Mar 11, 2014 0
I have critiqued certain historical approaches to martial arts studies in the past. What is the basis of this critique, and what alternatives do I propose? I will look at this question here in terms of a reading of one or two aspects of Sylvia Shin Huey Chong’s expansive book The Oriental Obscene: Violence and Racial Fantasies in the Vietnam Era
Mar 11, 2014 0
Fyrd Instruments’ MTRX is a beautiful-looking, boutique hardware sequencer. But its one drawback had been the 8-step sequencer. Now, this should give you steps: think four simultaneous sequences, 32 steps, and the ability to output on the MIDI port and USB port simultaneously.
Commenters frequently complain that technology for its own sake gets in the way of music. Well, that may be so, but here, the sequence sounds excellent. Our own MeeBlip (in the older SE version) joins some other great hardware and software: the Shruthi open source hardware, Native Instruments’ Monark, and Madrona Labs’ Aalto – three of my favorite synths. (By the way, hearing it again, the SE-generation MeeBlip sounds good, but I can confidently say I think anode sounds better; it’s now shipping and we’ll have it at Musikmesse this week.)
You get robust sequencing on all four sequencers:
- pitch, velocity, octave, duration
- shift (small delay of each step)
- bend (pitch wheel sequencing – Slide/Glide effect)
- active step selection, loop length
- speed (1/32th, 1/16th, 1/8th, 1/4th)
- warp (forward/backward/ping-pong/random)
And there’s a new MTRX-S, replacing the previous MTRX-8. That’s “S” as in “small” – the MTRX-S is more compact than the original, but otherwise identical. Pre-orders are now 249 €.
Curious about the MTRX sequencer? I wrote a review for DE:BUG here in Germany, which you can read in either English or German:
REVIEW: FYRD INSTRUMENTS MTRX-8 (ENGLISH)
IM TEST: FYRD INSTRUMENTS MTRX-8
Spoiler alert:
The only real issue with the MTRX-8 is that you may find the button-and-jog wheel scheme limiting, and wish that you had more controls – and less paging through menus. But if your primary application for a step sequencer is fine-tuned control of dance patterns and bass lines, the MTRX-8 is a bargain.
Now, I think those tradeoffs are even less of an issue once you have access to these four sequencers and 32 steps. Most hardware sequencers available today are pricey affairs. That makes this a really wise choice; I can see why the last run sold out.
The post One Awesome Jam, Four Sequences, 32-Steps: New MTRX Hardware Sequencer Video appeared first on Create Digital Music.
Mar 11, 2014 0
Even before the world had seen the iPad, the promise of Lemur was a touchable interface that could become anything – a Star Trek-like world in which you could touch fluid controls directly to make live music and visuals.
The reality, though, was more limited. Users were limited to a library of widgets. That included useful controls, like knobs, faders, and even more far-out physics-enabled X/Y pads, buct widgets, nonetheless.
A major update to Lemur this week blows that wide open, in two ways. First, it overhauls how sequencing works, with both tighter timing and new objects, ideal for use with MIDI gadgets. Second, it has a widget interface that can become just about anything.
The sequencing will be recognizably useful to anyone working with MIDI gadgets. There will still be a place for dedicated sequencers, including on the iPad. But for those wanting to integrate sequencing with existing templates, this looks ideal. You can sequence notes, switches, or slider values using flexible controls, then combine them with the rest of your template. And since the timing engine has been overhauled, this also works well with MIDI gear. Accordingly, confessed hardware lover Sam Barker does the launch video, sequencing racks of gear live. (His oft-collaborator and fellow Berghain regular nd_baumecker calls on the phone at the end, “phoning in” his appearance. See our studio tour – and I think they have more toys since then.)
In addition to the three objects (StepNote, StepSwitch, StepSlider), you also get new options for taking advantage of sequencing. You can use Lemur’s internal clock as the timing for these objects, or sync to external clock. You can now trigger events based on musical subdivisions, not only milliseconds. And scripting can get and set clock state and bpm. (What you can’t do, yet, is output a clock from Lemur, which would make it a more full-functioned sequencer. However, since you can slave it to an external clock, you could use that as the clock source and focus on Lemur for parameter control.)
in other words, the scripting environment now opens up custom sequencing powers.
The sequencing is already compelling, but when you’re ready to go deeper, Canvas offers still more. It’s a new object that can transform into anything. Based on the HTML5 Canvas element – and thus friendly to anyone with some Web knowledge – it allows you to draw all sorts of custom shapes, and add animation, shadows, transparency, and more. You still get multi-touch support, and you can still work with Canvas as part of familiar Lemur templates.
To be clear, this is still Lemur scripting, but because it’s based on HTML5 Canvas specs, it works in a logical way (and could be easily ported to the Web, if you like).
When you’re ready to delve into all of this, the new release includes new bundled templates among other improvements, so you can get a head start.
