GEAR + TECH
MELVV On the Promise of NFTs: “Ownership Is Finally Returning to the Musicians”
You can roll your eyes and call “BS” on NFTs all you want, but their potential for musicians is undeniable. And no matter how many of those in the dark write them off as foolish without nary a Google search, independent artists will gladly continue to reap the rewards. Such is the case with MELVV, a popular electronic music producer and DJ who has performed at many of the nation’s most coveted music festivals, like Coachella, Electric Forest, and Lollapalooza. He, like many other artists, recently discovered a latent love of NFTs after a snakebitten lifecycle with a major record label. MELVV recently opened up about his experiences in a candid blog post on Mirror.xyz, a decentralized publishing platform. Due to sustained creative differences with his former label and the ...
This Memory Box Leverages Tech and Healing Power of Music to Reduce Stress In Dementia Patients
The beneficial impacts of music on those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s have been studied for quite some time. Scientists believe those benefits are attributable to many of music’s naturally healing qualities, such as its ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia, reduce depression, and decrease anxiety. Chloe Meineck observed these impacts first hand during visits with her Great Gran, but she wanted to do more to channel those positive memories for her grandmother. So she developed the Music Memory Box, a product that leverages tech and music with the goal of reducing stress in dementia patients. The Music Memory Box Kickstarter campaign explains that the product allows users to embed photos into the underside of the box’s lid. Upon lifting the lid, users should tag...
Music for the Mind: Researchers Develop Brain-Computer Interface That Matches Music to Your Mood
Happy playlists, sad playlists, party playlists—any music fan knows that when it comes to setting the mood, there’s no better way than with a killer soundtrack. Now, a pair of researchers from Germany and Singapore are taking this tenet to the next level with a brain-computer interface (BCI) that matches music to a user’s mood in real time. Ultimately, their goal is to teach listeners experiencing mental illness how to regulate and control their own emotions, they described in a recent interview. Stefan Ehrlich from the Technische Universität München and Kat Agres from the National University of Singapore have developed a brain-computer interface for music-based emotion mediation. PLOS ONE According to Dr. Stefan Ehrlich, the technology uses neurofeedback to set...
Anytime, Anywhere: Mix On the Go With This New Portable DJ Set
Renegade performances are about to get a whole lot spicier, thanks to a new portable DJ set developed by Japanese tech company Stokyo. Weighing in at a manageable nine pounds, the set comes complete with two turntables and a two-channel mixer, as well as six line inputs/outputs on the latter for speakers, headphones and a monitor. According the Stokyo, the set is modeled after the iconic GP3 Portable Turntable, which was produced by Columbia Japan through the late 1990s. Upgraded features include pitch adjustment for 12-inch or 7-inch records and a crossfader on the mixer. Each of the three units are battery or AC powered. The portable DJ set is now available for pre-order on Turntable Lab for $629.95. You can check it out here or purchase the portable turntable or mixe...
New Digital Marketplace 140 Plates Streamlines the Way You Search for Dubstep
A new one-stop-shop for dubstep has launched to shake up the way you search for new music. 140 Plates is a new digital marketplace founded by esteemed DUPLOC label head Pieter Grauwels. The platform only hosts music at or around 140 BPM, including dubstep, trap and grime, allowing DJs to eschew sifting through the convoluted categories of its larger competing marketplaces and dig right into the types of music they’re looking for. 140 Plates Additionally, this method of searching could help DJs expand their horizons, as they may find something that fits their niche while crate-digging on the platform. This is bolstered by 140 Plates’ “explore” feature. When users click on the tab, they are able to choose from tracks or releases as well as how long ago the s...
Steve Aoki Will Take to the Metaverse Jungle to Headline Monkey Kingdom NFT Event
Only Steve Aoki has the energy to stir a band of raving apes into a frenzy, and with his new partnership alongside the Monkey Kingdom NFT collection, that’s precisely what he’s going to do. Aoki has been slated to headline the Monkey Kingdom Christmas Party, which will take place in the Cryptovoxels digital metaverse. Aoki has become one of the foremost purveyors of NFTs in the electronic dance music landscape. He’s also a known fan of ape-themed projects specifically, given that he possesses an astounding seven collectibles from the famed Bored Ape Yacht Club. For obvious reasons, Monkey Kingdom has been compared to the iconic BAYC series, and just last month the collection went live with the launch of 2,222 monkey avatars. According to a press release, the artwork ...
