More than half of artists would hide the use of AI in their music, per recent surveyA recent survey conducted by global studio network Pirate revealed that artists are divided on the topic of transparency about the use of AI in their music.

READ MORE: “Sampling led to hip-hop… AI music has the potential to do something similar”, says Holly Herndon 

The survey was conducted among 1141 artists across the UK, US, and Germany, with respondents ranging from band members, singer-songwriters, rappers to producers and instrumentalists.
Across the board, results show a growing openness to AI technology within the music community, a finding that’s largely consistent with trends we’ve seen in the industry of late. 25 percent of the musicians surveyed had already experimented with AI in music production, and among those who hadn’t yet, 46 percent expressed their willingness to consider using AI music tools in the future.
And strikingly, the survey also revealed a transparency dilemma, with only 48 percent of musicians saying that they would inform listeners when AI was involved in creating a song. The other 53 percent had concerns about how their audience might perceive music created with the assistance of AI.
Commenting on the findings, Pirate CEO David Borrie said: “Understandably, artists are hesitant about adopting AI in the studio, and also hesitant about broadcasting their use of this controversial new technology.”
“It’s useful to look back at the introduction of tools like Auto-Tune which faced criticism in their early days, but eventually found their place in the music industry. AI’s journey toward becoming a standard tool in music creation may follow a similar path, as artists and audiences alike adapt to this innovation.”
The report also revealed that 55 percent of artists are actively acquiring new skills in response to ongoing advancements in AI, 28 percent are learning AI-related skills, while 37 percent are learning skills unrelated to artificial intelligence.
“Overall, the survey unveiled a mix of excitement, fear, and challenges surrounding AI in music. ‘Curiosity’ emerged as the primary motivator for musicians embracing AI, followed by ‘Enhanced Creativity’ and ‘Efficiency.’ For those who remain uncertain, ‘Loss of Authenticity’ was the most common concern, often tied to public perception.”
Read Pirate’s full study here.
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Black Corporation’s ISE-NIN shoots for Jupiter – and lands lavishly$4,299 built, black-corporation.com
Few synthesizers quicken the pulse like Roland’s 1981 polysynth, the Jupiter-8. Touted by many as polyphonic perfection, it found its way into the top studios of the world as well as the personal collections of well-to-do musicians. Though pricey upon its release, its legendary status has only grown over the years, ensuring extravagant second-hand prices that keep it out of the hands of all but a select few. For the non-select rest of us, there’s ISE-NIN, a very Jupiter-inspired analogue synthesizer module from boutique company, Black Corporation.

