Monorocket

Monorocket is a new company offering customized cases for Eurorack modular synths.

Mission

Lexington



Commander

Check out the Trash_Audio interview with Steve R, founder of Monorocket.

Michael Jackson RIP

Michael Jackson

1958 - 2009

How many Michael Jackson memories do you have?



I remember watching the Motown 25th Anniversary special on TV, the one where Michael did a medley of Jackson 5 songs with his brothers and then did "Billie Jean." It was the first time he did the Moonwalk. Incredible!

All the kids at school the next day were moonwalking around. The first one who figured out how to moonwalk for real instantly became the coolest kid in school. I never did get it right, but how fun was it to moonwalk on the kitchen floor in your socks?! Don't tell me you never did!

I remember going to Specs Records & Tapes to get Thriller. I'm pretty sure Thriller is the first album I owned that wasn't kiddie nursery rhyme-type stuff or one of my parents' records. It's one of the very few albums I've owned on vinyl, cassette and CD. Thriller is a pop masterpiece like no other.

Do you remember the time... the first time you saw Michael Jackson's Thriller video?

My cousins and brother and I stayed up late at night waiting for MTV to play it, and we were blown away! When I was a kid, it was the coolest thing ever!

Then the Making Of video came out. I can't even imagine how many times I watched the Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller VHS tape... I wore that thing out!

My first concert ever was Michael Jackson at the Orange Bowl in Miami on the Victory Tour with the Jacksons. It was magical. I couldn't believe my parents got us tickets. For weeks I was super excited about the upcoming concert. We parked far away from the stadium the night of the show. I remember skipping, dancing and walking with my parents up to the Orange Bowl. My mom holding my left hand and my dad holding my right. I was wearing glitter socks!

The concert was bigger than life. It was the first time I saw a laser light show. Michael and his brothers sang and danced to the some of the best pop songs ever.

The Jacksons Victory Tour Setlist:

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
Things I Do for You
Off the Wall
Human Nature (with "Ben" introduction)
This Place Hotel
She's out of My Life
Let's Get Serious
You Like Me Don't You
Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)
I Want You Back/The Love You Save/I'll Be There Jackson 5 Medley
Rock with You
Lovely One
Workin' Day and Night
Beat It
Billie Jean
Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)

Fast forward 25 years...

On Thursday afternoon I was at Sam Ash in Hollywood when I read a Tweet on my phone:

RIP Michael Jackson ;-(

What?! For real? Michael Jackson died?

Within two seconds, four people came up to me asking if it was true that Michael Jackson was in a coma. Coma? I just read he died!

We found the nearest computer and checked the news sites. They said Michael had been rushed to the hospital and was in a coma. Then Yahoo said he was dead. Then CNN.

Everybody was in disbelief.

I asked who had some Michael Jackson music. Nobody seemed to have any around. I checked my new iPhone 3GS which had just a small random set of songs on it. Any MJ? Just 3 songs: Beat It, PYT and Don't Stop Till You Get Enough. I asked the guitar guys how I could tap into the store's speaker system. They helped me plug my phone into the PA, and we listened to Don't Stop Till You Get Enough. It was surreal.

All day and night Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Michael Jackson was everywhere.

Neil Young & Paul McCartney: A Day In The Life

Paul McCartney joined Neil Young for "A Day In The Life," the finale of Young's concert at Hyde Park last night [6/27/09].

youtube video by dsrc18 via musicradar.

Apogee ONE

Apogee ONE is a new 1-in/stereo out pocket-sized USB audio interface for the Mac with a built-in condenser mic, preamp and instrument input.

Single channel input using one of the following three options:

Internal omnidirectional condenser microphone
Balanced XLR microphone preamp input with +10 to 63 dB of gain
Unbalanced 1/4” high impedance instrument input, 0 to 45 dB of gain

Software selectable 48V phantom power
Line-level, 1/8” stereo output for headphones or unbalanced powered monitors
A/D and D/A conversion @ 44.1/48kHz, 24-bit
Multi-function encoder knob for input gain control and output level control
4 encoder function LED indicators
3 segment LED input and output metering
Apogee’s Maestro software for advanced control and low latency mixing

Works with any Core Audio compatible software for the Mac:

GarageBand
Logic Pro
Soundtrack Pro
Ableton Live
Cubase
Nuendo
Digital Performer

Available late July 2009

Improv Everywhere MP3 Experiment 6

For Improv Everywhere's 6th annual mp3 experiment, over 2,000 people got together in NYC, played the same mp3 at the same time and went nuts.

How fun does that look?

Check out the previous mp3 experiments.

Teaboy

Teaboy Audio has released Teaboy v1.0, an online service designed for recording engineers and producers to save patches, settings and session info.

The online database uses images of 775 pieces of gear with knobs that can be adjusted just like a software plugin to make it easy to recall your outboard gear settings.

