GEAR + TECH
Aphex Twin and Novation Unveil AFX Station, a Reimagined Version of an Iconic Synth
After Aphex Twin‘s logo mysteriously surfaced on billboards around the world earlier in the month of October, the legendary electronic music producer has returned. However, fans hoping for new music will have to hold their breath. Aphex Twin, whose last official release is 2018’s Collapse EP, has announced a new collaboration with renowned music hardware manufacturer Novation. Dubbed AFX Station, the synth is a reimagined version of the brand’s iconic Bass Station II model. The instrument features “AFX Mode,” which allows producers to introduce new patches on every key, transforming it into a flexible and dynamic analogue drum machine. Novation The AFX Station also comes pre-installed with 128 new synth patches and seven new overlay ba...
Modestep Releases Enormous Sample Pack With 1,200 Sounds
Modestep is sharing their wealth of knowledge with the next generation of producers through the release of their new sample pack on Splice. Containing over 1,200 samples, the pack enables music producers to experiment with many of the building blocks that make up some of their dubstep and bass classics. On YouTube, Modestep shared a video via Disciple‘s channel wherein they go over the new sample pack. In the extensive walkthrough, you can learn more about some of the featured sounds and see them in action. While it’s geared mostly towards producers, fans who may not be musically-inclined can still enjoy learning more about the production of some of their favorite songs. Modestep’s enormous sample pack is available for purchase now on Splice. You can check out what&#...
You Can Finally Search for Music by Humming, Singing, or Whistling
The Holy Grail of music identification has arrived. How many times were you unable to secure that elusive Shazam, only to have a sick beat incessantly poke at you like an annoying little brother? The earworm is in your head, but it doesn’t have lyrics, so you can’t search for it anywhere and it’s not like you can just clumsily hum it into your phone—until now. Thanks to Google‘s new “Hum To Search” feature, you can now search for music by humming, singing, or whistling a melody. Gone are the days of agonizing, tedious lyric searches and Reddit rabbit holes. All you have to do is use the Google Search app or Google Search Widget, tap the microphone icon, and ask “what is this song?” or click the “Search a song” button. From there, ...
How to Not Suck at DJing, According to Beat Spot
Thanks to Beat Spot, a popular educational platform dedicated to demystifying music production, mixing, and engineering, you can finally find out how to “not suck” at DJing. It’s no secret that beat-matching is the crux of DJing, but the ability to cohesively mix each track in key is one that eludes many artists. Beat Spot points to harmonic mixing as the most crucial aspect of putting together a perfect DJ mix. Knowing the key of every song an artist cues up—as well as compatible keys—is essential to a smooth performance. Mixed In Key Harmonic mixing is done by blending tracks that are in the same or related keys, which you can determine by detecting on your own or using a program such as Mixed In Key. Using the Camelot Wheel as a bedrock, Mixed In Key al...
Highlander Velebit gear list: what’s in my pack
Our Highlander Velebit gear list includes everything you’ll need for five days of hiking across Croatia’s highest mountain range I recently completed the Highlander Velebit, a 104km 5-day trek across the Northern Velebit and Paklenica national parks in Croatia. The Velebit is one of Highlander Adventure’s collection of organised treks and therefore requires a slightly different mix of gear than what I’d pack for an independent trek. To help future trekkers get the balance right, I’ve put together my usual post-trip gear list of everything I packed. Where possible, I’ve included links to the gear I carried for reference. [embedded content] Highlander Velebit gear list As the trek is only five days long with four nights of camping, I encourage trekkers to go as light as possible. I kept...
Spotify Now Allows Users to Search Using Song Lyrics
Finding the song that’s stuck in your head just got a whole lot easier. For their latest feature rollout, Spotify has added the ability to search for songs by their lyrics on the platform. A Spotify engineer revealed the new functionality in a tweet, encouraging users to try the feature. Several users reported back their search was successful even when searching using lyrics from more obscure content. Users should pay attention to the tags in the results when searching content. Search matches that are returned based on lyrics will display a white “Lyrics match” tag under the song and artist name. Spotify’s new feature now matches the search capability of its competitor, Apple Music, which has had the functionality since late 2018. Spotify’s latest ...
