Spotify is following the lead of many companies over the last year and dipping its toe into the world of AI prompts. The platform has announced AI Playlist, a new beta feature that lets you create playlists with a few words that get into the music vibe you want, such as "an indie folk playlist to give my brain a big warm hug."
According to Spotify, the AI playlist will accept prompts involving things like animals, movie characters, colors, places, activities and emojis. Examples from Spotify include everything from "sad music for painting dying flowers" to "relaxing music to tide me over during allergy season." It recommends using a mix of characteristics in your prompt to create the ideal playlist for your vibe.
The AI Playlist beta is available to Premium subscribers on Android and iOS devices in the United Kingdom and Australia. If you fall into that group, access it through the "+" button in the top right of your library. Click AI Playlist and choose an existing prompt or create your own. Spotify will create the playlist, and you can preview it, delete tracks, and provide notes. Once you're happy, click Create, which will save to your library.
Spotify's AI Playlist comes over a year after Spotify unveiled its AI DJ, which pulls together a selection of music you're currently listening to, previously played and songs it thinks you'll like based on your history. If the songs playing aren't precisely what you're in the mood for, then you can ask the DJ to switch things up.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-tests-ai-generated-playlists-based-on-text-prompts-103115117.html?src=rss
It gives Tiny Desk Concerts a run for their money!
They say that your creativity is probably the highest as a child, and the world introduces you to logic, practicality, and adulting through the years, diminishing that creative spirit. You spend years honing your skills, learning how to paint properly with the right technique, color theory, etc. and by the time you’re a master of your craft, you’re an adult who wasn’t as creative as your younger self. With music too, you spend years learning instruments instead of just expressing yourself, which is why the myTRACKS is such a remarkable little device. Designed to be a highly capable synth that’s good enough for even seasoned musicians, this tiny MIDI device introduces you to all the aspects of music-making, including melodies, filters, audio processing, sampling, looping, etc. It isn’t that tiny toy xylophone that we played with as kids – it’s the world’s first child-friendly music production studio that allows kids to intuitively express themselves musically.
Designer: Playtime Engineering
The myTRACKS isn’t your average kids’ toy. It’s a genuine groovebox – a miniature music production studio packed with features that would impress even seasoned musicians – but intuitively packaged in a design that’s kid-friendly and encourages curiosity. It boasts a built-in microphone for sampling sounds, just like the SK-1, but with a significant upgrade: 50 high-quality instrument sounds at their disposal. These sounds can be triggered by hitting any of the 25 pads, allowing kids to create rhythmic sequences and melodies with ease.
myTRACKS boasts an impressive collection of 48 instruments, from classic acoustic sounds like pianos and guitars to cutting-edge synthesizers perfect for crafting electronic music. But it doesn’t stop there. Built-in effects levers allow users to experiment with filters, delay, and pitch bend, adding texture and personality to their creations. This level of control goes beyond simply playing pre-programmed melodies – it opens the door to crafting unique sonic landscapes. You can make a simple piano melody sound ethereal with a touch of delay, or transform a basic synth line into a pulsating lead with a filter sweep.
The real magic lies in myTRACKS’ ability to record and arrange complete songs. Aspiring musicians can layer instruments and samples on the five-track studio, creating a dynamic composition. A dedicated drum track helps lay down a rhythmic foundation, perfect for creating anything from a driving beat to a laid-back groove. The colorfully lit play pads allow for recording custom melodies or rhythmic loops. This intuitive interface makes it easy to translate musical ideas into reality, fostering a sense of accomplishment and encouraging further exploration. Don’t have a piano in hand? No problem! myTRACKS allows you to sample any sound with the built-in microphone, turning a beatboxed rhythm or a household object into a unique musical element. Modify your samples with cool effects to create otherworldly sounds or recreate the ambiance of your favorite video game soundtrack. The bright purple levers on the side function as mod wheels, just like those found on professional synthesizers. These allow budding musicians to control and manipulate sounds in real-time – a feature any electronic music producer would appreciate.
myTRACKS isn’t afraid to break free from the stereotype of being a “kid’s toy.” The 5-pin MIDI Out port allows for seamless connection to external synthesizers, like the Blipblox, for even more creative possibilities. Imagine layering the warm sounds of a Blipblox analog synth over your myTRACKS composition, or using an external MIDI keyboard for more precise control over your melodies. Battery-powered portability with a built-in speaker means you can create music anywhere, whether it’s jamming with friends in the park or capturing inspiration on a camping trip. The universal USB-C port allows for power and sound pack upgrades, ensuring myTRACKS can grow alongside your musical ambitions. As you develop your skills and explore different genres, you can expand your sound library with additional instrument and effect packs, keeping your musical creations fresh and exciting.
