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Through Friday, Making One-Button Objects, Chip-Infused Hackday Saturday

Monday, March 1st, 2010

“Press play” … “button-mashing” … the very criticism of digital music is often directed at the button or switch, even as the cult hit monome spreads arrays of buttons like a virus.

Well, we’re still interested in what you can do with a button, so to fully focus you, we’re only giving you one button with which to play. The challenge of limiting interaction to one button has already spawned an explosion of entries from game designers, who have fought their way through intense competition for the legendary Gamma indie/experimental game competition. We’ll see the winners at the Game Developer Conference next week.

But we want to see what people can do with a single button and sound. Friday, March 12, sonic (and game-based, and other) objects involving a single button will converge at San Francisco’s Gray Area Foundation, in the midst of GDC.

The deadline is officially today, March 1, but as I follow up on entries, we’re extending that to Friday, March 5, by the end of the day NYC time. There are already some terrific-looking submissions, but we’re willing to entertain the possibility of more, at least for a few more days. (if you have something you want to share online but can’t ship, let us know that, too)

How to enter – simplified rules:

It doesn’t have to be a game. (But it could be.)

It does need to do something – make noise, make lights, move, or otherwise interact.

It needs to operate on its own. We have to be able to plug it in and have it function, without the addition of a computer, etc.

It needs to be shipped to California by the week of March 8, to be ready for the opening Friday, March 12. It will then be shipped back to you.

Send submissions, as detailed as you can, to:
onebuttonobject@kokoromi.org

Party + Hack

Part of the beauty of the one-button limitation is that it encourages quick hardware hacks and simplified designs. It’s a design you can make even if you’re out of time. We’ll be having a party to finish off creations in NYC on Saturday afternoon, building last-minute creations for Handmade Music Monday night (details forthcoming) and the One Button Objects show in San Francisco. If you want to get your own little hackday going between now and then and join us online from your local hackerspace / studio (anywhere in the world), let us know in comments. Here are details for those of you near NYC – plus some music for everyone to listen to while you solder/code/build:

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://music.goatslacker.com/track/muscle-museum">Muscle Museum by goatslacker</a>

Handmade Game Objects Hackday + Party
SATURDAY OPEN HOURS @ 2PM – 6PM
L TRAIN – 915 WYCKOFF AVE ( SILENT BARN )

Map
Facebook

Babycastles teams up with Handmade Music Night for a hacking afternoon. Come make crazy new video game objects, art, and controllers with us! We’ll have a jungle of fun stuff like dentures and gloves (high five to play!), but you should bring some fun things too. No experience at all necessary! (Bring soldering irons, tools, etc. if you’ve got them.)

with music by CHEESE’N’BEER CHIP MUSIC COLLECTIVE MATINÉE

ADAMGETSAWESOME »>
http://myspace.com/adamgetsawesome
Adam uses a gameboy with LSDJ and a lot of alcohol! We assure you that his name is not just all talk, he does in fact “get awesome.”

Zen Albatross »>
http://8bitcollective.com/members/Zen+Albatross/
Zen Albatross make stuff with pixels, Game Boys and ancient spirit magick. He also blogs about art, airships, bleeps, bloops and other swell things.

Goatslacker »>
http://music.goatslacker.com/
Goatslacker is Florida’s Josh Perez who promises to fill you up with high octane chip music.

and curry by chef Syed Salahuddin

And yes, that music lineup includes Goatslacker, who did the MUSE covers in 8-bit. It’s the sort of high-energy music that goes well with trying to keep your brain on hardware hacking.

Seriously, if anyone wants to switch on a webcam or IRC chat while you work on your submission, let us know and we can co-hack internationally.

Read more:
Through Friday, Making One-Button Objects, Chip-Infused Hackday Saturday

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NAMM 2010 Preview, and Beyond: Get Your Latest Music Tech News Here

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

NAMM, the trade group that includes music manufacturers and vendors, holds its flagship conference every January in Anaheim, California. It’s the biggest music trade show in the world, and even the biggest trade show of the year in Anaheim, home to Disneyland. But, of course, we’re about more than just pre-packaged industry news. So, we’ll do things a little differently this year.

As always, we won’t cover every last bit of news, just the stuff we really find important. And in a twist, we’re also looking to volunteer participants to help us cover the community around music technology, not just the big industry-driven stuff.

