Speaking of C74 – Jitter 1.6.3 Final release

Announced last night, Jitter 1.6.3 brings a slew of bug fixes and performance updates. Highlights include an updated jit.gl.model object that now works properly with exports from many major 3D apps with proper material file and texture imports, an updated jit.gl.slab object that has some performance improvements, and an active stereo rendering flag for jit.window. […]

This Week In Synths: ARP 2500, Wiard 300 Series, SCI’s “The Patch”, EMS VCS1, and Roxy Music

The ARP 2500 This one actually just popped up for auction with a buy it now of $13,800. The 2500 was ARP’s first modular flagship and consisted of the 2003 synthesizer and 3003 keyboard controller. As mentioned in last week’s post, the ARP 2500 was also the synth played by ARP engineer Philip Dodds in […]

xwax: Vinyl Scratching Emulation on Linux

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 […]

Therry Wants You: Thereminists to Descend on UK in July

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 […]

Who are Your Favorite VJs-Visualists We Should Know?

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 […]

Powerful Visuals for Newbies: Your First Shader Tutorial at C74

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 […]

Maker Faire: Giant Bicycle-Part DJ Looping Reel-to-Reel Tape Deck

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 […]

Maker Faire: Performance Animation with Brent Green Nervous Films

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 […]

Maker Faire: Hacked-up, Wearable Video with Archos PMA

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 […]