Month in music tech: the biggest news of April 2021

NFTs rage on in the music industry as more artists set up shop, but the conversation remains divided. Beatport has announced plans to accept Bitcoin as payment and Audius now lets users host NFTs on their site. Benn Jordan put together a comprehensive video outlining the potential negative impacts of the tech.

Elsewhere, AI algorithms continue to bewilder music enthusiasts with a new project that has created ‘new’ music from Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana and Jim Morrison. Another service, Lalal.ai, can automatically split vocal stems from a track for free. For those looking to stay grounded and make music without AI, Arturia’s Pigments 3 is here with an additive synth engine.

In this round-up, we recap the biggest and best news of April 2021, keeping you in the loop on announcements, product releases and new freeware you might have missed.

Industry

• Behringer and Music Tribe are fulfilling their pledge to donate 1,510 MS-1 synths to underprivileged children.
• A new AI algorithm has created ‘new’ tracks by Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse and Jim Morrison in The Lost Tapes Of The 27 Club.
• Beatport has announced it will soon accept Bitcoin as payment and plots an NFT launch.
• Benn Jordan, AKA The Flashbulb, has created a new video that explores NFTs and explains why he thinks artists are environmentally irresponsible and should “just wait” for Ethereum 2.0.
• Tim Exile and 1×1 used Endlesss to instantly mint NFTs of their one-hour jam.
• BandLab has achieved a userbase of 30 million and celebrated with a Google Pixel 5 giveaway.
• Waves Audio has launched an audio training program that is powered by its own catalogue of plug-ins.
• The Endless Acid Banger is Vitling’s browser-based algorithm that you can use to generate endless acid music.
• Roland’s CMA fine has been upped to £5 million after submitting a “highly unusual” appeal to the marketing watchdog.

Gear

• MusicTech has released a new video series, Rare Finds, that peers into the studios of producers with unique and sought-after gear.
• Behringer has reimagined the Korg PolySix in its upcoming eight-voice Polyeight synthesizer.
• MOTU has released its fifth-genereation UltraLite audio interface, boasting 40 simultaneous audio channels over USB-C.
• Urbanista’s Los Angeles headphones are solar-powered for unlimited playtime.
• Modal Electronics updates its super-affordable Skulpt synth to the Skulpt SE, with an improved design.
• SSL has introduced two fresh additions to its 500 Series range: the UltraViolet EQ and SiX Channel modules.

Software

• Apple announces a new line of M1-equipped machines, including a new M1 iMac and M1 iPad Pro.
• Arturia releases Pigments 3 as a free update to existing users, introducing additive synthesis and some features based on iconic classic synths.
• Lalal.ai is a web-based service that can automatically split any track into vocal and instrumental stems.
• Hainbach teams up with Spitfire Audio on the unique Landfill Totems instrument, letting you play obsolete lab equipment musically.
• Deadmau5‘s new OSC/PAR plug-in lets you stream tracks from your DAW to an OSC client such as OSC/Pilot.
• Talinn is a new software instrument from Orchestral Tools that gives you the sounds of a revered Estonian choir.
• Samples From Mars brings back the sounds of an ultra-rare synth in its 360 From Mars pack.
• UVI’s Super-7 is a software emulation of Roland’s MKS-7 Super Quartet, combining the sounds of the Juno-106 and Roland drum machines.
• Fans of the Roland Juno-106 may want to check out Softube’s new Model 84, an authentic software recreation of the iconic synth.
• Samplesound has collaborated with techno master craftsman Michael Klein on a modular-based techno sample pack. 
• Yurt Rock’s Clyde Stubblefield – The Funky Drummer is a collection of the James Brown drummer’s beats that you can use royalty-free.

Freeware

• We round up the best freeware of the month in our monthly guide.

• Fancy 10GB of free samples? You might want to check out W.A. Production’s Free Anniversary Collection Vol.7.
• Spitfire Audio has released another LABS instrument, LABS Percussion, comprising drum hit, congas, cowbells and more.