Where and when to get your tech news

cdmatnamm

At 10:00 or 11:00 am tomorrow, January 14, Pacific Time (GMT-8), embargoes begin lifting on most NAMM news.

You can follow CDM’s coverage in two places: here on CDM, of course, but also at:

namm.noisepages.com

On CDM, we’ll have our own editorial look at the show. For the latest, round-the-clock news, videos, and clips, dispatches from our contributors, as well as unedited press clippings, watch namm.noisepages.com. We’ll take the best bits of the noisepages site and round them up on CDM.

We’ll be covering official and unofficial news this week. So, yes, we expect to cover big names like Roland. We’ll also be picking up on tech in hotel rooms, open-source oddities at the party Friday, and hardware that can’t afford NAMM booths – you know, just like we always do. Every day is a news day around here.

Friday night in Los Angeles, I’ll be part of the big, unofficial Wham Bam Thank You NAMM party. We’ll have video, sound, and feature coverage both of the artists and of the discussion we hope to kick off about the future of music tech. So watch for bits of that over the coming days.

What to expect

op1

The OP-1 is way, way on the top of my hardware list for the year.

Our most anticipated news:

Ableton and Serato have already teased ableton-serato.com. So, obviously, if you were to tune into CDM at 11am California time tomorrow, I’m sure there won’t be any news whatsoever. Got that? Do not, by any means, expect any news Thursday around 11am.

I’ve been looking forward to talking to Teenage Engineering about their gorgeous-looking, Casio-inspired, FM radio and FM synthesis-equipped OP-1 synthesizer for months now; NAMM had always been the timeframe. Whatever isn’t ready, I should be able to catch when I’m in Stockholm in February. I’m imagining their studio looks something like the Wonka Chocolate Factory. If you’re there, you can find them on the floor.

I expect lots more controller hardware from lots more makers, and, whether it’s at NAMM or Messe or (for many manufacturers) completely independent of any trade show, I think 2010 will see more integrated hardware-software products.

No LinnDrum. There won’t be a LinnDrum announcement this year. That’s actually not a rumor. I think it’s best to diffuse any potential disappointment early. Dave Smith Instruments, though, have promised an announcement, so we’ll see what Dave’s been up to and I hope to catch up with Roger (Linn) later this year.

I could make more predictions, except I already know a lot about what’s coming out, so the predicting is somewhat less fun. Let’s see, let’s see, something I don’t know — I predict that the panelists I assembled on Friday will propose something so ludicrous and absurd for futuristic music tech that we’ll all be forced to make it.

And protests of major guitar manufacturers. On a more sobering note, the Korean workers who make major US brands like Fender, Ibanez, and Gibson are assembling a protest of the whole show, as reported by MusicRadar. Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello is even involved. It’s guitars, which strictly speaking isn’t NAMM news – but nearly everything we make (even the inner circuits of a US-assembled monome) is built with Asian labor. If anyone can get the scoop on this protest, I’m happy to hear it.

Big 2010 NAMM news that’s… not at the NAMM show

A lot of the big news in 2010 may happen outside NAMM:

  • Big makers skipping trade shows: Native Instruments, for instance, is skipping pricey trade shows to talk directly to would-be customers on the Web. So if there’s an announcement from NI – among ranks of manufacturers I expect will gradually grow – it’ll be elsewhere. I hear this Web thing is going to be huge.
  • Renoise 2.5, 2.6: The underground tracker is adding some unique features. The 2.5 upgrades, like its unique matrix view, look cool enough, but it’s the 2.6 version, with full-blown scripting and OSC support, that gets even more interesting. We should know more about each as the year goes on.
  • mini-command-banner

  • Ruin & Wesen’s magic box: The techno geniuses of Ruin & Wesen have been hard at work on their MiniCommand, plus the open Miduino library – built on Arduino – that powers it. This deserves a lot more attention for things like algorithmic musical programming, but the short version: expect magical music-programming capabilities that bridge hardware and software.
  • OpenSoundControl/OSC: Yeah, I know: OSC has been waiting for its big breakout year for some time. But don’t forget, OSC already has new traction, from becoming a standard in live visual/VJ apps almost overnight to inclusion on new hardware. There’s some big news as far as better hardware and software implementation in the pipeline. Oh, and because it’s open, we’ll get to just talk about this, and actually make it happen. OSC won’t be at NAMM because that’s not where it belongs: it’s a way of implementing Internet standards as much as it is a way of creating music-specific protocols, and a lot of its future lies directly in your hands.
  • Open hardware: It won’t be on the NAMM floor, but there is a convergence of monome users, alternative developers, and even (at the party Friday night) open-hardware Arduinomes. DIY tech is something we’ll be watching in Anaheim and all year long.
  • …and the suitcase brigade: Technically, NAMM doesn’t allow “suitcase” behavior – that is, people showing stuff who don’t have a booth. But I have at least one product demo booked offsite at a hotel room I think you’ll like. (Whoa, that sounds way more illicit than it is.)

