GEAR + TECH
You Could Own Aphex Twin’s Yamaha CS-5 Analog Monosynth
The Yamaha—with the “Selected Ambient Works Volume II” liner notes etched by Aphex Twin—is up for auction on eBay. An incredible piece of Aphex Twin memorabilia is up for auction via eBay. Aphex Twin’s Yamaha CS-5 analog monosynth—the very same used in the production of his iconic Selected Ambient Works Volume II album—was purchased by an eBay user in 2006 at a Vemia auction in the United Kingdom. That user, telestatt, is now offering up what he refers to as “the ultimate holy grail of Aphex Twin memorabilia,” a one-of-a-kind synthesizer that has the Selected Ambient Works Volume II liner notes etched into the bottom of it. Those etchings were photographed and used for the album’s artwork. View the 4 images of this gallery on the original ...
Ableton 11 is Coming—With a Slew of Amazing New Features
Ableton’s latest incarnation looks to be the quintessential digital audio workstation. Ableton is perhaps the digital audio workstation (DAW) most preferred by producers around the globe. Its functionality and user-friendly features make it a top-of-the-line choice for those just entering the music production game and veteran producers alike. Now, Ableton seeks to set the bar even higher with its newest version. Ableton Live 11 will boast a slew of useful and innovative new features in addition to its already expansive breadth of utility. Among them is a feature that organizes individual takes of recordings into separate tracks, and allows the user to select the best sections of those takes, and splice them together to create a perfect recording. This feature will prove to be in...
Check Out the Custom Xbox Series X/S Consoles Gifted to Steve Aoki and Zedd
The gaming community is celebrating the release of the Xbox Series X/S today, November 10th. To market the release of the hotly anticipated fourth generation Xbox consoles, Microsoft decided to tap into the electronic music pool. Developers have gifted Steve Aoki and Zedd their own custom consoles, sending each one in a beautiful, specially packaged box. As part of the partnership, each artist is also hosting a giveaway. Zedd is giving away one signed controller and a six-month Ultimate Xbox Game Pass while Aoki is offering up the chance to win a signed controller to those who make a $5 donation to his Aoki Foundation. Aoki and Zedd are avid gamers, frequently streaming their endeavors on Twitch. Zedd is a diehard Valorant player and also recently took part in the Muscular Dystro...
These New Bionic Gloves Help Impaired Pianists Regain Mobility to Play
In Brazil, acclaimed pianist João Carlos Martins has regained his ability to play the piano, thanks to newly designed bionic gloves that have renewed his hand’s mobility. Created by Ubiratan Bizzaro, the gloves, dubbed the Bionic Extender Gloves, were made by a 3D printer, using rods to help pianists who have lost the use of their hands or fingers continually play the instrument. “To be able to use all ten fingers again more than 20 years later is a miracle for me at the age of 80,” Martins said. According to a recent study by the UK’s Youth Music and Take it away Consortium, disabled musicians face many barriers to music making and performing, including access to gear with specially designed accommodations. In fact, 63% of the music retailers who participated i...
A Stadium in North Carolina is Using AI to Detect if Attendees are Wearing Masks
While the global health community at large continues to develop new strategies to contain the novel coronavirus, the University of North Carolina’s Reese Innovation Lab is turning to artificial intelligence to try their hand at helping to get things back on track. On October 10th, 2020, the Reese Innovation Lab in partnership with Lenovo first deployed their AI-powered “Health Greeter Kiosks” at the Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The kiosks made use of large screens, depth-sensing cameras, and real-time anonymized data to determine whether or not attendees were wearing masks and if they were social distancing. If someone wasn’t wearing a mask or was too close to another person, the screen issued an alert advising a correction ...
Spotify Will Soon Allow Streaming from Apple Watch Without iPhone Nearby
Streaming giant Spotify is heavily favored among music fans, even those who stream via their Apple devices. The popular Apple Watch is a great tool for this purpose, but previously, the Spotify app did not allow streaming directly from the watch without an iPhone tethered. A new update will alleviate that inconvenience, as the Spotify app will now be usable directly from the Apple Watch without the need for an iPhone to be paired with the device. While the watch previously acted as more of a remote for the iPhone, its newer incarnations boast expanded functionality, including this Spotify update. Spotify Everywhere Users can now leave the iPhone behind when it comes to streaming from Spotify, making things especially convenient for those looking to play music during a run o...