Inspiration, not replication
As with many of Black Corporation’s other instruments, ISE-NIN (styled as イセーニン in Japanese katakana) is not quite a clone. While its panel layout and colour scheme are extremely reminiscent of the JP-8, it also has some differences. Chiefly, it’s a module and not a 61-key unit. Also, there are key differences on the inside, mainly in the way that it approximates the discrete circuitry of the original. There are modern additions as well, such as MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE). Because of all this, it’s best to think of it as a Jupiter-inspired instrument and not a clone, and thus to judge it on its own merits and not how close of a reproduction it is.
How sweet the sound
The ISE-NIN may not sound exactly like a Jupiter-8, but it sure is sweet. On the whole, it’s wonderfully musical and, like the Jupiter, it has a sweet spot as wide as the planet that gave it its name. This is the main reason that Roland’s original is so prized; no matter the kind of sound you’re aiming to make, it can do it and do it with aplomb. In this way, ISE-NIN is the same. Gorgeous chords, striking bass (oh, those snappy envelopes!), lovely pads, commanding leads, even clangorous effects courtesy of oscillator cross-modulation. You name it, ISE-NIN can do it and do it well.
As you might expect, it’s very Japanese-sounding. Clean and tight rather than wild and woolly like an American poly, ISE-NIN is always polite but never wimpy. A metaphor involving Japanese martial arts comes to mind: your opponent will politely bow to you before throwing you to the ground with great force. That’s the sound of ISE-NIN in a nutshell. It’s also an inspiring one that invites you to keep playing it, something that you should never downplay in a musical instrument.
Black Corporation ISE-NIN main panel
Synthesis and extras
If you’re unfamiliar with the synthesis architecture of the original JP-8, it may be useful to take a quick whistle-stop tour of ISE-NIN’s main panel. It’s a two-oscillator analogue synth, with each of these VCOs getting a different selection of waveforms: triangle, ramp, pulse and square on VCO-1, with VCO-2 replacing the triangle with a sine wave and square with noise. You can modulate the pulse width manually, by envelope or via the (single) LFO. That LFO features sine, saw, square and random wave shapes and, along with pulse width, can affect the VCOs independently or together, as well as the filter. You can use the second oscillator as an LFO as well.
The very-Roland low-pass filter has 12- and 24dB-per-octave modes and sounds wonderful and musical. There’s also the expected Roland-style non-resonant high-pass filter. Continuing, there are two envelopes; one for the VCA and one for the VCF. Additional parameters include portamento and glissando, oscillator sync and cross modulation, unison and mono modes, an arpeggiator, and, of course, the layers. While ostensibly an eight-voice poly, ISE-NIN supports layers and splits, allowing you to create full and rich patches that double the synthesizer sound although at the expense of polyphony.
Modern enhancements
ISE-NIN wasn’t made in 1981 and so has a number of modern, digital enhancements, including microtuning, a drift parameter to add in analogue slop, and much-welcome MPE support. There are no effects though. USB MIDI and audio complement the conventional MIDI in/out/thru sockets and balanced stereo audio outputs. The OLED screen, although small, is nice to have and is immensely more convenient than the two-character LED displays of the original.
Black Corporation ISE-NIN main panel
The one area where ISE-NIN falters is in its menu structure. Thankfully, most controls are knob-per-function, with the panel being what-you-see-is-what-you-get. However, it’s precisely because most of the instrument is so intuitive that using the menu can be a little frustrating. Ultimately, this is just a quibble, and once you’ve used the menu a few times you’ll become used to the oddly named buttons and combinations.
Built like a knife
ISE-NIN sounds great but how is the build? A number of online reviewers have mentioned that the ISE-NIN feels a little flimsy and that, given the price (more on this later), it should be more substantial.
The chassis is made from aluminium and, with its power supply on the outside courtesy of the supplied wall wart, the whole affair is fairly lightweight even, when factoring in the wooden end cheeks. In the comments section for Dungeon Music Theatre’s YouTube video review, Black Corporation business manager Bob Rogue responds, “To explain the aluminium choice over steel, we ship these from Tokyo worldwide. Size and weight were big considerations to keep the shipping price and the carbon footprint low.”
He goes on to explain that Black Corporation made original revs of Deckard’s Dream, the company’s Yamaha CS-80-styled synth, in steel and “it was heavy AF”. He also mentions that the chassis is prepared in Tsubame Sano, an area of Japan famous for its metal working. Yes, the same people that forge sushi knives bang out ISE-NIN bodies. Those end cheeks? They’re made from Tamo, a Japanese ash common in musical instruments. And while the knobs and sliders are a little on the wobbly side, so are those on our Juno-106.
Black Corporation ISE-NIN
To Jupiter and beyond
Overall, ISE-NIN is a gorgeous thing. It sounds wonderful, is inspiring to use and play, and has enough extras and accoutrements to take it beyond the fairly basic synthesizer that inspired it. And while it may not sound exactly like an original Jupiter-8, it sounds pretty close. It also gets all of the other things – wide sweet spot, usability and musicality – spot on. Plus you won’t have to sell your house to afford one, like you would an actual Jupiter-8.
But the ISE-NIN isn’t cheap; far from it. Its price of $4,299 fully assembled (kits are currently sold out) is without doubt an investment and certainly not for everyone. If this is beyond your means (and no shame if it is – this is firmly a luxury item), there are plenty of top software Jupiter-8 emulations out there. However, ISE-NIN does sound better than them, and by a wide margin. Whether that margin is worth $4,000, though, is something you will have to decide for yourself.
Kudos to the engineers and designers at Black Corporation for creating ISE-NIN. It’s the perfect blend of synthesis options and sound quality; versatile enough to yield a wide sound palette but never overly complicated. And, most importantly, never at the expense of sound quality.
Key features

Jupiter-8-inspired poly synth
8 voices (reduced to 4 when using layers or splits)
2 VCOs with a variety of waveforms
Cross mod and oscillator sync
12 and 24dB/octave resonant low-pass filter and non-resonant high0pass filter
1 LFO
2 ADSR envelopes
Arpeggiator
MPE support
1280 preset memories
OLED display
DIN MIDI in/out/thru
USB MIDI/audio

The post Black Corporation’s ISE-NIN shoots for Jupiter – and lands lavishly appeared first on MusicTech.

Bitcoin beyond 35K for Christmas? Thank Jerome Powell if it happensLed by Chairman Jerome Powell, the Federal Reserve has halted the rise of interest rates. Will it be enough to fuel the surging market through Christmas?

