rishabhrajan demonstrates his MacGyver multitouch surface, with some general applications and then with a Flash version of Brian Eno’s Bloom ambient app.

Below, a “paper piano”, created with Community Core Vision, Pure Data and Logic Pro.

Do you think 2010 will be the year somebody packages this concept and turns it into a general music app?

Sunday Synth Jam: This is the latest video demo of Christian Bannister’s work in progress, Touch Loop Navigator (name subject to change!) – a multi-touch sound manipulation program.

A few months back, we featured Bannister’s Low Frequency Entity. He’s been busy since then.

I love how this combines VJ and DJ concepts, with some hardcore sound manipulation, in an interface that not only looks like it would be fun to use, but would be fun an audience, too.

New in this build of the app:

• 3D sound visuals for the texture of the sound.
• Switching between song segments with controller (old Kaoss pad in front of screen) and no I am not using Live (yet)
• Random color when new sound is selected
• Integration of the joystick array (my Costa Rica project 2007.12.28)
• Real-time effect controls (distortion, bitcrush, delay/feedback, timestretch FX)
• Zoom and rate control of the sound
• One shot effects on USB keypad next to the controller

“The essence of a new instrument is simply an elegant and effective method for manipulating sound,” says Bannister.

This is one of the most interesting new electronic music interfaces in a long time – and, it looks like a taste of the future.

This is a demo of a multitouch MIDI control surface for Propellerhead Reason.

via visheshl:

multitouch table mtmini configured to be used as multitouch midi control surface with reason.

thanks to seth sandler for the awesome tutorial to build the mtmini.

visit www.sethsandler.com and nuigroup.com if u want to build one for yourself.

also thanks to mr greg kullum for the surface-editor application.

how it works?

its a simple box which has a webcam inside,the camera tracks the fingers touching the surface, an application called ‘community core vision’ picks up the images and transforms them into tuio signals, not the surface editor application takes these as input and moves whichever control is touched. and then sends out the assigned midi message.
which is picked up by reason…and voila…a multitouch control surface.

my template can control
nn19,nnxt,subrtactor,thor,maelstrom— mod envelopes,amp envelopes,filters,level,pan etc. redrum levels,pan,and u can play drums on the surface.

im putting in more functions into it.
let me know if u need the reason-controlsurface file for surface-editor.

Jazzmutant Lemur Weird MIDI Sequencer

via lostinetwork:

This video shows some applications from Lemur Breakpoint Object working like a MIDI sequencer, nodes triggering notes and fix them to a selected scale, minor, major, penthatonic, etc.

Also there´s a cc automation page to remote synth/sampler parameters.

The Main idea was to use it for soundscapes, and some pseudo random melodies.((Still in progress))

This is a demo of Subsonic Labs’ Low Frequency Entity, a “real-time multi-touch interface to a visualized low frequency sound”:

The various touch configurations control different parameters of the synthesized bass, including filter modulation rate, bit crush, sample and hold, feedback, oscillator phase and fm synthesis.

Subsonic Labs is the creative work of Christian Bannister, a musician & developer based out of Portland, Oregon.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Bannister explains:

I am not analyzing the audio here at all. I am only using the settings on the bass synth to drive the visuals. I broke out certain “effective” parameters from the NI Massive bass patch and worked with those to define the visual characteristics of the entity.

I am looking at an lfo modulation of the filter here, a bitcrush effect, a sample and hold effect, feedback, an oscillator phase parameter, and an fm synthesis control. This gives me a huge palette to work with. I should say I am also sending midi note information to Processing and having that vibrate the form as well.

Once the visual starts making sense then I can begin interacting with it and finding musical ways to engage it or play it like an instrument.

Check out the Bannister’s site for more details.

Can’t afford a new drum machine?

Then check out the d-touch drum machine, a free DIY alternative that lets you make beats using a piece of paper, a webcam and some walnuts:

The d-touch drum machine is a drum machine with a tangible user interface: it is controlled by placing and arranging physical objects on an A4 piece of paper, which we call the interactive area. The interactive area is arranged in 11 rows, each row corresponds to a different sound, as indicated by the text labels. The horizontal position of the blocks on the interactive area determines the timing of the sound trigger within the loop.

Is this awesome, or what? Now, if we could just print out a paper bassline synth, we’d be set.

If you give d-touch a try, leave a comment and tell us how it works for you!

via audiodtouch

Novation has announced Novation Automap for iPhone and iPod touch, a new application that turns your device into a multi-touch MIDI controller.

Description:

The power behind Novation’s SL MkII, SL Compact and Nocturn MIDI controllers is now available for your iPhone / iPod touch, providing an instant and intelligent, wireless, palm-sized MIDI controller. Now you can use iPhone / iPod touch to control all of your music making software.

Whenever you want to control music software and the mouse is out of reach, Automap for iPhone / iPod touch delivers. And the possibilities are endless, give your artist remote control of reverb levels; a hand-held cross-fader for laptop DJ’ing; controlling multi-effects whilst tracking guitar; switching drum kits whilst you’re sat at your V-drums.

The Automap for iPhone / iPod touch app will be available to buy from the Apple app store in July. Combined with Novation’s free Automap 3 Standard software, or Automap 3 PRO, it provides two horizontal faders and eight buttons per page, displayed on a single iPhone / iPod touch screen. However, the number of pages and thus the number of controls is unlimited.