How to Send Us News Tips

Are you a manufacturer with a product? An attendee with photos, video, sound, or words on anything cool — even that late-night jam back in the hotel room with friends? We’d love to have you get it to us. Directions on the namm.noisepages blog:

Community-driven coverage: Help Us Cover The Stuff Everyone Misses

Originally posted here:
NAMM 2010 Preview, and Beyond: Get Your Latest Music Tech News Here

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Step Sequencing: Launchpad + Renoise 2.5 Outshines Launchpad + Live + Max for Live

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Novation has unveiled this week their own “free” step sequencer offering for Ableton Live. It’s some lovely work, with basic melodic pattern playback that comes alive once you add some envelopes.

It’s a cool creation — but for me, it’s massively overshadowed by a new video featuring the upcoming Renoise 2.5 beta with the same Launchpad controller.

I’ll introduce it by saying, simply… hot damn.

And what a difference you get in price. Of course, to use either, you’ll need a Launchpad, currently running around US$200. But for the Renoise solution, you need only spend an additional US$75/EUR49 for everything. For the “free” patch for Live, you’ll need Ableton Live 8 or higher plus the Max for Live add-on, which even with current sale deals will set you back US$698 (unless you own some previous software, though even then, you’re unlikely to get down to $75). Free after an investment of nearly a grand is a bit of a stretch.

Now, trackers aren’t for everyone, as with any tool, some of you own Live already, and I’m all for spending more money when you need to. So I don’t want to harp on the price issue alone, even if we are talking more than $600 (an 800%+) difference.

Instead, look at the results. Renoise’s Matrix View is simply astounding – perhaps as much so as the first time I saw the Session View in Live. Rather than being an independent patch, this is the innards of Renoise under control here. Each individual step is a pattern. It can easily retrigger notes. It can do melodic patterns, if you like, but each step can have an individual pattern, each pattern can be directly edited in your actual arrangement file using the controller. You don’t have to touch the mouse. And while fader control of additional parameters isn’t there yet, it’s coming.

Oh yeah — and it’s a video step sequencer, too. (That’s thanks to Jitter, though it’s not presently in this release because of some performance issues.)

In this case, the ingredient remains Cycling ’74’s powerful patching tool, Max/MSP. But because the standalone version of that package – unlike Max for Live – includes a free run-time, you don’t have to buy Max to use the results. Also, even Max may not be necessary in the future, as later in the year 2010, the developers of Renoise will offer MIDI control scripts, Lua scripting of the environment, and OpenSoundControl. This functionality appears to be something you’ll get with the package, not something you’ll need to spend hundreds of dollars to use. The reason Max is necessary now is simply to map the Launchpad’s someone arbitrarily-mapped bi-directional MIDI to Renoise’s eminently-controllable grid. (Jitter is, in turn, used for video output, though that could work elsewhere.) With these functions integrated directly into Renoise – something sorely lacking in Ableton Live – you’ll be able to do more, more easily. With OSC sent from a device like the monome or (hopefully soon) Livid Instruments’ Ohm line, you ought to be able to just plug in the device for direct control.

It’ll also be easier to interchange devices, whereas some of the recent Max for Live devices are tied to specific controllers.

Don’t get me wrong – these are different tools. While scripting Renoise opens up a number of terrific possibilities, it won’t do everything that Max 5 (standalone) and/or Max for Live can do. For instance, if you’re looking to build your own video sequencer, you do want a separate tool, and you may indeed want the power of being able to drop that patch creation right into Live.

The point for me is that the core program itself in Renoise is controllable here, which for certain workflows can be an edge.

Competition is good. I’m certainly inspired to work on my own step sequencer creations and trying to make them better. And Novation has lucked out here, because I expect I’ve just sold them a few more Launchpads. But sorry, Ableton – I fully expect some Renoise users to find a way to tattoo their program of choice onto the hardware, as in this mock-up. This round goes to Renoise and the ingenious work of patch creator Johann Baron Lanteigne.

