5 Different ways to utilize Smart Links for musiciansSmart links are a fast and easy way to get all those interested in your music directly to your content. Here are 5 different ways musicians can use these features across platforms.....
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Artists get their share of $1.7 BMI sale: ‘The music crime of the century’When BMI sold to New Mountain Capital earlier this year for a reported $1.7 billion, the performing rights organization promised its former songwriter and publisher shareholders $100 million in payments.....
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Hardwell’s new sample pack is free and full of his “go-to sounds, presets, and so much more”DJ and producer Hardwell has launched a sample pack for fellow producers, and it’s completely free.
After a “year in the making”, the pack is available now to download on Apple’s GarageBand for iOS and Logic Pro on iPad. Hardwell hopes it will bring new inspiration for the next generation of up and coming producers.

READ MORE: “I always know when it’s done. It’s a feeling”: Jack Antonoff explains how he knows when a track is finished

Sharing the news in a video on Instagram, Hardwell – whose real name is Robbert van de Corput – says he “can’t wait” to hear what users come up with, stating that when he makes music “it’s always about the energy of the song”. He adds, “I’m trying to give people the best night of their life.”
The producer pack provides “the full experience” of how he makes music, including presets, drum loops, kick drums and more that he uses himself.
“Super excited to share some very BIG NEWS! It’s been over a year in the making, but I can finally reveal one of the biggest projects I’ve had the pleasure of working on. My new collaboration with Apple is a unique producer pack with my go-to sounds, presets, and so much more.
“Also, and best of all, the pack is available as a free download in GarageBand for iOS and Logic Pro for iPad. I hope it will inspire you and a whole new generation of creators to have fun with their music creativity!” he concludes.
Take a look below (via DJ Mag):

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The sample pack lands after Hardwell announced he would be expanding the content offered on his YouTube channel in December last year. He said in an announcement video that he would be hosting exclusive live streams and production tutorials to aid budding music creators.
Back in February, Apple also launched a free producer pack in collaboration with Cory Wong. The pack contains over 400 loops, three drum kits, and a Live Loops grid which lets users jam with content provided by Wong himself.
Find out more about Hardwell.
The post Hardwell’s new sample pack is free and full of his “go-to sounds, presets, and so much more” appeared first on MusicTech.

“Spent months making new versions of everything for this and you wonder why I never play EDM festivals”: Calvin Harris responds to criticism that his Ultra Music set was “underwhelming”Calvin Harris has responded to criticism of his set at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival after people online called it “underwhelming”.
Harris played a headlining set on the main stage during the festival’s final day (Sunday 24 March), where he performed hits such as This Is What You Came For and Outside, but with some added live twists.

READ MORE: Jon Bon Jovi makes unexpected appearance on stage with Armin Van Buuren at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival

Being an artist in the age of social media means you’re bound to come across negative comments on your work. Most creatives will simply ignore, but sometimes it can be hard to let things slide when a lot of time and effort has gone into your craft.
Responding in a thread of comments on Instagram, Harris argued that no matter what he does, his choice on what to perform at EDM festivals such as this one will never please everyone. He also said he spent “months” making new versions of his biggest hits to appease those who aren’t so keen on mainstream music.
“You expect me to play none of my songs? Three songs since 2014, hmm, How Deep Is Your Love – billion streams, This Is What You Came For – billion streams, My Way – billion streams, Slide – billion streams, Feels – billion streams, One Kiss – billion streams, and the other five half a bill and before 2014, another 20, and not cheesy shit, proper fucking songs with real artists and you’d rather I play Fein trap edits today.
“Spent months making new versions of everything for this and you wonder why I never play EDM festivals… At least people I saw [in real life] had a great time and I can be happy with that but fuck, at this point whatever I do is gonna piss you off,” he said.
The original comment he is responding to appears to be deleted, and the commenter has apologised in the thread.

