synthesizer
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The Parker Steam Synthesizer runs on steam, sounds like a theramin, Bjork wants
If synth rock was meant to go hand-in-hand with fantastic steampunk universes (and we really can't see why it wasn't), instruments would look something like the thing you see here. This is the Parker Steam Synthesizer, a steam-powered music synth that runs on water and some coal. Designer Lorin Edwin Parker controls steam pressure with a ball valve which activates a dynamo. The dynamo is a magnet motor attached to a flywheel that creates an alternating magnetic field which is then turned into electricity by an inductive pickup. That pickup is finally plugged into an amp and you have some trippy electro from a device that could have been around years ago. He says it will run for about 20 minutes on one tank of water, which, in our estimation, is just long enough for Bjork to hear it and add to her band's already-insane inventory. By the way, the Read link includes a .mov file so you can see this thing in action.[Via MusicRadar]
E308: Korg DS-10 makes cool people cooler
If you've been waiting for Korg DS-10 to come out -- wait a little longer. In the meantime, we have the next best thing: a video of a badass Japanese dude rocking out with the portable synthesizer. This guy has a cool shirt, cool hair and an attitude of all-out righteousness. Unsurprisingly, he knows how to make Korg DS-10 really sing, especially since he's been hard at work before.The less musically-inclined of us won't really have any clue how to use the thing, but we're sure all musos out there will know exactly how to configure an impressive array of blips and bloops into something worth listening to.%Gallery-27318%
XSEED brings Korg DS-10 to North America in the tenth month
Forget paying an arm, leg, and Fabergé egg to get your grubby little hands on Korg DS-10 this year. Thanks to XSEED, the software is expected to hit North America in October. Also, if you're interested in making this super-funktastic software produce crazy synthetic beats on your handheld, you should check out James Mielke's blog; the 1UP editor wrote up a total lovefest for Korg DS-10, praising its features (many of which he explains) and what this means for the DS. For instance, did you know that you can link four DS handhelds together while using this program (if you have four carts, that is)? 1UP also reports that the game will most likely not be an Amazon exclusive, like its Japanese counterpart was. Since we're not too fond of retail exclusives, we see that as only a good thing.Another neat detail? Korg DS-10 will be available to play at E3. We love you, E3 -- oh, and you too, XSEED. While we're probably too inept to make anything noteworthy ourselves, we can't wait to see what the DS and musical communities have in store for us once this beauty is unleashed.%Gallery-27318%[Via GoNintendo]
A low cost guide to making music with your Mac, part three
Here we are with the long-awaited third part of my series on how to make music with your Mac. In the first installment, we looked at audio hardware; in the second installment, we discussed digital audio workstations. Today we're going to look at useful DSP (or digital signal processing) plugins and software synthesizers to help aid in your music making.Again, a disclaimer: these are only a small handful of the options open to you. There are thousands of Mac-friendly synths and plugins out there, and you can spend as much time playing with demos and tweaking presets as you can making music. Having said that, these are a few tools I've personally found useful in my quest to become a halfway-decent digital producer.More after the jump.
Amazon Japan claims exclusivity to Korg DS-10
Talk about an importer's nightmare.Granted, those interested in Korg DS-10 will still be able to import this intense synthesizer/music-creation software, but being an Amazon Japan exclusive will make it that much more expensive (as if imports didn't already make our wallets bleed). As much as we love Amazon, the retailer doesn't ship outside of its respective country or region, meaning a direct purchase from the site is impossible. Going through some of the normal channels (like NCS or Play-Asia) will still work, but since they have to pay extra for retail, taxes, and shipping, the cost of the software went up $14. Now, instead of paying $48.90 for the import, interested parties have to pony up $62.90 -- and that doesn't even include shipping costs. Our wallets are crying.Of course, if you don't need the software this month, you can always wait for Korg DS-10 to release worldwide -- whenever that will be.[Via Destructoid]
Twiddling knobs in Korg DS-10
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Twiddling_knobs_in_Korg_DS_10'; If, like us, you were the kid who was always relegated to triangle duty for your grade school's annual Nativity play, then the Korg DS-10 synthesizer program is probably not for you. And by "probably," we mean "definitely," because seriously, this thing looks complex. In the above video, we're shown some of the many mysterious dials and knobs that will probably help skilled musicians fashion the tunes of tomorrow, and us to create horrible-sounding sequences of flatulent beeps that go nowhere.Speaking of the former, we've embedded a video after the break of Japanese musician Sanodg mixing a song from scratch using the DS-10 software, four Nintendo DSes, and a mixer. His performance (and our layman's knowledge of music) suggests that this is one serious piece of kit.
