MiCA regulation takes shape under EBA’s newest guidelinesThe European Banking Authority has introduced a series of technical standards and guidelines for token issuers as MiCA implementation moves forward.

Robert Kyncl turns up heat on PRO metadata matching, and other things we learned from his NMPA keynote in New YorkWarner boss was grilled by NMPA chief, David Israelite, at New York event this week
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Marimbatron: A Digital Marimba Prototyping ProjectThe Marimbatron is [Leo Kuipers] ‘s final project as part of the MIT “Fabacademy program” supervised by [Prof. Neil Gershenfeld] of the Center for Bits and Atoms. The course aims to learn how to leverage all the fab lab skills to create unique prototypes using the materials at hand.
The final polyurethane/PET/Flex PCB stack-up for the sensor pad
Fortunately, one of the main topics covered in the course is documentation, and [Leo] has provided ample material for review. The marimba consists of a horizontal series of wooden bars, each mounted over a metal resonator tube. It is played similarly to the xylophone, with a piano-type note arrangement, covering about five octaves but with a lower range than the xylophone. [Leo] converted this piano-type layout into a more logical grid arrangement. The individual pads are 3D printed in PETG and attached to a DIY piezoresistive pressure sensor made from a graphite-sprayed PET sheet laid upon a DIY flexible PCB. A central addressable LED was also included for indication purposes. The base layer is made of cast polyurethane, formed inside a 3D-printed rigid mould. This absorbs impact and prevents crosstalk to nearby sensors. The sensor PCB was initially prototyped by adhering a layer of copper tape to a layer of Kapton tape and cutting it out using a desktop vinyl cutter. While this method worked for the proof of concept, [Leo] ultimately outsourced the final version to a PCB manufacturer. The description of prototyping the sensor and dealing with over-moulding was particularly fascinating.

For the electronics, a modular approach was needed. Each row of ten sensors was daisy-chained to connect the LEDs, with an individual sense line passed down for each sensor to a common sensor PCB. This uses a SAMD21-series microcontroller with enough ADC channels to handle the task. This was initially prototyped using a micro-milled PCB and a laser-cut PET solder stencil. Once that was proven to work well, the sensible thing was done, and the final PCBs were ordered from a proper fab. Additionally, a user interface PCB was created to host a few pushbuttons and a Waveshare round LCD display. Finally, a main control PCB routes I2C to the sensor boards and interfaces to the SPI LCD. It also handles sending MIDI data over USB for playback on an external MIDI device.
Documentation and design data can both be found on the project fabcloud page. To dig into the Fab Academy courses, wander over to the course archive and get cracking.
This is the first marimba we’ve covered, so here’s a mechanical xylophone instead. Whilst we’re on the subject of mechanical music, here’s a fun one to go back over.

US music publishing revenue jumped 10.7% to $6.2bn in 2023… outstripping recorded music’s growth in percentage termsThe NMPA is focusing its energy on a battle against Spotify over royalty payments
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A 1940s Car Radio Receives Some LoveThe entertainment systems in modern vehicles is akin to a small in-dash computer, and handles all manner of digital content. It probably also incorporates a radio, but increasingly that’s treated as something of an afterthought. There was a time though when any radio in a car was a big deal, and if you own a car from that era it’s possible that you’ve had to coax an aged radio into life. [The Radio Mechanic] is working on a radio from a 1946 Packard, which provides a feast for anyone with a penchant for 1940s electronics.
The unit, manufactured by Philco, is an all-in-one, with a bulky speaker in the chassis alongside the tubes and other components. It would have sat behind the dash in the original car, so some external cosmetic damage is not critical. Less easy to pass off is the cone rubbing on the magnet, probably due to water damage over the last eight decades. Particularly interesting are the controls, as we’re rather enamored with the multicolored filter attached to the tone control. A laser cutter makes short work of recreating the original felt gasket here.
The video below is the first of a series on this radio, so we don’t see it working. Ahead will be a lot more cleaning up and testing of components, and we’d expect a lot of those paper capacitors to need replacement. We can almost smell that warm phenolic smell.
If tube radio work is your thing, we’ve been there before.

It's Here! NUGEN Audio Releases NUtility ToolkitNUGEN Audio unveils its new NUtility Toolkit, which comprises its SigMod, AB Assist, Jotter and Aligner plug-ins. Ideal for entry-level and professional audio professionals alike, NUtility Toolkit fills gaps in DAW functionality and speeds up tedious admin tasks in order for audio engineers to focus on the more creative aspects of their job. 

