two parts, top and bottom. When set into one orientation, the housing holds two arrays of magnets in opposite orientations. This effectively cancels out their magnetic fields and allows you to move the assembly around as if it’s pretty much not magnetic at all. However, rotate the device to its alternative orientation, and the magnets poles are aligned. This effectively combines their magnetic fields and makes the assembly act as one big large magnet.
These devices are useful if you want to create magnetic clamps or fixtures that can be attached and detached at will from ferrous surfaces. Being able to effectively “switch the magnet off” is much easier than trying to wrench a powerful magnet from a metal plate, after all.
You can do something similar with electromagnetic techniques, too! Video after the break.

A Cheap DIY PLC Based on the Atmega328PIf you’re running a big factory, you’ve probably got a massively expensive contract with a major programmable logic controller (PLC) manufacturer. One shudders to think about the cost of the service subscription on that one. If you’re working on a smaller scale, though, you might consider a DIY PLC like this one from [Mr Innovative.]
PLCs are rarely cutting-edge; instead, they’re about reliability and compliance with common industry standards. To that end, this design features the ATmega328P. Few other microcontrollers are as well understood or trusted as that one. The device is compatible with RS232 and RS485 and will run off 24 VDC, both of which you would find in a typical industrial environment. It offers 24 V digital inputs and outputs, as well as analog inputs and outputs from 0 to 10 V. [Mr Innovative] demonstrates it by hooking up a DWIN human-machine interface (HMI) for, well… human interaction, and a variable frequency drive to run a motor.
If you want to run a basic industrial-lite system but can’t afford the real industrial price tag, you might enjoy tinkering around at this level first. It could be a great way to get a simple project up and running without breaking the bank. Video after the break.

Primary Wave acquires publishing and other rights to entire catalog of ‘Feels So Good’ composer Chuck MangioneMangione's five-plus decade career in music yielded more than 30 albums and two Grammy wins
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NetEase Cloud Music profit soars as revenue from streaming subscriptions jumps 25.5% YoYChina's second-largest music streaming company more than doubled its net profit year on year
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