While we’re mulling CompactFlash-based portable digital recorders, I’d be remiss to ignore the Marantz PMD660. Just as the new M-Audio MicroTrack is inspired by Apple’s iPod (check out the LCD display if you don’t believe me), the PMD660 is deeply rooted in past Marantz recorders. Those of you who have fond memories of Marantz cassette […]

One of the best things about the Mac is Logic, true — and one of the best things about Windows is Cakewalk SONAR. This powerful workstation is gaining some serious tracktion in the pro recording market. Home versions had been lagging behind, though, which is why these announcements make good news from Boston. (Not good […]

Here’s your typical PR hype: “because guitarists deserve, and WANT, some anus-stretching.” (We know computer musicians, remix artists, drummers, keyboardists, etc. do, too.) The Metasonix Butt Probe — sorry, the “TX-2” — is a $549, hand-made, hand-painted tube-based distortion effect, complete with fist, ream, and scre parameters. Tube-based so that it has a lovely, warm, […]

The first Star Wars movie launched a golden age of cinematic design, but not just for visuals — it was sound design’s greatest moment, too. The technology that made all this possible? None other than the humble field recording. (By the way, this is on everyone’s mind — just as I was putting this together, […]

I don’t care who you are. Odds are, your musical instrument collection is nowhere near as large, strange, and wonderful as Eric Schneider’s. I covered his vast Web collection in March, and he wrote to let me know that it’s gotten larger: near 200 pieces, more than can fit online. Recently, Eric did manage to […]

If you're lucky, your portable audio player has some lousy recording capabilities. Or it may have none at all. So many people resort to MiniDisc recorders, which are decent, but employ lossy compression — and do you really want to be swapping tapes and manually copying to your computer in the year 2005? Edirol's R1 […]

Linux for music is everywhere, from the power behind the Korg Oasys to new, more usable Linux desktop music software. CDM got a chance to talk to Chris Cannam of Fervent Software, developers of the Linux-based Studio-to-Go. Chris tells us a bit more about Studio-to-Go, as well as more generally the past, present, and future […]

NPR's Morning Edition had a story yesterday morning, now streaming online, on husband-and-wife electronic music pioneer team Louis and Bebe Barron, who birthed the score for Forbidden Planet. Together, they created an entirely new language of experimental sound, manipulating homemade circuitry and tape, going on to work for the likes of Cage. Like many of […]

As part of CDM's ongoing construction of the "Completely Free Studio," I'm working on assembling good freeware hosts for Windows and Mac. (Linux, of course, being a no-brainer!) Here's what's on my recommend list at the moment: Audio editor: Audacity (open source), Win/Mac/Linux, with the addition of the VST Enabler / LADSPA bridge for Linux […]

Isaac Guzman, whom New Yorkers may know from his NY Daily News byline, has gotten his hands on DV Forge's JamPlug and now brings CDM a full review. Can a guitar amp that's "the world's tiniest" make enough sound? Read on for details. -Ed Product: JamPlug Manufacturer: DV Forge Price: US$49.99 Availability: Now