iPhone App Directory

Groovestep to be free!

After a long wait, here's the announcement from GrooveStep today:
If you have the right hardware, you will be able to run GrooveStep on your Nintendo DS and use your own samples (sounds) to make music. After a long hiatus (nap), we are entering a private beta phase, but sooner or later this year, GrooveStep will be released to the public.

Of course, this is brilliant news and means that there will be a real competitor for the DS-10.

iPod DJ blog: App list

iPod DJ Blog has posted a list of useful iPhone / iPod Touch apps to their site.

GP2X announce new "Wiz" product


Retro thing has news of the next evolution of the GP2X, now called the "Wiz". I followed a load of links to the "Wiz" site only to find that most of the information is in Japanese. As a result I couldn't really tell what the new model has over previous versions.

Will Brian Whitman release apps for the iPhone?

Before the advent of the App store and SDK there was lots of stuff on his blog about the development of audio on the iPhone, but since then nothing much at all, which is a great shame. In many ways it is a bit like the whole thing with capers (an old set of music apps for the palm platform). I've posted on capers before, and I'd still like to see something develop out of these apps, but perhaps that's never going to happen.

I hope Brian does do something with Apple's newest platform. Ideally something from capers, or maybe something completely new.

PaklSound1 to version 1.01


PaklSound has been updated to version 1.01 as follows:

Aug 23, 2008: submitted new version 1.01 to AppStore that saves current song and improves timing regularity

Android Market


This post at Brighthand shows the difference between the Apple App Store and the Android Market. So, what is the difference? Well, I guess that the market is more about an "open and unobstructed environment", and I suppose a store is fairly proprietorial.

It will be interesting to see how Android develops and what kind of hardware is available. As for music apps on the new platform things are not too certain as yet from the comments I've seen from developers.

Next version of TrakAx very close to release

TrakAc (the multimedia app for WM) is close to being update according to this post. And, as a bonus they've released some helpful resources for understanding drum beats.

T3 battery

Thanks to Martin for this link which looks very interesting.

Cheer up my Treo

I've been wondering about keeping my Treo 650 instead of moving to Symbian. However, I've been wondering if I should perhaps keep it and just cheer it up a bit.

I've never used a launcher or anything similar to spice up my Treo, but I'd be very interested in any suggestions on how to make it more fun to use.

Wineglass anyone?


This has got to rate as the strangest music application I've seen. Although I am interested in playing wine glasses of course!

I would of put a link into the developer's website, but sadly there isn't one as yet.

mOcean Audio Player for $9.95


If you use your palm for listening to music as well as making it you might be interested in the new price for mOcean of just $9.95, which is very cheap in my book.

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T3 battery life...

Whilst I was on holiday I spent a lot more time with my old Tungsten T3, and I have to say that I really like it. The only down side is the battery life.

My T3 is now on the second battery, and replacing it was no fun at all. I could just go for another battery but the second one didn't really improve things.

Any suggestions on what I can do to improve battery life?

DS Music Apps

I bought myself an EDGE card today so I've been downloading lots of DS music homebrew from this excellent site. More when I've had some pure DS fun.

Pocket PC & Smartphone magazine closes down

Griff reports the story that PocketPC magazine is to close down. However, they're going to produce a new quarterly called iPhone Life!.

5 Features you won't see on an iPod (via CNET)

CNET has an interesting article on features you won't see on an iPod. Quite interesting.

First thoughts on Intua BeatMaker.

Of all the iPod Touch applications I’ve used so far BeatMaker is the most complex and sophisticated. It has to be said that for a platform that is this new it is an amazing application.

In many ways it reminds me of GarageBand for the Mac. It is really very easy to use and simple to get results from using just the pre-installed sample packs. So far that’s all I’ve been concentrating on doing.

For the most part the controls are fairly simple and intuitive. Setting up a few patterns is straightforward and results can be quantized quickly. The supplied 'beatpacks' provide a good range of high quality content to use immediately and I would say that anyone with a casual acquaintance with any drum machine or basic sequencing package should be able to get up and running in a matter of minutes.

As yet I haven't tried out many of the apps more interesting features, but I hope to in the next week or so, and as I do I'll post my findings.

Flipbook for iPod Touch

Thanks to Mb for pointing out Flipbook for the iPhone. It looks like a nice little animation application. Not up to the NinerPaint level, but perhaps we might see something from Ninermedia for the iPhone platform?

