When it comes to scratching virtual vinyl using timecode-imprinted records, Linux users aren’t left entirely in the dark. Simon Balarabe points to xwax: xwax project page Don’t expect it to be Traktor for Linux — the software supports only basic playback options — but for that purpose, it looks reasonably capable. It supports playback of […]

The Purcell School of Music is host to a massive event for Theremin lovers near Watford, Hertfordshire, UK July 27 – 30. The weekend looks really epic: performances, workshops, and master classes on playing and building the instruments. On the bill: the awesomely talented Lydia Kavina on the Classical side, and raising the flag for […]

I’m working on a story now on VJing, and am faced with an issue I’ve had before — which VJs should I mention? There are regularly “top VJ” contests and lists, none of which seem to make complete sense. I’m curious to hear from readers of this site: who are the VJs/visualists, now and through […]

No, wait! You, too, can do this! Then show everyone your shader code and feel like a bad-ass. Or, better yet, get a GLSL shader code tattoo. Shaders, snippets of code for processing pixels and 3D points on your 3D card’s GPU, are cool — that much you may know. You may even know that […]

Reel to Wheel is a massive sound-making device built from bicycle parts and a dismantled reel-to-reel tape deck. Move around the absurdly over-sized controls, and its analog inner workings groan and creak their way through recorded sound. Move the wheel at the right speed, and you get an effect quite like scratching — or, since […]

Animator and musician Brent Green creates truly unusual animated films and performs live musical soundtracks to them, as he did for fellow Makers at Maker Day during last week’s Maker Faire. Hand-drawn frame by frame, his work seems barely to contain its own movement, described as “cobbled together” yet strangely beautiful. Evocative, simple soundtracks accompany […]

Want to wear your video on your sleeve? Wearaware Design hacked the cradle for the Archos line of video devices in ways that make the device both more practical and more … wearable. How? By eliminating the cradle, an always-worthy goal: The cradle itself is not necessary for accessing any of the A/V i/o ports […]

Evan has been hard at work on his free Wii remote drum machine for Windows, and he’s got a fantastic new version with an updated interface, more features, and nunchuk adapter support. All you need is a PC (or Mac) running Windows, a Bluetooth adapter, and Wii remote. (Hey, speaking of which, anyone know if […]

Ready to start using sensors and unusual interfaces for music, but don’t know where to begin? I’m doing a workshop tomorrow night (Wednesday) here in New York giving an overview of alternative musical inputs, including infrared sensors and barcode scanners. I’ll be on at 9:30pm as part of the Warper Party, a two-level monthly grab-bag […]