Raspberry Pi, Your Next $25 Computer Synth? First Hacks Appearing

Apple may have started the conversation about the “post-PC” age. But part of what this means is that a “computer” doesn’t necessarily have to be something costing hundreds of dollars, in a conventional desktop or laptop form factor. It could look more like the Raspberry Pi, at US$25 and squeezed into a tin of mints. […]

Helix, A Digital Turntable Proposal, in a Visual, Touchable Circle [Kickstarter]

The basic idea of the turntable, its round rendering of sound as a physical object, still attracts fascination. But is there a way to truly make the same metaphor fit digital media? Peter Adany is the latest to try, with a design proposal and mock-up he’s trying to fund for iPad (and Mac and Windows) […]

Lauflicht 2 is One Tricked-Out Step Sequencer for Launchpad, Renoise

Late at night, you may hear them, a distant tapping of fingertips against pads and keys. They are the hackers, geeking away the late hours to make insanely-sophisticated custom musical contraptions, engineering some new forms of dance music or other electronic pattern. Thilo Geertzen is the latest, back with an even more pumped-up edition of […]

Not Just Projection Mapping: MadMapper Maps LED and Lights, Too [Updates; Beta]

You’re going to hear this a lot: “mapping” is more than just “projection mapping.” It’s the liberation of the digital image from screens and cinema-style rectangles, the ability to merge that imagery with any surface or lighting. That’s the idea – then, hand in hand with the idea, there are the tools. Tools both reflect […]

An Amazing Free Touch Controller for Ableton Live; How Touch is Coming Your Way

Ableton Live has a number of robust touch solutions, but a creation from Graham Comerford called Yeco takes things to another level. It’s finally a Live touch controller that provides full views of clips, unlimited parameter controls, and extras like drum pads. There are even undo and redo shortcuts. The cost: free, downloadable now. It’s […]

Tibersynth Makes Crazy Sounds in Your Browser, Free

Lovers of experimental sound are finding a new canvas in the Web Browser, thanks to evolving work on standard audio tools. Cory O’Brien sends us his creation: “a real-time vector synth.” The result: crazy sounds. You’ll need Chrome, Chromium, or Safari 6 to try it out, but it’s quite a lot of fun. I especially […]

In Films on French Pd Event, a Reminder: You Can Always Make Your Own Tools for Music

Pure [creative] Data / Stereolux Nantes (29-30 mars 2012) from stereolux on Vimeo. A personal note from this editor: I like to start my weekend with a bit of inspiration, so it seems good habit to leave you with the same. Looking through my story inbox, I almost posted a studio video of an artist […]

Decoding Secret Imagery from Toronto's CN Tower, Slit-Scan Style

Cities around the world are populated with grand television towers, but Toronto has one with a twist: the colored patterns of LEDs along its shaft are very often thin-sliced imagery. It’s a convergence of lighting and motion imagery that’s too get to pass up on this site. The Torontoist blog turns to visual effects designer […]

Decoding Secret Imagery from Toronto’s CN Tower, Slit-Scan Style

Cities around the world are populated with grand television towers, but Toronto has one with a twist: the colored patterns of LEDs along its shaft are very often thin-sliced imagery. It’s a convergence of lighting and motion imagery that’s too get to pass up on this site. The Torontoist blog turns to visual effects designer […]

Sony Sound Forge Officially Coming to the Mac; Latest to Fill Void Left by Peak

For years, many Mac-using audio creators have longed to get the beloved editor Sound Forge on the Mac. And when well-known audio editor BIAS Peak unexpectedly died, and we called for alternatives, various readers looked with envy back at Windows at the PC-only tool – among various other alternatives. Now, those prayers are answered. After […]