Convex Audio update Atrium The first major update for Convex Audio's reverb plug-in delivers an array of new features along with support for macOS systems. 

CES 2026: Everything revealed, from Nvidia’s debuts to AMD’s new chips to Razer’s AI oddities CES 2026 is in full swing in Las Vegas, with the show floor open to the public after a packed couple of days occupied by press conferences from the likes of Nvidia, Sony, and AMD and previews from Sunday’s Unveiled event.  As has been the case for the past two years at CES, AI is at the forefront of […]

KNAC IS BACK and TAKES OVER THE SUNSET STRIPRock station KNAC has made a glorious return to the airwaves, and it takes over the Sunset Strip with a big 40th anniversary party at the Whisky A GoGo on Thursday, simultaneously raising funds for the Rock Against MS Foundation.

"The original purveyors of Pure Rock return: THRASHER • LONG PAUL • GONZO GREG • DANGEROUS DARREN • PHILTHY PHIL • STEW • JACK TRASH • GREGG STEELE … and more maniacs still loading in," they say. "Expect no rules, no fluff, no corporate radio BS; just rock lifers telling legendary stories, surprise performances, and an all-star L.A. jam that'll peel the chrome off your skull."

"When KNAC Hit the Airwaves, Rock Grew Teeth. On January 8, 1986, KNAC 105.5 FM unleashed 'Pure Rock' and detonated the music world. While the suits played it safe, KNAC kicked the doors off the hinges and went all-hard-rock, all-the-time, long before anyone had the guts to do it."

Details as follows:

VENUE:

The Whisky A Go-Go

8901 W. Sunset Blvd

West Hollywood, CA 90069

PRE-SALE TIX:

General - $40

VIP w/M&G Package - $105.5

Merch Add-On's - $25 - $40

SHOWTIMES:

6:00/ VIP Access M&G

7:00/ GA Access

8:00 / Show

BUY TIX & OFFICIAL KNAC MERCH ONLINE NOW:

Purchase – https://KNAC40.eventbrite.com

For more information: www.KNAC40.com, www.instagram.com/knac40, www.rockagainstms.com,

Beneficiary: Rock Against MS Foundation, 501c3. All proceeds go to Rock Against MS, fueling support programs and services for people fighting Multiple Sclerosis; proving rock still gives a damn.The post KNAC IS BACK and TAKES OVER THE SUNSET STRIP first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Flow details December exploit that led to $3.9M in losses due to counterfeit tokensA protocol-level flaw allowed assets to be duplicated rather than minted, prompting a network halt and a governance-led recovery process.

Tired of Burnt Fingers? Try PID Tuning the Hot Glue GunHot glue guns are pretty simple beasts: there’s an on/off switch, a heating element, and a source of current, be it battery or wired. You turn it on, and the heater starts warming up; eventually you can start extruding the thermoplastic sticks we call “hot glue”. Since there’s no temperature control, the longer you run the gun, the warmer it gets until it is inevitably hotter than you actually want– either burning you or oozing thermoplastic out the tip. [Mellow_Labs] was sick of that after a marathon hot-glue session, and decided to improve on his hot glue gun with PID tuning in the video embedded below.
PID tuning is probably a familiar concept to most of you, particularly those who have 3D printers, where it’s used in exactly the same way [Mellow_Labs] puts it to work in the hot glue gun.  By varying the input (in this case the power to the heater) proportional both to the Parameter (in this case, temperature) as well as the Integral and Derivative of that value, you can have a much steadier control than more naive algorithms, like the simple “on/off” thermostat that leads to large temperature swings.
In this case [Mellow_Labs] is implementing the PID control using a thermistor that looks like it came from a 3D printer, and a MOSFET driven by an RP2040. Microcontroller gets its power via the hot glue gun’s battery fed through a buck converter. Since he has them, a small OLED screen displays temperature, which is set with a pair of push-buttons. Thus, one can set a temperature hot enough to melt the glue, but low enough to avoid oozing or third degree burns.
He does not share the code he’s running on the RP2040, but if you are inspired to replicate this project and don’t want to roll your own, there are plenty of example PID scripts out there, like the one in this lovely robot. No, PID isn’t reserved for thermostats– but if you are controlling heat, it’s not reserved for electric, either. Some intrepid soul put built a PID controller for a charcoal BBQ once.

