Karl Bartos (electronic musician, ex-Kraftwerk, co-composer of songs like The Robots, The Model, Computer World,…) and Masayuki Akamatsu (media artist and author of various iPhone apps) created a 16 step music sequencer now available for free on the AppStore. Created in support of Red Cross site, the app was presented in the form of installation in Kyoto comprising 35 iPads and inviting guests to download the app to the iPhone and use the room as an instrument

Continue reading.... Mini-Composer [iPad, iPhone, Sound]

Inspired by the IBM tape loop machine, Donut  is the latest release from The Strange Agency. This sound sequencer is a strange one, like the old IBM machine, it makes time two-dimensional by first creating a three dimensional loop and two dimensional sound. It does this by first looping a linear track, then multiplying it into stacks and finally taking the loop stack, and wrapping it itself into a loop, just as the original linear recording is looped. Complicated, sure, so here are few sketches Lucas posted on the blog.

Continue reading.... Donut [Sound, iPad]

Hypertext Remix is a browser-sequencer created by Lara Warman and Kellyn Loehr. The system generates systems sounds when the browser hits the edge of the screen. The speed of each box is set by the scroll bar and the sounds that are generated are all from the OS. The project is driven by a notion that the browser is not just a tool for viewing but a performative tool in and of itself. In addition, sounds play with the idea of daily familiarity from the machines and systems we interact with every day.

Both Lara and Kellyn are MFA candidates in the Design & Tech Program at Parsons.

www is the latest iPhone application by Kazuyuki Okamoto (OKAHON), the name behind NNN Mono, Powon and iOSC, experimental sound applications for the iOS platforms. www is a new step, creating an abstract sound toy using strings/waves analogy as a core method to generate sound soon available for both iPhone and iPad.

What makes “www” musical instrument unique is the extent of functionality hidden behind what may at first appear as a simple guitar like instrument. When you start the app, you will find three strings on the screen which you can straight away play with. At the bottom left corner you will find a very small “+” sign opening a whole set of new options. The first layer includes record, play, stop, repeat. The next “+” sign that you will see as one of the options that has just appeared you can swtich on/off any of the strings. Longer tap on any of the on/off buttons will bring additional settings for that wave, allowing you to change mass, ConstK, Drag, Attack force, Tention, Play Mode, Accel Force, Accel pan value, Portamento value and Wave Control Point Display toggle. Tapping on the bars at the top of the screen will allow you to switch to Pitch transpose pad or draw bars where you can adjust Adjust the amplitude of each harmonic. Further down you have a number of other options including ability to frequency of tempo modulation, depth of tempo modulation, change colours of the UI, and finally access to sequencer which is also available.

The app has just been submitted to the AppStore and should be available soon for $1.99. See video below.

For more information, see okahon.com

Platform: iPad/iPhone (Universal)
Version: 1.0
Cost: $1.99
Developer: Okahon

Previously:
NNN Mono and Powon [iPhone]: Two experimental sound apps from the …
iOSC [iPhone]: OSC Controller for your iPhone …

AV Clash is a Web-based project by Video Jack (André Carrilho and Nuno Correia, with Gokce Taskan) evolved AVOL – AudioVisual OnLine (2007), which allows the creation of audiovisual compositions, consisting of combinations of sound and audio-reactive animation loops. AV (AudioVisual) Clash is composed of 4 audiovisual “objects”, which enable playback and manipulation of four different loops of sound and audio-reactive visuals. Objects can be dragged and thrown, creating interactions (clashes) between them. The sounds in AV Clash are retrieved from Freesound.org, an online sound database. Users can change which 4 sound and animation loops are contained in each of the objects.

Have a play at avclash.com

(Thanks Nuno)

The reactable got it it’s start before the iPhone and iPad brought multitouch to the masses. It began as an experiment into new forms of computer interaction, both for music applications and multi-user, multi-touch applications in general. The first iteration of the Reactable was an installation that featured tangible blocks representing different sound modules that could be placed on a semi-transparent table. A camera system picked up the locations of the blocks, thanks to visual tags on the bottoms. Computer software and a video projection system then created an augumented environment for playing with these building blocks of sound. It’s influence shouldn’t be underestimated, as it lead to things like Microsoft’s surface, Microsoft Kinect, Sony’s Playstation Move and more. It also gained some mainstream notoriety when Björk used it on stage.

