DIY + Unusual Gear Music Music tech Tech

Microtonality is the big trend of the 16th century — ask Nicolà Vicentino

Kids today, with their 31 equal divisions of the octave. Yes, it’s the music of Nicolà Vicentino, a Renaissance theorist and composer who built his own microtonal harpsichord to accommodate his experimental tunings. But it’s not just a theoretical experiment: there is some connection to musical practice (even if Vicentino was basically making this up). Food for thought as we mess with digital tuning systems and microonality.”

monome at 20: memories of the grid, in pictures

Kelli Cain and Brian Crabtree are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their monome company and project this week. For anyone moved by their creations over the years, there will be no escape from the feels in this gallery — and, of course, I couldn’t resist adding some extra memories from that era.

Peter Kirn - May 28, 2026

DIY + Unusual Gear Music Music tech Tech

Let’s all watch Piaman cover songs with a joystick and voice synthesis

Piaman, aka half of RYOKO2000, formerly Pianoid (bio: “doesn’t play piano at all”) is turning himself into a human Vocaloid, with joysticks and fast reflexes. And this is what you need right now. Linkhole trail begins now: