Vivace portable music studio features multitouch interface, loads of style
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Apr 20th 2009 7:19PM
posted Apr 20th 2009 7:19PM
It was not too long ago that we were lusting over OpenLabs' attempt to bring us a dedicated digital audio workstation as a single device, and now it looks like the ante's been upped yet again. Sure, the Vivace is but a mere concept at the moment, but designers Young-Shin Lee and Hae-Jin Jung clearly know what we want. This guy has the same form factor as a laptop, but instead of a keyboard features a second multi-touch display. On the downside, we can't imagine that playing a "keyboard" on a smooth surface would give one anywhere near the control of honest-to-goodness keys. But on the upside? This thing looks really, really sweet. Check out the gallery below for some more mouth-waterin' pics.
[Via SlashGear]
[Via SlashGear]
First thought?
"Beam me up, Scotty."
Um... no Star Trek TOS had Physical slide switches...
TNG and later had the touch panels...
So APPLE YOU ASS WIPES YOU OWE THANKS TO GENE R (rip)
He should sue you for using his ideas of Multi-Touch...created for Star Trek...
I know that. But when you first think Star Trek, do you think "Beam me up O'Brien," or "Beam me up Scotty?"
Plus you're forgetting the Star Trek movies. They weren't physical switches.
ah touche...
Who the FACK do these people think they are!
Apple invented multi-touch , musical instruments AND music... They needs to ask Apple for permission to use Multi-touch.
Oh yea and Apple also invented Star Trek... that Gene Roddenberry guy stole the ideas from Apple iPhone.
iReally hope that was sarcasm
iReally surprised that's not obvious to you..
@Mike: The execution of said sarcasm lacked nuance and subtlety, I think. Maybe it confused him. Sometimes, such wording can come across as true or as satirical scorn.
No offence to Schweppes, of course. I give the poster props for trying.
I know (hope...?) this post is being sarcastic (or bait), but as long as we're on the subject, I'd like to point out that no company should be able to claim a touchscreen that registers more than one contact as their own personal idea.
That's like saying Ford could patent a five seated car, or Nintendo could sue anyone who makes a device with dual screens. In fact, a multitouch patent would be worse, because it doesn't designate any particular number of spots you can touch. A patent for something so broad and obvious seems unfair for the sake of competition and bad for everyone concerned.
Please, let's get this straight. It isn't that sarcasm is so difficult to discern, it's just that there are some dangerously insane people posting here it's often difficult to believe they're serious... hence, a little gun shy on the sarcasm call. See? :D
1/2 s ;)
By the way, the interface idea is killer and I'm sure the DAW developers will incorporate a dual screen format as soon as dual screen laptops are available. It's a brilliant way to work... 1 panel for controlling things with mouse and menus, another panel for control surfaces, fake knobs, buttons, etc. Whatever you need, it can be projected on the second panel to let you work faster and more intuitively. I love it. Can't wait. Besides 3dsmax, I also use Sonar. :)
both his avatar and name are a brand of ginger ale.. that says enough
I can see how this would be good for sampling. Or maybe in Ableton in a live PA.
Maybe multi-touch cd decks for dj'n with DIGWEED AND DAVE SEAMAN!!!!!! HELL YEA HOUSE MUSIC ALL NIGHT HOUSE MUSIC ALL NIGHT LONG!
And all I want is a multitouch tablet...
If they have pressure sensors underneath like a Wacom tablet can detect 1024 levels of pressure, then it would be good enough for a most piano players..
i agree with JS. Because i know i certainly could not play a completely flat piano without messing up a few times.
But other than that this thing looks pretty cool.
The pressure sensors are in the styli, not in the tablets.
That's not how the Wacom tablet works. The pressure is measured inside the stylus. The pad reads the pressure changes.
Aha, an iPhone-like piano....
Really? I don't see it.
And you didn't see the humor either... (has to do with a couple of odd titled engadget articles, maybe?)
Now, if they could get this thing over to Apple or Propellerhead or the Cubase people to help create a mixer/plugin UI for their respective programs on the touchscreen...amazing.
(If they attempt to bring it over to Digidesign, the shitheads will either reject it, or swipe it as proprietary hardware for their their next edition of ProTools)
Agreed. As a Sonar enthusiast, I'd expect all DAW devlopers to do some exciting things with the second panel as soon as 2 monitor laptops are on the market. There are some seriously interesting things you can do once you remove the keyboard and offer any type of control surface you can imagine on the second monitor.
Put Virtual DJ on this thing NOW! oh and ??? they should bring it to numark because they are the ultimate when it comes to multitouch musical interfaces.
Oh, wow. Novel device! Usage of such device without piano like buttons open to question though. Probably, this music studio would find its worshipers among DJs and electronic music composers.
O. from http://RuleYourMoney.com
i hate spammers.
This thing reminds me of the EMS Synthi AKS that I had back in the early '70s. Take a look at http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/synthi.php
Alas, there's nothing new under the sun :-)
Now that's cool. When you have an idea in your mind about a possible device, it's nice to know that other's agree. Thankfully I'm not a manufacturer or I might feel disappointed.
It's funny how long it sometimes takes to get from A back to A using technology. EMS has a great product there, and to think, it was released in 1971. And to think we might be n the verge of replicating the general concept behind that device. Simply amazing.
multitouch is cool, but for music it gets lost...haptic feedback, or atleast pressure sensitivity is important in almost any instrument-- especially the keys on a keyboard; otherwise, you're playing a bit blindly
to all those people saying that so & so... invented the music multitouch controller, you need to check out the JAZZ MUTANT LEMUR
http://jazzmutant.com
Not surprised by the name there. "Vivace" is after all an Italian word seen frequently in music scores.