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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.”
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Play together with Ableton Live, pt. 1: playing in tune
Feeling the need to make music making a little less solitary? In this multi-part series, we’ll be exploring some resources for adapting Ableton Live to playing with others — playing in tune, in sync, sharing ideas, and producing together. So let’s start as instrumental ensembles do: by tuning up.
Peter Kirn - March 31, 2026
Modular-Analog Music tech Software Step 1 Stories Tech
Panel: liberating music technology for Arabic music and beyond
Against the backdrop of AL.FESTIVAL, the Berlin festival centering music from the Arabic world and diasporic communities, we gathered an expert group to discuss liberating technology from some of its Western biases and exclusionary design. Now you can listen back (and read more), with artists ABADIR and Basel Naouri plus Ableton’s Dr. Laurel Pardue, as chatter ranged from critical views of futurism to ways software can mesh with Indonesian gamelan.
Live round-up: 12.2 is out, vids, a free Grain Slicer Rack, tuner, and more
Peter Kirn - June 12, 2025
Music tech Software Tech
Ableton Live 12.1 is in public beta, and it’s a huge release for Live
Peter Kirn - July 2, 2024
Music tech Software Tech
