FLOSS Weekly Episode 813a: Happy Holidays!This week and next we take off for the holidays! We have an exciting schedule after the break, so stay tuned!

Did you know you can watch the live recording of the show Right on our YouTube Channel? Have someone you’d like us to interview? Let us know, or contact the guest and have them contact us! Take a look at the schedule here.

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Theme music: “Newer Wave” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Push for On, Hold for Off, AC EditionA common theme in modern consumer electronics is having a power button that can be tapped to turn the device on, but needs to be held down when it’s time to shut it off. [R. Jayapal] had noticed a circuit design for this setup when using DC and decided to create a version that could handle AC-powered loads.
The circuit relies on a classic optoisolated triac to switch the AC line, although [R. Jayapal] notes that a relay would also work. The switch circuit consists of two transistors, a comparator, a flip flop and a monostable. As you might expect, the button triggers the flip flops to turn the triac on. However, if you hold the switch for more than a few seconds, a capacitor charges and causes the comparator to trip the output flip flop.
The DC circuit that inspired this one is naturally a bit simpler, although we might have been tempted to simply use the output of that circuit to drive a relay or triac. On the other hand, the circuit is set up to allow you to adjust the time delay easily.
Given the collection of parts, though, we wonder if you couldn’t press some 555s into service for this to further reduce the part count. If relays are too old-fashioned for you, you can always use a solid-state relay or make your own.

Universal Music Group settles trademark dispute over use of ‘Republic’ nameThe deal comes after three years of litigation between UMG and OpenDeal's investment platform Republic
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Chromeo launches one-of-a-kind cassette player with We Are RewindChromeo has teamed up with We Are Rewind to launch their own cassette player, featuring some modern adaptations.
As We Are Rewind states, Chrome’s music “just feels meant to be played on cassette”. The brand, which is based in France, is on a mission to bring the humble cassette player back, and sells an array of them in sleek modern designs and colourways, plus a range of accompanying accessories.

READ MORE: My Forever Studio: Chromeo’s subterranean synth-funk studio

Chromeo’s collaboration with the company includes a new box set featuring a polished chrome cassette player and a limited-edition cassette of their new album, Adult Contemporary, complete with two exclusive bonus tracks.
The player boasts “state-of-the-art audio engineering” for high-quality analogue sound, and just like old-school cassette players, it also has fast forward/rewind buttons, a headphone output, a volume control, and an audio input so users can create their own mixtape.
Incorporating a bit of modern flair, traditional batteries have been replaced with a rechargeable lithium battery that provides up to 12 hours of continuous playback (a more environmentally friendly alternative), plus built-in Bluetooth 5.1 connection so users can plug in headphones or connect to a wireless speaker.
“Chromeo has such a distinct sound and style, so the pressure was on to design a cassette player that captured that,” comments Romain Boudruche, CEO of We Are Rewind. “The shiny chrome cassette player is a truly unique music player that’s bound to turn heads and bring back the funk.”

Similar to that of vinyl records, cassettes are becoming more and more popular among listeners once again. As per Official Charts Company data, cassette sales surpassed six figures annually for the fourth consecutive year in 2023 within the UK, reaching around 136,000 units.
The Chromeo cassette player is available for purchase starting the first week of January. In the meantime, you can find out more about We Are Rewind, or shop its current product range.
The post Chromeo launches one-of-a-kind cassette player with We Are Rewind appeared first on MusicTech.

Robert Kyncl talks new talent, new heights, and No.1sRead WMG CEO Robert Kyncl's internal note to staff...
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Arturia update MiniFreak firmware MiniFreak has jsut gained seven new granular synthesis engines along with a new sample-based engine that allows users to play, loop and reverse meticulously crafted synth samples, field recordings and foley sessions.

