NAMM: Winter NAMM 2009 APC40 Overview

YouTube via AkaiProVideo
"Product Specialist Eric McGregor demonstrates the highly-anticipated Ableton Performance Controller, APC40 at the NAMM show."

Untitled

flickr by Benjamin Humphrey

full size

KORG MicroKORG

Korg Kaossilator Grid Modification (Mod/Hack)

YouTube via KGridMod

Video details via KGridMOD:
"Grid Modification for the Korg Kaossilator or Korg Mini KP.

Latest design looks like this:

http://tinyurl.com/kgridmod2

THERE ARE NO TUNES PLAYED IN THIS VIDEO. (I'm not a performer!) THIS VIDEO IS ABOUT MY MODIFICATION.

The mod helps you to remember where notes or beats etc are on the Kaossilator touch-pad, as there are no points of reference on it, its just a blank square. Maybe its just me, but I find that this mod helps a lot. Its basically just a piece of transparecy film which I have printed a grid onto. It took me a while to work out the grid pattern (and I want to develop it further), but I have used 45 squares on the grid because there are 45 different symbols that show on Kaossilator's display depending on what part of the touch pad you touch, but... THERE ARE MANY MORE NOTES AVAILABLE THAN 45! and this varies depending on what scale you have selected, but this grid helps you to select notes repeatedly, and remember where they are, whether in the middle of a square, in a corner, or wherever. I am still developing the idea, but I am quite happy with the version that I am using at the moment. Check out my blog if you are interested: http://kgridmod.blogspot.com/ I'm still writing and adding stuff to the page at the moment, but I'm kinda happy with the mod at this stage and I wondered if others out there might also be interested.

In the video I used a biggish phillips screwdriver, a smallish phillips screwdriver and a very small flat head screwdriver to open the casing. You will probably need 2 the first time you do it.

This is my first video posting. Hopefully it all makes sense! Cheers, TJ. http://kgridmod.blogspot.com/"

The Basics of Ems Avs

The Basics of Ems Avs from deb76 on Vimeo.
via Califaudio
"A small tutorial with a commentary in french explaining how to program the basic functions of the Ems Synthi Aks: use three oscillators modulate OSC1 and OSC2 by the oscillator 3 as LFO, insert them in the envelope.

Un petit tutorial avec un commentaire en français expliquant comment programmer les fonctions de base de l'Ems Synthi Aks : utiliser les trois oscillateurs, moduler l'osc1 et l'osc2 par l'oscillateur 3 en tant que LFO, les insérer dans l'enveloppe."

Fun Box Part Deux! Sun 22nd March 09

"Create, modify and have fun with a portable DIY synthesizer and amplifier. Make, modify and decorate this rather unique electronic noise-making machine. The workshop will involve basic electronics, soldering and sharp objects."

More info on hahafresh

Bent Festival 2009 Open Call - NYC

"Looks like the 2009 Bent Festival is set to happen in New York this year. There has been talk about not having the festivals back to back as they were in the past, but this point we don’t know the dates or whether the Minneapolis and LA events will happen. For those who have never attended a Bent Fest, I highly recommend it as a great opportunity to meet fellow musicians and artists as well as to check out all the bent gear in 3D. The workshops are also extremely informative and do cover a wide spectrum of interests from beginner to very advanced topics."
more info on GetLoFi.

Big City Music to Offer Foltek Instruments

"From somewhere underground in Portland Oregon Arius Blaze and Ben Houston are creating some wildly interesting instruments. The Folktek pieces are truly unique in every way. Each one is hand crafted by the artists and is a one of a kind. Most of their instruments are crafted into beautiful antique boxes too. These are not your typical circuit bent instruments. The way you can "play" them varies tremendously and Folktek offers some alternative user interaction with their pieces. Check back with us as we will get more pieces soon."
http://bigcitymusic.com via the Big City Music blog.

jasmim experimental

YouTube via atomsizeelephant
"a jasmim, de 2 anos e uns dias, olhou para o sintetizador do pai e pensou... "vou mostrar ao pai que percebo mais disto que ele..." e assim foi!"
Googlish:
"the jasmine of 2 years and a few days, looked at the father's synthesizer and thought ... "I will show that the father understand more what it ..." and it was!"

Sid

via g.

"Here is my late Cat, Sid... he loved hanging out with me when I worked on the synth, and also patch cables were one of his good games ;)

I thought it would be cool to put on your blog!

Sid-Charlot:
Mar 1996-
Sep 2008"

Definitely cool, and definitely gets a post. Cats and pets in general are the few things in life that unconditionally have your back, through the good and the bad times. Cheers to Sid.

Situation Gaz

YouTube via Gazdatronik. via fischek.
"I put together Yazoo's Situation. I like this idoitic little song. I play Micromoog, Macintosh plays everything else. Been meaning to do this since I was ten."
"Tags:
Situation Yaz Yazoo Vince Clarke Alison Moyet Moog Micromoog Roalnd JX-3p JX3p Korg dw-8000 Oberheim matrix 80's dance 1983 move out Gazdatronik"