“Introducing these utility plug-ins to your workflow will be a gamechanger,” says Freddy Vinehill-Cliffe, Product Specialist, NUGEN Audio. “It’s like finally buying a food processor when you’ve been using a pestle and mortar for the past decade. Do you have any idea how much more often I make pesto these days?”    

SigMod enables the user to create custom signal architecture to enhance the functionality of both the DAW and third-party plug-ins. The plug-in also offers easy access to functionality that is often either missing or difficult to access in certain DAWs, including but not limited to, a phase flip and a mid/side encoder and decoder. 

AB Assist 2 receives and compares up to four audio sources — different takes, plug-in options, mix revisions or versions of a master, with support for all surround channel counts. The blind test function randomly labels the streams as W, X, Y and Z for a completely unbiased assessment of the audio options. Additionally, an auto-level match function allows the user to match short-term loudness (LUFS) of sources, while a mono-check feature compares mono fold-downs and the smooth tool creates fades between sources.

Aligner is an automatic phase and polarity alignment tool designed for convenience and speed. With the automatic linking functionality, users can connect multiple instances of the plug-in to phase-correct all channels via one single user interface. The plug-in also includes manual phase adjustment for fine-tuning especially challenging audio.

Jotter provides easy sharing of timestamped notes and comments between the plug-in and the free standalone Jotter app. The latter allows clients and collaborators who may not own the plug-in (or do not use a DAW) to share their important feedback, and for audio engineers to view this feedback locked to the correct position on the project timeline. 

NUGEN’s NUtility Toolkit is available in AAX, VST3, AU and AudioSuite formats in 64-bit for both Mac and Windows OS. The bundle will be available for $99, which is a savings of $107 versus purchasing each of the individual tools. Each plug-in can still be purchased individually, and current users of any of these tools can upgrade to the bundle at a reduced rate.The post It's Here! NUGEN Audio Releases NUtility Toolkit first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Group music listening improves with Stationhead upgrade, Rythm relaunchNumerous startups and several of the streaming services are working on improving the group music listening experience. This week, a pioneer in group listening relaunched on Dischord, and an innovator unveiled a major new feature that identifies and rewards superfans.....
The post Group music listening improves with Stationhead upgrade, Rythm relaunch appeared first on Hypebot.

Take a look inside Peggy Gou’s secret gig in London200 lucky fans were able to spend an evening with Peggy Gou in celebration of her debut album last week, as she hosted a secret gig in East London.
At Café 1001, Gou celebrated the release of I Hear You and gave fans the chance to experience her live show in an intimate setting ahead of her biggest UK headline set on 17th August at Gunnersbury Park.

READ MORE: Justice, Nia Archives, Peggy Gou, James Blake and more are playing Glastonbury 2024

Gou also surprised fans earlier in the day at a special pop-up store closeby to the gig venue. The album landed on 7 June and includes singles such as her huge hit (It Goes Like) Nanana, and I Believe in Love Again, featuring Lenny Kravitz.
At her secret show, Gou can be seen beaming as fans are gathered around the decks under cosy red lighting. Take a peek inside her secret gig below:
Image: Sienna Gray

@dailymailshowbiz
Peggy Gou suprises fans at a secret gig in London Launching her new album, Peggy will be playing Gunnersbury Park in London on Saturday 17th August #peggygou #surprise #gig #london #shoreditch #fans #fyp
♬ original sound – Daily Mail Celeb

In November last year, Gou spoke of her collaboration with Kravitz came to be. She told Zane Lowe, “In the whole album, I have 11 tracks. That music, the inspiration came from ‘90s music, some rave, house music, but this song is more like R&B ‘90s because I also listen to a lot of songs from that period. I guess from my idea ‘90s music is timeless for me. I also love hip hop and every song from that period.”
She later added, “I listen to Lenny’s songs a lot and my favourite album from him is 5. I’m sure a lot of people agree. His songs are to me very timeless and it was such an honour to get a chance to work with him.”
At her Gunnersbury Park gig, attendees can also catch performances from Mochakk, LSDXOXO, Sally C, and Hiver. Find out more via the Gunnersbury Park website.
The post Take a look inside Peggy Gou’s secret gig in London appeared first on MusicTech.

