Some interesting things I found on August 28th, 2008:

# Hands-on with Aurora, Open Source DJ Control Surface, Shipping Now

Peter Kirn takes the Aurora for a spin:

The Aurora is called a DJ “mixer,” but it’s really a control surface. It connects via a USB jack for power and to transmit serial-over-USB data, then uses free software to translate that data to MIDI messages for use with software like Ableton Live. The project is the work of a three person team, with Matt Aldrich designing electronics, Mike Garbus designing firmware, and Maro Sciacchitano working on the form factor and look and feel. They have an impressive background in making stuff. I got to hang out with Matt in Boston, where he’s joined MIT’s Media Lab Responsive Environments group, so I expect more good projects out of him soon. Matt and I talked frankly over coffee and pastries about the strong suits, weak spots, and future of the device and other projects.

# PaperGuitar.com - Lots of papercraft guitar models.

# MAKE: Blog: Review - Gakken analog synth kit - Collin Cunningham: The SX-150 kit is very easy to use and some modding ideas are bound to come to mind should you get your hands on one. At the very least, you can choose from a number of included decorative decals - and at the more advanced end, schematic and code for using MIDI input has already been posted. I'm sure more sweet DIY add-ons are in the works - very awesome.

# Electronic Attack in the Mix August 2008

A number of musicians from the Electronic Attack forum (German) have contributed tracks to a Mix, which has been released in August 2008.

It is available for free download and includes a nonstop DJ Mix as well as the single tracks.
Tracklist:
01 - DirtyBreaksEnsemble - Tacky's Beach ~ 0:14
02 - LandSchall - Spirania ~ 3:12
03 - Nice - Funky Mull ~ 7:39
04 - Motone - Tequila Sunstroke ~ 10:24
05 - Yosh - Warmull ~ 17:01
06 - The MM Project feat. Mulli - I Will Rule The World ~ 19:43
07 - NukeArts - Bondo ~ 22:27
08 - Planet Ugh - Bodywave ~ 25:43
09 - Audiohead - Circle Jerk ~ 29:15
10 - Verstaerker - Acidmull ~ 32:10
11 - Audiohead - Circle Jerk (ReWork) ~ 37:54
12 - Le Gourmet - Ugly Mouth Jerk Face ~ 40:56
13 - Motone - D3pth ~ 44:24
14 - hello.jpg - Naked Mole Step ~ 49:12

# Theremin to MIDI Control program in Pd

Charles Martin writes:

Over the weekend I wrote a simple program in Pd that analyses an audio input and then uses pitch and amplitude information to output a midi control value.

# OpenStomp(TM) Coyote-1 - The world’s first open source guitar pedal - Available now from the OpenStomp shop (US and Canada only at the moment). Price : $349 USD.

Softube has released Spring Reverb, an authentic spring reverb recreation that will add vintage character and grit to any audio track.

It also includes novel features such as a fully automatable Shake control that will shake the virtual strings around for those thunderous spring effects, and a Tension control that tightens or loosens the springs to cover a wide range of spring reverb sounds.

Spring Reverb features

• Shake control that shakes the springs around.
• Tension control to shape the spring character and reverb length.
• Number of spring pairs continuously adjustable from 1 to 3.
• Tube driver simulation with Bass and Treble in the reverb section.
• Can be used both as a send and an insert effect.
• Very CPU friendly.

Spring Reverb is available for Windows and Mac (VST/AU/RTAS) and costs $99 USD excl. VAT. A demo license can be requested.

Softube has also announced the availability of the Effect Bundle, a plug-in pack featuring the Spring Reverb, Tube Delay, and Acoustic Feedback plug-ins for $229 USD excl. VAT.

Visit Softube for more information and audio demos.

Time+Space has announced it is now shipping the ESI KeyControl 49+ (Master MIDI controller) and ESI U24 XL (2 in 4 out portable USB interface).

KeyControl 49+ is the most cost effective MIDI keyboard for your home studio. With the 49 full-size velocity sensitive keys and the USB connection, KeyControl 49+ is the perfect master MIDI controller for computer based home studio environments.

ESI KeyControl 49+ features

• Edit buttons for advanced programming.
• Pitch Bend and assignable modulation wheels.
• 2 data wheels.
• 3 function button.
• Sustain pedal connector.
• Power supplied via USB.
• For Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 2003, Mac OS X, Linux.

The ESI U24 XL continues the ESI tradition of offering extremely small and portable high quality audio devices. With the legacy of their famous Waveterminal U24 in mind, the U24 XL has been released just in time for the 10^th anniversary of ESI product sales.

With dimensions of around 10 cm x 9 cm, the U24 XL is a device that can go with you anywhere! Offering total flexibility of an external USB device and pure digital quality, coupled with true high quality 24-bit support on the 2 analog input and 2 analog output channels provided via TRS connectors, U24 XL will easily qualify as the most useful device in your studio — wherever that may be. Even better, U24 XL also provides digital S/PDIF connections in both optical and coaxial format.

ESI U24 XL features

• 2 x analog input and 2 analog output channels (1/4″ TRS connectors).
• One output connector usable as headphone output.
• S/PDIF digital in and out available via optical (Toslink) and coaxial (RCA) connectors.
• 24 Bit AD/DA converter.
• Realtime input monitoring for incoming signals.
• Drivers for Windows Vista/XP with ASIO support with low latency.
• Core Audio support under Mac OS X 10.4 and higher.
• Bundled with Steinberg Cubase LE 4.0 for PC and Mac.

The ESI KeyControl 49+ is available now for £74.99 / 98 EUR, while the ESI U24 XL costs £84.99 / 110 EUR.

Visit ESI for more information.

Virtuasonic has released MIJOY PRO 3, a VSTi MIDI plug-in that allows you to use a joystick or gamepad as a MIDI controller.

MIJOY PRO 3 is a premium application designed to let you control virtual instruments, hardware synthesizers, samplers and effects processors in a more friendly and effective way, as well as opening up new possibilities of approaching them.

MIJOY PRO 3 features

• Support for multiple joysticks/gamepads (up to 8).
• up to 16 buttons and 2 direction pads.
• X, Y, Z, Slider1, Slider 2, Z-rotation.
• General On/Off and independent switch for axis X, Y, Z, Slider1, Slider 2 and Z-rotation.
• 2 axis types (cartesian, radial).
• Offset function with assignable minimum and maximum value for each MIDI controller.
• Two Output Modes (Sequencer/MIDI Port).
• Trigger function.
• Calibration settings (Smoothness and Center deadzone for X/Y axes).
• MIDI Thru (to mix different MIDI sources. For example, MIJOY PRO + Masterkeyboard.).
• Binary MIDI controller with assignable min/max (button 1 to 16 and direction pads).
• 2 Button Modes (Press/Release, Switch).
• List of standard MIDI controllers values included in the software package.
• MIDI messages assignable to X, Y, Z , Slider1, Slider 2 and Z-rotation: Control Change, Pitch Bend (7 bit), Program Change, Channel After Touch MIDI.
• messages and functions assignable independently to every joystick buttons and direction pads position: Control Change, MIDI Note, Pitch Bend, Program Change, Channel After Touch, idle (button1), Trigger.
• Independent MIDI Channel Setup for every axis, button and direction pads position.

MIJOY PRO 3 is available for Windows PC and works with USB or older joysticks (no need of joystick to MIDI cable adapters). It costs 22.45 UER (excl. VAT) / $34.95 USD. A demo version is available for download.

Visit Virtuasonic for more information.