Results for audio

Some interesting things I found recently:

# Even retro record covers can be used to create something amazing

There are those who will throw away their old record covers but there are those that will use them to create some mind blowing artistic stuff.

One of them is definitely Christian Marclay, a New York visual artist, DJ and composer who used record covers of Michael Jackson , Doors, Donna Summer, David Bowie and many others for this piece of art. The relationship of sound, vision, music, art and performance is the focus of his work.

More on Christian Marclay

# Two Garbage Cans and a Microphone

Rock the party with this DIY sound system.

Peter Kirn writes:

Say you’re an up-and-coming crew with a turntable and some mics. You’ve got a gig this Friday at the middle school gym (the janitor has been bribed appropriately) and the boys on the corner have been passing out your flyers to all the lovely ladies. Everything’s set, except you heard that Kool Herc is coming to battle. Herc and his mighty sound system schooled you last go-round, so you know you need something fresh to rock the bodies proper. Your DIY solution? The 55-gallon drum sound system.

# The Octapult (YouTube)

The "Octapult" is a kinetic sculpture designed and built on commission by Bradley N. Litwin of Philadelphia, PA. With 8 synchronized catapults, 160 plastic balls per minute are launched, caught, and recirculated. Made mostly of wood, the work is ~36 inches in diameter. On permanent display in the lobby of Lower Merion Elementary School, Merion Station, PA. Also a performing jazz musician, more of Litwin's work may be seen and heard at www.bradlitwin.com.

# Yaktronix: Electronically Modified Didgeridoo

Kyle Evans modified a didgeridoo to experiment in the combination of the organic sound qualities of a didgeridoo with the advanced signal processing capabilities of modern computer programming and sound synthesis.
He writes:

This custom built didgeridoo features externally mounted modules that allow the performer to process and manipulate the sound of the instrument in real time. All control data is transmitted wirelessly via blue tooth and is controlling several audio processes created in a custom-built software environment.

# DIY Arduino-based MIDI controller

Cyrille Arndt’s DIY, standalone Arduino-based, MIDI control surface work-in-progress.

Current features:

• Heartbeat
• On-the-fly generated labels from csv files.
• Limiters (with capability of inversing the range).
• Every function of the faders and pads is customisable from the desktop software.
• Different states for the pads (currently on/off or moment).
• In the desktop software: Selecting the MIDI port (for example for routing over another software).
• MIDI channel.
• 6 presets (more possible).
• RGB pads can be controlled from software like Live to be switched on/off or blinking.
• Presets also concern the pads.
• Auto-switch to generated labels if the software is running.
• New! The buttons above the faders can have different functions : Notes (triggering clip for example), quick change of the function of the fader, preset switching.
• New! Presets also concern the limiters.
• New! The bottom buttons can change the preset or the bank (useful in Ableton Live).
• New! USB port for adding USB connectivity: allows to program it easily and use USB instead of MIDI in cases where it’s necessary.

# Bleep Labs » Thingamagoop 2 is here!

New in Thingamagoop 2:

• Analog VCO controlled by analog or digital signal from Arduino. (A separate Arduino board is not required)
• Sample and hold, Arpeggios, noise, and bit crush effects with open source code so you can program your own sounds!
• All the analog sounds of the original Thingamagoop.
• Controllable LEDacle – Ramp and random waveforms with rate control.
• New modulators – Square wave amplitude modulator and triangle wave pulse width modulator.
• Tough, stomp box type body with silk screened graphics in 3 different styles.
• Easy to access battery – No more screws!
• Much fuller and louder speaker.
• CV in and out.
• Arduino Programmer jack. Easily hook an Ardunio board up to the Thingamagoop 2.
• Kit now comes with a pre-drilled enclosure.
• Still assembled in Austin, Texas by Dr. Bleep and friends.

# Voice2LED Project

Josh made a LED sign which displays voicemails from his Google Voice account.

