Happy Birthday AxisPad

I can't believe it was 3 years ago. The mobile music world is very different now, very different indeed. When AxisPad came out it was great. It was one of the first new applications for the Palm in a long time indeed.

I still like it. I wish that there was an update coming to enable recording on it and a bunch of other stuff too that I remember emailing Chad about back then, but I doubt very much that we'll see an update to this app.

Since then miniMusic has gone into the iPhone with PianoFly which is a lot like their SoundPad application for the Palm.

Sadly, since PianoFly came out there's been very little news from miniMusic. I hope we'll see something new soon.

Anyway, here's to AxisPad, 3 years old today.

tags technorati : Palm, AxisPad, miniMusic, Theremin, Mobile Music

I just love Zoetropes

So I had to post this about a new Zoetrope app at the app store (via Creative Applications).

Zoetrope at the app store:

RJDJ: Recording charts topped by Pharmacopia

Interesting stuff going on at RJDJ. I think I should take a listen to this soon.

Mixtikl 2

Lots of questions came up about the Mixtikl track I posted yesterday. That track was made using a few generative parts and a sample loop for the percussion.

It does work in stereo, I just did it in mono by accident.

I'm going to get some more time with Mixtikl 2 this evening and write more about it tomorrow.

YUDO apps on sale

A bunch of the YUDO apps are on sale today, not sure how long for. Certainly I'd say that the latest version of RecTools08 is worth having now.

SV-5

RecTools08 at the app store:

8BitOne Micro Composer at the app store:

Win an 8GB iPod Nano with the Auteureist contest

Still no joy with Auteurist being available on the app store sadly, but this very enterprising developer has decided to make a contest out it. Good idea.

You can win an iPod Nano 8gb, which is a really nice prize in my opintion. Details of the contest are here, but you'll need to buy the app first even though you can't download it as yet! I guess that's kind of the point of the whole contest though.

So, get the app then go guess that date!

Auteureist at the app store:

DopplerPad and RecTools08

I had a bright idea. I decided to take the loops from DopplerPad and export them to my Mac. I then uploaded them into RecTools08 and made this!

I was surprised how much better RecTools08 has got since the last update. It now has an audio pool you can use to store loops and drop them into a track. In this piece I only used 4 of the available 8 tracks in RecTools, but it was very easy to do.



RecTools08 at the app store, and now getting quite useful actually:

DopplerPad at the app store:

Adventures with Audio Copy (and paste) Pt 2

Ok, I made a bunch of loops in DopplerPad and then moved them bit by bit to FourTrack. This is the result.

Having worked with this technology now it isn't bad. One thing that I've found limiting is the ability to use more than one track in FourTrack. It seems that you can only write to track 4 in FourTrack when using AudioCopy. I may be missing something here, but it seems that if you want to overdub anything you can't access a different track to do it in.

If anyone from FourTrack is reading please let me know if I've done something stupid here.

FourTrack at the app store:

DopplerPad at the app store:

AudioView for iPhone

AudioView is a new app from the maker of Reverb and Equalizer AudioView is an audio organizer and analytic tool for mobile music makers and everybody wanting to visualize their music. It displays the wave form and duration of the audio track in list form. Touching the play button drills down to the play screen where the audio is being played. In the play screen the magnitude spectrum is shown together with the wave form. An averaged spectrum (0.5 s) is plotted. After one play cycle the total averaged spectrum is added to the display.

Stereo audio samples can be imported via wifi. Mp3, ma5, wav and aif are supported and are converted to 16 bit wav format.
AudioView fully supports the ioLibrary from Amidio.

Planned updates to the app are to convert files to m4a format, and add soundcloud support.


I can see that this could be really useful with conversion functionality and soundcloud support too.

AudioView at the app store:

Layers 2 walkthrough video

Layers 2.0 Walkthrough from Ben Gotow on Vimeo.

Here's a good walkthrough of Layers 2.0 with a new smudge tool and much better photo importing.

Layers at the app store:

Pattern Music song settings video

Another useful video on PatternMusic

Pattern Music at the app store:

Bleep!Box minor update

Bleep!Box gets a small update today. Mainly bug fixing, but we also get a couple of new extra phat 24 db filters which is nice!. I thought I'd also post Kurt's great glitch startup screen from Bleep!Box. Nice screen shot Kurt.