Automap lets you see at a glance how every control on your iPhone / iPod touch is assigned, both on the iPhone / iPod touch itself, and across your computer screen. Combining all this visual feedback with intelligent software browsing also helps you get to the right software fast! Control maps are automatically placed into categories depending on type (instrument, effects, mixer and so on) for quick and easy browsing and selection.

Although Automap automatically and intelligently maps to all major music making software, you will inevitably have your own unique way of working. Consequently, editing maps and re-assigning controls in Automap is extremely quick and easy. Simply click a parameter in learn mode, then touch a control on your iPhone / iPod touch to assign it. Double-clicking ‘learn’ allows you to ‘Click-Touch-Assign’ in quick succession.

Using your iPhone / iPod touch with Automap 3 PRO (available to buy from www.focusrite-estore.com) delivers some extremely powerful additional features.

Firstly, it harnesses the shortcut power of your QWERTY keyboard. It then allows you to assign almost any computer keyboard shortcut, and combinations thereof, to any of the controls on your iPhone / iPod touch. Editing maps is also improved, allowing you to simply drag parameters in the Automap Heads-up GUI from one control to another. Finally, with PRO you can use your iPhone / iPod touch alongside any other Automap compatible hardware controller and it’s all perfectly integrated for seamless control.

Details below.
Key features

• MIDI CONTROL IN YOUR PALM
  Now you can turn your iPhone / iPod touch into a MIDI controller, with multiple faders and buttons easily assigned to parameters in any software that allows MIDI control, and even some that don’t!
• AUTOMATIC PLUG-IN MAPPING
  Instant, wireless, palm-sized control of all automatable VST, AU or Pro Tools format plug-ins in any DAW.
• INSTANT VISUAL FEEDBACK
  See at a glance how every control on your iPhone / iPod touch is assigned, both on the iPhone / iPod touch itself, and across your computer screen
• LEARN AND CLEAR MODES
  Make and delete assignments directly from your computer screen using lightening-fast ‘Click-Touch-Assign’ facilities.
• AUTOMATIC MIXER CONTROL
  Ideal for remote track arming and muting, transport and master level controls in a growing number of supported DAWs. (Control these elements in non-supported DAWs using separate dedicated Automap systems, or your own custom mappings.)
• PLUG-IN AND MIXER MAP BROWSING FACILITY
• Get to the right software fast! Control maps are automatically placed into categories depending on type (instrument, mixer etc.) for quick and easy browsing and selection with hardware or software.

Features exclusive to PRO

• KEYSTROKE ASSIGNMENTS
  Place the shortcut power of your QWERTY keyboard in your iPhone / iPod touch. Automap 3 PRO can assign almost any computer keyboard shortcut, and combinations thereof.
• MULTIPLE DEVICE SUPPORT
  Use your iPhone / iPod touch alongside any other Automap compatible hardware controller, perfectly integrated for seamless control.
• DRAG AND DROP
• Make control re-assignments directly from your computer screen by simply dragging and dropping controls from within the Automap heads-up GUI.

Sunday Synth Jam: This video features a Reactable jam by Carles López at El Grial in Ibiza, as part of the Ibiza International Music Summit.

More Reactable jamming below!

Click here to view the embedded video.

via marcosalonso:

It’s been a long time since Microsoft came out with something cool enough to make people drool, but VPlay could break that dry spell.

VPlay is a multi-touch tabletop application that lets you mix and manipulate multiple video streams in real-time.

According to the Microsoft researchers behind VPlay:

Our aim is to explore how such an interactive surface can support and augment practices around VJing – a form of video performance art that is becoming increasingly popular in nightclubs and other music events. We conclude with observations from a field deployment, which highlight some initial thoughts and reflections on our design rationale.

That description doesn’t really do VPlay justice, so I’ve embedded another demo video below.

Check it out and let me know what you think of Microsoft VPlay!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Jasuto oscillator example – This is a demo of synthesis with Jasuto, an iPhone software modular synthesizer.

via hemicube:

Just playing around with some saw-tooth oscillators. This will give you an idea of how the automatic routing works.

This is a preview of Seth Sandler’s Audiotouch, a $200 DIY multitouch music table:

Last weekend my multitouch table and Audiotouch software were on display at UCSD’s Music Center Openening. The turnout was good and it was great meeting the enthusiastic crowd that took the time to try out the table.

The majority really liked the simplicity of the new Bloom application that acts as a screen-saver type application when no other application is loaded. The kids really liked the ‘Wall Pong’ game and it was fascinating watching them take part in the interaction.

The Audiotouch takes the idea of virtual instruments to a new level, doesn’t it?

Can’t afford a JazzMutant Lemur? Check out this video on making a MacGyver-style multitouch pad.

Building a small portable multitouch pad will allow you to test software and experiment on a smaller scale while building your full table or when away from your multitouch screen. This uses Front Diffused Illumination, with normal ambient light (infrared not required or needed) and a normal off-the-shelf webcam (IR filter can still be in place).

via audiotouch

This is a demo of a couple multi-touch music apps, created by Seth Sandler:

Two applications I created for a multitouch table I am building. Both applications are still a work-in-progress.

Find more on DIY multitouch tables and applications at my blog ssandler.wordpress.com or www.nuigroup.com.

Thanks to Adi, Deej, and Muhneer for making these videos on their tables since mine is still in progress.

In this video, cladclad, demonstrates using a multitouch surface as a MIDI controller for music.