Monthly Archive for May, 2005

Propaganda: podcast creation tool by Mixmeister

Published on May 30, 2005 in podcast. 1 Comment


While checking for the latests versions of Mixmeister software, the excellent audio tool for crafting MP3 mixes, (they’re at release 6.0 now), I also noticed they just released Propaganda, a Windows software for creating p0dcasts. They’ve built it on the Mixmeister engine: accurate automatic detection of BPM (tempo) and downtime (1st beat of a measure), flawless time-stretching (speeding a song up or down without changing the pitch) and manipulation through a timeline based editor.

They also discovered a better way to limit the capabilities of their demo versions: instead of shutting the program down after 15 minutes – which is always unpleasant when you’re in the middle of trying something out – you now have a voice-over every 5 minutes that announces the fact that you’re using a trial version. At $49 for the full version, this is a good choice for any podcaster who wants an easy-to-use solution to create his programs.

If you’re more of a DJ, try one of the Mixmeister series (there’s a free trial version for each of them):

  • MixMeister Express 6 ($50)
  • MixMeister Studio 6 ($170 – key detection and mutiple mixes)
  • MixMeister Pro 6 ($280 – with video support).

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Genesis of some famous sounds

Published on May 27, 2005 in music. Closed

Excellent posts in the Music Thing Blog about the way some of the famous sounds of everyday life were created:

Mac Startup Sound: Jim Reekes (1991)

“The startup sound was done in my home studio on a Korg Wavestation. It’s a C Major chord, played with both hands stretched out as wide as possible (with 3rd at the top, if I recall). This just sounded right to me. I wanted something really fat, heavy bass, high notes, and a sharp attack. The chiffy sound was from pan pipes and something like a stick hit (I’m testing my memory here). I wanted lots of evolving timbres, stereo phasing, and reverb for further richness.”

THX Sound: James ‘Andy’ Moorer (1982)

“There are various theories on the web about how the THX sound was created – some people say it was a Yamaha CS-80, others that it was a Synclavier. I emailed Andy Moorer to ask how it was really made. The short answer was ‘On a big-ass mainframe computer at LucasFilm’.”

Windows Startup Sound: Brian Eno (1995)


The thing from the agency said, ‘We want a piece of music that is inspiring, universal, blah-blah, da-da-da, optimistic, futuristic, sentimental, emotional,’ this whole list of adjectives, and then at the bottom it said ‘and it must be 3 1/4 seconds long’.

Intel Inside Sound: Walter Werzowa (1994)


The breakthrough came when he stared at the words ‘Intel Inside’ and started to sing them. He used 4ths and 5ths, because they’re the most common intervals worldwide. It took ten days to record. Walter is a big synth collector (he says he hasn’t got ‘all of them’). For the Intel sound he used 40+ layers, including a DX7, Oberheim OBX, Prophet VS, Emulator IIIx, Roland S760 and his beloved Jupiter 8, which was the first synth he ever bought. He used lots of marimba and xylophone sounds because they ‘sound corporate’.

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Jobs announces Podcasts in iTunes

Published on May 23, 2005 in music and podcast. 1 Comment


If this is true, it could change the landscape for podcasting significantly: Apple is jumping on the podcast wagon:

Steve Jobs just revealed at the D: All Things Digital Conference that iTunes 4.9 will add support for podcasts. With one click you’ll be able to subscribe to different feeds and have them automatically delivered to your iPod without using a third-party app like iPodder. Youll be able to search through a directory of available podcasts (producers will be able to register their podcasts with the iTunes Music Store), but users will have the option of adding whatever feeds they want to iTunes. The other big news: Jobs says that he would consider selling podcasts through the iTunes Music Store, something which should have Audible just a little worried.
(from Engadget – also on oreilly.com and sixapart.com)

Some reflections:

  • there should be a big impact on the market of commercial podcast clients like iPodderX (for Mac). Why pay for something that ships right out of the box in iTunes?
  • The .Net based, Windows-only Doppler still has a lot of bells and whistles that iTunes probably won’t have in the beginning, but they should focus on support for all things non-Apple: Windows Media Player and maybe RealPlayer, WMA, Ogg-Vorbis audio formats (and maybe conversion), mobile phones and PDAs, …
  • the Python based iPodder software loses some of its attraction: iTunes is also cross-platform. I don’t think iTunes will build in BitTorrent support soon, but that is a minor Unique Selling Proposition. They probably have to do the same as Doppler: go broader than Apple.
  • selling podcasts through iTunes … That is one step closer to allowing people to sell music straight from musician to the end-user, bypassing record companies and record stores. So wouldn’t Amazon be interested to be in this game too?
  • will Apple do some kind of screening of the content? I can not imagine an American public company providing a directory where anyone can say just anything, First Amendment or not. So there will probably be a special iTunes podcast directory, with a Code of Conduct to be signed before inclusion, and any complaint about illegal music (mashups?), blasphemy, four-letter words or politically incorrect opinions will get you thrown out.
  • what about podcast hosting? If Apple wants to make a buck selling podcasts, they can sure make money hosting the content. They have the experience hosting media for the Apple trailers and iTunes Music store, access to cheap hardware (for them anyway) and bandwidth and experience with micro-payment. Or can they find a business model where they host for free (but with a higher quality level than the idisk.mac.com service) in exchange for something else?
  • will Microsoft do something similar? Build podcast support into Windows Media Player? It would make a lot of sense: with WMA, they own the only audio format that is a worthy competitor for MP3 (basically only Apple’s iPod players do not support it). And maybe a podcast plugin for the MSN Spaces service?
  • will Google do something with podcasts? An modified version of Blogger with better podcast support (provide RSS feeds, god forbid)? Provide media hosting in exchange for searching the content and meta-data?

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La Gamba Sinistra: italian tango

Published on May 20, 2005 in Tango. 2 Comments


I just spent a wonderful five days on a tango course in Italy. Life at the Abano Ritz (Abano Terme, near Venice) is quite enjoyable, and the teachers Marisa & Oliver and Birkit & Muzaffer were excellent.

Since it was my first tango holiday abroad, I did learn quite a lot:

  • I’m not nearly as good in milonga (the simple style you dance in the often crowded tango salons) as I want to be. Being able to do two ganchos one after the other with a nifty little adorno in between is nice, but I enjoyed the simple milonga lessons the most (variations on the paso basico, …)
  • As corny as “Holistic Holiday dedicated to Argentine Tango, Friendship and the Joy of Living” (cf tango-argentino.org) may sound, that was exactly was it was. The Italian food and drink, the hot water swimming pool, the sun, the foot massages, and that combined with tango dancing. Really a great way to spend a holiday.
  • There’s more music you can tango on than the traditional Buenos Aires Gardel and Piazzolla tunes: I of course knew The Gotan Project, but apparently I should also check out Bajo Fondo Tango Club and Carlos Libedinsky (via tangonoticias.com). You can also dance to more western music like Grace Jones, Sting and Van Morrison (as can be found on Neotango.com)
  • Experienced tango dancers sure know their tango music: song titles, orchestra styles, voices of singers. The knowledge I gather while creating the Tango Musica podcast will come in handy.
  • Life ain’t fair. Men’s tango shoes can have heels up to 35mm (1.38″). Girls can go up to 80mm (3.14″). Raise that chin!
  • The prejudices about Italians are largely based on the truth. As a man, I of course have no experience with the Italian macho seduction skills, but both men and women seem to have a natural tendency towards careless arrogance.

    As far as geography goes, you can never know too much about Italy. If you meet an Italian in Japan and ask where he’s from, he won’t say he’s from Italy. Instead he’ll name some obscure Italian city, assuming you know the ins and outs of his country.
    (from americangirlsareeasy.com)

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