TikTok’s ‘Add To Music App’ feature is rolling out in another 163 countriesDespite its ongoing spat with Universal, TikTok is undeterred in its push to capitalize on the popularity of music on its platform
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IK Multimedia unveil ARC Studio IK Multimedia's new cost-effective hardware room-correction system has been designed to bring the benefits of DSP-based correction to any monitoring setup

IK Multimedia’s ARC Studio Hardware room correction system upgrades your studio monitoring gameIK Multimedia has unveiled ARC Studio, an out-of-the-box hardware acoustic room correction system designed to elevate the performance of traditional studio monitors instantly.
Comprising a standalone hardware processor, the new ARC 4 software (also available separately) for analysis and correction of the listening environment, along with a precision MEMS measurement microphone, ARC Studio offers a significant boost in performance and accuracy to any studio monitor, regardless of its make or model.

READ MORE: Lenco’s new L-3810 direct drive turntable is the perfect blend of traditional and modern features

As most of us are aware, the impact of room acoustics on music perception can be crucial. Factors like size, shape, materials, and furniture often skew the stereo image of studio monitors and warp our perception of frequency ranges. ARC 4’s all-new algorithm swiftly identifies and corrects these issues, resulting in improved mixing accuracy with more controlled low-end, tighter transients, and precise stereo imaging.
Installation is a breeze, says IK, with ARC 4 software guiding users through a quick measurement process of acoustical responses within their listening position. The correction profile is then loaded onto the ARC Studio processor, where it sits between the interface and monitors ready to be applied to all incoming signals.

The system also caters to various studio environments, including pro studios with both DAW-based and console-based setups. It offers transparent correction and custom-tuning for any monitoring setups from nearfields to mains.
For DAW-based studios, ARC Studio eliminates the need to insert the ARC 4 plugin on the master bus of a project and preserves zero-latency monitoring setups. This means you can enjoy acoustically corrected monitoring on your preferred streaming service without messing around with system drivers. Using ARC 4, profiles can be created and stored for every configuration, listening position or even monitor pair and recalled when needed.
There’s even a monitor emulation function (over 20 profiles are included), which lets you simulate iconic studio monitors, hi-fi speakers, mobile devices and other systems with “breathtakingly true-to-life results”.
Handily, ARC 4 now comes with 9 factory-tailored target curves suitable for a variety of situations. While ARC corrects the entire frequency spectrum, users can define the upper and lower limits of the correction ranges.

In terms of hardware, the ARC Studio features a 120 dB(A) analogue input to analogue output dynamic range, 0.5 Hz to 40 kHz frequency response, and ultra-stable clocking for vanishing low jitter.
ARC Studio, which includes the processor unit, ARC 4 software, and measurement mic, will cost you $299.99, while the ARC 4 Software is priced at $149.99
Learn more at IK Multimedia.
The post IK Multimedia’s ARC Studio Hardware room correction system upgrades your studio monitoring game appeared first on MusicTech.

The best microphones to buy in 2024: 11 of the best microphones for rappers and MCsMost microphones will do a decent job at recording spoken word vocals. But, depending on whether your delivery is laid-back or all-out, the type of microphone you’ll want to use could be very different.

READ MORE: Best synth plugins 2024: 10 of the best polyphonic synth plugins for all genres

Vocal microphones tend to fall into these two major categories. Dynamics are hard-wearing and generally more adept at handling high sound pressure levels (SPL), making them ideal for loud vocalists and for live use. Being less sensitive, you need to work close to the mic, and as a result they’re handy for avoiding room reflections (and unwanted noise) in an untreated domestic room. A more even dynamic range off the bat is another advantage; dynamics make total sense as the go-to type when starting out at home.
Condensers, on the other hand, tend to be more sensitive and offer excellent detail, particularly in the high-frequency range. In the case of most vocal recording sessions, most professional engineers will reach for a large-diaphragm condenser, because it’s a safe bet that’s tuned to help vocals cut through the mix.
Here we’ve picked out a list of the best microphones for rappers and MCs – which also include some artist favourites for good measure.
11 of the best microphones for rappers and MCs

