Even if you don't know what circuit bending is, you've definitely heard what it does. Although it's front and center in glitch, Avant-garde and noise music, elements of it can be heard in main stream genres too.
So what is circuit bending? The art of creatively rewiring, customizing, and shorting an electronic circuit. Usually it's tiny, low voltage electronics - guitar effects, children's toys etc. It's a really neat process, and something that tickles the experimenter in me!
Reed Ghazala is the acknowledged "father" of this practice. He might not be the first one to do it, but he's definitely the one to coin the term and spread it as a musical instrument. Here's a short documentary that's both informative and fascinating. Makes me want to go out and dig up all my half-dead electronics!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Interactive, Web-based Music Video for 3 Dreams of Black
Remember the Arcade Fire Google Chrome Video that I talked about a few months ago? It utilized the new HTML 5 standard and combined it with google maps - to create a personalized music video based on your location. Very neat stuff.
Today's post is something that further pushes the envelope with "web-based" music videos...and it's really awesome (it's brought together by Chris Milk, the same people who did the Arcade Fire vid).
"3 Dreams of Black" is a track from the concept album "ROME" by Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi. The album features Norah Jones and Jack White and will be released some time in the near future. In the mean time, they've released a really neat promo video that is designed specifically for viewing through a web browser. In fact, much like the Arcade Fire video, you can ONLY watch it online, using google chrome. But boy is it cool.
It's so interactive that it feels like a video game - you can change the view point, and guide the animals as they morph and interact with the environment. In fact in many ways it's closer to a video game, because many of the elements are rendered live (if you don't know what that means, it just means your computer is actually creating each frame, instead of just playing each frame).
What's more, you can also create your own animals/creatures to appear - and some of them will even automatically appear in other people's viewing experience. It's not just interactive, it also connects viewers to each other!
See the actual video at www.ro.me
See the behind the scenes video here:
What do you think?
Today's post is something that further pushes the envelope with "web-based" music videos...and it's really awesome (it's brought together by Chris Milk, the same people who did the Arcade Fire vid).
"3 Dreams of Black" is a track from the concept album "ROME" by Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi. The album features Norah Jones and Jack White and will be released some time in the near future. In the mean time, they've released a really neat promo video that is designed specifically for viewing through a web browser. In fact, much like the Arcade Fire video, you can ONLY watch it online, using google chrome. But boy is it cool.
It's so interactive that it feels like a video game - you can change the view point, and guide the animals as they morph and interact with the environment. In fact in many ways it's closer to a video game, because many of the elements are rendered live (if you don't know what that means, it just means your computer is actually creating each frame, instead of just playing each frame).
What's more, you can also create your own animals/creatures to appear - and some of them will even automatically appear in other people's viewing experience. It's not just interactive, it also connects viewers to each other!
See the actual video at www.ro.me
See the behind the scenes video here:
What do you think?
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
CD case/Circuit Board/Instrument
This is really neat...again, like many others like this, it is extremely gimmicky - but the gimmick is so cool that I would buy it.
Check it out - it's CD case that is also an instrument/circuit board that you can play!
While I suspect that this is expensive to make and difficult to create, I think it would be fairly easy to do a non-electric instrument - say, an integrated kazoo - and it would instantly add value to the fan.
Would you buy something like this, just because it's cool?
Check it out - it's CD case that is also an instrument/circuit board that you can play!
While I suspect that this is expensive to make and difficult to create, I think it would be fairly easy to do a non-electric instrument - say, an integrated kazoo - and it would instantly add value to the fan.
Would you buy something like this, just because it's cool?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
world's first location aware album
What happens when you combine the idea of a concept album with the localized interactive innovation of trackdropper? Bluebrain's new album, The National Mall.
Bluebrain has come up with a really neat concept album about the national mall in Washington, that can ONLY be listened to when you're at the national mall. In fact, each song has a specific location around the mall, and you have to physically go there with an iphone to be able to listen to the songs:
"'The National Mall’ works by tracking a users location via the iPhones built-in GPS capabilities. Hundreds of zones within the Mall are tagged and alter the sound based on where the listener is located in proximity to them. Zones overlap and interact in dynamic ways that, while far from random, will yield a unique experience with each listen. The proprietary design that is the engine behind the app will stay hidden from view as the melodies, rhythms, instrumentation and pace of the music vary based on the listeners’ chosen path. ‘The National Mall’ is an ambitious project that will allow users to listen to and interact with a work of music in a way that’s never been possible before."
The part that really excites me are the overlapping zones - it will be really neat to see what they've done.
Awesome!! I would probably combine it with a regular downloadable release, but the idea is definitely something that pushes interactivity to a new level.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
The Invisible Instrument
On this blog I've talked about Music Hack Day here, and here in the past. Seriously, this is a concept/conference that just keeps giving!
