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Korg Wavedrum Mini makes music from your nervous tics (video)
Can't stop banging out Rebecca Black's oh-so-infectious jams on your knickerbockers? Korg's Wavedrum Mini won't make Friday any less awful, but it could make your inexcusable actions a wee bit less annoying. The Q3-bound Mini crams the company's digital drum pad tech into a portable package with a built in speaker, and its myriad buttons let you choose from 100 different sounds including strings, synth tones, and a gaggle of percussion instruments. You'll also get 100 preset rhythms for those who prefer their instruments play themselves, but surely that's not you... right? Heck, there's even a loop function so you can build layer upon layer (upon layer!) of cacophonous noise. The best part, however, is the included sensor, which can be clipped to almost anything, turning your ceaseless toe tapping into bass hits. If you can't wait to see it in action, take a gander at the exceedingly long demo video after the break.
Beep-It optical theremin for the masses makes sci-fi sound anybody's game (video)
We've seen theremin mod after theremin mod, but those seeking that distinct sci-fi sound without the physical labor or hefty price tag haven't had much of an outlet until now. Meet Beep-It, a $35 analog optical theremin that sports a simple on / off switch, volume control, one quarter-inch jack, and light sensitive resistor to make you the master of that otherworldly sound. According to its creator, Michael Una, the little sonic music maker started off as yet another mod -- a "single-oscillator square wave theremin" in a petri dish -- back in 2008, and underwent a number of incarnations before getting the wood grain treatment you see here. Beep-It is now available at select retailers or direct from the company's website -- then again, we suppose you could hire Bobby McFerrin to do the same thing. Trippy demo after the jump.
New York subway schedule turned into a beautiful, musical visualization (video)
HTML5, JavaScript and a tiny pinch of Flash. Those are your ingredients for building one of the neatest, simplest websites we've come across in a long time. Conductor, as its maker Alexander Chen dubs it, is a visualization built on New York's publicly available subway schedule API. It shows the progress of the Big Apple's underground carriers throughout the day and garnishes the experience with a delightful musical trick every time two lines cross. You can see it on video after the break or just hit the source link and experience it for yourself.
Griffin StompBox pedal board brings authenticity to iPad rocking
Users of the iShred Live iOS app (no relation to this thing) now have a pedal board to do the job of, well, a pedal board. Up until recently, the app allowed players to connect their electric guitars to an iPhone or iPad, and use said device as an amplifier, with a near endless array of pedal effects at their fingertips. Looking for a way to make the experience more authentic, Griffin teamed with the folks at Frontier Design Group to create the StompBox, which, according to Griffin's website, "effectively recreates the experience of an actual pedal board." It features four separate foot switches, which can be assigned particular effects by the user, and connects to the iPad or iPhone with a 1-meter-long dock connector cable -- guitar connection cables are sold separately. Now the future Peter Framptons of the world can scale back on setup time and concentrate on making their guitars talk.
