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Dear Reality introduces dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT to Cubase 12 for extended Dolby Atmos capabilitiesDear Reality has introduced its dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT mixing controller to Steinberg’s Cubase 12 for improved Dolby Atmos capabilities.
The virtual reality-lead music brand says it “streamlines spatial audio productions” and “enables extensive in-headset control of the most-used DAW functions and the dearVR PRO spatializer plugin.”

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

In case you aren’t already familiar, the dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT utilises gesture control in a virtual 360 degrees environment for music production. In combination with Dear Reality’s dearVR MONITOR headphone monitoring plugin for multi-channel speaker setups, Cubase users can now bring their spatial productions up a notch.
Users can simply link a VR headset like the Meta Quest or HTC Vive with their DAW, to position and automate audio tracks in the virtual space by pointing at them with two handheld controllers. Users have direct VR access to the position, channel volume, solo and mute, and the automation status.
Additionally, dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT provides overlay modules for extended navigation and control in the VR headset. There’s a main control module for direct control of Cubase 12’s transport functions, a metre bridge module which brings the traditional mixing console to the VR world, and a  “minimap” module to provide a comprehensive overview of all audio sources in the scene.

“With the latest dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT update, we make our VR mixing solution available to a wide range of music producers mixing Dolby Atmos in Cubase 12,” says Dear Reality co-founder, Christian Sander.
“This combination enables them to experience a revolutionary way of working with spatial audio. By optionally adding our dearVR PRO spatializer and the dearVR MONITOR virtual headphone mix room, engineers benefit from a complete spatial audio ecosystem where they can spatialize, control, and monitor spatial audio sessions.”
The dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT is on sale now for a lower price of £219 (as opposed to £409).
Find out more via Dear Reality.
The post Dear Reality introduces dearVR SPATIAL CONNECT to Cubase 12 for extended Dolby Atmos capabilities appeared first on MusicTech.

Cacophony Is An Open-Source MIDI Sequencer By Subaltern Games
Subaltern Games has released an open-source MIDI sequencer called Cacophony, and it’s free if you want to compile the program for yourself. The developer wanted its strength to be its minimalist and ergonomic design, which is why the software looks like an old video game and has a strong tracker influence. It’s minimalist because it [...]
View post: Cacophony Is An Open-Source MIDI Sequencer By Subaltern Games

Zoom’s new R4 MultiTrak recorder Zoom’s latest handheld recorder has been designed specifically for musicians on the move, and boasts a versatile selection of I/O, a range of built-in effects, and an onboard rhythm section with over 80 drum patterns.

ADE 2023: “Dance artists shouldn’t make albums” in this day and age, says ClaptoneDance producer and DJ Claptone has strongly advised dance artists not to release their music as albums as they don’t perform as well.

READ MORE: Daft Punk rep shuts down Paris 2024 Olympics reunion rumour

Speaking live for the first time ever at an exclusive event, Claptone’s First Ever Live Interview and Experience, at Amsterdam Dance Event 2023 on Thursday 19 October, the mysterious, mask-clad musician called the album format “unnecessary” for dance musicians and producers. He also talked about his identity and artistry, remixing the likes of Elton John, label ownership and DJing.
“No, completely unnecessary,” responded Claptone when host Danny Howard asked if he thinks the album format is still a fruitful format for dance artists to release their music.
“If you are getting into this as a dance artist, you shouldn’t make albums. If you get into this from the heart because you see yourself as an artist that also wants to write a ballad, a downtempo tune or an instrumental, make an album,” he says through voice changer.
Claptone speaking at ADE 2023 | Credit: StephenVBFotografie
“But even then, you have to release half of the album beforehand with singles and tracks and it’s not the same as when I was younger and I went to the store and bought an album and it was listening to the whole thing through maybe turned it around to listen to the B-side… those days are gone.”
“How does that make you feel?” Howard asked.
“Terrible,” he responded. “Well, I’m a vinyl collector so it just breaks my heart, you know? No B-sides, no albums anymore. Not even real 45s (45” records) anymore, you know. You’re forced to just produce one mix for Beatport that then makes the charts because if you do three different mixes they’ll cannibalise sales and you need to push that one into the charts.”
Also in the interview, the German artist is asked by an audience member about the difficulties of clearing samples. Getting samples cleared by record labels and artists can often be a burden to artists, who might end up simply removing samples form their tracks completely or respectfully recreating them. As an artist who has revamped lots of dance classics, such as //Calabria// by Enur, Claptone has had much experience in this.