A good night’s sleep is the best way to wake up energized and fresh the next morning. But if barking dogs in the neighborhood or a snoring partner alongside is giving you sleepless nights; noise-blocking sleep earbuds could be the go-to option to save yourself from any more nights spent tossing and turning.
If you are aware of noise-cancelling sleep earbuds, you may have already landed on the Anker Soundcore Sleep A10. An average option against a Bose or an Apple, the Soundcore A10 is now getting a refreshing uplift with the upcoming pair of Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds that are designed to block out as much outside noise as possible; deliver extra comfort while sleeping; and offer battery life that competitors don’t match.
Sleeping while wearing earbuds has not been a comfortable experience for me. I’m predominantly a side sleeper and the earbuds tend to hurt the ear when pressure is exerted. Anker believes it has worked its way around this problem with the new Twin-Seal ear tips that fit snuggly within the ear canal to ensure they are comfortable to wear in bed.
Even though the Soundcore Sleep A2 wireless earbuds are meant specially to block the outside noise while sleeping, the earbuds do not support active noise cancellation feature. Instead, it features a four-point noise-masking solution to ward off common disturbances such as snoring. This is made possible by the buds’ two-layer silicon construction with ear wings that offer “three times stronger passive noise blocking“ and “blend perfectly with the shape of your ear” spreading the “pressure evenly” for night-long comfort.
The new Anker earbuds can pair with Bluetooth device to play music, though information is scanty about the specs the Soundcore A20 would support. Things will become clearer in mid-April when Anker would start a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for its wireless sleep earbuds. Anker informs, the device will be offered at 40 percent discount through Kickstarter, and will go on sale for $150 after the crowdfunding campaign is over.
Until then, what we know from the company’s product page is that the device will feature a library of sleep noises that you can play to cancel out any seeping ambient sounds or perhaps to sleep to a piece of soothing music playing directly into your ear. Soundcore Sleep A2 touts a whopping 80-hour backup with a charging case in support. A companion for peaceful, disturbance-free sleep, it offers 14 hours of playback in Sleep mode and 10 hours of playback with Bluetooth.
When companies mention the term “backward compatibility”, it seldom means revamping their products from 30 years ago… but Bang & Olufsen’s managed to pull off the unthinkable. You see, people who own B&O sound-systems do so because they’re passionate about audio quality – and if there’s one thing all audiophiles will agree to, it’s that analog sound systems from the years gone by are still the gold-standard in sound quality. The only problem is that they aren’t designed to be wireless. Not that any audiophile would dream about listening to Spotify on their state-of-the-art sound system, but there’s admittedly a certain convenience to being able to play any song directly from your phone on wireless speakers. Announced just this month, Bang & Olufsen’s latest device lets you do just that. The Beoconnect Core, priced at £999 ($1150 USD), is an intermediary wireless hub that turns all of B&O’s older speakers wireless, connecting the rich, auditory legacy of Bang & Olufsen with the convenience of today’s streaming culture.
Designer: Bang & Olufsen
Not to be confused with the BeoSound Core from 5 years ago, the Beoconnect Core is B&O’s latest accessory designed to be infinitely backward compatible with the company’s entire speaker catalog. The Beoconnect Core transforms legacy speakers, some dating back more than 30 years, into modern wireless systems capable of streaming music from any app, connecting to turntables, or even enhancing TV audio for a cinematic experience. This device is a celebration of the brand’s heritage, ensuring that the beloved sound systems can continue to create memorable moments in the digital age.
“Our aim is to build product icons that can last a lifetime, and Beoconnect Core is an important addition to our product offering, that enables us to deliver on this longevity promise. Beoconnect Core connects our past with our future and comes with our replaceable Mozart streaming module that can easily be upgraded to the newest technology”, says Michael Henriksson, Vice President of Product Marketing at Bang & Olufsen. “This means that the products that our customers love can be used for years to come and continue to provide memorable moments”.
The Beoconnect Core’s understated design complements any room’s aesthetic. Its gently curved, pearl-blasted aluminum chassis is as stylish as it is functional, efficiently dissipating heat. The non-conductive cover ensures clear and uninterrupted antenna reception. For a truly integrated experience, the Core can be seamlessly docked into a BeoSound Shape tile using a custom-designed bracket. The Core’s design prioritizes easy upgradeability too. Its functionality is future-proofed by the replaceable Mozart streaming module, ensuring your system stays compatible with the latest streaming technologies. This commitment to longevity extends to the Cradle-to-Cradle design principles used in the Core’s construction, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing serviceability.
As far as compatibility goes, the Beoconnect Core offers a variety of options to integrate your B&O speakers seamlessly into your existing setup. Powerlink and USB connections ensure optimal performance with Beolab 50 and Beolab 90 speakers, while a line-in port allows for the connection of turntables and other audio sources. But the Core’s capabilities extend beyond pure audio. It features an HDMI eARC connection, enabling you to connect your B&O speakers to any TV and experience the immersive power of Bang & Olufsen sound with your favorite movies and shows. So if you’ve got yourself some B&O speakers from more than a decade ago (when wireless connectivity wasn’t really much of a priority for high-end audio companies), the $1150 Core is a worthwhile investment in future-proofing your sound system to be compatible with latest streaming apps while still retaining its ability to default back to the glorious analog playback whenever you want.
Spotify is officially expanding its offerings beyond just audio with the introduction of music videos. The streamer is rolling out a beta program that offers premium subscribers access to music videos on mobile, desktop and TV for a select number of tracks by artists like Ed Sheeran and Ice Spice.
In an email seen by TechCrunch, Sten Garmark, Spotify vice president and global head of consumer experience said: "We're starting with a limited subset of the full catalog, which includes thousands of music videos. Within this subset, we aimed to prioritize a wide range of genres and artists across our launch markets." YouTube (of course) and Apple Music both already offer music videos, so this new feature helps Spotify match up to some of its biggest competitors.
To watch a music video, Spotify users listening to a song can click "switch to video" right on the now-playing screen. The music video will always start the song back from the beginning, but users can touch switch back to audio at any point. Even if the music video plays through, Spotify will still queue the next song as audio only.
Currently, the beta option is only available in 11 countries, chosen for a "number of criteria including market size and the availability of local content support," Garmark said. While the US didn't make the cut, the countries included represent quite a global audience: Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Poland, Philippines, Sweden and the UK. Users from these nations must also have a premium account to watch music videos.
Rumors that Spotify might add music videos started last July following a number of layoffs (and more have come since). This announcement is the first time Spotify has announced the existence of music videos on its platform. However, a Reddit user posted three months back that they had the "switch to video" option on a single song: My Way, by Limp Bizkit.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-adds-music-videos-in-11-countries-but-not-the-us-120002692.html?src=rss
Neil Young is back on Spotify after boycotting the platform over two years ago, he said in a new blog post. The Canadian singer ditched the platform over vaccine misinformation on the Joe Rogan podcast, later saying he was fed up with Spotify’s "shitty" sound quality anyway.
Young returned because Rogan's podcast is no longer exclusive on Spotify. "My decision comes as music services Apple and Amazon have started serving the same disinformation podcast features I had opposed at Spotify," he said, without specifically mentioning the Joe Rogan Experience.
There's no way he could also pull his catalog from Apple Music and Amazon as well, he added, "because my music would have very little streaming outlet to music lovers at all" if he did. Young also expressed hope that Spotify would improve its sound quality, while shouting out Quobuz and Tidal for presenting his songs in high-res.
"Spotify, you can do it! Really be #1 in all ways. You have the music and listeners!!!! Start with a limited Hi res tier and build from there!" he wrote. (Spotify did announce that it would launch a HiFi tier way back in early 2021, but it has yet to actually do so.)
Fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell joined Young in the boycott, and her music is still missing from the platform. Both had reason to be incensed about the vaccine misinformation on Rogan's show as both were victims of polio — a disease that was wiped out in North America thanks to vaccines.
It's hard to say how Young's boycott affected Spotify, but it certainly impacted his finances. Last year, Billboardestimated that pulling his songs from Spotify cost him roughly $300,000 in lost recorded music and publishing royalties.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/neil-young-is-returning-to-spotify-after-boycotting-it-over-joe-rogans-vaccine-comments-071217691.html?src=rss
Wireless earbuds generally have no more than one driver, and it might be safe to assume that the TE-ZX1, featuring five drivers, is among the highest, if not the highest, number of drivers currently available in wireless earbuds. Having more drivers can enhance sound quality by allowing for more precise sound separation and clarity across different frequencies. According to the company’s recent update, this project is already in the mass-production stage.
