Bidule 0.8: Interactive, Now With Joysticks

How much do you get out of this "point-one" upgrade to interactive modular software Plogue Bidule (OS X/Windows)? An insane amount, including these highlights: Use joysticks, mouse, keyboards, and other HID devices for MIDI controls New audio looper with more options: graphical loop point editing, adapts automatically to meter and stretches time, and more A […]

Reason Release Date Today

Reason 3.0 is released today, and the hype at Propellerhead is turned up so loud you can't hear anyth– what? What did you say? You're not excited by a mastering suite? Why is it this program still can't record audio? What? Sorry, I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE BLASTING ROCK POWER THAT IS THE FLASH […]

Playlist’s Johnny Rocket on London’s Digital DJ Club

Ed: London's Playlist club has been getting a lot play, what with you kids and your iPod DJing phenomenon. It's not all iPods at Playlist, though — aside from breaking details on HP's prototype-only DJammer, Playlist is host to people using all kinds of digital DJ kit. And if you're suffering anglo-envy, there's a club […]

Playlist Comes to USA; Behind the Scenes of Digital DJ Party

What? Can't pop by London on March 26 for the "it" digital DJ club party? Here in the untamed colonies, you can still get your iPod-DJing action: Playlist is coming to Philadelphia. Head over to The Khyber (2nd and Chestnut) Monday, March 28 for the free party, and get your digital DJing skills judged by […]

Live 4.1.1 Fixes – The Perfect Host?

Live 4.1 may have introduced Ableton's new Operator synth, but 4.1.1 looks like it contains just as many bug fixes and improvements — obesssive release notes are available on the Ableton forum. Here's the big one: if you don't want Operator, you can now hide it from the instruments list. (In 4.1 the Operator appeared […]

Remembering the 80s in Flyers

Quick: what do Nina Hagen, Laurie Anderson, Sonic Youth, and Run DMC have in common? Among many others, they hung out at 80s arts hub Danceteria here in NYC. Check out the history in flyers. As if the current real estate market didn't give us enough reason to be wistful for 80s New York. (via […]

Free Tune: Prefuse73 and The Books

The good folks at Warp Records are giving away a pre-release single (limited access, so get it fast) from Prefuse 73's upcoming Surrounded By Silence (coming later this month; thanks, disquiet). Best part about it: it features The Books, everyone's favorite oddball found-sound/Folktronic electronic duo (more info at their label Tomlab or their inscrutable, outdated […]

ASCAP’s Podcast Fees Nominal; Legal Licensing Still Complex

Updated: Wil Wheaton writes us in agreement that "$20 a year is entirely reasonable, and it doesn't make it cost-prohibitive for hobbyists to pay the fee." Of course, that still raises the question of how to handle other rights that may apply and could be more costly — those not administered by ASCAP. And I […]

Musicpole MIDI Controller

It's a keyboard wrapped around a pole. Rotate it, and you can play in a different key or mode. Run your finger along it, and you've got a scale. I suppose what makes this useful is the ability to find scales and modes more easily, with one downside: you've got to play a pole. (See […]

Miami: Must-see WMC Events

The Miami Winter Music Conference has an enormously overwhelming line-up of events. InternetDJ has the scoop on which events to check out. Here's what CDM sees as the big events: Remix Hotel should be fun again, and it's both chill and free. Wednesday BPM Magazine is hosting an all-female lineup — though we look forward […]