6th September 2010: ExperimentalScene has updated DarkWave Studio to v3.0.7. This update adds the frequently user requested Copy and Paste functionality to the Pattern Editor in DarkWave Studio. The user may now make …
See the article here:
ExperimentalScene updates DarkWave Studio to v3.0.7
Cellular AutoMidi is a generative music making app, making use of a modified version of the ever-popular Cellular Automata algorithm – a simple evolutionary model on a grid that works nicely for sequencers. (See, among many others, Lazyfish’s legendary NEWSCHOOL for Reaktor, and Audio Damage’s Automaton.)
Cellular Automata is nothing new, but here, you get to see it as an AIR/Flash app, which means a modular CA-based creation you can drop anywhere. (More on the cross-platform details after the jump.) And hey, if we can have countless step sequencers, why not countless cellular automata step sequencers? The project is developed by Leeds, England-based Flash developer Lawrie Cape.
It also deserves special mention for some nice sounds made with NI’s Massive synth, using FL Studio as host; see the video.
Cellular AutoMidi – Generative Audio Flash AIR App from Lawrie Cape on Vimeo.
Lawrie writes:
Each cell can be alive or dead. Once in a generation, each cell looks at it’s surrounding cells, and dies if it is lonely or overcrowded. If a dead cell has an optimum amount of neighbors, it will come to life! Each generation, all the cells which have come to life will sound a note. The notes are assigned based on the cell’s y position, and are all in the pentatonic scale.
There’s a few controls at the bottom which change how things work too.
Start/Stop – Starts/Stops the automation.
Load – Loads a pattern from the text box.
Export – Exports the current pattern to the clipboard. You can send it to friends, or save it for later, then load in with the load button.
Clear down – Stop and clear the current pattern.
Law Mode – An error when coding the cell rules gave this other odd mode.
Skip Audio – Just show the cell animations.
Sing Dead – Instead of singing the recently revived notes, sing for the recently deceased.
Note duration – Alter the system speed.
Also, along the top there are banks of preset systems. Click play to start a saved pattern, and click assign to assign the pattern currently displayed to that button. You can also trigger each pattern with the keyboard keys 1-8.When you press Export, your pattern is automatically copied to the clipboard, so you can save it, or share it with people. Here’s a pattern I made – you can load it by pasting it into the load box, and pressing Load!
I’ve written a post about it on my blog here – http://www.lawriecape.co.uk/theblog/index.php/archives/735
And you can download the app there too.
What about MIDI function on different operating systems (Mac, Windows, Linux)?
Flash Midi Server is Processing based, but I’ve packaged it as Win and Mac apps in the Google Code download at – http://code.google.com/p/flash-midi-server/downloads/list
In the next couple of days, I’ll put together and test a Linux version, and hopefully release the Processing source code too – although as my first Processing project, I’m sure the code is pretty ropey.
So, give it a try, and maybe someone with some Processing MIDI skills can recommend some tweaks to MIDI operation. I think this will be particularly welcome on Linux, where the toolset is a bit leaner.
If you use it, let us know what you think or what you create!
See the original post here:
Free Generative MIDI with Cellular Automata, Built in AIR
There are two ways to view Propellerhead’s port of the seminal ReBirth to iPhone and iPod touch. The first is as a new music production benchmark for the App Store, being in every way the same application that exploded onto Mac and PC in 1997. The second is as a lazily built, rather ill-fitting fingermare that experienced hands will frequently find frustrating and casual users won’t have the patience for.
Both are right, if we’re honest. The interface scales smoothly but not exactly pleasantly – it’s bitmapped rather than vector-based, resulting in blurry text and ugly, fuzzy knobs at high zoom settings. And no concessions have been made in terms of making it ‘fit’ the iPhone – it’s literally the Mac/PC version shrunk to fit a smaller screen.
But ultimately, and considering the price, none of that really spoils the party. This is ReBirth – two 303s, an 808, a 909, the Pattern Controlled Filter, the compressor, the delay, the step sequencing, the song mode… There are even five user mods included with the software (the mighty PBE among them), while you also have the ability to share your projects online.
Equally importantly, ReBirth is simply an awesome nostalgia trip that revives the undefinable magic of the early days of serious computer music. Essential.
 |
 |
Read more:
Propellerhead Software ReBirth
The latest product to pad out Image-Line’s ever-increasing range of virtual instruments is Drumaxx, a physical modelling-based drum synthesizer with built-in sequencing.
Most drum machines use subtractive synthesis (ie, oscillators and filters), samples or a combination of the two, but physical modelling recreates instrument sounds using a mathematical model of a physical sound source – in this case, a drum. Using this, you can edit the physical properties of the drum and the way it’s struck, rather than being restricted to sample, filter and envelope settings.
The subtle nuances and natural variations between hits in, say, a drum roll, are easily emulated, helping to avoid the recognisable ‘machine gun’ effect of every hit sounding exactly the same.
Drumaxx gives you 16 fully editable drum pads to work with – each of which can be routed to its own output for further mixing and effects processing. These cover the full range of standard drum hits, from bass drums and snares to hi-hats and cymbals, to more exotic-sounding percussion instruments. Behind each drum model is the same synthesis architecture: a modelled drum membrane that vibrates when struck by a mallet.
Clicking a drum pad in the top half of the screen brings up the relevant settings for that sound in the Modelling Controls section, which occupies the midsection of the GUI. From here, the physical properties of the drum head, the mallet and the striking action can be modified, enabling you to control parameters such as the membrane material, its thickness, tension and shape. Any of these can then be modulated by MIDI velocity, enabling natural variations in timbre to be performed or programmed.