Depending on your tool of choice, if you’re a Launchpad owner, go grab now – and stay tuned for more step-sequencer-on-host action. Yum.

Launchpad Step Sequencer download, on the Novation support pages. Via:

Novation Launchpad now a step sequencer

Renoise Based Audio-Video Step Sequencer [Discussion, download available now]

Previously:

Renoise 2.5: A Matrix for Everything, Modulate Everything; Full Scripting, OSC Coming

PS, Ableton, Cycling ‘74, don’t feel bad. I did get to see the step sequencer creations by Little Scale last night at our party. They’re obvious choices for Max for Live, and he’s only had the Launchpad for a few weeks.

In fact, I think the best thing that could possibly happen is for all the Launchpad, monome, Ohm, Ableton, Renoise, SuperCollider, chip music, and other fans to throw down and let the out-step-sequencing battles begin.

Go.

See the original post here:
Step Sequencing: Launchpad + Renoise 2.5 Outshines Launchpad + Live + Max for Live

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Short links for November 13th, 2009

Friday, November 13th, 2009

Christian Marclay album cover art

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

# Waveformless: Free Sample Friday: Pro One Synthetic Percussion

More samples at Tom Shear’s Waveformless blog:

It's hard to believe another weekend is upon us, but it is, so here are some more free samples to get your weekend off to a good start. This time, it's a set of 21 24-bit synthetic percussion sounds I made on my Sequential Pro One

DIY Sound System with garbage cans

# 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.

# Tape Pianos Sample Pack

The Control Centre has posted a sample pack features 38 piano samples in 44k 16 bit mono format.

This samplepack contains 3 pianos I recorded to tape in 1998. A Baby Grand, a Fender Rhodes and an old upright a friend of mine had in her back kitchen. I recorded the pianos using a Tascam 244 Cassette Portastudio and a Shure SM58 microphone. The Fender Rhodes was recorded to tape directly from it's line output. The recordings were then sampled using a Yamaha A3000 sampler.

I recently exported the samples from the A3000 sampler to my laptop computer via floppy disk, and then imported them into Ableton Live's Sampler. To save each piano into your Live Library, load the project, then save each sampler as a preset inside Sampler's preset browser. Live will copy the samples to your library automatically.

If you don't have Live 8 and Sampler, you can still use the samples to recreate these pianos in your choice of software.

Kontakt, Wusikstation, and Mutools available here

# 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.

# XeroWorld

XEROWorld is the next phase in the evolution of online arts & entertainment — a totally new and unique web destination that seamlessly integrates social networking, interactive events, magazine style-news, and online malls.

Yaktronix Electronically Modified Didgeridoo

# 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.

# Review: Roger Linn Design AdrenaLinn Sync

Tom Shear reviews AdrenaLinn Sync, a new software plug-in from Roger Linn Design that provides the same unique beat-synced filter modulation and sequencing effects of our AdrenaLinn III guitar pedal.

Cyrille Arndt DIY Arduino-based MIDI controller

# 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.

# Live Music Makers Ask: How Can We Get in Sync?

Peter Kirn writes:

Synchronization is, by definition, a tough thing to do. But musical engineering is replete with challenges; it’s no longer acceptable to simply say “live with it” and walk away. It seems we need both better shared knowledge about what sync is how to make it work, and better engineering solutions on the software and protocols side to support the way users want to work. And yes, we need a new sync standard that goes beyond what’s presently available in MIDI alone

Bleep Labs Thingamagoop 2

# Bleep Labs

Prime Loops releases Bulletproof Hip Hop and Secret Lab: Club Mix Insanity

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

Prime Loops has released Bulletproof Hip Hop and Secret Lab: Club Mix Insanity, two new sample packs.

Prime Loops Bulletproof Hip Hop

Bulletproof Hip Hop is the toughest new collection of hip hop beats on the block.

These heavy-duty loops and instrumental scores have been precision-made and expertly tailored in a high-grade beat factory, ensuring your invincibility on the streets. This solid consignment is full of deep kicks, crisp snares and claps, synthesized strings, acoustic and electric basses, subs, guitars and all the percussion you need to put a gangster lean in your tracks.

