Music

The latest news and reviews of music.

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A beginners guide to buying a synth
It's no secret that there's a growing interest in synths, drum machines and other electronic music instruments. There are many reasons for that -- most obviously because electronic music is now popular music. But it's also because improved technology and manufacturing have driven the prices of such devices low enough that even the most casual musician can dabble. Plus there are a dizzying number of options for you to choose from at the entry level. So how do you get started? Should you get a portable and affordable Volca? Or that new Model:Cycles that we liked so much? And are Behringers actually any good? I know you have a lot of questions, so let's get right to it.
Elektron's Model:Samples groovebox gets improved pitch control
Elektron has made a name for itself making complex and expensive electronic music gear, but over the last year or so it's made a serious bid for the entry-level market -- consumers that are keen to have a tinker around a newbie-friendly instrument rather than professional musicians. Its Model:Samples -- which launched for $449, but is now only $299 -- was designed to simplify Elektron's unique workflow for beginners, and now it's been given an update to give it even beefier features.
YouTube's latest series has musicians covering their birthday chart-toppers
YouTube might have a new, simple way to hook people on an original series: pack it full of big-name musicians. The video giant has introduced a Birthday Song series that, as the name implies, has artists covering the top song from the day they were born. The initial song is no small challenge, and will make some viewers feel old -- YouTube will have Lewis Capaldi covering the Chemical Brothers' 1996 hit "Setting Sun." Capaldi has somehow turned the big beat classic into a "slow and sad" piece, YouTube's Luke Hyams told Deadline, and it's an ironic choice when "Setting Sun" vocalist Noel Gallagher has ribbed Capaldi about his maudlin music style.
Behringer is building a free digital audio workstation
When it comes to producing music, a digital audio workstation (DAW) is one of the most important tools of the trade. This software is where musicians record and edit tracks, add effects, and play virtual instruments. Behringer -- which is well-known for its hardware-based synthesizers -- confirmed on Facebook that it will create its own DAW, which will hopefully be out sometime next year. But the company won't be going head-to-head with the likes of Apple's Logic Pro or Avid's Pro Tools: Behringer's DAW will be free.
Spotify's new home screen helps you get back to favorites
Spotify still isn't done revamping its mobile app. The music service is rolling out a "refreshed" mobile home screen for Android and iOS that makes it easier to return to favorites. You can catch up with the latest episode of a podcast, quickly fetch your gym playlist or otherwise find your go-to media without hunting. You'll still see new material to discover, such as the "Made For You" playlists and recommended albums -- it just won't be as prominent. The suggestions you see will change depending on the time of day.
Recommended Reading: The AI surveillance company watching Utah
This small company is turning Utah into a surveillance panopticon Jason Koebler, Emanuel Maiberg, and Joseph Cox Motherboard If you think Clearview's AI-powered facial recognition is a major problem, buckle up. An artificial intelligence company called Banjo has agreement with Utah that gives it real-time access to traffic cameras, CCTV/public safety cameras, 911 systems and other data. Banjo says it can combine all of that with info from social media, apps and satellites to "detect anomalies." Basically, the company claims it can alert law enforcement to a crime while it's happening. It also says the system strips all personal details so it's able to assist without sacrificing privacy. Motherboard has more on the agreement and how it's working so far.
YouTube Music's redesigned playback screen includes lyrics
YouTube Music is still catching up on features, and this time around it's one of the most important elements: the Now Playing screen you see whenever you listen. After weeks of testing, the Android version's updated playback screen includes clearer and more persistent buttons, including Up Next (to show your queue), shuffle, repeat and flipping between pure music and videos. However, it also includes an "experiment" that displays lyrics -- not a new feature in music apps, but appreciated all the same. Just be aware that it only works with some songs.
'Fuser' is 'Rock Band' and 'DropMix' without the expensive clutter
10 years ago you'd be forgiven for calling Harmonix "the Rock Band guys," because there was a three-year span where that's all the developer produced. And for the past few years Harmonix has gone all in on VR, with titles like Audica and uh, Rock Band VR. There was one notable diversion in that time, a card-based mobile game called DropMix where you mixed up musical tracks using NFC-enabled cards. But that never really took off. However, the mechanics introduced in it do live in again in Harmonix's upcoming multiplatform game, Fuser.
Peloton settles music licensing lawsuit over its exercise videos
After almost a year-long legal battle, Peloton users' shared nightmare of online spin classes with "terrible tunes" is coming to an end. On Thursday, the connected exercise bike manufacturer announced it successfully negotiated a settlement with the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA). The organization launched a complaint last year in which it sought $150 million in damages from Peloton for failing to properly license some of the songs it played during its online spin and exercise classes.
Daisy is a tiny $29 computer for building custom musical instruments
Coding your own musical instruments just got a lot more convenient. Music tech company Electrosmith has launched the Daisy, an open source microcomputer packed with everything you need to code your own pedals, synth, modules and instruments -- and it's the size of a stick of gum.
Harmonix’s next music-making game puts your DJ skills to the test