Misa Digital Kitara hands-on preview (video)
Ambidextrous, capacitive, programmable, open source, five simultaneous touch inputs. The Misa Digital Kitara has quite the laundry list of goodies to boast about, but we couldn't let it slide through CES without getting our fingers on it and exploring for ourselves. The first thing that strikes you about this guitar-shaped synthesizer is its weight distribution -- it's no heavier than a good electric guitar, but a lot more of that weight is contained within its neck -- and the second will inevitably be its lightning-quick response to touch. Misa tells us latency is less than 5 milliseconds and it felt like it. There are two main modes of operation: a string mode, as seen above, and a ball mode allowing for even more adjustability. Both modes can then be further tweaked by choosing between the red and blue setting, with the former allowing for the performance of hammer-ons. Sliding your finger around the 8-inch touchscreen can do all sorts of wonderful things as well, such as altering pitch, tempo and volume, while those fearful of having no tactile feedback in string mode can apply a clear sheet over the screen that has tiny little ridges where the strings would usually reside. We say "usually," because you'll be able to configure the distance between the imaginary strings for yourself. The Kitara runs an open source Linux OS, which will be updatable via USB and is already compatible with Mac, PC and, naturally, Linux machines. It also has more than a hundred sound presets and we've been promised the option to customize them and create new ones by playing around with the algorithms in the future. The black Kitara is made out of good old plastic (but it's made very well) and costs $849 whereas the silver one you see in the gallery below is constructed out of a single block of aluminum and will set buyers back $2,899. Pre-orders are going on now through Misa Digital's online store and shipping is set to start on April 3. Video follows below. %Gallery-113409%
Beamz laser instrument gets upgraded to please hardcore laser rockers and gamers alike
The demonstration of four-player Rock Band Mobile at Samsung's CES 2011 press conference was pretty slick, but to the folks at Beamz, that kind of music gaming is still so amateur compared to its laser switch-activated jam sessions. That's because they've redesigned their original product to be more living room-friendly thanks to a black paint job and a slimmer profile. They've also tried to appeal more to the gaming set by expanding the Beamz song library beyond the original 80 developed by independent artists to include "top hit jams" - aka cover versions of top 40 tracks -- and 35 licensed "video songs" from Disney and EMI. So if you'd like to laser thump the bass to Blondie's Heart of Glass music video, you can. Additionally, the Beamz software has been upgraded to support up to three laser instruments on the same track and recording for a real band experience -- though it still only runs on PCs. For $200, we don't expect these to fly off shelves, but for those who've mastered the whammy bar, it's at least another way to get your faux music-making fix. %Gallery-113166%
3D printed concert flute rapidly prototypes sound (video)
The world's first store for 3D printed goods just opened in Brussels, and while we imagine they've already got a fair selection of prototyped merchandise to choose, might we suggest they invest in a few production runs of this fabulous new flute? Amit Zoran of the MIT Media Lab -- yes, the same soul who helped dream up a 3D food printer early this year -- has now printed a fully-functional concert flute with a minimum of human intervention. Directing an Objet Connex500 3D printer (which can handle multiple materials at the same time) to spit out his CAD design, dollop by tiny dollop, in a single 15-hour run, he merely had to wash off support material, add springs, and assemble four printed pieces to finish the instrument up. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, of course, so how does it sound? Find out for yourself in the video below.
Sanyo Eneloop Pedal Juice battery pack preview
It's Christmas Day, which probably means that at least one toy that you received (or gave) won't be fully functional until Monday. Why? Batteries. It's an age-old problem, that "batteries not included" thing, and it's one of the reasons we've fell so in love with Sanyo's Eneloop line. Without question, the Eneloop rechargeable AA batteries are amongst the best and most reliable that money can buy, so whenever another Eneloop product pops out, it obviously catches our eye. Sanyo's branching out pretty severely with its latest device, and being that at least 3.5 members of the Engadget staff have strummed a six-string once or twice, we had to take a closer look at the Pedal Juice when given the chance. For those that missed last month's introduction, this pedal-sized block of energy is designed to provide 9V power to six or seven effects pedals, miniature amplifiers or electric drum pads (amongst other musical doodads). So, does this thing live up to the Eneloop reputation? Find out after the break. %Gallery-111994%
Misa Digital's stringless Kitara goes up for pre-order: $849 for a truly unique musical instrument
Remember the Misa Digital Guitar? Well, it's called the Kitara now, it's taken on a fresh lick of paint, and it's ready to be pre-ordered now for an April delivery. The Kitara discards old fashioned strings and has you strumming along on a multitouch display instead, populating the fretboard with a litany of buttons that modify the aural output from your digital input. It has an onboard synthesizer, but the real magic will happen once you plug it into your own audio equipment and start experimenting. Basically, it's like the Kinect of electronic music -- just needs a few inventive souls to harness its potential properly. They'll need fat wallets too, mind you, as turning this invention into a viable product has meant a lofty $849 starting price in the US. See a video demo and the full Kitara press release after the break. %Gallery-110587%
Mad Catz ships Rock Band 3 MIDI Pro adapter, gives your keyboard and drum set new life
Talk about just in time. With merely weeks to go before Mr. Claus makes his wintry journey 'round the globe, Mad Catz has decided to finally ship a peripheral that was introduced way back in June. Without a doubt, the MIDI Pro adapter is one of the more intriguing music game accessories to hit the open market, enabling Rock Band 3 owners to use most MIDI keyboards and drum sets with the title. The box is shipping as we speak for Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii, and the Xbox 360 variant should be headed to Best Buy in the coming hours. If you'll recall, this guy's also designed to work with the forthcoming Rock Band 3 Squier guitar / controller, and it even features a velocity sensitive adjustment for MIDI drums designed to reduce cross-talk during play. At $39.99, it's a no-brainer for those who already own a MIDI instrument or two, but we just might be more excited about the hacking possibilities than anything else. DIYers, get at it! %Gallery-108753%
Kinect theremin is just too late for the 'Day the Earth Stood Still' remake soundtrack (video)
The sound of the original theremin frightened audiences of spooky and science fictiony movies in the '50s and '60s, and while this digital replication is perhaps a little less chilling it's also a lot less physical. It's the so-called Therenect from Martin Kaltenbrunner, created using the Open Frameworks and OpenKinect libraries. To play just hold your hands up, allow the software to detect them, and then let the digital falsetto flow, as Martin kindly demonstrates for you below.
