Music

PauseOnMute makes music playback more intuitive

Have you ever had to mute your music for any reason, only to find that the song was almost over or that your device moved to the next song by the time you could un-mute your music?

It’s sort of an annoying problem, especially when someone’s tapping on your shoulder while you have earbuds in. On the other hand, a new free jailbreak tweak called PauseOnMute by iOS developer KingPuffdaddi helps you pick up where you left off.

LockscreenXI brings iOS 11’s Lock screen interface to iOS 10

Some jailbreakers are already drooling over the host of interface changes that come with iOS 11, but we encourage these folks to hold onto their seats. A jailbreak tweak collection dubbed Eleven is nearing full release that will bring many of iOS 11's new interface experiences to jailbroken iOS 10 devices.

The first piece of Eleven, LockscreenXI, brings the Lock screen experience of iOS 11 to jailbroken iOS 10 devices. It was just released in Cydia by its creator LaughingQuoll ahead of all other pieces of Eleven, which are still a work in progress.

SoundCloud to cut staff amid rivalry with Apple Music and Spotify

Music platform SoundCloud said today it would cut about forty percent of its workforce, or 173 staffers, a move that highlighted the German company's inability to create a stable business model on top of its large audience of 175 million listeners.

In January, SoundCloud said it was at risk of running out of money while a subscription tier launched last year hasn’t been as successful as the company's executives hoped.

Offices in San Francisco and London will be shut as SoundCloud will consolidate operations at its headquarters in Berlin and another office in New York. The cost-cutting move should put it on a path to profitability and allow it to better compete against larger rivals Apple and Spotify.

“We need to ensure our path to long-term, independent success,” said SoundCloud co-founder and CEO Alex Ljung. “And in order to do this, it requires cost cutting, continued growth of our existing advertising and subscription revenue streams and a relentless focus on our unique competitive advantage—artists and creators.”

He said SoundCloud has doubled its revenue over the past 12 months.

SoundCloud is the popular destination for sharing independent recordings, mixes, podcasts and other user-generated audio content. Even established stars post material to the site before it’s released elsewhere while record labels use it to scout new talent.

SoundCloud is available in 190+ countries and has an excellent iPhone and iPad app. A recent report in the New York Post alleged that Apple was among those looking to acquire the firm.

Apple said at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5 that its music-streaming service had 27 million paying customers. Spotify announced around the same time that it had a total of 140 million users, of which 50 million were paid subscribers.

Fender and Apple partner on curated guitar playlists for Apple Music

Apple has partnered with American manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers Fender for curated guitar playlists on Apple Music. Fender has now joined the more than sixty curators providing unique playlists to Apple Music members.

As first noted by AppleInsider, Fender's playlists are wide-ranging, spanning music from classic rock icons to emerging artists to experimental guitar works.

Fender CMO Evan Jones said in a press release:

We're pleased to partner with Apple to bring a Fender-curated music experience to long-time Fender fans and those just discovering the brand. These five new playlists honor a diverse range of iconic artists and visionaries, and an emerging generation of artists, who are driving guitar and music forward.

The following playlists from Fender are available on Apple Music:

Roots, Rock & Twang—A Mix: New sounds blending Americana, Country and Rock, featuring Chris Stapleton, Nikki Lane, Jaime Wyatt and more. Shuffle—Today's Hits: Plug in to set the tone for your day with the latest from Years & Years, Cold War Kids, Radiohead and more. Best of the Rock You Need to Know: From Gary Clark Jr. to the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Cold War Kids, press play on this list of rock and bluesy tracks to energize your day. We've got guitar heroes and visionaries that are set to inspire, in addition to plenty of hidden gems from artists that you need on your radar now. Best of Everything Acoustic: Celebrating the accosting guitar, whether it's featured in favorite solo ballads or roaring with the rest of the band. Best of Under the Radar: Become an early listener of some up and coming Fender favorites who are pushing sonic boundaries.

According to Fender, its guitar lessons app for iPhone and iPad as well as the Fender Play web app can teach users to play their first song in minutes, as Engadget reported today.

These apps put the “songs you love, world-class instructors and bite-sized lessons from the most trusted brand in guitars” at your fingertips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6ada1kvgEw

As Apple Music recently celebrated its second anniversary, the service is still heavily focused on promoting rap and hip-hop music, with its Beats 1 24/7 global Internet radio station almost exclusively focused on the genre.

