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Don McLean Issues Statement About The Attack on IsraelSinger-songwriter Don McLean ("American Pie," "Vincent"), formerly a resident of Israel, has spoken out today about the recent attack by Hammas on the country.
"It is hard for me to control the emotions I feel for Israel at this time." "Having lived in Israel, I remember the neighborhoods I now see being bombed. I knew the people who faced this kind of hatred every day and went to a party every night because life is something to celebrate and it is so precious. Being there changed me forever. I have lived in a different way ever since. I was proud to write the song "Jerusalem," for the Mayor of Jerusalem and I sing this song every night during shows. On this earth, Jerusalem is at the center of the atom of life and salvation no matter what might be going on anywhere else on the planet."
– Don McLean
The ‘Online Music Guide’ conference to be held in London on Thursday, October 12Program includes panel discussions consisting of tips for emerging artists
SourceMelanie Johnson appointed Chief Commercial Officer at music tech company AudooCompany raised £7.2 million in its pre-series B funding round in 2021
SourceAndi Vax Andi Vax “Synplant 2 Melodic Techno” Fresh collection of premium presets for SonicCharge Synplant 2 synthesizer. It's perfect for Melodic Techno, House and EDM styles. (Use coupon "StandWithUkraine" for 50% discount till 16.10.2023).... Read More
Upcoming Scanner Concert British electronic music artist Scanner (Robin Rimbaud) will be performing live at the University of York’s Rymer Auditorium on Friday 13 October 2023.
Reviewing Behringer’s “counterfeit” synths would be “boring content”, says Benn JordanProducer, music tech journalist and creator Benn Jordan has weighed in on the ongoing feud between Behringer and music media, stating his reason for not featuring Behringer’s products on his channel.
READ MORE: “I’m curious how copying a product and selling it at the exact same price is a ‘not for profit’”: Loopop slams Behringer’s “not-for-profit” claims
The response was made in a video posted to his YouTube page, which predominantly explores Moog Music’s June acquisition by InMusic and the reasons behind its reported recent sacking of “more than half of existing positions” at Moog Music’s Asheville manufacturing plant.
In the video, Jordan responds to Behringer’s recent claims that “many media outlets and ‘influencers’ have decided not to support us anymore because they don’t pay for ads, don’t provide free products for reviews or they simply don’t like them for whatever reason.”
“One of the reasons I haven’t featured any Behringer products on this channel,” Jordan responds, “is because the company has sued people for criticising the company.
“Another solid reason why I don’t cover their products is because they trademarked a journalist’s name and then tried to make an anti-Semitic meme out of him.” Here, we should point out, Jordan is referring to an incident in 2020 when Behringer made a product called the ’KIRN CorkSniffer‘, later issuing an official public reponse.“The number one reason I don’t feature Behringer products on this channel,” he goes on, “is because I’ve already featured Mutable Instruments modules in a stream. I’ve already featured [Make Noise’s] Maths in a ton of videos. I did a [Moog] Mother-32 video, and I did a [Moog] DFam video. Making another video about your counterfeit versions of those things is literally the most boring content I could create on this channel.
“Now, about a year before I started this channel, I paid the full retail price for [the DeepMind 12], and I still think it was a good value. Do you remember this? This was like the last original product that you made, Behringer. But you know what, sure, you do you. Keep fabricating reasons and crying publicly on your official company Facebook page about it.
“Anyway, it seems like Behringer intends to make flea market versions of Moog’s entire product line. Many people shrug and say that it was fair competition, and that Moog lost. I disagree.”
Also in the video, Jordan explores possible reasons for the layoffs of Moog Music employees, citing that, in his view, they may have been related to InMusic’s alleged transition to overseas labour. This transition, he highlights, apparently marked the end of an era where Moog, a relatively large company in the United States, could design, manufacture, test, and distribute musical instruments locally.
In a video posted in July 2023, Jordan discussed the recent acquisitions and changes within various music-based software and hardware companies. In this, he predicted layoffs for Moog, Apple and Spitfire Audio.
Subscribe to Benn Jordan’s YouTube channel.
