Linux audio must be making some headway: they’ve even got sequencer/DAW rivals. MusE is a full-blown DAW / MIDI sequencer / audio multitrack application for Linux, based on ALSA (audio framework), JACK (for interconnecting audio between apps), and LADSPA (open source Linux audio plugin format). It’s got an impressive feature list, with extensive MIDI controller […]

As some thought my post about Pd was meant to convey all available free software, I am rounding up the major free applications, open source applications, and commercial applications for DIY sound-making. (Wasn’t my original idea, but, hey — good idea!) We’ve covered them routinely, but it would be great to have them linked from […]

“Give it All, Zero For Rules!” shouts Mattin. For some, free music software isn’t just a way of saving money. It’s a way of life. At the center of the debate is a semi-rivalry between two similar programs: Pure Data (aka “Pd”), and Max/MSP. Both Pd and Max/MSP use a similar interface, allowing you to […]

DIY hardware is all the rage these days (see the Make:blog), but how about DIY software for music? An increasing number of free and commercial tools on every platform makes it possible to create wild, custom software configurations for real-time music and video without code — or cash. OS X Tiger users have access to […]

Sure, you may be a big fan of All Things Considered — but have you considered getting audio advice from pro NPR and PRI vets? That’s exactly the idea behind the superb site Transom, which brings in public radio experts and celebrities to talk about sound, radio production, and how you can create your own […]

The Art Interface Device (AID) is a microprocessor platform for interfacing with sensors, motors, and electronic devices. If installation art doesn't turn you on, this could work just as well for building interactive electronic instruments. Best of all, the hardware design itself is open source / GPL, so you can just download the plans and […]

No, not a USB interface to MTV's Real World. The Muio is a new interface to real-world sensors and devices (motors, robotics, etc.). It works via USB, and sends and receives MIDI, OSC, and a socket/UDP stream using XML, accessed via Windows DLL or Mac OS X Framework. (CDM issues an 'if you have to […]

Video has come to blogging / media sharing, via vimeo — think flickr for photos. (The name embeds the word 'me' in the word 'video' for word geeks.) The most interesting feature is the service's ability to combine video clips into a single stream. It's blog TV. You can't upload yet as the site is […]

Once commercial software, a powerful audio/video editor is now still supported, but at a new price of — nada. Our friends at Samplepoolz report that Arboretum has turned HyperEngine-AV into a free download. Better yet, the code is open source, so we could see some exciting developments with this program. (Programmers out there?) HyperEngine-AV is […]

The Commodore 64 computer is no longer legendary for, er, performance and power, but it is legendary for its built-in synthesizer chip, the SID. Lovers of this phat-sounding analog chip will go to great lengths to feed their nostalgia: Butcher an actual C64 and build your own MIDI-capable SID synthesizer (via hack-a-day) Add a real […]