Mictic turns body movements into music

One of the mesmerizing charms of an orchestra conductor is the way he (or she) appears to create music out of thin air with the wave of a baton.

That may be what a group opt Swiss engineers were going for when they invented Mictic. It's a wireless sensor that produces lush, fully-formed notes and chords from hand movements.

To see what I'm talking about, check out the video below. A cellist performs a short piece by moving his right hand across the strings while his left hand moves up and down the fretboard.

But look closely - there's no bow in his right hand and he soon lifts his left hand off the neck of the cello. He's playing music without an instrument.

The creators of Mictic call it "the world's first body instrument" that launches "the beginning of a new era:  audio augmented reality."

The device pairs a wrist sensor that's the size of a large watch with a companion app that interprets body movements and instantly transforms them into sounds.

Mictic developers plan to launch the device early next year. They have created a few sound kits that  match musical instruments and plan to expend into other sounds. Their website mentions plans for kits that will mimic the sounds of a lightsaber or a robot.

Mictic AG is currently looking for investors and plans to launch a pre-release sale by the end of April to raise development funding.

For more details, to get on the company's mailing list and to watch several more videos, visit the the Mictic website. You can also follow @Mictic_Move on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 1/06/2020

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Turn your Android into a drum machine and sequencer

Years ago when I did some occasional guitar jams with a friend, we used a cheap drum machine to keep the beat and add a rhythm track to our modest performances. If we had waited for the arrival of FingerBang, we might now be YouTube stars.

FingerBang is an app that turns an Android device into a drum machine, sample player and non-traditional step sequencer.

Like other drumming apps, you can produce snare, conga and other drum sounds by tapping the screen with your fingers. But FingerBang goes way beyond those basic riffs with a feature that lets users chain together and sequence trigger hits and save the tracks to any of 20 different hotkeys.

Players who have worked with high-end drum machines may already know about triggers and sequencing. For people like me, FingerBang offers free performance ready sample banks designed for popular genres such as trance, hip-hop and trap.

The app also has a "Jam Kit" that makes it possible to FingerBang with a friend.

Got a new beat bouncing around in your head? Download FingerBang for free in the Google App Store. Upload your performance to YouTube, Instagram and Facebook with the tag #iFingerBang and you might get featured on the official FingerBang Facebook.

By: Ric Manning On 6/22/2016

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Deported Radio has a new way to deliver 3D sound

Over the years, I’ve reported on several brands of headphones that promise to deliver 3D surround sound. They manage that trick by incorporating a proprietary audio processing chip into the design of the ear cups, the connecting cable or in a separate device that must be plugged into the sound source.

Deported Radio, however, takes a different route to get to 3D audio. It uses the power of its servers to break the sound into multiple channels before it reaches the listener. That approach is independent of the actual headphones, so its developers say it will work with any headphones or earbuds.

“Our technique enhances the perception of sound spatialization by exploiting sound localization,” says an explanation on the Deported Radio website. “We enhance a listener’s ability to identify the location or origin of a detected sound in direction and distance. We achieve this by using multiple discrete audio channels routed to your headphones or earphones.”

The site uses a (DSP) Digital Signal Processing analysis of a stereo recording to parse individual sounds. The signal is then repositioned into a five-channel field and output at 320 kilobits per second.

The site offers a variety of channels featuring music assembled or created by contributing global DJs such as Ice Demon, Zamara and Sataneal.

To get a sample of a new brand of surround sound, plug into the Deported Radio website. 

By: Ric Manning On 6/21/2016

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Where to stream a personal playlist

You might think that the world doesn’t been another music streaming service, but you probably also haven’t checked out MusicHeed. It’s a new cloud-based service that lets users create their own library of songs and create personal playlists.

And it specializes in new music by artists you may not have discovered. New releases featured recently on the MusicHeed front page included songs by Dylan Scott, Band of Horses, The Interrupters and Shura.