New Spotify Patent Aims to Curate Content Based On Nostalgia
Spotify is continuing to tweak its algorithm, this time with the addition of patented “nostalgia metrics.” According to a new US Patent & Trademark Office application, the Stockholm-based streaming giant intends to measure nostalgia through a combination of user and behavioral data. The patent describes a system whereby listeners will be served tracks they find nostalgic based on their assignment into backend demographic groups. Spotify determines the demographic of a user based on a variety of factors, including age, geographic location, and gender, among other criteria. With that data in mind, Spotify simultaneously begins identifying songs the user may find nostalgic based upon the year the song was released and the user’s listening history. The algorit...
RAC Has Created His Own Cryptocurrency
Electronic musician RAC has long believed there is a large divide between art and the actual value it provides. With a sea of intermediaries between music artists and fans, including publishers, record labels, and music outlets, RAC believes that music ownership should remain with the art’s creator. RAC has now launched his very own cryptocurrency (like Bitcoin or Ethereum) via Zora, a cryptocurrency-based marketplace where goods are bought, sold, and traded via “tokens.” RAC’s newly minted token is called $RAC, and the currency is built off of the Ethereum blockchain. RAC is banking on the new venture to inspire a paradigm shift in the way artists are paid, and begin to give the power back to artists and creators rather than third party ow...
This Scorpion Gaming Chair and Workstation Will Make You Feel Like a Supervillain
Cue Aphex Twin‘s “Window Licker” and perk up those robot ears, because Cluvens has revealed its Scorpion—and it’s straight out of the office of JP from Grandma’s Boy. The aptly named Scorpion (or, more formally, the IW-SK zero-gravity esports gaming chair and workstation) literally resembles the body of one of the poisonous little arachnids. Six legs support the 265lb chair, and the “claws” serve as arm rests and a keyboard support. To round out the design, an overhanging tail piece wraps over the user to act as a screen mount and completely enclose the user within its grasp. Cute! Boasting a sleek frame and teeming with LED lights, the Scorpion looks rather intimidating, but also extremely comfortable. With a reclining radius ...
How Electronic Music Producers Can Peacefully Coexist With Super Sentient AI
This is an opinion column. The thoughts and viewpoints expressed are those of the author, VNCCII. VNCCII is a multidisciplinary electronic music producer, rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and visual artist. It’s a strange and brave new world being an artist in the 21st century. On a macro level, you have the exponentially advanced technology such as artificial intelligence. On a micro level, you wonder how this projected superhuman AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) will affect “David vs. Goliath” creators like myself. I picture it like Adam and Eve. The serpent is the promise of advanced artificial intelligence, where the biological merges with the synthetic. Where life seamlessly merges with the IOT (Internet of things) and our lives are made more efficient, convenient, and ...
deadmau5 to Perform Virtually at Inaugural RazerCon Event
Gaming hardware giant Razer has announced the inaugural edition of RazerCon, a product showcase and press conference highlighting the company’s forthcoming innovations as well as their strategic partners. The event will see chip makers NVIDIA and Intel showcasing their product pipeline and the reveal of new content from publishers such as Capcom and Paradox Interactive. The global event is also featuring a virtual performance from deadmau5 himself. The “Pomegranate” producer has long been an endorser of Razer, including its flagship “Blade” computers. The partnership first began back in 2016 when deadmau5 notably created a production tutorial for Razer Music alongside Steve Duda. On October 10th, Razer’s CEO Min-Liang Tan will b...
David Guetta to Create Exclusive Performances for VR Platform Sensorium Galaxy
Sensorium Galaxy has taken a giant step toward bringing the experience of electronic music to virtual reality with a new partnership alongside multi-platinum dance music producer, David Guetta. Sensorium Galaxy is a new social VR platform aimed at revolutionizing the performing arts in a whole new way. The project is backed by a number of high-profile names and companies in the events sector, including Yann Pissenem of Ibiza’s mega clubs Ushuaïa and Hï Ibiza, as well as the streaming giant TIDAL. Guetta is the first DJ to embrace Sensorium Galaxy and views the platform as a revolutionary disruptor in the way fans and artists will interact forever. With this partnership, Guetta will be creating a series of performances exclusively for the virtual platform, which will s...
