Neural DSP Technologies Introduces 'TINA' Robotic Amp ModelingAs part of its enduring commitment to pioneering industry-leading amplifier modeling technology, Neural DSP announced the arrival of TINA, the company’s proprietary data-collection robot which takes authentically and faithfully modeling the sonic nuances of a guitar amplifier to an unprecedented level. TINA – a Telemetric Inductive Nodal Actuator – marries mechanical robotics with machine learning to digitally replicate analog devices, such as guitar amplifiers, like never before.

Leveraging the advanced capabilities of TINA, Neural DSP also launched CorOS 3.0.0 and the arrival of Quad Cortex Plugin Compatibility (PCOM), giving creators the ability to access the virtual devices in their Neural DSP plugins on their Quad Cortex. This initial release includes compatibility for two plugins: Archetype: Plini X and Archetype: Gojira X, with additional QC-compatible plugins set to launch in subsequent CorOS updates.

"TINA represents a groundbreaking integration of robotics and state-of-the-art machine learning for audio processing, furthering Neural DSP's commitment to redefining the standards in guitar amplifier modeling accuracy,” says Douglas Castro, CEO at Neural DSP Technologies. “This feat is the result of collaboration between our respective plugin and Quad Cortex teams, who have worked tirelessly to significantly improve the architecture of both platforms to ensure plugins can run on Quad Cortex. We’ve successfully removed all human intervention within the amplifier modeling process – ensuring an unparalleled level of precision in every model by capturing every subtle detail in the amplifier's controls.”

TINA: Leveraging Robotics for Authentic Sound Replication

In the spaces between the markings on an amplifier’s controls — gain, bass, mid, treble, presence, master — there is an entire universe of complex interactions and sonic distinctions. Guitarists will naturally play with these controls in a subjective manner, dialing in changes instinctively. But in trying to digitally emulate that process, even snapshot models of different configurations of those controls cannot translate all of the possible fine-tuned interactive combinations, and managing those million or more combinations would be impossible.

What Neural DSP does with TINA is robotically access the entire spectrum of every control’s range by physically connecting with those controls via actuator arms. Every control is systematically turned with its output recorded. With enough recorded examples (typically thousands of control positions), a neural network is trained to replicate the behavior of the device for each one of these settings. Through this training process, the finished model will also generalize and precisely infer the sound of the device in any unseen control setting and input signal.

TINA does the tedious part, deducing what control positions need to be recorded, plans the sequence to turn the knobs while minimizing wear-and-tear, and finally returns a collection of recordings with all of the related control positions carefully and precisely annotated.

By combining robotic data collection with machine learning, Neural DSP can distill the full range of an amp’s continuous control into a single neural network model with unparalleled precision. It also removes the need for painstaking and often biased human analysis and design. The collected data is always a complete representation of the device and its history; every tube, every transformer, every pot, every ding, and every scratch; anything you can hear and feel will be a part of the data the models are trained on.

“TINA is the backbone of our robust and automated modeling pipeline, pushing the boundaries of model fidelity,” says Aleksi Peussa, Machine Learning Team Lead and Researcher at Neural DSP Technologies. “The collected data provides the ground-truth for the sound and feel of the device. No assumptions, no preferences, no limitations. Purely data. The vast amount of data along with advanced machine learning approaches can systematically push model accuracy to unparalleled levels of realism. Our goal is always to create models that are indistinguishable from the real thing, even by experts.”

To learn more about PCOM and how to update to CorOS 3.0.0, click here and here.The post Neural DSP Technologies Introduces 'TINA' Robotic Amp Modeling first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Ethereum futures open interest hits 19-month high, yet ETH price weakness intensifiesEthereum derivatives metrics show increased activity, indicating higher interest but not necessarily a bullish trend.

FTC and Justice Department sue TikTok over alleged child privacy violationsThe U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department are suing TikTok and ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, with violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The law requires digital platforms to notify and obtain parents’ consent before collecting and using personal data from children under the age of 13. In a press release issued […]
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Custom Hat Gives Vintage Mitutoyo Calipers a New Lease on LifeMetrology fans are usually at least a little bit in love with Mitutoyo, and rightfully so. The Japanese company has been making precision measuring instruments for the better part of 100 years, and users appreciate their precision almost as much as the silky smooth feel of their tools. If you can afford it, a Mitutoyo caliper is quite an addition to your toolbox.
As good as they are, though, they’re not perfect, which is what led to this clever Mitutoyo digital caliper hack by [turbanedengineer]. The calipers in question, a digital set from the early 1980s, happen to have a unique history with a tangential Hackaday angle — they belonged to [Dhaval], mechanical engineer and avid motorcyclist who happens to be the late elder brother of our own [Anool Mahidharia].
The tool, in need of a little TLC, made its way to [turbanedengineer] who first restored the broken battery contacts. Once powered up again, it became apparent that while the caliper’s native metric measurements were spot on, the internal conversion to inches was considerably off. This led [turbanedengineer] to the data port on the tool, which is intended to send serial data to an external computer for logging measurements. After a little experimentation to nail down the data format, he prototyped a tiny circuit using an ATtiny85 and an OLED display that reads the caliper data, converts metric to inches, and displays both measurements on the screen. The prototype led to a more permanent version, which cleverly sits over the original display and taps into the data port without any free wires. The video below shows the very slick results.
Our hearts go out to [Anool] and his family for their loss, and we tip our hats to [turbanedengineer] for his thoughtful and respectful hack of a storied tool. We know that anthropomorphizing tools makes no rational sense, but we think it’s safe to say that a tool like this has a soul, and it’s probably happy to be back in the game.