BleepBox at the app store:

Retronyms Blog on FourTrack 3.0

A quick post from Retronyms on the new FourTrack 3.0.

I was playing some more with this yesterday and getting to grips with how it works. There's some questions I'd like to ask the guys at Sonoma and some tips to working with Audio Copy and Paste that I hope to post later today.

Toro Core from Instant Binary

Toro Core is the little brother to Toro Mini, a great little synth from Instant Binary. Toro Core is basically a cut down version of Toro Mini, which in itself is only £0.59.

What I'd like to see is a Toro Max from Instant Binary which does all the things mini does and allows recording and overdubbing and all sorts of other good stuff too.

Any chance guys?

Toro Core at the app store:

Gartner on Mobile Music

I followed this from a link in from Zoozbeat. Gartner have written about the top 10 mobile consumer app types for 2012 (why 2012 I don't know). Anyway, no.10 is "Mobile Music", but before you get too excited, their vision of mobile music isn't too close to ours sadly. Theirs is more about different models for music distribution and monetization (is that a real word?).

Anyway, some of the stuff we're interested in will probably make sense to them, like things like Touch DJ and apps that allow you to remix artist tracks like ZoozBeat.

So, we're sort of on the corporate map I guess, in a way. Let's hope that's not a bad thing.

Jamming with DopplerPad

Interesting

Mr Funk and his Kaossilator ...

Welcome to Thursday ...

Adventures with Audio Copy (and paste)

Well, I've had a brief play with FourTrack and DopplerPad, and I can safely say that it works like a treat. So far I've only used it in DopplerPad really, but once you've selected what you want to copy and paste into FourTrack the process is very simple indeed.

Let's say I have a drum loop that I want to move from DopplerPad into FourTrack. I get it running on DopplerPad then uses the audio copy feature. That'll ask me if I want to launch FourTrack, which I do. In FourTrack I can select how many times I want the loop to run, and where I want it to go in the selected track, i.e. at the start or at the end point for the last loop if there is one there.

Very simple and straightforward indeed. In fact, I had to break off from having fun with it to write this! So, now I'm going back to it again.

Of course, this is all going to get even more interesting with DopplerPad's additional synth features and FX tools. I haven't tried out the FX in FourTrack, I think I'll be doing that later on!

FourTrack at the app store:

DopplerPad at the app store:

Mixtikl 2: First Track - Prism

I've been playing with Mixtikl V2 for a few days now and I love the use of generative audio in the app. Here's a simple track I made on my iPhone 3G to give you a taste of what can be done.

I'm going to be doing some more stuff with Mixtikl V2 soon and hopefully post more audio and maybe a video if I can squeeze it in.

The next thing from Amidio

Thanks to "Doc" for this info. The next thing we can expect from Amidio is currently called "DMD". That's all I have, and I can tell you no more as I don't know anything else, but it'll be fun to speculate. Let's just hope it doesn't get stuck in the app store for 8 weeks again!

In the meantime there's lots of other Amidio goodness like Touch DJ and of course the next version of Noise IO Pro which is still in review.

Happy days!

Amidio at the app store:

Reminder: Groovemaker event on Friday

Check out the GrooveMaker “iPDJ” Mobile Groove Event Featuring DJ Chris Domingo, DJ Scratch-D from Dynamix II and DJ Speechless this Friday.

Experience the first night ever of House, Breaks and Drum-N-Bass infused with the latest technology in mobile music production! First, watch your favorite DJ’s fluidly groove a live set battling on their iPhones/iPod Touches with GrooveMaker apps for House, Electro, DnB and more! Breakdancers will grace the floor to the iPDJ groove set. Then, jam out on the dancefloor to 3 full-featured hour-long DJ sets from Chris Domingo, Scratch-D of Dynamix II. Finishing the night with a live performance from DJ Speechless!

DGOS on Kernel simplicity

I like to follow the DGOS blog simply because I find it interesting to see how a mobile OS develops. I'm not sure I follow it all, or in fact much, but I'm in it for the journey!

FourTrack 3.0 new features

Sonoma have a big list of features for the new version of FourTrack (3.0) but I've just taken the stuff that is really new and left the rest out. Even so, it is worth having.

• (NEW) AudioPaste: paste audio from compatible AudioCopy apps including InstantDrummer v1.1, DopplerPad v1.6, and VOX 3000 v2.0
• (NEW)PromoTracks: download individual PromoTracks from a variety of artists directly into a FourTrack song to add more tracks, mixdown with effects, export and more
• (NEW)MasterFX: sweeten the sound of your recordings with a compressor-limiter and a 4-band parametric EQ

Personally I'd like a few more effects, but this is good for now.

