Results for phones

Saku Tiainen has released a new version of BeatEd, a simple drum machine application for Symbian S60 mobile phones.

BeatEd now has improved support for handling multiple sample kits.

New in BeatEd v1.11.00 features

• File submenu renamed as Pattern and Pattern info renamed as Pattern prefs and moved to Pattern submenu.
• A new Sample kit submenu added and Load sample kit command moved there. Sample kit info command added.
• Available sample kits are scanned at startup from C: and E: drives.
• Sample kit location removed from settings. Not needed anymore.
• Sample kit ID stored in the pattern file and correct kit is loaded automatically with pattern.
• Maximum pattern length extended from 16 to 64 beats.

Note: Patterns that were saved using the earlier version do not have the sample kit tag, so the correct sample kit will not be opened. You can open the pattern, then select the default sample kit and save the file. Then it has the tag and the sample kit is loaded automatically next time. All v1.11 sample kits have tags in example pattern files.

New sample kits are available for download as well. The new kits include 8 bit Nintendo Game boy chip tune kit by Aleksi Heatbeat Eeben and Roland TR-808, CR-78 and TR-909 analog drum machine kits by Juha-Matti AMJ Hilpinen.

Check the BeatEd website for more information and links to download the latest version of BeatEd and additional drum kits.

Some interesting things I found on April 23rd, 2008:

# The Echo Nest – The Echo Nest Analyze API is a tool that can enrich your software’s understanding of musical recordings. It uses a perceptual model of human listening to generate detailed descriptions of a song’s structure and musical content.

Given any musical sound file, our analysis engine outputs global musical track information such as tempo, dominant pitches and timbre, key, time signature, energy, etc. It also segments the sound file into large sections (such as verse, chorus, bridge), beats, and smaller time slices. Each segment is described in terms of pitch, timbre, and loudness content. The engine then segments a musical track into small time slices, each representing a perceived “sound” (a note of a piano, a syllable of a vocal line, etc.).

Each segment is then described in pitch, timbre and loudness. This information can power performances, visualizations, and games with the ability to respond to a wide range of nuances in the music they use.

Anita Lillie wrote a program which maps a subset of the audio data onto a visual scale, and creates video playback of the song. (above = visualization of ‘Cross the Breeze by Sonic Youth).

Adam Glazier made a nice Flash based visualizer for your Echo Nest Analysis XML.

# Portishead – Third @ Last.fm – Portishead's latest album can be streamed free of charge.

# The Reality of Depending on True Fans – Robert Rich tempers Kevin's enthusiasm for 1000 True Fans with a cautionary realism borne from actually trying the idea. The summary of his experience is so pertinent and detailed that Kevin felt was worth posting in full.

# Celebration Of Vintage and Retro Design — ads, illustrations, book covers, pins and posters from 1920-1980s – The images weren’t necessarily created in the mid of 20th century. Vintage is living today which is why this post also features artists and designers who make use of the vintage and retro style in their works.

# BeatEd – a simple drum machine for S60 – BeatEd was originally developed in couple of nights to get a drum machine and metronome application for personal guitar playing purposes.

Saku Tiainen has released version 1.1 of BeatEd, a simple drum machine application for Symbian S60 mobile phones.

BeatEd – download and install the application and data file and you’re good to go!

Saku writes:

It was originally developed in couple of nights to get a drum machine and metronome application for personal guitar playing purposes. After getting a lot of new ideas and positive feedback, I decided to improve it a bit and make a decent public release of it. So here it is, have fun!

BeatEd v1.1 features

• Easy to use beat editor, even easier beat player.
• Change tempo and volume while playing.
• Edit beat on-the-fly while playing.
• 16 bit 16 channel audio mixer.
• Extremely accurate beat timing (1-999 BPM).
• Real-time VU meters.
• 16 different drum tracks.
• Supports S60 v3.x mobile phones.
• Adjusts to different screen layouts.
• Random volume variance.
• and much more..

BeatEd supports all S60 3^rd edition devices (tested on Nokia 6120 Classic, N82, N91, N93i, N95, E51, E60, E65, E70, E90 Communicator).

Visit the BeatEd website for more information and a link to download the latest version of BeatEd.

Some interesting things I bookmarked on del.icio.us on February 28th, 2008:

• Syntrax – a free mobile music studio – a sample editor, synthesizer and sequencer for Windows mobile and Symbian smartphones.

• Charting a song – Chris Glass charts Take a chance on me by Abba.
• Free DIY Pac-Man Sampler-Step Sequencer Game (PC) – Hayden Bursk aka CDMer ohtravioso, has built a brilliant free game-slash-step sequencer for Windows, downloadable free.
• Tin 1 – DIY tin can speakers. They actually look quite classy.
• How to add multiple samples into one piano roll in FL Studio – Lovely FL Studio tips & tricks at The Fruit Tree website. This post is about using the layer channel to play multiple samples from one piano roll, just what I was trying to figure out!

Some interesting things I bookmarked on del.icio.us on January 8th, 2008:

• Extreme Business Cards – A business card that actually dials you up by itself

Just tap the corner of the card to dial the number

• Super Mario meets DOOM – Super Mario in a DOOM mod.
• The Death of High Fidelity – CDs sound better, but no one’s buying them. The age of the audiophile is over, (according to producer Bendeth).
• Small and Fabulous: Modular Living as It Should Be – Style hand in hand with globally conscious living.

Just the other day I read a post on how the stigma of the home office is vanishing.

Clive writes:

Do you work from home? When you answer the phone, do you try to pretend you’re at an “office” — or do you let your colleagues know where you are?

He links to an interesting article by Marci Alboher, who claims that work-from-home entrepreneurs are increasingly candid about the fact that they work from home.

Clive also argues that mobile phones have contributed to this change by transforming the acoustic and geographic environments in which people conduct business.

But today I read about Thriving Office, a soundtrack of a busy office.

This cd contains two 39-minute tracks with “Busy” and “Very Busy” sounds of voices, phones, computers, drawers and more…

Small businesses know they must seem successful to become successful. So they play Thriving Office while they’re on the phone. This valuable CD is filled with the sounds people expect to hear from an established company, providing instant credibility. It’s fast, easy and effective!

Okay, so you want to gain trust from new customers/business relations by lying to them on the phone? Way to go…