Roland’s New Retail Experience Lets You Control the Lighting, Audio and Video In-Store
While the in-person shopping experience has suffered greatly since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Roland is looking to change the way shoppers experience their products. The key to the legendary electronic music instrument manufacturer’s experience is their aptly-named Audience Specific Experience (ASX), which allows the stores to be tuned to customers’ liking the press of a button. The audio, video, and lighting are adapted to fit customers’ needs, allowing them to further immerse themselves throughout their visit. In addition to the ambiance upgrades, Roland has product experts on-site to assist with questions, hands-on demonstrations, and more. Check out some images from a handful of Roland stores below. <phx-gallery-image d...
Richie Hawtin Teams Up With AIAIAI On World’s First Wireless Headphones Designed for Music Production
Richie Hawtin and AIAIAI have introduced the world’s first wireless headphones for music creators, the TMA-2 Studio Wireless+. Headphones and their technologies have changed drastically over the years. Wired headphones have long been the go-to for music producers and creatives alike, but being tethered arguably doesn’t allow for maximum versatility or creativity. “In 2021 it feels archaic to be wired to a piece of hardware just to guarantee pristine audio quality,” Hawtin said in a press statement. “The TMA-2 Wireless+ headphones give you the freedom to step further away from your devices allowing you to capture creative and expressive ideas while immersed in perfect sound. Disconnect and dive deeper into your moment of creativity.” TMA-2 Studio Wir...
Brian Eno Develops Limited Batch of Mesmerizing, Color-Changing Turntables
Brian Eno is an ambient artist in every sense of the word, from his role in first coining the term “ambient music” to creating ethereal lighting installations, which yield an infinite combination of kaleidoscopic perspectives. His latest venture could be seen as a convergence of these realms of expertise. Collaborating with London’s Paul Stolper Gallery, Eno has developed a limited run of psychedelic, color-changing turntables. The turntable cycles through an array of gentle hues and has lighting mechanisms included in both the base and platter of the unit, leading to a free flow of unique LED color combinations. “The light from it was tangible as if caught in a cloud of vapor,” Eno explained upon first seeing the finished product. “We sat...
The h.wood Group Announces Plans for First-Ever Metaverse Nightclub, Sunset Boulevard’s Bootsy Bellows
Los Angeles hospitality company The h.wood Group is looking to maintain their prestigious status within the world’s next technological frontier: the metaverse. The company, led by John Terzian and Brian Toll, is aiming to take The h.wood Group’s Bootsy Bellows nightclub brand to the digital realm. Working alongside Alex Shultz, the founder of Looks Rare Studio, they’ve already ushered in several promising developments to cement the brand’s digital future. The vaudeville-inspired club interior was notably modeled after Frank Sinatra’s Palm Springs home. Co-owned by actor David Arquette, Bootsy Bellows sits on one of the priciest plots of land in the U.S. on Sunset Boulevard. However, a new kind of land grab is happening befor...
Songs Synthesized From COVID-19’s Genetic Code Can Now Be Purchased as NFTs
Exploring nonstandard methods of music creation has been well on the rise in the age of big data and artificial intelligence. In one such data-driven music project titled ViroMusic, music producers have iterated upon this approach to even begin synthesizing genetic code into songs. The process of developing these songs began with software sifted through the contents of COVID-19’s RNA to identify strands of data which could be turned into music. A proprietary algorithm subsequently translates the data sets into musical notes, leading to a melodic progression that could be played by a musician. ViroMusic call this transformative process DNA Sonification. In total, a series of 10,000 sequences were synthesized into songs, which were then minted as NFTs. Musicians soundtracked the o...
Don Diablo’s $1.2 Million NFT to Be Displayed Alongside Works By Basquiat, Banksy, Andy Warhol
Don Diablo‘s latest groundbreaking NFT venture comes with a spaceship-like physical structure, the largest to ever be attached to a tokenized collectible sale. The NFT, dubbed “HΞXHIBIT III,” was recently sold to a museum collection that houses original works by the likes of Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Banksy. Auctioned off by Sotheby’s for $1.2 million, the project marks a milestone for Diablo and further legitimizes the digital art world in which the EDM producer is an unquestioned pioneer. Don Diablo’s “HΞXHIBIT III” physical NFT. c/o Press Also making history is the scale of “HΞXHIBIT III,” which comes paired with one of the largest physical art pieces to ever be attached to an NFT. ...
