Appropriately printed in the online magazine notorious for stealing intellectual property, Gizmodo recently reported on an interview with Grooveshark CEO Sam Tarantino.
In the interview Tarantino provides six reasons why he thinks all recorded music should be free. Ever the opinionated music writer, and capitalist, I felt it only proper to offer a retort to his six points.
A nice link to Scientific Reports from WaPo today, on a study utilizing cellphone data to analyze how people communicate and age and gender’s role in the process.
A pretty awesome concept, Aeolus is a sculpture built by Bristol based artist Luke Jerram designed to harness the power of the wind to create unique sounds.
Named after the mythical Greek ruler of the four winds and built in conjunction with the University of Southampton’s Institute of Sound and Vibration Research and the University of Salford’s Acoustics Research Center, the giant aeolian wind harp is intended to inspire the public to learn more about the amazing things that can happen when engineering, acoustics and aerodynamics are blended together.[*]
Aeolus is currently installed in London’s Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf, from 27-Mar through 10-May 2012, and access is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Check beneath the fold for some amazing hi-res images of Aeolus, as well as streamable recordings of its unique sounds.
Playing completely into the hands of SWPL on this one, I was linked a great Q+A from the president of Moleskine US giving a brief insight into the company behind everybody’s favorite notebooks.
Everything is very high quality, for instance each notebook is inspected for 30 minutes for quality control, and I think when people hold one they recognize this quality.[*]
I am not one to pass judgement, as I often pretend to be a writer, I own a number of them myself, in various sizes, for various projects. I even went so far as to try the Moleskine iOS app once. Maybe one of the worst apps I’ve ever used, poorly designed and let’s be honest — there are times when it’s just faster to pen + paper it.
So yes, I am a fan however, probably not as bad as these guys.
WRITE AND EXACT [via Life + Times]
Clips from a CBS interview with the legendary composer Frank Zappa. This video is part 2 in a three-part series on YouTube which I highly recommend you make the time to watch.
As always some brilliant quotes from Frank, most notably on how to raise children, as well as the value for musicians to embrace new technologies – demonstrating the capabilities of the synclavier.
Method of Action is an upcoming website promising “Design For Programmers.” A concept I am familiar with; having an understanding of technology but no background in design.
Often this makes it difficult to develop good design on my own simply because I have no fundamental knowledge of the underlying concepts. Admittedly, this site’s design is not unique — I aim to focus on content, and only essential ‘bells-and-whistles’ that benefit the site’s usability.
Have some fun and check out some of the games on the company’s website as they prepare for launch, they offer three examples to teach about Kerning, Text Shape/Bézier, and Color.
FYI: I scored 3.8 based on the following scoring break-down:
Hue: 8, Saturation: 7, Complementary: 4, Analogous: 0, Ternary: 2, Quaternary: 2
To get you ready for the Archie Pelago mix on Mary Anne Hobbs’ XFM broadcast Saturday April 7, let’s make sure you know what’s good.
Archie Pelago, a three-man outfit from Brooklyn, combines classically influenced cello, saxophone, and trumpet with contemporary music and modern technology for a sound that reaches beyond other electronic / instrumental collaborations in recent memory.
Lately, too many performers treat Ableton Live as DJ software, not leveraging the software’s potential to reshape music during performance, a realization not lost on Archie Pelago.
UPDATE:
Listen to Archie Pelago on Mary Anne Hobbs XFM (Broadcast 7-April 2012)
Watch Archie Pelago Live at TekServe (14-April 2012)
An interesting application of long exposure photography as we showcase two different galleries of subjects while sleeping.
The first, an installation titled Sleepless highlights the work of the perhaps ironically named Robert Knight, covered by both Wired and The Boston Globe. Knight also shares a video and matched soundtracks on his website.
On the same vein of thought, 8 Hours is the work of Martin Newth presenting a gallery of motel photographs taken during the photographer’s honeymoon. Each of the images is a large format 10×8 with a full 8-hour exposure, providing exquisite detail in the static parts of the images.
Atlanta-based IDM phenom Richard Devine shares this Vimeo video upload for Plonked Spectral, for his forthcoming RISP release.
Check out the sounds from one of the unsung heroes of sound-design, and a phenomenal producer and performer I’ve been fortunate enough to see and meet through my involvement in music in Atlanta. One of the friendliest people you could imagine meeting as well. Richard Devine, you’re rad.
Plonked Spectral Video from the “RiSP-CD” 2012 from Richard Devine on Vimeo.
UPDATE: Richard posted a remix of Plonked Spectral on Soundcloud earlier today, embedded below – check it out and leave your comments!
RISP is Richard Devine’s algorithm-based exploration of generative time structures for analog synths. If you missed limited vinyl boarding pass worry not — gain 3 additional original richard devine compositions plus five remixes by Loops Haunt, Vaetxh, Subjex, Valance Drakes & Balkansky with the release of RISP on CD. Expect to breathe air on distant planets as chaotic, broken machines speak harmonious mutant languages via RD’s human/alien soundesign and audio activist remixes. Thirteen new tracks to become alien.
An excellent treatise on acceptable and effective use of social media for musicians from a good friend, musician, Tricil; one of the few people in Atlanta I can talk shop to regarding the ins and outs of social networking. Too often artists come off sounding self-absorbed or spammy, obviously not their goal but the damage it causes their brand and image can be difficult to reverse.