Computers have revolutionized the composition, production and recording of music. However, they have not yet revolutionized music education. While a great deal of educational software exists, it mostly follows traditional teaching paradigms, offering ear training, flash cards and the like. Meanwhile, nearly all popular music is produced in part or in whole with software, yet [...]
Filed in Interfaces, Music, Music Teaching, Software, Technology
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Also tagged algorithmic composition, classical, Composition, computers, dance, dj, figure, garageband, guitar, Hardware, hip-hop, Improvisation, ipad, keybs, logic, looping, midi, morton subotnick, Music, music teaching, nyu, pro tools, propellerhead, reason, skeuomorphism, Software, synths, visualization
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Here’s a presentation I gave at the December 2012 Advanced Ableton User Meetup at Tekserve, hosted by Hank Shocklee of Public Enemy. I speak about how useful Ableton Live is as a music teaching tool, using Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” as an example. Very shortly after I concluded my talk, my wife went into labor with [...]
Filed in Autobio, Interfaces, Music, Music Teaching, Software, Technology
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Also tagged ableton, gnarls barkley, hank shocklee, midi, music teaching, visualization
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Apple has long made a practice of giving away cool software with their computers. One of the coolest such freebies is Garageband. It’s a stripped down version of Logic aimed at beginners, and it’s a surprisingly robust tool. The software instruments and loops sound terrific, the interface is approachable, and it’s generally a great scratchpad. [...]
Filed in Hardware, Interfaces, Music, Recording, Sampling
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Also tagged apple, beginners, drumming, garageband, guitar, ios, ipad, keybs, linkedin, midi, Music, music teaching, Sampling, sequencing, songwriting
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As I contemplate my masters thesis, I’m looking for good examples of beginner-centric musical user interface design. Propellerhead’s new Figure app has been a source of inspiration for me. It’s mostly wonderful, and even its design flaws are instructive. I have a long history with Propellerhead’s software, beginning with Rebirth in 1998. I’ve made a [...]
Filed in Composition, Interfaces, Music Teaching, Software
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Also tagged beginners, design, drumming, electronica, figure, graphics, hipsters, ios, linkedin, music teaching, propellerhead, reason, rebirth, retro, skeuomorphism, synths, touch, visualization
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For my grad school thesis, I’m designing an intro-level music education app. I’m operating within the techno/hip-hop paradigm, with an Afrocentric rhythm-oriented approach. Electronic dance music production software had brought me much joy over the years, joy that I’m eager to spread to more people. I firmly believe that everyone is a potential musician, and [...]
Filed in Hardware, Interfaces, Software, Video Games
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Also tagged accordion, brian eno, drumming, haptic feedback, keybs, linkedin, midi, moog, morton subotnick, music notation, nyu, Video Games, visualization, xenakis
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I’m doing a ton of writing for grad school, and will be posting the highlights here. First off, an abstract and discussion of this article: Katie Wilkie, Simon Holland, and Paul Mulholland. Winter, 2010. What Can The Language Of Musicians Tell Us About Music Interaction Design? Computer Music Journal, Vol. 34, No. 4, Pages 34-48 [...]
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Update: check out my own newest visualization scheme, the radial drum machine. See also a more scholarly review of the literature on visualization and music education. Computer-based music production and composition involves the eyes as much as the ears. The representations in audio editors like Pro Tools and Ableton Live are purely informational, waveforms and [...]
Filed in Composition, Interfaces, Math, Music, Music Theory, Software, Visual art
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Also tagged bjork, euler, funky drummer, linkedin, looping, melodyne, Music, music notation, networks, notation, reason, Recording, recycle, roger penrose, topology, visualization
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