The Disco Biscuits and CashorTrade Team Up In The Fight For Face ValueGet ready to get your face melted for face value! CashorTrade and The Disco Biscuits are teaming up to keep tickets in the hands of real fans by launching a partnership that aims to end scalpers and scamming. The latest artist to join CashorTrade in the fight for face value, The Disco Biscuits are now directing their fans to the platform to score hard-to-get tickets to their forthcoming tour. Fans can buy, sell, and trade tickets through the official face value ticket exchange HERE. The partnership kicks off just days before The Disco Biscuits kick off their final tour dates of the year. In a video celebrating the launch of the partnership, Disco Biscuits members Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner joined CashorTrade outside The Fillmore to guide their fans on connecting with fellow fans to score tickets. “We're thrilled to have The Disco Biscuits join the CashorTrade artist roster,” says Jim Lane, Head of Partnerships at CashorTrade. “Their fan base is rabid, often attending multiple shows per tour. It’s a community especially in need of our safe and secure face value ticket exchange to buy, sell, and trade tickets with each other if their plans change or if a specific ticket type is sold-out.” CashorTrade has previously worked with The Disco Biscuits for special giveaways, and this collaboration levels up a longstanding relationship between the two partners. “We've had our eye on The Disco Biscuits for quite some time,” says Lane. “Now that they are with 11E1evenGroup, it seemed like a natural fit to work together to connect fans and keep all tickets within the Biscuits fan community.”  The post The Disco Biscuits and CashorTrade Team Up In The Fight For Face Value first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Trailer drops for Avicii documentary, I’m Tim, sharing “the unlikely story of a shy boy who created one of the world’s most loved artists”The first trailer has landed for Avicii – I’m Tim, the documentary detailing the life and legacy of DJ and producer Avicii.
The film, which is titled in honour of his real name Tim Bergling, will arrive on Netflix on 31 December. A film of his last-ever show at Ibiza’s Ushuaïa will also land on the streaming platform on the same day.

READ MORE: Avicii auction raises over $700,000, with guitars and personal DJ set up selling for the highest prices

I’m Tim first premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year. It was first announced in 2021 and was originally intended for release in 2023, but was eventually pushed back. The film is narrated mostly by Bergling himself, and begins right at his birth in Stockholm, Sweden, through to the eruption of his mighty career, and up until his tragic death in 2018.
Also featured throughout are interviews with his family, friends, and other artists including David Guetta, Nile Rodgers (who featured on Avicii’s 2013 track Lay Me Down), and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who sang on Heaven from his posthumous 2019 album, TIM.
A synopsis reads, “This is the unlikely story of Tim Bergling, a shy and insecure boy who, without realising it, suddenly created one of the world’s most loved artists – Avicii. Through unique home movies and a huge private archive, we get to follow Tim on a winding journey through life – from the very first breath at the maternity ward in Stockholm in 1989 to the tragic end in Oman in 2018.
“This is a film where Tim himself is the narrator and he shares his inner self in a way we haven’t heard before. Through himself and everyone close to him – family, artist colleagues and best friends – we get to know Tim – the boy behind Avicii – for the first time.”
Check out the trailer below:

Avicii – I'm Tim | From Small Clubs To Big Clubs | Netflix
From small clubs to the world’s biggest stages – Avicii took the world by storm with Levels.Discover Tim Bergling's story and see where it all began in the documentary Avicii – I’m Tim, coming to Netflix 31 December!
Posted by Netflix on Thursday, December 12, 2024

Avicii – I’m Tim will arrive on Netflix at 8am GMT on 31 December. His family run the Tim Bergling Foundation in his memory, which advocates for eradicating the stigma around mental illness.
The post Trailer drops for Avicii documentary, I’m Tim, sharing “the unlikely story of a shy boy who created one of the world’s most loved artists” appeared first on MusicTech.

Music Execs share Advice for the Next GenerationTop music execs share advice for the industry's next generation with popular music business pundit and podcaster Warner Bailey of Assistants vs Agents.
The post Music Execs share Advice for the Next Generation appeared first on Hypebot.

X / Twitter alternatives Threads, Bluesky take offTwo Twitter alternatives Threads and Bluesky have each gained tens of millions of followers in the last month or so.
The post X / Twitter alternatives Threads, Bluesky take off appeared first on Hypebot.

Google Search’s Top Musicians and Songs 2024: Misdeeds and SuccessesAs the year comes to an end, Google shares its annual list of Top Searches in 2024. This year's list of trending musicians and songs reminds that misdeeds can be more impactful than successes.
The post Google Search’s Top Musicians and Songs 2024: Misdeeds and Successes appeared first on Hypebot.

Timbaland chops up Gil Scott-Heron on Rhythm Roulette — and fans are calling it “the worst episode ever”Revered producer Timbaland has appeared on the latest episode of Rhythm Roulette, but his efforts have not impressed some fans.
For the uninitiated, Mass Appeal’s Rhythm Roulette challenge sees producers make a beat by sampling three random records, which they’ve chosen from a local record store while blindfolded. Previous renowned guests include 9th Wonder, Kenny Beats, Mac Miller, A-Trak, and more. Timbaland’s selection blindsided him from the off, admitting he was unfamiliar with the three records he’d chosen.