MusicHeed's The Top 50 list includes more familiar names like Drake, Ellie Goulding, Bruno Mars and Adele. MusicHeed also has songs classic artists like The Who, Van Halen and Aerosmith.

The service does not ask for a credit card when you register and there are no ads or pop-ups. It’s cloud-based, so your music is available anywhere through a desktop browser. Chrome users can install the MusicHeed plugin and mobile users can log in using Firefox for Android.

For a closer look, click to the MusicHeed website where you can play some tunes even if you don’t have an account.

By: Ric Manning On 5/31/2016

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Speazie app feeds music collaboration

You never know when musical inspiration is going to strike. Keith Richards said he was asleep when the signature riff in “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” popped into his head.

Back then, he used a cheap cassette tape recorder to capture the beat. Today, musicians can carry advanced creativity tools in their pockets. Speazie, for example, is a mobile app that provides both a recording tool and access to an online community of musicians, rappers, artists and other creators.

The app lets users customize beats beats that have been uploaded by other or contribute their own original creation. Users can record their part from their phone, edit the track using Speazie’s built-in audio editing tools and then share their track with the Speazie community. And by adding a personal profile, users can share their music preferences and find potential collaborators.

The Speazie app is currently available as free download in the iTunes App Store and an Android version is coming soon.

By: Ric Manning On 11/19/2015

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Notetracks app aids music collaboration

Keith Richards has famously said the signature riff in “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” came to him in his sleep. When he awoke, he mumbled a few bars into a cassette tape recorder, went back to sleep, and later shared the tune with his bandmates.

How times have changed. Today, a musician who wanted to capture a lyric or melody can reach for their iPad and record an idea on  Notetracks.

The app combines music writing and sharing tools on a single platform. Think of Notetracks, its developers say, as a mixture of SoundCloud and Google Docs.

Users can import audio files and get a graphic presentation on an audio timeline. For there, they can add text notes and insert music symbols. Notetracks files become collaboration projects that can be sent to other Notetracks users such as band members, teachers or students.

Notetracks is available in the iTunes App Store. You can see how Notetracks works in the video below or contact the app’s support staff to get a guided tour.

By: Ric Manning On 10/14/2015

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Singer Terry Brival launches new Android app

In the new digital world, musical artists are no longer dependent on the major record labels to promote their recordings and performances. They can harness the power of social media, whether they’re established artists like Kanye West or newer voices.

Terry Brival is a singer who has been recording professionally since 2007. He uses Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and other platforms to distribute his music and share his talent and work with fans and followers.

Brival’s latest project is a mobile app that was released this month on Google Play. Entitled Terry Brival, the app offers access to Brival's varied communication channels including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube and MySpace. Users can also get exposed to Brival’s music and purchase his albums and his branded clothing and accessories.

The free app also incorporates links to downloading sources such as iTunes and Amazon and to streaming services like Rdio and Spotify.

For more details, check out the profile in the Google Play Store and Brival’s news feed @TerryBrival on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 6/09/2015

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Android's Your Music player keeps it simple

I like streaming music services and playing songs on YouTube but I prefer listening to the collection I've been building for more than 30 years. And I definitely enjoy having it always my music close close by on my mobile phone.

What I haven't yet found is a no-hassle music player that makes it easy to find and launch playlists, artists and albums. Your Music may be just that player.

The new Android player from IntuitiveWare sticks to the basics and does them well. It lets you browse all types of audio files using an interface that even my mother could comprehend. Like some other players, the main menu lets you quickly display songs, albums artists. But it also lets you click into folders where you might have some special files stored, like live concerts or podcasts.

Album and song art, shuffle and repeat play, background audio and swipe gestures are all de rigueur. But Your Music also lets you multi-select songs to remove them or to add them to a playlist.

If you still haven't found the perfect mobile music player, check out the aptly-named Your Music in the Google Play Store.