However, Apple filed trademark applications for “Beats 2”, “Beats 3”, “Beats 4” and “Beats 5”, indicating the company is likely going to introduce additional Beats radio stations potentially focused on other musical genres.

The Verge said in August 2015 that Apple’s licensing contracts with rights holders include permissions for up to five additional Beats stations.

QuietWhilePlaying prevents notifications from interrupting your music playback

If you have a pet peeve for incoming notifications interrupting your music when you’re trying to sit back and enjoy a song, then installing a new free jailbreak tweak called QuietWhilePlaying (iOS 10) by iOS developer ijapija00 should be next on your to-do list.

This tweak silences the alert sounds and vibrations associated with incoming notifications, no matter which app they're coming from, whenever you’re actively listening to media.

Ambiance lets your Phillips HUE bulbs take full advantage of your jailbroken iPhone

Every so often, a jailbreak tweak emerges that lets you do something out of the ordinary with your iPhone, and a new release called Ambiance by iOS developer Ziph0n is a testament to such tweaks.

Ambience links your jailbroken iPhone and Phillips HUE smart light bulbs together in new and exciting ways, immersing your entire room with color effects based on what you’re doing on your device at a given time.

Lysithea X brings iOS 11-esque Lock screen music controls to iOS 10

In case you haven’t seen it yet, iOS 11 comes with a redesigned Now Playing Lock screen interface. It’s sleeker and takes up less space so you can manage your music playback and see missed notifications in the same place more easily.

Now, a new jailbreak tweak called Lysithea X by iOS developer ijapija00 brings this iOS 11 Now Playing Lock screen interface to jailbroken iOS 10 devices.

Sean Combs’ documentary “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop” debuts exclusively on Apple Music

As promised back in April, the hip-hop documentary “Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story” has made its exclusive debut on Apple's music-stremaing service.

Directed by Daniel Kaufman and available for streaming to all Apple Music members, the documentary chronicles the precipitous rise of Sean “Diddy” Combs aka Puff Daddy and his record label in the mid-90s to the top of the music business.

To watch the documentary, fire up the Music app on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV, then enter the Browse section and tap TV & Movies and find the movie listed there.

Jimmy Iovine, Apple Music chairman and CEO, said:

I went to the Bad Boy Reuion concert and thought it was incredible. I think Puff and Bad Boy’s story is incredible and one that a lot of people can relate to in any genre or in any business. His story is powerful. He really overcame a lot to get to where he’s at today and the documentary shows that.

Here's Apple Music's official blurb:

In 1993, Sean "Diddy Combs, a.k.a. Puff Daddy, founded Bad Boy Records and changed popular culture forever. In 2016, the Bad Boy Family reunited in Brooklyn, New York for the biggest homecoming in hip-hop history. Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story explores the passion and personalities behind the empire, and goes inside the making of a movement and the staging of an unprecedented musical event.

This is an intern-to-CEO story -- a raw behind-the-scenes look at the legacy of Bad Boy through a complex portrait of its mastermind as Combs reunites the Family over a frantic three-week rehearsal period. The film traces the label's emergence in Harlem and Brooklyn, follows its meteoric rise, reflects on the tragic killing of Biggie Smalls, and celebrates Bad Boy's influence -- all while reveling the love and commitment that binds every member of the Family together.

The film covers the trials and tribulations that Combs faced in putting together last year’s 20th anniversary Bad Boy reunion shows in two weeks time, with artists who hadn’t performed in years. Apple Music will have the exclusive rights to the documentary for at least the next year.

ClassicPlayer turns your iPhone into an iPod Classic

Those who've been using Apple products for years might be familiar with the days when the iPod Classic reigned supreme as a music player. It was made famous by its click-wheel design, which responded to touch and drag gestures for navigating your music.

A new jailbreak app dubbed ClassicPlayer by iOS developer Guillermo Moran (fr0st)  brings this experience to the iPhone for all the nostalgic folks out there who are missing the click-wheel experience from the days of yore.

Make Control Center’s Now Playing interface full screen with Sinatra

iOS’ Now Playing interface showcases any music you’re listening to and includes controls for adjusting your playback settings, but there are so many ways the interface could be improved.

A new jailbreak tweak called Sinatra by iOS developer candoizo takes some first steps towards improving the Now Playing interface in Control Center while still maintaining an Apple-esque design standard.