Microtonality is the big trend of the 16th century — ask Nicolà Vicentino

Kids today, with their 31 equal divisions of the octave. Yes, it’s the music of Nicolà Vicentino, a Renaissance theorist and composer who built his own microtonal harpsichord to accommodate his experimental tunings. But it’s not just a theoretical experiment: there is some connection to musical practice (even if Vicentino was basically making this up). Food for thought as we mess with digital tuning systems and microonality.”

There are some wild AI music LEGO sets – but this LEGO Neve studio is real

From Ableton Live to Stockhausen, folks have been generating some hilarious LEGO kits around music making. But leave it to the folks at Rupert Neve Designs, as the 5088 mixer and a ton of studio accessories are part of a real custom LEGO building set, and it’ll be on sale soon.

Peter Kirn - December 14, 2023

Teenage Engineering made a robotic LFO out of LEGO – and now offers barebones modules

Ever taught a synthesis course? At some point, you invariably try to explain an LFO as being like a machine turning the knob instead of your hand. Welp – Teenage Engineering just made that illustration literal. They also now have a line of barebones modules for €29 each a la carte, adaptable to Eurorack with some extra gear.

Peter Kirn - February 11, 2022

Instrumental inventions, from LEGO microtonal guitar to deconstructed tuba, at Guthman prize

Peter Kirn - March 16, 2021

Free pack connects Ableton to the physical world, Internet

Peter Kirn - March 24, 2016

The Moog Modular Model 55 is immortalized in LEGO

Peter Kirn - November 5, 2015

Check out this amazing Minimoog LEGO set, and help make it real

Peter Kirn - October 27, 2015

LegoTechno: Sliding Lego Blocks Make Music with littleBits, Maschine, Arduino

- June 13, 2014

Hypnotic LEGO Automata: Technic Machines Make Music

- May 26, 2014