Circuit-Bent Cellular Automata Video Synth Toy with Patch Bay

You may have seen the Video Critter video synth hardware kit generating visuals using cellular automata algorithms. (Think cell-based models a la the Game of Life.) But you haven’t seen it quite like this. Univac has combined the Critter kit with a VTECH LessonOne educational toy (boring toy, beautiful case), quite a lot of circuit […]

Free Soundware Round-up: Vintage Drum Machine, Nerdy IDM Samples

If you need an injection of samples into your new project and haven’t got any cash, here are a few ideas from the CDM inbox: Drum machines, from Ace Tone to Yamaha: The site KB6.de has an obscenely large collection of drum sets from most of the popular drum machines over the years. They’re raw […]

NY, Boston Area: Last Call for Projects for CDM Events

If you’re local to the New York or Boston area and want to show off your latest musical / visualist work, we’d love to host you. We’ve got some fun events coming up with Make Magazine, Etsy, and the HOPE hacker conference, plus an all-visualist event in the works for Boston. The submission form was […]

Back to the Future: 1962 Graphic User Interface Still Looks Fresh

Want more evidence that tradition in user interfaces has blinded us to the possibilities for making graphics fluid and intuitive? Just look at the first known GUI, Dr. Ivan Sutherland’s Sketchpad. His 1962 PhD thesis at MIT, Sketchpad represents a whole bundle of firsts: the first object-oriented programming project, the first use of a toolbar, […]

Blame Apple, Not Your Driver Maker, But Leopard Fix May Be Close

Sometimes the kernel pops, sometimes it doesn’t. We’re waiting for a Leopard fix, and have reason to believe we may not have to wait much longer. Photo CC EastBayAnt. Updated: As expected, the Mac OS X 10.5.3 update has been released, and it promises to address USB audio playback issues. That may or may not […]

Fluid Visual Interfaces of the Future: Shapes, Video Scratching

Generative visuals like these could take massive leaps forward in the near future, as enabling technologies clear the way for new techniques. Photo: Emi Maeda on harp and electronics, Lia on live generative visuals, (CC) by watz. The VJ and live visualist of the future isn’t just about DJ metaphors and what happens in clubs. […]

B&H Interviews Steadicam Inventor: Shooting is Like Dancing

B&H, my favorite electronics store here in Manhattan, got to talk to Garrett Brown, the man who invented the Steadicam (and contributed some ground-breaking shots to the history of film himself). I love this quote, in terms of encapsulating the importance of movement inside shots: “You have to get the physical ‘corpus’ . . . […]

B&H Interviews Steadicam Inventor: Shooting is Like Dancing

B&H, my favorite electronics store here in Manhattan, got to talk to Garrett Brown, the man who invented the Steadicam (and contributed some ground-breaking shots to the history of film himself). I love this quote, in terms of encapsulating the importance of movement inside shots: “You have to get the physical ‘corpus’ . . . […]

Thrill Giveaway: artificialeyes' Generative Performance Tool Released This Week

We’ve been avidly following the development of Thrill for quite a while now, and are very excited to hear from Michael that the commercial release is this week. But first, a little housekeeping: As a grand opening for the 3L store, CreateDigitalMotion has 5 copies of the software to give away! Much like the Beta […]

Thrill Giveaway: artificialeyes’ Generative Performance Tool Released This Week

We’ve been avidly following the development of Thrill for quite a while now, and are very excited to hear from Michael that the commercial release is this week. But first, a little housekeeping: As a grand opening for the 3L store, CreateDigitalMotion has 5 copies of the software to give away! Much like the Beta […]