By: Ric Manning On 3/25/2015

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MP3 Box app can find millions of songs

Does the Internet hold a copy of every recorded song? That's the question I tried to answer after I got my hands on MP3 Box, a free app that its creators say can search and retrieve more than 20 million songs.

The app does searches based on a number of index elements such as song title, artist name or genre as well as hashtags like #rock, #80s, #party or #relax.

Recent pop hits and big-name artists were easy for MP3 Box. I pulled up scads of titles by Beyonce and Bruce Springsteen. I was more impressed when the app found more obscure music like jazz tracks by Art Pepper, old folk tunes Woody Guthrie and classic blues by Howlin's Wolf. I even got astronaut Chris Hadfield covering David Bowie's Space Oddity, William Shatner's interpretation of Rocket Man and Steve Martin's comedy bit Excuse Me.  

Click on one of the titles in the listed results and the app will play and show the accompanying video, if there is one, or show an album cover or image or photo of the artist. In some cases, it offers a link to a free download. MP3 Box will also create a radio channel based on your music preferences or artists.

Check out the iOS version of MP3 Box in the Apple iTunes App Store.

By: Ric Manning On 3/01/2015

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iOS app downloads free music from SoundCloud

One of the elements that separates SoundCloud from other streaming music services is that many tracks on SoundCloud can be downloaded and stored offline, without running afoul of copyright laws. And if your mobile is an iPhone, a new app makes the it easy to discover and capture the music you want.

Free Music Download – MP3 Downloader for SoundCloud - yes, that's it's official name - is a free app that lets you discover and collect favored tracks.

The app searches for music based on a user's query and delivers all results for tracks that can be downloaded. The list includes the name of the track, the artist and album.

Users can preview songs before downloading and download multiple MP3 tracks simultaneously. The app will also play, pause, skip tracks.

MP3 Downloader for SoundCloud requires iOS 7 and it works with the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Check it out in the Apple iTunes Store and follow the developers @freemakecom on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 2/24/2015

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Here's royalty-free music anyone can afford

If you're Steven Spielberg and you need music for your next film project, you speed-dial John Williams, get out your checkbook and order up an Oscar-worthy score like the themes from Jaws, Star Wars or Saving Private Ryan.

But if you're someone with a tiny budget who just just needs to add some spark to a web video, app, video game or podcast, you need to check out Dan O'Connor.

O'Connor is a musician and composer who is ready to give you a package of 77 music tracks for the decidedly non-Hollywood price of $49.95.

The package contains MP3 audio files that represent the full spectrum of musical genres from power pop, acoustic guitar and piano to classical, jazz and reggae. And they come with a creative commons license, which means you are free to use the music for private or commercial purposes without paying any additional royalty fees. You can copy and distribute the music or remix and edit it. "The only thing you can't do," says O'Connor, "is claim yourself as the author or producer of the audio or resell the rights to use the music."

If YouTube flags your video because the music sounds too close to Beyonce or Billy Joel, O'Connor also has instructions on you to prove that it's not and that you have the rights to it.

To hear O'Connor's music and get the full story on his licensing offer, check out the package page at the Danosongs website.

By: Ric Manning On 12/14/2014

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Foxer is building a single source for web media

Every time I go looking for a particular music video, a TV episode or movie clip, it turns into a scavenger hunt. Is it on YouTube or Video? Maybe one of the lesser-known platforms like Deezer or Jamendo? And, what if I want to watch it on my TV rather than my phone?

Foxer just may have the solution. Foxer wants to be the single source for access to entertainment content from all of the major sources. According to Foxer's website, the service plans to provide content from YouTube, SoundCloud, Vimeo, Deezer and Jamendo plus video on demand from Dailymotion, Warner and others.

Foxer plans to give users the option to compile their own personal playlists and display content on whatever platform you choose, from mobile phones and tablets to desktop computers, TV and even in your car.

Foxer isn't quite ready for prime time but you can try the beta version on Foxer's website. It will connect to a user's accounts at YouTube and Deezer. And check out Foxer on Twitter.

