NAMM 2024 Round-up videos now live We've just released a set of four videos that take a look at the key releases from this year's NAMM Show in Anaheim, California.

How Ghost Funk Orchestra weave NASA’s Apollo missions into their musicIn 2024, the cosmos might feel closer than ever before, no thanks to billionaires building hotels in space. But to Seth Applebaum, the producer and lead guitarist of the modern jazz project Ghost Funk Orchestra, space remains fascinating and uncertain.
“Space is such a mystery. Just the idea that when we’re looking at the stars in the sky, through the time that it takes from that light to get to Earth, what we’re seeing is ancient history,” Applebaum says.
READ MORE: Chromeo: “We’re still as enthralled by funk and analogue synths as we were before”
When Applebaum was writing A Trip To The Moon, the new album from Ghost Funk Orchestra, he spent a lot of time revisiting history. Specifically, listening to music from the late 1960s for inspiration—the period when the space race was unfolding in real time.
Seth Applebaum’s studio, where A Trip To The Moon was made.
“Harkening back to the music that was made when space was first an accessible venture goes a long way,” Applebaum says. One record that inspired Applebaum was Walking in Space by Quincy Jones (1969). Similar to Ghost Funk Orchestra, Jones employs vocalists and traditional jazz instrumentation, but experimentation is notable and evident in its composition.
“That music has all these interesting bells and whistles and a tone to it of the future,” Applebaum says.
A Trip To The Moon by Ghost Funk Orchestra
The sonics aren’t futuristic or technological, like the mechanical menagerie of space travel. Instead, Jones creates a futuristic feel by exploring limitless musical concepts such as dynamics and tempo. The album’s title track is a 12-minute suite that evolves and decays into various beats and moods. There are moments of near silence accompanied by arrhythmic drum patterns that come before massive jazz-orchestra swells and virtuosic bebop solos.
These elements are replete within A Trip To The Moon as well. To The Moon! begins with the full power of the Ghost Funk horn section before descending into a nondescript layering of sounds as the track fades out.

The final track on the album, Infinite Dark, depicts the mundane feeling of hurtling through the endless black abyss via a sense of restraint, keeping the improvisation to the minimum over a stable beat.
“It’s like exotica in that it’s sort of approximating what this scenario might sound like,” Applebaum says.
However, thanks to NASA, Applebaum didn’t have to approximate what space sounds like. All of the transmission recordings from the Apollo Moon missions are in the public domain, and he integrated communications from Apollo 1, 7, 8, 11, and 12 into the album.
Many of these recordings were hours long, so Applebaum imported them into Logic Pro and searched for transients in the waveforms to detect dialogue. NASA’s communication system also had a peculiar-sounding noise floor that he manipulated and layered as a transition between songs.
“I didn’t initially set out to make a record about space. I just started making songs, and then when I found that library, it became the glue. It helped me figure out what the unwritten parts of the record could sound like,” Applebaum says.
Ghost Funk Orchestra’s Seth Applebaum
The unwritten parts of the album are indicative of the emotions within the recordings. Applebaum expected the voices on the recordings to be steely and professional, like soldiers on a top-secret mission. Instead, he found the communications between the astronauts and the control center guiding them from Earth reflected the wondrous and breathtaking experience of space travel.
Some of the recordings were elated. On Achluo, the horn section combines for a warm and glowing harmony while the astronauts crack jokes about losing the key to the shuttle before going outside for a quick float.

Other recordings are nervous, even fearful.
“There’s a sensation to the stomach that is hard to describe when you see the Earth slowly recede from you,” says one of the astronauts in the track Helios, in which the lyrics acknowledge that feeling of separation: “There’s nothing but nothing; just the seeds of time. There’s nothing but nothing/just the stars and I.”
“I found that line so fascinating because it peels back the curtain,” Applebaum says of the astronaut watching Earth recede. “There is still a fear of the unknown, even though these people were bold enough to take the leap.”
Applebaum may be yet to take that leap himself, but he manages to traverse all the fascination and uncertainty of the final frontier through A Trip To The Moon.
Listen to the album and learn more at Ghost Funk Orchestra. 
This interview has been edited for clarity. 
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Spotify introduces music advisory agency for brands wanting to work with emerging artistsSpotify has launched a brand new, in-house “music advisory agency” to assist brands in building connections with emerging talent and run campaigns that will be beneficial for both parties.
The agency, called AUX, has already landed Coca-Cola as its first client for a Coke Studio campaign. As part of this move, the beverage brand has teamed up with Peggy Gou for “a long-term partnership” that will include live events, social media content, a branded playlist and on-platform promotional support.

