music making
Latest
Robo-guitar shocker! Gibson opening Firebird X platform to third party developers, app store imminent
We've seen the future of guitars, and it's an app store. At least that's what Gibson would have us believe, as it announces that it's opening the Pure-Analog Engine and the whole Firebird X platform to third party devs. Didn't know it was a platform, did you? Thought that it was an over-priced guitar with features that we didn't need (and a headstock we didn't particularly care for)? Same here. Apparently the company will soon be unleashing all sorts of Pure-Analog guitars upon the world, at all different price points. We don't know what this means for rock'n'roll, although we are fairly certain that the guy from Muse already owns three of these. Hit the source link for all the awesome deets.
Monome Arc OSC controller is simple, elegant, and expensive
If you're not familiar with Monome, the company designs and builds unique, minimalist controllers in limited editions for the discriminating music maker with deep pockets. The company's latest, Arc, features two anodized milled aluminum knobs, an enclosure made of black walnut (sustainably harvested in central Pennsylvania, of course), lead free printed circuit boards and circuitry, a felt slip mat made from wool purchased from small farms in the US, and -- well, that's pretty much it. Hand assembled on a farm in upstate New York, this device sends OSC data to a computer via USB. Each knob is circled by a ring of 64 LEDs, and each knob can be configured for whatever your musician's heart desires. On the video (after the break) it is paired with a Series Sixty Four controller to make a sample looper. Looks like fun! Too bad it costs more than our rent for the month. Available on February 18 in two knob ($500) and four knob ($800) configurations. [Thanks, Zack]
Virtual pipe organist is the Phantom of his own living room
If any instrument deserves to be geeked over, it is the pipe organ. Over the course of its almost 2,000 years of development, it has evolved from the rudimentary Greek water organ to the extremely complex device featured in cathedrals and concert halls all over the world. And this is all well and good, but what is an aspiring (or accomplished) organist to do when he wants to practice yet doesn't have access to the Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois in Paris? Well, he might go ahead and build his own -- at least that's what an Engadget reader named Rob Stefanussen did. The heart of the thing is a Mac Pro running Hauptwerk's Virtual Organ, and while the software is pretty impressive itself, what caught our attention was the baroque MIDI controller he built to play the thing. Featuring four keyboards, a pedalboard, pistons, and expression shoes, this thing plays like the real deal. And not to be undone in the sound department, he threw in six speakers and a sub-woofer, routing different sets of pipes to the different speakers to let the sound mix in the air for that authentic pipe organ sound. Wild, no? How would you like to hear it in action? Check out the video after the break to see (and hear) it for yourself.
Kinect hack turns you into a punching, waving MIDI controller (video)
If you're looking for an awesome, impractical way to make music with your computer (and who isn't?) please direct your attention to the following Kinect hack. Shinect, the brainchild of a YouTube user named Shinyless, uses motion detection to turn you into a MIDI controller! The current implementation gives the operator two virtual pads that can be activated by the old Jersey Shore fist pump -- and if that ain't enough, the sounds can be pitchshifted by raising / lowering the other arm. Pretty sweet, huh? This thing uses OpenNI, and while he's demonstrating it using FruityLoops it should work with any MIDI device. Things are pretty rough'n ready at the moment, although he promises big things in the future. In the meantime, check out the proof-of-concept in the video after the break.
Diago's Little Smasher puts a 5W guitar amp in a tiny carbon steel box (video)
Sure, you can always plug your axe into a computer (or even an iPhone) and make sweet, sweet music with software. But what about those times you need an honest-to-goodness amplifier? Diago's Little Smasher is a full-fledged 5 watt guitar amp head that is only roughly the size of an effects pedal. The thing's quite stripped down -- active bass and treble (which gives you more control of the tone than passive EQs), gain, volume, 4-16 ohm output impedance (should work with any speaker cabinet), and that's pretty much it! We should probably also add that the carbon steel enclosure is a nice touch, and one that will be appreciated when you're fighting off a stage invasion at the next Lilith Fair. But you probably want to hear how it sounds -- and for that, we direct you to the video placed after the break. Available for $250 this January.
The Fingerist turns your iPhone into an iKeytar, available now
Remember The Fingerist, the guitar headstock-themed speaker and case for your iPhone or iPod touch? You know, the one with the shoulder strap for public (and private) performances with all of your favorite music making apps? Well, it seems that it's finally available in the states. Indeed, there has been so little fanfare behind this announcement that the company responsible, Evenno, hasn't even acknowledged it on its site. But don't worry: we found this bad boy for $150 on Amazon. And if that's not enough, iLounge has done a series of hands-on photos (see the More Coverage link, below). Or, if you're like us, you can skip the thing altogether and groove to Rick Wakeman after the break. We do have one more thing to say about the Fingerist, however: at least it's not endorsed by this guy.
