When the Apple Macintosh emerged in 1984, it featured a much friendlier user interface than the text-based operating systems preceding it. It also popularised an innovative new interaction device - the mouse. This meant that anyone could learn to use a computer, and revolutionised our vision of what this new tool could become. But are there any similar user interface watersheds on the horizon?
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The area of music visualisation has always produced interesting and creative new applications of technology - from the traditional bathing of a dancefloor in pulsating psychedelia to immersive multimedia art installations. Now, however, a Japanese composer has decided that his face is the ideal visual output platform for his musical creations…
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In what has become a popular Web 2.0 meme, another re-subtitled version of the classic bunker scene from the movie ‘Downfall’ has emerged. This time around, Adolf is somewhat upset that the market share of superior Steinberg audio recording products is being eroded by Pro Tools…
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Wordpress is an extremely popular website creation tool, and relatively simple to use. Although powerful and flexible in itself, its functionality can be further extended through the use of third-party plugins - and some of these are of particular interest to music blogs…
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In music, and particularly the realm of electronic or computer music, there can be a significant amount of ‘gear snobbery’ in some quarters. This stems from the notion that professional results can only be obtained by expensive high-end gear, that device X is inferior to device Y, and so on. However, here are a couple of instruments that are pretty much beyond compare…
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Today’s band spotlight goes to R.E.M. for their marketing efforts with Warner, to Radiohead for their live performance rig and to The Cure for having a bunch of other artists release an album of covers…
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Music, reality and science-fiction are moving into alignment once more. Continuing in a similar vein to the 639-year concert in Halberstadt, we now introduce a 10,000 year clock and an album of acapella music by futuristic alien monks, courtesy of Neal Stephenson and the Long Now Foundation…
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The pace of life seems to be getting ever faster, and even music is bombarding us with more production, more loudness, more beats than ever before. However, there is one musical performance currently underway that aims to buck this trend - this concert began in 2000, and has recently moved on to its sixth note…
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If you have a killer tune in your head that you just can’t get down to disk, you may need to improve your playing skills, or even learn a competely new instrument. On the other hand, it may be quicker and more effective to hire someone else to do it for you…
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Earthquakes are caused by powerful movements of tectonic plates, and like all movements where two objects collide or physically interact, sound is also produced. If you happen to experience an earthquake first-hand, you’re unlikely to be hanging around to analyse what it sounds like; fortunately, researchers have done the hard work for you…
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