RØDE PodMic USB
Audio-Technica AT4033a
RØDE NT1 Signature
Shure SM7dB
Sony C-800G
Lauten Audio LA320 v2
Sony C80
Shure SM58
Neumann U 87 Ai
SE Electronics V7
Universal Audio SC-1

RØDE PodMic USB

As suggested by its name, the RØDE PodMic USB is designed with podcasters in mind – but being optimised for speech makes it just as suitable for rap. This model offers dual XLR/USB operation, making it far more attractive than its (non-USB) PodMic forerunner as an all-in-one recording solution.
This microphone features a pleasing tonality with just the right amount of push in the high-mid range that makes capturing great vocal tracks simple, even without much processing. Its outstanding off-axis rejection and included pop filter also help your recording stay focused on its source, and with fewer plosives to deal with in post.
In USB mode, versatile on-board DSP adds EQ sparkle, flattering compression and gates out unwanted noises, making you production-ready with a few clicks. Just plug the mic into your device with the USB-C cable, plug your headphones into the mic and you’re all set with a system that gets close to an SM7B and audio interface, at far less cost.
Price: £189
Type: Dynamic; XLR/USB operation
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Requires phantom power: No
Other features: Onboard DSP (noise gate, EQ, compressor, exciter); audio interface/headphone amp; foam windshield
Check out the latest deals.
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Audio-Technica AT4033a
The Audio-Technica AT4033a is a versatile condenser that can be used on a variety of sources, from voice to acoustic guitar and even drum overheads. In the realms of rap, this is also the most current version of the microphone which MF DOOM used to record 2004’s Madvillain.
The switchable high-pass filter at 80 Hz is especially handy if you intend to close-mic your talent. This helps curb the unwanted low-mid boost that comes from being too close to the microphone, known as the proximity effect, and there’s also a sensitivity pad that can be put to use if the rap gets shouty.
Price: £359
Type: Large diaphragm condenser
Polar pattern: 20Hz – 20kHz
Pickup pattern: Cardioid
Requires phantom power: Yes
Other features: High pass filter; -10 dB pad; shock mount included
Check the latest deals.
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RØDE NT1 Signature
Artist in the studio using the RØDE NT1 Signature
RØDE’s NT1 has been a staple in the home and project studio sphere for countless years, famed for its pleasing U87-inspired voicing and competitive price. It has a simple configuration with a fixed cardioid polar pattern and no high-pass or pad switches, so you’ll need to use an audio interface or preamp with a pad if you’re spitting super-loud bars.
The latest, Signature edition includes voicing tweaks taken from the preceding NT1 5th Gen (XLR/USB) release and comes in a range of fresh-looking body colours.
Price: £139 black / £165 for limited edition colours
Type: Large diaphragm condenser
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Requires phantom power: Yes
Other features: Shock mount and pop shield included
Read our review of the RØDE NT1 Signature here.
Check the latest deals.
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Shure SM7dB

 
An update to one of the most popular options in the market for all forms of vocal recording, the Shure SM7dB is a dynamic microphone that’s incredibly well suited for spoken word performances, podcasting and singing alike. It’s pretty much unrivalled, sound wise in its class, as this quirky spoken voice short from Podcastage demonstrates.
The latest DB variant overcomes the historic issue of the SM7B being a low sensitivity mic that requires excessive gain by including an internal booster preamp. For this reason, it does require phantom power.
The SM7dB also features an in-built windscreen to cut down on plosives (a thicker foam windscreen is also included) as well as both a bass roll-off and presence boost switches.
Price: £449
Type: Dynamic
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Requires phantom power: Yes – required to use the preamp
Other features: High-pass filter; presence boost; standard and big foam windscreens included
Check the latest deals. 
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Sony C-800G
Well-known as being the microphone of choice amongst artists the likes of Eminem, Dr. Dre and the late Mac Miller, the Sony C-800G is a condenser microphone that combines flattering tube saturation with crystal-clear high frequencies – seemingly, the perfect combination for making rap recordings punchy and intelligible.
Granted, the C-800G is a really expensive microphone. As such, it’s probably more suited for professional environments rather than project studios. Part of the big price tag comes from an integral cooling system designed to keep the microphone working at the correct temperature.
Price: £11,500
Type: Large diaphragm tube condenser
Polar patterns: Cardioid; omnidirectional
Requires phantom power: No, but uses the included power supply
Additional features: Windscreen and shock mount included
Check the latest deals.
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Lauten Audio LA320 v2

