JazzMutant Lemur Controller is Dead; Long Live Multitouch

The Lemur, seen here onstage with The Glitch Mob, rides off into the sunset. It’s not so often that I write obituaries for hardware, but this time, it seems appropriate. JazzMutant has announced that its Lemur, the multi-touch hardware controller, is officially at the end of its life. Their announcement:

Java on the Mac is Oracle's Problem Now; OpenJDK the Path Forward

Finally, Mac Java support and development is no longer stuck in an Infinite Loop. Photo (CC-BY) Roger Schultz Parts of Java’s future may still look murky, but at least you can say this: it’s Oracle’s problem, not Apple’s. My previous rants: Opinion: Apple Has Killed Mac Java; OpenJDK Just Got Way More Important for Processing […]

Java on the Mac is Oracle’s Problem Now; OpenJDK the Path Forward

Finally, Mac Java support and development is no longer stuck in an Infinite Loop. Photo (CC-BY) Roger Schultz Parts of Java’s future may still look murky, but at least you can say this: it’s Oracle’s problem, not Apple’s. My previous rants: Opinion: Apple Has Killed Mac Java; OpenJDK Just Got Way More Important for Processing […]

ReBirth on iPad, and Probing Mobile Workflows with CEO of Propellerhead

In case you haven’t heard, having already made the leap to iPhone, ReBirth is now available in a new version re-conceived for the iPad. (Happily, Propellerhead resisted the temptation to call it ReBirth HD.) It’s a sign of the maturity of music software that there can be a “classic” production tool – and a bit […]

Ohm Studio’s UI Looks Lovely; News from Music Studio’s Devs, Beta to Come

Does the world really need another DAW / music production tool? That thought has to at least echo a couple of times in the back of your mind as you see a new attempt to provide all-in-one computer music making tools. But there are reasons to pay attention to Ohm Studio, aside from the fact […]

NYC Sunday: MeeBlip, Mortal Kombat-Playing Guitars, Chips, Checkers, and Glockenspiel

Sunday night in Manhattan, the MeeBlip makes its public debut. If you want to check one out in person, ask any questions, etc., come check it out. (I’ll also have my battery-powered rig: one Vox amp on batteries, one MintyBoost battery pack for MeeBlip, one Rock Band 3 keytar.) And that’s just the beginning – […]

Analog and Modular Video Gear with LZX Industries; Live in Austin TX

Visualists are no longer safe from the addiction of modular racks. LZX Industries is bringing the Eurorack modular system, popular with a new generation of modular synthesists, to video. And in abstract, acidic washes of color and light, the results are mesmerizing. Modular systems remain a significant investment. LZX’s “minimal” systems run over a grand, […]

A Game of Checkers Becomes a Step Sequencer, Ableton Live Controller

Checkerboard Step Sequencer V2 from Josh Silverman on Vimeo. Shall we play a game? Have your checkers chops ready, because Josh Silverman’s Checkerboard Step Sequencer, a tangible interface for music, will test both your game mettle and your grooves. Built with the open source coding tool OpenFrameworks and Ableton Live as sound source, the checkerboard […]

Meet Meeblip, The Open Source, Hackable Digital Hardware Synth

Making music, making blips and bleeps, turning knobs, plugging in keyboards, and having the freedom to modify your gear – these are good things. And that’s why I’m so excited that today is the day the MeeBlip launches. It’s been several years in development, but now it’s finally here. It’s a hardware box that makes […]

With Korg iMS-20 for iPad, Patch Cords Meet Multi-Touch; Sounds + Videos

Love patching. Hate running out of patch cords. For all the quantity and inventiveness of iOS music-making software, only a few titles have become contenders as must-have apps. KORG’s iElectribe often tops those lists. What makes the iMS-20 especially interesting news is that it may have a bit of an edge even on hardware. Touch […]