The Usual...
From the original Analog Industries archive. Some links and images from that era no longer resolve.
Sorry for the tepid posting. Well, not really sorry as such. Okay, not sorry at all. I’ve been busy as busy can get. Just finished a pair of contract UIs, plus we wrapped up a 2-month R&D project and sent it off, in the hopes that it will bear (bare? I’m never sure about that) fruit at some point in the near future. So no complaints.
For some strange reason, there was a slew of product announcements in the last few days. Novation announced Yet Another Little Keyboard With A Microphone For Hipster Bands, Roland is about to announce Yet Another Combo Platter Of Blasé Versions Of Everything They’ve Ever Made, and NI just popped out a new iteration of Maschine.
Korg is apparently about to announce something along the lines of this. There’s a lot of talk about that being a Photoshop or 3D rendered fake. I’ve had a good look at it, and in my considered professional opinion, the image is real. It is definitely not a Photoshop fake. There’s just too many things in the image that are far too difficult to do in Photoshop. (Note the different reflections on each key.) It could be theoretically done in a 3D program, but in that event the person that made it is a grade A Illuminati-level 3D modeller. In short, while it is possible it is a fake, Occam’s Razor applies. We’ll know on the 4th, I guess.
EDIT: Definitely a fake. I stand corrected. (I didn’t think of it from “putting it together from other sources” viewpoint. I don’t design or think that way. My bad.)
In other news, Adam is working on a small update to Axon to fix some persistent bugs with the envelopes and preset saving/recalling. While he does that, I’m trying some envelope-pushing UI design stuff out. I hope to have something to show off here in a bit.
EDIT: Axon 1.2.1 for OS X is now in the AD store for immediate download.
So, this is an open thread. How’s your day going? AMA.
32 comments
How did the standing desk experiment ( http://www.analogindustries.com/blog/entry.php?blogid=1304089081803 ) fare? Any good for pixel mining or programming?
It is photoshop fake:
http://www.bobborries.com/Vo1t/NewKorgExploded.jpg
Check the sequencer.de thread...
There was one other recent synth announcement that has piqued my interest more than the others you've listed...the PPG Wavegenerator app from Wolfgang Palm.
I wasn't sure if I'd go for it since I already have Animoog, but this clip put it in the "must get" category:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=H7jHQU9PAps
Standing desk is fine. I couldn't stand at it for very long after my Sickness last fall, but for generally feeling better, sleeping better, less back pain, I couldn't recommend it strongly enough. I have a pretty tall stool I use when the pain starts in my feet (and again, this is unrelated to using a standing desk; 100% a result of having a violently ruthless disease) and otherwise, it works like a champ.
I had to get a laptop stand to raise my laptop up to the same height as the PC monitors, was the only thing.
Don't really care about the PPG thing. iPad synths do nothing for me. As a music-making platform, the iPad fucking blows. As a money-making platform, it is great. But the opposite of pro for musicians.
-CR
Yeah, Maschine. I've considered Maschine ever since selling my Machinedrum last year. But I worry about the software/hardware integration where it has to be tied to the computer and is the potential victim of being left behind Kore-style, and I worry about getting tied up remembering what button does what as its tertiary function. Now there's this new pretty-colored one and the old ("old") ones are cheap. I've been enjoying my modular along with my OP-1 as a sampler and beat-generator, and playing with the Phonogene and Tyme Sefari is great. I explored the existing videos to see how it might work for me, but after seeing 450 versions of laying down various phat beatz, I ran out of energy. I know you use Maschine, Chris. Unless you've posted a thorough hashing of this in the past and I missed it, how's that working for you?
Sure iPad synths aren't the most exciting or professional things in the world, but they can be fun and useful. Aren't you using one in that last video you posted?
@silent5: it would have been 100 times easier to just use a plug-in, but in a video a plug-in doesn't have much visual interest.
@MrBiggs: The Maschine is an excellent piece of kit. Since it comprises a fairly large chunk of NI's income (unlike Kore) it is in no danger whatsoever of being deprecated. The nicest thing about it is you don't need to haul the hardware around; the software works fine without it. Unlike an MPC or normal drum machine where you have to have the hardware all the time, or record the audio.
And the software itself is fucking excellent; there's a couple little things I'd change if it were up to me, but on the whole, it is very usable and easy-to-navigate. I'll say this much, though: do not get the little one. The big one is well worth the price.
_CR
Does Maschine have a sort of thing like Live where you can trigger clips ?
Waldorf Pulse II.... hurry the f**k up... and you better have a sine wave osc !
re: Maschine, What Chris said. After a month with it I'm reinventing my entire business. It's a game changer and should be around for years to come.
At least until we totally flip 1991 and start saying "wouldn't it be cool if you could use a computer to write and record music?"
