This is a short demonstration of Granita, a minimalist granular synthesis patch for Pd (Pure Data) mainly for working on pre-existing recordings.

It is in development, but fully functional. Most of the workings of the patch were inspired by reading Microsound by Curtis Roads.

via Lorenzo Sutton

Abstract:

Pd was initiated by American software engineer Miller Puckette, who previous co-developed the well known and similarly structured software Max/Msp. Pd is not commercial software; i.e., it was not developed by a corporation and is not for sale. Instead, it is “open source”: its source code is not the (patented) property of a corporation, but is rather freely available to all. One drawback to this is that a detailed operating manual for users who lack programming experience has not existed until now. In contrast to a corporation— which has a monetary interest in ensuring that first-time users can easily operate new software—the open source movement lacks such a driving force to make itself accessible. This book is an attempt to fill that gap.

This tutorial is designed for self-study, principally for composers. It begins with explanations of basic programming and acoustic principles then gradually builds up to the most advanced electronic music processing techniques. The book’s teaching approach is focused primarily on hearing, which we consider a faster and more enjoyable way to absorb new concepts than through abstract formulas.

The patches described are available for download.

The book can also be purchased as a paperback. Details at the Pd Tutorial site.

This video demonstrates iPods turned into music sequencers.

via purecanesugar:

Widget and Hans stayed up til 2am hacking up some iPod sequencers at NYC Resistor. We are using pdPod on iPodLinux. You can hack your own iPods too, as part of the re-ware project, we are trying to make it easy: http://re-ware.org

Thanks to Bre Pettis for his camera work.

This video documents a test of sequencing a kid toy keyboard. 

Explains Mike Tron:

This is an ongoing project that I hope to end up with 15 to 20 circuit bent kids toys, that will eventually become a circuit bent orchestra that will all be controlled with Ableton Live.

The keyboard in the video only has the drum section connected as of right now.  Unfortunately it only has a polyphony of 2, so that limits me quiet a bit.

I am using a sequencer I wrote in Pure Data running into an arduino board that controls some reed relays.  The switch time of the relays is to long so I plan on changing them out with some solid state relays. The arduino is running standard firmata and I edited the Pduino program to include my sequencer.  I have also wrote a patch that has Ableton control the arduino instead of my sequencer.

Let me know what you think of sequencing kid toys!