Apple Copies GarageBand Interface for Xcode 3.0

Ever thought music software would inspire developer tools? Only Apple would try something like this: they’ve copied the interface of their own GarageBand software, almost button for button, in the new Xray developer tool in Xcode 3.0 (part of Mac OS X 10.5). The developer’s work process will be much like someone mixing music in […]

Learning Free Quartz Composer on Mac: Follow my Class Notes

Quartz Composer, the free Mac developer and live visual tool, can be daunting to beginners. Its modular synthesis approach to manipulating live visuals is powerful, but is open-ended enough that it can be hard to know where to begin. And some of its real power — like the ability to create highly-optimized custom image and […]

Meta Review: Edirol R-09 Portable USB Audio Recorder, Hands-on Test Round-Up

One of the most sought-after devices this year is the R-09 portable recorder from Edirol. It’s got what everyone’s been looking for in an audio recording device: integrated mics, a gorgeous silver case with iPod-like, pocketable dimensions, SD cards for recording, rechargeable batteries you can actually replace when you need to, and some nice extras. […]

Bob Dylan Art: Opening Up a Big Jar o’ Stature-Free CDs!

Bob Dylan’s insight into CDs continues to inspire new art. (If you’ve just joined us: Dylan rips CDs — really rips them, and a reader suggests cautionary emblems for CDs.) Now, thesimplicity has illustrated his answer, and I’m beyond words. Tasty: Big ‘ol CD jam. Thanks, thesimplicity! Yes, we’ll work out how to put some […]

REAPER, Music Software from Winamp Creator, Hits 1.x and No Longer Free

Windows audio software from the maker of Winamp has its coming-out party — but there’s a cover charge. Well, we knew that wouldn’t last. REAPER, the promising, lightweight audio software from the creator of Winamp, hit version 1.0 last week. (This week significant bugfixes and optimizations, plus editable keyboard shortcuts, were released in updates; the […]

Synth DIYer Round-up: Modular Gods and their Toys

I would be remiss if I didn’t follow mention of a burgeoning community in the real world for synth DIYers with the foremost virtual community: E-Music DIY Archive Thanks to SEQUENCER.DE You’ll find profiles of all the members of the Synth-DIY list. There’s quite a range of work, from assembled modular systems to circuit-bent and […]

E-music Knitting Circle: DIY Modular Synth Builders Meet in Melbourne, and Near You?

Forget knitting: gather together with your mates and build your own modular synthesizer! Via CDM designer Nat, we’ve learned that a DIY Modular Synth Group is getting started in Melbourne. Check out their growing forum here: VICMOD (You’ll likely see some useful information even if you’re not anywhere near Melbourne.) So here’s the next question: […]

Bob Dylan CD Warnings: Apply to a T-Shirt, or Stature-Free Albums

Dylan’s poetic non-sequiturs make great t-shirts. Something about his recent complaints just beg to be turned into brilliant designs. Arru, a breakdancing Swedish musician and designer, is the first to respond to our Dylan design challenge with these gems: Bob Dylan puts it thusly [boombox.se] Truly great work, Arru! I’m not sure whether to throw […]

Don't Tease us Sony: Vegas 7 Details Posted, Removed

It seems that Sony didn’t really want us to know about the new stuff coming in the next version of their editing suite Vegas. Apparently the information was posted on the Sony site long enough for Videoguys to scribble down some points on a napkin. Vegas 7 XDCAM SD/HD support Improved HDV playback performance Enhanced […]

Don’t Tease us Sony: Vegas 7 Details Posted, Removed

It seems that Sony didn’t really want us to know about the new stuff coming in the next version of their editing suite Vegas. Apparently the information was posted on the Sony site long enough for Videoguys to scribble down some points on a napkin. Vegas 7 XDCAM SD/HD support Improved HDV playback performance Enhanced […]