Music Publishers FTC complaint escalates battle, Spotify respondsThe National Music Publishers Association has ramped up its battle against Spotify on several fronts, including a complaint to the US Federal Trade Commission alleging the streamer converted Premium users into a bundled subscription that includes audiobooks without providing an option to remain on a music-only tier....
The post Music Publishers FTC complaint escalates battle, Spotify responds appeared first on Hypebot.

Secretly scores at Libera Awards and on Billboard Indie Power Players listIt was a big week for Indie music juggernaut Secretly, which scored big at A2IM's Libera Awards and on the Billboard 2024 Indie Power Players list....
The post Secretly scores at Libera Awards and on Billboard Indie Power Players list appeared first on Hypebot.

“You’re going to take 24 cents on our dollar and that’s all you can do, come up with a f**king fake viral TikTok moment?”: Avenged Sevenfold’s M. Shadows takes aim at major record labelsAvenged Sevenfold’s M. Shadows has shared his thoughts on the current landscape of traditional record deals, and how viral tracks are often a big focus for labels.
A7X have been doing things differently in recent years to gain more control over their revenue. Their 2023 album, Life Is But A Dream… was their final album to be released through Warner Records, which they had previously left and rejoined amid legal disputes.

READ MORE: “We’re taking power away from corporate networks, and saying, ‘No, we’re gonna reward our fans, not you’”: M. Shadows on Avenged Sevenfold’s new Fortnite-style Season Pass

In 2021, the band stared Deathbats Club — an NFT-based fanclub that rewards members with real-world merch discounts and opportunities for meet and greets. More recently, they launched Season Pass, a Fortnite-style progression system that lets fans earn points and unlock rewards.
In a new cover feature with Kerrang!, Sanders says, “We’re one of those bands who [have] actually survived releasing eight records for a major record label, and so we’ve seen a lot. And we’ve seen the numbers, and we’ve seen the ways that corporations pretty much control art.”
He adds, “It’s an interesting, weird sort of dynamic, but you’re going to get people involved who… make money off the back of art. And one of the things that happens is that the artists say, ‘Leave me alone, I want to create.’ And that’s fair enough. I get that. But my own brain works a little differently.
“I like getting into the technology and the weeds of the contracts that we sign. I like seeing the deals and I like seeing how much somebody is making off me or our band – where it’s fair and where it’s a little egregious.”

He goes on to explain, “Now what they [labels] do is they go to TikTok and they take someone who’s already gone viral [on social media], but who doesn’t have a label and they wrap ’em up into a shitty deal, but they can’t do anything for them.
“When Avenged Sevenfold were on Warner Bros., they were trying to figure out how to create a viral TikTok moment. What? I’m a fucking 42-year-old man, I’m not trying to figure out how to do a viral TikTok moment. I’m sorry. You’re going to take 24 cents on our dollar and that’s all you can do, come up with a fucking fake viral TikTok moment?”
Avenged Sevenfold will headline at Download Festival on 16 June. View all of their upcoming tour dates.
The post “You’re going to take 24 cents on our dollar and that’s all you can do, come up with a f**king fake viral TikTok moment?”: Avenged Sevenfold’s M. Shadows takes aim at major record labels appeared first on MusicTech.