The post Reviewing Behringer’s “counterfeit” synths would be “boring content”, says Benn Jordan appeared first on MusicTech.Spotify redesigns how Artist Profiles display music, concerts, merch & more“Our brand new tab design on your artist profile organizes your music, concerts, merch, and more in a way that helps better connect fans to all you have to offer. Continue reading
The post Spotify redesigns how Artist Profiles display music, concerts, merch & more appeared first on Hypebot.What is the YouTube Billion View Club, and who is in it?A few weeks ago, we looked at the Spotify Billion Stream club, now it’s time for YouTube’s Billion View Club. According to YouTube, there are 450 songs that have reached at least a billion views, but. Continue reading
The post What is the YouTube Billion View Club, and who is in it? appeared first on Hypebot.6 Indigenous Musicians you need to knowToday is Indigenous People’s Day. Learn more about the diverse musicians coming out of this community by checking out and supporting these six indigenous artists. Be sure to listen to. Continue reading
The post 6 Indigenous Musicians you need to know appeared first on Hypebot.DJ Will Ferrell gets the people going at university frat partyComedy actor, writer and producer Will Ferrell has been spotted DJing at a frat party in California over the weekend.
READ MORE: Want to DJ in Fabric? Pioneer DJ’s free workshop gives you the chance
The American Step Brothers and Talladega Nights star was spotted at a tailgate party held at the University of Southern California’s Sigma Alpha Mu house, spinning tracks on a RANE DJ controller for a crowd of college students.
The event reportedly took place before USC Trojan’s American football game against the Arizona Wildcats. Ferrell was performing at the party while wearing the college’s athletic team uniform.
In one video, Ferrell is captured playing the song Ni***s In Paris by Kanye West and Jay-Z, which samples a line from his 2007 movie, Blades Of Glory: “No one knows what it means, but it’s provocative… gets the people going!”View this post on Instagram
A post shared by MusicTech (@musictech_official)
Ferrell’s oldest son, Magnus Ferrell, 19, is spotted in the video. Magnus is currently studying at the university, in his sophomore year. Will Ferell previously showed up for his son’s first live gig in his band where he played cowbell in the background, a nod to his popular Saturday Night Live cowbell skit.
It’s not just the Elf star’s son who has studied at the University of Southern California. Ferrell himself is an alumnus of the college, having studied there in the 1990s. In 2017, he received an honorary doctorate and delivered the main address at its commencement ceremonies at graduation.@lupetwins8803
#usc#uscparentsweekend #fighton
♬ original sound – LupitatwinsWill Ferrell is just doing side quests now @BarstoolSC pic.twitter.com/OMwg7bpHUp
— Barstool U (@BarstoolU) October 9, 2023For fans of Will Ferrell’s college-based 2003 movie Old School, in which Ferrell’s character Frank goes back to college to start a fraternity, this image is all too familiar already. Sadly, however, neither Blue (“You’re my boy, Blue!”), Snoop Dogg, Owen Wilson nor Vince Vaughn were in attendance.
Ferrell’s not the only comedic actor to make a surprising appearance behind the decks in recent years. A video recently caught Chris Rock discussing with Diplo his early desires to become a DJ. Last year, Larry David from sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm was also caught DJing at a wedding, sending the internet into chaos.
Keep up to date with all the latest DJ gear news via musictech.com.
The post DJ Will Ferrell gets the people going at university frat party appeared first on MusicTech.Austrian Audio launch MiCreator range Austrian Audio's new MiCreator Studio is a compact USB mic that can either be used independently, or paired with the MiCreator Satellite or MiCreator Y-Lav to capture two sources or stereo recordings.
Austrian Audio’s new MiCreator Studio is a condenser microphone and I/O in oneAustrian Audio has today (9 October) launched its MiCreator Studio recording system, which combines a condenser microphone with a USB-C audio interface in a compact and pocketable design.
The MiCreator is said to help artists record and make tracks whenever and wherever they want, with compact plug and play.READ MORE: Best headphones 2023: 10 of the best all-purpose wired headphones under $500
The microphone delivers Austrian Audio’s “top-notch audio quality”, whilst its accompanying interface and additional input enable multi-tracking and optional stereo recording. It also offers SPL handling higher “than other USB mics on the market”, plus intuitive on-board controls.
There are also two headphone outputs, so you can collaborate with other musicians on the go, two gain settings and a one-knob jog wheel for easy volume control. It has “FlexTilt” vertical adjustment of the mic head, and there’s latency-free direct monitoring of the mic and input while recording.
It comes housed in a rugged metal design, which allows for changeable faceplates for a variety of colour combinations and customisation.
“Many times a quick riff, a scratch vocal, or unplanned content creation is the best performance, so why not capture everything with studio quality sound,” says Martin Seidl, CEO of Austrian Audio. “Whether you’re at home or on the go, MiCreator Studio always keeps Austrian Audio recording quality within reach.”
Bryan Bradley, President of Group One Limited, Austrian Audio’s US distributor, adds: “This is an exciting new direction for Austrian Audio and we’re excited to put this high-quality mic into the hands of musicians, songwriters, and content creators, making it easier for them to record premium audio whenever and wherever they feel inspired.”