To get the party bouncing, grab this varied selection of 20 loopkits, broken down into individual instruments and beats, and carefully categorized by tempo from 87 to 100bpm. Keeping that lowdown flava, these beats are all in minor keys, and each one has added swagger and swing to ensure non-stop grinding on the dancefloor. Styles range from heavy crunking to sweet symphonic, for the playa who likes to flex a little class in the studio.

Prime Loops Secret Lab: Club Mix Insanity

Secret Lab: Club Mix Insanity features a comprehensive collection of 180+ dark and mind twisting electro house loops, topped-up with 110+ single hits and one shots for maximum impact.

All of the sounds in this 120bpm sound suite have been split over a wide spectrum of relevant sub catgories such as Drum Loops, One Shots, Percussion Loops, Sequencer Loops, SFX Loops & Shroom Loops. Available as Wav, Acid Loops, Apple Loops, Rex2, Reason Refill, Ableton, Akai MPC and many other formats, you’re only moments away from adding some freaked out flavours to any techno, house, minimal, electro or glitchy composition.

Bulletproof Hip Hop and Secret Lab: Club Mix Insanity are available to purchase in various formats for

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Free Soundtrack for an Imagined Tron Movie: Rise of the Virals

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

_cvr_rise_450

What if, between the original classic Tron and the upcoming Tron 2: Legacy, there were another Tron movie, lost forever in cinematic history? Between the soaring score by Wendy Carlos for the original and Legacy’s Daft Punk music, what would the soundtrack have sounded like? Of course, it would have absolutely had some Journey in it.

Such a movie was rumored, but as with so many projects, leaves behind no evidence. What if it had left a score you could hear? The mysterious “Flynn 1.5″ writes to share a free, downloadable soundtrack that answers that question.

And you can argue with an album that begins out with “For the Love of ENCOM”? Indeed. You can stream the full album and download all but the Journey remix. Read the full “backstory” after the jump.

Tron moniker or no, the results are some lovely music, featuring the likes of Tiger Mendoza, Team9, artist and CDM regular reader Lilith The Kitten, and ringleader World Famous Audio Hacker, among others. (Trivia – Tiger Mendoza has his own, Creative Commons-licensed album, and Team9 earned notoriety for a mash-up collaboration with Green Day.)

In late 1998, I was commissioned to compile and produce the soundtrack for a sequel to the film “Tron”. A draft of the story had already been written and early filming had begun (as reported by ZDNet on July 27, 1999). As I understand it, the film was kept in great confidence with the producers as Pixar was still in negotiations with Disney about the responsibilities of the production teams.

“Rise Of The Virals” was a fantastic, but much darker storyline from the original — different from the “Into The Machine” pitch made to Disney by another party. It involved updating the ENCOM universe to a networked system (thanks to the Internet), but also created a darker world — full of programs abandoned as buggy systems (or “mutants”) and abused by corrupt users as viral systems. Furthermore, the story included the death of Flynn and presented questions about the digital life of programs lasting beyond the mortality of their creators — the users.

My task was to compile great underground artists to create a new soundtrack for this darker world of Tron. After the completion of the initial tracklist and first production draft of the soundtrack, it seemed as if negotiations between Pixar and Disney had broken down. Funding for the project was eventually pulled.

I have been most excited to see the announcement of the third film, the new “TR2N” (Tron: Legacy), especially with the involvement of those who will be creating the new soundtrack. It is obvious to me that “Tron: Legacy” takes place after “The Rise Of The Virals” without abandoning its first concept. Perhaps that is why we’ve seen sites like Flynn Lives creep up in anticipation of the new film.

I’ve decided to release the preliminary version of the soundtrack which includes a special remix of Journey’s “Any Way You Want It” produced specifically for “Rise Of The Virals”. Journey provided two songs to the original “Tron”, and their song “Separate Ways” will reportedly be on the “Legacy” soundtrack as well. In any case, since the story of “Rise Of The Virals” takes place between the first “Tron” film and the upcoming “Tron 2: Legacy”, I can’t think of a better title for this material other than “Tron 1.5″. I hope you enjoy the music these artists have put such great work into.

