Recording of the weekly Eigenharp Clubhouse on Google+ Hangouts, March 12, 2012:
http://talkgadget.google.com/hangouts/extras/talk.google.com/eigenharpclubhouse
We’ve talked about:
- MIDI NRPN messages
- DSI Tetra
- general talk about having to choose between analog synth patch saving and detailed live control
- Nord Modular synth suggestion (www.clavia.se/main.asp?tm=Products&clpm=Nord_Modular_G2&clnmm=Information)
- iPad 3 and Alesis docking station compatibility
- demo of the upcoming Fingerer agent
- explanation of the Fingerer’s features
- overview of the Fingerer’s configuration file
- discussion about novel playing style based on the Fingerer’s new features
- geek out time about old computers
Posted in Tip.
Tagged with Clubhouse, Demonstration, Eigenharp, Software instruments, Tip.
By Geert Bevin
– March 13, 2012
Here’s the recording of yesterday’s clubhouse.
We’ve talked about:
- hardware MIDI interfaces and Windows 7 (MOTU Fastlane, iConnectMidi, Alesis USB-MIDI Cable, M-Audio MidiSport 2×2, M-Audio Axiom Pro 49)
- MIDI class compliant versus dedicated drivers for jitter reduction
- Workbench and EigenD 2 factory setups as a migration path
- EigenD audio agent multiple audio outs and ins (correction: not just Workbench, also with Belcanto)
- connecting external audio gear like analog synths into EigenD and control this with software effects using audio units
- virtual audio channels on audio devices (Firewire returns)
- me singing the praise of Metric Halo audio devices 🙂
- small quickly loadable setups versus one big setup with everything
- fingering agent
- step-by-step walkthrough of my new custom setup using the Alpha and Workbench
- audio versus data loopers (SooperLooper versus EigenD recorder)
- in-ears and headroom (Westone models)
- Eigenharp headphone amplifier
Posted in Tip.
Tagged with Clubhouse, Demonstration, Eigenharp, Software instruments, Tip.
By Geert Bevin
– March 6, 2012
We’ve been very hard at working getting EigenD 2.0 out of the experimental phase and into the testing releases. The last stretch for this is rebuilding all the factory setups by only using Workbench, no Belcanto scripts nor EigenCommander. Today I finished Alpha Factory Setup 1. This is the high-level overview without delving into the instrument rigs or expanding the agents … pretty, isn’t it!
Posted in Controllers, Setup, Software.
Tagged with EigenD, Eigenharp, Setup, Workbench.
By Geert Bevin
– February 29, 2012
Here’s the recording of yesterday’s clubhouse.
Low turnout this time, we’re missing you all! I hope to see you during the clubhouse of next week.
Posted in Tip.
Tagged with Clubhouse, Demonstration, Eigenharp, Software instruments, Tip.
By Geert Bevin
– February 28, 2012
I switched the recording of the Clubhouse from Livestream to full HD screencast recording. Every week, I’ll post the recording on YouTube and on EigenZone.
Here’s Clubhouse 22:
We talked about:
- virtual instruments / programming sounds vs plugin & presets
- sustain pedals (make noise, expression pedals don’t)
- Shruthi analog synth http://mutable-instruments.net/shruthi1, Analog synth alternatives (Prophet08, Tetra, Moog), building the Shruthi, Shruthi patches / sounds, other filter boards
- Factory preset tweaking vs programming from scratch. Who had good presets, Adaptation to novel controllers requires tweaking. PianoTeq. Models vs samples, Motu Ethno, Ra, AAS, Orange Tree, Komplete (kontakt, battery), SF2s, KirkHunter, Plugins for live use vs scoring (VSL, as an example), Garritan, LA scoring Strings
- computers (general and remembrance of things past)
- good demos of plugins / eigenharp
- The challenge of ‘getting into’ eigenharp, versatile configurations
- Using CC messages – ways to use the keys to do this
- Playable out of the box but open to configuration – gaining balance. Practice
- tweaking plugins / synths as a good thing for adapting to musical goals
- fun with workbench, focussed (smaller) setups
- drummers
Posted in Tip.
Tagged with Clubhouse, Demonstration, Eigenharp, Software instruments, Tip.
By Geert Bevin
– February 20, 2012
In this video, John Lambert, Chairman of Eigenlabs, explain how this sensitivity was achieved during the engineering process.
The astonishing Eigenharp 3D keys are amazingly sensitive, ten times more so than those on a conventional keyboard. They detect the movement of your finger to within a micron – sensing pressure for volume, side to side for effects and moving up and down for pitch. It’s also fully polyphonic, giving you the expressive power to put real feeling into every single note you play.
Posted in Controllers.
Tagged with DevCon, Eigenkey, Instrument, Keys, Sensitivity.