FourTrack at the app store:

4Tracks update

4 Tracks Audio Recorder from the Little Code Shop has been updated. The new version includes:

- Record MIDI from the built in synth
- Import MIDI files

4Tracks Audio Recorder at the App Store

tags technorati : iPhone 4Track

Chordica Touch coming soon

I got this press release from the maker of Chordica. Sounds like an interesting idea. Here's the the release:

A NEW (MUSICAL) HOPE - COMING SOON
It's with great excitement that I make this announcement... I have created a new musical instrument that EVEN the blind can use!

Right now, out of all the hundreds and thousands of musical instrument applications that you can launch on your iPhone and iPod Touch, none of them are truly friendly or even made with the visually handicapped in mind. We all know that Apple have always taken great strides in making all their technology accessible, but it is still up to the third-party developers to design well for the impaired.

I am going to introduce a new musical instrument that will not discriminate even the blind.

Unlike other apps which can work with Apple's VoiceOver technology, musical instrument apps cannot afford to have VoiceOver intercept every touch. Musical instruments require instant triggering of sounds and samples and functions, and with many such apps, the screen(s) are complex and difficult to use with a small margin of error even for those with sight. Just imagine the challenges that musical instrument app designers face when trying to address all these issues including the special needs of the blind.

In this respect, I have given it a lot of thought and I honestly believe I have created something special and unique for the App Store's ever-crowding space.

What's the point in changing the world if it's not for the better? Come this Christmas season, my dream and soon-to-be reality is to bring new hope and cheer to an often overlooked community, especially when it has come to musical instrument apps. My Christmas wish this year is that the visually handicapped won't just be hearing joyous singing and music, they will be making some of that themselves with their own hands and voices.

The new instrument is called Chordica Touch and I hope to have it submitted to Apple for approval on Nov 19, 2009.

TonesynthDS update to 0.24

TonesynthDS has been updated again and you can find all the details here.

New version of iShred includes MIDI export

iShred has been updated and the new version has MIDI export, which is excellent news.

iShred at the app store:

I have to agree with him, it is important

Pixelh8 is running an after school club on games programming, and I agree it is important. Think of all the great software we enjoy now, then think about where it will come from in the years to come?

We should invest in getting children involved in developing code for games, music, anything really.

Well done Pixelh8.

Watchlist time again

Well, a lot of stuff happened yesterday so I really need to update this list

Stuff I'm hoping for:

• Sonorasaurus, has got to arrive soon now that Touch DJ has got approved
• Mixtikl I'm on the beta so more about Mixtikl soon
• The next Noise IO update, which I hope won't take much longer now
• A new (music) app from Yonac although I did like their beer app
• A little more on the next big thing to come from Amidio (I just hope they stay with the iPhone platform)
• DopplerPad synth editing
• An update to MultiTrack
• The big update to Jasuto
• Hitchcock video export coming soon to all devices
• Beatmaker 2.0! (an outside chance I guess)
• Knowing what Olivier's new project is. Hopefully in early December
• A working version of BeatSequencer as the last update still crashes on my 3G

Stuff that's arrived:

• Touch DJ, finally arrived yesterday!
• FourTrack and DopplerPad integration, at last.
• Auteureist (it has, but you still can't get it, and thanks Apple for billing me for it even though I can't download it!)
• Slice
• RecTools08 has had a good update although no synths or drum machine as yet.

So, is there anything I've missed?

FourTrack 3.0 has arrived!

Wow, what a day! First Touch DJ appears, and now FourTrack 3.0 with audio copy / past with DopplerPad and Instant Drummer.

It is too late for me to try this out tonight, so I'll give it a go in the morning.

FourTrack at the app store:

Processing T-Shirts

T-Shirts now available in the Processing shop. Really like them, but I wish they'd put the images on one T rather than 2.

Touch DJ Launch Video

Touch DJ at the App Store:

Touch DJ Press Release

17 Nov 2009. Amidio Inc has released Touch DJ - the first full-featured DJ MP3 application on the iPhone platform. Touch DJ offers realtime independent manipulation of 2 MP3 files, including scratching, looping, positioning, equalization, effects and and pitching.

