Results for CDM

Some interesting things I found recently:

# Spoon Organ

Spoon Organ is an instrument that I created to show at the Make Tokyo Meeting 06 this past weekend. The user can play musical tunes simply by touching a row of spoons sitting on a table, with a fork added in for good measure. A microcontroller is used to detect changes in capacitance caused by a finger pressing against the metal, which are then sent to a computer using the MIDI protocol.

# Interview: Music Production Guru and Violinist Laura Escude

Peter Kirn interviews Laura Escudé.

She’s a composer, a sound designer, a performer, and a violinist; she’s recognized as an expert in Ableton Live and has worked with artists ranging from Cirque du Soleil to Kanye West. But now we really get to hear Laura Escudé’s musical vision as a complete picture in her debut album this year, Pororoca. That seemed the perfect time to talk to Laura about her work, particularly as it lies at the intersection of vectors in sound, visuals, and technology that matter so much to so many of us. Laura shares where she sees the music scene going, her own evolution in finding her sound and performance style, and what still lies ahead, and proves – as expected – a fantastic resource for thinking about issues artistic and technological.

Looks like some of Laura’s favorite software instruments are the same as mine, including Rob Papen synths (especially BLUE), Native Instruments Massive and Reaktor, and u-he’s wireless virtual modular Zebra synth.

# Jethroe Dub DJ FX

Jethroe has posted a free Ableton FX rack which will help you get some of those dirty dub sounds.

He also posted a couple of other interesting Ableton related things recently. Wondering how to warp multitrack audio files in Ableton Live? Check here. Also, a variphrasing in Ableton Live step-by-step here.

Some interesting things I found recently:

# On iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone, New MIDI Support, via Wires, Wireless

MIDI for your iPad is coming!

Peter Kirn writes:

Over 25 years later, portions of MIDI introduced early on in the spec remain relevant. And if you want to connect your MIDI-equipped gear to Apple’s iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad mobiles, you will soon have an array of choices.

In iOS 4.2, best known for leveling the playing field between Apple’s handhelds and tablet, you’ll get full-blown MIDI support. It was clear in leaked details from earlier releases that Apple’s Core MIDI framework was finding new life on the mobile OS, but not directly what that would mean for hardware. Now, the hardware picture is clear.

# Performer : KONKREET LABS

Konkreet Performer is a control instrument for live music performance. Its unique and intuitive multi-touch interface reconnects the musician’s actions directly with the music.

Taking full advantage of the possibilities created by the latest multi-touch technology, Konkreet Performer delivers a revolutionary new way to control your DAWs, synthesizers, samplers (anything that receives MIDI/OSC). More than a studio controller, Konkreet Performer has been designed from the ground up to be a superior live performance instrument, bringing the dynamic audio and visual connection between the musician and the audience to the stage.

Konkreet Performer is scheduled for release as an iOS App at the beginning of 2011.

# DIY guitar pick punch

Check out this awesomely practical little guitar pick punch. You could buy a huge pile of picks for what it retails for, but then you wouldn't get the satisfaction of creating your own custom picks out of flat pieces of plastic and other pick-worthy scraps you've got laying around.

via Make: Online

# Profound Brian Eno Video Interview

Peter Kirn at CDM:

There’s really nothing about this video that isn’t brilliant. Be sure to keep watching for the final line; it’s what I think is a transformative quote about the nature of music production. From Pork Magazine‘s Dick Flash – that outlet is of course better known in the UK than here Stateside. I could say more, but — really, just watch.

# SoundCloud set: Live_@_? by +dB

Amazing collection of live sets collected by +dB. Includes Boards of Canada, Radiohead, DJ Shadow, Flying Lotus, Squarepusher, Jeff Mills, Goldie, Aphex Twin, Autechre, Orb, Amon Tobin… just to name a few!

Some interesting things I found recently:

# Skale Tracker

Tracker goes online with a Flash based web version.

Skale Tracker is a music tracker developed by Ruben Ramos Salvador (baktery) in the year 1998. The first version was released for Windows, later a Linux version was presented and now a web version is here.

Skale Tracker web version

Brings me right back to my FastTracker 2/GUS days. I feel like pulling up some of my old .xm files and doing some remixes.

via CDM

# Making music on a microscopic scale – University of Twente

Strings a fraction of the thickness of a human hair, with microscopic weights to pluck them: researchers and students from the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology of the University of Twente have succeeded in constructing the first musical instrument with dimensions measured in mere micrometres – a 'micronium' – that produces audible tones. A composition specially written for the instrument will be performed in Enschede on Sunday 26 September.

via Matrixsynth

# Fallon and Timberlake give rap history lesson

Some interesting things I found recently:
# How to Extract Kicks Cleanly from Multi-track Loops in FL Studio

Sean Duncan demonstrates how to use Slicex and Edison to extract kicks:

Have you ever wanted to cut a kick drum out of a loop but found it difficult to do so without bringing the other instruments with it? Even if you’re dealing with loops that are drums-only, the vast majority of the kicks in these loops have cymbals and hats playing at the same time.

But there are ways to extract the kicks cleanly, without the hats and cymbals. This tutorial will demonstrate three surprisingly effective techniques, useful for three different situations ranging from simple to difficult.

# Machine Project

The Machine Project is a unique compilation album and collaborative effort, produced by the Elektron-users community.

More info on the Facebook page:

Machine – a single metaphor which has dictated the imagination of electronic music for decades. One word that has captured the attention of the electronic music makers from the early pioneers to big stars of today. As relevant as ever, we have chosen this term to provide a starting point for the Machine compilation album. With this compilation we have chosen to investigate various aspect of this worn term and bring some new interpretations on the table.

