Music

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Billboard 200 charts will include online music videos
Billboard has included streaming music in its top 200 chart for years, but now it's ready to consider music videos as well. The industry publication has revealed that it will count official online music video plays from YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify and other services in the Billboard 200, starting with the charts for January 18th, 2020 (covering the first full week of January). The reasoning is quite straightforward -- this is meant to "accurately reflect the changing landscape" of music listening, Billboard's Deanna Brown said.
The crowdfunded cult of Amanda Palmer
Amanda Palmer wouldn't exist in her current form without Patreon. That's not to say Amanda Palmer the person would dematerialize if Patreon didn't exist, but Amanda Palmer the artist would be a completely different beast. As it stands, Palmer is an independent musician churning out music videos, new songs, complete albums, blazingly honest social media diaries and bits of international activism on the daily. She's constantly online, sharing her life as a touring artist, mother, wife and modern human with more than 1 million people on Twitter alone. She responds to a shocking number of tweets. All of this is funded through Patreon. Every month, more than 15,000 individuals send some of their money to Palmer, in amounts ranging from $1 to $1,000. She takes that cash and turns it into art, bypassing restrictive corporate contracts and pop-obsessed music labels. Palmer fled the traditional system in 2010, after years of fighting for creative control over her solo albums and those of her debut band, The Dresden Dolls. So, sure, it's fair to say Amanda Palmer wouldn't exist in her current form without Patreon. It's also true that Patreon wouldn't exist without Amanda Palmer.
Google Assistant can create alarms based on weather and time of day
An update on its way to Lenovo Smart Clock will add a Google Assistant option that can switch up the alarm ringtone based on factors such as the time of day and the weather. In fact, Google's AI can create and curate the piano ringtones for you.
Recommended Reading: A year later, the CRISPR babies are still a mystery
Why the paper on the CRISPR babies stayed secret for so long Antonio Regalado, MIT Technology Review A year has passed since Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui presented work on editing the DNA of two girls while they were still embryos. Ethical issues with his actions abound, and even after all this time, there's still missing details on exactly what did/didn't happen. MIT Technology Review has several pieces on the story this week. Those include unpublished portions of the research manuscript and an explanation of why it hasn't been published by either of the two influential scientific journals He sent it to.
Boss wants to replace your practice amp with wireless headphones
The Boss Katana 50 is one of Engadget's favorite guitar amps. Unlike tube-based amplifiers, digital units like the Katana series can be played at low volumes without losing much tone. But even low volume is too much volume in some cases. If you have a baby, sensitive neighbors or late-night urges to rip, the company's new Waza-Air -- which packs an amp into a set of headphones -- can help you keep noise to a minimum while theoretically still providing lively tones.
YouTube Music can handle gapless playback on the web and Android
Gapless music playback, the hot old-is-new feature when Spotify and Google Play Music added it on some platforms in 2012, is finally widely available to YouTube Music subscribers. Listening to playlists or albums with nary a pause between tracks is currently possible for premium members using Android or the web, and will be available on iOS "soon." Some users had noticed the feature being switched on back in October, but now it should be available to everyone. As we noted when YouTube Music launched last year, it arrived late to the party and very light on key features. There's still a long list of additions users are waiting for the service to work through, but hopefully this is just the first of many updates to expect as we head into a new year.
Spotify Wrapped showcases your top tracks of 2019 and the past decade
As we near the end of the year, it's fun to take a look back on what you and others have been listening to over the past 12 months, but also the decade. Spotify has released 2019 Wrapped, its latest showcase of the most popular songs, artists and genres.
Boss' SY-1000 is a synth orchestra you control with a guitar
There's more than one way to turn a guitar into a synthesizer. But Boss and Roland have always gone for the most elaborate and complicated approach. While the new SY-1000 can be played simply by plugging in a guitar or bass via a standard 1/4-inch instrument jack, it really shines when connected via Roland's proprietary GK pickup. Unlike a lot of other guitar synth pedals, the GK pickup system allows for polyphonic tracking of notes on a guitar without the use of MIDI, which can be a little unreliable. The SY-1000 builds on the tech in the SY-300 which turns your guitar licks into everything from a gnarly synth lead to a rich pad, or even a thick Leslie-like organ.
Teenage Engineering’s OP-Z companion app is now available on Android
When it came out earlier this year, there was one small omission to the otherwise excellent package that was Teenage Engineering's diminutive but powerful OP-Z synth: you couldn't use its handy companion app if you had an Android phone. Nine months after the fact, the company has addressed that issue with a new beta release that you can download from the Google Play Store.