At MusicTech, we’ve already tried and tested the MiCreator and scored it 9/10 in our new review. We noted that it has great build quality and delivers impressive results while being easy to use. However, improved storage would take this product up a notch.
The MiCreator Studio is available now for $217/£179/€206, and there is a range of bundles available, too. Find out more via Austrian Audio.
The post Austrian Audio’s new MiCreator Studio is a condenser microphone and I/O in one appeared first on MusicTech.Spotify “Supremium” subscription and further details unveiledFurther details of Spotify’s premium tier subscription plan – known as Supremium – have been unveiled, including a reported price point.
Plans for a premium subscription option were originally announced in 2021 as “Spotify HiFi”, but the streaming giant has been relatively quiet on the matter since then.READ MORE: JME: Spotify should create “unlockable music” only available by attending events
Spotify has of course rolled out other various new features in recent months, including its AI-powered DJ across select countries, where songs are selected specifically for the user and the DJ announces new tracks and speaks in between.
One of the key features that was rumoured as part of Spotify Supremium was the introduction of free audiobooks. This has already been rolled out across standard subscriptions and allows users to stream up to 15 hours of audiobooks for free each month in the UK and Australia.
This feature is set to be rolled out in the US by the end of the year too. It’s not clear as to whether or not the Supremium tier will offer no set limit on free hours for audiobooks or not.
According to a leak reported by The Independent, the new tier will cost $19.99 and offers a variety of new features. The publication cites its source as technology expert Chris Messina, who found mentions of the update within Spotify.
One key addition is said to be lossless audio, which is already offered for free on rival streaming giant Apple Music, but it also says that advanced playlist mixing tools will allow people to choose songs by tempo, feel, activity and more. It will reportedly have new listening stats and AI playlist-generation tools too.
As for artists who upload their music to the streaming platform, no details have been found on whether or not Spotify will offer any more revenue to artists from the extra cost of the higher-priced lossless plan.
Keep up to date with all things Spotify via musictech.com.
The post Spotify “Supremium” subscription and further details unveiled appeared first on MusicTech.Austrian Audio’s MiCreator achieves no-nonsense stereo recording in a pocket-sized packageMiCreator Studio £179
Satellite mic £89
Y-Lav lavalier mic £45
MiCreator System Set (Studio, Satellite, cables, faceplates, stereo bar and case) £269, austrian.audio
Austrian Audio undoubtedly produces an impressive range of professional microphones and headphones. But the new MiCreator is the company’s first foray into the world of multi-purpose, creator-focused audio devices.READ MORE: How the Korg MS-20 and the MS-20 Mini became a parent-child powerhouse
The system is aimed at keen hobbyists through to professional podcasters, though its desk-based design means it’s probably less suited to recording out in the field. It’s still designed to capture high-quality audio quality, but minimises the fuss of setting up multiple devices. USB microphones aren’t a new phenomenon but, thanks to rapid tech advancements, are more versatile than ever. So what exactly is the MiCreator family all about?
The core product is the MiCreator Studio, a combined cardioid microphone and audio interface that’s almost small enough to slip into your pocket. There’s a family of accessories, too, but let’s start with the main unit. It’s well-built, more solid than many of its competitors such as IK’s iRig Pro Quattro I/O or Audio Technica’s AT2020USB-XP, and sports a premium metal finish. This is partly because it’s petite and needs that weight to keep it steady when in use.
Austrian Audio MiCreator and accessories
When placed on a flat surface, the MiCreator Studio is perfectly secure, helped by two rubber feet that also assist with sound isolation from vibrations from below. The front and rear plates are magnetic and can actually be detached – we were sent two different coloured sets – which is a nice cosmetic touch.
The unit connects to your recording device over the supplied USB-C cable, which also provides its power. It’s class compliant so any computer, tablet or phone with USB-C – including the iPhone 15 – will work just fine and the MiCreator shows up as an audio in and out device.
An onboard mic capsule sits in its own shockmount, again helping with isolation, and on a tilting head that can be angled upwards to better capture vocals when desk mounted. There’s also a screw thread mount on the underside and adapters supplied should you want to mount it on a larger mic stand for instrument recording or singing while standing.
Austrian Audio MiCreator plate compartments
The interface is actually stereo but there are a couple of things to understand about this. When used on its own, the signal from the mono capsule is sent to both the left and right channels. If you introduce a second source via the 3.5mm combo input on the rear panel, the capsule signal is sent to the left channel and the input to the right.