For VCs and founders, building in public is about filling the top of the funnelGetting enough people to pay attention to you and to your thesis can help beyond raising money.
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‘Gobbler Media Inc’ Slate Digital and Solid State Logic Subscription Support Terminated with Marketplace ClosureAs of November 1st 2023, Gobbler Media Inc have confirmed on their website they are no longer trading and have closed their subscription marketplace immediately, terminating support for all Slate Digital and Solid State Logic subscriptions.

In response, Audiotonix companies Solid State Logic and Slate Digital have launched a migration programme to allow Gobbler users to transfer their existing accounts to their new shared subscription platform, which will guarantee continued access to their favourite subscription and ongoing new plug-ins.

Slate Digital Gobbler subscribers can find all the details on their website via the migration landing page here. Solid State Logic Gobbler subscribers can find all the details on their website via the migration landing page here.

Current Gobbler subscribers can find more information at the Slate Digital and Solid State Logic websites.

baltic audio Serum Essentials Vol 10 - Bigroom EDM 'Serum Essentials Vol 10 - Bigroom EDM' from baltic audio is a must-have product for producers looking to get the sound of current Bigroom EDM music. You'll find 64 top-quality presets... Read More

BFD Drums BFD Dark Mahogany BFD Dark Mahogany envelops your productions in the resounding, commanding presence of a Q Drums Mahogany drumkit. Drawing its inspiration from the mid-2000's California hard rock scene,... Read More

Pirate reveal AI in music survey results Worldwide studio and musician community Pirate have released the findings of a recent survey that collected insights on the use of AI in music from over 1000 musicians.

Sony Music sues cosmetics brand OFRA for using recordings by Mariah Carey, Britney Spears and other artists in social media ads without permissionLawsuit was filed in Florida on Tuesday (October 31)
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“Stop trying to be f**king poetic. Just say what you want to say”: Bastille’s Dan Smith on the pressure of making music following a hit singleMaking new music after landing a hit single can be a challenge. Some may argue it’s a rather nice problem to have, but it can still be a tricky journey nonetheless.
Bastille knows this all too well. The band’s frontman, Dan Smith, has opened up on how they managed to bag another successful song after their 2013 track, Pompeii landed them at number two in the UK Singles Chart at its release.

READ MORE: Rick Rubin: “The way sounds interact on a micro level to create something is the whole game”

Appearing on Nile Rodgers’ radio show on Apple Music 1, Deep Hidden Meaning, the artist and producer explained how they managed to reach the top of the charts once again with 2018’s Happier.
The track, which the band featured on alongside Marshmello, reached number two on both the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100. It’s the highest-charting single for Marshmello in both the UK and the US.

“It was interesting for me, I think it came at a time where, I guess, you slightly grapple in your head with will we ever have anything as successful as our first single?” he says. “Which I’m sure is a wonderful champagne problem to have because some people never have a song that does that.
“But I always like to think that it didn’t affect me, but I think it must’ve done on some level. The song just went and went and went and went and went,” he adds “And it was interesting, it was a really interesting lesson. It was like I always challenged myself to write about different things. And then with that song [Happier], maybe what resonated with people was it’s so on the nose.
“There’s some metaphor there, but it’s very much like, this is what I’m singing about. And it was fascinating to read [how] people react. People loved how direct it was. And that speaks to me. And as a songwriter, it was a fascinating lesson in sometimes stop trying to be fucking poetic. Just say what you want to say. Just fucking say it. Because it’s music to be enjoyed and to make you feel something. It’s not meant to be mental acrobatics all the time.”
Listen to the full episode of Deep Hidden Meaning on Apple Music 1.
The post “Stop trying to be f**king poetic. Just say what you want to say”: Bastille’s Dan Smith on the pressure of making music following a hit single appeared first on MusicTech.

Laura Mendoza appointed Managing Director, Colombia at Sony Music PublishingExec most recently served as Head of Label and Artist Solutions Central America, Andean & Southern Cone Region at Believe
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ROLI unveils the Seaboard Block M MIDI controller, offering all the elements of the original in a more portable packageROLI has unveiled the Seaboard Block M, which offers users all of the features of the original Seaboard Block MIDI controller, in a compact and accessible package.