O-Bow repurposes a mouse sensor for artificial bow tracking
Here at the Engadget HQ we're very serious about articulating the noise and action of a bow when it comes to our synthesized string instruments, and the O-Bow looks like it could be the low cost solution we were dreaming of. (No, Smule Magic Fiddle doesn't count, it's a devil "instrument" and it lies). Hacker / musician Dylan Menzies has devised a method using the optical sensor from a mouse for tracking anything with a grained surface, like a wooden stick, and using it to make a single sample synthesizer "sing" like a real bowed instrument. Unfortunately, that single sample sounds pretty terrible right now, but Dylan is working on a more sophisticated method of modeling the instrument. Until then, we'll just have to resort to giving Smule dirty looks and messing around with our Korg joystick. There's a video after the break, but don't say we didn't warn you about that sample.
SuONOIO synth takes soundgeeks from zero to tweaking in fewer than 60 cycles (video)
We'll admit that sometimes it doesn't take much to get our engines running here at Engadget HQ. If you can throw a couple of knobs, exposed circuitry, a 9v battery, and a sense of adventure into a semi-coherent package, we'll be pleased as punch. The SuONIO synthesizer, therefore, makes us very happy indeed. SuONOIO is the band of former Nine Inch Nails keyboardist Alessandro Cortini, and SuONOIO is a pint-sized slab of silicon that comes bundled with a digital copy of the band's latest album. Delivered bubble-wrapped in a hand-stamped cardboard box -- if you've ever had the pleasure of unboxing an Arduino kit, you'll know the feeling -- it's pre-loaded with two banks of samples that were used to create the album. Although it's a sample-based instrument, it's the user's job to create new noise using an array of jumper-activated effects and mixing techniques. It's not quite as expansive as an MPC, but as any good experimentalist knows, there's a lot to be gleaned from limitations and new interface paradigms. Read on for our impressions of the noisebox and a tour of its inner workings! %Gallery-107941%
Rock Lock protects your guitar from theft, runs at least one roadie out of a job
Let's set the scene: you let that last Bm chord ring out, the crowd roars in the background, the fog fades and the lights go down. A drip of sweat falls from your brow and lands softly on the pick guard of your shiny new Fender. A smile graces your face, you slowly remove your weapon of choice from around your body and slam it down whimsically on your guitar stand. Exit stage right. Meanwhile, you're munching on a week-old Honey Bun and some prankster from that mosh pit on the left is making off with your six string. Tragedy. In order to keep this awful, awful scenario from happening to you, The Rock Lock Company was born. Chris Goulet turned a bright idea into a product you can buy, with this here buckle simply snapping around your guitar neck, looping around something immobile and locking into place. Of course, you'll need a tech to remove it prior to rolling out for your first song, but it's probably worth the $49.99 asking price for all those other moments. Hit the source link to get your pre-order in, but only if you enjoy free shipping as a bonus. %Gallery-105979%
Power Gig's full-size, handmade guitar / controller now on sale for $250
Ah, ha! There it is! Way back in March, we had a sit-down with folks from Seven45 Studios about their plans for Power Gig: Rise of the SixString (for PS3 and Xbox 360), focusing mainly on how they intended to rival the Rock Band and Guitar Hero franchises from a peripheral standpoint. The six string guitar accessory that ships with the game bundle today is already leaps and bounds better than what RB3 is packin' (pending Stratocaster launch plans), but an instrument we were keenly interested in at GDC was also one we couldn't photograph at the time. The company made clear that it was looking at releasing a real-deal, bona fide guitar in the future -- a full-size First Act axe that could be used with the game or with a legitimate amplifier. Now, that limited edition piece is on sale for both of the aforesaid consoles, boasting a single cutaway basswood body, humbucking pickup, and a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard. Each one is available for $249.99, but there's no telling how many will be produced. We'd also prefer to see these in larger music shops in order to give consumers an idea of the fit, finish, feel and sound, but those into taking chances can get one headed their way as we speak.%Gallery-105816%