There are 3 different subscription options from free to $19.99 per month along with 6-month bundles.

Warp20 Box Set

Warp Records is releasing a box set of music + art called Warp20 to commemorate the record label's 20th anniversary. Preorder now available via Bleep.

Warp20 (Box Set) comes beautifully packaged in a 10 inch square slipcase wrapped in charcoal Buckram embossed paper with tipped-on gloss-laminated cover photograph, designed by YES, photographed by Dan Holdsworth.

Warp20 (1989-2009) The Complete Catalogue: 192 page book
10” square, 192 page full-colour, perfect-bound book. The complete-ist’s dream – a catalogue of artwork of every Warp release from its inception in 1989 to August 2009. Includes artwork from over 400 sleeves including work by the Designers Republic, Julian House, Build, Universal Everything and Kim Hiorthøy amongst others. Foreword by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett. Black un-coated board cover with debossed and foiled typography.

Warp20 (Chosen): Double CD album
The definitive best of Warp on 2 x CDs. Ten songs chosen by you (Warp20.net), ten songs chosen by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett. Packaged in deluxe case-bound 10” folder, exclusive to this box set. Your personal messages and memories from Warp20.net featured on pullout poster.

Disc 1: As chosen by fans on Warp20.net

01. Aphex Twin 'Windowlicker' (6.08)
02. Boards Of Canada 'Roygbiv' (2:31)
03. Squarepusher 'My Red Hot Car' (4:19)
04. Battles 'Atlas' (7:07)
05. LFO 'LFO (Leeds Warehouse Mix)' (5:19)
06. Plaid 'Eyen' (4:20)
07. Luke Vibert 'I Love Acid' (4:19)
08. Autechre 'Gantz Graf' (3:58)
09. Jimmy Edgar 'I Wanna Be Your STD' (5:04)
10. Clark 'Herzog' (4:23)

Disc 2: As chosen by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett

01. Broadcast 'Tender Buttons' (2:52)
02. Squarepusher 'My Sound' (6:07)
03. Boards Of Canada 'Amo Bishop Roden' (6:16)
04. Battles 'Race : Out' (3:30)
05. Flying Lotus 'GNG BNG' (3:39)
06. Black Dog Productions - Xeper 'Carceres Ex Novum' (6:43)
07. Nightmares On Wax 'I'm For Real' (6:19)
08. Mike Ink 'Paroles (Original)' (5:34)
09. Aphex Twin 'Bucephalus Bouncing Ball' (5:45)
10. Jamie Lidell 'Daddy's Car' (4:06)
11. Squarepusher/AFX 'Freeman Hardy & Willis Acid' (5:43)
12. Seefeel 'Spangle' (7:21)
13. Autechre 'Drane' (10.52)
Warp20 (Recreated): Double CD album
2 x CDs featuring twenty brand new cover versions of Warp songs by Warp artists past and present; including tracks by Autechre, Harmonic 313, Jamie Lidell, Plaid, Clark, Maximo Park, Leila, Seefeel, Luke Vibert and more… Packaged in deluxe case-bound 10” folder exclusive to this box set.

Disc 1

01. Born Ruffians 'Milkman/To Cure A Weakling Child' (Originals by Aphex Twin) (5:30)
02. Jimi Tenor 'Japanese Electronics' (Original by Elecktroids) (5:25)
03. Tim Exile 'A Little Bit More' (Original by Jamie Lidell) (4:03)
04. Rustie ' Midnight Drive' (Original by Elecktroids) (3:37)
05. Luke Vibert 'LFO' (Original by LFO) (5:47)
06. Autechre 'What Is House? (LFO Remix)' (Original by LFO) (4:25)
07. Russell Haswell 'Cabasa Cabasa' (Original by Wild Planet) (4:59)
08. Clark 'So Malleable' (Original by Milanese) (4:57)
09. Diamond Watch Wrists 'Fool In Rain' (Original by Pivot) (5:29)
10. Hudson Mohawke ft. Wensday Night 'Paint The Stars' (Original by Jimi Tenor) (3:04)

Disc 2

11 Mark Pritchard '3/4 Heart' (Original by Balil - Black Dog Productions) (7:12)
12. Mira Calix with Oliver Coates 'In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country' (Original by Boards Of Canada) (6:16)
13. Pivot 'Colorado' (Original by Grizzly Bear) (4:13)
14. Bibio 'Kaini Industries' (Original by Boards Of Canada) (3:40)
15. Jamie Lidell 'Little Brother' (Original by Grizzly Bear) (4:41)
16. Leila 'Vordhosbn' (Original by Aphex Twin) (5:00)
17. John Callaghan 'Phylactery' (Based on Tilapia by Autechre) (5:34)
18. Gravenhurst 'I Found The F' (Original by Broadcast) (3:25)
19. Plaid 'On My Bus' (Original by Plone) (4:15)
20. Seefeel 'Acrobat' (Original by Maximo Park) (4:02)

Warp20 (Unheard): Triple 10” Vinyl
Secret treasures newly rediscovered from the Warp vaults. Unheard and rare tracks by Boards of Canada, Autechre, Broadcast, Elecktroids and others cut to 3 x 10” vinyl. Housed in uncoated card sleeves with debossed typography. Vinyl exclusive to Warp20 (Box Set).

