moogfest2016
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Google's 'Magenta' project will see if AIs can truly make art
Google's next foray into the burgeoning world of artificial intelligence will be a creative one. The company has previewed a new effort to teach AI systems to generate music and art called Magenta. It'll launch officially on June 1st, but Google gave attendees at the annual Moogfest music and tech festival a preview of what's in store. As Quartz reports, Magenta comes from Google's Brain AI group -- which is responsible for many uses of AI in Google products like Translate, Photos and Inbox. It builds on previous efforts in the space, using TensorFlow -- Google's open-source library for machine learning -- to train computers to create art. The goal is to answer the questions: "Can machines make music and art? If so, how? If not, why not?"
These $70 DIY synthesizers are a hobbyist's dream
For me, one of the most interesting parts of Moogfest is the Circuit Bending Challenge. Sure, the performances and tech demos are great, but it's always a treat to see what a community of tinkerers can come up with on a tight budget of $70. I've seen everything from a wearable helmet instrument to creations that look more like a compact analog machine. This year's finalists offer some of the most polished exterior designs I've seen over the last few competitions and all three have unique sounds to match.
Inside Moog's Minimoog Model D synth factory at Moogfest
When Moogfest kicked off in North Carolina this week, the company announced that the iconic Minimoog Model D was going back into production during the festival. What's more, the analog synths are being assembled on-site at the event right in the middle of a temporary Moog store that's chock full of audio gear. Being the curious folks that we are, we went to check it out the process inside the pop-up factory and watched a little bit of the magic happen in Durham.
With Kinect, I made a Grimes remix just by moving my hands
When it comes to electronic music, it's easy to see the ties between art and technology. In fact, that's pretty much the entire goal of Moogfest, a music festival that celebrates more than just its synthesizer roots. At this year's event, Microsoft teamed up with Moogfest to create an interactive installation that allows attendees to remix Grimes' "Realiti" by pushing on a mesh panel. Kinect cameras track a person's hand gestures to control different parts of the song.
Moog's Minimoog Model D reissue revives a classic synthesizer
To properly celebrate this year's Moogfest, the synth maker is giving synth collectors the chance to own a piece of history. The company set up a temporary "pop-up factory" during this weekend's event where the iconic Minimoog Model D is going back into what Moog is calling pilot production. The Model D, the first Minimoog instrument made available to the public (A through C were prototypes), was built between 1970 and 1980, serving as the precursor to the popular Minimoog Voyager synthesizer that was discontinued last year.
