Audio, relying primarily on the CPU, can do fine on the non-pro MacBook: a fast CPU and FireWire 400 can be all you need. But for visualists, the GPU has become more and more vital. The integrated Intel GPU on the MacBooks is surprisingly capable, and certainly gets through basic video mixing. But throw enough […]

There’s a reason all these MacBooks have become a big hit with laptop musicians. Expect to see so many of them you get sick of seeing them. That’s why we strongly suggest customization, like making a new case out of mylar or something. Apple has unveiled its revised MacBook Pros today, with some subtle but […]

We are saddened to learn that Juan Antonio Argüelles, “Argu(ru)”, died Sunday night in a car accident. He was respected as one of the most talented plug-in developers anywhere, as the creator of plug-in house discoDSP, and later a developer of plug-ins for Image-Line. He had a deep role in the creation of FL Studio […]

Lightborne writes us: Hi, first of all I wanted to say I love the site and have been checking it daily for about a year now, as well as createdigitalmusic. I just came across a clip on youtube that really puts what I’ve seen of people abusing Wii remotes so far to shame. This seems […]

Editblog does more tests of SmoothCam, plus comparison tests. Editblog has responded to Anton’s SmoothCam tests with some tests of their own: SmoothCam is smooth, but slow [Scottsimmons.tv] Scott’s tests run even slower than Anton’s, regardless of codec. I asked Anton about this, and his take was that the technology was really intended for short […]

Okay, Akai. You’re going to have to get on the ball, fast. Sure, the new MPCs have all kinds of sophisticated music production capabilities. But can they remix the sultry, animal call of The Cheat, or make the ladies swoon with a solo by Strongbad?* Onetwo, short video made with looping … uh … things […]

Graffiti with audio tape instead of paint. High-tech graffiti is all the rage these days. Alongside various forms of LED graffiti and “photonbombing” with non-intrusive video projections, some artists are moving to the medium of sound. It’s not quite the same as the geniuses risking their lives to tag subway cars and long-forgotten tunnels, and […]

What synths make it to the top of the pile? The Minimoog and Korg MS20 are unlikely to spark any controversy. Beyond that, of course, any list will prompt debate. This enviable gear collection photographed by jo_co, via Flickr. “This Week in Synths” by Matrix is on a short holiday; in the meantime, you can […]

CDM needs your help. The massive, international, annual New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME) Conference is descending on New York City. That’s great. There are only two problems: 1) it’s too huge. 2) Most CDMers are not in New York. That’s where you come in. If you’re traveling to town to attend NIME, to present […]

The $75 app energyXT2 starts out sounding similar to other music apps — but after a long list of twists, seems anything but. It’s a DAW. It’s a sequencer. It’s an audio multitracker. (Okay, not so interesting so far …) It’s a synth. It’s a sampler. It’s a drum machine. It’s a looper. It runs […]