I look forward to releases of sounds captured in outer space the way some people wait for new album releases. Don Gurnett, the University of Iowa physicist responsible for various space-bound audio instruments and the major advocate for space sound, is the Jagger of the genre. Even the Kronos Quartet has gotten in on the […]

Pluggo is a classic sound design tool, with plugins ranging from utterly useful to utterly bizarre and destructive. Now, Cycling `74 is giving away 12 free Pluggos, calling it “Pluggo Jr.” The selection actually looks quite nice; see JDG’s story on em411. Windows-only for now, but Mac promised soon. Free download Of course, the best […]

Available for RTAS, VST, and AU (sorry, no Windows version), the latest plugins from Sonic Finger may just fit the bill: Dead Quietenator: equipped with parameters for “quiet” and “silence,” this plugin is sure to start a war between those who believe in perfect digital silence and those who want the warmer analog sound of […]

We continue to interrupt Moog Week for Weird Plugin Day. Forget parody plugins — truth is nearly as strange as fiction. Just watch the latest on KVR: Turkish Folk Instrument goes Virtual: First, there’s the Volko Baglama (via). The thousand year-old Turkish folk instrument known as a Baglama or saz has been converted to Windows […]

Curiouser and curiouser . . . A reader named Atomic Afro (so glad I’m requiring you to register now!) is more astute than I am (not saying much). Mr. Afro points us to a new SynthEdit-created Windows VSTi called Luxor. Apparently this plugin “contains the magic powers of ancient egypt dietes and pharao’s.” (So, they […]

Check out what’s new at Ableton’s site while CDM’s exclusive story gets ready. But here’s the short of it: public beta, July 2005 release, MP3 support, tons of new features for remixing, working, and performing.

Live 5 is here, with a huge list of new features. If MIDI made a big splash with Live 4, Live 5 could be even bigger. Aside from two things you begged them to add (MP3 support and an Arpeggiator, there’s plenty you probably didn’t expect. The short list: pro DAW features like freeze and […]

Here’s the idea: a remix/mash-up artist collects a bunch of MP3s. (Hopefully Creative Commons for legal reasons, but I digress.) An app instantly locates all those files. She types the first few letters to find a file, drops the file into a program, and it instantly beat-matches the song. Only one app really fits that […]

With the Moog movie DVD out (review this week), Moog soundtrack (review this week), Moogfest tonight here in NYC (see you there), Theremin festival later this summer, Moog books, Moog t-shirts, Moog action figures . . . it’s only right that this week be declared Moog week (rhymes with brogue or vogue, NOT the sound […]

What price wireless? Sadly, EUR800. Building custom interfaces with sensors and custom controllers should bring maximum flexibility and freedom — but then come all those nasty wires you’re tethered to. The WiSe Box has the specs interactive artists have dreamed of for years: totally wireless, works via Wi-Fi, ultra-light, ultra-portable, powered by batteries, runs via […]