MidiBox SID turns Commodore 64 into 4-voice, 8-bit analog synth
The Commodore 64 did a lot of things right: the right price, the right graphics, the right games, and the right 8-bit audio chipset that allowed 12 year-old programmers to POKE and PEEK their way into analog music bliss. Modder and musician "TK" saw an opportunity in all of this for an analog synthesizer, and he went for it. Fitting it with potentiometers, LEDs, and an additional 8 SID sound chips (for a total of 8), he is able to get 4 stereo pairs of sound and 4 voices out of what he calls the Midibox SID. If you hadn't figured from the name, he did add MIDI control to the little beast. And, no, you cannot play Doom on it. Video after the break.
Friday Video: Synthetic synth
The Korg DS-10 synthesizer program isn't coming out in Japan until July, and it's not coming out elsewhere until ... some other time, but it's already started making club appearances, thanks to AQ Interactive. The company posted videos of a DS-10 based performance at a Shibuya club called Linear. while it starts off a bit slow and chaotic, we think it's really cool to see music being built up from nothing, live on stage, using only the DS.A continuation of this performance follows after the break. Who knew playing non-games on the DS could be such a public experience? Friday Video: It's a video, posted on Friday. But it's also our chance to celebrate some of the amazing things that people do with or about their games, whether it's an official trailer or some dude's YouTube skit.
Square Band: the solar-powered wearable synthesizer
Admit it: having a synthesizer in your pocket just isn't enough. No, you need one on your person in order to truly feel whole. If we just rang your bell, you should take a long, insightful look at the Square Band. The latest revision of the wearable synthesizer includes a volume control and a couple of flexible solar panels, the latter of which were added partly for aesthetics. Apparently wearers can simply trigger buttons tucked under their wrist with their fingertips, upon which a superabundance of cacophonic sounds will emerge and completely freak out any nearby bystanders. You have to have one now, don't you?[Via MAKE]
Take a closer look at Korg's DS-10
To say we're interested in the upcoming DS-10 from Korg would be an incredible understatement. We're dying from a disease that only the DS-10 can cure! So imagine how pleased we were to receive this dose of video goodness above, where some of the features of the DS-10 are shown.Are you all as psyched for this as we are? Will you be picking it up when it releases?[Thanks, Frastoglegnia!]
Micro music: Jam Without the Band
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Who_Needs_a_Band_or_a_DJ_When_You_ve_Got_a_Game_Boy'; Lacking the friends needed to put together an Electroplankton/iPhone band? Too impatient for Korg's DS-10 release this summer? Don't let those trivial obstacles discourage you! You don't need a too-live crew to compose a rumpshaker, nor do you need expensive software applications. In fact, having a Nintendo DS isn't imperative either. As many chiptune musicians can attest, you don't need the latest handheld technology to lay down a boss track.Take this artist in the video above, for example -- he's using Nanoloop, a homebrew synthesizer/sequencer available for both Game Boy and Game Boy Advance systems. You can download the program on the developer's official site for free! Of course, there are a few additional items required for the complete setup: A mess of cables - $50+ Korg Kaossilator Dynamic Phrase Synthesizer - $200 Korg KP3 Kaoss Pad Dynamic Effect/Sampler - $400 Expensive? Sure, but listen to that music! These are the lush songs your android grandchildren will make babies to after watching the sun set on an alien world. [Via Nicovideo]
DS-10 to release worldwide
Making music on your DS has been quite fun, whether your choice for creation be Electroplankton or Jam Sessions. Korg is tossing their hat into the ring now with the DS version, the DS-10, of their synthesizer, the MS-10. But this is not news to you.What's news to you, and the rest of us, is that the DS-10 will receive a worldwide release. No word as of yet on when exactly to expect it in your stomping grounds (that is, unless you're in Japan, in which case it's coming in July), so keep an eye on DS Fanboy for more information as it's made available.[Via IGN]
KORG DS-10 synth turns Nintendo DS into instrument of awesomeness
There's already been quite a few musicians (and would-be ones) brought into the Nintendo DS fold thanks to apps like Jam Sessions, but it looks like there could soon be another wave flocking to the popular handheld, with the official, Korg-approved DS-10 synthesizer from AQ Interactive now headed for the DS in Japan. As you can see for yourself in the video after the break, like Jam Sessions, the synthesizer is anything but a game, with it boasting two patchable virtual synths with two oscillators each, a drum machine, a sequencer, and a full range of effects, to name but a few features. You'll also apparently be able to wirelessly link up several systems to play together or simply exchange sounds and songs, although you'll apparently have to make do without MIDI support. Needless to say, we'll keep you posted on any word of a release 'round these parts, but in the meantime, you can look forward to this one hitting Japan in July for ¥4,800, or just under $50.[Via Create Digital Music, thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Korg DS-10 brings the DS to a new group of nerds
