GEAR + TECH
Roland’s New Retail Experience Lets You Control the Lighting, Audio and Video In-Store
While the in-person shopping experience has suffered greatly since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Roland is looking to change the way shoppers experience their products. The key to the legendary electronic music instrument manufacturer’s experience is their aptly-named Audience Specific Experience (ASX), which allows the stores to be tuned to customers’ liking the press of a button. The audio, video, and lighting are adapted to fit customers’ needs, allowing them to further immerse themselves throughout their visit. In addition to the ambiance upgrades, Roland has product experts on-site to assist with questions, hands-on demonstrations, and more. Check out some images from a handful of Roland stores below. <phx-gallery-image d...
Richie Hawtin Teams Up With AIAIAI On World’s First Wireless Headphones Designed for Music Production
Richie Hawtin and AIAIAI have introduced the world’s first wireless headphones for music creators, the TMA-2 Studio Wireless+. Headphones and their technologies have changed drastically over the years. Wired headphones have long been the go-to for music producers and creatives alike, but being tethered arguably doesn’t allow for maximum versatility or creativity. “In 2021 it feels archaic to be wired to a piece of hardware just to guarantee pristine audio quality,” Hawtin said in a press statement. “The TMA-2 Wireless+ headphones give you the freedom to step further away from your devices allowing you to capture creative and expressive ideas while immersed in perfect sound. Disconnect and dive deeper into your moment of creativity.” TMA-2 Studio Wir...
Brian Eno Develops Limited Batch of Mesmerizing, Color-Changing Turntables
Brian Eno is an ambient artist in every sense of the word, from his role in first coining the term “ambient music” to creating ethereal lighting installations, which yield an infinite combination of kaleidoscopic perspectives. His latest venture could be seen as a convergence of these realms of expertise. Collaborating with London’s Paul Stolper Gallery, Eno has developed a limited run of psychedelic, color-changing turntables. The turntable cycles through an array of gentle hues and has lighting mechanisms included in both the base and platter of the unit, leading to a free flow of unique LED color combinations. “The light from it was tangible as if caught in a cloud of vapor,” Eno explained upon first seeing the finished product. “We sat...
The h.wood Group Announces Plans for First-Ever Metaverse Nightclub, Sunset Boulevard’s Bootsy Bellows
Los Angeles hospitality company The h.wood Group is looking to maintain their prestigious status within the world’s next technological frontier: the metaverse. The company, led by John Terzian and Brian Toll, is aiming to take The h.wood Group’s Bootsy Bellows nightclub brand to the digital realm. Working alongside Alex Shultz, the founder of Looks Rare Studio, they’ve already ushered in several promising developments to cement the brand’s digital future. The vaudeville-inspired club interior was notably modeled after Frank Sinatra’s Palm Springs home. Co-owned by actor David Arquette, Bootsy Bellows sits on one of the priciest plots of land in the U.S. on Sunset Boulevard. However, a new kind of land grab is happening befor...
Songs Synthesized From COVID-19’s Genetic Code Can Now Be Purchased as NFTs
Exploring nonstandard methods of music creation has been well on the rise in the age of big data and artificial intelligence. In one such data-driven music project titled ViroMusic, music producers have iterated upon this approach to even begin synthesizing genetic code into songs. The process of developing these songs began with software sifted through the contents of COVID-19’s RNA to identify strands of data which could be turned into music. A proprietary algorithm subsequently translates the data sets into musical notes, leading to a melodic progression that could be played by a musician. ViroMusic call this transformative process DNA Sonification. In total, a series of 10,000 sequences were synthesized into songs, which were then minted as NFTs. Musicians soundtracked the o...
Don Diablo’s $1.2 Million NFT to Be Displayed Alongside Works By Basquiat, Banksy, Andy Warhol
Don Diablo‘s latest groundbreaking NFT venture comes with a spaceship-like physical structure, the largest to ever be attached to a tokenized collectible sale. The NFT, dubbed “HΞXHIBIT III,” was recently sold to a museum collection that houses original works by the likes of Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy. Auctioned off by Sotheby’s for $1.2 million, the project marks a milestone for Diablo and further legitimizes the digital art world in which the EDM producer is an unquestioned pioneer. Don Diablo’s “HΞXHIBIT III” physical NFT. c/o Press Also making history is the scale of “HΞXHIBIT III,” which comes paired with one of the largest physical art pieces to ever be attached to an NFT. ...