– Flynn 1.5

Tron 1.5: “Rise Of The Virals”
(Digitally Remastered)

1. “For The Love Of ENCOM” (4:16) (Team9)
2. “Askew” (5:08) (Solcofn)
3. “Build A Better Lightcycle” (3:24) (Tiger Mendoza)
4. “Rise Of The Virals” (3:37) (World Famous Audio Hacker)
5. “Any Way You Want It” (4:30) (Rhythm Scholar Syntax Error Remix)
6. “Electro City” (5:24) (Lilith The Kitten)
7. “March To Silicon Palace” (3:34) (Future Sound Of Tron)
8. “Lora’s Theme” (4:34) (Team9)
9. “Technojazz” (5:56) (Solcofn)
10. “Love Theme” (4:11) (Tiger Mendoza)
11. “Paranoid Space” (2:45) (Tiger Mendoza)
12. “T128.Flynn.FK@yf” (6:30) (EBNC)
13. “Core Dump” (6:01) (Lilith The Kitten)
14. “Means To An End” (8:00) (Solcofn)
15. “Theme From Tron 105″ (1:26) (Carl Walters)

The full album is available for free download at http://tron.fm/

Follow this link:
Free Soundtrack for an Imagined Tron Movie: Rise of the Virals

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Bassoon of the FUTURE: Eigenharp Launches, in Massive and Pico-for-Mortals Sizes

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

I don’t know if it’s “the most revolutionary new musical instrument of the last 60 years,” but let’s be clear on one thing: the Eigenharp Alpha is utterly, beautifully insane. It combines breath and finger input in a bassoon form factor, but with quite a lot more physical control, a computer connection, and no internal sound source of its own. The breath input comes from a crooked tube as on a bassoon, with finger input in a touch strip, a fretted, light-up keyboard, and keys that have their own various forms of expression. Launched yesterday in London, the Eingenharp is getting a lot of attention. (And yes, some of you spotted signs of its launch all the way back in June, to which I say – I’m sorry I’m so late to the party.)

From BBC: Do you drum it, strum it or stroke it?

alphanecks

I hope to speak to the creators soon. Already, I see some indications that there are equal parts genius and madness here. The controller itself, even in the bizarre bassoon form factor, has an extraordinary amount of control, with high-resolution keys, percussion keys, elaborate control arrangements that can adjust tone or record samples, and extremely precise breath and touch. At £3,950, many computer musicians accused of “knob twiddling” by the creators probably won’t be able to afford the top-of-the-line model, but I do believe an instrument like this can easily, fairly cost this much, it’s a cost reasonable for musical instruments – and there is a £349 “Pico” edition for mortals.

There’s some madness, too, however. For the “instrument of the future,” the creators appear to have chosen MIDI, via USB, in place of a modern control protocol. Then, they plug the instrument into proprietary Mac software. (A Windows version is expected early next year.) There are software models of a Cello, a Clarinet, and a Synth, but there are also gigs of samples oddly loaded into SoundFont format. Given the futuristic ambitions and the sky-high price, closed software and antiquated I/O seem puzzling to me. (An alternative protocol is used, as well; hopefully it’s something you can access in your own software and not just theirs.) I’m also skeptical of the approach here of piling on as many controllers as possible.

Important clarification: I’m unclear on exactly how the data resolution and precision described in the specs is mapped over MIDI (or not, as the case may be); I’m working on getting details from the makers on exactly what protocol they’ve used. It doesn’t seem they’ve used something like OSC, which is unfortunate, but then OSC isn’t the only way to implement an open protocol; that’s more about documenting what you’ve done and making it intelligent and accessible.

But don’t get me wrong. I think this fascinatingly bizarre instrument is worth exploring. The hardware design looks exceptionally luxurious, and there is some genuine design innovation in the controller the likes of which we’ve never seen in an instrument beyond a prototype or two.

Oh, and yes, I already want the Pico – and I think the Pico’s fewer controls may actually make more sense.

Basic specs:

Video of the key action, among others collected on YouTube:

The “Alpha,” the flagship:

  • 120 keys, plus 12 percussion keys. (Wait — 120? Yes, you read that right.)
  • Two strip controllers, one on each side.
  • Breath pipe and mouthpiece.
  • 11-bit resolution (2048 values) in the keys and strip controllers, 12-bit resolution (4098 values) for breath.
  • Internal audio interface with mic pre, converters, and headphone out – so you need to carry this and a computer, but not this, a computer, and an audio interface.
  • A “Base Station” with inputs for expression pedals and foot switches, which also contains the USB connection. This connects to a floor spike on which the instrument rests.