READ MORE: “When Auto-Tune first came out, it was a tool. That’s what Suno is – the best tool of the future”: Timbaland says he spends 10 hours a day using Suno AI

However, he did say he knew of Gil Scott-Heron’s The Revolution Will Not Be Televised “from an artist perspective”. The other picks were Future Islands The Far Field and the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band.
Despite his respected and legendary status, fans of the web series weren’t keen on what Timbaland cooked up. Some even suggested it was the “worst episode” of Rhythm Roulette to date.
“This was like having a Michelin star chef serve you a frozen pizza,”one person says in the YouTube comments.
“This was basically an 8 min Timbaland/BeatClub commercial …and he bombed with the easiest sample,” wrote another.

Meanwhile, over on Reddit, one user writes: “This shit was ASS. He didn’t even LISTEN to the other records and just went with the easy choice but didn’t even pick anything, just chopped the first thing he heard.”
Content creator and producer Weaver Beats reacted to the beat and video, saying “I wouldn’t say it’s trash but it’s not amazing…It’s a decent beat but it was just like super low-effort.”
“I feel like a late 90s era [Timbaland] on Rhythm Roulette would’ve went out of the way to find some obscure parts of records, even if he was lucky to get some often-sampled ones, to chop compared to this,” a third person theorises. “I also hate how generic the drum pattern sounds compared to his signature bounce.”
Others, however, are just happy that the beloved Mass Appeal series is back. “Finally, been waiting so long for this series to return! Please do one a week and stay consistent with it again!!!!” wrote one user on YouTube. Another said “I been waiting for RR to return! LET’S GOOO!”.
Timbaland was recently appointed as Strategic Advisor to AI music generation platform, Suno. Speaking about the platform, he said: “I just love innovation. I love things that can take what I’ve been doing for 30 years of my life and make it better…I loved Ableton [Live] when it came out, but [Suno] is the new everything… I’m like a kid. It’s like I’m 19 years old. It’s like falling back in love with the purity of creativity.”
Read more music producer news.
The post Timbaland chops up Gil Scott-Heron on Rhythm Roulette — and fans are calling it “the worst episode ever” appeared first on MusicTech.

Anti-algorithm, anti-perfection – the rise of a music counter-cultureToday’s music landscape is one defined by abundance and immediacy. In a chronically-online world, everything is overground immediately. Scenes have to work really hard to stay underground and even then, some eagle-eyed A+R or marketing person is going to see the buzz and try to bottle its essence for wider consumption. Underground never stays ‘under’ for long. Yet, at the same time, we are seeing a blossoming of scenes, both on and offline. While the former are shaped by platforms’ algorithms, the latter are inherently more human in nature and form part of a growing analogue revival. It is not quite a choice between ‘power to the people’ or ‘power to the platform’ but it is not far off. And it is from this cultural dichotomy that a truly unique counter-culture phenomenon is happening: the return of bootleg and remix culture.

The music business has spent the last half a decade or so grappling with the rise of the creator economy. While the long tail is facing endless hurdles (cutting through the clutter, earning thresholds, not to mention UMG’s proposed acquisition of Downtown), it is not going anywhere, but instead creating a bifurcation of the music business. The rise of the consumer creator has resulted in three tiers of music creation:

1.    Consumer creators

2.    Music creators

3.    Traditional professionals

But there is, in fact, a fourth tier: DJs. 

The role of DJs in music’s counter-culture movement

Generative AI and tools like speeding up and slowing down have enabled more people to create, while playlists have empowered people to curate. DJing channels both of those creative lanes, and it is booming. In 2023, DJ equipment was the only major music hardware category to see strong growth (most other categories declined). Meanwhile YouTube is abuzz with DJ sets from a new crop of young, often female, DJs. DJs are an alternative to the algorithm: pure, human curation. 

While much of the DJ boom has, unsurprisingly, been absorbed into the mainstream (e.g., Boiler Room now boasts 4.5 million YouTube subscribers) there is a thriving underground that both looks and feels different.  Its home is SoundCloud.

The problem with everyone having access to everything is that, well, everyone has access to everything. It is really hard to sound different. If you are an established DJ you have the advantage of getting sent promos ahead of release so you avoid just sounding like the Beatport Top 10. However, if you are in the long tail of DJs you do not have that advantage. Your alternative? Bootlegs. SoundCloud has become the home of unofficial bootlegs and remixes. The place where underground DJs source their sets with tracks that are not part of the dance mainstream.