He told the fan, first of all, that he doesn’t like to “get around” using samples by recreating them, but always contacts the artist or label directly to get permission to use it. He goes on to say that it doesn’t help when artists, deceased artist’s estates or labels don’t help with the process by asking for vast amounts of money or flip-flopping on decisions.
“The ways that people give you a hard time about nothing is so weird,” he says. “So much ego plays into it, or if an artist’s died and it’s just their estate giving you the sample, how much they can ask for a sample or how difficult they can make it for you…. it’s a very difficult, delicate process. It can vary from being super easy to being complicated and delaying your release for over two years. It’s crazy.”
We recently spoke to Claptone – albeit briefly – about how he uses his studio. In the interview, he talked about his Masquerade events in Ibiza, the label Golden Recordings which he owns, and the importance of maintaining a passion for making music.
Keep an eye on Amsterdam Dance Event for more content from this year’s edition.
The post ADE 2023: “Dance artists shouldn’t make albums” in this day and age, says Claptone appeared first on MusicTech.

“Life was one way before Random Access Memories, and completely different after”: Nile Rodgers reflects on the impact of collaborating with Daft PunkNile Rodgers has reflected on how collaborating with Daft Punk on their 2013 album Random Access Memories impacted his career and influenced him to work with younger artists.
Rodgers, best known as a producer, guitarist and co-founder of funk band Chic, played the iconic pulsing guitar riff on Get Lucky. The song earned him his first ever Grammy Award.

READ MORE: Daft Punk rep shuts down Paris 2024 Olympics reunion rumour

In the latest episode of Memory Tapes on the Daft Punk YouTube channel, Rodgers explains how he met the duo and how the collaboration came to be. The video series features a range of guests who have worked on the influential record as it celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Rodgers shares how he first came to like their music after hearing Da Funk from their 1997 album, Homework. He went to a listening party for the new album, and the duo had said they were “quietly dedicating” it to Chic bassist Bernard Edwards, who had just passed away.
Years later, Rodgers says they came to his house in New York, where they told him about the concept for Random Access Memories: “They said something to me that blew me away, they said that they wanted to do an album as if the internet never existed. I thought, Oh, old school! Go in and play like the way we used to do it, which is what I love doing.”
They recorded the album at Electric Lady Studios, in the same place where Chic cut their debut album. Thomas Bangalter insisted Rodgers brought his plexiglass guitar: “It’s the only other guitar that actually sounds like my Hitmaker,” he states in the video.

After the release of Get Lucky, Rodgers had no idea just how big the track was becoming. Yet at his 2013 Glastonbury Festival set, the crowd began singing the song back at him as an encore, which he recalls as being incredibly emotional.
“After Daft Punk I started playing with much younger artists. No one is my age, I’m 70. Charli XCX, Burna Boy, I just recorded my first K-pop record and now I’ve got like five under my belt and they’re like, huge,” he says. “Life was one way before Random Access Memories and completely different after.”
View the full video below:

Get your hands on anniversary pressings of Random Access Memories via the official website for Daft Punk.
The post “Life was one way before Random Access Memories, and completely different after”: Nile Rodgers reflects on the impact of collaborating with Daft Punk appeared first on MusicTech.

The last official Beatles song made by all four members will be released next weekThe last song made by all four members of The Beatles, titled Now And Then, is set to be released next week on Thursday 2 November at 2pm, GMT. A music video will premiere the following day.
Originally written and sung by John Lennon, the track has been developed and worked on by Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, and now finally finished by both McCartney and Starr over four decades later, with a little help from AI tech.

READ MORE: “To understand the second half of the 20th century, you have to understand The Beatles”: Paul McCartney podcast editor on the legacy of the Fab Four

Lennon recorded a demo for Now And Then with vocals and piano at his New York home in the late 1970s. Yoko Ono Lennon later gave the recording to the other Beatles in 1994, along with his demos for Free As A Bird and Real Love.
McCartney, Harrison and Starr recorded new parts and completed a rough mix for the track at the time with producer Jeff Lynne. But during this era, limitations in technology prevented Lennon’s vocals and piano from being separated to achieve an unclouded mix, and so it was shelved.
Here’s where AI comes in – Using WingNut Films’ MAL audio technology (used for The Beatles: Get Back docuseries), Peter Jackson and his sound team used a demixing technique on Lennon’s home recording to preserve the clarity of his vocals by separating it from the piano.