Over-molding Wires with Hot Glue and 3D Printed MoldsWe’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: water always finds a way in. That’s particularly problematic for things like wire splices in damp environments, something that no amount of electrical tape is going to help. Heat shrink tubing might be your friend here, but for an electrically isolated and mechanically supported repair, you may want to give over-molding with a hot glue gun a try.
The inspiration for [Print Practical]’s foray into over-molding came from a video that’s making the rounds showing a commercially available tool for protecting spliced wires in the automotive repair trade. It consists of a machined aluminum mold that the spliced wires fit into and a more-or-less stock hot glue gun, which fills the mold with melted plastic. [Print Practical] thought it just might be possible to 3D print custom molds at home and do it himself.
His first attempt didn’t go so well. As it turns out, hot glue likes to stick to things — who knew? — including the PETG mold he designed. Trying to pry apart the mold after injection was a chore, and even once he got inside it was clear the glue much preferred to stay in the mold. Round two went much better — same wire, same mold, but now with a thin layer of vegetable oil to act as a release agent. That worked like a charm, with the over-mold standing up to a saltwater bath with no signs of leaking. [Print Practical] also repaired an iPhone cable that has seen better days, providing much-needed mechanical support for a badly frayed section.
This looks like a fantastic idea to file away for the future, and one that’s worth experimenting with. Other filament types might make a mold better able to stand up to the hot glue, and materials other than the ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer found in most hot glue sticks might be explored. TPU over-molds, anyone? Or perhaps you can use a printer as an injector rather than the glue gun.

BeatConnect launch Drops feature BeatConnect recently announced an update to their online collaboration platform that allows users to explore a diverse array of audio projects created by the community. 

From HYBE’s restructure to Warner Music’s leadership shakeup… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-UpThe biggest stories from the past week – all in one place…
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British DJ and record producer DJ Randall has died aged 54Jungle and drum and bass pioneer DJ Randall has passed away, his representatives have confirmed. The cause of death remains undisclosed at the time of writing.
The British DJ and record producer, whose voice regularly featured on radio stations Rinse FM and Rave FM, played a major role in transforming British rave culture into the hardcore drum and bass sounds that have come to define dance floors from the ’90s.

READ MORE: How to make an atmospheric DnB beat in 10 minutes with free plugins

DJ Randall became a prominent figure in the UK rave scene at Living Dream in 1990, an event attended by 10,000 people in East London where he played a three-hour set, as DJ Colin Faver did not show up.
Since then, DJ Randall, real name Randall McNeil, often referred to as “the godfather of breakbeat”, continued to perform at raves and cement a legacy as one of the most reputed and recognisable figures in the UK scene. He forged close links with record label Reinforced Records, as well as DJ and record producer Goldie.
Although he was best known for his work as a DJ, Randall McNeil was also a prominent record producer. He developed a close relationship with Andy C, co-founder of independent label RAM Records, and in 1994, produced the celebrated Jungle track Sound Control with Andy C.
DJ Randall’s prominence did not wane in the 21st century. In recent years, he has been commissioned by Drum&BassArena, Dreamscape, and Ministry of Sound, and he has performed all over the globe, including in North America, Asia, and Australia.
He played live as recently as this year, including at Drum and Bass Classics in April.
The post British DJ and record producer DJ Randall has died aged 54 appeared first on MusicTech.

Get Audiocube’s innovative new 3D audio software with a 40% discount
Audiocube has launched a new audio app featuring cutting-edge 3D audio tools. Audiocube offers the app for just £60 (usually £100) for a limited time as a special introductory offer. This app has been designed to enhance and simplify the creation of immersive audio experiences in a 3D audio workstation. In a fundamental sense, it’s [...]
View post: Get Audiocube’s innovative new 3D audio software with a 40% discount

Spotify Shares Proven Campaign Strategies for Music PromotionSpotify shares proven campaign strategies and how seven artists – spanning genres and goals – turned up the volume for new and catalog music.
The post Spotify Shares Proven Campaign Strategies for Music Promotion appeared first on Hypebot.

Threads has 200 Million active usersThreads has 200 million active users just 13 months after launch.
The post Threads has 200 Million active users appeared first on Hypebot.