With all this power comes new responsibilities for Lemur users. There was a call out for more documentation, so I’ll see if we can work with Liine and others to get some new examples and tutorials in collaboration with all of you in CDM land. Can’t wait.
Lemur is available as of today on the iTunes App Store, at US$24.99.
If you already own Lemur, you’re paying … nothing. If you don’t, I don’t have a very good argument for you, as any iOS 5.1.1 or later device is supported.
Now, the first person to make an Ableton controller that looks like a control panel on a Klingon Bird of Prey, wins.
https://liine.net/en/products/lemur/
The post Let your iPad Look Like Anything, Sequence Anything, with Lemur 5 appeared first on Create Digital Music.
Mar 11, 2014 0
Yeah, yeah, fake knobs and faders.
A video teaser reveals what Lemur developer Liine is about to announce, and … whoa.
Via Dr. Nick at Liine on Vine.
As always, we’ll be on top of it. (Actually, not always. This time, we’ll be on top of it. Check in some time in the next 24 hours or so, I’m guessing.)
The post Video Teaser: Lemur on iPad About to Get Way More Awesome appeared first on Create Digital Music.
Mar 11, 2014 0
Synth maker Waldorf revealed the 2-pole Analog Filter in the USA at the NAMM show. Now, they’re coming home to Germany with more details.
The emphasis here is making a filter for everyone: producers and synthesists, yes, but also DJs and guitarists. We already know guitarists like having access to this stuff if it can be playable (see KOMA, Moog), and if Waldorf can sell DJs a buttery filter instead of the awful stuff you get on many DJ mixers, they may be doing the world a public service.
The hardware has an all-analog filter path, which makes sense for a filter, using Waldorf’s own multimode filter design. (Waldorf has a track record here, with the 4-Pole, X-Pole, AFB16, Q+, Wave, and Pulse.) To that, they’ve added modulation (LFO, envelope follower, or external signal), and a lot of goodies that let you do more with the sound.
To keep this from just being a boring filter, there’s a Rectifier and overdrive after the filter; as you hear in the video, you can make some extreme-squelchy sounds, making this as much an effect as a run-of-the-mill filter.
And playability/performance options are what might really justify buying this as dedicated gear. There’s a Trigger button so you can “play” the result, true bypass, CV input for those with other analog gear, foot pedal controls for both the filter and envelope follower.
“Funk up your guitar licks.” Or lick up your guitar funk, perhaps. In any case, crank up the modulation and you have some pretty wild sounds.
It’s all mono, but you can “cascade to stereo” if you really want to buy two. I could see this box in a rig with gear from someone like KOMA; I’ll be in the booth with them this week, so maybe we can borrow a Waldorf and try mixing all this stuff together.
Availability: this month.
Pricing is 229€ (should see a bit lower than that in America).
Full specs:
Fully analog signal path: Preamp -> Filter -> Overdrive
Award winning Waldorf analog multimode filter technology
Filter can be modulated by LFO, envelope follower or external signal
Preamp with overdrive capability for direct connection of instruments like bass or guitar
Post-filter overdrive with adjustable gain
LFO with different ranges, rate up to several kHz
Envelope follower with trigger section and different modes
True Bypass
Cascadable to stereo (for two 2-pole units)Controls
Input Gain with level LED
Rectify pot for mixing-in the rectified input signal
Filter Cutoff pot
Filter Resonance pot
Bipolar Filter Env Mod pot
Filter Type switch
Overdrive pot
Activation switch
Output Level pot
LFO Range switch with 3 positions
LFO Rate pot with LED
LFO Mod Depth pot
Trigger Button with LED
Trigger Threshold pot
Trigger Hold pot
Envelope Follower Source switch with 3 positions
Envelope Follower Attack pot
Envelope Follower Decay potConnections
Audio In
Audio Out
Cutoff CV In
Envelope Follower CV In
Trigger In
Power DC 12V
http://www.waldorf-music.info/2-pole-overview
The post An Analog Filter That’s Playable for Producers, Guitarists Alike: Waldorf 2-pole Video appeared first on Create Digital Music.
Mar 11, 2014 0
The robot guys over at MTRAS need a robot themed timer and found a brilliant solution by modifying a Plotclock.
Mar 11, 2014 0
The gathering will join the Bay Area and New York Maker Faires as our largest events, and will help bring even more visibility to the engaged and active UK maker community.
Mar 11, 2014 0
This old-world, weathered piece features tool marks and a fantastic acid-stained patina.
Mar 11, 2014 0
MAKE’s Matt Richardson gets a behind-the-scenes look at how Penzoil and Nintendo created a real-life experience inspired by the popular MarioKart video game.
Mar 9, 2014 0
Bring on the drones! This weekend MAKE has been taking to the air at SXSW, and along with our flight demonstrations, we’re excited to have a visit from drone lawyer Brendan Schulman, one of the foremost legal experts in the field of unmanned aircraft use who just won the first-ever […]
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