So in 2022, McCartney and Starr set about completing the song he started. Now And Then also includes electric and acoustic guitar recorded in 1995 by Harrison, Starr’s new drum part, as well as bass, guitar and piano from McCartney, which matches Lennon’s original playing.
McCartney also oversaw a Capitol Studios recording session for the song’s string arrangement, and backing vocals from the original recordings of Here, There And Everywhere, Eleanor Rigby and Because were also woven into the new song. The finished track was produced by McCartney and Giles, and mixed by Spike Stent.
“There it was, John’s voice, crystal clear,” says McCartney of the track. “It’s quite emotional. And we all play on it, it’s a genuine Beatles recording. In 2023 to still be working on Beatles music, and about to release a new song the public haven’t heard, I think it’s an exciting thing.”
Starr adds, “It was the closest we’ll ever come to having him back in the room so it was very emotional for all of us. It was like John was there, you know. It’s far out.”
A 12-minute Now And Then – The Last Beatles Song documentary film will premiere prior to its release on 1 November on The Beatles’ YouTube channel at 7:30pm GMT, which tells the story behind the track. The official trailer is out now:

To wrap things up, The Beatles’ 1962-1966 The Red Album and 1967-1970 The Blue Album collections will be released on 10 November in 2023 Edition packages. Both tracklists have been expanded, with all the songs mixed in true stereo and Dolby Atmos.
Find out more via the official Beatles website.
The post The last official Beatles song made by all four members will be released next week appeared first on MusicTech.

Exoverb Micro By Dear Reality Is FREE For A Limited Time
Dear Reality offers the Exoverb Micro (€25 value) realistic reverb plugin as a free download to its email subscribers (including new signups) for a limited time. Exoverb Micro is a compact reverb plugin that emulates realistic spaces in your DAW. Because of this, the plugin is more suitable for use as a reverb for mixing [...]
View post: Exoverb Micro By Dear Reality Is FREE For A Limited Time

iZotope Nectar 4 brings valuable updates alongside some unexpected creative toolsNectar 4 Advanced £289 (upgrade £139)
Nectar 4 Standard £189
Nectar 4 Elements £49
Music Production Suite 6 £579
izotope.com
Given that Nectar 3 was released back in 2018, it’s no surprise that iZotope has finally decided to give it an update to bring it more in line with the recent versions of Neutron and Ozone. Interestingly, the user interface now shows a ‘Nectar 4 by Native Instruments’ message, denoting the official takeover of iZotope from Native Instruments, which was previously the Soundwide group.
Nectar 4 brings refinements and upgrades to specific modules rather than an overhaul, but the improvements run deep and offer a more effective vocal suite – even if the upgrade cost is a little steep.