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Calvin Harris responds to comment calling his set “underwhelming”. Says it’s part of the reason he doesn’t do EDM festivals byu/pastrknack inEDM

Harris began his music-making journey with an old Amiga 500 Plus desktop computer left behind by his older brother when he went away to university.
Last August, Harris reflected on how working with limited gear was actually beneficial to his creative process: “There were some songs that I couldn’t put a crash symbol in and a chorus vocal at the same time, it would take up too much memory. So I had to decide, would I put in this riff, or would I put in this hi-hat, you know?” he told BBC Sounds.
“You can do anything now. And all the programmes are so advanced. You can literally go from doing nothing to doing an orchestral piece with 200 tracks, but I think it’s a good idea to impose your own restrictions sometimes, and work to that.”
View all upcoming live dates for Calvin Harris.
The post “Spent months making new versions of everything for this and you wonder why I never play EDM festivals”: Calvin Harris responds to criticism that his Ultra Music set was “underwhelming” appeared first on MusicTech.

Apple dismisses Microsoft monopoly comparisonsA week after finding itself at the business end of a landmark lawsuit from the United States Department of Justice, Apple is staunchly denying any parallels between itself and Microsoft in the 1990s. It’s a comparison into which the U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland leaned heavily in last week’s filing. While portions of the United […]
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Frankie Beverly to be Honored with Philadelphia Street Naming CeremonyThis spring, the City of Philadelphia will honor the legacy of Frankie Beverly, who began his decades long musical journey with the Butlers, then Raw Soul, the latter would become Frankie Beverly and Maze. The celebration will be in the form of a street renaming ceremony - a presentation of Councilperson Cindy Bass and the Philadelphia City Council with Maze Management.

The ceremony is also being sponsored by the Black Promoters Collective - a coalition of six of the nation’s top independent concert promotion and event production companies. It is a 100% Black-owned business whose mission is to be the world’s leading producer and provider of culturally relevant live entertainment experiences. To learn more, visit www.blackpromoterscollective.com

The event will take place on Saturday, May 18th, 2024, at 12 noon, in the East Germantown area of Philadelphia on North Norwood Street, between Church Lane and West Godfrey – the neighborhood where Frankie Beverly was raised. 

Noted Philadelphia media veterans Dyana Williams and Patty Jackson will serve as spokespersons for the Frankie Beverly street renaming celebration. Each are available for press, radio and television interviews and commentaries regarding the event.

"Frankie Beverly is one of the preeminent, clarion voices in the royal court of Black music,” states Ms. Williams. “For decades, the Philadelphia native has been a global ambassador of Black culture, sharing via his lyrics and music the intricacies of the ‘joy and pain’ of living!" Ms. Jackson notes, “What an honor it's going to be, paying tribute to this Philly music legend. His classic tune, ‘Before I Let Go’, is in my opinion the unofficial Black National Anthem! As a radio personality in Philadelphia on WDAS-FM, it’s an honor to play Frankie’s records on my shows. Frankie Beverly is the Music...the Culture...the fabric of our lives. he is Philly!”

www.blackpromoterscollective.com

How to choose a DAW as a beginner
In this in-depth guide, we break down how to choose a DAW as a beginner that's best for you, covering everything from budget to unique features and more.

Exploring The Sega Saturn’s Wacky ArchitectureSega Saturn mainboard with main components labelled. More RAM is found on the bottom, as well. (Credit: Rodrigo Copetti)
In the annals of game console history, the Sega Saturn is probably the most convoluted system of all time, even giving the Playstation 3 a run for its rings. Also known as the system on which Sega beached itself before its Dreamcast swansong, it featured an incredible four CPUs, two video processors, multiple levels and types of RAM, all pushed onto game studios with virtually no software tools or plan how to use the thing. An introduction to this console’s architecture is provided by [Rodrigo Copetti], which gives a good idea of the harrowing task of developing for this system.
Launched in Japan in 1994 and North America and Europe in 1995, it featured a double-speed CD-ROM drive, Hitachi’s zippy new SH-2 CPU (times two) and some 3D processing grunt that was intended to let it compete with Sony’s Playstation. The video and sound solutions were all proprietary to Sega, with the two video processors (VDP1 & 2) handling parts of the rendering process which complicated its use for 3D tasks, along with its use of quadrilaterals instead of triangles as with the Playstation and Nintendo 64.
Although a lot of performance could be extracted from the Saturn’s idiosyncratic architecture, its high price and ultimately the competition with the Sony Playstation and the 1996 release of the Nintendo 64 would spell the end for the Saturn. Although the Dreamcast did not repeat the Saturn’s mistakes, it seems one commercial failure was enough to ruin Sega’s chances as a hardware developer.