To enjoy tasty tube saturation without a prohibitive price tag, Lauten Audio’s improved LA320 v2 is well worth a look and listen.
The LA320 has a fixed cardioid polar pattern and a switchable high-pass filter, but more unusually, a low-pass filter too, giving the option at source for either a bright, modern sound or a more rounded vintage sound. Check out the mic in action with Carl Moore Music’s soulful singing and read our review of the original LA320 here.
Price: £611
Type: Large diaphragm tube condenser
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Requires phantom power: No, but uses the included power supply
Additional features: High-pass and low-pass filters; shock mount included
Check the latest deals. 
Sony C-80

The almost-pocket-sized Sony C-80 offers the same high frequency detail as the flagship C-800G (and even shares components with the larger sibling) at a relatively modest price point.
Vocal lines come across clear and with great tonal balance, meaning tracking is a pleasurable experience for talent as they can monitor their live signal with decent clarity on headphones. Down the line, you won’t need to do lots of EQ shaping to fit the tracks into the mix either.
Switches for a high-pass filter and sensitivity pad help shape the sound at source and handily, a shock mount is included in the box.
Price: £425
Type: Medium diaphragm condenser
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Requires phantom power: Yes
Additional features: High-pass filter; sensitivity pad; shock mount included
Read our review of the Sony C-80 here
Check the latest deals. 
[products ids=”4qpKYFZycQO2eaCFuN8Sk9″]
Shure SM58
Image: Shure
The SM58 (and the very-similar SM57) earns its status as the most ubiquitous microphone in the world because of the sheer reliability it provides at a really reasonable price. Whether you’re at a world-class theatre or even the dingiest of dives, you’re likely going to find at least a couple of these around.
It’s hard to argue against the SM58, its pokey high-mid range offering just the right emphasis to vocal lines, while its internal shock absorber works to minimise handling noise when placed in your hand. Oh, and it’s practically indestructible.
Price: £105
Type: Dynamic
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Requires phantom power: No
Check out the latest deals.
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Neumann U 87 Ai

Lauded for its versatility in the studio, the Neumann U87 could be said to represent an industry gold standard for recording all types of vocals including rap. It has a perfect balance of mid-forward tonality and subtle saturation from the onboard transformer, both of which help voice parts command the mix.
This large diaphragm condenser offers three polar patterns (cardioid, omni and figure-8), a sensitivity pad for recording loud sources and a high-pass to avoid boomy proximity when working close to the mic with either of the directional pickup patterns.
Price: £2,449
Type: Large diaphragm condenser
Polar pattern: Cardioid; omnidirectional; figure-8
Requires phantom power: Yes
Additional features: High-pass filter; sensitivity pad; shock mount included
Check out the latest deals.
[products ids=”205GDfbqzud6yDBM3tTbUh”]
SE Electronics V7
SE’s V7 is a handheld dynamic mic that gives the SM58 a serious run for its money for a lesser chunk of change. It has a fixed supercardioid pattern to bring an incredibly focused capture of sounds in front of the mic.
It’s smoother in the mid range than the ’58, getting you into the ballpark of the highly desirable SM7B sound for a budget price.
Price: £75
Type: Dynamic
Polar pattern: Super-cardioid
Requires phantom power: No
Read our review of the SE Electronics V7 here
Check out the latest deals.
 