Snyderphonics Manta controller takes on Ableton Live, looks (and sounds) great doing it (video)
We sure do love our obscure instruments here at Engadget. Even something as simple as the Monome, with its grid of 64 pads (and little else) can get the creative juices flowin' when partnered with the right software. Well, we just received word that SevenUpLive, the driver that gets Monome to play nice with Ableton Live (via Max / MSP), has just received support for Snyderphonics' handsome Manta controller. What's this all mean? Well, besides looking great, Manta features velocity sensitive plates and polyphonic aftertouch, which means a higher level of control than many of your boutique controllers. But you need a demonstration, right? Why didn't you say so? Video after the break.
Apple introduces MIDI to iOS 4.2, iPads the world o'er get ready to rave
Although musicians were quick to pick up on the iPad's possibilities as a control surface, the audio production corner of the App Store is still overwhelmingly devoted to things like guitar amp models and soft synths -- that's because until recently there was no way to send MIDI commands from iOS (not that some folks didn't figure out workarounds). That's why we were excited to hear about the appearance of MIDI APIs in iOS 4.2. What does this mean for all of you would-be Brian Enos? The gang over at Create Digital Music have put together a handy guide to what we might expect from a world where all out iOS devices can communicate via MIDI, whether through the USB cable or over WiFi -- and it is a brave new world, indeed. Intrigued? We were too! And we were pleased to find out that yes, the M-Audio Uno works with the iPad, and that the accelerometer can indeed be used to pitch bend. Unfortunately, we also learned that the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer is a lot less exciting than we thought it might be (that is, until third party devs go to town on the thing). Hit the source link for all that stuff and more. Or just peep the video after the break, if you wonder what the next version of Pianist Pro holds.
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.
Teenage Engineering OP-1 synthesizer gets priced at $799, can't hold out on us much longer
Not since the debut of the Tenori-On have we seen so much buzz surrounding a niche music maker, and Teenage Engineering's OP-1 might just be the most anticipated synthesizer in the history of mankind. We've already seen just what it's capable of, and now it's starring in its very own music video. Better still, it's inching ever closer to shipping, with a recent newsletter affirming that it's 90 percent complete with respect to functionality. We're also told that it'll ship with a half dozen synthesizer engines and two sampler types, and a beta test is said to be "approaching." The outfit has just received its "golden sample" for the keyboard module, and it's waiting for a few more component suppliers to come through before belting out a final ship date. But hey -- at least you know it'll run $799 / €799, eventually. No time like the present to start pinching those pennies, right?
Apples In Stereo man controls his Moog... with his mind! (and you can too)
We thought that our homemade Theremin was difficult to control, but this one is in a different league altogether! The, ahem, brainchild of Apples In Stereo's Robert Schneider, the Teletron takes a Mattel Mindflex game and uses it as a control voltage source for... well, any piece of musical equipment that has a CV input. In the video below, the musician / producer plugs it into a Moog analog synth and increases / decreases the pitch solely with his mind. At least the thing doesn't give you an electric shock when you hit the wrong note! But enough jabberjaw out of us -- see / hear it in action (and get some instructions, if you'd like to build your own) after the break.
Low-tech, homebrew Cappuccino synth oscillates wildly (with apologies to Moz)
If you're the type that eschews traditional instrumentation, the Cappuccino synth may be right up your alley. Instead of the oscillator of your analog synthesizer, our man Gijs simply built a pickup out of a rare earth magnet and 33mH inductor and places it next to things that are... you know, oscillating. Wildly, even. Simple, no? Could be just the thing to get your creative juices flowing the next time you engage in a little Saturday afternoon sound design. To hear what various metallic things sound like as they spin in place, hit up the video after the break.
Traktor Kontrol S4 hardware interface set to make the scene this winter
Native Instruments today announced its new (and first) integrated hardware / software DJ system with a YouTube video wherein DMC World Champ DJ Shiftee rocked out to the Tetris theme and samples from Mike Tyson's Punch Out! (We guess someone knows their target demographic.) Traktor Kontrol S4 promises to take "functionality and control" to the next level with a new version of Traktor Pro that supports the hardware interface's many features, including: looping, cueing, effects, and track browsing controls, two sample decks, touch-sensitive jog wheels, a mixer, and more. Also included is a low-latency 24bit / 96kHz sound card. Available sometime this winter for an MSRP will be $999 (€899). See it in action after the break.
AmpliTube for iPad available, Yngwie Malmsteen en route to Apple Store
Just a quick note for all of you virtual amping enthusiasts: IK Multimedia has announced that the AmpliTube is now available for iPad. As you'd expect, it works with your iRig hardware and the UI seems benefit from the extra screen real estate (let's be honest -- twiddling all those knobs and stomp boxes on the iPod Touch was a little bit much for us to take). It comes in two flavors: free (three effects, one amp, one cab, two mics) or $20 (11 effects, five amps and cabs, two mics). Either way it's cheaper than spending $350 for the OS X version. PR after the break.
Drumssette DIY drum machine was once a four track, perfect for your Big Audio Dynamite cover band
This is probably the most charming instrument that we've seen in a long time. It looks great, it's analog, and it's useful despite certain limitations (and, as any musician will tell you, sometimes you need limitations to get the creative juices flowing). Designed and built by Mike Walters (aka Mystery Circuits), the Drumssette is a drum machine derived from an old Tascam four track cassette recorder. It features sampled Roland TR-808 drum hits, a sixteen step sequencer, analog echo and digital delay, clock output for controlling the rhythmic phrasing of an external instrument (allowing it to act like an arpeggiator, except that it controls the phrasing of the note, but not the pitch) and more. It's pretty wild! This guy goes into extreme geeky detail as to the inner workings of this device, which you can see at the Source link if you're so inclined. If not, make sure you check out select videos of the thing in action after the break.
Fear Of A Nerd Planet: A Hip Hop Retrospective (update)
Hip Hop has always been a conspiracy between music and technology. Turntables? Gadgets. Samplers? Ditto. From the very beginning, the music was suffused with a sort of science fiction aura, and by 1982 (when Afrika Bambaataa dropped Planet Rock) it could safely be said that "nerdliness" (the state or condition of being a nerd) was embedded in the genre's DNA. Perhaps that's the reason that gadget fans love to compose their own rap videos, celebrating everything from the trackball of the G1 to Best Buy's supremacy over CompUSA. After one popped up today celebrating the Tesla electric car we thought it was a good time to offer you a retrospective of some of our favorite rappin' nerds. Check 'em out for yourself (and annoy your co-workers in the process) after the break. Do you have any that we might have overlooked? Drop 'em into the comments!
Book review: How To Wreck A Nice Beach: The Vocoder from World War II to Hip-Hop
How To Wreck A Nice Beach: The Vocoder from World War II to Hip-Hop by Dave Tompkins (Stop Smiling Books; $35) World War II increased the rate of human innovation to a pace unseen in any other period of history. New technology from the era includes everything from synthetic rubber to the atomic bomb to magnetic audio tape, which the Germans successfully kept secret until the war's end. After the Nazis fell, Lt. Jack Mullin of the US Army Signal Corps shot footage outside of Hitler's home, grabbed one of the Fuhrer's piano strings for a souvenir, and brought two AEG Magnetophons (along with fifty reels of Farben recording tape) back with him to the states. He then sold a recorder to Bing Crosby, revolutionizing broadcasting and music-making in the process. Another device that made its debut in World War II only to be later adopted by the entertainment industry is the Vocoder. Speech synthesis was the brainchild of a Bell Labs employee named Homer Dudley. Dudley surmised that human speech consisted of two things: the carrier (the noise that your vocal cords makes) and the formant (the sound formed from the carrier by your mouth, throat, and sinuses). Dudley went on to develop something called the Voder (Voice Operator DEmonstratoR), which used a carrier tone generated by a radio valve and a formant created by hissing air to create artificial speech. Hear a demonstration (and learn about how the Vocoder was used to defeat the Axis powers) after the break.
Eigenharp Alpha's biggest fan pens 11,000 word guide
Earlier this month, lucky musician Geert unboxed an Eigenharp Alpha for the whole world to see. Now he's jotted down a few thoughts on the 132-key digital instrument... oh hell, let's just call it a primer. Calling out years of musical study as proof he knows what he's talking about, the man delves into enough detail about the mind-blowing multi-instrument machine to teach Eigenharp 101. If you want to know whether dropping £3,995 on the musical creature would be worth your while, you'll find all you need to know at the source link, but be aware the sheer complexity here may serve to daunt some would-be casual learners. If you need to regain your enthusiasm afterwards though, there's no quicker way than watching an Eigenharp jam session -- we recorded one at the company's London HQ, and you'll find it after the break.
Homebrew MIDI controller takes performance to a new, flashier level (video)
While programs like Ableton Live have truly democratized electronic music making, most hardware interfaces can't hold a candle style-wise to traditional instruments (or even the MIDI gear of the Awesome 80s). Rather than merely bemoan this depressing fact, however, a musician from Zurich named Zander Ander has built his own controller -- and it's truly a thing of beauty. Based on the uCApps.de MIDI hardware platform, this thing employs custom acrylic knobs, colored LEDs, and a whole bunch of buttons to bring his DAW controls into the real world -- while kicking the ass of controllers like AKAI's APC40 in the process. But don't take our word for it! Check it out for yourself after the break.
Franz K's iTar transforms your iPad into a keytar, puts shame in your game (video)
You can say that we're a sucker for a ridiculous video -- such as the one recently provided for us by a certain VJ named Franz K. The unholy spawn of Jerry Only and that ShamWow! guy, his latest creation is called the Mantaray iTar. Essentially it's an iPad dock with a shoulder strap, but wait -- there's more! You can also mount effects processors (such as the Korg Kaoss pad), essentially transforming your tablet into a kludgey keytar. As our man says, "gadget music is the new punk rock!" But seriously, Franz -- do you expect us to pay $225 for the privilege of performing with iElectribe? Either way, this video must be seen to be believed. Peep for yourself after the break.