Retrogadgets: Butler in a BoxYou walk into your house and issue a voice command to bring up the lights and start a cup of coffee. No big deal, right? Siri, Google, and Alexa can do all that. Did we mention it is 1985? And, apparently, you were one of the people who put out about $1,500 for a Mastervoice “Butler in a Box,” the subject of a Popular Science video you can see below.
If you think the box is interesting, the inventor’s story is even stranger. [Kevin] got a mint-condition Butler in a Box from eBay. How did it work, given in 1983, there was no AI voice recognition and public Internet? We did note that the “appliance module” was a standard X10 interface.

Of course, X10 automation was common enough in those days. But the voice command feature was certainly wrong. You did have to use a cassette tape to train the box to your voice. The whole setup was pretty intense and took about 25 minutes just for a simple single device.
In addition to the interesting technology, the story of [Gus Searcy] and his path to bringing this device to market is also interesting, if not a little strange. As you might expect, voice recognition in the 1980s was tough, even for big computers. So, how did Butler in a Box work? First, every user — you could have up to 4 — had to train their own butler name (like a wake word) and all the commands. It could only understand limited commands.
[Kevin] mentioned that if the power went out for a few hours, you would have to reprogram the butler again. However, [Gus] left a comment on the video that there was an optional pack that would backup your butler — no idea what that cost, though. We were afraid he wasn’t going to show us the device actually operating, but if you stick it out to the end, you will receive your reward.
We really wanted to see inside, but [Kevin] let someone else repair the box, so we didn’t get a peek at his. However, we found a post on the Vintage Computer Federation forums that satisfied our thirst for a teardown. Apparently, there is a potted module inside that has a PIN number that, if lost, renders the unit inoperable so people who are interested in these are trying to find ways to break the PIN code out. There’s a surprising amount of hardware inside, including an Intel 8748 and a Rockwell 6501. There’s another good teardown in another post of a later version, the Mastervoice ECU. Apparently, the company stuck around until around past the year 2000. The Wayback Machine is our friend. Note that price list!
The Smithsonian also has a picture of a board from one sans security module. In 2008, the company’s site claimed they had delivered 26,000 systems, so maybe one of those wound up in the museum. Home automation has come a long way. Don’t forget, there’s still time to enter our home automation contest.

Only 1 of the Top 20 best-selling albums globally last year WASN’T by a K-Pop actThe only non-Korean artist present in the Top 20 was Taylor Swift, with 1989 (Taylor’s Version)
Source

UVI unveil Xtreme FX 2 The latest version of UVI's sound design instrument features over 3000 new sounds. 

“I electrocuted myself so many times”: Chromeo tell tales of talk box terrorsWe each like to think that our jobs are the most dangerous and most gruelling. However, Chromeo might have just won the argument. Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel, one-half of the Canadian electro-funk duo, has revealed he’s “electrocuted himself so many times” while playing live shows.
This shocking revelation was made during the most recent episode of My Forever Studio, a podcast in which producers and artists discuss their dream studio space and their favourite music gear.

READ MORE: Blipblox MPC-style sampler myTRACKS aims to make music production fun for all

“How many times have you electrocuted yourself?” asks host Chris Barker during the show, referring to the talk box, which requires a tube to go into your mouth to sing through.
“A lot, Replies P-Thugg, recalling a specific live show where, according to fellow band member Dave David “Dave-1” Macklovitch, the synth player was “green”. “I electrocuted myself so many times,” he laughs.
The conversation delves into the challenges faced during live performances, particularly in the mid-2000s when talk box technology was less advanced. P-Thugg describes the cumbersome setup required to amplify the talk box, leading to instances where he felt like “part of a circuit at all times.”
P-Thugg is no stranger to the electrifying sphere of electronics. Recalling his journey into the world of talk boxes, he reminisces about his early encounters with the device, claiming to have built his own in the early days.
“I literally built my first talk box,” he reveals. “I’ve always loved electronics. I found an electronics project book which had one pedal per page. They gave you the schematics and how to build it. I built my first talk box.”
The discussion also touches upon the differences in voltage between North America and Europe, with P-Thugg expressing gratitude that his electrifying mishaps occurred stateside rather than overseas.
The My Forever Studio podcast, now in its sixth season, sees artists, producers and engineers conjure up their dream fantasy Forever Studio, wherever they want in the universe. Guests are permitted a limited number of items in their creative space, so they must choose carefully.
Listen to the show below:

Subscribe to the My Forever Studio podcast on Apple Music.
The post “I electrocuted myself so many times”: Chromeo tell tales of talk box terrors appeared first on MusicTech.