READ MORE: DistroKid users can now upload songs to TikTok Music

In what ROLI describes as “the most requested product ever”, the portable tool is promised to bring all of the possibilities of the original in a portable package that can be transported from the studio to home and more.
The MIDI controller still offers all of the original features such as ROLI’s 5D Touch technology, offering sound shaping through gestures such as Strike, Press, Glide, Slide and Lift, and it’s rather unique looking 24-key wave edge-to-edge design.
There’s also plenty of new features, such as the new compact size with a more durable design, ten hours of wireless battery life and a 15-meter Bluetooth range.
As well as this, there is a new MIDI output which allows for better integration and direction connection to hardware synthesisers, and upgraded firmware, offering more nuanced MPE control.
“The reintroduction of the Seaboard Block M marks a monumental step in making the revolutionary MPE and 5D Touch technology accessible to more music makers around the world,” explains Founder and CEO of Luminary ROLI, Roland Lamb.
“We believe that this tool will not only foster creativity but also redefine the landscape of music production. It’s more than an instrument; it’s a gateway to infinite musical possibilities.”
There is also the additional capabilities to go computer free with mode-switching on the Seaboard Block M.
The Seaboard Block is available to preorder now, with shipping expected in late-March 2024, and is retailing at £299.95 / $349.95 / €349.95.
You can find out more at ROLI.
The post ROLI unveils the Seaboard Block M MIDI controller, offering all the elements of the original in a more portable package appeared first on MusicTech.

Fatboy Slim plays secret DJ set to help save Brighton pubThe last thing you might expect while having a pint at your local watering hole is to bump into Fatboy Slim, but for those at The Prince Albert pub in Brighton on Monday night, that was exactly what happened.

READ MORE: 50-metre hologram of Fatboy Slim plays surprise set above Alexandra Palace

The surprise performance by the local DJ – whose real name is Norman Cook – was in aid of the pub’s campaign against property developers threatening its future.
A petition to save the pub against the proposed development next door was launched under a week ago and has since garnered almost 20,000 signatures.
As explained by The Prince Albert’s landlord George Taylor to DJ Mag, the venue often has eight hours of live music a day on the weekends, and is concerned that if plots next door to the pub are turned into shops, offices and flats, it could be a real risk to the venue’s longevity.
“We have seen so many brilliant venues close across the country in the last few years, please help stop us from joining this list! There are countless reasons we believe this development should not go ahead, not only for ourselves but the wider local community,” the petition reads. “These consist of planning issues, social issues and of course the threat of permanent closure of The Albert.”
The pub has shared it’s thoughts of having Fatboy Slim grace the venue.
“Yesterday was an absolute dream,” they wrote on Instagram. “Thank you so much [Fatboy Slim] for coming and blowing the roof off and supporting our cause. We can’t explain how much we appreciate every single one of you who has signed, shared and danced with us. It has truly been amazing to see all of your support and the love you are showing us, so from the bottom of our hearts – thank you.”
You can watch a video of the DJ’s secret set below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Prince Albert Brighton (@theprincealbertbrighton)

Brighton Council’s Planning Committee is believed to be voting on the development proposals today (1 November).
You can read the petition at Change.org.
The post Fatboy Slim plays secret DJ set to help save Brighton pub appeared first on MusicTech.

Luminary ROLI announce Seaboard Block M Developed in response to requests from their user community, ROLI's new compact controller promises to bring powerful expressive performance possibilities to musicians at home, on stage and in the studio.

DistroKid users can now upload songs to TikTok MusicA new agreement between TikTok and music distribution service DistroKid ensures all DistroKid users will be able to promote their music of TikTok Music.

READ MORE: UK Music Chief asks PM why AI’s impact on the music industry is not on the agenda at AI Safety Summit

TikTok’s new music streaming service, TikTok Music, is expanding its partners as they make a deal with DistroKid to allow its millions of independent artists the ability to promote their music on the new platform.
The deal also allows musicians to make their music accessible on video editing app CapCut.
DistroKid is one of the biggest independent music distributors in the world, distributing music to other streaming giants such as Spotify, Apple Music, TIDAL and many more.
“TikTok is one of the most powerful music discovery platforms in the world,” Philip Kaplan, DistroKid founder and CEO, said in a statement.
“The expansion of this partnership to include CapCut and the Commercial Music Library makes it super easy for millions of musicians to make their music available in even more places, while TikTok’s new music streaming service provides further reach as it becomes available in more countries.”
DistroKid initially teamed up with TikTok in 2019, with the aim to help up-and-coming artists get their music on the social media app. This move will see even more new artists grace the streaming platform.
This is not the first partnership that has been announced since the social media app released their subscription-based music streaming service. Back in July it was announced that Warner Music Group signed a licensing deal with TikTok to boost social media revenue.
As well as this, Billboard announced it is teaming up with the social media app to create an official TikTok Billboard Top 50 Chart, tracking the most popular songs on the platform.
The post DistroKid users can now upload songs to TikTok Music appeared first on MusicTech.