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Music Evolves Podcast

Music Evolves Podcast

Written by: ITSPmagazine Inc. Sean Martin
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 Welcome to the Music Evolves Podcast, where we explore the transformative power of music through the lens of technology, creativity, and innovation — by looking both forward and back. We dive deep into how cutting edge research and development are shaping the future of music, transforming how it’s created, shared, and experienced, while celebrating its timeless ability to inspire and connect us all. Whether you’re a musician, music enthusiast, or simply curious about the synergy between tradition and innovation at the intersection of art and technology, the Music Evolves Podcast invites you on a journey through the past, present, and future of music. Discover how music continues to inspire, connect, and evolve — redefining what’s possible and shaping the world one note at a time.© Copyright 2015-2025 ITSPmagazine, Inc. All Rights Reserved Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Music
Episodes
  • The Operations Layer for Live Events | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Ben Ikwuagwu, CEO & Co-Founder of Soundcheck Live

    The Operations Layer for Live Events | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Ben Ikwuagwu, CEO & Co-Founder of Soundcheck Live
    Feb 19 2026
    Ben Ikwuagwu is a vocalist, performer, and entrepreneur who has spent over 15 years navigating the live events world. That firsthand experience, combined with a degree in operations and years working in corporate America, gives him a unique vantage point on what makes the industry run and where it breaks down. Now, as CEO & Co-Founder of Soundcheck Live, he is channeling both worlds into a single platform designed to simplify how live event professionals manage their work. What does an all-in-one operations platform for live events actually do? Soundcheck Live focuses on four core pillars: booking, scheduling, payments, and coordination. Ikwuagwu explains that every event, regardless of size, comes down to these four elements. The platform provides a centralized dashboard where teams can manage gig details, client communication, and payment information without juggling spreadsheets, text threads, and scattered documents. How is Soundcheck Live building differently? From day one, the team has built the product around its users. Pilots with bands, production companies, and venues shaped the tool from the ground up. With advances in AI, the feedback loop has accelerated dramatically. Focus group insights that once took weeks to implement now translate into working features in hours, giving users the feeling that the platform is being custom-built for their specific workflows. This is a Brand Highlight. A Brand Highlight is a ~5 minute introductory conversation designed to put a spotlight on the guest and their company. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#highlight Host Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/ Guest Ben Ikwuagwu, CEO & Co-Founder of Soundcheck Live | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminikwuagwu/ Resources Soundcheck Live (Website): https://soundchecklive.io/ Music Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/ Are you interested in telling your story? ▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full ▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight ▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlight Keywords Ben Ikwuagwu, Soundcheck Live, Sean Martin, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand highlight, live events, gig management, event operations, live music, booking platform, freelancer tools, event technology, live entertainment, artist management, talent agencies More From Sean MartinMore from Music Evolves: https://www.seanmartin.com/music-evolves-podcastMusic Evolves on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllTRJ5du7hFDXjiugu-uNPtWMusic Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/Line of Sight Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7400591548452667392/ITSPmagazine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@itspmagazineBe sure to share and subscribe! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    8 mins
  • Taylor Guitars at NAMM 2026: Next Gen Guitars, Action Control Neck & Gold Label Collection | A Brand Highlight Conversation With Jim Kirlin from Taylor Guitars

