The ongoing Sound Builders series from Motherboard.tv profiles Eric Singer and the League of Musical Urban Robots (LEMUR). This video demonstrates what happens when software programming, electronics and mechanical engineering come together in the service of art.
Free Audio Unit plugins! Yay!
Thomas Strathmann has released a waveshaper with several transfer functions. My brief listening tests revealed that this plugin is capable of a pretty wide range of distortion effects. I haven’t made any demo recordings, so you’ll just have to download it and see for yourself.
For something a little more subtle, check out Steven Massey‘s TapeHead Medium. I have used this on a few tracks and love it. I wish the full version was available in Audio Unit format, but alas, it’s reserved for ProTools users (TDM, RTAS, AudioSuite).
This has nothing to do with music (directly), but Time Magazine has posted a series of beautiful photos from John Alderman and Mark Richards‘ book Core Memory: A Visual Survey of Vintage Computers. Why can’t my production machine look like the NEC 2203 pictured below? Are you listening, modern computer manufacturers?
Core Memory Slideshow @ Time Magazine
Another nice artist profile from Motherboard.tv, which is quickly turning out to be the best thing Dell has ever put it’s name on. This one features Gavin Russom demonstrating his custom synths and processors.
Conductive thread has great potential for use in musical electronics, and has become easier to obtain lately as more people explore wearable technology. This video by Mika Satomi and Hannah Perner-Wilson demonstrates embroidered potentiometers made with the thread and a tea spoon.
Check out the original article here.
Conductive thread is available from SparkFun and Lamé Lifesaver.