There was once a time when “hologram” meant a very specific image technique associated with – you know – lasers. And I think holography could reclaim its cool, as its unique aesthetic inspires retro admiration. For some reason, however, at the moment the general public is so confused by holography that they’re applying the name […]

Blender, the insanely-powerful free 3D modeling software (and compositing software, and animation software, and game engine) is finally coming of age. And with it, so, too, are some of its plug-ins. Witness the sophistication of Pyppet, a “digital puppetry” plug-in for Blender. It allows you to take 3D models you’ve created and “perform” them in […]

One of the many unique synths that have been cropping up on Apple’s mobile devices, (CC) Beanbag Amerika. Rounding up my catch-up-on-iPod/iPhone-stories, here’s one from the developer perspective – one that could face music creation developers on the entire platform. The Apple iTunes App Store now faces the risk of becoming a victim of its […]

So, you’ve seen lots of interesting looking iPhone apps, but most of them strike you as gimmicky. Others have interesting workflows, but limit you to working on the mobile device, not switching back to a computer. And maybe you’re perfectly happy with a phone running Windows Mobile or Palm OS. Enter SunVox. This is not […]

The iPhone has become an almost absurdly-popular platform for music apps this year, even given more capable, more plentiful PCs. But to those who don’t yet “get” the appeal, talk to a mobile music addict: having the ability to be creatively musically in corners of time that would otherwise go unused, like a cramped bus […]

Showcasing amazing projects is a good thing. But we know that no creation emerges fully-formed. They start from nothing, with lots of mistakes along the way. You get help and ideas from other people. And you need time. So this month’s Handmade Music in Brooklyn we’re declaring an Open Lab. Got a kit lying on […]

Visual Performance – Lichtfaktor vs Optix from Jens Heinen on Vimeo. Our friends over at decollage.tv have found a beautiful example of digital graffiti. The effect of making animated swirls of color using handheld lights in motion is a familiar one, but it’s fantastic to see it start to cross over to the live arena. […]

A refresh for an old friend. Click through for full-sized image. MetaSynth has long been something special, a rare tool beloved by sound designers and fans of unusual software for music. The creation of software designer Eric Wenger, creator of the 3D modeling tool Bryce, expressed his unique vision of how computer design could work […]