Universal Audio SC-1
Universal Audio SC-1 in use
Why spend ages choosing between the high-end, dashing duo of the C-800G and the U 87 when you can have both of them (and more) inside a single mic? What’s this witchcraft, I hear you ask..?
Universal Audio’s SC-1 is a large diaphragm cardioid condenser mic with a difference. Its bundled Hemisphere plugin is used to emulate eight iconic microphones including those mentioned above plus the U 47, U 67 and TLM103 from Neumann, and two AKG greats (C414 and C-12). It’s a more affordable way into mic emulation from UA, coming off the back of its Sphere L22 microphone release in 2022.
Price: £475
Type: Large diaphragm condenser with mic modelling plugin
Polar pattern: Cardioid
Requires phantom power: Yes
Additional features: Hemisphere plugin to emulate 8 famous studio condensers including the holy-grail Sony C-800G
Read our review of the Universal Audio SC-1 here 
Check out the latest deals.
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Cherry Audio CR-78 masterfully updates a classic beatbox for the 21st century$49, cherryaudio.com
It’s surprising that a plugin developer as prolific as Cherry Audio hasn’t made a drum machine until now. The purveyor of affordable virtual classic synths has turned its attention to the Roland CompuRhythm CR-78 from 1978, widely regarded as the first drum machine, made in a form we would still recognise today. Loved by artists as diverse as Blondie, Genesis, Underworld and Fatboy Slim, its classic sounds never really fell out of favour and you’re as likely to hear them on something released last month as on something from decades ago. At the time, its analogue drum sounds and ability to store up to four custom beats were revolutionary.

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As you might expect, Cherry’s version recreates and expands on the original. Rather than samples, Cherry modelled an original unit and CR-78 generates sound digitally, giving you far more control than you would have had on the hardware. It uses the developer’s familiar wrapper; a plugin or standalone system that incorporates MIDI and preset management, oversampling control and the Focus interface zoom, though that’s less essential here than on some of the much more complex synths.
The instrument feels snappy and CPU-kind and has a tiny footprint of just 60 MB. Users of other Cherry instruments will be glad to know it has also released a free product manager app where you can manage updates to all your synths.

How to use the CR-78
The designers have stuck largely to the layout of Roland’s original, with some changes to incorporate new features but compared to the fiendish complexity of some synths it’s all pretty straightforward.
The main panel lets you use two main modes, Preset and User.
In Preset mode, the sequencer displays a selection of preset rhythms like rock, bossa nova, disco and so on, and on the left, Variation and Measure controls let you switch between different patterns, breaks and fills within that preset. These can be switched manually or using MIDI automation and sequencing like this is very much in line with the behaviour of a real, old drum machine.
Cherry Audio CR-78 presets
In User mode, you get more control and the sequencer switches to a conventional 16- or 24-step row of buttons, with each element selected either from the large dial or from a dropdown menu. Just go through each one and punch in the patterns, building as you go and using the Accent control to add bits of flam and other interest, along with the six Swing presets to inject a more syncopated feel to your beats.
It’s easy to copy and paste patterns between slots and, in Song mode, you can chain patterns together. There’s even a panel to drag and drop patterns directly out as MIDI files which is perfect for quickly assigning other instruments to beats. A multi-output version of the plugin is also supplied so if you like you can process each channel separately in your DAW.
In Voice Edit mode, you’ll find independent control over each of the 14 sounds. It’s simple but effective, with most having Pitch and Decay sliders for quick editing, and some a couple of extras. This isn’t any kind of extreme sound shaping, just basic tweaks and the pitch functions mean you can create melodic patterns as well as rhythmic; something reflected in some of the presets.
Copying a preset pattern on the Cherry Audio CR-78
What effects does the Cherry Audio CR-78 have?
The effects and mixer section is a big upgrade over the original CR-78.
Each element has level, mute, solo and pan as well as access to four insert effects (reverb, delay, flanger and overdrive). Each effect has a bunch of controls to change the way it sounds and behaves and, by selectively adding some overdrive, delay and reverb to a few instruments, it’s easy to punch your beats up, bringing depth, warmth and a sense of dynamism to these otherwise dry sounds.
There’s also a master compressor and six-band EQ that is helpful in lifting and shaping the master output of the drum machine.
How good are the presets in Cherry Audio CR-78?
In the main Preset mode, you’ll see all 34 of the original instrument’s rhythms and variations but obviously there’s a large library of custom presets too; over 250, plus an add-on pack available to buy. These are made of kits and also melodic presets which as mentioned earlier use differently-pitched sounds to create basslines or melodies.
Each preset loads a kit and a pattern so you are free to use a pattern as is, modify it, or clear the sequence and re-program your own. Programming is simple and can be done by clicking a button, using the Trigger pad, or input from your own MIDI device.
Cherry Audio CR-78 FX
Should you buy the Cherry Audio CR-78?
Cherry Audio has struck a nice balance between going far beyond the very limited capabilities of the original hardware but also maintaining its feel and ease of use. If you’re using a drum machine like this, you’re after its specific character and sound. For those who want more toys there are plenty of flashier products out there.
This old-style method of sequencing has had something of a resurgence in popularity thanks to the renaissance of modular synths, though in software format here it does feel more fun and easier to grasp, with the odd right-click or drag-and-drop standing in for the multiple button-shift-presses which can slow you down on the hardware. Arguably, there’s the feel of analogue sequencing but without the hassle.
Sonically speaking, what you hear is pretty much what you get, which is a good thing. These classic analogue drum sounds are still very much in demand across many genres and while there are numerous drum machines out there – maybe even built into your DAW – the CR-78 brings the sound of a bona fide classic to your projects, with expanded new features making it more flexible than before.
It also happens to be inspiring and fun to play, with almost every control right there in front of you like it would be on a real drum machine. Cherry’s usual appealing pricing – a 30-day free trial and then just $49 to buy – makes this an easy sell.
Cherry Audio CR-78 voice edit
Key features