READ MORE: Bandsintown integrates directly into Spotify to “boost concert and festival discovery worldwide”

In a post shared via the Spotify newsroom, it says that with AUX, it will use its “deep expertise to counsel brands about how best to use music to enrich their campaigns” and will connect them with emerging artists to help them reach new audiences.
Spotify isn’t the first platform to be launching an agency of this kind. As TechCrunch notes, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and other social networking companies offer similar programmes to connect creators with brands.
“Spotify is always looking for ways to leverage our music ecosystem to deepen the connections between artists, brands, and fans,” says Jeremy Erlich, VP, Head of Music Content at Spotify. “AUX is a natural step for us to help brands strengthen their music strategy and better connect with new audiences through our expert insights and observations from our music team, tailored to meet brands’ needs.”
Joshua Burke, Global Head of Music & Culture Marketing at The Coca-Cola Company adds: “We are proud to be an early partner to AUX, which integrates Spotify’s expertise to enable authentic connections with music fans worldwide.
“This is a natural progression of our long-standing partnership with Spotify and marks a key milestone for our commitment to artists and the music community. We are excited to launch Coke Studio at Spotify LA, which will provide recording support for emerging artists and a platform to promote their music.”
Jean-François Pathy, a marketing veteran who has been instrumental in AUX’s formation, serves as its Global Head. In this role, Pathy and AUX will also work with artists to help them bring their music to life in “new and compelling ways”.
Find out more over at the Spotify Newsroom.
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Spice up your use of samples with MonkeyC’s Rando sample randomiser pluginMonkeyC’s new Rando plugin helps dig you out of a creative rut by randomly picking sounds to work with from your sample library.
Users can point Rando to any or all of their sample folders, and watch as it pulls a random selection of sounds to populate their keyboard or piano roll. And as a nice little treat, it’s only $49 until 2 April.

READ MORE: IK Multimedia’s ARC Studio Hardware room correction system upgrades your studio monitoring game

If you find yourself cycling between the same sample choices, MonkeyC hopes Rando can help you out. According to the MonkeyC website, the brand’s mission is “to prompt creativity, inspiration and a faster workflow in the studio – in sometimes leftfield ways”.
The brand was founded in the Netherlands by Dennis de Laat, a dance music producer and software engineer. Rando is its second plugin release, following on from Rewind – an ‘always-on’ retrospective recorder for your computer.
Using Rando, you can narrow your sample search by text, type and category. Tonal samples are automatically tuned, and rhythmic samples are automatically time stretched to tempo. Its sampler playback functions include start/end times, direction, trigger/gate/loop, ADSR, tuning and more.
There’s also a Life control, which brings analogue-style drift to samples, and a Chromatic mode that lets you play samples across the keyboard. There’s also six global effects – Filter, Chorus, Distortion, Crush, Delay and Reverb, plus a full sequencer section with a randomising function to generate patterns.
Check it out below:

If you’re on the lookout for some new sample packs to make use of, we might just be able to help you. You can check out our guide for the best packs of February 2024 for some inspiration.
Rando is available now for PC and Mac in VST3, Audio Units and AAX formats. Its price will rise to $69 after the introductory period.
Find out more over at MonkeyC.
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5 versatile sound design tips from Michael Bruner
Michael Bruner sat down with us to share five versatile tips around his favorite techniques in sound design.

Apple reveals new details about Spotify’s business as possible EU fine nearsWith the European Commission set to rule on Spotify’s complaint focused on competition in the streaming music market, there are hints that the ruling will not be in Apple’s favor. This week, the Financial Times reported the EC will issue its first-ever fine against the tech giant for allegedly breaking EU law over competition in […]
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Producer Crosstalk: The IvyBand and production team The Ivy – Wyatt Clem and Shawn Abhari – met in 2016 while studying music production at the Academy of Contemporary Music in Oklahoma City. Both arrived with a music background and a passion for the craft of making records. Together the duo has released three self-produced EPs and the full-length A Door Still Open is slated to drop on February 23. To date, The Ivy’s 2017 “Have You Ever Been in Love” has earned more than eighteen million Spotify streams.

Writing and recording a song is typically only part of the artistic equation. Another crucial piece is how an artist knows if what they’ve created has merit or commercial viability. “If I’m not vibing with it within the first few days, then I move on,” Clem observes. “But Shawn and I won’t give up if there’s a song with one sound that doesn’t fit. Sometimes we can lose sight of whether it’s a good song as a whole because we want to make a certain tone or performance work. Otherwise we try to follow our joy and excitement, especially if we both feel it.”