I made the LED sign following instructions from this tutorial on Nerdkits.com. The hardware is some LED’s, a nerdkit, a piece of cardboard and a bit of wire that I got from some Cat 5 cable laying around. I cut out the cardboard and printed a grid to help me lay out the LED’s. I think mine were 1 cm apart. The soldering took forever and it was the first real time I did any soldering so it looks kinda crappy. Oh well. It works. The sign itself is powered by a 9 volt battery and receives data from my laptop through the serial port via a USB adapter. All that stuff was included in the Nerdkit when I bought it. The microcontroller is running code from the tutorial I mentioned earlier. One of these days I’m going to make an enclosure for this thing.

Some interesting things I found recently:

# Drone Machines by Tristan Shone.

Drone Machines are custom made machines fabricated from raw materials and utilizing open source circuitry.

The devices draw heavily on aspects of industrial automation, robotics and mechanical tools and devices, focusing on the eroticism of interaction with machine.

The machines require significant force from the performer, aligning he or she with the plodding drone and doom influenced sounds that are created.

# Chord Triggering in Ableton Live (Vimeo)

This video shows you how to use Ableton Live’s clips as chord banks and trigger them with one key. It also touches on the following features: Follow Action, Launch Modes, Midi Mapping & Routing, Pitch (midi plugin)

(via)

# Youth Music Box – Youth Music – Music is Power

Youth Music Box is a free, interactive musical experience, allowing you to create your own unique track and video using cutting edge technology, all in under 10 minutes!

Youth Music Box is currently living at the Royal Festival Hall, London and is a chance for anyone of any age to take part in making music – whether you’re an accomplished musician or complete beginner.

# d-touch.org – The d-touch sequencer and the d-touch drum machine are fully and freely available for download (Registration needed)! Please try them out and spread the word!

Audio d-touch is a collection of applications for real-time musical composition and performance, with very special user interfaces. The collection includes a drum machine and a sampling sequencer, both are controlled by spatially arranging physical objects on an interactive table surface. Each object represents a sound, and its position with respect to the surface is mapped to certain playback parameters. For example, the horizontal position of an object represents the timing of the sound. The system is extremely low cost and now it can be freely and fully downloaded from http://www.d-touch.org/audio. All is needed to get audio d-touch to work is a standard computer (PC or Mac) with a webcam and a printer.

# The Conet Project – Recordings of Shortwave Numbers Stations

For more than 30 years the Shortwave radio spectrum has been used by the worlds intelligence agencies to transmit secret messages. These messages are transmitted by hundreds of “Numbers Stations”.

Shortwave Numbers Stations are a perfect method of anonymous, one way communication. Spies located anywhere in the world can be communicated to by their masters via small, locally available, and unmodified Shortwave receivers. The encryption system used by Numbers Stations, known as a “one time pad” is unbreakable. Combine this with the fact that it is almost impossible to track down the message recipients once they are inserted into the enemy country, it becomes clear just how powerful the Numbers Station system is.

(via)

# Melodica boom sampler instrument – A free Ableton Live Sampler instrument by boomstix.

Some interesting things I found recently, and not so recently (since it’s been a while since I posted short links).

# Guitare à crayon

The idea behind “la Guitare à crayon” is to be able to paint and play music with the same instrument (crayon mean pencil in english). It’s a custom usb guitar with open source software: namely, pure data (for sound) and gimp, blender, flash (for visual).

Guitare à crayon

• Hardware features:
  • Accelerometer X-Axis (for example controlling the octave)
  • Accelerometer Y-Axis (for example controlling an effect)
  • 6 analog strings giving around 10 bits of resolution
  • External input: 1 analog, 1 digital
  • 4 positions switch
  • 8 buttons
  • 4 pots
  • 1 piezo with velocity filter (for example trigging any sound)
  • 1 ir distance sensor (+-6cm – +-20cm)
  • 1 unuseful led (for tapping the bpm)
  • Pressure-sensitive tablet
  • Foot controller (using a led & a photoresistor)
  • Foot switch (looper, change sound, …)
• Software features:
  • No driver (firmware & bootloader)
  • Linux, Windows, Mac
  • Pure Data poweful DSP (sample, soundfont, fx rack, multiple looper)
  • Gimp for 2d (drawing, painting, photo, …)
  • Gesture tracking on the tablet (linux only)

# 8 Track Walkman-Pod thing (Retro-tech)

Instructables user XenonJohn writes:

This is an admittedly mad project to see what might have happened if Sony had invented the Walkman earlier than they did – and made it so it took 8 track tape cartridges (which came before cassette tapes were invented).