Now, similar software is available to the common iPhone-or-iPad-owning man. Gone are the cool acrylic blocks, but they are replaced with more convenient digital versions. The interface overall looks and works very well as a multitouch app.  One could fault the developers for lacking labels or clear explanations about what is going on,  but this is, after all, meant as a playground where people can experiment with sound – not a serious production tool. Too much explanation would take the fun out of  simply experimenting with it (and ruin the interface minimalism). Art and graphics seem to be sufficiently hi-res that they still look great even when zoomed in. Everwhere you look things are pulsating, control events are flying between modules and waveforms are flowing. It’s hard to deny the visual appeal. Sequencing follows the easy ‘grid’ approach employed by so many applications these days and has the ability to turn off rows or columns which is a nice touch. Effects settings can be modified using a simple XY pad. It’s clear that the developers understand that touch applications need to be kept simple and intuitive. The modules themselves offer a mix of synthesis, sample playback and audio effects which should allow for a good amount of creativity in your own set ups. Also, you can load your own sounds.

Reactable Mobile is not totally without issues – the app crashed almost every time I clicked the ‘table’ menu button. Also, some elements can be a bit hard to tap when not fully zoomed in – such as the volume slider. It’s also hard to rotate modules. I would suggest a larger ‘hit area’ for these. Hopefully the developers can get these issues fixed soon, because otherwise it is a promising and fun app.

Platform: iPhone/iPad (Universal)
Version: 1.0
Cost: $9.99
Developer: Reactable

See Also: Jasuto

Sound Yeah is the latest application currently in development by Henry Chu, the same name behind Squiggle we mentioned few weeks back. I asked Henry  about the new app and this is what he said:

In the beginning I wanted to create a digital toy to record and play sound, with some creative controls like scratching. After playing the prototype for a while, I added more functions. In edit mode I can adjust the volume, attack, release, playing speed. Also there are some utility tools like copy, paste and trim, helps you to manage the clips. In play mode, I can tap to play a clip, or I can drag in circles to scratch the clip. If I wind the clip and drag away, it will loop the clip at the speed it was dragged.

Henry used openFrameworks to build Sound Yeah. He started off from the default audio-in and audio-out example available in the examples folder of oF. The sound is generated from the sound buffer, so its a time-based approach, he writes. In addition he also wrote some classes for the UI (which we absolutely love) as well as a DIY cable to split the microphone and headphone so he can connect to other sound source using line-in, rather than the build-in microphone. See video below of him perform with the app.

Henry hasn’t submitted Sound Yeah to Apple just yet but expects this to happen very soon.

In the meantime, you can follow the progress by following Henry on vimeo. We will, of course, post as soon as the app is available.

UPDATE 05.08.2010 // Added 2 new videos. See below.

Platform: iPad
Version: 1.0
Cost: $4.99
Developer: PillAndPillow

Shapeless: The Drum Machine can be looked at two ways – one the one hand, it’s a drum machine with 10 different sample kits. On the other hand, it’s a new form of interactive album that is just starting to enter the collective consciousness. In the past, you’d go to the store and buy a CD and it always sounds the same.  With the proliferation of general computing devices (such as smartphones), the possibility of having an album that is different every time you play it is now a reality. Essentially, it’s ‘the album as an app’.  S:TDM makes it easy to randomly tap out some drum patterns and get something that sounds good and is interesting every time. Each kit in the app represents a different track on the album – since they are each set up similarly, you can flip thru different kits with the same pattern and get interesting variations on the same pattern.  Over all the app is easy to pick up and play with and it’s free, so check it out!

Aside from experimental artists, other companies are pursuing this same concept, such as MXP4. Someday, I think this will break into the mainstream.

Artist Page

Platform: iPhone
Version: 1.0
Cost: Free
Developer: Einar Andersson

Kontrol is an experimental music toy by Johan Halin, a minimal techno composition where you control both the visuals and musical structure. The application was developed by Ab Parasol Oy. To make things happen, slowly push the blue buttons.

I always thought of AppStore as a great platform to publish music. This is a great example of how music on a digital device should sound/play. See also Re<ords.

Platform: iPhone
Version: 1.0
Cost: $0.99
Developer: Ab Parasol Oy

(via app.itize.us)

Created by Hiroshi Matoba, Overbug is a music-performance tool designed to compose Minimal and Dance Music. Through looping and newly arranging sound patterns, the program creates complex, polyrhythmic sounds.

Overbug differs from conventional linear controlled music sequencers, which arrange the sound into a linear timeline from left to right. In Overbug is the sound arrangement of the repeating music loops equal to the visual abstraction of circular actions which built the interface through circles.

Selected Exhibition / Performance
2009
A.L.I.C.E Museum 2009 Opening Performance, SOMA museum of art, Seoul, South Korea
transmediale.09, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany
2008
International Festival of Electronic Art 404, Funambolo Nt/Areal, Switzerland, Basel
International Festival of Electronic Art 404, Parco di San Giovabnni, Trieste, Italy

You can download the application for Windows XP, Vista or Mac OS X with Java installed. Windows is preferred. Unfortunately, it does not run on Snow Leopard as it requires a 64bit version of jsyn Java plugin which is not available. I have tried the new Pure Java JSyn Beta but it appears that applets need to be specifically designed to use it. Maybe our Windows readers will have more luck.

Overbug