Another DJ App for iPhone / iTouch


Another DJ app has arrived in the app store. Here's what to expect:
  • play at 33 or 45 RPM (records are played at 45RPM by default)
  • adjust the playing speed through the precision control
  • use the touch screen to fast-forward, fast-rewind, hold and beatmix your music
  • easily upload your audio files through VirtualDeck's intuitive web interface 1
  • loop your audio 

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ITouch MIDI now available for Tiger users

iTouch MIDI have announced that their OSX app is now 10.4 (Tiger) compatible.

BtBx video




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Kinoma Play for Windows Mobile


Brighthand reports a new application from Kinoma called Kinoma Play. The Kinoma site describes it as follows:
Kinoma Play is the world’s first mobile media browser. It’s everything you need to find and play video, audio and pictures, whether they’re on your phone, on your home PC, or on your favorite web services.


It looks like a good application for WM users, and for $30 it isn't bad value.

Will iSynth make a mainstream release?


iSynth was a jailbreak app for iPhone pre-version 2 of the firmware. So, will it make a mainstream release?

It would be nice I think to get another synth app on the platform.

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What's next for NinerPaint?

I have a couple of animation apps on my Treo 650, but my favourite is NinerPaint. In fact, the Palm Sounds logo was made with NinerPaint.

I'd love to see NinerPaint develop into a fully fledged media app that allowed you to add sound files to your animation and export as .avi or .mov, and maybe one day that will come about. However, development has been slow on NinerPaint to date, and the last update was in July last year.

The developer has been hard at work on another app (NinerPad) for a long time now, but that has been released so perhaps we might see a new version of NinerPaint with some new features too?

Beat Loop for iPhone


Another iPhone / iPod Touch drum app turns up. Beat Loop
is an app that lets you tap a beat out then loop it. Fun?



Noise.IO Synth final feature list


Noise.IO synth have the final feature list for their synth. Here's what's coming:

This is the quick final feature list:
• 3 Generators
• 1 Advanced Double-Filter
• 6 Effects
• 3 Major Workmodes: Freenoise Mode, Controlzone Mode, Soundkey mode
• UNLIMITED Banks, Presets
• Map to Accelerometer Roll/Tilt or to Mic level
• 4 Sequencer patterns, 4 Trancegate patterns, 4 Custom parameter patterns
• Switch between patterns in realtime!
• Advanced TapBPM Function
• 2 LFO

Check out their site for more information.


Noise.IO Synth is delayed to September


Noise.IO synth has been delayed until September, which is a disappointment as I was really looking forward to playing with it. Here's what their site says:
IMPORTANT!

Instead of 25th August, Noise.io will be released a bit later - in September 2008.

We are really very very sorry about that.

We have to postpone the release due to the following reasons:

• We've introduced several huge features (such as Zones, Sequencers and many more) that were not mentioned in the initial press-release, so we're having a tough time finishing them.

• We still haven't solved a minor legal issue with Apple.

Please be assured that we're working very hard in order to make Noise.io the synth of your dreams. At the moment we can say that people will be able to use it not only for noises and sound effects, but for melodic sounds as well. In several days, we will publish the complete function guide.

I like the idea that they are adding new stuff like sequencing etc, but the "minor legal issue with Apple" thing does bother me a lot, especially because of the issues that other developers have cited as their reasons for not developing for Apple's iphone platform.

Let's hope that this isn't anything serious though.

N>Trans / N>Trans Pro


Thanks a bunch to Jack for finding this and posting it to the Palm Sounds Group. Prior to this interface the only one I was aware of was Core Audio, which is really expensive, whereas the N>Trans is a lot less (although still expensive).


There appears to be one retailer in the UK, and the N>Trans comes out at £281 including VAT, which is a lot considering that's probably more expensive than the device itself. It'll be interesting to see who is interested in this device and if it lasts.


Irrespective, thanks to Jack for pointing it out.

Join the discussion on audio interfaces at the group.



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Kraftwerk special edition Casio VL-80


Thanks to Oscar for this link to a great page on the Kraftwerk VL-80. I had no idea that such a thing even existed. However, by far the most outstanding find on this page is the Kraftwerk song sheet with all the numbers to programme into your VL-80. Fantastic.

No I bet that these are really rare. I'd be impressed to see one of these come up on eBay.

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My first thoughts on the iPod Touch as a mobile device

So, I’ve owned an iPod Touch for a few days now. What’s it like? Well, my first impression is that it is really well made. The device itself is sturdy and feels very solid. When you turn it on it has a very slick interface and selecting applications and navigating between screens is very straightforward. Moving apps from one page to another and deleting them is again simple and easy.