The unique futuristic user-friendly interface of Touch DJ and the highly advanced zero-latency sound engine bring fantastic results comparable to what can be done with professional hardware equipment.

Traditionally iPhone and iPod Touch have only one stereo audio output which broadens the possibility of using them as a DJ device. Touch DJ overcomes this limitation by offering innovative and unique way of deejaying which doesn't require additional headphones for prelistening to the tracks.

This technology is called "visual mixing" and it implies the graphic display of the track waveforms next to each other. The low-bass (kick) parts are detected and rendered in different color compared to the rest sonic frequencies, making beatmatching as easy as adjusting the tracks position and pitch so that the kick parts become visually matched.

As an alternative for the users who really need to prelisten to the tracks, Touch DJ also offers a second "Split" mode of mixing which requires the usage of a special l/r splitting adapter. Among extra features - LP filter FX for each track, vinyl Spin and Break effects, onboard sampler with 3 sample slots (accepts .WAV files) and the ability to record samples via the microphone.

As a bonus, Touch DJ is shipped with 25 dance tracks provided by DanceMusicHub.com.Touch DJ is available at the AppStore worldwide for $19,99.

Touch DJ at the App Store:

BugLabs Test Kitchen Events

If you live in NY you could do a lot worse than check out some of the events in the BugLabs test kitchen. Details here.

Pixelh8 Circuit Bending workshop

Some nice sounds made at Pixelh8's circuit bending workshop.

Touch DJ Approved!

At long last Touch DJ is finally released!

Sonorasaurus update

The saga of the DJ apps goes on with Apple staying quiet as ever. Sonorasaurus have posted this update to their blog which talks about the petition, their app and how much of the functionality is already in existence in other apps on the store.

I continue to be amazed at how Apple are behaving about this app and Touch DJ. It is just bizarre.

iSample 2

iSample has been updated to version 2. Here's what's new:

- sample trimming with pinch to zoom, two finger scrolling and scrubbing
- sample length quantization
- loop positioning/viewing screen
- mixer
- delay effect
- a reverb effect,
- step sequence pattern editor with 12 separate pattern buffers
- a song mode that allows you to build songs out of patterns
- WIFI sharing
- tempo control with tap to set tempo

iSample at the app store:

Layers 2

Layers 2 has now arrived and includes a smudge tool which is something I've wanted in this app for a while now. If that wasn't enough there's an improved interface for getting photos into your work. Excellent news.

Layers at the app store:

Styletap update

Good to see that StyleTap is keeping their platform up to date. The latest version includes fixes and Windows Mobile 6.5 support too.

Intermorphic on Mixtikl V2 vector audio

The Intermorphic Blog has been updated with more info on sharing mixes in Mixtikl V2. In the new version mixes can be shared via email and via a forum post to the Intermorphic forum which should allow for a lot more collaboration.

DGOS on funny code fragments

Good to have a sense of humour about what you're doing!

DGOS Blog

Mixtikl 2 beta

Well, I'm on the Mixtikl 2 beta. I only got it yesterday and haven't had much time to play with it, but I have to say that so far I really like what Intermorphic have done.

When I've had a chance to play with it some more on my 3G I'll post again.

Jingle Tunes

Well, we are getting near Christmas I guess so we can all expect to see more of this kind of thing in the coming days and weeks. You can watch the video for Jingle Tunes here. I couldn't embed it for some reason.

Jingle Tunes comes from the makers of Looptastic and Sound Warp and uses the same technology as Sound Warp does. So give the video a look if you're in a festive frame of mind.

Jingle Tunes at the app store:

OSCemote and Supercollider

Another video from Cylob on using both OSCemote and Supercollider at the same time on the jailbroken iPhone.

Auteureist simplified UI

Although the iTunes app is still not available after many days of the developer contacting Apple to get it sorted he is still working on new features and this simplified interface.

I really hope that the app can finally get fixed on the app store soon, as I'd love to use it.

TonesynthDS track

TonesynthDS by Seven Morris

1st Track made with TonesynthDS by Seven Morris.

CDM on DJ Apps and categories

CDM writes on the issues with DJ apps on the app store and the need for better categorisation for music apps.

Synthulator ported to Archos

According to the developer of Synthulator he's considering a port to the new Archos 5 Internet Tablet. Now that would be an interesting development. I wonder if the Archos along with Droid will start to make Android more attractive for musical applications?