Neova MIDI ring lets musicians control their musical creations through gestures
Like a smart whammy bar for a guitar, Neova is a brand new MIDI controller ring which musicians can wear on the index finger of their right hand to trigger different effects while they’re playing -- ranging from pitch bend to vibrato. It's currently seeking backers on Kickstarter.
Urban Legends wants to bring Migos and millennials into vinyl
Andre Torres, VP of urban catalog at Universal Music Enterprises, explained how Universal Music's new imprint Urban Legends plans to bring vinyl appreciation to the generations raised on streams and downloads.
Get in the groove of Record Store Day with these 10 limited releases
With Record Store Day just around the corner, it can be daunting to figure out the best new music hitting shelves. Here is our list of our most anticipated new releases to check out during the year's best music holiday. Whether you're after rarified rereleases or fresh new jams, we've got you covered.
DJ, producer, and EDM icon Avicii found dead at 28
Swedish DJ, producer, and philanthropist, Tim Bergling, better known by his stage name Avicii, was found dead in Muscat, Oman on Friday, April 20 at the age of 28. In 2016, he retired from public performances due to health concerns, instead choosing to focus on producing.
Bose patent filing points to sport earbuds that can keep themselves cool
Do the headphones you wear on your run get more uncomfortable as you start to warm up? Bose could be working on a solution to this very problem, as a patent application filed by the company points to the development of sport earbuds that could be able to cool themselves down when you start heating up.
Rock stars wear them, and so should you: A review of earplugs for concertgoers
We tried out a range of universal earplugs designed specifically for musicians and live music listeners, including a few different approaches manufacturers take to attenuate dBs without distorting sounds. Here’s our non-exhaustive look at a few earplug options for live music.
Fender’s new guitar pedals are a smooth and stylish step toward shred city
Legendary guitar and amplifier manufacturer Fender has launched a brand new pedal lineup that includes reverb, delay, distortion, overdrive, level set, and compression -- a vast array of tonal options that the company offers at a remarkably affordable price. That could make them your next secret weapon.
You can help a cyborg drummer get a new, improved robot arm so he can tour
Thanks to researchers at Georgia Tech, amputee Jason Barnes received a robot arm prototype that lets him play the drums again. Now he's hoping to get a new, improved robot prosthesis to go on tour with. And through a new Kickstarter campaign, you can do your bit to help.
Deadmau5 shows off very early version of his first-person shooter
Electronic musician Joel "Deadmau5" Zimmerman has entered the world of game development and is currently in the early prototyping stage of a new multiplayer first-person shooter game. There's a clip of gameplay on his Twitch channel. Deamau5 can be seen on his channel playing PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.
Bang & Olufsen’s BeoPlay P6 packs portable power, access to your assistants
Clad in an all-aluminum shell, the P6 delivers plenty of power, an all-day battery life, and one-touch access to personal assistants like Siri and Google Assistant. But only time will tell if a Bluetooth-only speaker really command a $400 price point, even if it does carry the Bang & Olufsen brand.
Mind-reading A.I. algorithm can work out what music is playing in your head
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a deep-learning algorithm that can work out what music a pianist is imagining in his head. Long term, the hope is to use the technology to restore synthetic speech to paralyzed individuals who are left unable to speak.
Listen to the epic ‘God of War’ soundtrack right now on Spotify
Bear McCreary's epic original soundtrack for God of War is now available on Spotify. The music's enormous chants, crescendos, and horns help to underscore the game's emotional moments. It's the latest in McCreary's eclectic portfolio, which includes work in games, television, and feature films.
‘DAMN.’ — Kendrick Lamar wins the Pulitzer Prize for Music
Kendrick Lamar has made music history, earning the Pultizer Prize for music for his 2017 release DAMN. As the first ever non-classical, non-jazz artist to earn the prize, Lamar may be the first of many influential modern artists to be considered for the award in the future.
‘High-definition vinyl’ could be spinning on your turntable by next year
While digital music sales continue to decline, vinyl LPs are enjoying a surge in popularity. An Austrian company hopes to update the manufacturing process for the 21st century to produce "HD Vinyl" records that have better sound and longer playing times.
Apple Music reaches milestone of 40 million paid subscribers
Apple Music has officially surpassed the 40 million subscriber mark. It's an impressive milestone for the music streaming service, which has also just found itself a new leader. Earlier this week, the iEmpire announced that Oliver Schusser will be taking on the challenge of leading Apple Music Worldwide.
Google could soon let you sync smartphones for music playback
Your Android phone could soon be usable in a network of others if Google's latest patent is anything to go by. The patent describes the use of a mesh network for using multiple smartphones to listen to music -- which would be perfect at a picnic or where there aren't any other speaker systems.
The new Spotify + Hulu bundle could save you some green
Spotify and Hulu are offering a new bundled service, including a Spotify Premium subscription and Hulu’s Limited Commercials plan for just $13 per month.
Rumored revamp of Spotify’s free mobile service could be a big step up
Spotify is on the hunt for new users and is reported to be prepping a new version of its free mobile service to do just that. The revamped offering could make it easier for music fans to select tracks instead of restricting them to shuffle mode. The tricky part will be converting those users to the paid model.
Hackers place gun images in Vevo YouTube videos “just for fun”
Hackers managed to get into Vevo's YouTube account on Tuesday morning, causing some popular videos to temporarily leave the platform. Vevo has since corrected the breach after the videos were temporarily removed while the hacked information was corrected.
Deezer is now available on your Google Home if you’re in the U.K.
It's been just over a month since Amazon announced that its Echo devices would provide full support for music streaming service Deezer, and now, Google is making sure that it's not left in the dust. If you have a Google Home device and are in the U.K., you can now control Deezer with your voice.
Spotify may be working on a stand-alone car speaker
Spotify may be getting into the hardware business. There is some evidence to suggest that the company is working on a standalone speaker for cars.
The AIUR speaker lets you turn up the volume with just a wave of your hand
Controlling your speakers could be as easy as waving your hands -- if your speakers are from AIUR, that is. This new Kickstarter project promises a high-fidelity speaker capable of recognizing up to 10 different hand gestures.
Why just listen when you can play? How Moodelizer makes music malleable
Dynamic Playback is a new music format technology from Moodelizer that lets listeners manipulate songs in real time, like switching from a pop version of a song to a remixed techno version. But there's more in store for the tech.
What is YouTube Red? What you get, how it works, and how much it costs
Curious about YouTube Red? We cover what you get with a subscription and how much YouTube Red costs, along with how YouTube Red works with Google Play Music to make a great music streaming service.
Ready for more? Everything we know about the ‘Armada’ movie
An adaptation of Ready Player One author Ernest Cline's follow-up novel, Armada, is on the way. Here's everything we know about the movie so far.
Is Spotify too big to fail? It just went public, so we’ll find out soon
Despite a massively popular business, increasing revenues, and hefty valuation, all signs point to Spotify’s direct listing decision being a way out for early investors.
Genius teams up with YouTube to support Song Stories, a new discovery feature
This week, music database company Genius launched its own version of the bite-sized content format with a new feature called Song Stories.
Drone pilot gets hefty fine after flying his machine over an Ed Sheeran concert
A drone flight over a packed Ed Sheeran concert in Brisbane, Australia last month cost the pilot more than $800 in fines.
I ditched Spotify for YouTube Red with Google Play Music and never looked back
Everyone loves Spotify, but sometimes, the most popular streaming platforms just aren't enough. Here's why I switched over to Youtube Red.
The new Crosley C6 turntable is easy on the eyes and your wallet
Turntable giant Crosley has announced a new series of turntables for budding vinyl enthusiasts. Called the C6, the new line of decks comes in three sleek colorways, and should bright excellent sound to those with growing analog collections.
Tidal now plays nice with Amazon Fire TV as well as Android Auto
Keeping yourself entertained just got a whole lot easier. Tidal has now launched its new app for Android Auto as well as for Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick.
YouTube plans to ‘frustrate’ music fans into paying for its ad-free service
A YouTube executive said it plans to "frustrate" users into paying for its forthcoming music streaming service by serving up more ads.
Is tech finally killing radio? Don’t let iHeart’s bleeding fool you
With the two biggest radio conglomerates in America declaring bankruptcy in the past five months, it’s easy to assume the format’s days are numbered. The real story of radio’s past, present, and future is much more interesting.
The way you listen to music is in jeopardy. Here’s how Pandora plans to survive
Pandora's Elizabeth Moody spoke with Digital Trends about the changes that need to be made in the music industry in order for streaming services like Spotify and Pandora to become profitable.