Plugin and standalone operation
34 original presets plus 250 more
Digital modelling of original instrument
16- or 24-step programming
Song mode with 99 patterns and steps
Effects and mixer section
Drag and drop of MIDI
Individual sound editing
External MIDI sound triggering
Multiple swing settings

The post Cherry Audio CR-78 masterfully updates a classic beatbox for the 21st century appeared first on MusicTech.

Varda Space, Rocket Lab nail first-of-its-kind spacecraft landing in UtahA spacecraft containing pharmaceutical drugs that were grown on orbit has finally returned to Earth today after more than eight months in space. Varda Space Industries’ in-space manufacturing capsule, called Winnebago-1, landed in the Utah desert at around 4:40 p.m. EST. Inside the capsule are crystals of the drug ritonavir, which is used to treat […]
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Good Neighbours might be the hottest new independent band in the world right now – and the major labels know it.MBW's sources suggest this one is moving fast, with many sides keen to make a swift and potentially substantial deal
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Universal Music Group is acquiring a stake in Complex – via a takeover focused on ‘superfans’ and e-commerceEarlier this month, Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group, confirmed that WMG is in active discussions to sell two of Complex's long-time rivals
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ASCAP 2024 Membership Meeting: Jermaine Dupri, DOMi & JD BECK, Maggie Lindemann, Sam Hollander and More Industry-Leading Talent Take the StageASCAP, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, the only US PRO that operates on a not-for-profit basis, has announced the talent lineup for its 2024 Membership Meeting, scheduled for February 28 in New York City. 

Featuring performances, panels and presentations aimed at bringing the ASCAP community together for inspiration, education and a report on ASCAP’s historic 2023 financial results, the day will kick off with a performance from Grammy-nominated progressive jazz duo DOMi & JD BECK. Confirmed to participate in the meeting are Songwriters Hall of Famer and forefather of the Atlanta music scene Jermaine Dupri (who will participate in a keynote conversation), #1 songwriter and producer Sam Hollander (“High Hopes”), pop-punk singer-songwriter Maggie Lindemann, ASCAP President & Chairman Paul Williams, ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews and many more. Full schedule and lineup below.

After the opening DOMi & JD BECK performance, Williams and Matthews will deliver ASCAP’s “state of the union” as the PRO celebrates 110 years of serving music creators. The two will offer an essential recap on ASCAP members’ remarkable 2023, including the organization’s record-breaking financial success. They will discuss what it means to be the only US PRO operating as a not-for-profit, how ASCAP is putting creators first to serve the greater good, and the latest on its advocacy on behalf of creators’ livelihoods in the age of AI. Songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Stacey Ryan will perform to close out the session. 