For those who aren't familiar with it - Put together music nerds with computer nerds, give them 24 hours to hack together a music related application/program, and you have... Music Hack Day.
The winner of the top prize for Music Hack Day NYC is really mind blowing (okay, I said that about other Music Hack Day creations, but it's all so true!), and it's called The Invisible Instrument. Created by Tim Soo, it combines the responsiveness of real instruments, the programmability and portability of digital instruments, and the fun factor of air guitar! Just watch the video, and you will want to try it yourself. The program is in development though, so if you like what he is doing, help fund the project by going here!
For those who aren't familiar with it - Put together music nerds with computer nerds, give them 24 hours to hack together a music related application/program, and you have... Music Hack Day.
The winner of the top prize for Music Hack Day NYC is really mind blowing (okay, I said that about other Music Hack Day creations, but it's all so true!), and it's called The Invisible Instrument. Created by Tim Soo, it combines the responsiveness of real instruments, the programmability and portability of digital instruments, and the fun factor of air guitar! Just watch the video, and you will want to try it yourself. The program is in development though, so if you like what he is doing, help fund the project by going here!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Shoes as an Instrument #2
Awhile ago, I posted a blog about a shoe that Nike made (purely for promotional purposes, not for production) - in which a set of shoes were fitted with MIDI triggers on the soles. That blog post his here.
Adidas has now come up with something very similar - but this time it's wireless and a little bit more collaborative. Check it out below!
Adidas has now come up with something very similar - but this time it's wireless and a little bit more collaborative. Check it out below!
Friday, March 18, 2011
a documentary about the crybaby wah-wah pedal
Chances are, if you're not a guitarist you won't know what a phaser, tremolo, flanger, and other effects pedals do. Knowledge about product names such as Big Muff, Memory Man, Fuzz Face... even less likely so.
But if you know any guitar effect pedal, chances are it's the wah-wah... and more specifically, the crybaby wahwah pedal. It's what makes Voodoo Child sound so psychedelic. It's what enables the wakawaka 70's funk/porno effect. It's everywhere, it's fun... and heck, it's the first guitar pedal I ever bought!
The crybaby is to wahwah what kleenex is to tissue paper - the ubiquitous, original product. There is a fun little documentary about the crybaby that is circulating the internet right now, that you should definitely check out, if you're a fan of any music that has any electric guitars in them:
Cry Baby: The Pedal That Rocks The World from Joey Tosi on Vimeo.
But if you know any guitar effect pedal, chances are it's the wah-wah... and more specifically, the crybaby wahwah pedal. It's what makes Voodoo Child sound so psychedelic. It's what enables the wakawaka 70's funk/porno effect. It's everywhere, it's fun... and heck, it's the first guitar pedal I ever bought!
The crybaby is to wahwah what kleenex is to tissue paper - the ubiquitous, original product. There is a fun little documentary about the crybaby that is circulating the internet right now, that you should definitely check out, if you're a fan of any music that has any electric guitars in them:
Cry Baby: The Pedal That Rocks The World from Joey Tosi on Vimeo.
Monday, March 14, 2011
design change!
Long time readers will recognize that I've completely revamped the design of this blog! If you've also been following my personal musical developments, then you will be familiar with this design - it integrates quite cleanly into my musical project.
Why did I do this? Well, for starters, the size of the old website had become obsolete - the standard size of youtube videos became much larger than the width of the website. It is also a reflection of the fact that the increased capabilities of the average computer, as well as the average internet connection speed has gone up significantly since the last design.
Finally, the purpose of this blog might slightly change - although it will continue to cover interesting musical things, there might be times when I post about developments about my own projects as well.
All these considerations combined, the design has now changed! A little sad, but should be for the better!
Why did I do this? Well, for starters, the size of the old website had become obsolete - the standard size of youtube videos became much larger than the width of the website. It is also a reflection of the fact that the increased capabilities of the average computer, as well as the average internet connection speed has gone up significantly since the last design.
Finally, the purpose of this blog might slightly change - although it will continue to cover interesting musical things, there might be times when I post about developments about my own projects as well.
All these considerations combined, the design has now changed! A little sad, but should be for the better!
Monday, March 7, 2011
LAPD radios...as Music
I often ponder the ingredients of a song - the structure, the chords, the genre, the lyrics... but even then, sometimes I am blown away with surprise, when certain ingredients are put together in such a way that they are far and beyond what I could have anticipated.
Today's post is a really strange, simple idea, but it comes across as really surreal and full of emotion. At youarelisteningtolosangeles.com, the musician? artist? combined the LAPD radio stream with ambient music from soundcloud. The result is this...really, cold musical landscape of a futuristic dystopia. Something straight out of a science fiction film noir. If Blade Runner was being remade in 2011, this is how the film would start.
