As some thought my post about Pd was meant to convey all available free software, I am rounding up the major free applications, open source applications, and commercial applications for DIY sound-making. (Wasn’t my original idea, but, hey — good idea!) We’ve covered them routinely, but it would be great to have them linked from […]

“This new media stuff is great, but it’s like it’s never developed very far. It’s like it’s technology for its own sake. How do you make music?” How many times have you heard that? One of the major causes of the “technology for its own sake syndrome” is simple: smart people are spending so much […]

Reports keep coming in on OS X Tiger. Honestly, I have to say I’m impressed for such a major update to Core Audio that the transition has been this smooth – 10.4 is only on par with things like the relatively minor 10.3.8 update. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to check compatibility. It […]

Relic? Think again. Orchestras are taking on digital-age music. IGN reports video game composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall have become orchestral concert producers with “Video Games Live,” an “immersive” audio/visual experience. Part of the immersion involves the L.A. Philharmonic playing Mario and Zelda. Wall says “Videogame music is not bleeps and bloops anymore.” Um, […]

“Give it All, Zero For Rules!” shouts Mattin. For some, free music software isn’t just a way of saving money. It’s a way of life. At the center of the debate is a semi-rivalry between two similar programs: Pure Data (aka “Pd”), and Max/MSP. Both Pd and Max/MSP use a similar interface, allowing you to […]

DIY hardware is all the rage these days (see the Make:blog), but how about DIY software for music? An increasing number of free and commercial tools on every platform makes it possible to create wild, custom software configurations for real-time music and video without code — or cash. OS X Tiger users have access to […]

I looked at Mocean last month, but Liubo Borissov, one of its creators, alerted me to an updated site with better documentation and video: Mocean @ Organic Interfaces Here’s where it gets really cool: the Mocean creators hooked up the water tank to a pipe organ (video included). The impact of the water interface on […]

Finally, something this week for our Windows readers (lest you think my PC was eaten by a Tiger): the bargain-basement guitar amp software continues this week with GXStack, which includes 6 amp models with reverb, delay, and timbral controls for an intro price of US$39.99. The sound samples sound terrific and they promise it’s easy […]

Mackie Tracktion 2 for Windows and Mac is now available for purchase. Tracktion has a lot going for it: a streamlined one-screen interface, VST compatibility, cross-platform, and a low price (US$150 street). New in this version is expanded MIDI editing, step entry, loop recording, external synchronization, MIDI controller mapping, Mackie Control Universal/C4 support (I’d hope […]

Visuals? Who needs visuals? The original Hitchhiker’s Guide radio show was evocative enough in sound to evoke the bizarre otherworldly imagination of Douglas Adams: close your eyes, listen to the wizardry of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop (the same team that worked on Doctor Who), and it was all there. For fans of the radio show, […]