Vestax DJ MIDI Controller with Jog Wheels

The perfect computer DJ controller remains elusive. Serious turntablist DJs, of course, will want decks. But what if you’re scratching homebrew Reaktor instruments, or jogging through video for a VJ set (which, sorry, isn’t really subtle enough to require a full deck), or just adding scratch to a laptop set? Our own Adrian Anders notes […]

Premiere, Encore Back for Mac; First Mac Parity Since 2003

Windows-only no more. Final Cut, get ready to rumble. On the eve of Macworld Expo, Adobe has announced it’s finally restoring feature parity between the Mac and Windows versions of its Production Studio suite. That means Premiere Pro, its video editing app, and Encore DVD, its DVD authoring package, will both be available as part […]

Applied Acoustics Modeling Instruments Get RTAS, Universal Binaries, Improvements

Applied Acoustics make some of my favorite instruments. Their Lounge Lizard, Ultra Analog, and String Studio instruments are ones I’m always coming back to for their organic feel. So I’m going to take it as a sign that the week I finally get an Intel MacBook, they deliver Intel-native versions. My sets for next week […]

New Yamaha Gear, Keyboards for NAMM; NAMM Preview

Yamaha has revealed its upcoming products to be shown at the NAMM show later this month: New keyboard integration with Steinberg and Arturia software Motif XS and MM6 synths, based on the MO series New MIDI/USB controllers and USB MIDI adapters from CME, plus an expanded wireless line (though we’re still waiting on the existing […]

Get Your DVD Distributed on Amazon.com in Seven Easy Steps (and Countless Difficult Sub-Steps)

Studiodaily has a fluff piece for Customflix which caught the attention of HD4NDs. Step by step instructions. Pretty easy looking, actually. If you have an indie produced film with no distribution deal, this is one way to get it out on the market (albeit with no marketing, and closing off other distro deals). But it […]

Video Salon Macworld/SF: Visual Lounge, Open Jam; Quartz Composer, Jitter, Wii, Motion Workshops

VJ Culture’s awe-inspiring rig. I’ll be toting one black MacBook, by contrast. I’ll try to make the set look like I’ve got more. Some people at Macworld Expo assume “digital art” only means someone working in Photoshop. Thursday night of the show should give them a terrific introduction to live visuals, with plenty to appeal […]

Macworld/SF: Backlit Lounge Free Electronica/Laptop Party Wed. 1-10

If you’re going to San Francisco (or, like, live there), come hang with some fellow laptop and electronic musicians at a special Macworld edition of the Backlit Lounge electronica party, which has been featured regularly on the CDMusic forums. I’ll be playing a featured set myself, and it looks like a great lineup. It’s the […]

The Best of 2006 for Visualists

Forget predictions. It’s hard enough just processing (or is that Processing) the powerful, new visual tools digital artists got in 2006. With that in mind, we, the Create Digital Motion co-editors Peter Kirn and Jaymis Loveday, take a fond look at our favorite tools and art for 2006. And you can bet that this list […]

What are Your 2007 Musical Resolutions?

Happy New Year’s, everyone. It’s been a lazy, rainy day here in New York opening up 2007, but I’m contentedly looking forward to what for me, at least, promises to be a good year for making music. Sure, forming New Year’s Resolutions is a pretty arbitrary activity, but I say any excuse that lets you […]

Laptop Orchestras Proliferate, from Princeton to Moscow

Okay, cool — but when will Princeton let these folks play the football games? Move over, marching band: laptop orchestras are here. Princeton’s laptop orchestra PLOrk will be the featured guest at dorkbot in New York this week, but it’s not the only “laptop ensemble.” The Electronic Music Foundation’s Arts Electric notes laptop orchestras span […]