As a PDA the iTouch has good built in apps comprising:

Calendar
Mail
Notes
Safari (browser)
Clock
Music
Photos
iTunes
App Store

They all function well and I’d have to say that it is tempting to move to using it as a PDA.

The apps I’ve bought / downloaded so far are:

BeatMaker
Pianist
Band
iDrum (both versions)
BtBx
IR 909
PaklSound
Oscillator
AirDrum
ITM MidiLab
ITM XYPad
ITM Keys
ITM Matrix
Remote
Scratch
DrumKit
Drummer

And a non-music application:

iPint (quite a silly app)

I’ve only just started to play with these apps, so more to come as I get into them. However, it is interesting to see how this platform is developing.

An observation of the number of iPhone / iPod Touch music applications available

It struck me just the other day that actually for a platform this new it is really impressive to see this many music applications arriving. Ok, it is fair to say that a percentage of them a quite simple. However, even allowing for that there are still a large number.

The other significant thing is that within a short time of launch there was a studio type app (BeatMaker), and that also in addition two apps have been developed by a major desktop software house (iZotope’s iDrum app).

I think that this is all significant and bodes well for the future of the platform.

ITM MCU


ITM MCU has been launched. It looks really interesting, even given that I'm not too interested in controller applications.

Here's what the ITM site has to say:
Features:
Transport
8 Faders with Solo and Mute
Bank up and down allowing unlimited number of channels
Feedback, faders assume their levels on song load or bank change

Current implementation is tailored for ableton live:
Clip and Scene navigation and triggering
Dedicated Loop and Back to Arrangement buttons
More supported DAWs soon

Intermorphic forum still down

The intermorphic forum is still currently down and driving the guys at intermorphic nuts by the sounds of it. However, according to them Mixtikl is coming on very nicely indeed.

Also, intermorphic say that they'll be targeting Symbian S60 as an OS.

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Palm Sounds iPhone Poll results and CDM too!

Well the Palm Sounds poll results were fairly clear:

Already own an iPhone - 12
Considering buying an iPhone - 3
Already own an iPod Touch - 7
Considering buying an iPod Touch - 2

At the same time CDM had a similar poll. The results are here.

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Symbian S60 / UIQ devices and music apps?

In my search for a way to replace my current Treo 650 smartphone I have been considering moving to a Symbian phone to take advantage of what’s on that platform.

However, I know nothing about the devices, and I know even less about what’s available or even where to look. So, any help and guidance would be most welcome.

If anyone can suggest good devices and places to find apps that would be really useful.

OSCemote


OSCemote is another controller app for iPhone / iPod Touch. I haven't tried this one as yet, but I may give the free 'lite' version a go.

Casio VL-80 on eBay


I just found this on eBay. Very rare indeed.

The notes from miniorgan.com are as follows:
Hey, does anybody in the world know about this little freaky machine? This is the one and only calculator with a “Vibrato” switch. And look at the keyboardlike keys. With a shift key you can play the “halfnotes”. Has a built in sequencer - so this is maybe the smallest programmable keyboard of the world. Special Thanks to Alfakom from Denmark!


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Maybe a version of SunVox for iPhone?

Thanks to NightRadio for commenting on this post about the SunVox feature queue. Maybe one day we'll see a version for the iPhone? That'd be cool.

Diddy DJ Lite

Another iPod Touch app, this time a DJ app. According to the site there is a pro app in development.

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BtBx updated to version 1.1


BtBx the sequencing app for iPhone / iPod Touch has been updated to version 1.1, and has a new screen which looks nicer than the original.

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Chimera Sysex upgrade complete

If you're interested in the Chimera synths then check out this post on their blog concerning the sysex upgrade amongst other things.

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Been away (again)

I've been away again. I'll be catching up with news and stuff soon.

SunVox feature queue

Whilst there's been so much emphasis on the iPhone of late, I thought it would be worthwhile thinking about what's coming up for SunVox in the not so distant future (hopefully). Here's the current list of SunVox features we're waiting for. It'll be very impressive to see these come about all in one go.

* new module: delay
* new module: reverb
* new module: FM
* new module: LFO
* stylophone
* zoom in pattern editor
* parallel synth playing
* OSX port
* switch instruments / sampler etc by using the hardware buttons
* live mode (DJ mode)
* docs
* XM import
* more standart trackers effects
* MIDI export (or MusicXML)
* keymap.ini file that would allow users to customise the mapping of keys to Sunvox features
* sample editor

PaklSound


PaklSound is a very simple little sequencer, and really a proof of concept application. Here's what app store says:
PaklSound1 is a simple, multilayer step sequencer. Have a few free minutes or want to try out a music idea? Make up a tune by touching dots in musical patterns -- they are played back as a bar sweeps across the screen. Features: - quickly lay down tunes and rhythms - change the tunes and rhythms in real time - use multiple layers (e.g., melody and drums) - increase/decrease playback speed Future versions will add more sounds, layers and other features. Note: Please send feature requests and feedback directly to the developer at the support site listed below.

Will MilkyTracker port to iPhone?

At the last update MilkyTracker ported to a number of new platforms, including OSX. Will they port to iPhone?

It would be a good addition to iPhone music apps.

SynchroPoolpX on Mac OSX Leopard

Ages ago (2006) I remember being very pleased to find out that SychroPoolpX still worked on an Intel Mac.

Well, once again I am pleased as it turns out that SynchroPoolpX works with Mac OSX Leopard.

I took the plunge

and bought myself an iPod Touch. I'm just going to get myself some music apps now and start to play!

intua BeatMaker updated to version 1.02

BeatMaker 1.02 now includes an export to MIDI function. Also, there are some new videos as well:



Pixilang 1.6 released

Pixilang has been updated to version 1.6.

What is new in this version:
* removed pause_music() command;
* added second parameter (music slot number) to each music command for simultaneous music playing;
* added new examples;
* many bugs fixed;
* and more...

Nothing new at Clearec for a long time now

Clearec have been quiet for a long time now. No updates to software, no new products, but the site is still there, which is of course a good thing. It would be a shame if they didn't develop Mixx Mobile any further.

Let's hope they're working on something new, and if anyone from Clearec is reading this, please let us know what you're up to.

phaseArray: What next?

phaseArray's Corrosion plugin for Bhajis Loops has been in beta for a long time now (since April in fact). I haven't seen any updates to it as yet, nor any other plug ins either, so I wonder if there are going to be any updates, or if it will make it out of beta?

Let's hope so, I'd be sorry to see the only independent plug in for Bhajis vanish. In fact, what I'd love to see is phaseArray selling a whole bunch of plug ins for Bhajis (and maybe Griff too!).

So, what would you be prepared to pay for pay for a Bhajis plug in?

Palm Madness

PalmInfocenter reports on the bizarre line the Palm have taken with Dmitry Grinberg, asking him to change the name of his site and rename a product too.

I cannot understand why Palm would take this kind of action against a developer?

So will Palminfocenter have to change name? Or, for that matter the numerous other Palm related sites that have the word "Palm" in their title?

In fact, what about Palm Sounds?

Intermorphic forum still down

Let's hope the guys can get their forum back up and running soon and it doesn't impact the development of Mixtikl too much.

MoBeat Drum Machine for Java Mobiles


I only just found this, but it looks quite interesting. The blog page has the source code for mobile processing too.


and here's a nice video too!


And here's another one. This time a very simple app. A little oscilator for your iPhone. Actually I like the look of the interface.

iTouchmidi


More controller apps from iTouchMidi. Although I'm more skeptical about controller apps over apps that actually produce sound it is still quite interesting. Also, this one reminds me a lot of the pad on the DS-10 I've been playing with recently.

More comments on the iPhone platform

Interesting comments on the iPhone as a platform ...
Hi! IMO despite the hype, the iPhone platform is a non-starter for "serious" applications at the moment, mainly due to the T&C in the SDK license. This is going to stop serious apps from being brought to the platform, until (if?) Apple sorts it all out. The sandboxing issue is the other huge problem for audio/video tools. What about Android? Not until they allow you to write/deploy 3rd party apps in C++... Windows Mobile and Symbian is where to stick for now; open platforms that let software happen.

I think that this is fair comment, and I have to admit that I didn't put an option on the latest poll for "I will not be buying either device", which really I should have done.

Interestingly, I know next to nothing about Symbian music apps, except that Mixtikl is being developed for that platform and I think Syntrax too.

If anyone has more information on Symbian apps please do let me know.

Air Drummer for iPhone


Another iPhone app appears today. They seem to be coming along very regularly now. This one is called "Air Drummer". Here's the description:
A new way to play drums on the iPhone. Flick your iPhone like a drumstick and the accelerometer detects your hits. Hold pads and flick to play drums. Kick drum plays without pad. It will take practice to be able to play and not look at each button. Use Edit mode and swipes to rearrange the pad layout to fit your hand. The lock button prevents unintended mode changes during play.

This is only version 1.0 with more features, tweaks and better drumkits on the way. We will try to incorporate user requested features with each release. Skilled players can use a pair of iPhones simultaneously to simulate a pair of drumstick.

The listing on app store points to this site, but when I looked there was no information on there about the app at all, so I guess it will come along in time I hope!

Opera Mobile 9.5 beta and flash for mobile devices

Whilst I was a away for a week a while back I used my Dell Axim for wireless access for email etc and gave Opera Mobile 9.5 a try out. I was very impressed with it as a PDA browser, and I think it will be an excellent application when it comes out of beta.

So, what's this got to do with mobile music? Well, I'm glad you asked. As far as I know the final version will have flash support, which could open up all sorts of possibilities for mobile music. Here I'm thinking of flash apps like hobnox Audiotool


Things like this would be wonderful on a mobile device, and extend the functionality of existing devices.

In addition, stand alone flash apps have been around for a long time, and Sony Palm OS devices used to have their own flash player. I've included a couple of videos of flash apps running on a PDA at the end of the post.

So, I think I'll be watching Opera Mobile to see how they get on.



Retro handheld analogue percussion synths on eBay


I saw these on eBay and I knew that I had to post on them. They look great, and there are even a couple of sound files to listen to what they sound like.

Here's what the listing says on eBay:
"Syntom" and "Synwave" original 1980's electronic analogue percussion modules.

The designs for these modules were originaly published around 1981 in the magazine "Electronics and Music Maker" (the Syntom being endorsed by Ultravox's drummer, Warren Cann). I built the circuit boards at the time and used them in various experimental drum machines during the 1980's. Whilst clearing out some cupboards last month, I came across the 2 cicuit boards and decided to have a go at re-manufacturing them. I searched the internet for scans of the original articles and put them together again with new cases and potentiometers. They are both analogue designs and do not use samples.

SYNTOM: This simulates toms, swept toms (as per "Love don't live here anymore"), bass drums and a range of chirps and squawks.
The controls are:

Pitch
Sweep (for determining how much the pitch changes as the sound decays)
Decay (length of sound)
Volume
SYNWAVE: This is a filtered white noise generator for creating claps, snares and resonant tom-like sounds. The filter is distinctly non-linear and quirky and will burst into self oscillation at certain combinations of settings.
The controls are:

Pitch (of the filter)
Q (resonance of the filter)
Decay (length of sound)
Volume

These modules can be triggered in several ways:

By tapping the case (internal sensor fitted)
By plugging a piezo crystal buzzer or crystal earpiece into the "trigger in" socket (1/4inch mono jack). The trigger can be attached to a drum pad or surface for hitting. I used to tape a crystal earpiece to a drumstick and hit any nearby object (bass player?) during live performances. To get you going, I have glued a jack socket to a crystal transducer.... you can tape this to a suitable object and connect to the module by a standard jack to jack guitar lead.
By using a 5 to 9v voltage pulse on the trigger input. A long time ago I built a simple sequencer that could be programmed with basic drum patterns by changing a bank of switches. Sadly it is long lost. You could probably output suitable pulses from a PC via the parallel port, but you'd need to get advice on that. You can also use a 9v battery with a push button to trigger the sound. The syntom did not originally have the trigger input, so I took the input configuration from the Synwave design. Don't worry about getting the polarity of the pulse wrong.... there is a capacitor preventing direct connection to the circuit.

Each unit is powered by an internal 9v PP3 battery and there is an on/off switch on the back of the case (next to the trigger and output sockets). Output is via a 1/4 inch mono jack.






Most of all I love this original advert and circuit diagram for them.

Rogame software porting Palm apps to iPhone

Rogame software who make Almond, ChordLab and a variety of other musical applications for Palm OS have ported one of their games to iPhone, and state on their web site that they are porting their other apps to the iPhone platform.

It makes me wonder how many other developers are doing the same or perhaps considering it.

MooCow Music "Band" to be installed on demo iPhones

According to the MooCow Music site demo iPhones will be installed with their Band app, which is fantastic that an app like that is getting huge exposure.

Mobile Music Directory overhaul

I noticed recently that my Mobile Music Directory is completely out of date, and doesn't have a bunch of apps that have come about in the last 6+ months.

So it is time to update it a bit over the next few weeks. If you have any suggestions about what to do with it, please let me know.

SoundMeter for iPhone


Faberacoustical add SoundMeter to their suite of iPhone applications.

FEATURES
  • Measure time-weighted and equivalent sound levels.
  • Employ Flat, A, or C frequency weighting.
  • Time-weighted measurement options include Fast, Slow, and Impulse weightings.
  • Keep track of peak and maximum sound levels.
  • Save high-resolution sound level display images to the iPhone's Camera Roll photo album. Descriptive text may be added to the image before it is saved.
  • Calibration controls enable automatic calibration, relative to a calibrated sound level meter, or manual entry of the microphone sensitivity.
  • SoundMeter supports rotating the iPhone upside down, so the built-in microphone sits on top of the device when measuring sound levels.
  • With the iPhone’s built-in microphone, SoundMeter can measure peak sound levels of up to approximately 105 dB. With the iPhone’s included headset microphone, SoundMeter can measure peak sound levels of up to approximately 100 dB.
Of course, apps like this aren't going to be much good on the iPod Touch as it has no mic built in, which is going to be a problem for some apps in the future.

CDM have a mobile music survey going

CDM have a mobile music survey going. I'll be interested in seeing the results in a week or so.

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Waiting for Groovestep ...

Groovestep put a post on their site in July saying they'd have a special announcement in August. Now I've been playing with the Korg DS-10 I can't wait for even more Nintendo DS goodness.

Let's hope their announcement is very special and very soon!

iDrum syncs with the desktop version (via CDM)

CDM confirms that iDrum for the iPhone will in fact allow let you use your own sounds and sync to the desktop:
Update: The iDrum mobile app available today will indeed allow you to use your own samples and exchange files with your desktop computer. The original story has been updated:


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BtBx for iPhone (via CDM)



CDM brings the story of another app for the iPhone. BtBx is from the creator of PSP Rhythm so it should be excellent. Read more at CDM.



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Mixtikl not coming to iPhone platform

Intermorphic have today posted that they won't develop Mixtikl for the iPhone platform citing restrictive clauses in the Apple licence and the inability to share files with the desktop.

This comes as no big surprise as many developers are facing issues with Apple's restrictions. We can only hope that Apple start to take notice. However, as they've sold 60 million apps in 30 days will this mean much to them?

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2 x DS-10's

Just a quick note to say I finally managed to get a couple of DS-10's running together. It was excellent. Very geared toward doing something live though.

It is a bit of a drawback having the manual in Japanese as you have to work everything out without reference to anything at all. However, having said that, it all seems fairly straightforward so far.

Once I've got something worth filming I'll try and get a video done.

iDrum for iPhone video



It does look very cool actually.

I need some help

I've been trying to get my hands on either an SDIO or Compact Flash card camera for my Dell Axim running Windows Mobile 5. I picked up a cheap SD camera on eBay made by Spectec, but I can't get the drivers to work at all for me.

If anyone has any suggestions on cameras you've used or know of, or indeed that are available, I'd really appreciate it.

New Version of TrakAx Mobile soon? Maybe ...

I posted a while ago about the new version of TrakAx Mobile. Then today I noticed another post on their blog, which I assumed was an update. However, it appears to be the same post, and at the end it says that they hope for a release date in mid-July.

I've been waiting for this update since June, and I'll really looking forward to it. There are some amazing new features in this release, including:
  • Pan and zoom effects for still images
  • Expanded transition choices
  • Photo and video effects and borders
  • Improved text rendering and colour choice
  • Improved media search
  • Themes for credits

Let's hope they get the new version out soon.

Poll update

Interesting results so far on the iPhone / iPod Touch Poll. More people have a Touch than an iPhone. Ok, I realise that there's still another 5 days to go on this, but I am surprised.

The other point is that as Drewzle points out in his comment, until there is something to rival Bhajis Loops then it is difficult to see a really good reason to move.

CDM on ProRemote


CDM has a post on the Pro Tools remote app that's now on the app store.

On a personal note I'm not too fond of remote apps as I prefer apps for actual making or performing. However, I can see this being useful though.

Still thinking about the mobile studio


In my old post from almost two years ago I was using a trusty Tungsten T3, and a Zoom PS-04.

It strikes me that in two years nothing that much has changed really.

What I'd like to be able to do is just have one device that really does give me the ability to do all the things I need to in one place. I was beginning to think that the new Treo 800w would fit. My reasoning goes like this:
  • Windows Mobile will run MeTeoR for multi-tracking
  • WM will run AudioBox and Griff for synthesis and sequencing
  • StyleTap will sit on WM6 and run Palm Apps like Bhajis, Microbe and some minimusic applications too
  • MixTikl will come to WM6 and will give the ability to make music on the device and then move it back and forth between the device and the desktop
  • TrakAx Mobile will sit in their so I can make videos using the on board camera and add my music to them
  • I can still use it for all those PIM functions plus it has wifi and GPS to boot.
So, why is this not going anywhere? Well, first off I'm still waiting for the Treo 800w to come to the UK. Secondly, the iPhone platform is where all the attention is at the moment and if apps like MeTeoR, TrakAx mobile, and Griff come out for that platform I think I'd rather be there.

So, I am stuck waiting for things to happen.

iPhone / iPod Touch survey

I guess not talking about the iPhone or iPod Touch is almost unavoidable at the moment so I thought I'd find out what you think of the platform and get some views on how many people have one or are thinking about buying one?

Please vote on the survey if you can.

iDrum comes to the iPhone


iZotope has brought the iDrum app to the iPhone, now in two flavours: Hip Hop and Club.

It is interesting that a company like iZotope have chosen to extend their existing iDrum app into the iPhone space. I was sort of expecting this kind of behaviour from Apple, but so for nothing from them. However, I wonder how many other mainstream music software developers are considering this route?

Noise IO video



There's a new video for Noise IO showing a little bit of how it can be used. It reminds me a little bit of AxisPad, but with more capabilities.

It seems very geared towards performance, which is a good thing I think. It'd be nice to see how the sensors are mapped to synth parameters when it is released.

Here's what Amidio say about their app:
Noise.io is a sound synthesizing application for iPhone OS 2.0 (iPhone and iPod Touch) developed by company Amidio. Noise.io claims to be the first official sound synthesizing application for iPhone. Noise.io is also the first synthesizer to incorporate the ESFM technology - Enhanced Subspace Frequency Modulation. It\'s an improved version of Frequency Modulation which has been developed especially for iPhone, the architecture has been redesigned to allow maximum user-friendly approach to creating new sounds. The results are astonishing - the control over the sounds is amazingly simple, even inexperienced people can start crafting their own sounds in no time. For extracting sounds Noise.io uses the Control Surface. User simply chooses the preset, then slides finger over the screen and enjoys the result. As user moves your finger over the Control Surface, the sound parameters are changed smoothly in real time, producing the sweetest noises ever. Three control axis are available - Up/Down, Left/Right and In/Between (that\'s the distance between the fingers when a user makes Multi-Touch over the Control Surface). User can also use the Accelerometer to control various sound parameters. Noise.io is capable of producing nearly every possible kind of noise-based sound. It features 3 Generators, 1 Filter, 2 LFO, Trancegate, FX: chorus, phaser, flanger, stereo delay, 9 Preset Banks, 9 presets in each (total 81 presets). Noise.io is scheduled to be released on 25th of August 2008 in the AppStore, for $6.99.

Yet more thoughts on the iPod Touch

I played with an iPod Touch the other day for the first time. I have to say that it is a lovely little device. It feels very small though. A friend told me that it is sturdier than the iPhone, but I couldn't say for certain myself.

I read today on CDM that there seem to be a lot of other apps out there that aren't on the app store as yet, which is a shame, but I am expecting that to change over time.

So, is this platform going to be worth investing in over the long term? The answer is probably I suppose. So, why am I hesitant? Simply put I worry about yet another platform. For a long time Palm OS was the top dog, but they just haven't kept pace, and the market for apps is crowded now. Also, lots of developers have left the platform now.

Windows Mobile has lots of apps available, and some real gems too. There's Griff, there's MeTeoR, and of course there's TrakAx Mobile.

So, how long will it actually take to for the cut down OSX take to get into the lead? And, what will Microsoft do to counter Apple?

Griff News on Belkin Go Studio

Griff News mentions the fact that the Beklin Go Studio is not compatible with the iPod Touch and iPhone, and how odd it seems.

In the words of Griff, it doesn't contribute to the whole 'iPod Studio' idea.

Maplin mini sub notebook for £169 !


For those in the UK Maplin has a great deal on this tiny notebook.

MeTeoR mini review from CDM


CDM takes a brief look at MeTeoR from 4Pockets.

CDM has a mini interview with Noise IO developer

CDM has a little interview with the Noise IO interview.

