Akai has announced 2.0 OS for their flagship MPC5000 drum machine workstation, a free download for MPC owners. Now, the MPC itself has long been a bit minimalist in what it does – I think that’s part of its appeal, that it has resisted complexity. But users of the MPC1000 and 2000/2500 have as a […]

It’s the soul of YouTube. Or at least, YouTube soul, mashed together. In case you haven’t already seen this making its rounds, an epic collection of instructional and jazzy video clips get mushed together into a colossal, remixed funk band. What’s lovely about this is that the results don’t sound like a mash up: they […]

I’m a big believer in open platforms, computer platforms, and the power to customize stuff. Unfortunately, there’s a simple reality: developers’ work is sometimes a bit like the proverbial bull in the china shop. (Code SMASH!) In short: a lot of times when Windows’ file managemer Explorer is hanging, it’s not Microsoft’s fault. Misbehaved shell […]

Music-boxing in NI Kontakt from Create Digital Media on Vimeo. You know the stereotype. “Synths” are expressive. “Samplers” are those things relegated to playing fake instruments. But what makes synths fun to play as an instrument is the power they have over your sound, and the interactivity they provide. Peter Dines did a series for […]

Trackmate LusidOSC Sequencer Application from Adam Kumpf on Vimeo. Want to interact with your computer musically using physical objects and other fancy-schmancy, science-fiction-y interfaces? Don’t want to rely on Microsoft or wait until 2019? You’re in luck. It’s like Christmas for DIYers and interactive futurists. Enter LusidOSC, a set of protocols, libraries, and useful code, […]

Whatever your feelings about Microsoft, their R&D operation employs some of the smartest minds in the business – and has done so for a long time. TechFest is the event that shares some of the best experiments. Some turn into products, others don’t, but the events always have some gems, and can provide plenty of […]

Simulated guitar? Gibson gets carried away, but the law wins. Photo/bento creation (CC) Sakurako Kitsa.(Yup, this is a Fender Strat, but this is my kind of simulation of a musical instrument – in cheese form!) Gibson, the guitar company, has been on an utterly absurd campaign against music games, bringing lawsuits against the developers of […]

VJ Kung Fu: Structure in VJ Performance from Momo the Monster on Vimeo. Sometimes, paradoxically, doing more prep and adding more structure is what allows you to really let loose when you improvise. That’s true of music, and it’s just as true of visuals. You’ve no doubt seen “button-mashing”, chaotic VJ sets – and maybe, […]

A big thanks to Resolume for their support of coverage on Create Digital Motion this month. We have the final say on which sponsors we work with, and we’re pleased to be building relationships with people we believe in. One of the trends we see coming is the release of visuals on “labels”, curated and […]

MGFest, the Motion Graphics Festival, continues its multi-city tour March 5-8 (next weekend), on its way to Boston / Cambridge, Massachusetts. The whole conference is just US$7 for all the events. Here’s a quick look at the schedule and highlights: Screenings: if you’re ready to see motion reels on a big screen instead of YouTube, […]