Modul8 2.6 feature: Sound Analysis from modul8 on Vimeo.
As visualism evolves, part of making tools smarter is making them more musical. So what better way to show off the new 2.6 update to Modul8 than to show visuals popping away to butt-bopping beats by David Last. (I’m entirely addicted to David Last‘s grooves – it was an utter delight having him play Create Digital Music’s fifth anniversary the other night at Love Veranda.)
It’s worth watching the video through to its conclusion. Yes, you’ve seen this sort of sound-responsive visual before. But note how important it is to be precise about adjusting to a particular frequency – because our eyes are as attuned to rhythm as our ears, getting the details right makes a big difference, something true in any tool.
I covered the new features in 2.6 when it was in beta, but here’s a quick review of the highlights:
- Blend Modes
- Wacom tablet support
- DMX support (and Midi2DMX if you want to control lighting with your MIDI controller)
- Shareable MIDI/keyboard mappings
- Quickly turn still image folders into slide shows. (Yep, the client suddenly wants their logos and stills – yesterday.)
I also love the look of their supported DMX adapter. Plug USB in the other end, get 1-in, 1-out (on one port) DMX control – all for US$151.
Modul8 I think deserves special credit for its no-nonsense, straightforward UI, and this update closes the gap with some of its competitors on features. Some of my favorite live work of this year – Adam Guzman + Julia Tsao’s ongoing collaboration for Nosaj Thing – fit perfectly with the tool.
The rivalry between the current generation of visualist tools – including GrandVJ, VDMX, and Resolume Avenue – just gets tighter each day. That’s good news for us.
