FREE VSTs, Spotify CEO in hot water, Washed Out's new album drops June 28th

FREE VSTs, Spotify CEO in hot water, Washed Out's new album drops June 28th

Studio Tool You Need 🎹

There’s a plugin company that has decided to go out of business, and as a result, it is giving away all of its previously paid plugins for free. You can visit spectral-plugins.com to download three types of plugins: Spacer, Pancz, and OCS-45. Spacer is a modular effect station for creating FX, Pancz is a transient shaper, and OCS-45 simulates cassette tape sounds. Check them out!


Production Sauce 🎵

Fine tune your low end with a limiter to get the best master. Cosmic Academy’s video show us how to isolate the low frequencies and choose the best limiter presets and settings for each track. Check it out here!


News You Should Hear About ⚠️

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has sparked controversy after saying the cost of making content as an artist is "close to zero."

In a post on Twitter/X, Ek stated, “Today, with the cost of creating content being close to zero, people can share an incredible amount of content. This has sparked my curiosity about the concept of long shelf life versus short shelf life.”

Independent artists have pushed back against the Swedish billionaire, arguing that the cost of gear, promotional efforts, videos, performances and production are unseen expenses behind most artist's content.

The comments come at a time when the music streaming giant is experiencing a tumultuous relationships with artists and users alike– changing UI functions without warning, underpaying royalties, decreasing the amount that artists make from streaming and laying off thousands of employees this past year.


An Industry Secret They Don't Want You To Know 🤫

TSX Entertainment offers a unique chance to feature your video on Times Square's LED screens for $40. This service, called PixelStar, allows anyone to shine in this iconic location for a few minutes. It's a simple process via the TSX app, making it accessible for artists and individuals alike to gain unprecedented exposure.


Artists We Love 🎤

Ernest Green Jr aka Washed Out is known as the "godfather of chillwave". Washed Out is commonly named among the artists who were most prominent in the 2010s chillwave era. As huge fans of that time ourselves, we're excited about his new album "Notes From a Quiet Life," releasing June 28th! His latest singles, "Waking Up," "Running Away," and "The Hardest Part," give us a sense that Ernest has experimented with new directions while still calling back to his signature projects, "Life of Leisure" and "Within and Without," which are available on Spotify and Apple Music.


What's Happening at 343?

Thanks to everyone who came out to our NYC Open House last night!

Coming up next Thursday, June 20th, we've got our 1-Year Producer Program Open House! Interested in learning music production, recording your own songs, meeting other artists, and finishing an EP all in a year? Stop by and check out our program and the 343 studio space! RSVP for free!

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