10" 1

A1. Boards of Canada 'Seven Forty Seven' (8:36)
B1. Autechre 'Oval Moon (IBC mx)' (7:18)
B2. Clark 'Rattlesnake' (2:01)

10" 2

C1. Plaid 'Dett' (5:08)
C2. Elecktroids 'Elecktroids Bonus Circuit' (2:48)
D1. Flying Lotus 'Tronix' (3:45)
D2. Nightmares On Wax 'Biofeedback Dub' (5:14)

10" 3

E1. Plaid 'Sam Lac Run' (4:00)
E2. Nightmares On Wax 'Mega Donutz Dub' (5:15)
F1. Broadcast 'Sixty Forty' (4:31)
F2. Seefeel 'As Link' (3:12)

Warp20 (Elemental): CD album
Specially-commissioned hour long piece by re-edit master Osymyso, made from sections, samples, and fragments of Warp music from the last 20 years. Exclusive to Warp20 (Box Set) and packaged in deluxe case bound 10” folder.

Warp20 (Infinite): Double 10” Vinyl
2 x 10” vinyl cuts of hand-picked locked-groove loops from Warp tracks. Four sides of loops for mixing fun. Exclusive to Warp20 (Box Set) and housed in uncoated card sleeves with debossed covers.

Update: Track listings above.

The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music from KiNo.

"There is no such thing as bad music. There is only real music."

Doppler Sound

Doppler Sound from Retronyms.

New dynamic loop instrument iPhone app in the making by the Retronyms.

Happiness Is a Sound

Happiness is a sound from Stefan Pavlovic.

Video production class project at The Art Institute of California - San Francisco.

GameSoundCon

GameSoundCon is a new 2-day conference for audio professionals in the video game industry. The seminar is being put on by SoundCon LLC whose president, Brian Schmidt, is a veteran in the world of sound for games.

The first GameSoundCon will take place on September 24 and 25 at the Hyatt Regency Century City in Los Angeles. The second GameSoundCon will be held on November 13 and 14 at Pyramind Studios in San Francisco.

Line 6 Planet Waves iPhone Guitar/Amp Control

Line 6 + Planet Waves have joined forces to create an iPhone app to control your Variax guitar + amp sounds + effects from the iPhone.

Just announced at the Apple WWDC.

Will anyone actually use it?

via LATimestech

Musical Saw Festival NYC 2009

Musical saw players from all around the world will be converging at the Musical Saw Festival in New York City on July 18 to set a new Guinness World Record for the Largest Musical Saw Ensemble as the "Chorus of the Saws." The current record of 27 musical saw players was set in Poland last year.

The art form of making music with a carpenter's handsaw has been around for 300 years but has become almost forgotten since the 1930s. The annual festival was founded 7 years ago by Natalia 'Saw Lady' Paruz and is supported by the Queens Council on the Arts, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and the NY State Council on the Arts. In addition to the concert performances, there is also an art exhibit and musical saw workshop.

When: Saturday, July 18th, 2pm
Where: Trinity Church, 31-18 37th Street [37th street at 31st Ave], Astoria [Queens], NYC
Admission: $10
More info: musicalsawfestival.org

Street Musician Casting Munich

Want to play music on the streets of central Munich?

Only 10 musicians are allowed to play there every day. You've got to audition for Albert Dietrich to get a one-day performance permit.

Destroy Old Hard Drives

Destroy old hard disks from MadHat.

What method do you use to wipe the data off your old hard drives?

Synth #1

Cool iPhone synth app in the making by Snowy Monkey...


Synth #1 from Snowy Monkey:

First video of my synth in action.

Things I learned recording this:

- I need to finish the code to record my app directly. Currently it doesn't handle audio. Video only.

- The app volume should not be full (1.0). 0.4 did the trick.

- I need to make it sound better - no more cracks.

- I need to make it look better.

- Need to add better synth sounds!

- Finally, need to finish porting to iphone.

BTW, it uses openframeworks, on the mac.

Current features on the Mac include:

- Polyphonic (Up to 12 notes)
- Correctly map midi notes to oscillator frequencies
- Change octaves
- Sine, square, triangle, sawtooth oscillators
- Simple additive mixer
- Simple envelope
- Broken/not working/crappy echo
- Very simple noise generator
- Some nice graphs