Separate ways
Nectar 4 Advanced comes with separate plugins for all modules, which takes the total count up to 13. Technically, there’s only one new module compared to version 3, called Backer, but some of the upgrades are pretty extensive.
The effects include EQ (dynamic & pitch-tracking), compressor, de-esser, delay, Dimension, gate, reverb, saturation, pitch correction, and the Voices module (formally called Harmony). There’s also a greatly improved Auto-Level feature that could be considered a module in its own right, plus the return of the excellent Unmask spectral sidechain ducking feature and a separate Breath Control plugin. The latter now comes under the Nectar name, where previously it was under iZotope RX.
We’ll concentrate on the new features, but you can catch up on our thoughts on Nectar 3 here.
Nice Assist
Nectar’s Vocal Assistant has been revamped, now showing an overview page with macro controls similar to Neutron 4 and Ozone 11.
iZotope Nectar 4 Full GUI Assistant
Once you play a section of your vocal for analysis, you’re presented with a starting point. You have simple controls for Shape (which controls the EQ), Intensity (which controls the compressor threshold), Width, the Voices or Backer modules, and an X/Y pad to add reverb, delay and dimension effects. You don’t get a lot of control, but it’s a quick way to dial in a decent vocal sound.
If you’re not too keen on the spectral spread, you can select from several alternative presets such as Dark or Airy (for vocals, rap or speech), or you can load your own, which is where things get interesting.
You could choose to import an a capella audio file, or you could use the new feature in the included Audiolens app. This lets you listen to a piece of incoming audio, which could be a track from a streaming platform or website, and extract the vocal and analyse its spectral spread to turn it into a preset. You can build up a bunch of your favourite vocal profiles in this way, which are then made available within Nectar. To be clear, it won’t copy details of the vocal, such as saturation, reverb or delay – it just makes tonal changes to one of the EQ modules to shape your vocal to sound roughly like the reference. Still, it’s a neat trick, and having several profiles on hand that you know work well in a certain context, means you can test out different ideas quickly.
We test the Assistant in both Nectar 3 and 4 and find that the Nectar 4 results sound more natural and less aggressive in the highs. It feels a bit more subtle off the bat, but gives you the option to quickly adjust and push it harder yourself via the macro controls or by editing the modules.
Levelling out
Another new feature is having the Auto-Level and Key/Pitch modules permanently visible on the left of the plugin window, albeit with arrows that unveil additional controls. Nectar 3 had the Auto-Level feature on the audio input, but it’s been greatly expanded upon here.
iZotope Nectar 4 Auto-Level module
It’s essentially a vocal rider that sits at the beginning of the chain and can smooth out the volume of a performance to help reduce the need for excessive compression down the line. Where previously it was just an on/off button, you now have controls for Range and Strength of the effect, a Learn button that sets the optimum volume, a Sidechain option, and a Mix dial to blend in the unprocessed signal. A Tame Noises function cleverly detects non-sung sounds like breaths and esses, and removes them from the auto levelling. This helps ensure that you don’t get any unnaturally loud or quiet extra sounds alongside your smoothed-out main vocal.
The additional controls make this a big improvement over the Auto-Level module found in Nectar 3, and the fact it’s also a separate plugin means you could easily use it alongside third-party effects in a vocal chain.
Sing star
One of the most dramatic upgrades is the Harmony module, now called Voices. This lets you add additional copies of the vocal, then re-pitch them and control the level and pan position. What sets this new version apart is the ability to add in the key and then have it generate different, layered harmony progressions that follow the track. You can have up to eight layers of unison, octave or any other pitch, and each note of your chosen key can have a different chord that moves alongside the lead vocal melody.
iZotope Nectar 4 Voices module plugin
Alternatively, you can play MIDI notes to generate the new layers. Obviously having original, well-sung harmonies is probably going to sound better, but when blended in under the main vocal, the extra layers can help to give a richer and more polished sound. It’s also a useful composition tool if you don’t have access to the singer, or if you just want to quickly experiment with harmony ideas.
Got your back
The final new module is called Backer, and it’s a bit more unusual and experimental than the rest of the suite.
The idea is that you have eight personas that you can choose from, which will alter the tone and formant of the vocal, thus making it sound like a different person. This includes switching from female to male, and vice versa. In theory, you could have a single singer perform multiple parts and harmonies, and then use the different personas to make it sound more like a group of people singing. You can even import your own a capellas, or use the aforementioned Audiolens feature to rip the tonal qualities of a singer out of a finished track.
Although iZotope and Native Instruments should be applauded for the originality of this idea, we test a bunch of vocals and find the results to be robotic-sounding, with artefacts and glitches. If you’re working with super clean and clearly sung vocals, then you might get better results, but as it stands, it feels like it could use some refinement.
These things aside, when used subtly you can get some good octave thickening effects, as long as it’s blended low in the mix. As producer Polo Tremolo mentions on his YouTube channel, it also has broad creative applications if you abuse it to create more robotic-sounding vocals. We’ll no doubt be hearing a lot of these effects now that the plugin is out in the wild, and we look forward to seeing how the technology progresses.

Although the new upgrades and additions are very welcome, some may feel dismayed at a lack of improvements to some of the older modules. It’s a shame there’s still no low cut on the Saturation module, as this would allow you to thicken the highs while avoiding low-mid build-ups. We’d also like to see more than one algorithm for the reverb to make it more flexible, and some kind of internal ducking for the delay and reverb effects could help with overall vocal clarity.
In summary, Nectar 4 improves on the already excellent vocal suite, with an improved and more flexible AI assistant, useful component plugins and much improved Auto-Level and Voices modules. The Backer module is arguably better on paper than in real life, but your mileage may vary depending on the clarity of the vocal used.
Nectar remains a powerful and extensive suite of tools to help you get a pro-sounding vocal, whether you’re working with singing, rapping, or dialogue. Those who consider the upgrade price to be a little steep will need to weigh up whether the new features can bring enough improvements to their workflow. However, if you’re coming in fresh, then you get a lot of bang for your buck, especially when you consider that Melodyne Essential also comes as part of the package.
Key features

Vocal production suite with 13 modules (now available as component plugins with Advanced)
EQ, compressor, de-esser, delay, Dimension, gate, reverb, saturation, pitch correction, breath controls
NEW/IMPROVED Auto-Level module to balance volume
NEW/IMPROVED Voices module to generate harmonies
NEW voice altering Backer module for generating new backing singers
IMPROVED Vocal Assistant with macro page and file import
NEW Audiolens feature can rip a capella data from tracks to generate presets
Unmasking feature that uses the included Relay plugin
Built-in limiter
Comes with Melodyne 5 Essential (worth €99)

The post iZotope Nectar 4 brings valuable updates alongside some unexpected creative tools appeared first on MusicTech.