By: Ric Manning On 11/07/2014

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jamstik is a guitar on the go

 The guitar is such a versatile instrument. Anyone who knows a few chords can start a party. But guitars don't travel well, in cars, on planes, bikes or on foot.

Enter the jamstik. It's a compact electronic guitar that pairs with an iPad, iPhone or Mac, making it a great travelling companion and learning tool.

The jamstik connects wirelessly to a mobile device or you can plug in a USB cable. It has real strings and frets on a 15-inch body, it's powered by a USB-rechargeable battery and - get this - no tuning is required.

The guitar works with three jamstik apps. One lets you choose choose sound styles, like Fender electric or folkie acoustic, another acts as a tutor with games, lessons and how-to videos; and a third lets you create jams and mixes.

The jamstik costs $299 and is available on the jamstik website, at Amazon.com and in many Apple retail stores. Check it out in the video below and keep up with other pickers on jamstick's Twitter feed and Facebook page.


jamstik - The Guitar Designed For Your iPad from Jamstik on Vimeo.

By: Ric Manning On 9/27/2014

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Vintage concerts come alive in online archives

Somewhere in my house is a box that contains a pile of cassette tapes and a lot of good memories. The cassettes are recordings made at concerts I attended between the late 1960s and the early 1980s. The shows range from folk singers like Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs and Peter, Paul & Mary to rock bands like Fleetwood Mac, The Doobie Brothers and Crosby, Stills and Nash.

I don't listen to the tapes very often for one very good reason: they sound awful. I made the recordings from my seat in the audience using a cheap recorder and microphone and on many of the tapes, the crowd noise overwhelms the music. Invariably, there's some jerk seated a few feet away talking so loudly that he becomes the recording’s featured vocalist.

But thanks to the Internet, there are now many sources where I can listen to a vintage concert in a high-quality recording that can be downloaded or streamed. These are often recordings that were sanctioned by the artists and captured directly from the concert’s sound equipment or made for a radio broadcast. 

The best and largest collection is at the Concert Vault, a membership website that has an eclectic archive of thousands of live concert recordings. It was built around the master recordings collected by rock promoter Bill Graham who owned the Fillmore and Winterland ballrooms in the 1960s. It's the best place to find performances by rock legends like Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones or Jimi Hendrix. 

The Concert Vault may not have a recording of the same show that I attended, but I can usually find one made about the same time. For example, I saw The Who at the Kinetic Playground in Chicago in 1970. The Concert Vault has a 1970 performance by the band at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass. I found a Fillmore East show by Janis Joplin from 1969, the year before I saw her perform in Boston shortly before her death.

While rock shows are the primary draw at the Concert Vault, the library also includes performances by jazz artists Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie, country stars like Maybelle Carter and Merle Travis and blues legends B. B. King and Lightnin' Hopkins. 

Elsewhere on the web, Grateful Dead fans can binge on recordings of more than 9,000 Dead shows at the Internet Archive. The collection includes concerts recorded by fans, a practice  that the band allowed, and recordings made from the band's soundboard. Other artists with shows in the archive include Ryan Adams, John Mayer, Little Feat and Warren Zevon.

The National Jukebox at the Library of Congress website contains digital copies made from 78rpm records produced between 1901 and 1925. The collection includes early ragtime and songs by Irving Berlin and George M. Cohan.

A few of today's popular artists now sell high-quality recordings of their concerts directly from their websites. The website Live Bruce Springsteen posts recordings from his personal archives as well as recordings made from stops on his recent tours.

At Folk Alley, fans of folk and Bluegrass music can hear live recordings by Tony Rice, John Prine, Arlo Guthrie and Nickel Creek.

For fan recordings, the best source is Sugarmegs, where fans have done a much better job of it than me. The lineup there is a mixture of recent shows by artists such as Jeff Beck, James Taylor and The Rolling Stones along with vintage performances by Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd and even a couple of shows by the Beatles.

By: Ric Manning On 7/06/2014

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