Moog Filtatron app makes your iOS band seem almost plausible
Lot of people these days use their iOS devices to add a little spice to their music-making, just as almost every company out there seems to be modeling their various synths and effects for handset use. Will the Moog Filtatron -- with its Ladder filter, various effects and ability to tweak both samples and real-time audio -- go the distance when compared to its hardware brethren? We don't really know, but we can tell you that this does look like it'd be a lot of fun on a long car ride. And the demo video is certainly awesome. Available now for $5. Video after the break.
New York band plays a subway gig using nothing but iPhones
Last week, a band you've probably never heard of sang a likely unfamiliar tune, as part of an impromptu concert on a New York City subway train. Nothing all that unusual there, except for the instruments Atomic Tom used -- on that day, each and every member of the band jammed on a iPhone. Whether it's a legitimate indie creation or clever viral marketing, the result is the same: an amazing video awaiting you right after the break.
Tascam's TC-1S guitar tuner is solar powered, super tiny
We hate to point out the obvious, but it's about time you threw procrastination in the nearest dumpster and started thinking about your holiday shopping duties. For the budding guitarist in everyone's life (admit it, there's always one), Tascam has a cutesy new guitar tuner that's both a) affordable and b) Stocking Stuffer-approved at just 3.77- x 0.71- x 1.57-inches. The TC-1S claims to be the world's first solar-powered tuner, complete with a rugged silicon wrap, a USB port for cloudy days and shadowy clubs, a sweet carrying clip, integrated microphone and a quarter-inch input for guitar and bass tuning. It can even be calibrated to an external source, and it'll be available in a half-dozen hues (black, pink, orange, green, blue, white) later this month.
World's smallest violin uses MEMS, plays only for you (video)
You might not have heard of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), but there are likely a bunch in your new smartphone -- they make possible the tiny accelerometers and gyroscopes needed to detect motion as your device swings around. However, last week students at the University of Twente demonstrated a brand new micrometer-scale system: a tiny musical instrument that plucks strings (those "folded flexures" above) one-tenth of a human hair wide. Six microscopic resonators fit on a microchip, one resonator per musical tone, and series of the chips can be combined into a MIDI interface to play entire songs. Though the micronium needs to be amplified 10,000 times before they're audible through standard speakers, the instrument's the real deal -- watch it play a wide selection of tunes (including some Mario Bros) in a video after the break. One burning question remains, however: is this nano-violin open source?
Moog shows off the analog Minimoog Voyager XL, just another thing from the past that isn't dead
Hey Moog, thanks for continuing to be so awesome, and thanks for busting out the Minimoog Voyager XL, a brand new, analog-loving synthesizer. This beauty boasts a ribbon controller, a 61-note velocity sensitive keyboard, a panel-mounted touch surface controller. In addition to all its analog features, the Minimoog's got MIDI for if you're from the future (or you know, the present). The updated Minimoog -- which is being released to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its arrival on earth -- is available now, and if you can cough up the nearly $5,000 it'll cost you, it'll probably be worth it.
