March, 2008 archive

Show producer Paxahau has announced the initial lineup for Movement 2008 - the Detroit Electronic Music Festival.
The festival, now in its ninth year (in some form) will feature:
ALEX UNDER –live
ALTON MILLER
BENNY BENASSI
BUZZ GOREE
CARL CRAIG
CASSY
COBBLESTONE JAZZ –live
COOL KIDS –live
DBX –live
DUBFIRE
EGYPTIAN LOVER –live
GIRL TALK –live
GUILLAUME & THE COUTU DUMONTS -live
HALF HAWAII –live
JAMES ZABIELA
JORIS VOORN –live
KONRAD BLACK
MATHIAS KADEN […]

Wolfram Research Labs has created a new site, WolframTones, that explores applying Stephen Wolfram’s mathematical theories to the creation of music.
The site is based on ideas from Wolfram’s book, A New Kind of Science.
At the core of A New Kind of Science is the idea of exploring a new abstract universe: a “computational universe” […]

The New York Times has an interesting article today about the oldest recorded music in the world:
For more than a century, since he captured the spoken words “Mary had a little lamb” on a sheet of tinfoil, Thomas Edison has been considered the father of recorded sound. But researchers say they have unearthed a recording […]

 

 Au Clair de la Lune [0:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Idarca has announced the Acxel II, a new synth platform based on the original Acxel legacy from the early 90’s, and utilizes a revolutionary dynamic architecture parallel processor — patented by Idarca — the RPP.
Acxel II offers 3 synthesis modes (with integrated sound processing):

Acxelink made up of cells (256 to 1280) independently parametrical: Amplitude, Frequency, […]

Cool new DIY arcade-style DJ controller by Prevolt:
This is what I’m using to control Ableton now. All arcade hardware, aluminum top panel by FPE, and a nice wood case courtesy of my man Michael Yates. It uses all key commands through a custom driver to handle playback, effects, editing, warping, UI, mouse clicks, scroll messages, […]

iZotope has released iDrum 1.6, a Windows XP/Vista compatible version of its iDrum virtual drum machine software. The update is free for registered iDrum customers.
iDrum turns a Mac or PC into a virtual drum machine. iDrum can utilize users’ customized samples or those from professionally produced libraries. Beats in iDrum can be created from its […]

I think I need one of these bad boys. Especially when the feedback loop kicks in. And it can change its polarity 60 times per second!
The interactive machine International Dance Party is a complete plug ‘n’ play party in a box.
The machine comes as a large, non-suspicious looking flightcase. Internally, it is equipped with […]

Bikini girls, Muscle Beach, the Moog, and a naked guy are featured prominently in this synth-beat, electro piece You can’t ignore my Techno.
Electric Six are also the guys behind the videos Improper Dancing, I Buy The Drugs and Gay Bar.
via Matrix

Image Line Software has released FL Studio 8, the latest version of their digital audio workstation. FL Studio 8 offers an improved interface, sound engine, revised mixer, the addition of pattern clips to the playlist, new multilink MIDI learn system, a suite of new plug-ins and updates to many others.
Here are the details:

AudioWarrior has released a free virtual instrument, Free Djembe for Kontakt
Free Djembe is a studio-quality 24-bit instrument that allows you play your keyboard like a hand drum.
Free Djembe was designed using Kontakt and works best with an unweighted MIDI controller, such as the Oxygen 8. The instrument is mapped with 10 velocity layers with samples […]

 

 Free djembe virtual instrument [0:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The One Laptop Per Child project has made a collection of free audio samples available for download:
This huge and continuously expanding collection of new and original samples have been donated to Dr. Richard Boulanger @ cSounds.com specifically to support the OLPC developers, students and XO users. They are free and will be available under a […]

CodeAudio has released BeatBurner, a freeware Windows beat mangler.
Here’s what they have to say about BeatBurner:
Using innovative wave shaping and filtration methods, Beatburner turns innocent drum beats, loops or sounds into new, fresh and vibrant audio parts for you to incorporate into your musical arrangements.
BeatBurner comes with a myriad of sample loops to get you […]

DSK has released Darkness Theory, a free Windows synth vst designed for ambient music.
Preview the sound of Darkness Theory below.
Features:

3 advanced OSC whit 53 waveforms
octave and pan selector
Amp. envelope and micro-detuner
3 HP/LP advanced pole Filter
3 LFO whit output routing
Midi automation
Velocity response

 

 Darkness Theory preview: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Cartoonist Robert Crumb knows a bit about what’s creepy, and he’s got a great take on the strange obsession of record collecting (which I admit I have!):
“Collecting is creepy. Record collectors put each other down for their various fixations. Everybody is convinced that his way of collecting is superior. They look down on casual collectors, […]

Jean Michel Jarre on vintage synths:
“When I got them out of storage and played them again, I realised something that even I had forgotten - that these analogue instruments are unique,” Jarre says. “Choosing to use these old synths instead of their modern equivalents is not a retro thing, it is not nostalgia, it is […]