There are also high-, mid- and low-frequency filters, enabling frequencies to be filtered out and resonances controlled or highlighted. The mid-range filter is also attached to an envelope generator, enabling the cutoff point to be modulated when the drum is struck.
From these relatively simple controls, it’s almost surprising that such a wide range of drum sounds can be synthesized. But Drumaxx has no problem delivering everything from snares and cymbals to glitchy special effects sounds and dance hits.
Drumaxx also features a simple 909-style step sequencer. MIDI notes can trigger individual drum pads or entire sequences in, with the exact notes for each being user-definable. Up to 16 patterns can be defined per patch, and the supplied presets come with patterns that are handy for getting a feel for the kits.
The sequencer itself is an old-school affair with 16 programming buttons shown on the GUI. Select a drum pad to edit its sequence by clicking the buttons: a lit button indicates that a hit will be played at that position. In fact, sequences can be any length from one step to 64, with the Pattern Bar selector used to switch through the additional banks of steps.
When triggering patterns via MIDI, the rhythm will play as long as the note is held (or until you release the sustain pedal), which enables some neat improvisations. You can set up multiple patterns for, say, kick, hi-hat and snare rhythms, then mash them up on the fly.
Other niceties include swing and tiny velocity sliders next to each step. There’s also a simple play/pause button on the interface that can trigger the current sequence without you having to reach for your MIDI controller.
Drumaxx’s sequencer is well implemented and a neat bonus, although we wouldn’t go so far as to say that it’s a key selling point.
(2 pages; go to page: 2)
Related Stories
 |
 |
Read this article:
Image-Line Drumaxx
To help out some subscribers in countries that are blocked from viewing my video on youtube – Beginner To pro Video 2 is available for download. Soundfont samples are also available.
Read the original:
FL Studio Video and Soundfont Downloads
This is the first of a series of tutorials for flstudio. In this video learn how to get started using FL Studio, along with a overview of how to use the step sequencer, mixer and Playlist. This is a 30 minute HD video.
Read more here:
FL Studio Tutorials Beginner to Pro Video 01
9th March 2010: Version 2.5 of Renoise has been released. New features include: Pattern Matrix: A birds eye view and editor of the song. Cross Track Routing for Meta Devices and new devices like the Signal Follower…
Here is the original post:
Renoise v2.5 released
Richard Lawler has released PatternMusic, a new music app for iPhone and iPod Touch.
Composing one’s own music becomes more intuitive with the release of PatternMusic, a new application for the iPhone
Hotelsinus Sound Design has released version 0.23 of TonesynthDS, a free software synth for the Nintendo DS.
TonesynthDS is an easy to use matrix tone synth with a simple instrument generator.
TonesynthDS features
The SP-404 was launched in 2005 and quickly gained fans for its no-nonsense, portable approach to sampling. However, there were also many users and potential buyers that found the SP-404 frustrating to use for a wide range of different reasons.
There was much for such users to grumble about: patterns couldn’t be copied easily without a computer and card reader; only one effect could be used at a time; the display was small and cryptic; editing samples was hit-and-miss; and phono jacks were used instead of jacks. And there were a couple of fundamental sticking points, too – the pads weren’t velocity-sensitive, nor could samples be mapped easily across an entire octave (as on an MPC).
With all this in mind, people are hoping for something much improved with a new 404. So does the SX impress and do what’s hoped of it?
Sampling is pretty straightforward on the 404SX. Plug in your source (mic, line or the internal mic) hit Rec, select the pad you want to sample onto, hit Rec again and sample away. Then hit Rec to stop.
The sample can be marked and truncated (this is still a bit hit-and-miss without a waveform display), and sampling can be done in mono, stereo or the lo-fi mode. Resampling with FX is possible, too.
Sequencing patterns is relatively simple. Hit the Pattern Select button, then record, select the bank you wish to record to and press the pad you want the pattern assigned to, press the Length button and use controller dial 3 to select the number of measures from 1 to 99. You can also quantise and there’s a new swing function, too.
Pattern building involves layering single or multiple samples to form a beat. Patterns can be triggered from one pad, enabling songs to be put together by triggering patterns in sequence from their respective pads and the next pattern can be cued while the current one plays. However, there’s no dedicated song mode for chaining patterns.
Apart from the obvious aesthetic change from a silver to a grey case, and a new colour-changing display (this glows various colours to represent your input level), you’d be hard pushed to find too many other noticeable alterations.
One immediate downside to the new colour is that it makes it difficult in low light to read the labelling of the sockets on the front of the 404SX (the headphone, mic level and mic-in jacks) and also a few of the other function labels, too.
“It appears that the sampling/sound quality has been improved.”
New features include a Function button for accessing utility functions via the pads – press and hold the Function button and hit the pad to adjust in and out gain, save and load, select MIDI channels, copy and exchange sounds/patterns, import WAVs and AIFFs, auto-trigger sampling and more.
Other changes include the Pitch button, which was next to the display on the old 404, but has been replaced by a formant-shaping Voice Transform function for warping voices and other material on the 404SX. Additionally, the Vinyl Sim button of the old 404 has now been replaced by a DJFX looper that enables DJ-style pitching, looping and stuttering to simulate vinyl or CD deck functionality (this works great and is a lot of fun).
(2 pages; go to page: 2)
Related Stories
 |
 |
More here:
Roland SP-404SX