Level up your production this Easter with insane savings on SSL, UAD and Native Instruments plugins at Plugin BoutiqueWhether you’re a bedroom producer or a professional engineer, you’re always looking to upgrade your music-making toolset. And this Easter weekend might just be the perfect time to do it, thanks to a host of ridiculously good savings over at Plugin Boutique.

READ MORE: Start your Easter weekend right with Thomann’s killer 70th Anniversary offers on synths, controllers and studio gear

Solid State Logic SSL Fusion $29.99 Sale – up to 85% off
Until 3 April, you can save up to 85% on the whole range of SSL Fusion processors, all of which were modelled after the detail delivered by their acclaimed hardware counterpart, the analogue SSL Fusion.
Check deal at Plugin Boutique
Universal Audio ‘UAD All Stars’ Plugins Sale – 80% off
There’s a reason why UA plugins are some of the most sought after on the market; they’re perfectly modelled on the best vintage gear and instruments used by top artists, engineers, and producers for decades. Now, the analog sound of UA plugins is available natively for Mac and Windows with no UA hardware required. Save up to 83% on a massive range of UAD plugins in Plugin Boutique’s time-limited sale until 31 March.
Check deal at Plugin Boutique
Sonnox Manufacturer Focus Sale – 83% off
When it comes to the plugins the pros use, Sonnox is commonly in their arsenals. And you can save up to 83% on a range of the company’s finest effects, including Voca, Claro and Inflator, and the Broadcast Plugin Bundle Upgrade from any Sonnox plugin in Plugin Boutique’s exclusive Manufacturer Focus Sale.
Check deal at Plugin Boutique
Native Instruments Synthesizer Bundle – 49% off
For a limited time, you can grab two classic Native Instruments synths – Massive and FM8 – along with two modern day heavyweights, TRK-01 and the modular powerhouse Blocks Prime. And the best part? It’s $49 for the lot. Considering Massive retails on the Native Instruments website for $149, that’s a pretty mad deal. Ends 29 April.
Check deal at Plugin Boutique
There’s also a smorgasbord of other deals available across Easter weekend. To have a browse, head to Plugin Boutique.
The post Level up your production this Easter with insane savings on SSL, UAD and Native Instruments plugins at Plugin Boutique appeared first on MusicTech.

Blipblox MPC-style sampler myTRACKS aims to make music production fun for allPlaytime Engineering are continuing to shape the next generation of child prodigies with their Blipblox line.
Specialising in child-friendly instruments for kids three and above, Playtime Engineering’s latest addition to the Blipbox line encourages young people to experiment and unlock their musical potential. The Blipblox myTRACKS swaps out the lunchbox for a groovebox.

READ MORE: NAMM 2022: Playtime Engineering reveals synth and groovestation for kids, grown-up synth fans rejoice

Blipblox myTRACKS embraces a childlike, colourful aesthetic while also capturing the spirit of a hip-hop groovebox. It’s designed to be safe and accessible to anybody, just like a toy, meaning it can be enjoyed by just about any age.
The Blipblox myTRACKS is a total music production studio. There’s a built-in microphone for sampling, two FX processors and a slew of over 50 acoustic, electronic and percussion instrumental sounds to play with. With sound packs also available to download online, creators have ample to work with.
Powered by 25 glowing playpads and two bright purple levers, the myTRACKS is delightfully colourful. Navigating the tool is as intuitive as playing with a toy, the levers allowing users to adjust effects and modulation. There’s also a randomise feature to spur on creativity, allowing users to experiment with new sounds and be inspired by the unpredictable tracks myTRACKS generates.
The journey to creating myTRACKS started off as a fleeting hobby for a Silicon Valley engineer Troy Sheets. With his wife, Kate Sheets, the pair transformed the hobby into a fully fledged business. “Bootstrapping and crowdfunding our business has allowed us the freedom to design and produce our wildly creative line of instruments,” Kate Sheets explains.