“They’re crushing human beings beneath their feet in blind pursuit of profit – it’s disgusting”: Video game actors go on strike over concerns about AIWhile artificial intelligence is no doubt creating opportunities for creatives to speed up their workflow and simplify the creative process, many are worried about widespread AI adoption might mean for their livelihoods.
So much so that voice actors from the video game industry went on strike last week to protest the looming threat of being replaced by AI.

READ MORE: Late Motörhead leader Lemmy brought back to life using AI – to appear in new installment of World of Tanks

2,500 members of media collective SAG-AFTRA – including high-profile voice actor Jennifer Hale – are striking until the games divisions of companies like Activision, Warner Brothers, Walt Disney and EA agree to instate protections surrounding the use of AI, per BBC News.
You might remember the high-profile 118-day actors strike organised by SAG-AFTRA last year, which was eventually resolved after mutually agreed-upon terms were reached. Such an agreement on artificial intelligence is yet to be reached for video games, hence the nature of this recent strike.
The concern is over the fact that it’s becoming simpler and simpler to clone someone’s voice using AI, create entirely new works mimicking said person’s voice, and due to the limited legislation currently in place, fail to compensate that voice actor accordingly.
Jennifer Hale tells BBC News: “They could, for example, take all my performances in a game, let’s say Mass Effect, feed them into a machine, not too long down the timeline, spit out an entirely new Mass Effect, with a performance that was entirely generated by AI.”
Because the gaming industry is so lucrative in this day and age – it’s estimated to generate $189bn (£147bn) revenue by the end of 2024 alone – Hale says profits are trumping the rights of voice actors.
“They see that the work of our souls is nothing more than a commodity to generate profits for them,” she says. “They don’t see that they’re crushing human beings beneath their feet in blind pursuit of money and profit, it’s disgusting.”
And while Hale is one of the more successful video game voice actors, she acknowledges the disparity in pay between those in her craft and film and TV actors.
“I’m a single working mother who has bills to pay and a life to provide for my kid, as voice actors we don’t get paid star salaries,” she adds. “Under what they’re proposing on the other side of this contract, they would pay me nothing.”
Audrey Cooling, a representative for the 10 gaming companies negotiating the union, adds: “Our offer is directly responsive to SAG-AFTRA’s concerns and extends meaningful AI protections that include requiring consent and fair compensation to all performance working under the IMA [Interactive Media Agreement].”
Learn more about SAG-AFTRA’s video game strike at its official website.
The post “They’re crushing human beings beneath their feet in blind pursuit of profit – it’s disgusting”: Video game actors go on strike over concerns about AI appeared first on MusicTech.

How to promote music on Instagram ReelsInstagram Reels has been on our minds this week. While the platform is not the social bemouth that TikTok and YouTube Shorts have become, its reach is too impressive to ignore as a platform to market music.
The post How to promote music on Instagram Reels appeared first on Hypebot.

Music AI platforms can get a ‘Fairly Trained’ certification for meeting ethical standards. Those standards just got tougher.Fairly Trained-certified businesses will now have to disclose which of their models have been certified, and which haven't
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Tame Impala’s mysterious synth company teases its first instrumentIn case you haven’t heard, Kevin Parker, the brain behind Tame Impala, recently founded an electronic instruments company called Telepathic Instruments. Other than a handful of highly cryptic teaser posts and an even more befuddling brand website though, much of the company’s offerings remains shrouded in mystery.
But all of that has changed with a new Instagram video that finally gave us a glimpse of what Telepathic Instruments has been working on.

READ MORE: “I learn bits from him but mostly it’s all happening too fast for me”: Four Tet says Skrillex’s use of Ableton is like “alchemy”

In the clip, Parker is seen playing on what looks to be a compact synthesizer with a vintage-inspired design. The instrument features a one-octave keyboard on its right side, complemented by two jog wheels, along with a bunch of knobs and buttons. There’s also a small screen on it that resembles an oscilloscope display.
“This is what heaven must sound like,” wrote one user in the comments section. And the tones do sound surprisingly clean compared to those jangly bitcrushed sounds we heard in the teasers.
Watch the full video below.

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A post shared by Telepathic (@telepathic.instruments)

Parker’s latest venture into hardware aligns with his well-documented fascination with synthesizers and experimental sounds. In past interviews, the musician has spoken about his love for classic synths like the Sequential Pro One, describing its sound as “crying in outer space.”
While he doesn’t have a go-to synth in the studio right now, Parker reveals he’s “got a rack of keyboards close to where I sit and whatever is on that rack gets used.”
In other news, Parker announced this May that he has sold his complete song catalogue to Sony Music Publishing. “The idea of passing on ownership of my songs is one that I don’t think about very lightly, at all,” he said.
“I don’t think my songs could be in any safer hands than Sony’s, and I’m excited for the future and happy I can keep working with them on whatever the future brings.”
The post Tame Impala’s mysterious synth company teases its first instrument appeared first on MusicTech.