GEAR + TECH
Navigate a Virtual Sound Museum as a Teddy Bear with New Sound Campus Exhibit
Enrique Tomás sought to combine sound, art, and the feeling of visiting a museum with the advent of his concept project Sound Campus, which sees its virtual debut this week. Over 120 artists answered the call with submissions ranging from live sound installations to live performances. A third of those works were ultimately selected to become part of the exhibit, which was built in partnership with the University of Arts and Industrial Design Linz. Set in a dynamic virtual world, Sound Campus creates a shared experience among attendees who navigate the Titanic-shaped gallery as teddy bears. The surreal environment will focus on “uneasy” experimental sounds as its sonic theme. Live performances will also take place throughout multiple days of the exhibition. The 3D bin...
This Sample Library Gives Producers Access to Orchestral Instruments Used in “Mulan” Soundtrack
Orchestral Tools is gearing up for the release of its new Sine library, “Phoenix Orchestra,” which will give producers access to samples used in the creation of the soundtrack of the forthcoming live-action Mulan film. The collection was developed hand-in-hand with prolific composers Harry Gregson-Williams and Richard Harvey, whose renowned compositions have appeared in works such as Shrek, The Da Vinci Code, and the Metal Gear Solid series. Featured in the software are a number of traditional Chinese instruments such as the guzheng, zonghu, and erhu, among others. The audio was recorded in Thailand by the traditional Chinese ensemble, the Ding Yi Music Company. They’ve also provided instrument ensembles that feature multi...
This Chiptune Synthesizer Lets Producers Emulate Sounds of the Nintendo Entertainment System
The connection between the electronic music and gaming communities has been one of symbiotic alignment for decades, and its mythos runs through the chiptune genre. Inspired by retro 8-bit arcade games and consoles, chiptune is dance music’s Bordeaux, aging with grace over the years to deliver some of the finest music in the EDM epoch. The NES Poly Chiptune Synthesizer seeks to pay homage to its namesake genre through its innovative hardware, which is inspired by the sounds of the legendary Nintendo Entertainment System. The synth features eight waveform settings and eight preset sound parameter settings, making 64 preset patches available to producers looking to reproduce the glitchy sounds of the original Nintendo game console. The NES Poly is als...
Twitch Streamers Can Dodge DMCA Takedowns with This Free Music Extension
As streamers continue to navigate the music streaming Wild West of Twitch, Soundstripe is here to lend a helping hand to those faced with permabans due to incessant DMCA takedown notices. Soundstripe, named one of the top five fastest growing private media companies in the US on the 2020 Inc. 5000 list, is launching a new extension that allows users to play music from its library during their Twitch streams without the burden of copyright issues. With the free tool, users are also able to simulcast their livestreams on other platforms, like YouTube, without worrying about DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) notices. For streamers who want to retain the ad revenue generated from their videos, Soundstripe also offers paid subscriptions at $15 per month. Another useful aspect of Soun...
Pioneer Raises the Bar for Affordable Quality Headphones with HDJ-CUE1
There’s a reason Pioneer DJ has become the industry standard for all things DJ-related over the years. The brand is no stranger to impressive craftsmanship, durability, and of course, quality audio. Pioneer DJ has now just released its brand new headphone model, the HDJ-CUE1, raising the bar for entry-level headphone models that don’t skimp on sound quality. Pioneer DJ’s latest headphone model comes at the most affordable price yet for the brand’s headphone models, but that doesn’t mean quality is sacrificed. In fact, the HDJ-CUE1’s specialist sound tuning is directly adopted from the HDJ-X5, ensuring that users are treated to top-notch sound at a professional level. Low frequencies come through the dynamic drivers with impeccable clarity, so that t...
deadmau5 to Launch mau5trap.tv Streaming Platform with Exclusive Set from TESTPILOT Alias
As deadmau5 continues to test the waters of the drive-in rave scene, the venerated DJ and producer is now steering into the virtual concert space with the launch of his own livestreaming platform, mau5trap.tv. The live music streaming landscape in the US has only become more robust with each passing week as the country struggles to reduce the impact of COVID-19. With no nightclubs or festivals to turn to, what started out as a pie-in-the-sky idea has now mutated into the new norm, as legions of music producers and DJs have opted to funnel their sound into the blue light of user’s devices in the absence of tours. The lingering question, though, is how to monetize the streams beyond simple advertising campaigns. The launch of mau5trap.tv will be commemorated by a can’t-...