 “I’ve learned over the years that all of the sounds in a song should feel like they’re in the same environment,” Abhari adds. “If you use a certain amount of reverb on one instrument, then make sure that it blends into the mix so that it all sounds like it’s in the same room. If I get stuck, I just turn on the main core elements. If those all sound good, then I’ll add other things piece by piece. If something is really jarring, we figure out what’s working and what’s not by building it up track by track.”

Knowledge gained on earlier projects is drawn upon regularly when a new record is begun. Further lessons are also likely to be learned in the process. “A Door Still Open came from a bunch of demos we’d written before we even knew we were doing an album,” Abhari recollects. “The challenge was how to make only a chorus and a verse fit with some of our other ideas. That was always hard but engineers and producers in LA helped us make the environment feel like it was in the same headspace.”

Virtually any band would be thrilled with the eighteen million Spotify streams that “Have You Ever Been in Love” has amassed. But what was it about that song that imbued it with such stellar reach? “I don’t know why it hit other than maybe that indie-pop eighties genre was popular at the time and maybe it fell right into the algorithm,” Abhari speculates. “I loved the crunchy, eighties-sounding four chords. I took the drum rack from one of Wyatt’s demos that had some really cool reverse snares and things and made the beat from it.”

Many artists are noted for their customized gear. Eddie Van Halen had his Frankenstrat and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready has a custom-modified amp that goes to eleven (really). In Clem’s case, his most prized piece of gear is his hacked Mexican Strat. “I took the body off of Shawn’s first electric guitar – a twenty-dollar Squier – and combined it with parts from my own,” he recalls. “Now it feels better than it ever did. I don’t see myself parting with that anytime soon.”

The three most important lessons the two have learned as producers, musicians and engineers are:

It’s not about what you can do with your instrument. It’s how you can serve the song.

Any sound can be cool if you manipulate it hard enough. We once made a song entirely out of six samples of paper being torn.

You can achieve everything you need without spending thousands of dollars. Our songs that have reached the most listeners were done on inexpensive equipment.

For 2024, The Ivy plans to concentrate on local shows initially and to join a larger tour towards the summer. The two also have material for another record in their creative queue. Both Clem and Abhari maintain home spaces from which they record demos. Often they work at the Santa Monica studio of SameSame, the production duo of Rob Cohen and Blake Mares. Until 2021, all of their music on Spotify was recorded in their bedrooms.

Contact - wearetheivy.com; Instagram = @wearetheivy;

Amanda Curtis - Press Here Publicity, Amanda@pressherepublicity.com

Reservoir has spent nearly $1B on acquisitions and signings, and 5 other things we learned from its latest investor factsheetReservoir Media has clocked yet another year of strong growth, with revenues up 14.6% YoY in calendar year 2023. The company’s quarterly financial results show revenues of USD $140.5 million during the year, up from $122.6 million in 2022. With the company’s stock trading at $7.00 as of February 22 (up 6.4% over 12 months, … Continued
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Arturia introduce KeyLab Essential 88 mk3 Arturia's latest release brings the KeyLab Essential range’s 88-key controller in line with the recently launched 49- and 61-key mk3 models, and comes kitted out with a whole host of new creative features.

Arturia launches KeyLab Essential 88 mk3, putting a “full piano range at the fingertips” of producersArturia has launched the KeyLab Essential 88 mk3 – the latest addition to its KeyLab Essentials range, following on from its 49- and 61-key models to offer a “full piano range” for producers and other music makers alike.
Described by the brand as “an intuitive, powerful, carefully crafted controller”, the KeyLab 88 mk3 enables users to control any DAW or MIDI hardware without the need for overly complex controls or a lengthy configuration process.

READ MORE: Arturia’s AudioFuse 16Rig is excellent for the modern studios of synth lovers

It hosts a full 88-note range, with a semi-weighted keyboard, and it easily integrates with Arturia’s Analog Lab Pro, Pigments, and V Collection.
New creative features on board for this new offering include a Scale Mode, Chord Mode, and an Arpeggiator. Users can also utilise custom DAW integration with the likes of FL Studio, Ableton, or Logic Pro, and Arturia also says more versatile presets are on board. Additionally, there’s easier controls and a streamlined interface.
So, what software is included?