That second signal could be from a number of sources. A cable is supplied to connect an instrument such as a guitar, but Austrian Audio also makes a lavalier microphone and a Satellite MiCreator, a smaller version of the mic, that can be connected to record a second person’s voice, say for an interview. Or, use both capsules on a mount to record stereo signals.
The knob on the front panel has a couple of functions, with a small LED strip providing visual feedback. In Balance mode, it mixes between the two inputs; in Volume mode, it controls the overall monitor volume of the whole unit. It’s possible to use two sets of headphones, by connecting to the out and the in/out jacks on the rear, and these will both receive signals of an identical volume. The limited number of ports means you can’t use two inputs and two headphones at the same time, though you could try a third-party splitter if you really needed to. Direct monitoring is available, so latency isn’t a problem.
The two inputs also have their own gain switches that work independently. The one on the front controls the capsule and has high, low and mute options while the one on the rear just has high and low, since with nothing connected it’s effectively muted anyway. These are reassuringly solid to use and it’s nice to have physical buttons in a world where soft buttons are increasingly the norm. The difference between high and low gain is a significant 20dB, meaning that low gain is more suited to close capture and high gain for situations where your source is a little further away.
Austrian Audio black plate (front)
Austrian Audio has specially modified the capsule to give it an impressive SPL tolerance of 130dB to cope with louder sounds. It also features a frequency range of 20Hz – 20kHz and a dynamic range of 108dB. Recording quality goes up to a very respectable 48kHz / 24-bit which is more than enough for most people. While some USB mics (Audio Technica’s AT2020USB-X, for example) allow up to 96kHz recording, this is overkill for typical users.
Unsurprisingly, our recording results from the MiCreator are excellent. It picks up a strong and clear signal both in low and high gain modes, with appropriate placement. We were particularly impressed with the even pickup when placed on a desk and angled towards the person speaking. Recording acoustic guitar was similarly effective – this time much closer up – as was adding a second person via the Satellite mic that we were sent with the package.
The company says that this mic is aimed at people who want great results without the fuss, and it’s delivered on that goal. Though a product such as IK Multimedia’s iRig Stream Mic Pro has more features, it’s also relatively more complex and has a more lightweight build. Simpler mics like Logitech’s Blue Yeti lack a second input.
The MiCreator’s form factor makes us wish that it had an onboard recording option – internal flash storage that could be downloaded after recording, which would open up whole new use cases. That, however, would require an internal battery amongst other things and surely push the price up, perhaps considerably.
So, the developers have kept it simple, making an excellent-sounding mic and interface with a simple but effective set of features that are easy enough even for beginners to use. We even love its retro styling.
Key features24-bit, 48kHz recording
USB-C data and power, class compliant
Onboard, shock-mounted condenser capsule
Cardioid polar pattern
130dB maximum SPL
Second input for stereo
20dB variable gain switches
Jog wheel for mixing and volume
Direct monitoring
Cubase LE and WaveLab Cast included
Compatible with other MiCreator accessoriesThe post Austrian Audio’s MiCreator achieves no-nonsense stereo recording in a pocket-sized package appeared first on MusicTech.
“The competition is actually Netflix or Steam”: CEO Niklas Agevik sees Reason as more than just a DAWMusicTech’s searching Stockholm for the Reason Studios headquarters. The brand, since the year 2000, has offered producers a software-based solution that mimics a studio rack, letting you drop in its own collection of new synths and classic emulations, such as the Objekt Modeling Synth, Algoritm and the Combinator. Ultimately, with this all-in-one visually appealing software hub, production becomes fun and at times educational.
After a short meander through a cobbled courtyard in the Swedish capital’s Hornstull area, we’re buzzed up to the office. It’s around 6pm on a Friday, so it’s virtually empty, apart from brand ambassador and producer Tobtok and collaborators farfech’d, who are shifting crates of beer, preparing for a launch party to celebrate the release of their new EP, My Friends.READ MORE: Murlo’s desert island music tool? “A field recorder and a bunch of batteries”
We and Reason’s CEO – as the kitchen space is transformed into a dancefloor – head to the quieter space of his desk.
“Our mission is to turn music dreamers into music makers,” Niklas Agevik starts, echoing the company’s longstanding mission.
“It should be inviting to make music. The competition isn’t other DAWs or plugins; the competition is actually Netflix or Steam – nothing to do with making music at all. When we say ‘turn music dreamers into music makers,’ it’s actually about making it so that you want to come home and start up Reason. It’s about making music-making as fun as it can be.”
There’s certainly a sense of fun in the – albeit empty – office. Behind Niklas is a life-size Daft Punk helmet. A sticker on a pillar reads ‘The anti expert expert club’.