Algoriddim Launches the Revolutionary Neural Mix Pro for Mac
Back in June, esteemed software company Algoriddim launched its djay Pro AI system with Neural Mix AI technology for iPad, iPhone, and MacBook, signaling the possible start of the next big paradigm shift within the world of DJing. Now, Algoriddim is raising the bar, entering the second phase of its music software revolution and breaking ground for music producers with the release of Neural Mix Pro. Neural Mix Pro is an AI-powered music player and editor that allows producers, DJs, and musicians alike to extract any single part of any song in their library. The Neural Mix AI software leverages Apple’s Core ML technology to separate vocals, drums, and instruments in real-time, creating studio-quality stems that are ready for live editing or remixing. An advanced offline ...
AIAIAI’s Sustainably Produced TMA-2 Modular Headphone System Does Not Compromise Sound Quality
In May, esteemed audio design brand AIAIAI announced that it would be reducing its carbon footprint by utilizing high-grade recycled plastics in its products and packaging. Going green is something that every brand can get behind, but it can sometimes result in a downgrade in terms of product quality. So how do AIAIAI’s customizable TMA-2 headphones hold up after the green shift? The answer is quite simple—the TMA-2 headphone is better than ever, and remains a leading top-shelf selection for the purposes of DJing, music production, and casual listening alike. Premade TMA-2 models vary widely to cater to the user’s individual preferences, and include wireless and comfort-based models. But AIAIAI lets the user remain in control with the modular headphone system, a...
Dive Into Disclosure’s Dazzling Minecraft Map, Designed to Mirror Their New Album “Energy”
With no festivals or clubs to conjure the magic of their new album thanks to the unwavering wrath of COVID-19, Disclosure have ventured into the capacious world of Minecraft to activate the forthcoming record, Energy. With the help of design collective Blockworks, the barnstorming electronic music tandem unveiled the “ENERGY Minecraft Experience” today, revealing an expansive world within the wildly popular sandbox video game. Designed to animate the kinetic sound of the duo’s highly anticipated third studio album—their first in 5 years—the digital landscape is a dazzling actualization not only of their Grammy Award-nominated sonic flair, but also their dedication to environmental preservation. Disclosure After the album official drops this Friday, August 2...
Ableton Scraps 2021 Loop Summit Due to “Unmanageable Doubt” Casted by COVID-19
Music festivals aren’t the only major events to feel the wrath of COVID-19 amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Venerated German music software company Ableton, the developer of the most ubiquitous digital audio workstation on the planet, has cashed in its chips and cancelled its in-person 2021 Loop Summit, citing fears of COVID-19. “We have taken the difficult decision to cancel the Loop Summit in 2021,” Ableton said in a statement. “It is increasingly clear that we cannot guarantee the level of health and safety that our event demands. In addition to the welfare risk, the ongoing global pandemic has continued to cast unmanageable doubt over all aspects of our event planning. Uncertainty in future travel and event restrictions has made it impo...
Spotify Signs Deal to Be Exclusive Audio Streaming Partner for Global “League of Legends” Esports Events
Spotify and Riot Games have joined forces to spawn quite a formidable tandem in the EDM and gaming crossover space. The streaming behemoth has signed an exclusive deal with Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, to become the official audio streaming partner for the game’s Esports global events. The momentous partnership kicks off ahead of the game’s 2020 World Championship on September 25th and will also encompass the Mid-Season Invitational and All-Star Event. The Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game remains the most popular Esport in the world. In 2019 alone, massive tournaments were held in over 37 different cities across five continents, amassing a record-breaking viewership of 21.8 million average minute audience. Moreover, the official Leag...
Quadrivium, a Synth Controlled with Data from the Moon, is Out of This World
Modern producers know that the modular synthesizer plugins of the world today can create some pretty far-out sounds. Perhaps no one knows better than Giorgio Sancristoforo, the mastermind behind synth plugins such as Decoder/Encoder and Substantia. The creator is now putting forth his latest work, Quadrivium, and it might just be his most stellar offering to date. Quadrivium’s modulation is driven by data from the moons of our solar system’s gas giant planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Parameters within the synth, like the filter cutoff, ring modulator, reverb, and tape stop can be modulated using the data, providing some very unique and interesting sounds. Sancristoforo says that the data collected from the moons will span a ten-year period—from 2020 to...
