Modulate This! - Electronic & Experimental Music Tech, Technique, & People

In-Depth Review of Percussa AudioCubes in Use with Ableton Live

 

Back in November I purchased a set of four Percussa AudioCubes. I've spent quite a bit of time working with them as a an interface to Ableton Live. In this hands-on review I'll explain what they are, how    they work, how I'm using them with Live and also offer some tips along the way.

What Are AudioCubes?

Audio Cubes were invented and are manufactured by Percussa, a small privately held company in Belgium. Each AudioCube is a portable self-contained computer that acts as a tangible interface. The cubes detect location, orientation, and distance information from your hands and/or other AudioCubes. This information (MIDI or OSC) is then routed to your favorite music application via free software that is provided by Percussa. The software runs both on MAC and PC. I'll be focusing on MIDI, Windows, Ableton Live, and the MIDI Bridge application in this review, but will offer a summary of other Percussa apps at the end of the review.

What Can They Be Used For?
Common uses are music performance, visual performance, sound design, composition, DJing, and installations. You can also use them as lo-fi audio generators.

"Enumerating" - One Patch Performance Video Series

Watch embedded video

“Enumerating’ is another installment in my “ONE PATCH PERFORMANCE SERIES.” Videos in this series are intended to show what's possible when you constrain your tool set to one synth and one preset with many modulation routings mapped for performance.

I created a 4 bar pattern with a MIDI clip in Ableton Live. The clip sends notes to SonicCharge Synplant. All modulation is performed in real-time with two Percussa AudioCubes in “Sensor” mode.

The cubes are sending MIDI data to Ableton Live via the Percussa MIDI Bridge app through MIDI Yoke virtual ports. I used MIDI mapping in Ableton Live to map the  continuous controller data being sent from each cube face to device parameters within Synplant and also to the Ableton Transpose MIDI device.

For example, one cube face cause the branches of Synplant to spin. Branch length changes timbre. By rotating the branches I'm changing modulate per note as I rotate the branches.

Probably one of the best things about AudioCubes is that you can modulate 4 parameters at the same time with one cube in a way that isn’t possible with knobs on a controller. When used with a synth like Synplant, the changes in timbre can be quite radical. This video also illustrates how sensitive the cubes are. As you can see, I'm using finger movement to control modulation. I also have the cubes set to give visual feedback. As my hand or finger gets closer to the cube the color intensifies. I have different colors mapped to each cube face.

Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist, Composer, Sound Designer
Louisville/Denver/Boulder

http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

Download/Buy my album REBOOT on Bandcamp
Buy on iTunes

Modulate This! Saturday Morning Electronic Music Picks

A killer performance of “Who Is it? “ by Bjork. Electronic elements, via Tenori-On, cool costumes, a horn section and Bjork. What’s not to like. More Bjork @ http://twitter.com/bjork, http://www.bjork.com.

Watch embedded video

Killer track "_OpVern" by Syl Kougai with an brilliant video by Sarge GrafX. Artist info here: http://sylkougai.com/, http://www.twitter.com/SylKougai, http://www.myspace.com/sargegrafx

Syl Kougai _OpVern_HiRes version from sarge grafX DIGITAL_ART on Vimeo.

Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist, Composer, Sound Designer
Louisville/Denver/Boulder

http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

Download/Buy my album REBOOT on Bandcamp
Buy on iTunes

Absynth 5 LFO Tips

One of the coolest things about Absynth is that you can draw custom waveforms. The waveform editor is simply fantastic. Custom Waveforms are not just for oscillators. They can also be used for LFO’s.

1) Click the button next to the LFO wave shape to open the waveform selector. 2) Click the “Edit” button.

This opens the waveform editor. Use the editor to create a unique waveform to be used to shape your LFO.

Try experimenting with the “Transform” function to shape your wave.

Click on the LFO to rename it so you can reference the wave shape and apply it to other modulations.

Another cool feature in Absynth is that you can apply LFO to segments of an envelope. Just click on the LFO tab when working with an Envelope then click on the node at the end of the segment where you want to apply LFO. You can even apply the custom wave shapes you have created.

Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist, Composer, Sound Designer
Louisville/Denver/Boulder

http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

Download/Buy my album REBOOT on Bandcamp
Buy on iTunes

Help Haiti Earthquake Victims by Donating Through iTunes

 
I just made a donation to the American Red Cross through iTunes. I appreciate Apple making this so easy. 100% of your donation goes to the Red Cross and your personal information is not sent to the Red Cross.

If you would like to donate, use this link –> iTunes link to American Red Cross (will open your iTunes and take you to the donation page of the store).

Mark Mosher
www.MarkMosher.com

Teenage Engineering Making headway on OP-1 Portable Synthesizer and Controller

Teenage Engineering is at NAMM 2010 and appears to have made progress with the OP-1 (see video of demo at bottom of post). The OP-1 is a is billed as an “…all-in-one portable Synthesizer, Sampler and Controller. With additional features like the FM Radio and a G-Force sensor for pitch and bend effects.” The synth looks to have a stunning high-contrast display.

Some notable features:

• Built-in audio recorder
  
• The 8 Synthesizer engines: FM, strings, DRW, Pulse, T10m Cluster, PSE
  
• Built-in Mic
• Sampling
  
• 512 MB Nand Flash storage
• Hardened design with expected lifespan of 10 million keystrokes per key, industrial grade incremental encoders, Zinc diecast and fiber enforced high performance plastic, aluminum body

MusicRadar posted a video from the NAMM Demo.

 

In  the video above they estimate price between $500-$1,000 with a late 2010 or early 2011 delivery. So, start saving your pennies as this looks like a killer portable music workstation monster.

Links

• Visit the Official OP-1 Web Page for more

Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist
Louisville/Denver/Boulder

http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
Download my REBOOT Album: http://www.RebootAlbum.com

The Mojo: Moldover's New Controller (Sneak Peek)

 
 (Click image to enlarge)

Controllerist Moldover has posted a sneak peek of his first commercial controller, the Mojo.

View embedded video

“After nearly a decade of study in the art of controllerism, Moldover has created his first commercially available controller. Assimilating ideas from traditional instruments, DJ hardware, and game controllers,The Mojo puts an unprecedented level of power and completely intuitive control in your hands. Combining ergonomic elegance, rapid-fire tactile responsiveness, and bullet-proof construction, The Mojo is the sexiest controller in the entire multiverse. Order your own and get more details at moldover.com."

Features (as listed on Moldover’s site):

• Works with all MIDI compatible music software
• lIncludes new Moldover template for Ableton Live
• 10 ultra-responsive touch strips
• 24 competition-grade arcade buttons
• Rubberized knobs, rugged faders and burly toggle switches
• Assembled in San Francisco CA by Andy from Pance Party
• Sexy mahogany body by Livid Instruments
• Scratch-resistant anodized aluminum faceplate
• Environmentally sealed twist-lock USB cable included
• USB bus powered electronics by Hale Micro
• Class-compliant USB device (no driver to install)
• Free copy of Moldover's self-titled album included
• Dimensions: 11.5" x 18" x 4", 7.5lbs
• Will totally get you laid (Yes, this is in the factory spec).

A limited edition of 20 Mojos will ship in March and will cost $1799.

Links

• To learn more and buy http://moldover.com/buy.html

Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist
Louisville/Denver/Boulder

http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
Download my REBOOT Album: http://www.RebootAlbum.com

Links for Winter NAMM 2010 Coverage

 

The Winter NAMM show is on! It’s in Anaheim California and runs from January 14-17, 2010. I’m not at the show and will only post a few links related to new products here and there.

For in-depth coverage I recommend you visit:

• Synthtopia’s Dedicated NAMM 2010 Section - http://www.synthtopia.com/content/tag/2010-namm-show/
• Create Digital Music - http://createdigitalmusic.com/
• Sonic State - http://www.sonicstate.com/news/shows.cfm?show=wnamm10

If your at the show check out Wham Bam Thank You Mam & Ableton expert Laura Escudé will be performing Friday at 10pm in the theater at the Downtown Independent with visualist Scott Pagano.

Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist
Louisville/Denver/Boulder

http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
Download my REBOOT Album: http://www.RebootAlbum.com

V2.0 Tenori-On Firmware Update is Here!

The long awaited Tenori-On V2.0 update has just been released and is available for download. Below is the list of updates from the Yamaha web site:

1. Tighter operation - Through internal software refinements the Yamaha engineers have successfully improved the overall processing performance, giving the Tenori-On player the experience of a ‘tighter’ and more instantaneous real-time performance instrument.
2. Improved MIDI sync - A high percentage of Tenori-On owners use their instrument in conjunction with a computer-based DAW. This combination gives maximum sonic versatility. The new Version 2.0 firmware now responds to the F2 MIDI Song Position Pointer message allowing it to be seamlessly integrated into all popular DAW systems.
3. Global Mute - Its now simple to Globally Mute the Tenori-On audio output for all tracks by using R4 and L1 top panel buttons. This allows performers, especially when using the Tenori-On with a DAW, to create dramatic mutes (and unmutes) via shortcut keys, without having to enter the deeper menu architecture of the Tenori-On.
4. Reset Loop Timing - When changing loop speeds and accessing the unique Tenori-On layer loop points, its possible to have different tracks running out of sync with each other. This can create a unique musical feel however, at some musical moment, its good to be able to reset all loop points. In the original Tenori-On firmware this feature was buried deep within the menu structures however, with Version 2.0, this is now available from the top panel buttons. Simply by hitting the combination of L4 and R1 all tracks will reset to their original loop timing points.
5. User Scale - A feature that has been highly requested by the Tenori-On enthusiasts is the ability to expand and edit the instruments global note scaling. Rather than being confined to a range of 16 consecutive notes per layer, its now possible to create a global ‘User Scale’ allowing different notes from different octaves to be accessed and sequenced within one single layer. This new function will open up many new musical dimensions for the Tenori-On player as any note can now be assigned to a layer.
6. Swing - With a new ‘Swing’ function implemented in Version 2.0 its now possible to give the entire instrument a new level of musical ‘feel’. With a -23/+23 swing parameter its also possible to fine tune this ‘feel’ using the jog wheel in real-time. The new Swing feature is especially creative when Slaved to an external DAW as it allows the Tenori-On to swing while the DAW remains rigid.

The update is delivered as a .zip file. Update process is very straight-forward and is done via the SD card. I just updated mine and it only took a few minutes.

The zip file also contains a .PDF with documentation for updates.

You can download the Tenori-On V2.0 from Yamaha’s web site http://www.global.yamaha.com/tenori-on/downloads/#a04.

Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist
Louisville/Denver/Boulder

http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
Download my REBOOT Album: http://www.RebootAlbum.com

Notes on The Music of Caprica & Battlestar Galactica From Composer Bear McCreary’s Blog

Lots going on this month in the Battlestar Galactica universe. Battlestar Galactica:The Plan is airing tonight where you’ll get to “See the war for humanities survival from the other Side”. According to the Wikipedia page, “It consists of newly filmed material as well as a compilation of footage from the TV series and miniseries.” The IMDB listing credits Edward James Almos as the director. The new series Caprica premiers on January 22nd.

Bear McCreary returns as composer for both shows. If you enjoy his music and want to learn more about his work visit his web site and blog.

Battlestar Galactica:The Plan was original released on DVD earlier in 2009 and around the time of the DVD’s release Bear wrote a lengthy post discussing the music.

Spoiler Alert, click hear to read after you’ve seen the movie - http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/?p=2834. I also found out via his blog that in addition to Battlestar, Bear has been involved with some of my favorite performers via the Johnny “Vatos” Tribute to Oingo Boingo. That connection continues with “The Plan” as the blog entry mentions that Oingo Boing bassist John Avila on the “Final Five Theme”.

Shows and music should be Frakin’ awesome. 
   
Mark Mosher
Electronic Music Artist
Louisville/Denver/Boulder

http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com

Download my REBOOT Album: http://www.RebootAlbum.com