If you’re an audiophile like me, you’ll appreciate the analog technology used in custom in-ear monitors (IEM). Their entry model typically starts with a 3-driver setup, designed to deliver balanced sound with a dedicated driver for lows, mids, and highs. On the high end, they offer a model with 12 drivers per ear – yes, 12! Considering this, the introduction of wireless earbuds with 5 drivers in each ear, priced under $300, is a game changer.
The newly developed system is known as the “Tribrid 5-Driver”. It includes a planar magnetic driver, three balanced armature drivers, and one dynamic driver. Planar Magnetic Drivers, Balanced Armature Drivers, and Dynamic Drivers each uniquely contribute to the audio quality. First, the Planar Magnetic Driver is known to produce superior sound quality, by utilizing a thin, lightweight diaphragm that’s able to cover a large surface area to deliver clear, detailed sound and excellent response times. The diaphragm’s size and thinness allow it to produce sound evenly across the frequency spectrum, contributing to a smoother, more natural sound.
Enjoy Wireless High-Resolution Audio with LDAC
Second, the three Balanced Armature Drivers are smaller and more efficient than other types. Due to their size, they are often used in in-ear headphones. These drivers can be tuned to specific frequencies, making them ideal for producing high-frequency sounds with precision. Multiple balanced armature drivers can be combined in a single earphone to cover a wide range of frequencies.
Lastly, the Dynamic Driver in the TE-ZX1 earbuds is 10mm in diameter, which contributes to superior sound quality and realistic low frequency. Dynamic drivers are known for their ability to produce strong, impactful bass and handle a wide frequency range. A significant advantage of dynamic drivers is their ability to handle a lot of power without distortion, which contributes to a louder, more powerful sound.
When working together, these three types of drivers should deliver dynamic and expansive sound quality across the frequency range, thanks to their complementary characteristics. I’m a big fan of in-ear-monitor (IEM) earphones, mainly because of the near-custom fit they offer. They provide a more enjoyable listening experience during long flights, extended office hours, or lengthy hiking trips. The high-speed combat ship “Swordfish II” from the hit anime series ‘Cowboy Bebop’ inspires the design, presenting a balanced yet high-tech and cutting-edge feel. When a product’s weight is distributed throughout the entire device, particularly something that sits in a compact space like your ear, it needs to feel balanced. This balance is what the designer has strived to achieve. The semi-hard case housing the earbuds is well-designed and features an integrated recharge function, providing up to 20 extra hours of listening enjoyment. The earbuds alone offer up to 8 hours of playtime and require only a 10-minute charge to gain another 60 minutes.
Regarding listening pleasure, having high-end drivers alone won’t guarantee rich sound quality without LDAC technology. Meanwhile, thanks to the 5 drivers, the use of a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) has been meticulously minimized By using LDAC – an audio coding technology developed by Sony that enables the transmission of High-Resolution (Hi-Res) Audio content, even over a Bluetooth connection. Unlike other Bluetooth-compatible coding technologies, such as SBC, it operates without down-converting the Hi-Res Audio content and allows approximately three times more data than those other technologies to be transmitted over a Bluetooth wireless network. This results in enhanced sound quality, more detailed and nuanced audio reproduction, and an overall superior listening experience.
Ken Pillonel takes consumer satisfaction a little too seriously. Famous for hacking previous versions of the AirPods to give them USB-C ports and make them more repairable, Pillonel has now turned his sights to the AirPods Max (which hasn’t received an update in over 3 years, as he points out). The regular AirPods and even the iPhone have both made a concerted shift to USB-C, but Apple surprisingly forgot to upgrade their flagship headphones, leaving it in the lightning era.
No stranger to hacking (ahem, upgrading) Apple’s accessories, Pillonel decided to build a USB-C AirPod Max before Apple did. The video above takes us through the journey, showing how Pillonel disassembled the existing AirPods Max, designed a new PCB with a USB-C port, and mounted it (with relative ease) in the headphones, giving them the upgrade they severely needed. The best part, Pillonel even sells his PCBs on his own website, encouraging other people to hack their AirPods Max too and upgrade them to USB-C.
The AirPods Max debuted in December 2020, which means they’re one of the only mainstream Apple products to not have received a major upgrade in years (they were announced even before the AirTag). Realizing that now was a better time than ever, Pillonel decided to take his AirPods Max for a spin, cracking them open to see the assembly inside and whether it would be easy to upgrade it. Luckily, the lightning port was relatively easy to upgrade without any invasive procedures to the headphone’s body itself. Apple designed the port with a removable metal lip that allowed it to magically become wider (it’s almost as if Apple was preparing for this transition in advance), and knocking the lip out made the hole perfectly sized for a USB-C port.
