Ok, I’m still waiting for the Coltrane or Brecker App…..but this is kind of cool.
Category: Videos
Don Menza On Tone
Dunno what is up with the dark glasses. Nor the using of the Metal Link (is that a metal link?). Last time I saw Menza he was totally into getting vintage rubber mouthpieces and modding them to his liking….
Saitara Software AC-7 Pro Control Surface for iPad
Yes, the iPad is out. Yes, it is amazing. No, it is not simply a bigger iTouch or an iPhone without the phone part. If you haven’t been able to try one, then go to a store and try it. You will be hooked. There are a few music apps out, like Magic Piano which is neat-o to show your friends, but really has no practical use in my opinion.
However, there are a few functional apps in the store, and one that I’m growing fond of is the AC-7 Pro Control Surface for the iPad ($9.99). It turns your iPad into a virtual fader board and DAW controller for Logic, Digital Performer, and Pro Tools. It does this “magic” by utilizing your WiFi network to connect to your Mac using an open source program called DSMI to connect to the app and translate its messages to midi. You then go and configure your DAW to receive the midi stream from DSMI as a Mackie Control. And it works….mostly.
I say mostly because, well, there are issues. First off, using your general wifi network (ie the network that your mac, iphone, ipad, internet connection is on) it seems to work most of the time, but it will lose connection every now and then. Usually when you really need it. General consensus seems to be that on an busy network, if there is a packet that gets dropped, DSMI and the app don’t retransmit it. Or something to that effect, resulting in programs like Pro Tools complaining about the HUD connection or worse, messing up the position of the fades, which could be bad.
If you have a Mac that has built in WiFi, you can create a private wifi network, and put the iPad on it, and then the App works flawlessly (at least for me). But if you have a MacPro that doesn’t have its own wifi transmitter, well, you are going to have to suffer for a while. To get dynamic track names, you also need to use a freeware program called midipipe.
So, it is a start. I think really what needs to be done is a custom app on the Mac side that connects properly with the iPad app and won’t drop packets and drops the need for midipipe. If you can get through the setup, it is a very slick app. The Pro Tools support is basic, but the support for Digital Performer and Logic is pretty darn complete. And it can only get better with updates which will hopefully add more Pro Tools support. It’s bleeding edge, but workable. It is really nice now to not have to be tied to the computer to control Pro Tools. If you have an iPad, or an iPhone/iTouch (there is a smaller version for iPhone/iTouch), and work with DAWs a lot, check this app out.
8/10 (2 points deducted because there is no unified mac app for it…..you have to run 2 programs, and the configuration is not totally apparent).
Some guys demo of it.
Why this guy is wearing a Microcrap shirt I don’t know……(Update: He works for Microcrap….I can hear the chairs being thrown by Steve Ballmer now….)
Metallica-Enter Sandman (Smooth Jazz Version)
Ok, not sax related, but I thought this was really really well done.
Wind Controller+TouchOSC+PureData=Cool
Ok, now this guy is rocking technology. He’s using a Yamaha WX 5, TouchOSC and an open source program called PureData. Just watching this opens up a LOT of interesting ideas. Like using the TouchOSC to control loops, or change patches, or apply filters, or…….the things are endlessly possible.
The Music Of Avatar
Ok, this is a total ad for ProTools, but it is highly interesting. Such gems as that when they did music for Titanic, they had 2 tons of outboard gear. On Avatar? Just one Mac Pro. Amazing.
Avatar — Avid Audio is the Avatar for Groundbreaking New Soundtrack from Avid on Vimeo.
Scoring The Dark Knight
Great video of Hans Zimmer and how he scored “The Dark Knight”
Interview with the creator of the Apple startup sound
TUAW had a great article last week. An interview with the guy who created the startup sound on Macs, Jim Reekes.
It’s amazing the amount of math, thought and stuff that went into this. Long live the Cmajor startup sound.
Rock Band Network…..Saxophone Hero?
I’ve seen this around the net, even linked from SyFy.com. It’s kind of neat, but…..could we please have real notation? Also….why bother doing this in the first place? I mean, it’s one thing to play pop/rock songs on saxophone (which I have no qualms about doing), but I don’t really see this doing much for anyone….
Misa Guitar
Ok, forget that Eigenharp Alpha. What Akai needs to do for the next EWI is something like the Misa Guitar.
Engadget describes it as “Essentially a MIDI controller, the Misa guitar has 24 frets and a large multifunctional touchscreen, which you can use to interface with the appropriate software on your pc.”
Ok, now someone get on putting a large, 10 inch by 2 or 3 inch touch screen on something you can blow into. That would be amazing I think.
Skywalker Ranch
Philip Bloom visited the Skywalker Ranch and did this great video of the place. Very cool stuff. Here is another link to it.
Skywalker Ranch from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.
Gordon Goodwin Holiday Concert
Yamaha has two videos up of the Gordon Goodwin Phat band playing a holiday concert.
https://www.yamaha.com/thehub/default.html?CTID=5041999&CNTID=5042480
It is also in iTunes under Podcasts->Yamaha Wind Instrument Podcasts (there are lots of other good videos in there too)
Note: the two solo mics sucked. WTF. The rest of the mics were good, but shure 58s? Really? Should have stuck with sennheisers or something.
Rock Band Dumbing Down Music?
I would tend to agree, though the game and Guitar Hero have exposed people to some great, classic music that they would not have known otherwise. I’d rather have kids and people listen to some of the tunes on Guitar Hero/Rock Band than some of these “rap artists” and whatnot.
Also, on a related note, anyone who has Rock Band and the drum set should check out this. You can use the Rock Band drum controller (the newer one that comes with World Tour) with this piece of software and actually play the instrument. Very cool.
Pitch Primer For The iPhone/iTouch
The Apple iPhone/iTouch software market is amazing. Games, tuners (like the great Strobe tuner). Even AutoTune things like I Am T-Pain.
Now, there is the Pitch Primer for the platform. It is amazing. Transcription tool? Sure it could be. Amazing practice tool? YES! Amazing idea? YES! It is easiest to see a demo of it. Things that I’d like it to do would be EXPORT the audio you recorded (several other iPhone/iTouch programs can do this). And it would be killer if it would export things as a midi file. Or Music XML file.
Amazing product. Get it now while it’s $4.99.
Weird Al Yankovic Explains AutoTune
Originally from Rocketboom.com