“We are tremendously grateful for our supporters who helped fund both the original Blipblox and Blipblox After Dark, and we look forward to introducing more friends to the Blipblox community with the launch of myTRACKS,” she continues.
“Creating music with synthesizers and modern music tech has always felt like play to me,” Troy sheets explains. “By merging the portability, durability, and safety of toys with high-quality and advanced functionality of a legitimate instrument, we’ve created a fun and accessible music-making machine that anyone can play.”
Blipblox myTRACKS’  Kickstarter campaign to support the launch will open on 9th April. The first round of products is expected to be delivered by November 2024.
Reservations are currently open on the BlipBlox website.
The post Blipblox MPC-style sampler myTRACKS aims to make music production fun for all appeared first on MusicTech.

Start your Easter weekend right with Thomann’s killer 70th Anniversary offers on synths, controllers and studio gearThomann celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, having been a leading retailer of music equipment since 1954.
The German retailer is honouring this platinum milestone by offering exclusive, rotating deals all year round. On the first of each month, you can expect a refreshed wedge of new deals on loads of items, including synths, keyboards, controllers and audio interfaces.
But there’s also a host of excellent deals to be had all year round. They had to go big for their 70th, right? Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best offers you can snap up right now, including a snazzy audio interface from Steinberg, a limited-edition desktop monophonic synth from Waldorf and more. Thomann and Arturia have even co-launched a limited edition take on its flagship controller, just to spice things up even more.
Steinberg UR12 Black – now less than £40

Possibly one of the coolest-looking audio interfaces on the market, the black edition of Steinberg’s UR12, with its matte black housing and reddish gold front panel, is a thing of beauty.
This is a compact audio interface with 2-in/2-out USB 2.0 connectivity, 24-bit/192 kHz resolution, D-PRE mic preamp, Hi-Z input, and Cubase AI software compatibility.
If you’re looking for a new I/O, you’ve come to the right place. Thomann has slashed the cost of the UR12 Black by 50 per cent, making it less than £40!
Find this at Thomann.
AKAI Professional MPK 261 – 39% off

The AKAI Professional MPK 261 is a MIDI keyboard controller featuring 61 semi-weighted keys, 16 RGB-illuminated MPC-style pads, and comprehensive software integration for music production.
One unique feature of the AKAI Professional MPK 261 is its integration with AKAI’s MPC software, so you can seamlessly incorporate the renowned MPC workflow, adopted by the likes of J Dilla, into your music production process.
Right now until stocks last, Thomann is cutting 39 per cent off the original price of this controller, making it just £259 down from £429.
Take advantage of this exclusive offer at Thomann.
Waldorf Pulse 2 Limited Edition

The Waldorf Pulse 2 is a compact analogue monophonic desktop synth with three oscillators, dual analogue filters, extensive modulation options, and a comprehensive interface. One unique feature of this synth is its paraphonic mode, allowing for the simultaneous articulation of multiple notes.
This limited edition model comes in a striking blue, donning an LCD display and a distinctive modulation matrix. This modulation matrix provides flexible control over 16 modulation slots, so you can assign various sources such as LFOs, envelopes, and controllers to manipulate parameters like oscillator pitch, filter cutoff, and more.
We’re actually unsure of the discount on price here, but, with a quick look, we can see that the original Pulse 2 goes for £384 on Andertons, so the price tag of £349 is certainly tempting.
Find it at Thomann.
Arturia Keystep Thomann 70th Anniversary Edition

Well, this one’s not strictly an offer, but it’s most definitely worthy of a mention. Thomann has teamed up with Arturia to deliver the brand’s flagship Keystep controller, but with a different look and feel.
Offering a refresh from its two standard white or black colourways, this limited edition unit now sports matte black casing, with Thomann’s signature teal colour acting as a background for the effects behind bright blue knobs. Above the 32 velocity-sensitive slim keys, the controller’s MIDI, gate and swing information have also been coloured with a distinctive blue, adding a pop of colour.
Find it at Thomann.
These deals are in place until stocks last. Find more offers at Thomann.
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