A1 Studio Productions Fender Studio A1 Presets PackPick on these hand crafted sounds for the free Fender Studio DAW. Dialed in vintage and modern guitar, bass amp and pedal tones from different guitars and pickups to deliver excellent results with all the latest included content. Get the A1 Session Starter with arranger tracks, delay & reverb sends, mixer settings and presets to help quickly record the pro sounds you want. A complete artist pack of 7 bass rigs, 12 guitar setups and 6 other usable mix settings by A1 Studio Productions. Sponsored by no one. Created on Windows, compatible with Mac, Android and Apple, Version 1.1. Read More

The 10 best free music production plugins for 2026 (instruments and effects)
From long-time classics to game-changing newcomers, we overview ten free plugins that have the potential to be your next music production toolkit staple in 2026.

Peterson launch the StroboVUE The latest addition to the Peterson range boasts the same accuracy as the company’s existing strobe tuners, but with a compact footprint and convenient always-on display that make it ideal for pedalboards. 

FiiO’s Snowsky Disc is a no-nonsense retro touch-screen music playerFollowing its ’90s Walkman-inspired Snowsky Retro Nano launched last year, FiiO has just launched its latest retro music player. This time, the company has consulted the Noughties for some inspiration – and the result is the Snowsky Disc.
Think of it like a meeting point between Apple’s iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle; the Snowsky Disc is a minimalist device that focuses on what matters: the music. Unlike smartphones, which are often bloated with apps and other distractions, the Snowsky Disc is entirely dedicated to your favourite tracks and albums, with a massive 2TB of potential MicroSD storage.

READ MORE: MusicTech’s favourite outboard gear releases of 2025

The compact music player is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand, and is controlled by a circular touchscreen. And FiiO has made every effort to keep things simple keeps things simple; while the screen is has the ability to show song lyrics and album artwork, that’s about as complex as it gets.
Even then, if you’re not fussed about lyrics or album covers, the screen will stick to the basic functions of a music player, allowing you to simply navigate through your music library.
The Snowsky Disc also boasts a slew of ‘retro sound effects’, essentially filtering your tracks to give them a more nostalgic flavour. As FiiO puts it, the effects will capture the feeling of “classic audio gear”.
Credit: FiiO
Inside of the device, the Snowsky Disc is powered by a dual audio DAC architecture, which comfortably supports all file types. However, if you don’t want to limit yourself to a local library, there’s also the option to stream music via Wi-Fi, as the device is compatible with AirPlay features. The in-built Wi-Fi also allows the music player to keep up to speed with any firmware updates.
In terms of listening, you can stick to the retro feel with corded headphone outputs (both 3.5mm single-ended and 4.4mm balanced), or utilise the device’s more modern LDAC high-definition Bluetooth technology.
FiiO has also fit the Snowsky Disc with USB DAC features and USB audio output, allowing you to hook it up to your laptop, phone, or even play music through your speakers with ease. The battery also offers up to 12 hours of continuous playback, which should comfortably survive a long commute or gym session.
The Snowsky Disc is set to drop this month, with an approximate price of $80/£80. Learn more at FiiO.

The post FiiO’s Snowsky Disc is a no-nonsense retro touch-screen music player appeared first on MusicTech.

LANDR acquires Reason Studios: “This isn’t about changing Reason, it’s about giving it room to grow”Reason Studios has been acquired by AI-forward music production company, LANDR. The partnership is set to “redefine the future of music creation”, with sights set on enhancing Reason Studio’s classic DAW and Rack with new tools and AI-powered features.
Montreal-based LANDR explains that the acquisition will see Reason entering a new creative dawn. “Our vision is to make Reason and the Reason Rack indispensable tools for every producer, regardless of what DAW they use,” Pascal Pilon, CEO of LANDR, explains.

READ MORE: MusicTech’s favourite studio gear of 2025

“Wherever music is made, Reason will be there, with its amazing instruments, effects, and iconic analogue workflow – enhanced by LANDR’s value-rich creator tools,” the CEO continues.
Of course, merely uttering “AI” is sometimes enough to concern creatives. To quell any worries, the announcement repeatedly emphasises the notion of “preserving” Reason’s current “identity”, while “expanding” the possibilities of the DAW.
As a result, the acquisition wont instantly introduce major changes. Instead, there will be a “gradual” introduction of AI-powered features and tools to “make the creative process more seamless, inspiring and accessible”.
“This isn’t about changing Reason, it’s about giving it room to grow,” Pilon emphasises. “We’re preserving each brand’s identity and core market while unlocking new possibilities for creators everywhere.”
Verdane, the company that previously owned the majority stake in Reason Studios, has also shared a few words in light of LANDR’s acquisition. “Working with the Reason Studios team since 2017 has been an honour for all of us at Verdane,” says Director Charlotte Möller. “We’re glad that the business has found the perfect partner in LANDR for its next stage of growth.”
The acquisition will also see a new Artist Council forming, which will consist of well-known producers and users of Reason. The Council will help determine the future of Reason, putting the needs and concerns of creatives at the forefront.
“Like a lot of producers, Reason was my first experience making music on a computer, and I’ve been a fan ever since,” Daniel Rowland, VP of Strategy at LANDR, notes. “Reason has always been shaped by its community, and this council makes that official, giving power users a direct voice in shaping the tools they rely on, benefitting all of us.”
Learn more at LANDR.
The post LANDR acquires Reason Studios: “This isn’t about changing Reason, it’s about giving it room to grow” appeared first on MusicTech.