Why Gen Z and millennials are reviving ‘90s dance music classics

Bootlegs and unofficial remixes are by no means something new. What is new, however, is that the fragmented, scenes-based nature of SoundCloud is enabling bootlegs to power underground dance scenes. And what is particularly interesting, is that much of this is being done by young producers and DJs, reimagining ‘90s classics. The ‘90s were, in many people’s eyes, the heyday for many dance music genres, or at the very least, the defining decade. And there are three very important defining qualities of ‘90s dance music:

1.    Production techniques were much more rudimentary than today. As a consequence, the tracks can sound much more raw  and organic than the highly polished electronic music of today

2.    Most ideas, sounds, melodies and chord progressions were being done for the first time, so they had a purer and simpler feel. Electronic tracks since then have had to embellish and modify to be different, putting sonic distance between idea and output

3.    Less music was being made and was being played by fewer DJs, so big tracks became really big. Big enough to still be well known today (a dynamic true of all music genres pre-streaming)

The result is that SoundCloud is awash with Gen Z and millennial producers and DJs remaking ‘90s classics for today’s genres. Whether that be ‘90s trance revival or classic garage tracks being beefed up into UKG bangers. I will refrain from dropping any  links to these creators to avoid putting a  big takedown target on their backs, but there are many who are almost exclusively releasing bootlegs on SoundCloud, each with tens of thousands of followers that eagerly listen to and comment on their tracks. Many of the productions are ‘rough around the edges’, but that is often the point. It is meant to sound different to the over-produced mainstream. It is electronic music’s punk / garage rock moment, where idea matters more than form. 

This is bifurcation in action. These creators are opting not to play in the traditional music business lane (largely because they would struggle to get the rights cleared). So, instead they are operating in the music business’ ‘grey market’ – not quite a black market but not the formal market either. Because this is by its very nature, below the radar, it means these scenes each have a soundtrack of their own, one that you simply cannot find on Beatport or Spotify.

How SoundCloud’s scenes are different from the rest

Crucially, what marks these music scenes as being different from the very-online scenes that prosper in places like TikTok, Reddit, and Discord, is that online is only a link in the chain. The music comes to life in the DJ sets, at parties, small clubs, and raves. Online is where the music is sourced and where people go to relive memories, but offline is where the fun is being had and where the culture lives. There is also a creative virtuous circle at play: the bootlegs are the kicking-off point for scenes but they also respond to the scene, the sound evolving quickly in response to what moves the dance floors.

There are ways in which the traditional business can play in remix culture. Armada’s BEAT Music fund is acquiring rights to classic tracks and getting producers to create modern remixes. This is a smart strategy but it is something different, because those remixes flow into the traditional industry structure. Labels could also tap into (and monetise) the opportunity by creating stem sandboxes with a subscription fee. Though many labels would likely worry about quality control of the output and tracking royalties and plays.

But there is a more fundamental problem / opportunity with trying to assimilate the underground: as soon as you start trying to place formal structures around it and elevate its profile it is no longer underground. Perhaps instead, the best thing the traditional music industry can do is observe and admire from afar. To let these new, anti-algorithm, anti-perfection scenes flourish and wait to see what they create.

Steinberg launch Cubasis 3.7 & Iconica Sketch for iOS The latest update to Steinberg’s mobile/tablet DAW App has arrived, introducing improved support for tempo and time signature changes alongside a range of new built-in sounds.

“I haven’t met anyone who heard the hardware equivalent of a plugin and didn’t wonder what they’ve been missing” Chris SD on the power of analogueChris SD knows what an effective studio setup entails. After working on albums for the likes of Bryan Adams and Kris Kristofferson, before being recruited as the in-house producer for roots rock band Blue Rodeo, the award-winning Canadian producer gives us insight into the gear that has shaped his career and has developed his talents as an engineer.