In other words, can I make a personal 8 track player with just headphones in the style of a Walkman?

# CASSETTE IS NOT DEAD – A lamp made of cassette tapes by ooomydesign.com

You can replace the cassette tapes with your own as well

Available in transparent and colored cassette tapes, 20x13x12cm, price 35 EUR.

# Palalab’s Free Music Loops, Samples in ACID™ .WAV format

Palalab is offering free multi-instrumental sample loops in a variety of styles designed to be different, inspire your songwriting and fill out your mix. All loops can be used royalty-free, are properly ACID™ized for quality pitch and tempo transposition, and loop seamlessly.

Every week Palalab posts a new sample pack consisting of 5 loops. Each pack stays up for 4 weeks only, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back regularly.

# Download Free Korg nanoPAD, nanoKONTROL Scripts for Ableton Live

Peter Kirn writes:

The KORG nanoSERIES has a rabid following among many Ableton Live users, and with good reason. The nanoPAD and nanoKONTROL street for about US$60, provide basic knobs + faders + transport (KONTROL) and pads and X/Y control (PAD), plus a fully-featured, cross-platform editor, but still fit in a backpack. They’re small enough to use in coach on an airplane.

Having to open Live templates, however, just to get the mappings you want is a big pain. So, instead I’ve created a basic set of MIDI Remote Scripts and Kontrol Editor templates for Mac and Windows, Live 6.x and later, and wanted to share them with you.

# Techniques for dealing with Phase

Jon @ Audio Geek Zine takes a look at what phase is and how to avoid problems with it in your productions.

Phase is a constant concern for recording and mixing engineers. Problems with phase can ruin your music, they can be easily avoided or corrected, but first you need understand how these problems occur.

This guide will attempt to explain almost everything there is to know about phase, what it is, how it happens, what it can sound like and some techniques to deal with it.

Some interesting things I found recently:

# iPhone attack: TR-808, TB-303, Sampler, Synthesizer

Oliver Chesler puts together a track with some iPhone apps (Audiorealism technoBox, Tapestri and Andriod FX by Pure Profit).

Oliver writes:

I was having some music fun on my iPhone and I put together a quick Acid track. I recorded three apps into Ableton Live. There really is something to be said for bringing in audio from the outside world, even if it’s from another computer. I like the slight noise and live interaction the iPhone apps forced. The combined price of all the applications I used here was $11.97. Imagine what a Roland TB-303, Roland TR-808, Akai S950 and Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 would have cost you 15 years ago?

# Want Josh Freese to join your band? Got $75,000?

Former NIN drummer Josh Freese is promoting his new album with some limited edition deals.

There's a lot of funny stuff between the regular $7 digital download of Since 1972, and the $75,000 limited edition which includes things like going on tour with Josh for a few days, have Josh write, record and release a 5-song EP about you and your life story and taking a flying trapeze lesson with Josh and Robin from NIN.

Link via Soundcheck

# ryangruss.com

Ryan Gruss has a cool blog where he posts some free drum tracks.

I am a drummer based in Boston, Massachusetts. I previously lived in NYC and Los Angeles where I had the chance to record, collaborate and tour with a wide range of artists. I started this blog with the intention of sharing, transferring and exploring musical ideas with my friends around the world… as well as anyone else who might stumble across this site.

All of the drum tracks (unless credited) are recorded at my studio using Logic Pro 8. I include mp3s of all my recordings for quick previews as well as a separate link to the original, multitracked Logic files. Feel free to download, cut-up, eq, compress, distort, and mutate my drum parts and use them for your own projects. All I ask is that you send me a link to the final product when you’re finished. Let’s see what happens…

Currently at Loop #17.

# Reyn vs Björk – I’ve Seen It All [Dancer in the Dark] (link to YouTube)

Loving this video of Reyn Ouwehand’s mix of this Björk track.