More than 30 years after his first smash, producer, entrepreneur and record executive Jermaine Dupri is still crafting incredible songs for R&B stars like Muni Long (“Made for Me”) and Ari Lennox (“Pressure”). In a keynote conversation, Dupri — fresh off his appearance as Usher’s hypeman during the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Performance — will reveal the decisions that have helped get him to where he is today, and what it takes to sustain a productive, inspired and successful career. He’ll also share anecdotes from his decades-long career, including co-writing and co-producing three singles for Usher’s diamond-certified album Confessions; co-writing, co-producing and winning a Grammy for Carey’s “We Belong Together;” releasing two solo albums, and amassing eleven #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits.

The second half of the day will turn to networking and educational sessions. “We Create Music,” a superpanel of ASCAP songwriters and composers at the top of the pop, film music and musical theater spheres, will feature Hollander, his fellow #1 songwriter-producer Gregg Wattenberg (Five for Fighting, OAR), Madison Love (Kings & Queens,” Ava Max; “Turbulence,” P!nk), Oscar-nominated film composer Carter Burwell (Carol, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Banshees of Inisherin), and playwright/lyricist and composer Michael R. Jackson (Tony and Pulitzer-winning A Strange Loop). In this discussion moderated by Variety Executive Editor, Music Jem Aswad, the panelists will talk about their approaches to storytelling and offer practical advice for navigating the ups and downs of the industry – from paying dues and setting goals, to overcoming obstacles and the politics of collaboration.

The program will close out with the “Writers Jam,” featuring some of today’s top writers across the genre spectrum performing their biggest hits live and telling the stories behind the songs. Participants include Liana Banks (Bebe Rexha, Saweetie, Queen Naija), Grammy-winning songwriter Claudia Brant (Camila Cabello, Carlos Santana), pop-rock juggernaut Maggie Lindemann (“Pretty Girl,” “hostage”), and Dove Award-winning gospel singer-songwriter and composer Blessing Offor (“Believe,” “Brighter Days”).

Read on for the full lineup and run of show.

ASCAP Membership Meeting Schedule

3:00 pm - ASCAP Membership Meeting

Opening performance from DOMi & JD BECK

Updates from Paul Williams, Elizabeth Matthews and ASCAP SVP Membership & ASCAP Foundation Executive Director Nicole George-Middleton

Closing performance from Stacey Ryan

4:00 pm – 4:15 pm – Break

4:15 pm – 5:00 pm – “We Create Music” featuring Carter Burwell, Sam Hollander, Michael R. Jackson, Madison Love and Gregg Wattenberg

5:00 pm – 5:45 pm – KEYNOTE: The Confessions of Jermaine Dupri

5:45 pm – Break

6:00 pm – Writers Jam with Liana Banks, Claudia Brant, Maggie Lindemann and Blessing Offor

7:00 pm– 8:00 pm – Networking reception

The 2024 ASCAP Membership Meeting is currently at capacity. For more information, visit: www.ascap.com/meeting2024. 

Spotify Editors discuss what makes a Classic Album in the streaming eraWhat makes a classic album in the streaming era from 2015 to the present? Industry insiders join Spotify editors to discuss how albums were chosen for Spotify's new CLASSICS’s classic hip-hop and R&B Albums of the Streaming Era list.,,
The post Spotify Editors discuss what makes a Classic Album in the streaming era appeared first on Hypebot.

Tiffany Red shines light on unfair songwriter and publishing splitsMany artists, including big names like Beyonce, have been accused of stealing undeserved and unearned publishing splits. Tiffany Red is calling them out......
The post Tiffany Red shines light on unfair songwriter and publishing splits appeared first on Hypebot.

Why all musicians need an Artist IDEver wonder how streaming platforms sort artists and songs with the same name? That's where artist IDs come in. Let's dive in to how you artists can navigate and utilize their own ID...
The post Why all musicians need an Artist ID appeared first on Hypebot.

Music creators – take our survey!MIDiA is fielding its annual music creator survey and if you are a music creator we would like you to take part. Whether you are a songwriter, artist, producer, engineer, vocalist, DJ, instrumentalist, soundtrack composer, or whatever you may be, we want to hear from you. This is an opportunity for you to have your voice heard on some of the most important issues facing music creators in today’s industry. 