Right now, Niklas says as he sips a can of Swedish IPA, Reason Studios is an office focussed entirely listening to Reason users to make their products better, as opposed to any side quests, if you will, such as apps and hardware.
There have been times where we’ve been too focussed on pioneering… we’ve come back and said, you know, we want to focus on Reason.
“There have been times where we’ve been too focussed on pioneering, you know? We built a social network for musicians, where they could share music with each other. We went into hardware, and I think all of those products were great products – the ReGroove is very well executed.
“But now, we’ve come back and said, you know, we want to focus on Reason. And I think that’s been a big part of the company’s journey over the last five, six years. All of the company is now focused on actually building Reason and making Reason better.”
Part of that is by breaking the fourth wall, opening up the floor to feedback from fans and interacting with Reason users. The Tobtok and farfetch’d EP launch party is one example of that.
“We try to participate in the community. There’s a community forum they run themselves called Reason Talk. We answer questions and try to be active on social media. We invite people to our office, we host parties here and invite users to come here and party with us.”
There’s even an open invite to book a lunch with Niklas himself with a queue forming. “That’s a lot of lunch!” We laugh.
Not only has the company opened up the floor to its fans, but it’s also given third party plugin developers the means to include its VST plugins within the Reason DAW. In 2020, Reason Rack then meant you could use Reason within your DAW.
“If you go back 20 years, “ he says, “Reason was more locked in and it couldn’t handle VSTs, for example. We’ve been on a journey to open up Reason and ensure that it plays a part in the ecosystem. We don’t expect our customers to come in and use only Reason’s devices or content when making music, but we want to make sure that Reason works well in whatever setup you have. If you want to use Reason for everything, that’s amazing. Go ahead. But if you have an existing setup and don’t want to switch DAWs, you can use Reason alongside your DAW or use Reason standalone.”
Reason Studios CEO Niklas Agevik in studio. Image: Oliver Payne
Reason 13?
We’ve seen the software develop a lot since it was first launched in 2000. The user interface has transformed from a basic single-window design to a modern, polished interface that’s resizable and more user-friendly. The number of available devices and instruments has grown, accommodating third-party extensions.
Perhaps the most substantial improvement is in audio recording capabilities. While Reason 1 offered limited audio recording functionality, Reason 12.6 now functions as a full-fledged DAW, providing advanced audio recording and editing capabilities.
So,when can we expect to see Reason 13? Not just yet, it seems.
We’ve changed our approach lately. We used to be a very secretive company, keeping our plans close to our chest… as part of our effort to be more open, we now publish our plans on our blog.
“We’ve changed our approach lately. We used to be a very secretive company, keeping our plans close to our chest,” Niklas explains. “However, as part of our effort to be more open, we now publish our plans on our blog. Currently, we’re very focused on Reason 12.
“We recently released version 12.6 just before the summer, which was optimised for the new Apple M1 Macs. We have another version, 12.7, in the pipeline, which will enhance how you handle content in Reason. You can find our future plans for Reason on our blog. We’re dedicated to making Reason better and more exciting, with a particular focus on developing innovative devices that are unique to Reason.”
Any reason to integrate AI?
AI technology is playing a more and more prominent role in music production, we point out to Niklas. However, it’s not going to play a predominant role in the future of Reason, Niklas says, as, for a software that is so dedicated to making producers realise the joy in making music. Hitting a button to eliminate that defeats the point of Reason, essentially.
“I think in a world of AI and generated music, the ability to make your own music is crucial. Reason is about sounding unique. It’s packed with devices that don’t exist elsewhere, featuring a distinct workflow. We believe this uniqueness is what truly helps you find your own voice.
“I’m sure we’re probably going to incorporate AI features into Reason, where you can say ‘write me a bassline’ or transition from a verse to a chorus. However, the essence of music-making, education, and inspiration remains central to Reason. Our focus is on refining your craft and simplifying music production. We’ll continue creating exciting devices, improving Reason’s user-friendliness, and providing more tools. While AI may evolve, our vision for Reason remains unchanged, emphasizing musical inspiration and craftsmanship.”
To quote Ode, a poem by Arthur O’shaughnessy: “We are the music makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams” – it’s a line that reflects Reason’s creative community, that have found its easy, fun-to-use workflow an essential part of their setups. This community are now informing the company’s decisions more than ever.
While Niklas Agevik keeps Reason 13 under wraps, we can look forward to 12.7 and be sure that the future looks bright. Move over Netflix and Steam, there’s a new entertainment powerhouse in play – it’s called Reason.
The post “The competition is actually Netflix or Steam”: CEO Niklas Agevik sees Reason as more than just a DAW appeared first on MusicTech.