READ MORE: CHLOÉ: “Every piece of gear, every collaboration, and every mistake is an opportunity”

Chris now resides in the United States, as the founder of the online studio, Sundown Sessions Studio. His team provides virtual recording, mixing and mastering for artists all across the world, removing many of the geographical barriers that exist for musicians. Adding yet another string to his bow, he is also the founder of sync studio Sync Songwriter, where he assists songwriters with placing their music in TV and film.
The multi-talented producer sits down with MusicTech to digest all of the expertise he has collected over his nearly three decades in the industry, and how it has shaped him in the studio.
Image: Press
What were the soundtracks that made you want to start producing music for film and TV?
There have been so many, but the formative ones were the Spaghetti Western soundtracks by Ennio Morricone, and the work of John M. Keane on the original CSI show.
As a sync producer, you often have to work towards specific briefs in a genre you might not be familiar with. How do you approach new styles, especially on tight deadlines?
We experiment and work with a lot of different styles, but we don’t stray too far from what we’re comfortable with and tend to stick with what we do well. I don’t want to try and compete in outside genres that others do every day. I’m a big believer in finding your lane, and getting better at the things that inspire you.
Tell us a bit about your studio.
I spend time between my home in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains and my sailboat in Southern California, so the studio is pretty much virtual these days. I have a fantastic co-producer and mix engineer who have their own setups.
A lot of the work we do comes from songwriters and instrumentalists from around the world that I meet through my organization, Sync Songwriter. We produce a lot of their music for TV & film and then I introduce them directly to music supervisors for shows, movies, and ads through my program, ‘The Art of the Song Pitch’.
Image: Press
What’s your latest gear or plugin purchase?
My latest purchase was the dynamic resonance suppressor, Oeksound Soothe2. It can sometimes be a bit over the top and easy to overdo on things like vocals, but it works really well on drum overheads and other cymbals to tame harshness and weird resonances. It helps the presence and clarity while reducing weird overtones. It’s definitely worth the purchase for the amount of time it saves over fiddling with an EQ to solve a weird problem!
What’s the best free plugin you own?
The Kilohearts Transient Shaper gets used on pretty much every kick and snare track. It does an incredible job at adding snap and attack and reducing boomy tails on drums.
Goodhertz Tupe and Kilohearts Transient Shaper
What’s been the biggest investment in your career/studio?
The biggest investment has been the analogue pieces that have become the muse of our digital creations. We’re all used to hearing sounds straight out of DAWs, but when you can burn some electricity into those signals, it increases the vocabulary of the track. I haven’t yet met anyone who has heard the hardware equivalent of a plugin they love and didn’t wonder what they’ve been missing.
That said, we’re digiheads like most and there are a lot of things you can do in a binary world that you can’t with sine waves — but brisket always tastes better out of a smoker than an oven, if that makes sense. My smokers are some Neve strips, TAB V72S, Sta-Level, Lisson Grove R-124 and a tape echo.
You have a vast discography. Is there a production or writing technique that can be found across all of your works?
Keeping strong ‘organic’ elements is definitely a theme across the discography. It doesn’t matter if it’s a dance track or a cinematic pop song; having some ‘real’ touches like guitar, acoustic drums, and/or piano can really elevate songs beyond a niche.
Has there been a specific piece of gear or a plugin that has shaped your work as a composer?
The Vox AC30 has been a regular go-to amp for a long time and has been an inspiring sound for years. Something about that tone makes it incredibly easy to sit down and just play and create. It doesn’t matter which guitar or pedals you throw in front of it, turning it on with all the knobs at noon is enough to get something great happening.
How do you see your sound and studio evolving in the next two years?
I’m always really interested in exploring new technology. As plugins become more advanced, new sound design possibilities open up for me. The idea of new gear/plugins allowing me to discover and create brand-new sounds is definitely exciting.
Image: Press
Do you have a dream piece of gear?
The Yamaha CS-60 is definitely up there. The CS-60 has been used a lot by LCD Soundsystem and has an incredibly wacky character that I don’t think plugins have really captured yet.
What’s a music production myth you think needs debunking?
That all you need is a great song. I believe that a great song AND great production go hand in hand. Subpar songs with really cool production can make it. Great songs with subpar production can make it, but the biggest successes happen when both meet at the top.
 
Who gave you the biggest lesson in your career?
When I had just started my first band, I went to a music conference to try and network with some industry folks. As I was walking into the venue, one of the keynote speakers happened to be walking out. It was Malcolm McLaren, the ex-manager of the Sex Pistols. I seized my moment and in passing quickly asked him if he had any advice for a band just starting out.
He looked me up and down, grabbed the conference lanyard around my neck, threw it on the ground and said: “Don’t come to them, go home and write great songs and make them come to you.”
I have kept that advice close to almost everything I do.
Read more music producer interviews. 
The post “I haven’t met anyone who heard the hardware equivalent of a plugin and didn’t wonder what they’ve been missing” Chris SD on the power of analogue appeared first on MusicTech.