The Bastl Kalimba is a wild synth that thinks it’s a thumb piano
The Bastl Kalimba is a wild synth that thinks it's a thumb piano It’s already raised over $700,000 on Kickstarter. | Image: Bastl Make no mistake, the Bastl Kalimba is a synthesizer, you just play it like a kalimba. Its tines don’t really make much sound. There is an internal mic that you can blend […]
Teenage Engineering’s KO Sidekick is a mixer with fun performance effects
Teenage Engineering's KO Sidekick is a mixer with fun performance effects The EP-136 KO Sidekick sandwiched between two KO-II samplers. | Image: Teenage Engineering The EP-136 KO Sidekick is Teenage Engineering’s stylish new two-channel mixer, clearly designed to connect two of its KO-II samplers for live performances and DJ sets. Though, it can connect any […]
Verified by Spotify badge lets you know this artist isn’t AI
Verified by Spotify badge lets you know this artist isn't AI Spotify is launching a new verification program to combat spam, fakes, and AI. Some artists will now have a “Verified by Spotify” badge and a green checkmark on their profile, indicating that the company has confirmed a real person is behind the music and […]
The keyboard used to score Dune 2 is getting more affordable
The keyboard used to score Dune 2 is getting more affordable Expressive E is making its Osmose MPE keyboard (comparatively) more affordable by ditching the synthesizer and making it a simple MIDI controller. The new Osmose CE comes in two sizes, 49 and 61 keys, for $999 and $1,199, respectively. Now, $999 is pretty expensive […]
Teenage Engineering might be getting into instrument amps next
Teenage Engineering might be getting into instrument amps next An unannounced Teenage Engineering device, the KO-Amp 35, can be found over at the FCC in a new filing. The label clearly marks it as a member of the mid-range EP family instruments, which currently includes the KO-II and its spinoffs, the Riddim and the Medieval. […]
Spotify just won $322 million from music pirates it can’t find
Spotify just won $322 million from music pirates it can't find Spotify and the three major labels have won a $322 million default judgement against Anna’s Archive, the open-source library and pirate activist group that planned to publicly release millions of music files scraped from Spotify’s platform. The judgement comes after the unknown operator of […]
Suno is a music copyright nightmare
Suno is a music copyright nightmare AI music platform Suno’s policy is that it does not permit the use of copyrighted material. You can upload your own tracks to remix or set your original lyrics to AI-generated music. But, it’s supposed to recognize and stop you from using other people’s songs and lyrics. Now, no […]
Suno leans into customization with v5.5
Suno leans into customization with v5.5 Slop yourself. | Image: Suno Suno just released one of its biggest updates yet with v5.5 of its AI music model. Where previous updates focused mostly on improving fidelity and creating more natural vocals, v5.5 is about giving users more control. It includes three new features: Voices, My Taste, […]
Apple’s AI Playlist Playground is bad at music
Apple's AI Playlist Playground is bad at music Apple Music: “What do you want to hear?” Me: “Atmospheric instrumental black metal to write to.” Apple Music: “Here’s three metal songs with vocals, a field recording, an ambient electronic track, and a piece of doom jazz.” I am skeptical of AI’s ability to serve up the […]
Cox Communications not liable for pirated music, Supreme Court rules
Cox Communications not liable for pirated music, Supreme Court rules The Supreme Court has issued its ruling in a lengthy copyright battle between Cox Communications and major record labels, determining that the cable and internet service provider isn’t responsible for illegally downloaded music, as reported earlier by the Associated Press. The unanimous decision says Cox […]