10 Christmas gifts for travellers
Our annual list of 10 Christmas gifts for travellers, be they bookworms, shutterbugs, adrenaline junkies or culture vultures I welcomed 2020 with friends in Milan. It was going to be a big year for me and, in some ways, it was. Take It Back came out in paperback in March and its follow-up, Truth Be Told, was out in September. I launched Asian Booklist, a non-profit organisation that helps readers discover new books by British-Asian authors and I finished the first draft of my next novel – all while running Atlas & Boots. Meanwhile, Peter climbed one of the seven summits in January. He managed to fit in treks in Germany and Croatia, and completed the ‘microchallenge’ of climbing all 41 mountains in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. On the flip side, we had trips to Gambia, ...
Armin van Buuren Announces Series of VR Performances via Sensorium Galaxy
As the global pandemic continues to delay the return of live music, artists have worked tirelessly to keep their virtual sets as creative and fresh as possible. Armin van Buuren is the latest artist to announce he’ll be taking the stage inside of virtual reality via Sensorium Galaxy. Sensorium Galaxy Sensorium Galaxy is a new TIDAL-backed company offering unique VR experiences set to launch in early 2021. As a social VR platform, their goal is to provide artists a space to connect with fans in new ways and completely change the virtual concert game. van Buuren has expressed he’s ready to take things to the next level in VR. “By not being subjected to the laws of physics and the boundaries of the real world, I can develop performances where the immersive environment become...
Listen to Grimes’ Ambient, AI-Powered Electronic Lullaby
Synth-pop icon Grimes is a new mother to X Æ A-Xii (yes, that is the child’s actual name, in case you hadn’t heard) with her husband, billionaire Elon Musk. Of course, every new mother can sympathize with sleepless nights, as an infant can cry for hours at a time, keeping everyone in the house awake. New mothers such as Grimes are no strangers to lullabies, and the eccentric art pop artist has taken things a step further by creating her own in partnership with AI mood music startup Endel Pacific. The lullaby is an electronic ballad that’s described as a “limited edition sleep soundscape.” Grimes’ vocal work and music form the basis for the song, and the AI elements are then incorporated to adapt the soundscape to many diffe...
Armin van Buuren is Re-Releasing His “Balance” Album in Immersive Dolby Atmos
You can now experience Armin van Buuren‘s iconic trance sound like never before. The dance music legend and “A State Of Trance” proprietor has teamed up with Dolby to re-release his seventh studio album Balance in immersive Dolby Atmos. The unique re-issue of Balance, which was released exactly one year ago, will be available across TIDAL’s HiFi tier and Amazon Music HD starting today, October 26th. Music processed in Dolby Atmos “makes listeners feel like they’re inside the music” by adding more space, clarity, and depth. Songs produced using the technology offer a more immersive listening experience because creators are able to strategically place distinct audio elements in a 3D sound field, which isn’t possible in stereo....
Martin Garrix Reveals Custom Postage Stamp That Gives Access to Private Augmented Reality Performance
One fact you may not know about Martin Garrix is that he has a special affinity towards stamps. While he’s referenced it in the past by naming his label STMPD RCRDS, the connection actually comes from his youth, when he grew up with a father who owned a stamp auction house. In a true full-circle moment, the world-renowned electronic music artist has now been honored with his very own stamp through PostNL. WOPA+ Stamps & Coins Many DJs and producers strive for global success, but for someone who has reached that level and beyond, the honor of having a stamp named after you is next level kind of glory, especially when your family has such deep ties to it. While some may think, “Who uses stamps anymore?” PostNL is looking to alter that mindset by bringing the littl...
How to choose a tent: a buying guide
Our comprehensive guide on how to choose a tent will ensure dry and comfortable nights whatever the weather If you ask me, time in a tent is time well spent. I’m usually at my most content when under canvas. With the distractions of modern life left behind, I find that camping has a detoxifying effect on me. At the end of a day on the trail, I pitch my tent, eat, drink, sleep. In the morning I strike my tent and then repeat. It’s a simple but good life. Of course, knowing how to choose a tent is not so simple. There is a slew of options available with a glossary of bewildering jargon to match. It can be a confusing affair and potentially an expensive one if you get it wrong. If you get it right, however, you will enjoy comfort, reliability and some of the best views money can’t buy night a...