Harmonix, the developer behind Rock Band and Dance Central, is back with a new music-making game: Fuser. Players will become music festival DJs, mixing vocals, bass lines, beats and riffs from artists like Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Lizzo, 50 Cent, The Chainsmokers and Imagine Dragons. They'll earn points for timing and crowd feedback, and they'll be able to share their mixes with friends.
Model:Cycles review: An affordable and approachable FM groovebox
Fair or not, Elektron has a reputation for making complex and kinda pricey electronic music gear. Last year though, it made a serious play for the entry level with the Model:Samples ($299), an affordable, sample-based groovebox that simplified Elektron's unique workflow for beginners. In a lot of ways, it's a stripped-down version of the company's Digitakt sampler. If you're familiar with the Digitakt, you've no doubt often seen it paired with the Digitone, a sort of sibling groovebox that relies on FM synthesis instead of samples. So it only makes sense that Elektron would want to give the Model:Samples its own FM-based partner in crime. Physically the Model:Cycles is basically a palette-swapped version of the Model:Samples -- Subzero to the M:S' Scorpion. At its core it's the same six-track monophonic sequencer -- but with a streamlined version of the Digitone's sound engine under the hood. Obviously though sacrifices had to be made to hit that $299 price point. As a result, the Cycles isn't exactly a budget-friendly replacement for the Digitone. It's very much its own instrument.
Streaming represented nearly 80 percent of US music revenue in 2019
Streaming is even more vital to the music industry than it was a year ago. The RIAA has reported that streaming represented 79 percent ($8.8 billion) of American music revenue in 2019, compared to 75 percent the year before. And crucially, more of those were paid subscribers. There were 60.4 million paying customers for services like Apple Music and Spotify, representing 61 percent ($6.8 billion) of the entire industry's revenue -- a big step up from 46.9 million subscribers and 55 percent in 2018.
MOD's latest effects pedal makes advanced sounds more accessible
MOD Devices might just make powerful effects pedals available to a much wider range of musicians. It's running a crowdfunding campaign for the Dwarf, a pedal that promises the kind of flexibility you'd expect from a much more expensive device. It's really more of a platform than an old-school stomp box. You can load open source plugins (including demanding ones like pitch shifting), synths, virtual instruments and MIDI utilities, and its high power lets it closely model more demanding analog circuits and polyphonic synths. Crucially, you don't need to connect to a laptop to take advantage of it. You can store up to 750 pedals or plugins and create patches using just the on-device controls.
You can build the tiny XFM2 synth for under $100
Miniature electronics kits like the Raspberry Pi have ushered in a new generation of DIY tinkerers. And while most of these builds emulate classic gaming systems, there are plenty of other possibilities. Futur3soundz, for example, designed a synthesizer around an FPGA chip and an Adafruit digital-to-analog converter. The company says that the components can all be purchased for under $100. And while the synth has few on-board controls, it has an extensive MIDI integration, so musicians can control parameters from their keyboards, making it a viable piece of bedroom studio gear.
YouTube Music explains how its long-overdue cloud locker will work
Earlier this month it came to light that YouTube was finally working on a way to let you upload your own music to its library. Now, that feature is almost good to go. Google has published a support document explaining how users will be able to add their personal music collection to their library, either by dragging files to any surface on music.youtube.com, or by tapping "upload music" within the profile menu. The feature supports FLAC, M4A, MP3, OGG and WMA files.
Apple Music's Replay 2020 playlist tracks your favorites week-by-week
You don't have to sit tight until December to start your 2020 retrospective. As promised, Apple Music has made its automatic Replay 2020 playlist available to subscribers through its beta web player. You'll have to visit the site through a mobile browser to add the playlist (the desktop page seems stuck on Replay 2019 as we write this), but you can get an automatically updating look back at your top tracks of the year well before spring has even started.
What we’re listening to: Caspian
In this installment of what we currently have in our earbuds, senior editor Billy Steele explains why some post-rock tunes are is current favorite work music.
Jamm Pro combines powerful synth and sampler tools in one iPad app
If you're an electronic music DJ and you want to produce a truly unique live performance, you might have found your tool. DJ duo Coldcut and its Ninja Tune label have released an iPad-only app, Jamm Pro, that promises both much more power than its Ninja Jamm predecessor and "extensive" modulation and patching abilities like those you'd find in a modular synth. There are four channels with nine sequencers each (modulation, slice, pitch/reverse/drill and gate) and up to 64 patches, allowing a staggering 2,304 sequencers for each sound pack (Sound Set in Ninja Tune's lingo). You can finally use your own samples as well, whether they're from Sound Sets, external sources or straight from the iPad's mic.
Spotify’s beta songwriter pages showcase musicians’ work
Spotify hasn't been very proactive about crediting the artists and personnel behind the music it hosts. The streaming platform didn't display credits at all until 2018, and even then, the information was often incomplete. This can be frustrating for users who want to learn more about the people who created their favorite tracks and insulting to artists, producers and engineers. The company's latest effort -- called songwriter pages -- uses metadata to compile a list of songs that an artist has written and the musicians who the songwriter has frequently collaborated with, helping the user to discover more music they may enjoy.

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