Eh, after all the fuss at IK Multimedia ("some hot shit will be revealed...") there's another iAMKIDDING keyboard for iPad on the market...
I like my iPad, just not for making music but it seems like everyone is jumping on the "this will be so pro in 20 years" bandwagon...
Tits...
I'm with Tits.
However, I'm still interested in this highly professional, game changing, bandwagoneering iPad super synth from PPG.
And I'm not asking this to be an argumemtative dick, but is watching someone using an iPad on video or on stage more visually interesting than watching someone using a mouse/trackpad/trackball to control a plugin? Makes no difference to me. Hands move, sounds happen.
Not in the "wow, that boy can dance!" sense, no. Personally, it's just an extra pain in the ass for me. But I can tell by the YouTube comments. If I use a plug-in, even if you see it in the video, nobody ever says "HEY PHATT PLUG-IN!!" But if I use the iPad, there will invariably be questions about the app, "me too" comments, etc. etc.
In short, people have a natural curiosity about things that aren't on a laptop, and yes, I'm taking advantage of that. But performance is about 5% charisma, 5% skill, and 90% smoke-and-mirrors anyhow. We all know that.
-CR
Though it's already instantly dated by the inclusion of a "Dubstep" setting on the panel, it's heritage comes from the Nova/Supernova line and it has some street cred being designed by Chris Huggett, who was also responsible for the Wasp and OSCar synths. On the outside, it looks like something that could have come out of Dave Smith's workshop.
Interesting insight Chris. Being a professional hobbyist I don't consider the performance side of things too often (i.e. never).
But mostly I'm just surprised to hear that YouTube comments are actually useful for something other than seeing how many times people fling homophobic insults at each other.
@Silent5: FYI, my name (as much as I'd like it to be) isn't Tits :)
(I just pressed the "british mode" knob)
Klemen
Hehe no offence intended Klemen. I just saw "Tits" and decided that I had to be with them. You know how it is...
Tits, indeed.
Axon lite for iOS.... Tits McGhee....
@silent5: I actually have another essay (IT'S NOT A MEMO!) pending about tending your garden. There are not many things I'm very good at, but one that I am is keeping online discussions focused and adult. I thought maybe I could shed some light on how that's done, and how it is an important skill for the creative professional.
But in lieu of an essay, long story short: I just delete all the stupidity. After a while, the channel takes on a semblance of normalcy. It's nothing like here, where there's a 15-year-old system in place that works extremely well, but it has its moments.
Of course, all the "tits" references might give lie to that whole course of introspection.
-CR
I've been wondering for quite some time, why you never mentioned the Beepcat http://www.analogindustries.com/blog/entry.php?blogid=1316213971302&pg=3 anymore. Did you shelve that project? If so, what were the reasons?
It's still on the back-burner. Eric more or less finished the layout of the daughterboard, but we got hung up waiting for one of the audio people to finish a driver for the audio codec. I'll ask him where we're at.
-CR
"Of course, all the "tits" references might give lie to that whole course of introspection." -CR
Speaking of which, what happened to the IWB button?
"Don't really care about the PPG thing. iPad synths do nothing for me. As a music-making platform, the iPad fucking blows. As a money-making platform, it is great. But the opposite of pro for musicians." -CR
Thanks for this. Other than being tech support for my mom, I've yet to jump into ios for personal use, much less professional. For some reason, I keep hearing this FMJ quote in my head: "We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over," substituting ios for peace, of course. Unfortunately, I doubt it will.
The IWB button only appears when boobs has posted. You can't be with him unless he's said something for you to be with.
-CR
Doh! Deja vu all over again. However, I am always with him/them in spirit. Open thread, eh? Is anyone considering these $300 Lindell 500 series modules that are about to pop? I'm pretty much flat broke, but one of my partners has one of each on order:
http://www.lindellaudio.se/
(no affiliation, by the way)
Or for five and two-thirds times the price, you can get one of these beauties. Buy four and you get a Purple Audio Sweet 10 for free. Got an extra $6K and change?
http://awtac.com/
All this gloom and doom in the digital realm has my analog hardware lust ablaze. Make you Maschinska and vapor Korges boom boom long time.
Quick OT question: Are copies of Unsuspected Sounds still available?
I'll never run out of those. Ever. I'll be carting boxes of 'em around until the end of days. Rule #1 of pressing product: no matter how many you make, it'll be too many.
-CR
seeing unsold records in boxes breaks my heart. it happens to me every day. i have about 300 or so records and maybe 2000 CDs of various releases that need shifting. the CDs are essentially business cards now.
i'm thinking about getting some stickers that say "sick drops bro" and putting them on the vinyl and just selling them outside the local hot topic.
Come on people, get that crap out of Mr. Randall's house.
bb
yes! before it's overtaken by a haboob!
I'm with haboobs.
I'm with boobs.
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