On top of that, all participants will receive full access to the results of the survey so you can benchmark yourself against your peers. You will be able to compare against the industry average for things like workflows, tools used, income mix, challenges faced, platforms used, etcetera. It is a great opportunity to get a sense of how you are doing and learning about how other creators are carving out their careers, too.

If you need any further persuasion, all respondents will be entered into a prize draw of five $100 prizes.

All responses will be treated as strictly confidential. We will never present or even analyse your individual responses. Instead, they will be aggregated into the survey totals along with hundreds of other respondents.

Just follow this link to complete the survey.

REZZ breaks down new track ‘Can You See Me’ and gives studio tourFuture bass producer REZZ has given fans a glimpse into her red-lit creative lair in Toronto, where she makes her music.

READ MORE: “There’s 800 ways to skin the DJ cat”: Deadmau5 on the why DJing is more than just a live performance

From the depths of her converted shed studio, with Medusa’s decapitated head overseeing the process, the Canadian DJ unravels how she created her new track Can You See Me? in a new clip posted to YouTube.
In terms of equipment, REZZ’s mixing station is stripped-back, with eight-and-a-half-inch JBL studio monitors, a Focusrite Scarlet Solo sound card, and Sol Republic headphones. She’s also working on Ableton Live. It’s a setup she calls “minimal,” but it is clearly effective.
She starts the track breakdown with the drums: “The drums in my opinion have a very industrial feel, which is sort of the vibe that I’m going for this project,” she explains. “For the clap and the snare… there’s two layers. It gives it that punch, and then the layer underneath has this sort of reverb. [It makes an] atmospheric sounding snare clap.”

FabFilter’s Saturn saturation plugin also helped REZZ fine-tune the track’s drums. “I use a preset on it called Basic Saturator,” she explains. “It makes the kick sound fatter, and there’s a slight distortion to it.” As she plays the drum track, you can hear the ‘fat’ quality – it feels impossibly atmospheric, like an ominous wasteland.
As REZZ explains, the key ingredient when constructing Can You See Me?’s haunting sound was layering. Much like the drumming tracks, the vocal tracks are also layered to heighten the unsettling, twisted sensation of the track.
After playing a set of whispered vocals in isolation, REZZ explains “I felt like I needed some atmosphere, some reverb, so I created a different version to layer it.” The multiple vocal layers vary from light, ghostly whispers, to frazzled, scratchy howls of “Can you hear me?”.  The contrasting whispers and more frantic vocals add an unnerving quality to the track, an undercurrent of panic.

“I’m not really notorious for using any of my own vocals on my tracks,” REZZ goes on to explain. “This is what I consider to be the first debut of my vocals on a track. and I’m actually super stoked about how it sounded!”
Pitching down and twisting previous sounds used on the track served as the finishing touch. With industrial samples, and rehashing previous drum samples, amping up the BPM to 156 for the climax, the track is a whirl of disorienting mental horror. At times throughout the creation process, REZZ admits she was thinking “am I literally all right or should I be in the psych ward?”
While REZZ is incredibly DIY-minded, she’s a lover of presets. In her eyes, they help artists create their own sounds, giving them a foundation to build upon. “This is a Serum preset – there’s nothing wrong with using presets, I like to use a preset and then I like to edit it afterwards, sort of make it my own,” she says.
REZZ is always ensuring tracks are wholeheartedly ‘her own’, taking a hands-on approach to her mixing. “I always mix as I go,” she asserts. “The only time I ever get someone else to mix or master my tracks is if it’s a collaboration with someone and I trust their judgement, like deadmau5… He’s such a genius with mixing and mastering. I just, like, let him do it.”
The track comes as the second taste of REZZ’s 14th March release, Can You See Me?. Considering REZZ has said the record is set to be her “heaviest yet”, we’re sure the record will have many other treats in store.
Subscribe to REZZ on YouTube.
The post REZZ breaks down new track ‘Can You See Me’ and gives studio tour appeared first on MusicTech.

Lumina Delay by Mountainroad DSP Rather than relying on knobs and buttons, Lumina Delay allows users to plot delay taps and control their parameters using an intuitive visual interface.