The Uke Orchestra performs Life On Mars

Bowie, always Bowie, on Sonikmatter.

1958: The Flying V Is Invented

[ via io9 ]

Tags: guitars

OLPC turns DAW

We’ve talked before about the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project. The aim is to facilitate children of the third world with cheap laptops, that will help them develop into the digital world together with the rest of us, thus preventing that the already existing gap between the third world and the rich countries widens even further. All very good and PC, but can it make music?

Now, the answer is “yes”. Due to a collaborative effort of Berklee College, Csound developers and others, the XO laptop now comes with access to no less than 8.5 gbs of audio samples, ready to be turned into music. All of it comes with a Creative Commons license, and all of it is online - so you don’t need to have an actual XO laptop to make use of it. Just point your browser to http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Sound_samples and begin collecting the samples, to take part in the fun.

via Create Digital Music

Tags: Computer, XO, samples

NYC: 'Piano: The Making of a Steinway Concert Grand'

As found over at Joe’s site:

Free: A signed copy of James Barron’s book, ‘Piano: The Making of a Steinway Concert Grand’

No tricks, nothing to buy, no hidden costs.

All you have to do is show up at Steinway Hall (109 West 57th Street) in New York City at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday, March 8).

New York Times reporter James Barron will give a talk about his research behind the scenes at Steinway & Sons, which formed the basis for a series of articles in the paper that became the book.

“Seating is limited — call 212-246-1100 today to register.”

[ via Book of Joe ]

YouTube Tuesdays: Bjork

Found over on ElectoPlankton — Bjork with guitars. All natural and no synthesis. Of course, Sonik loves the insane layers of outerworldly sounds that generally are heard on her albums, but this is pretty cool too.

[ via ElectoPlankton ]

Tags: youtube, bjork

Ghastly Astley: Resurgence?

Something is not right.

In the past two weeks, Rick Astley has reappeared, not once, not twice, but thrice.

The first occurrence was innocent enough, I was at an outlet mall and after a horrible tune from Phil Collins, Rick Astley music was played over the PA system. I almost gouged my eardrums out, especially right after “She’s an Easy Lover” by Collins. Oof.

Then, this Flickr prank appeared:

Finally (and best of all), someone has writted a Doom add-on featuring his most ghastly:

NO monster has a chance against that WMD!

Tags: Music, video, GhastleyAstley, Suck

Ray Kurzweil: The Secret Keynote?

Our Patron Saint, the Honorable Dr. Kurzweil recently gave the keynote for the GDC08…The Game Developers Conference. We were sent a ‘Secret’ and probably fictional, somewhat maybe slanderous photo of Ray’s Other Keynote. We can’t guarentee the validity of this and telltale signs of the Photoshoping might be there, but we are going to pretend it is as accurate as anything else we publish here.

Whats next for Ray? What is always next with Ray — Sex With Robots!!! This is why he was brought back on to Kurzweil Music Systems…not because he was the founder, but to get us all in the mood with the next generation synth / AlGoreRythmic Music Generator (which we believe is an alarmist software program that is pretty stiff…MANBEARPIG!!!)

Take a read on over at the tipstech.info site for some real information.

Tags: Kurzweil, RayKurzweil, SexWithRobots, IsThisSlanderousOrJustFunny

From Make: ABSOLUT QUARTET

Make covers the “ABSOLUT QUARTET” — a robotic instrument made up of ping-pong balls, marimbas, wine-glasses and other percussive elements.

Check it out via the Make-Blog at http://blog.makezine.com/.

For the Do-It-Yourselfer, check these out —

From Charles & Marie come the Bottom’s Up Doorbell. Designed by Peter Van Der Jagt, this doorbell features two wine glasses struck by an electromagnetic hammer. “Only” $220…but just imagine what you could do with a dozen of them connected up by MIDI. Maybe even figure out how to make it cheaper (and if you do, send one to Sonikmatter Headquarters.

Charles and Marie dot com

[ via Make and Cool Hunting | Comment in our Forums ]