http://www.eigenlabs.com/alpha/

The Pico:

  • 22 keys (18 for playing, four mode switches).
  • Keys work via direct pressure and lateral pressure in both directions, as on the Alpha.
  • Breath pipe.
  • Strip controller.
  • Same resolution: 11-bit keys, 12-bit breath.
  • £349.

http://www.eigenlabs.com/pico/

pico

To be honest, I’m quite a lot more interested in the Pico, not because I think cheaper is better, but because I’m curious whether you can’t be just as expressive with the more limited set of controls as with the kitchen sink approach of its big brother. After all, 22 keys is roughly the number you’d find on most reed instruments, including the Bassoon. True, the piano has 88 keys, but it also doesn’t really have anything else – and it’s able to have so many because of its form factor.

In fact, I’m sorry, but I love the Pico. It looks friendly, it looks portable, it isn’t terrifying-looking like the Alpha, and it seems it’d be more at home in a variety of musical venues than the Alpha. Sometimes less is more. Let’s see if I prove to be correct.

The software, though I hope you could also customize your own software rig using the MIDI input:

  • Modular, allowing the routing of control inputs, sound sources and samples, loopers, and synthesis and effects.
  • SoundFont oscillator.
  • Physical models of the clarinet, cello.
  • AU host for adding your own plug-ins. (And yes, this is where I think you’ll have the most fun.
  • A system for triggering events, takes, key, and mapping scale.
  • An interactive arrangement system for step sequencing.
  • Oddly, an extensive Steinway D multi-sample. On the other hand, for years we’ve all have been playing bassoon and other reed samples on the keyboard, and in organ form for centuries, so now the reed instrument gets its revenge.

Source: Eigenlabs software specs.

The instrument’s creator, John Lambert, repeats the maxim heard at new instrument design conferences: “We’ve got pretty fed up with watching people twiddle knobs on stage.” Naturally, that means… turning to the Bassoonist, that sex icon of the orchestra? I’ll run with it.

One other tidbit from that article:

He says there is one high-profile musician who is about to take delivery of an Eigenharp, but won’t give any names.

Yeah, Herbie Hancock, we know it’s you. (Okay, they are an English company, so maybe it’s an English celeb, but really the question is whether Herbie is who they mean, or whether he’s filling out the pre-order as we speak. He’s like what we would all be like if we had a budget.)

Anyway, consider this a first look. I hope to get closer to the actual instrument soon.

View original post here:
Bassoon of the FUTURE: Eigenharp Launches, in Massive and Pico-for-Mortals Sizes

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Loopmasters releases Todd Terry – NYC CLassic House

Monday, July 27th, 2009

Loopmasters has released Todd Terry – NYC CLassic House , an exceptional royalty free sample collection from one of House music’s early pioneers and most successful DJs, Todd Terry. With a history of success through the last 3 decades it seemed the right thing for us to call this collection ‘NYC Classic House’, and we are convinced that producers worldwide will draw inspiration from the loops and samples found on this unique collection from the man himself. Grammy Award nominated DJ/Producer Todd Terry has been engulfed in dance music since he first started listening to European dance music records while growing up in Brooklyn. By 1988, Todd Terry hit big in England and Europe, and his notoriety was making its way back to the U.S. In addition to DJ appearances, Todd was cutting his classic underground tracks A Day In The Life, Weekend, and Can You Party, released under monikers such as the Todd Terry Project, House Of Gypsies, and Royal House. Following with the release of ‘Keep On Jumpin’, Todd continued to break new ground as a Producer/Remixer. From SNAP to Annie Lennox to George Michael to Bjork, Todd’s mixes bridge the ground between club cool and commercial accessibility. In 1995, his remix for Everything But The Girl’s Missing became a worldwide smash, giving the British duo their first ever hit. Todd is one of the world’s most celebrated figures in dance music. With almost two decades of dance floor domination under his belt the quality of his productions continue to go from strength to strength. Todd Terry – NYC CLassic House features Over 500 samples (600+MB in total). 39 House Basslines, 60+ House Drumloops, 36 Musical Loops, 10 Vocal Loops, 80 Bass Sounds, 190+ House Drum Hits from Todds collection, 90 Fx Samples, and 15 instrument Samples. 46 Ready to play patches for Reason NNXT, Halion, Kontakt, EXS, and SFZ. Todd Terry – NYC CLassic House is available in various formats for

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