    Taylor Guitars at NAMM 2026: Next Gen Guitars, Action Control Neck & Gold Label Collection | A Brand Highlight Conversation With Jim Kirlin from Taylor Guitars
    Feb 12 2026
    Jim Kirlin, Editorial Director at Taylor Guitars and Editor of Wood&Steel, joins Sean Martin at NAMM 2026 to walk through the company's latest innovations, from a reimagined Grand Auditorium to a brand-new collection rooted in tradition. The conversation takes place on the Taylor Guitars show floor, surrounded by the very instruments being discussed.At the heart of this year's introductions is what Taylor is calling its Next Generation guitars, a suite of three interconnected innovations built around the flagship Grand Auditorium body. Kirlin explains how the new Action Control Neck, a patented design with a long-tenon neck joint, enhances both resonance and playability, giving players the ability to adjust string height in seconds through the sound hole. It is a tool designed for real-world musicians who move between venues and climates and need their instrument to adapt with them.The second innovation is a scalloped V-Class bracing system, the latest evolution of the bracing architecture that Chief Guitar Designer Andy Powers introduced in 2018. This new variation adds warmth and low-end depth while preserving the clarity and balance that define the Taylor sound. The third piece is the Claria pickup, a simplified onboard system with sound-hole-mounted preamp controls for volume, mid contour, and tone. Kirlin describes it as a more plug-and-play approach for players who want a natural amplified sound without the complexity of dialing in previous systems.The conversation then moves across the booth to the Gold Label Collection, a line of non-cutaway, traditionally voiced guitars designed by Andy Powers. Inspired by instruments from the 1930s and 1940s, these guitars feature torrefied tops, a vintage-influenced headstock design, and body styles including a new square-shoulder dreadnought, a round-shoulder dreadnought, and a Super Auditorium. Kirlin positions the collection as a way for Taylor to broaden its tonal palette and reach players who gravitate toward warmer, more vintage sounds.What emerges is a picture of a company that treats innovation not as disruption but as service to the musician, removing obstacles and expanding possibilities one design at a time.HostSean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/GuestJim Kirlin, Editorial Director at Taylor Guitars and Editor of Wood&Steel | On the Web: https://woodandsteel.taylorguitars.com/authors/jim-kirlin/ResourcesTaylor Guitars | https://www.taylorguitars.com/Wood&Steel Magazine | https://woodandsteel.taylorguitars.com/The NAMM Show 2026 is taking place from January 20-24, 2026 | Anaheim Convention Center - Southern California -- Follow our coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/the-namm-show-2026-namm-music-conference-music-technology-event-coverage-anaheim-californiaMusic Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/Keywordsjim kirlin, taylor guitars, andy powers, action control neck, v-class bracing, claria pickup, grand auditorium, gold label collection, dreadnought, acoustic guitar innovation, guitar playability, guitar pickups, torrefied tops, namm 2026, music, creativity, art, artist, musician, music evolves, music podcast, music and technology podcast More From Sean MartinMore from Music Evolves: https://www.seanmartin.com/music-evolves-podcastMusic Evolves on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllTRJ5du7hFDXjiugu-uNPtWMusic Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/Line of Sight Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7400591548452667392/ITSPmagazine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@itspmagazineBe sure to share and subscribe! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    10 mins
  • Chris Buck and His Signature Yamaha Revstar RS02CB at NAMM 2026 | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Chris Buck, Yamaha Signature Artist

    Chris Buck and His Signature Yamaha Revstar RS02CB at NAMM 2026 | A Brand Highlight Conversation with Chris Buck, Yamaha Signature Artist
    Feb 11 2026
    What does it take to design a signature guitar from the ground up? Chris Buck sits down with Sean Martin at NAMM 2026 to talk about the journey of creating the Yamaha Revstar RS02CB, his first production signature model. Buck describes the experience as surreal, noting that the weight of joining Yamaha's legacy of signature artists continues to hit him in waves. The lengthy design process, he says, was about making sure every detail lived up to what the guitar could be.How did Chris Buck and Yamaha land on the right pickups for the RS02CB? Buck explains that the pickups were the centerpiece of the collaboration, with the team working through countless iterations of magnet types, wire specifications, and voicing options. The result is a set of custom P90-style pickups that deliver the dynamic, responsive tone he has built his sound around. The wraparound tailpiece, a feature less common on modern instruments, adds sustain and directness to the signal path, contributing to the guitar's massive volume and resonance.What makes the RS02CB stand apart from other Revstar models? Buck highlights a three-way pickup selector switch instead of the five-way found on the current generation of Revstars, along with custom inlays and his own signature squiggle on the back of the headstock. He caps the conversation by playing a lick that shows exactly what the guitar can do, leaving no doubt about the instrument's character and capability.This is a Brand Highlight. A Brand Highlight is a ~5 minute introductory conversation designed to put a spotlight on the guest and their company. Learn more: https://www.studioc60.com/creation#highlightGUESTChris Buck, Yamaha Signature Artist | On Instagram: @chrisbuckguitar | Website: https://www.chrisbuckguitar.shop/RESOURCESYamaha: https://usa.yamaha.com/Yamaha RS02CB Chris Buck Signature Revstar: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/guitars_basses/el_guitars/rs02cb/index.htmlPart of ITSPmagazine's On Location Coverage at NAMM 2026. 🌐 https://www.itspmagazine.com/the-namm-show-2026-namm-music-conference-music-technology-event-coverage-anaheim-californiaAre you interested in telling your story?▶︎ Full Length Brand Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#full▶︎ Brand Spotlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#spotlight▶︎ Brand Highlight Story: https://www.studioc60.com/content-creation#highlightMore From Sean MartinMore from Music Evolves: https://www.seanmartin.com/music-evolves-podcastMusic Evolves on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllTRJ5du7hFDXjiugu-uNPtWMusic Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/Line of Sight Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7400591548452667392/ITSPmagazine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@itspmagazineBe sure to share and subscribe!KEYWORDSChris Buck, Yamaha, Sean Martin, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand highlight, Yamaha Revstar, RS02CB, signature guitar, P90 pickups, NAMM 2026, Cardinal Black, wraparound tailpiece, electric guitar, guitar design, custom pickups, signature artist More From Sean MartinMore from Music Evolves: https://www.seanmartin.com/music-evolves-podcastMusic Evolves on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllTRJ5du7hFDXjiugu-uNPtWMusic Evolves: Sonic Frontiers Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7290890771828719616/Line of Sight Newsletter | https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7400591548452667392/ITSPmagazine YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@itspmagazineBe sure to share and subscribe! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    2 mins
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