Google Maps creator plans BPM-variable music format, Qbert designs a laptop replacement for digital DJs, and create ascii beats with Type Drummer.
The end of the laptop in the DJ booth? DJ Qbert‘s Thud Rumble have paired up with Intel on a project that they claim will eliminate the need for laptops in a digital DJ’s setup, by replacing them with a $55 microcomputer module called the Intel Edison. Thud Rumble has taken the board and helped develop applications that allow control over audio playback and production gear. Find out more here.
Ron Hardy at The Music Box. As a part of Red Bull Music Academy‘s Daily series, a long-form feature telling the story of enigmatic DJ Ron Hardy, the house music pioneer best known for playing at Chicago’s Music Box club and his edits of disco, soul, funk and early house. Read the full article here.
BPM-Variable Music with Weav. Google Maps co-creator Lars Rasmussen has quit his job at Facebook to launch a music app with business partner Elomida Visviki of the UK-based startup Cute Little Apps. Weav wants to change the way musicians create music and audiences listen to it. As the company puts it, it Weav “allows musicians to create tracks that can be played back at any speed… and still sound awesome”. Find out more here.
Secretsundaze plan 16-hour bank holiday extravaganza. This weekend sees London house mainstays Secretsundaze plan a day and night party this Sunday. Kicking off at 2pm and running through to 6am, the line-up includes Martyn, Delano Smith, Jeremy Underground and Florian Kupfer. Full info and tickets available here.
Native Instruments release KOMPLETE SELECT. In tandem with the KOMPLETE KONTROL 1.1 software update – a selection of 10 KOMPLETE instruments and effects chosen to give producers working in all genres a wide-ranging toolset for music creation, free for all registered KOMPLETE KONTROL S-Series keyboard owners, as well as all registered owners of the MASCHINE 2 software. A download code and serial number will be sent by email.
Presonus Studio One 3 Released. PreSonus has announced that Studio One 3, the most significant update to its DAW, is now shipping. Available in Artist and Professional editions, version 3 brings innovations in song arranging and experimentation, as well as new ways to craft sounds, a dual platform multi-touch interface, and a configurable UI for high-resolution displays. Check out the video above and find out more here.
Create Ascii Beats with Type Drummer. Type something into developer-designer Kyle Stetz’s web instrument Type Drummer, and it’ll convert what you’ve typed into an audible rhythm, where each keystroke triggers a different percussion hit in real time. Test it out for yourself here.