Cakewalk Next: An overview of the new DAW for macOS and WindowsBandLab has announced the official rollout of Cakewalk Next and Cakewalk Sonar, two digital audio workstations (DAWs) that build on the legacy of Cakewalk by BandLab, a DAW released in 2001.
The two new DAWs have been in public beta for several months, but are now available to download and use worldwide with a BandLab Membership account. Cakewalk Next and Cakewalk Sonar are the first off-platform additions BandLab’s creative toolset. But, with Cakewalk Next in particular, there is a twist.
READ MORE: The best DAWs for music producers in all genres, styles and workflows
What is Cakewalk Next?
Cakewalk Next. Image: MusicTech
Cakewalk Next seems like an ideal companion app for music makers working on the BandLab mobile app and browser app.
Free to anyone with a BandLab Membership at Cakewalk Next lets you import your BandLab song projects and build on your ideas with an additional suite of tools. You can load in third-party plugins, access over 100,000 samples from BandLab Sounds directly from the DAW, write down lyrics, group tracks, and separate your project into sections — intro, verse, chorus, et cetera.
You can also export your projects back to BandLab, so you can get an idea going on your desktop and continue tweaking it on your commute with the tools on the mobile app. You can download Cakewalk Next at cakewalk.com.
Cakewalk Next’s BandLab Sounds integration. Image: MusicTech
To some producers, the most obvious omission in Cakewalk Next is a traditional mixing window. You can still apply effects (including third-party plugins) to each track and adjust the expected parameters, but there’s no page dedicated to mixing your track. Cakewalk Next seems to be the perfect platform for laying down ideas, figuring out the arrangement, and not getting caught up in the mixing process.
For that, you might want to head to Cakewalk Sonar…
What is Cakewalk Sonar?
Cakewalk Sonar, naturally, is a revision of Cakewalk by BandLab, maintaining the familiar workflow and award-winning UI, but bringing a powerful suite of audio effects and virtual instruments, an unlimited number of audio, MIDI and auxiliary tracks, and high DPI support.
Image: BandLab Technologies
This DAW has long been the choice of newcomers and pros alike, with Grammy and Emmy-winning producers and sound designers using Cakewalk for its impressive capabilities. Cakewalk Sonar aims to continue catering to all types of users. However, staying true to its heritage, it’s a Windows-only DAW.
You can download Cakewalk Sonar at cakewalk.com. Those using Cakewalk by BandLab and previous versions of Cakewalk can still access their account and installs using the Legacy Cakewalk login.
What is BandLab Membership?
BandLab Membership is a paid tier of BandLab. It gives you a base offering of artist services, such as music distribution and fan engagement tools, plus opportunities to promote your music. You also get early access to new tools and features. It’s available for $14.95 per month.
Learn more at bandlab.com.
[Editor’s note: BandLab and MusicTech are both part of Caldecott Music Group.]
The post Cakewalk Next: An overview of the new DAW for macOS and Windows appeared first on MusicTech.

Musik Hack update Master Plan plug-in Master Plan 1.5 sports a brand new look and introduces an additional EQ band, improved loudness metering and more. 

Deadmau5 says he “doesn’t enjoy” dance music, but loves “the process of making it”Deadmau5 has candidly admitted that he doesn’t actually enjoy electronic music all that much, but the process of making it is what attracts him to the genre.
If we know one thing about Deadmau5, it’s that he’s unfiltered. Whether it’s discussing pre-recorded DJ sets or trolling Grimes for her technical issues at Coachella, he’s often doing or saying some pretty bold things.

READ MORE: “My favourite acronym for EDM is event-driven marketing”: deadmau5 reflects on the commercialisation of rave culture

“I don’t really enjoy dance music,” he tells Q’s Tom Power (via CBC). “I don’t partake. I don’t pump it in my car. I don’t walk it, I don’t talk it, I don’t breathe it, I don’t get excited about it… but I love the process of making it. I like the technical challenges. I like sonic development.”
While this statement might make other creatives infuriated, the producer – whose real name is Joel Zimmerman – can explain exactly how he ended up incidentally becoming an artist, when he originally had his heart set on working behind the scenes.
As a child, his interest began when he heard Tears For Fears on his father’s CD player: “There was so much accompaniment to it that just wasn’t somebody beating on a drum or playing a guitar or a keyboard or something like that. There’s always just some underlying machine behind it,” he recalls.
As electronic music began to develop over the years, young Zimmerman ended up interning at a recording studio in Niagara Falls. He told his boss he could build a computer for the studio to record and produce dance music, and word got around that he was good at working with such tech.
As his studio career began to blossom, he set his sights on developing a career in this same environment: “I thought, ‘Wow, what a really great thing to pursue a career in, working in a studio.’ I wasn’t having these dreams of being a DJ or a producer or a creative. I wanted to be just in the rear with the gear,” he says.
Despite this, he made his own electronic music too, and began noticing a gap in the market for a DJ that didn’t actually have the word “DJ” before their name (aside from a few artists such as Daft Punk), and decided on wearing the famous mouse helmet “because everyone else was [already] themselves”. He adds, “It’s ‘DJ-this’ and ‘DJ-that’ and it’s like the name, you know what I mean?”
Check out the full interview below:

The post Deadmau5 says he “doesn’t enjoy” dance music, but loves “the process of making it” appeared first on MusicTech.

Modartt launch Bösendorfer 280VC for Pianoteq Modartt’s latest Instrument Pack kits Pianoteq users out with a physical model of Bösendorfer’s 280VC concert grand piano.