Palm/Treo Music: BeatPad Pattern Sequencer Exports to PC; New Pro Music Suite

A powerful music workstation in a handheld? Regular readers know that subway/airplane-friendly portable music creation is a reality, and here’s another tool for you. miniMusic helped launch the handheld music creation craze, and their Palm/Treo software just got a big update. BeatPad 1.1 is an update to miniMusic’s pattern sequencer. The “point-one” is actually a […]

Avoid Generation NEX; Get a Real NES for 8-bit Music

Reports keep coming in (along with several from readers): the next-generation Wi-Fi remake of the vintage Nintendo game system looks like a complete flop. Too bad: the idea itself, adding on features like wireless control, was appealing. But some of you are probably savvy enough to hack your own 2.4G wireless into the original. Of […]

Music as Game: Guitar Hero Ships (+ Hackable Controller?)

According to the folks at Penny Arcade, Guitar Hero has started to hit stores. A look at the guitar-playing game, and hints for hacking it into Max/MSP, after the break: Guitar Hero [Official Game Site]

Audio Damage Recreates Moog Filter Bank as Plugin

One of our favorite plugin developers has just launched a recreation of one of the greatest filters of all time. It’s the 907A Fixed Filter Bank, which recreates the classic filter bank on the Moog Modular synth’s 907A module. If you haven’t had the chance to play with a real 907A, there are plenty of […]

New USB Korg Keyboard Samples on SD, Has 90s-Vintage Sound Bank? [Updated]

GearJunkies has hit the rumor mill again with photos and specs on a new Korg keyboard called the TR. Apparently, it’s real — see the Japanese spec page. Built-in USB, pattern and groove sequencing, and basic sampling features with recording onto SD media could be cool. But here’s a back to the future moment for […]

9-String Bass God, Mario Bros Musician, Interviewed

Joe at Tinfoil points us to his interview with Jean Baudin, the 9-string bass geek whose masterful performance of the Super Mario Bros. theme song launched him to Internet superstardom. He even talks about an 11-string bass. Every wish you could route all 11 strings to a different surround speaker? Now that’d require one serious, […]

Video Games Live, Reviewed: Symphony Orchestra Gets Serious about Game Music

CDM’s resident game composer W. Brent Latta was lucky enough to get to see Video Games Live in Seattle, a major concert of game music, new and old. Unfortunately, concerts in other markets have been cancelled (see VGL announcement and a message from organizers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall), though hopes are high for more […]

Scoop: Future Brian Moore Guitar to Run MIDI + Audio Over USB

Since CDM broke details of the new Brian Moore USB-based guitar, many of you have been asking: if you can carry audio over a USB cable, why not simultaneous audio and MIDI data? With both, you could both record audio and control soft synths. Electric guitars, of course, don’t transmit MIDI directly since they’re analog […]

History of Electronic Music: Download the 1971 Film Strip

Ever thought you’d be downloading a film strip, as a QuickTime MPEG4, no less? Here’s a good excuse: the superb bending and DIY blog GetLoFi has posted a two-part history of electronic music film strip from 1971, authored by Nick Rossi. When they say “history,” they ain’t kiddin’: the strip starts 2600 years ago. As […]

Fake Science Launches Indie Music Store; SF Party

This Friday November 4, our friends at Fake Science Labs (home of some terrific podcasts) will be launching a new way for independent labels and artists to sell their music online. Here’s what’s revolutionary about it: $2 per EP (5 songs or less) / $5 per LP 60% of the money goes direct to the […]