Call your Jam Sessions virtuoso friend (and, we suppose, your Hannah Montana Music Jam drummer). You'll finally be able to start that DS-only Electric Light Orchestra cover band you've been talking about, thanks to AQ Interactive and Korg.Korg has created a DS version of their MS-10 synthesizer with some features that not even the original has. You can create music via a keyboard interface, a free-form touch-screen panel, or a "matrix" interface (fill in squares to make notes). It's certainly a lot smaller than the real thing, while also providing the authentic "a bunch of knobs and stuff we don't know how to use" experience.AQ Interactive will release the DS-10 in Japan for 4,800 yen ($47) this July.[Via Famitsu]
Future Retro's Revolution synthesizer sports circular layout
While certainly not the most bizarre (nor elaborate) musical apparatus we've seen, Future Retro's intriguingly designed Revolution synthesizer still manages to stand out. Apparently, its creators firmly believe that "music is cyclic," and it's definitely practicing what it preaches on said device. The analog monophonic synthesizer is contained in a rugged aluminum chassis and is laid out in a way that makes "dividing a measure of music into equal parts" much easier -- visually, at least. 'Course, this bugger will put a $750 dent in your wallet, but it is shipping now for those simply enamored with the design.[Via BornRich]
Meek FM "typographic synthesizer" gets demoed on video
Rob Meek and Frank Miller's not-so-humbly-named Meek FM "typographic synthesizer" has been making the rounds for a little while now, but in case you weren't able to check out one of the few live "performances" of it, the pair have now thankfully let loose a video that shows just what the device is capable of. As you can see for yourself after the break, the one of a kind rig lets you take a distinctively Moog-like approach to designing fonts, with a slew of good old fashioned knobs provided to let you tweak things to your heart's content. Needless to say, the pair apparently have no plans to produce any more to sell, and this is one project where we're guessing a DIY guide would be of little help to anyone other than a very select few font-loving synthesizer aficionados.[Via technabob]
Homegrown USB-powered calculator synth doubles as pillow
As if the Cushion Control pillows weren't cute enough, here we find a USB-powered, felt-covered calculator synth to ooh and aww over. Artists Kelli Cain and Brian Crabtree were able to conjure up this nifty device at a Felt Circuits workshop held in Los Angeles, and while details are relatively scarce, the creation is essentially a homemade eight- x six-inch calculator constructed from dyed wool that was hand-rubbed into felt. The two also "designed, etched, and populated noise-making circuit boards" which were then put into the contraption, and when connected to a USB port, touching the metal contacts that are sewn on "makes a bunch of noise," which we can causally refer to as abstract music. Unfortunately, there's no sign of these things going on sale, but if you beg the duo hard enough, you might find out if another workshop is in the pipeline.
Jammin' out with Traxxpad for PSP
Rhythm games belong to a genre that has received a lot of attention over the last few years, probably as a result of a little title called Guitar Hero. Eidos hopes to get a piece of the pie with its own Traxxpad, coming to a PSP near you. The game turns your PSP into a portable music studio where you can synthesize and cook your own beats to make your own jamalicious tracks. What's most interesting is the ability to export your killer tunes via mp3, so you can roll down the street and blast your freshly cooked tunes into the eardrums of any nearby bystander. Delish. Take a look.
$1000 music sequencer can play Pong
Of course, to get Pong, you have to add a $30 upgrade, but hey ... retro gaming action on your $1k machine! It may seem a bit like overkill, but at least when you play Pong it does trigger different sequences and effects. No word yet on if you can get the original 'dit dit' sounds of Pong or not, but you can trigger a nice little drum riff and scratch if you want. Think Moby has one of these?Next up: $250k Ferrari can play Duck Hunt.[Thanks, Tom]
Music Thing: Boutique effects pedals
Each week Tom Whitwell of Music Thing highlights the best of the new music gear that's coming out, as well as noteworthy vintage equipment: About a year ago, I wrote about boutique synthesizers -- fantastically obscure boxes hand-made by freaks (normally Scandinavian). Compared with synths, effects pedals are relatively simple -- sometimes just a handful of components, a switch and a couple of knobs in a steel box -- so there are loads of people experimenting and making great-looking but expensive pedals for guitarists. Most of the pedals mentioned here are in the $350-$500 range. Sure, that would buy you a dozen Chinese-made Behringer pedals, but would that make you happy? Zvex RingtoneDisappointingly, Zachary Vex's new Ringtone pedal won't make your vintage strat sound like the Crazy Frog. Instead, it's a 8-step sequencer driving a ring modulator -- the early sound effect used to make the voice of the Daleks, and built into the Commodore 64's SID sound effects chip. It's pretty hard to understand what the Ringtone does, or why it's cool, without watching Zachary's wonderful demo video. Like all boutique pedals, the Ringtone is crazy expensive at $349, but that gets you a hand-made, hand-painted pedal. After the break: Kitsch Brazilian pedals, butch American pedals, clever English pedals, and a fuzzbox with a joystick...
