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Videographer Jack Pearson shared this mini-documentary, Roger Linn: The King of Drum Machines.

This is the story of Roger Linn, a guitarist and songwriter from Los Angeles who created the modern drum machine and changed the sound of modern music.

Roger Linn has changed the sound of music with instruments like the LinnDrum and the MPC, but also has a humble and humorous take on his impact.

Video Summary:

“I first learned about Roger a few years ago while making a film called “The History of Sampling in Music”.

While I didn’t know anything about Roger at the time, I was astounded to learn that he had created both the LinnDrum and the MPC, which shaped the punchy robotic drums of 80s pop music and the grungy experimental grooves of 90s hip-hop respectively. I did a quick bit of research about him for my video, but didn’t really dig much deeper than that…

However, a few months ago I decided to rewatch my old project, which reignited my interest in Roger’s story and gave me the idea for this video.

Like my previous project, I’d initially planned to write a script and do a voice-over, but after discovering the assortment of recorded interviews that Roger has already appeared in, I realized that I could just chop them up and have Roger tell his own story. I thought “hey that sounds pretty cool, how hard could it be?”

Well, let’s just say I’m probably never going to do something like this again. I did enjoy making this and I am proud of it, but if I had just done a voice-over not only would it have been easier to make, but I also could’ve included a lot information without it feeling incredibly clunky. The initial cut was about 26 minutes, but I cut out loads of stuff for the sake of pacing and trying to stick to narrative beats.

Roger is a fascinating guy with a lot of great anecdotes though, so if you enjoyed this video then I highly recommend you seek out some of the podcasts/interviews he’s done over the years.”

Note: The nickname “The King of Drum Machines” comes from Dave Smith, and a panel discussion at Sweetwater’s Gearfest 2015.

iZotope Ozone 12 adds new machine learning modules and a more musician-friendly AI assistant ‘Unlocking the impossible without compromising on creative control’.

US developer iZotope first introduced its machine learning-powered ‘assistant’ feature to its Ozone and Neutron applications all the way back in 2017. This smart analysis feature works by analysing your incoming audio and suggesting a mixing or mastering preset specifically designed to suit the source material.

This assistant tech is one of the key areas to receive an upgrade in the latest version of iZotope’s Ozone mastering suite. In Ozone 12, the Master Assistant will still suggest settings, but now allows for more creative guidance from the user. The new interface now has options to specify modules, dictate LUFS targets and select from a variety of genre presets, allowing you to shape the Assistant’s suggestions around your specific tastes and intentions.

According to iZotope, Master Assistant is intended to ‘guide, not decide’ and is designed to “assist and inspire artists, unlocking the impossible without compromising on creative control.”

There’s more to Ozone 12 than just the Master Assistant though. The update also introduces a trio of new modules to work with.

The first of these is Stem EQ, which makes use of stem separation algorithms in order to individually EQ the vocal, bass, drum and instrument elements of a stereo audio file. Next up is Bass Control, which uses machine learning to intelligently refine and control low-end frequencies.

The final new module is another machine learning-powered tool named Unlimiter. This is designed to restore transients and dynamic range to overly compressed audio files.

Ozone 12 also adds a new IRC 5 mode to its Maximizer module, which iZotope claims “delivers outstanding loudness and clarity without the usual tradeoffs like pumping or distortion.”

Ozone 12 is out now in three tiers – Elements, Standard and Advanced – which contain varying assortments of modules and are priced at £55/$55, £209/$219 and £479/$499 respectively. You can compare the different versions at iZotope website.

The latest version of Ozone is also available as part of iZotope’s Music Production Suite, which also includes iZotope’s Neutron, Nectar and RX applications, the Catalyst Series effects, Native Instruments’ Guitar Rig, and more. That bundle is priced at £769/$799.

Head to the iZotope site for more info and to try a free demo.

Composer & synthesist Anthony Marinelli shared this behind-the-scenes look at Tom Oberheim’s garage workshop.

This follows up on Marinelli’s new interview with Oberheim, and offers a rare look at the process used in creating some of the most important synths ever created.

Video Summary:

“Step inside the legendary garage workshop of Tom Oberheim—the birthplace of some of the most iconic sounds in music history. In this rare behind-the-scenes tour, Tom shares his latest creation: a custom-built computer he’s designing entirely from scratch—just because he loves the way it sounds.

Along the way, Tom opens up his treasure chest of innovations, showing us priceless prototypes from his storied career, including the original Maestro Phase Shifter prototype and circuit boards that paved the way for his groundbreaking synthesizers.

I’m joined by Rob Rosen (Rosen Sound) and Marcus Ryle (Alesis, Line 6) as we hear directly from Tom himself, walking through this sacred space filled with history, innovation, and pure sonic imagination.”