A single-cable solution for connecting guitar via USB, as Brian Moore Guitars began shipping this week in the form of their custom iGuitar.USB axe, has a lot of appeal. But how practical would it be to use a USB guitar onstage or in the studio? I talked to Robin at the iGuitar factory headquarters to […]

Brian Moore doesn’t yet have a product page for the iGuitar.USB, but there are some details on their What’s Happening page. First off, it is Mac and Windows-compatible. And you’re not just limited to running audio through USB; via an optional RMC jack as featured on their other iGuitars, you can hookup to a Roland […]

You can look forward to an entirely new CDM soon, addressing the problems we’ve had in our first year. Think more reliable rendering on different browsers, an attractive new look, easier access to articles, better commenting and discussion, and more feature, how-to, and review content. But first, I think it’s time to investigate a new […]

Updated: See also iGuitar.USB: More Questions Answered; iGuitar.USB USB Guitar Specs, Pricing, and Clarifications Finally: one USB cable, one guitar, one computer — you’re done. I’ve been watching for this one for a while, and at long last, it’s here and shipping. Brian Moore has taken their excellent iGuitar line of digitally-equipped guitars, and added […]

After CDM’s exclusive interview with composer Tim Larkin, we told you we’d let you know when the soundtrack to the upcoming game Myst V: End of Ages became available. Today’s the day: 17 tracks of orchestral game music from award-winning composer Tim Larkin. The album has been entirely composed, arranged, and produced by Mr. Larkin, […]

The Lemur multitouch control surface is as much about software as it is about hardware, and the folks at JazzMutant and Cycling ’74 have been hard at work updating that software and making it work effectively with more applications. Think better MIDI support, Ableton Live control, and new tutorials on exploring sound and sequencing. Thanks […]

It’s got an incredibly ugly interface, and it ain’t Native Instruments FM7 by any stretch, but CuteVST has two things going for it: first, it’s an FM synth that’s open source, and second, it imports Yamaha DX7 sysex data. So think of the ugly interface as geek cred. It’s the real deal: classic 6-operator synthesis, […]

Earlier this week, I noted that a new feature of the second-generation NeKo keyboard is its ability to clone hardware. (Especially enjoy that picture of them cloning a Korg OASYS — guess you need to either sneak into Sam Ash or find a friend who has everything. Like Herbie Hancock.) Anyway, if you want a […]

Open Labs’ NeKos are powerful keyboards that pack a full-blown Windows PC, tuned software, and control surfaces into a single musical instrument. They’ve got some heavy-hitting celebrity endorsements, and they’re rugged: one NeKo managed to continue functioning after being being beaten with a baseball bat and set on fire by DJ Richard Devine. This month, […]

I try to keep on top of all the trends, but some just seem to pass me by. Like the explosion in toaster music hardware. Get LoFi gets the scoop on toaster synths, shown above, which is what you get when you cram a bunch of synth electronics into a toaster. Maybe all that extra […]