Pillonel simply unplugged the lightning connector from the existing motherboard and designed a new one that housed the USB-C port. He shared the new PCB design on PCBWay, and had the circuit boards sent to him. An older iteration featured a single-piece PCB that worked, but was susceptible to wear and tear, so Ken redesigned the PCB with a flexible ribbon cable, allowing it to bend without applying pressure on certain parts. The new PCB is available in Pillonel’s shop for 39.9 CHF ($45.3 USD).
The older PCB was prone to wear and tear if used roughly
A flexible ribbon cable on the new PCB made it much more resistant to regular daily usage
The upgraded AirPods Max (Pillonel calls it the AirPods Max 2.0) only has the one design upgrade, although knowing Pillonel, he’ll soon make the entire thing repairable and probably even figure out how to replace batteries on them. You can visit his YouTube channel here, or read our coverage on his other interesting projects here.
Once upon a time, music was played to be enjoyed by an audience. While that still happens today, most of the time we have become enclosed in our own little audio bubble thanks to smartphones. Earphones and earbuds keep the music to our ears, and smartphone speakers can’t get too loud without losing the music’s quality and clarity. Even worse, the venerable headphone jack that audiophiles use and love has been banished from mobile devices. In an effort to bring back that social listening experience, nubia is launching what could be its most distinctive smartphone yet, one that is a clear ode to a golden age of music that brings together features and design elements that will let you share your favorite tunes with ease.
There may be no room for a thick 3.5mm port inside extremely thin phones, but what if thinness was never a problem in the first place? Aiming for a different priority, the nubia Music doesn’t just bring back the headphone jack but actually adds an extra one. Yes, there are two headphone jacks on this phone, and it’s a clear indication that this device is meant for listening to music. In fact, it’s designed to let you share that music with another person, a friend or a partner perhaps, provided they also have wired earphones.
There might be times you’ll want or even need to play music that everyone can hear. That’s where the nubia Music’s ultra-loud speaker comes in, promising 600% more volume without the distortion. That’s already a huge improvement over your typical smartphone loudspeaker, but what’s even more interesting about it is the way it’s added to the phone’s design.
As if dual headphone jacks weren’t odd enough, the nubia Music even has that ultra-loud speaker on its back. But rather than just simply slapping it on like what some other rugged phone manufacturer did, nubia opted to add a charming design to this unusual feature. The circular speaker and the two cameras are set opposite each other on a raised rectangle, recreating the appearance of a turntable that music lovers will be able to immediately identify. It’s a very nice touch that should tickle the hearts of audiophiles of all ages.
The entire phone is designed with that vibrant, lively, and youthful character, presenting a device that loves to party as much as you do. With mid-range specs and a price tag that starts at only $149, it is clearly targeting a younger crowd, though any music lover will surely find the nubia Music something worth looking at and, of course, listening to.
TikTok is being forced to take down more music from its platform as a royalties spat with Universal Music Group (UMG) rumbles on. UMG recently yanked recordings it owns or distributes from TikTok including tracks from the likes of superstars Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and The Weeknd. The standoff is now impacting songs published by UMG.
"We are in the process of carrying out Universal Music Group's requirement to remove all songs that have been written (or co-written) by a songwriter signed to Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), based on information they have provided," TikTok said in a statement. "Their actions not only affect the songwriters and artists that they represent, but now also impact many artists and songwriters not signed to universal." TikTok added that it is still committed to "reaching an equitable agreement" with UMG.
Due to an issue called split copyrights, if a UMPG-contracted writer has contributed to a song in any way, that track has to be removed from TikTok. So artists who have collaborated with the likes of Swift, Adele, Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Ice Spice, Elton John, Harry Styles and SZA will see their songs disappearing from TikTok and being muted on videos that currently use them. The move will prevent more artists from plugging their work on the most important platform for promoting music.
According to the BBC, UMG removed around three million songs from TikTok after an agreement over its recording catalog expired. UMG's deal with TikTok over its publishing catalog (which covers some four million songs) ends later this week, at which point all relevant tracks will have vanished from the short-form video service.
Update 2/28 3:30PM ET: Added confirmation that TikTok is removing songs by UMPG-contracted songwriters.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-is-muting-more-songs-amid-its-tussle-with-universal-music-161839190.html?src=rss