Analog Lab V – a software instrument hub hosting 24 vintage instrument reproductions, including analogue and digital synths, acoustic pianos and electric pianos, organs, strings machines and samplers.
Ableton Live Lite – An introduction to Ableton Live, which lets you create, mix, and export your tracks. Over 800 instruments, drum racks, FX, and MIDI clips to explore are available here.
UVI Model D – Puts “the sound of the famous Steinway Model D grand piano at your fingertips”.
The Gentleman – Virtual instrument based on an upright piano from 1908 for vintage character.
Melodics – Provides instant access to lessons and tips on playing, performing, and production.
Loopcloud – A free 2-month Artist/Studio plan to this huge the Loopcloud sample library.

Find out more over at Arturia. 
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UMG, Jimmy Iovine backed NTWRK buys Complex to build a Superfan hubUMG and Jimmy Iovine-backed live-video shopping platform NTWRK will acquire media company Complex to create a music and culture superfan destination...
The post UMG, Jimmy Iovine backed NTWRK buys Complex to build a Superfan hub appeared first on Hypebot.

MIDiA identifies the top seven challenges Musicians face
Continuing from his "how difficult it is to make it in the music business" post, Bobby Owsinski breaks down a recent study revealing what's most difficult about being a professional musician.

Spoiler: It has nothing to do with talent...

The post MIDiA identifies the top seven challenges Musicians face appeared first on Hypebot.

Free tracking app Playlist Alert adds Apple MusicThe Playlist Alert iOS app sends real-time alerts when songs are added to playlists. Since 2021, the popular free app has focused on adds to thousands of Spotify editorial playlists...
The post Free tracking app Playlist Alert adds Apple Music appeared first on Hypebot.

Get 82% OFF Native Instruments Alicia’s Keys Piano Library
Get a massive 82% discount on Native Instruments Alicia’s Keys at Plugin Boutique. Alicia’s Keys (usually $112.69) is a Kontakt library created by Native Instruments in collaboration with the multi-award-winning singer/pianist Alicia Keys, and you can buy it for just $15.19 – which is a massive 82% discount! The library is compatible with the free [...]
View post: Get 82% OFF Native Instruments Alicia’s Keys Piano Library

Man facing “first of its kind” trial for alleged streaming fraud after earning more than £500k in royaltiesA Danish man is currently facing trial for alleged streaming fraud after earning more than £500,000 (4.38m kroner) in royalties.
The case is being described as a “first of its kind” due to the large streaming numbers. It is alleged that the 53-year-old man profited from streams of 689 pieces of music across services including Spotify, Apple Music and YouSee Musik.

READ MORE: Electronic music generated £2.5 billion for the UK economy in 2023

As reported by The Guardian, the trial is taking place in the city of Aarhus in Denmark, and is expected to be heard over three days, with a verdict due next Tuesday.
The outlet shares that the defendant has also been charged with breaching copyright law for allegedly taking works from other artists and editing them, before publishing them under his own name. He has pleaded not guilty.
His lawyer, Henrik Garlik, has spoken to Danish news outlet DR regarding the case (translation via The Guardian): “I don’t think that such a case – regarding matters which the prosecution believes to be data fraud in connection with playbacks of musical works via various tendering services – has ever been tried in court.
“Somewhat dependent on the result, there is a possibility that both my client and the prosecution will appeal the verdict to the high court. And I also do not want to deny that a case like this could reach the supreme court.”
Anna Lidell and Lasse Matthiessen, the chair and a vice-chair of Autor, the largest Danish association for composers, songwriters, lyricists and producers, have said that in order to generate 1m kroner, a track would need to be streamed 20 million times and would have to be entirely owned by the artist, songwriter and label. They state that they do not know for sure how the defendant has earned so many streams.
Prosecution are reportedly seeking a fine, a prison sentence, and the confiscation of the defendant’s royalties. The trial remains ongoing.
In other related news, Benn Jordan’s music, under his alias The Flashbulb, was taken off streaming platforms earlier this month allegedly due to “streaming fraud”. TuneCore, his primary digital distributor, claimed Spotify had “identified and removed a high amount of streams” from his royalty calculation due to “evidence of abnormal streaming activity” on his releases. It also claimed to have conducted “an additional internal investigation” and confirmed the evidence.
Jordan is meeting with legal counsel as a result, and said in a statement, “Whether this is malice related to my Spotify criticism or simply negligence, this is dystopian for reasons much larger than myself or my loss of income. While being erased from existence and gaslit is among one of the worst things that can happen to an artist, if there was one fight I was born to fight, it’s this one.”
MusicTech reached out to TuneCore as this news broke, and has not yet received as reply.
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