The best portable (and affordable) USB MIDI controllers
Whether you're a musician always on the go or just tight on space, there are plenty of reasons to pick up a portable MIDI controller. I've been on the hunt for the perfect portable and affordable controller. (You don't want to lose or break something expensive while you're traveling, after all.) But honestly, there is no perfect controller. There are some very good ones out there, but none has ticked every box for me. Similarly, you'll need to figure out which one best addresses your specific needs, with the fewest trade-offs. None of these controllers rises head and shoulders above the rest to make it the clear winner. So I've laid out the strengths and weaknesses of what I think are the five best options currently on the market.
Hyperdub will release new music exclusively on a Sega Genesis cartridge
Many artists and labels are constantly exploring different methods through which to release their music beyond streaming and CDs. Some have sold USB drives featuring their tunes over the last decade or so. However, there haven't been too many instances I can think of where a selection of tracks will only be available on a Sega Genesis cartridge.
Spotify’s Sleep Timer is coming to the iPhone today
Starting today, iOS users can fall asleep to their Spotify playlists without having their rest disturbed later. Spotify Sleep Timer -- which has been available on the Android version of the app since May -- lets you select a countdown timer between five minutes and an hour. After the time has elapsed, the audio fades out so that "Pure Moods" isn't playing all night.
Save $100 on the Sonos Play:5 on Cyber Monday
In addition to Black Friday discounts on home theater speakers, Sonos is offering Cyber Monday deals that music lovers will appreciate.
Elektron's Model:Samples groovebox is $100 off for the holidays
Elektron's synths, samplers, drum machines and grooveboxes are known for their top-notch sound and unique sequencing features. Once thing they're not known for, though, is being affordable. The Model:Samples is the big exception to that rule. And it's getting even cheaper for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Most retailers have knocked $100 of the price, bringing the Model:Samples price to just $299 -- making it perhaps the best bargain in grooveboxes right now.
The Organelle music computer is nearly $100 off this weekend
Here's a sweet deal on a gift that could make sense for the more adventurous music-makers in your life. Critter & Guitari is running a sale on the Organelle M that drops the price from $595 to $499 from now through December 2nd. At that price, the music computer may be hard to resist -- it's a do-it-all instrument that can stand in as a synth, sampler, sequencer, drum machine or virtually anything else if you have the right code.
Tidal’s My Video Mix creates video playlists based on your listening habits
Tidal is launching a new twist on the usual computer-generated playlists we've seen from the likes of Spotify and Google. And it's doing so with a video-focused feature called My Video Mix. Like Spotify with its collection of "Made For You playlists, Tidal says it will create video playlists with an algorithm that's "influenced" by its expert editorial team. To do so, Tidal's algorithm will also take into account your audio listening habits.
Orba is a tiny instrument that you shake, tap and twist
Artiphon first made a splash back in 2013 when it started showing off a rather rough prototype of a device that would eventually become the Instrument 1. By the time it hit Kickstarter in 2015 it had undergone a serious facelift. In its final version it was sleek and futuristic, with an almost minimal design. Now that company is back with it's second product, the Orba, and it takes many of the core concepts of the Instrument 1 to their logical extremes.
Behringer’s Poly D stacks four Moog clones in one synth
Behringer has a reputation for producing clones of classic synthesizers that are a little too similar to the originals. While these low-priced units help musicians get faithful, analogue reproductions of prohibitively expensive vintage keyboards, Behringer's strategy of using the same schematics as the originals rubs some purists the wrong way. Announced today, the company's Poly D makes it seem like the manufacturer could be shifting gears and taking some artistic liberties when it comes to reinterpreting old instruments. The unit is similar to Moog's Minimoog Model D -- which Behringer has already cloned -- but adds several features that make it a much more flexible synth.
Recommended Reading: The making of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge
A journey to Galaxy's Edge, the nerdiest place on Earth Adam Rogers, Wired By now, even people who aren't Star Wars fans have heard something about Galaxy's Edge: the massive and detailed new attraction at Disneyland. Wired spoke to "Imagineers" who created the 14-acre expansion at the park to offer a glimpse at the work that went into making it a reality.
The Osmose synth is both futuristic and familiar
Expressive E isn't quite the household name that, say, Korg is. It's a small French startup with just a couple of niche musical devices under its belt. But its Touché and Touché SE are unique in the way they allow musicians to control and sculpt their sound. They're essentially expression pedals with four degrees of motion that you control with your hand. It's hard to explain, so maybe just watch this demo. What's exciting though is that Expressive E took what it learned from the Touché and built its first standalone synthesizer: Osmose. While it looks rather unassuming and perhaps even a tad boring, it hides some powerful features inside.

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