The ingredients here are simple - ambient music + random cops talking about things going on in the city. Yet the result is so much more. The dialog of the cops are full of codes, and just muffled enough that you can sort of understand them...adding to the mystery of it, and making it seem almost robotic. The music makes it seem more dramatic, like a never ending dialogue of problems in the city....
Just check it out. Very neat. It's also intriguing to see how different ambient pieces change the feeling.
Today's post is a really strange, simple idea, but it comes across as really surreal and full of emotion. At youarelisteningtolosangeles.com, the musician? artist? combined the LAPD radio stream with ambient music from soundcloud. The result is this...really, cold musical landscape of a futuristic dystopia. Something straight out of a science fiction film noir. If Blade Runner was being remade in 2011, this is how the film would start.
The ingredients here are simple - ambient music + random cops talking about things going on in the city. Yet the result is so much more. The dialog of the cops are full of codes, and just muffled enough that you can sort of understand them...adding to the mystery of it, and making it seem almost robotic. The music makes it seem more dramatic, like a never ending dialogue of problems in the city....
Just check it out. Very neat. It's also intriguing to see how different ambient pieces change the feeling.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
A hybrid CD-Vinyl!
This is just cool. Gimmicky, and maybe a fleeting joy..but still just COOL.
French hip-hop producer/artist Wax Tailor released an album/single on a hybrid cd/vinyl disk. The bottom is a standard cd, but the top side is a vinyl single! Damn, that's cool (ya..it was released in 2009, but I just found out about it..)
If you want to buy one, go here.
French hip-hop producer/artist Wax Tailor released an album/single on a hybrid cd/vinyl disk. The bottom is a standard cd, but the top side is a vinyl single! Damn, that's cool (ya..it was released in 2009, but I just found out about it..)
If you want to buy one, go here.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Solo Drummer...with a full Orchestra
This is kind of the exact opposite of my last post (where I talked about an orchestra covering a rock song)...since this is a solo drummer, "covering" a classical piece.
You hear/see drummers playing along with pre-recorded orchestras, but it's very rare to see a full, live orchestra play as the backing band of a solo drummer. So rare in fact, that you can see some of the orchestra members watching the drummer during their rests (..they should probably be looking at the conductor).
P.S. - I've also mentioned this guy in one of the first posts I did on this blog.
You hear/see drummers playing along with pre-recorded orchestras, but it's very rare to see a full, live orchestra play as the backing band of a solo drummer. So rare in fact, that you can see some of the orchestra members watching the drummer during their rests (..they should probably be looking at the conductor).
P.S. - I've also mentioned this guy in one of the first posts I did on this blog.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Marching Band Version of "Bulls on Parade"
I think the title says it all.
In my opinion, this really works well because it faithfully recaptures the emotion and the sledgehammer like wall of sound that the original Rage Against The Machine recording had. This could have easily been cheesy and watered down, but they kept the rough edges. Very cool.
In my opinion, this really works well because it faithfully recaptures the emotion and the sledgehammer like wall of sound that the original Rage Against The Machine recording had. This could have easily been cheesy and watered down, but they kept the rough edges. Very cool.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Shimon, The Robot That Can Improvise Music
In one my previous posts, I talked about "seperating performance from recording". In it, I discussed the digitization of an actual performance, such that you can simulate a recording - say a piano piece by Thelonious Monk - and replicate it on a real piano (If this doesn't make sense, you're not alone. It's something that's hard to explain with the current lingo in music. So go check the other blog post). Today's post is a similar endeavor, but with an even more challenging task - a robot that can not only simulate a player, but improvise over live music.
This can be done of course, by the fact that music - even improvisation - follows a set of general rules. Yet the fascinating thing here, is that the type of improvisation can be programmed to be characterized as different real life artists. As the video explains, Shimon (the name of the robot) can programmed to be "30% artist A, and 40% artist B, and the rest something else". At the same time, it is able to react to real time input by the musicians Shimon is playing with! That's an amazing technical accomplishment!
Of course, this makes me ponder the same question as the other post: Would you truly enjoy this music? Would it somehow "cheapen" it? Does it even matter?
And here's a full performance:
This can be done of course, by the fact that music - even improvisation - follows a set of general rules. Yet the fascinating thing here, is that the type of improvisation can be programmed to be characterized as different real life artists. As the video explains, Shimon (the name of the robot) can programmed to be "30% artist A, and 40% artist B, and the rest something else". At the same time, it is able to react to real time input by the musicians Shimon is playing with! That's an amazing technical accomplishment!
Of course, this makes me ponder the same question as the other post: Would you truly enjoy this music? Would it somehow "cheapen" it? Does it even matter?
And here's a full performance:
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