If you like flash :-

samartin · Post by **samartin** » Sat May 29, 2010 12:08 pm

Try this little beauty, came through my twitter account and thought I'd share here :-

http://lab.andre-michelle.com/tonematrix

I hope some of you can incorporate it into your workflow. I might try at some point in the near future, would be wicked if it was expanded upon to introduce a wider range of sequences! Even your own samples!!

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Sat May 29, 2010 9:30 pm

Most fun i've had in the last 10 minutes!

Seriously though, that is pretty cool. I'm usually first to rubbish 'alternate' sequencing methods. I admit it is actually fairly basic, but still actually really fun and I'd love to work with such a thing.

Could create really nice ambient rhythms. The built in sound is sweet but it would be nice to see the ability to use more sounds and change tempo/sync etc....
Stacking up every other note across the whole thing produces a really nice bell-like tone.

I actually have a similar 9x16 part sequencer in my project i'm building at the moment. It works polyphonically with keyboard input though, the sequencer selecting which of the nine sound 'parts' it plays on each beat. I imagine it could produce some similar sounds.

crofter · Post by **crofter** » Sun May 30, 2010 2:56 pm

Similar VST version here,
http://music.service-1.de/html/blip2000 ... r_vst.html

Mr36 · Post by **Mr36** » Sun May 30, 2010 8:34 pm

I want one of these matrix step sequencer things! A Bliptronic 5000 with MIDI would be perfect.
The Novation Launchpad could have had normal MIDI outs and capability of controlling hardware devices, which would have been good. Whyever do so many companies choose not to implement standard MIDI sockets now and only have USB?
Don't answer that. It just annoys me.

salamanderanagram · Post by **salamanderanagram** » Sun May 30, 2010 8:40 pm

there's a bliptronic conversion kit that allows it to act as a monome. if you do that you could certainly do something similar. i do stuff like this with my livid block. ( www.lividinstruments.com )

Mr36 · Post by **Mr36** » Sun May 30, 2010 8:46 pm

That still requires software though, doesn't it? Or doesn't it?

I'm not anti-software, I just don't want to use it and computers at the moment.

X-Trade · Post by **X-Trade** » Sun May 30, 2010 10:40 pm

Mr36 wrote:That still requires software though, doesn't it? Or doesn't it?

I'm not anti-software, I just don't want to use it and computers at the moment.

I agree. Computers are such a drag to take to gigs or just use in the studio. I prefer to use equipment which I can just turn on and use.

salamanderanagram · Post by **salamanderanagram** » Sun May 30, 2010 10:47 pm

you could probably use that ruin-wesen device i posted in the other thread to do this even with a kp3 or kpro if you were clever... not really worth the effort considering how much easier it is on a computer...

I prefer to use equipment which I can just turn on and use.

?? you can't turn on and use a computer? heck you could even set it to autolaunch all the programs you want in whatever sequence you want so it would be all set to go upon restart. whatever, this debate is a dead horse i guess, but i just don't understand. to not use a computer is just begging to spend more money for less firepower.

Mr36 · Post by **Mr36** » Sun May 30, 2010 10:49 pm

As amazingly useful as computers can be for music creation, I do think it's a big shame that the industry has leaned so much toward them. Never mind.
I did read that ThinkGeek were going to make a follow-up to the Bliptronic 5000 that would be with MIDI out and drum sounds and maybe some other stuff. I hope they do. If they can produce something like the Bliptronic 5000 for £55, I'm sure other companies could manage such a feat. I just hope they still stick to their idea of keeping the price down.

Mr36 · Post by **Mr36** » Sun May 30, 2010 11:04 pm

Some petrol for that dead horse... Easy is not necessarily better. And more firepower certainly does not mean better.

Although, as I've said before, I am certainly not denying how useful computers can be. I'd just like more companies to realise it's not the only way.

salamanderanagram · Post by **salamanderanagram** » Mon May 31, 2010 2:19 am

well, so long as you're not opposed to me kicking the dead horse some more

not sure i understand - in what situation would easy *not* be better?
more firepower *is* better for me, i can understand the minimalist attitude but i'm the sort of guy who likes to do wacky things and hardware is just too limiting. i like to make tracks with 15-20 different instruments and lots of post processing / glitching. i'm not sure where i would even begin to do the sort of stuff i can do with the combo of reaktor and ableton with hardware. if it is possible it would require many thousands of dollars worth of equipment.
i have over $200 worth of cables alone just to connect all my hardware together. even with my patchbay it's kind of a bitch of reroute everything. and i can't pick my studio up and take it with me, which is what really got me started on making computer music.

i love hardware but it's getting to the point where it just doesn't do enough to justify the cost. how the hell do you anti-software folks master your tracks? do you really have enough hardware EQs and compressors to do the trick? do you just not master anything?

Mr36 · Post by **Mr36** » Mon May 31, 2010 12:43 pm

Yeah? Well, I have $201 worth of cables.

But seriously, I'm not anti-software. And certainly not for recording and all the techniques and methods associated with it.
My opinion is based on performance and, like X-Trade and others, I just don't want to have to use a laptop on stage. This is partly because I just like having dedicated hardware to use and play withbut partly because of how it can look when a performer is using a laptop, which relates to the "easy" argument. It's generally much less impressive when an act uses a laptop as the centre of their set-up. It can also often seem like a bit of cheating. I know that's how I felt when I did try laptops live. I knew it was all (or mostly me) but is that how it was perceived by the audience? Doubtful. The ease of using computers can take away the need for talent and even if talent still exists, it is somewhat clouded by the laptop.
You could argue that it's all down to the music but on a performing level, it needs more than that.
Also, don't get me wrong, there are some very talented people that use computers and their talent for music is largely expressed through computers but still this ease does take away from that talent somewhat.

For recording though, unless you have a LOT of time and, more importantly, money, you would be crazy not to use a computer (that sounded familiar...

).

salamanderanagram · Post by **salamanderanagram** » Mon May 31, 2010 5:11 pm

yeah i keep my screen closed and use my controllers to do just about everything.

if there's one thing i really really hate on, it's laptop DJs playing somebody else's music with a mouse. pretty freakin boring.

Mr36 · Post by **Mr36** » Mon May 31, 2010 6:49 pm

That is quite ridiculous. There are quiote a few DJ's who really are very good with their laptops though. James Zabiela and Richie Hawtin spring to mind.

salamanderanagram · Post by **salamanderanagram** » Mon May 31, 2010 7:23 pm

yeah but those guys rock turntables. and traktor scratch or whatever.

i try to never touch my computer mouse or look at the screen once the music starts playing. not that it always works like that, but i try