DIY + Unusual Gear Motion Music Tech
A poetic, open-source video made on 1979’s Apple II+ and BASIC
It might trigger a flood of grade school memories or open a world of computing you never got to experience. But either way, “Jed’s Other Poem (Beautiful Ground),” a music video coded in Applesoft BASIC, is itself “vintage” now. At 20 years old, it’s a window into a time when open-sourcing a music video was the thing to do.
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The best Microsoft Songsmith mash-ups, from an age before generative AI
Wait – maybe that’s the worst mash-ups. They’re so bad they’re good, though. Microsoft Research Songsmith, a 2009 automatic accompaniment software that worked with monophonic vocal input, was best known for its viral, cringeworthy promo video. But long before generative AI came on the scene, Songsmith also gave us these. Queen – I’m sorry. Rewind/flashback time…
Peter Kirn - May 30, 2025
Music Music tech Software Tech
Arturia V Collection 11 hands-on: Pure LoFi, Jup-8000 join latest update
Arturia’s latest refresh of their sprawling V Collection is here today. In addition to updates across the Augmented line and the inclusion of the latest instruments, there are two surprises: a layered “lo-fi” synth and an instrument of the Roland JP-8000. Yes, really, the JP-8000: sometimes you want the 90s and 2000s and not only, like, the 70s and 80s.
Peter Kirn - April 24, 2025
Music tech Reviews Software Tech
ALM’s new MCO mk2 packs a studio of classic digital synths into 6HP, VCV
Peter Kirn - December 3, 2024
Gear Modular-Analog Music tech Reviews Tech
Ableton Operator FM synth at 20: 100 free presets; tons of history, tutorials
Peter Kirn - September 11, 2024
Music tech Software Tech
Journey to early 2000s Indian music via an electronic media zine
Peter Kirn - August 19, 2024
Gear Music Music tech Tech
Roland V-Synth at 20: discover its history and sonic secrets in this video
Peter Kirn - August 21, 2023
Gear Music tech Tech
Traveler takes you on an hour-long Korg retrospective full of synth sounds
Peter Kirn - October 12, 2022
Gear Music tech Tech
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