MusicThing on BC-16 hardware upgrade


Music Thing picks up on the latest hardware upgrade for the BC-16 synth.

CDM on iPhone DJ Apps

Interesting information on the possibilities of DJ Apps on the iPhone from the ever excellent CDM.

tags technorati :

Macrumors on the delayed Apple Sub notebook

Macrumurs has a post on the long rumoured Apple Sub notebook.

tags technorati :

AppleInsider on iPhone OS v other mobile OS's

AppleInsider has an interesting comparison of the iPhone / iPod Touch OS against other mobile operating systems.

Noise IO for iPhone coming soon ...


Coming soon, another music making application for the iPhone / iPod Touch: Noise for iPhone

I got the info from Amidio (the developer) today, and it does sound very interesting indeed. Here's the highlights

  • High quality Noise/Sound effects synthesizer for iPhone OS 2.0
  • The first synth for iPhone/iPod Touch
  • Superb quality of sound, comparable with hardware synths
  • ESFM synth technology
  • All sounds can be synced or re-synched to BPM in no-time with the TapBPM function
  • Immediate on-screen preset choose menu
  • Instant jump between the Editor and the Control Surface
  • On-screen slider for immediate volume changes
  • 3 Generators, 1 Filter, 2 LFO, Trancegate, FX: chorus, phaser, flanger, stereo delay
  • 9 Preset Banks, 9 presets in each (total 81 presets)
  • Impressive set of factory presets that will allow immediate insanity!
  • Intellectual Randomize preset function for those who are lazy
  • Friendly user interface
  • Making your own noises is easy and fun
  • Control Surface allows real-time noise playing
  • 3 Control Axis: Up/Down (Y), Left/Right (X), In/Between (distance between fingers during Multi-Touch)

Any synth parameter can be assigned to Control axis
Extensive use of the iPhone interface advantages (finger sliding, multitouch, etc.)



Looks really interesting, and according to their site it is due on the 25th of August. So, here's to yet more music apps on the iPhone platform.

Korg DS-10: More thoughts

Yesterday I got to spend a bit more time with the DS-10. I haven't been able to link 2 DS's together as yet, but I may try that this week.

I think it is only fair to say that the DS-10 is really like a big version of Microbe. Although it is different from Microbe in a lot of ways. For example, I am not too impressed with the DS-10 drum capabilities. It is nice to have pads to drum with, but being limited to only 4 drum sounds isn't so good.

The sounds are great, and very easy to alter and patch. However, if you're just using one unit I think it could end up being a little bit restricted. With two or more you could do some really interesting things though, especially live.

I've had a bit more of a play with the Kaoss pad function and I'm getting to like that now. It can be quite a creative tool.

Finally, I started to put patterns into a song, which is a very intuitive process and really easy to use.

CDM on iPhone TR 909 clone


CDM gets yet another iPhone story, this time about the 909 clone for the iphone. I have to say it looks like fun, although it is a little bit limited at the moment, but then again it is another music app for the platform, and they are starting to gain a bit of pace.

Tascam Guitar Recorder


Following many other successful handheld recorders, here's a slightly different model from Tascam
  • Portable, Handheld Recording
  • Built-in High-quality Stereo Condenser Microphone
  • Variable Angle Microphone Mechanism with A/B Configuration
  • 48 or 44.1kHz 24-bit Recording Resolution
  • MP3 and WAVE file Recording and Playback
  • Switchable Low Cut Filter
  • Analog Auto Gain Control
  • Analog Limiter
  • Rechargeable/Replaceable Lithium-Ion Battery
  • USB 2.0 Connection to Computer
  • Built-in Tuner and Vocal Cancel Features
  • Overdub Feature to record narration, singing or instruments over an existing recording
  • 1/8" stereo microphone input with 2.3V power
  • 1/8" stereo line input
  • 1/4" stereo microphone input
  • 1/8" stereo headphone output
  • WAV recording resolution: 44.1kHz/48kHz, 16-bit or 24-bit
  • MP3 recording rate: 32-320 kbps
  • Battery life: About 7 hours when recording MP3 format with the built- in mic (varies with operating conditions)
  • Dimensions (not including protrusions):
  • 70 (W) x 27 (H) x 135.3 (D) (mm)
  • 2.8 (W) x 1.1 (H) x 5.3 (D) (inches)
  • Weight: 208 g (7.34 ounces) including battery

Mobile Music Workshop 2008 Photos






Check out the rest of the pictures here.