The album consists of 15 magical tracks of contemporary electronic music, crafted by artists from all corners of the world. The tracks and artists are united by the Machine concept, and the loud and proud use of Elektron musical instruments. The love of Elektron instruments has been a primary inspiration behind the album, and what united us in the first place.

Machine is the second compilation crafted by the Elektron-users community, and we hope it will bring as much joy as our first compilation, The 45 Tribute, did.

All proceedings of the album will go to the World Wildlife Foundation.

Some interesting things I found recently:

The sound of the vuvuzela seems to irritate quite a number of people, so here’s a round-up of some solutions on how to watch the World Cup games without this loud horn.

# Filter The Vuvuzela Horn Out of the World Cup; Learn JACK Routing on Linux

Are you a World Cup fan annoyed by the constant sound of the South African vuvuzela horn? Wish you could remove that sound from your World Cup viewing experience? Do you want to learn a little bit about powerful modular effects routing can be on Linux? Either? Both? Call it “football”? “Soccer”? Any way round, we’ve got you covered.

# Waves Vuvuzela Noise Reduction Solution

Waves has a processing chain available to download.

In response to the widely publicized complaints from TV viewers and broadcasters of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Waves is proud to unveil a solution which dramatically reduces the problematic sound of the omnipresent Vuvuzela trumpet favored by South African soccer fans.

Working in conjunction with a major television broadcaster, we've precision-crafted a preset processing chain which drastically decreases Vuvuzela noise: The WNS Waves Noise Suppressor and the Q10 Paragraphic Equalizer. Together, they not only minimize Vuvuzela noise, they increase the intelligibility of the game announcers' play-by-play action and color commentary.

The processing chain for Vuvuzela noise reduction is now available as load-and-use sessions for Pro Tools, Waves MultiRack, and Cubase.

# Prosoniq VuvuX

And Prosoniq has a free filtering plug-in for Mac users.

Prosoniq is proud to announce the world's first realtime Vuvuzela filtering plug in based on sonicWORX' audio de-mixing technology.

# Sensomusic Usine

Sensomusic has released tons of freebies for its Usine users.

Good news for all Usine free Users: Get more than 200 Add-ons and ready-made patches for free. Just register on the forum (it's totally free).

Peter Kirn at Create Digital Music also report on this one in Hundreds of Free Musical Tools Now Free to Add to Usine.

Usine is an overlooked gem in music making, a PC-based modular environment and live performance tool that runs as a host or VST plug-in. Pick the modules you need from a set of powerful building blocks, and build a custom musical rig, complete with multi-touch control on new Windows devices. It sounds like something you might request from a magical genie, but the thing is real, priced at EUR120 (or just EUR60 for educational users).

As with any modular environment, having ample access to powerful modules and some patches to get you started is everything. But that makes this week’s news worth noting: co-developer Olivier Sens has made some 200+ add-ons and patches free. All you have to do to grab them is register on the forum. The demo version of Usine is surprisingly capable, too, so if you’ve been waiting to test-drive and you have a Windows machine (or a dual-boot Mac), now could be a good time.

# Review of the Chauvet Slimpar56 LED Light and Obey3 Light Controller

Mark @ Modulate This! on the Chauvet Slimpar56 & Obey3:

In a recent post I documented my new live rig with a drawing and a time-lapse video sans lights and light controller. I’m happy to report I just received and have been testing the brand new LED SlimPAR™ 56 and Obey™ 3 compact DMX controller so I thought I’d share some notes.

Some interesting things I found recently:

# Eigenharp Alpha unboxing – EigenZone

Geert Bevin writes:

Faithful to my Eigenharp Pico unboxing video, I also recorded one right after I received my Eigenharp Alpha. I hope you like it!

Until now I haven’t been able to find an unboxing video that showed what I personally always wanted to see about the Alpha and its accessories. I hope this video satisfies the drool-lust of people like me now ;-)

# Dreams of a Musical Future: Digitópia Winners’ Wondrous Creations; One Will Be Real

Peter Kirn at Create Digital Music writes:

What if you could have any musical technology you wanted – if you had only to imagine something, and it appeared? That was the somewhat insane notion behind the Dreams Competition CDM organized with Rui Penha of Casa Da Musica’s Digitópia research and education program in Porto, Portugal. Earlier this week, Rui and I sat down on the banks of Porto’s famed Douro River with Paulo Maria Rodrigues to pour through stacks of imaginary instruments. Some proposals read like wish lists composed to Santa Claus. Others included exquisite renderings, mock-ups, and even video that made them into serious, near-finished product designs. In the end, we attempted to choose the ideas that seemed the most surprising and original, including a winner that – with some limitation of its scope – would be feasible to actually build.

Far from just being idle fantasy, the winner will be realized by a team of developers as an open-source, free project. And I suspect some of the other entries may yield real tools, too. The line-up offers plenty of indications of what matters to people, and what’s possible. Here are some of our favorite entries out of an impressively high-quality bunch, plus, of course, our winners and the grand-prize selection that will inspire a real project.

Jonas the Plugexpert – Ondervlak

Lovely compilation of tunes, including Ik mis je, the track that won 1^st in the first rekkerd.org sample remix contest.

Richard writes:

This album mix is a selection out of my relatively slower attempts at music (<140 bpm) created between 2005 – 2010, with the exception of ‘Kontje’ which was made in 2002.

The album is available as a free download under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 license.

# Boss pedal mouse

From MusicRadar:

As you can see, it's based on Boss's perennially popular DS-1 distortion pedal, with the 'Tone' and 'Dist' knobs operating as the left and right mouse buttons. There's also a scroll wheel on the side and the 'check' L.E.D. lights up when it's plugged in!

Unfortunately it doesn't work as an actual distortion pedal, but that's probably a good thing, because it's made out of plastic and it would be crumpled by our huge ROCK feet.