Link love for August 3

The Perfect Backup Strategy for Your Mac.

Stats of the Union tells health stories in America.

Sound Cells – Universal iOS App Creates Generative Music.

Aphonium – App Creates Generative Audio and Visuals.

SunVox – Multiplatform Modular Music Creation Studio.

Surprise Surveillance Theater: An Experimental Drama with Unwitting Stars.

Japanese artist Eiji Watanabe cuts butterflies out of printed field guides and sets them free, covering the walls and ceilings of installation spaces.

15 Shopping Rules of Thumb.

Every individual needs emotional and intellectual support from her creative tribe to sustain a positive, thriving and aspiring practice.

Hidden is an app that lets you spy on the person who may have stolen you laptop.

Urban Quiver camera bag from Blackstone Bags.

Link love for March 9

Cryoacoustic Orb is a sound installation involving multiple illuminated acrylic orbs filled with slowly melting ice (above, video).

Everything is a Remix Part 2 (video).

DataMarket launches with international time series data.

25 Years of Digital Vandalism by William Gibson.

Unsolving the City: An Interview with China Miéville.

European robins may maintain quantum entanglement in their eyes a full 20 microseconds longer than the best laboratory systems and Particles can be quantum entangled through time as well as space.

Sustainism Is the New Black.

Dingsaller is a workspace for creating algorithmic compositions on the iPad.

Americans Have No Idea How Much Welfare They’re Getting

Binaural Beats = Synchronize Brainwaves & Alter Consciousness.

Phil Durrant on Reaktor and the Laptop as Improvisational Instrument.

Are Writers Powerless to Make a Living in the Digital Age?

Useful Resources and Tips for Managing Your Virtual Staff.

 

December update

Long time, no post. (If you don’t already, add me on Soundcloud, Twitter and/or Facebook for more frequent updates. This site has become more of a hub and archive rather than a hotbed of activity like those above.) I recently converted this site template over to HTML5 (thanks in part to reading the excellent HTML5 for Web Designers by Jeremy Keith). Next, I intend to replace the Flash-based media player with an HTML5 version, which will deprecate better in less-than-modern browsers. If you notice any problems, let me know. I also updated my discography with current availability information.

I have been busy working on new compositions, some of which can be heard in my Recent work set. They continue to feature generative beats, synth patterns and polyrhythms. I’ve also been exploring techniques in granular synthesis, including using the new (and recommended) Density M4L and Pulsaret M4L devices, to explore the world of microsound. I have utilized some aspects of granularity in the past but hadn’t been able to pay much attention to the full scope and theory until recently. I find myself fascinated at the variety and range of tones and rhythms that come from making slight changes to the source material. I also like moving away (at least as an option) from rigid note quantization and the familiar timeline of sequence-based composing. I created a Microsound set with some recent pieces, so have a listen to hear what I mean.

I’ve been re-reading some books by Marshall McLuhan, including The Medium is the Massage: An Inventory of Effects and War and Peace In the Global Village. His work is so dense with non-traditional ideas about media and culture, I often have to take it in small doses. I am awaiting delivery of the books Microsound by Curtis Rhodes and Electronic Music and Sound Design by Alessandro Cipriani and Maurizio Giri and look forward to reading them over the holidays. (All links to books above kickback to my Amazon affiliate account.)

Happy Holidays and “Cheers, thanks a lot!”

Link love for November 12

Process Compendium 2004-2010 is a collection of work and record of process by Casey Reas, co-founder of Processing (above).

Ben Fry, the other co-founder of Processing, on  “Computational Information Design” (video)

Emily Pilloton’s TED Talk,  Teaching design for change (video)

“Silent Evolution” builds a beautiful coral reef from statues.

Terms you need to understand for a record contract.

Link love for October 29

Shoot from edge to edge with the Lomo Sprocket Rocked Panorama camera (above).

That Spunky Sound 0.12 particle synthesizer.