The Guitar Used By Nile Rodgers to Record Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” Is Up for Auction
Finally—an auction not happening in the metaverse or being sold as an NFT. Iconic guitarist, songwriter, and record producer Nile Rodgers is donating nearly 160 electric guitars, amps, synthesizers, and more to be put up for auction, which will be hosted by Christie’s. All net proceeds will benefit the We Are Family Foundation and the auction will begin on Thursday, December 16th at 10AM ET. All of the musical instruments up for auction are ones that Rodgers has used throughout his seminal career, including the 1981 Tokai guitar he used to record Daft Punk‘s single “Get Lucky” (with Pharrell Williams). Rodgers’ 1987 Porsche 930 Targa Turbo will also be up for auction, estimated to be worth $150,000 to $200,000. Recommended Articles ...
Bite-Sized Audio Sharing App humit Aims to Redefine How Fans Connect Through Music
humit is on a mission to change the way people connect through music discovery. Backed by Antler, a Singapore-based early-stage VC firm, the app was launched last year by three self-described music geeks: Rohit Ganapathy, Prithvi Sankar, and Ishaan Negi. Since then, they’ve worked tirelessly to develop their audio-first social platform with hopes to inspire a paradigm shift in the way music is consumed. “Back in college, we did not know how to build an app or anything about licensing content, so we created these Facebook and WhatsApp communities for likeminded listeners to share and discover music,” Sankar explained. “Soon we realized that the current music streaming services lack compelling social features. And while existing social networks are great for shar...
VRJAM Launches Public Token Sale to Revolutionize Metaverse Music Experiences
The concept of the metaverse and speculation about its impact on the future of the music industry have been buzzworthy topics throughout 2021, and those conversations are only just beginning. According to EMERGEN Research, the current $47 billion metaverse sector is expected to continue growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 43.3% through 2028. And with a long runway of upside ahead, VRJAM is wasting no time in an effort to become an early frontrunner in the emerging metaverse concert space. In partnership with Enjin.io, VRJAM is taking a multi-faceted, artist-first approach in delivering turnkey-style NFT solutions and providing a platform for virtual concerts that are easily monetized by performers. VRJAM seeks to bring artists closer to their fans by providing the...
Kàra Màr Is the First AI-Driven Social Artist to Release an Album On Spotify
Kàra Màr, an AI-powered DJ developed by Sensorium Galaxy, has released their debut album. According to the metaverse company, they are the first AI-driven social artist to release a full-length album on Spotify. While we’ve seen AI artists perform live DJ sets and write songs, we’ve yet to receive an entire album released on the streaming giant. The pounding techno album, dubbed Anthropic Principle, comprises eight instrumental tracks that Sensorium Galaxy says connects Kàra Màr directly to their backstory: Meet Kàra Màr, an AI-empowered virtual artist from Sensorium Galaxy metaverse ahead of their first performance in PRISM World. Cutting-edge look, non-binary gender. As their back-story tells, Berlin-based techno DJ and producer make for a special case in ...
deadmau5 and Portugal. The Man Could Achieve First Platinum-Selling Song Distributed Exclusively as NFT
deadmau5 and Portugal. The Man are seeking to take their new collaboration Platinum exclusively through the use of NFTs. In a groundbreaking use case, the artists are minting one million copies of their collaboration, dubbed “this is fine,” on the NEAR blockchain. Fans can pick up a copy via the Mintbase NFT marketplace. Copies of the NFT are being sold for 0.25 NEAR each, equivalent to around $2.25 USD. The methodology harkens back to the days of downloading iTunes singles for $1.29 each back in the pre-streaming era. Outside of the single itself the purchase includes a copy of the track’s cover art, which was developed collaboratively between Smearballs—the designer behind deadmau5’s surrealist “Monophobia” music video—and Woode...
Martin Garrix Invests In Disruptive Dutch Audio Tech Startup Mayht
Nearly two months after a strategic investment in the metaverse, Martin Garrix has led a new funding round for Dutch audio tech startup Mayht. Garrix, alongside Swedish solar cell company Exeger and venture capital firm Forward.One, have helped Mayht raise over $10 million. The disruptive company has reinvented the core inner-workings of speakers with their Heartmotion technology. Their innovative tech will reduce the overall footprint of speakers, allowing massive sound systems to be packaged in a much smaller size. It could prove to be a staggering development for the audio industry. According to a press release issued to announce the funding, Mayht’s executive team believes their tech could revolutionize the home entertainment, portable device, voice assistant, soundbar...