Live Nation acquires Paris La Défense Arena, Europe’s largest indoor venueVenue has a capacity of 45,000 when configured for concerts
Source

9 Non-Generative AI Tools Artists Can Use to Get More S#*t Done in 2026A list of our favorite AI tools musicians are using right now to be more productive, more creative, and more prolific, without having to worry about abandoning your authenticity.
The post 9 Non-Generative AI Tools Artists Can Use to Get More S#*t Done in 2026 appeared first on Hypebot.

Billy Joel Joins Billy Joel Tribute Act on Stage for Two Songs in Florida The singer-songwriter took to the stage in Wellington, Florida, on January 2, to join the Billy Joel tribute band Turnstiles and appear on stage for the first time since his brain disorder diagnosis last year.
The post Billy Joel Joins Billy Joel Tribute Act on Stage for Two Songs in Florida  appeared first on Hypebot.

You can now generate automatic realistic footsteps and cloth Foley for your video clipsKrotos – the Edinburgh-based company specialising in sound design software and effects libraries for film, TV and video games – has expanded its Video to Sound platform, now enabling users to add automatic footsteps and cloth Foley to video clips.
Using AI-assisted visual analysis to interpret movement, pacing and scene context, Krotos is able to place realistic-sounding footsteps and cloth sounds in sync with a video clip – whether it’s a 10-second social media short or 10-minute film. And creative control is preserved; the resultant audio can then be refined in a DAW or NLE.

READ MORE: Fender forays into consumer audio with two Bluetooth speakers and a set of wireless over-ear headphones

Named after pioneer Jack Foley, Foley refers to the art of adding everyday sound effects – like footsteps or clothes rustling, for example – to visual media like films, TV, or video games in order to enhance realism.
It has long entailed painstaking manual work, from recording each necessary sound and lining it up with a video, to making constant timing adjustments as video edits change. But Krotos seeks to offer a massive workflow and time-saving improvement with the addition of automatic footsteps and cloth Foley to its platform.
When applying footsteps to a video clip, users can select an appropriate walking surface – like tile, gravel or wood – and Krotos applies “professionally recorded footstep sounds that match the pacing and action of the scene”. These footsteps can subsequently be exported as MIDI in order to refine timing within Krotos Studio or any other DAW.
Credit: Krotos
The system works the same way in analysing video clips for cloth Foley; it interprets motion and changes in movement, adding context-aware cloth sounds “that reflect subtle shifts, turns, and layered action in a single pass”.
In terms of availability, automatic footsteps and cloth Foley – part of the expanded Video to Sound platform – is available as part of Krotos Studio. Subscribers across all tiers of Krotos Studio have access to the feature, while Krotos Studio Max users can upload videos up to 10 minutes in length, and process up to 200 videos per month.
Krotos also makes the point that user-uploaded videos “are not used for AI training purposes”. 
We spoke to Krotos last year, when the company stressed the importance that “creative control remains firmly in the hands of the user”.
“When we say our AI engines are ‘non-generative’, we mean they are not creating entirely new sounds from scratch. Instead, they are designed to assist sound designers by processing and enhancing existing high quality audio assets that have been recorded by professionals,” Krotos told MusicTech.
“…The quality of the sound is always high unlike the results of the existing generative models. Our commitment to ethics is reflected in how we train our AI. We exclusively use professionally recorded assets that we own or have full rights to… The goal is to empower users, not replace them.”
Learn more about Video to Sound and Krotos Studio at Krotos.
The post You can now generate automatic realistic footsteps and cloth Foley for your video clips appeared first on MusicTech.

Audeze announce the Maxwell 2 The successor to Audeze's debut gaming headset promises to deliver even better audio performance along with some handy new features.