Are our eyes just as oversensitized — or desensitized — as our ears? Artists in a Hong Festival rediscover what senses mean, above. New York City, despite its reputation, is actually a pretty peaceful place to live in a lot of ways. Most visitors here never make it out of Times Square, though even that […]

Last week, I mentioned my friend, Keyboard colleague, and Ableton sound maestro Francis Preve had written an overview of Ableton Live 7 for Beatportal. Maxim DJ writes in comments that he’s posted a Russian translation and commentary. (Already one complaint that it’s not a direct translation, but in blog style, he adds his own thoughts […]

It’s like the accordion equivalent of a double-necked guitar. And it’s a digital controller, too. Hmmm … wonder what a physical-modeled synth patch would sound like controlled by a double-bellowed digital guitar … (starry-eyed) I know what I want for Christmas. Accordion Hero II [Shadenfreude Interactive GmbH] via: Accordion Hero makes you want others in […]

My review of Apple’s Logic Studio (including Logic Pro 8) is now live at Macworld.com (it’ll also be in the January 2008 print issue). Summary: Pros: Single-window view speeds editing and setup; MainStage program ideal for playing instruments and effects live; powerful, easy-to-access editing and take management tools; bundles Soundtrack Pro but halves the price; […]

Cezanne never gets attention like this. Yes, a musician and “computer engineer” (take note: even in 2007, using computers can make stuff way more science-y) has somehow made Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” into a musical score. You have to see loaves of bread and arbitrary points on the Apostle’s bodies as notes. And you […]

Don’t get too excited. Gibson Guitar is not, in fact, introducing a fully robotic guitar. Or a creepy robot doll that plays a guitar. Nor are they shipping you a handsome (male/female/your choice) robot assistant who will follow you around and tune your guitar for you. Too bad. But they are launching a robotic, self-tuning […]

Just in case mastering the subtleties of playing a Theremin isn’t hard enough for you, you’re in luck: you can master the subtleties of building a robot that has to then master the subtleties of playing the Theremin. Sarah Angliss, a human Thereminist in the UK, sends us this video of a creepy doll robot […]

Eric Johnson’s musical wall of switches captivates the crowd at the last CDM + Make + Etsy Handmade Music night at Etsy Labs. Handmade Music, the semi-regular evening of DIY musical oddities brought to you by CDM, Etsy, and Make Magazine, will mercilessly descend upon yet another peaceful Brooklyn evening. Expect an informal, free party […]

An increasing trend in video games is featuring brand product placement in the game design itself. Mackie is one of the first non-guitar brands familiar to readers of this site to show up in a game, with prominent Mackie PAs appearing in Guitar Hero III. (See comments: the Guitar Hero franchise apparently loves licensed brands.) […]