Reyn writes:

I found this track on the album Family Tree. It's Björk together with the Brodsky string quartet.
Really love this track and version and thought it would be nice to do some looping over it.. Enjoy!..

More on Reyn Ouwehand here. Via Tom @ Twitter

Bug Labs has announced the availability of BUGsound, the first of the five BUGmodules announced last month at CES.

BUGsound is an audio module, providing a flush-mount 20-mm speaker and omnidirectional microphone with hardware stereo codecs and four 3.5-mm stereo jacks for third-party inputs, outputs, headphones and microphones.

Use BUG as a portable music player, speakerphone, audio processor, and more.

BUGsound features

• Speaker
  • Built-in mono micro-speaker, 20mm diameter.
  • Impedance is 8O ±15% at 1.5kHz 1V.
  • Input power is 0.5W nominal, 1.0W handling capacity.
  • Sound pressure level is 82dB/w ±3 dB.
• Microphone
  • Built-in electret microphone (mono).
  • Sensitivity: -45 ±4 dB (0dB=1V/Pa, 1kHz).
  • Omnidirectional.
  • 20-16,000 Hz.
  • > 58dB SNR.
• Stereo Codec
  • DAC SNR 102 dBA.
  • ADC SNR 92dB, THD -89dB (48ksps, 1kHz, 0dB PGA gain, -2dB full-scale input).
  • On-chip Headphone driver, 30mW per channel into 16O / 3.3V SPKVDD.
  • 16/20/24/32-bit data.
  • Data rates from 8 kHz to 96kHz.
  • 3-D/Bass/Treble/EQ/De-Emphasis effects.
  • Serial data bus supports I2S, left/right-justified, DSP, and TDM modes.
  • ADC with programmable preamp gain or Automatic Gain Control (AGC) for record.
  • Programmable filters for audible noise reduction.

BUGsound is available for purchase now for $99 USD.

Visit Bug Labs for more information.

Link via Create Digital Music

Some interesting things I found recently:

# Beat Fixx – Natural Performance Enhancement For Drums

Beat Fixx is a professional drum quantizing service. AudioGeekZine’s Jon Tidey explains what this is all about.

• What is this?
  Professional drum quantizing. A new service for getting your drum tracks corrected. Using Pro Tools’ Elastic Audio and Beat Detective, drumming inconsistencies on a recording can be snapped into time, while maintaining much of the personality of the original performance.

• Who is it for?
  The service is aimed at home, project and pro studios that may not have the time or resources to do the corrections themselves. Effective and natural quantizing techniques take time to master, I’m sure you’d rather be recording guitars. Spend a few hours editing drums the wrong way and you’ll understand why this is a great deal.

• How much?
  Beat Fixx is currently charging a flat rate of $50 per song. Payments are processed through PayPal.

• How long does it take?
  You can expect corrected tracks in 1-3 days. Approximately 24 hours is typical.

# Auditorium – A free Flash game about about the process of discovery and play:

The Primary Goal of Auditorium is to guide your Flow into the various Audio Containers presented before you. As you fill these Containers, you will energize them. Given enough energy, the containers will begin to sing together in a symphony, providing the ultimate Harmony of Flow. But be advised: While some containers merely require the presence of Flow Energy, some containers will require a specific color of Flow. Beyond that, you may encounter containers that require a combination of two or more colors at a time in order to fill.

Link via CDM

# Free Download of The Prodigy – Invaders Must Die (Radio Edit) – Fill out the form (yes you'll get some related news about The Prodigy in your inbox) and you'll get the free mp3 download.

# Play Rhythm Games using any MIDI Instrument

egyokeo writes:

Since I injured my middle left finger playing Guitar Hero 2 way too much when it came out, I've been dying to get back to playing it. But my finger hasn't healed. I was holding the neck too tightly on the X-plorer guitar controller and it hurts to bend it anymore. I've never had an injury playing the drums, so I thought "wouldn't it be great to be able to play Guitar Hero on the drums?" So I thought about how that might be accomplished… researched, implemented, borrowed, and here I outline the finished product.