video upload by Hotz777
"Jimmy Hotz uses the Hotz Box to explore new musical frontiers of real-time performance. The Hotz Box was invented by Jimmy Hotz and first manufactured by Atari.
For more information about Jimmy Hotz and his music and inventions visit jimmyhotz.com or the Hotz store at hotzstore.com."
Image via Wikipedia
[1985 Jimmy Hotz (age 30)plays daughter Rains first keyboard]
credit: Gamegridrain - Own work
Sean McKee wrote in to let us know Jimmy Hotz, inventor of the Hotz MIDI Translator, passed away on June 5th of a heart attack.
"He created the rare and ahead of its time Hotz MIDI Translator hardware and software. If you remember I made a video about it. [video below]
End of an era. May he Rock In Peace."
From wikipedia:
Jimmy Hotz is an American inventor, record producer, recording engineer, electronic music pioneer, audio expert, author and musician.
Hotz began playing guitar at the age of seven.
He plays a number of instruments such as the guitar, keyboards, flute, drums and his own inventions such as the "Hotz Box" and the "Hotz MIDI Translator". Hotz has done a number of recordings where all of the instruments were played by him using only the Hotz Box as an input device.[1][2]
In the music business Jimmy Hotz has worked with Fleetwood Mac,[3] Dave Mason,[4][5] NSYNC,[6] Mobius 8 [7] B.B. King,[8] Yes, Jon Anderson,[9] Haven[10] and dozens of other recording artists as either a producer, engineer, mixer, studio musician, or musical instrument designer. Hotz was engineer and did programming on B.B. King's Grammy-nominated King of the Blues: 1989. Hotz was also the engineer on King's Grammy-nominated "Standing on the Edge of Love", for Best Contemporary Blues Recording in 1988 (from The Color of Money soundtrack).
You Rock Guitar featured a video of Jimmy playing their MIDI guitar through the Hotz Midi Translator software.[11]
In 2011 he released his debut novel, The Gates of Time.[12]
Hotz lived and worked in Southern California while developing his inventions.[13]
Inventions
He is noted for his pioneering work with electronic music synthesizer MIDI controller development[14] / programming and as a technical consultant to Microsoft, Intel, Electronic Arts, Atari,[15][16] JBL and other concerns for new product development.
He is the inventor of the "Hotz Box", Hotz "MIDI vest" and the "Atari Hotz Box", "Hotz MIDI Translator",[17] computer software which has won interest and acclaim at the annual NAMM Show. Performers such as Mick Fleetwood, Jon Anderson, Paul Haslinger, Scott Gershin and others have been using Hotz products in their creative work.[9]
He is the inventor of numerous electronic devices and software innovations and has received three US Patents[18][19][20] in music technology.
As an expert in 3D computer graphics, Hotz was the chief visionary behind the 3dMAxMedia "Zuma Project",[6] assembling the team which developed the technology to manipulate 3D imagery in real-time with audio, MIDI and other real-time control devices).
"Zuma" won a 2001 Innovation award from Computer Graphics World Magazine and was used on the 2001 NSYNC PopOdyssey tour.[21]
Hotz Box MIDI Translator - The Original Theoryboard w/Polyphonic Aftertouch
video upload by Sean McKee - previously posted here
"A history, overview and tutorial of the very rare Hotz Box MIDI Translator hardware and software, invented by Jimmy Hotz. I decided to make this video because the only videos I found of this synth MIDI controller were of people playing the Hotz Box, but there was really no information out there on how it worked, and on forums it was very misunderstood. Hopefully this video will provide enough insights to educate people interested in this system and how it can be used. If you'd like to get a custom system built of any size, Jimmy can add polyphonic aftertouch and other features. For more information visit www.jimmyhotz.com."
Jimmy Hotz playing the SpaceHarp through the Hotz Translator software.
video upload by Hotz777
"Jimmy Hotz playing the SpaceHarp through the Hotz Translator software. Jimmy quickly shows a variety of playing styles and sounds
The light rays have been enhanced to make the hand movements more clear.
To get your own SpaceHarp visit. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/sp..."