By Geert Bevin
– February 16, 2012
Recording of the weekly Eigenharp Clubhouse on Google+ Hangouts, February 13, 2012
We’ve talked about:
- Jeff’s going for both an Alpha and a Pico
- how are virtual instruments created, modeled versus sampled
- constraints are different for modeled and sampled, CPU versus memory/bandwidth
- EigenD being open source, agents can be developed independently, DevCon
- leverage the existing papers and alogryhtms and implement them as EigenD agents
- agents can be anything
- programming knowledge needed is Python, C++ fairly straightforward with cfilter example
- different layers of programming
- assembling existing agents into creative synthesizers
- share, import and export rigs (group of agents)
- parallel with MaxMSP patches and externals
- place for sharing the agents, rigs, …
- planetarium show: “Music of the spheres”, Mike Oldfield music, laser show, lacked Eigenharps
- lots of empty planetariums, go out of business, lack of interest, interesting venue to grab
- Google performing arts day in June
- connectivity problems
- log buildings and Eigenharps 😉
- do AU/VST instruments play as nicely as the natively built instruments in EigenD
- EigenD routing matrix, host automation parameters, MIDI CC
- last week’s problem with Omnisphere related to installation problem
- balance between power, flexibility and convenience: hardware synths versus software synths
- Spicy Guitar free guitar modeling plugin
- VST and AUs are merely a de-facto standard, no formal specification that’s good enough
- plugin problems are usually stupid, EigenD ironed out a lot of incompatibility problems now
- no central rig sharing place on the website yet
- EigenD 2 still in experimental phase
- how many Eigenharp Alpha’s are out there in the world
- article in the Atlanta Chronicle about new musical instruments adoption in history
- Google performing arts day follow up
- programming needs continuous practice or you start losing it, goes much quicker than you expect
- http://wikifonia.org : sheet music sharing site with external contributions (transposable)
- great tip, transpose music to C and then transpose back on the Eigenharp, very easy to play
- forums discussion about notation, use cases for notation are being mixed
- you have to really try out notation, both reading and writing to know how suitable they are
- try to use existing software for the notation, Musescore, Sibelius
- WikiFonia uses MusicXML, that could maybe be integrated into an agent
- MusicXML initial experience from Dragica
Posted in Tip.
Tagged with Clubhouse, Demonstration, Eigenharp, Tip.
By Geert Bevin
– February 13, 2012
This is an arrangement of Paradise from Coldplay that was intended to be part of a larger video-collaboration project with other instruments. That project was cancelled. It thought it would nonetheless be interesting to show the Eigenharp Alpha part. So please bear in mind that this was intended to be heard with other musical parts. I debated to add the original Coldplay song in the background but for copyright reasons I don’t want to take the risk.
This uses the following software instruments and effects:
* SonicCouture Glass Works Le Cristal
* Modartt PianoTeq
* Orange Tree Samples Evolution Acoustic Guitar – Steel Strings
* the native EigenD modeled ‘Cello
* Orange Tree Samples Evolution Electric Guitar – Strawberry
* Studio Devil Amp Modeler Pro
* SoftTube CL-1B Compressor
* AirWindows NC-17 Limiter
Hope you like it.
Posted in Controllers, Demonstration, Live, Song.
Tagged with Arrangement, Cover, Demo, Eigenharp.
By Geert Bevin
– February 8, 2012
Recording of the weekly Eigenharp Clubhouse on Google+ Hangouts, February 6, 2012
We’ve talked about:
- sample-based instruments and notes that aren’t part of the original instrument
- plugins versus individual wave files, how instruments are built from samples
- non sample based software instruments
- AAS Chromatone
- use Ableton Live for software instruments
- EigenD soundfont sampler controls
- creating and finding your sound
- DevCon Eigenharp key technology video
- Eigenharp notation brainstorming
- Antonio’s shows
- stories about heights and fear of heights
- percussive and rhythmical playing on the Eigenharp as compared to a guitar
- recommended software instruments when you start out: PianoTeq, NI Komplete, Omnisphere, Ableton Live, AAS
- regular MIDI versus poly mode, host automation parameters, hires note velocity, 14-bit MIDI
- live performance software setup with multiple applications or just one (Mac vs. Windows)
- loops or something else for rhythms, or … : Stylus RMX, Ableton Live, NI Battery
- G+ musicians hangout internet jam, collaboration site suggestion: digitalmusian.net
- preparation for playing Eigenharps together, what do you *really* play?
- challenge, how to fill a particular void in a musical genre
- Eigenharp Alpha in Kelly LLorena’s video
- people love blinking lights, first idea of Illuminator
- Omnisphere problems with saving patches (resolved later on: symlink, permission problems)
Posted in Tip.
Tagged with Clubhouse, Demonstration, Eigenharp, Tip.
By Geert Bevin
– February 6, 2012
Kayla Kavanagh‘s multi-instrumental performance of songs from the album “Stranger than Fiction” at the University of Leeds International Concert Series.
It includes an exclusive ‘behind the scenes’ look at all the technology and instruments Kayla’s using.
Posted in Controllers, Live, Song.
Tagged with Eigenharp, Live, Performance, Pico, Song.
By Geert Bevin
– February 1, 2012