Leading producers celebrate their Hispanic and Latin roots through music
Hear Eydrey, Luny Tunes, Ali Stone, and many other leading producers share their stories and sounds that celebrate their Hispanic and Latin roots.

HTX's Justin Sun claims record profits despite staff cutsThe blockchain personality claims that his exchange recorded a profit of $98 million in Q3 2023.

Magic Leap’s new CEO is a Bain Capital execFive weeks ago, Magic Leap CEO Peggy Johnson joined me onstage at Disrupt. Much of the conversation focused on the augmented reality hardware company’s full pivot into enterprise applications with the Magic Leap 2. Johnson, a former Microsoft and Qualcomm exec, spearheaded the shift in business strategy when she joined the company in August 2020. […]
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Versilian Studios Tubular Bells II Versilian Studios first ever commercial product, Tubular Bells has remained a hit, selling thousands of copies over the past decade. Returning to our roots, we have created an all-new sample... Read More

GAMMA Presents the ATLAS Boosted Overdrive Effects PedalThe GAMMA Series ATLAS Boosted Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal from the Acoustic Control Corporation allows the player to add nuanced, tube amp-style overdrive to their guitar sound. The pedal features controls for Level, Tone and Drive, plus a Boost switch that pushes low frequencies and adds more high-end bite to the drive sound.  Whether used for gritty edge-of-breakup overdrive tones, or cranked to send the amp into full distortion, the ATLAS Boosted Overdrive’s distortion preserves the guitarist’s dynamics and articulation, and is nicely responsive to volume, tone and pickup adjustments made on the player’s guitar. Featuring intuitive operation, a stunning metal flake paint finish, heavy-duty/rugged full-sized metal chassis with metal knobs, and operation from either a 9-volt battery or 9-volt DC power supply, the GAMMA Series ATLAS Boosted Overdrive can be used as a sole pedal unit or as a pedal board component. Additionally, the pedal features mono audio input and output, with buffered bypass for consistent tone in any setup.

Designed to imbue a player’s guitar tone with the definition, sustain, and harmonic enrichment found in a classic vintage tube amplifier, the ATLAS Boosted Overdrive preserves the guitarist’s dynamics while adding bite and sustain, for articulate tone that responds to the nuances of the player’s style. Thanks to its Boost switch, the ATLAS Boosted Overdrive pedal offers two distinct flavors of tube-like overdrive. Use the Boost switch to send your tone over the top, with enhanced low-frequency girth and high-frequency bite. With the Boost switch disengaged, the ATLAS Boosted Overdrive offers classic mid-focused drive tone that cuts through the mix.

Features include:• Tube amp-style overdrive that preserves dynamics, articulation and guitar character• Boost switch enhances low frequencies, and adds more high-end bite to the drive sound• All metal chassis and knobs and a road-ready design• Simple operation for easy access to essential sounds for electric guitar• Operates from a 9-volt battery or 9V DC adapter: 9V Alkaline recommended which yields approximately a 50 Hours Run Time (battery and DC supply not included)• Mono audio input and output, with buffered bypass for consistent tone in any setup• Input 1⁄4-inch Instrument Level Input (650k Ohms Impedance)• Output 1⁄4-inch Instrument Level Output (1k Ohms Impedance)• Dimensions: 4.59 in (D) x 2.75 in (W) x 2.19 in (H)Weight: 0.55 lbs (8.8 oz)

Created to produce fat, tube-amp-inspired grind, the Atlas Boosted Overdrive is one of six stompboxes in the GAMMA guitar effects pedals line—which also includes the Bacchus Dynamic Driver, Cumulus 3-Way Reverb, Eros Clean Chorus, Hades Metal Distortion and Narcissus Warm Delay.

The GAMMA ATLAS Boosted Overdrive Guitar Effects Pedal is currently available at a price point of $69.99 MAP

For more information on the complete range of Acoustic Control Corporation musical instruments, visit www.AcousticControlCorp.com.

Eventide release Blackhole & MicroPitch Immersive plug-ins Eventide Audio have expanded the capabilities of their Blackhole and Micropitch plug-ins, introducing support for surround and immersive audio formats including Dolby Atmos.