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Re: MIDI Data looping (Go to buzztrack.com)



If any of this is available on the Mac platform, I'd appreciate hearing
about it.  And where is" Tim Thompson's website" to be found?  Thanks.

David Myers

> 
> KeyKit is beautiful. I've been looking for something like this for eons.
> Thanks for the link! I've yet to try BuildingBlocks... it sounds like
> Buzz for midi. If that's the case, I'd pay a lot more than 100 bucks...
> 
> Speaking of Buzz, I must must must plug it all I can. It's incredible.
> Everyone needs it. It's not useful for realtime, but having grown up on
> trackers, I couldn't live without it. It's been compared to ProTools, yet
> it's free! Anyone who composes anything must use it. USE IT.
> 
> sorry. I'd describe it further, but the buzztrackers do a better job than
> I ever could.
> 
> -><-
> 
> On Thu, 10 Aug 2000, Timoth E. Gard wrote:
> 
>>> Tell me more about KeyKit and BuildingBlocks.  I've looked at both of
>> these in
>>> the past but have never had the time try them.
>> 
>> KeyKit is the bomb when it comes to algorithmic composition. But I find
>> it's also good for some real-time processing. There's a mixed 
>text/graphics
>> interface with lots of tools for dealing with tracks, controllers, 
>phrases,
>> etc. There's even more statistically advanced features like the ability 
>to
>> create new tracks based on general characteristics of another 
>track/phrase
>> (Markov Maker). The data stream is in text form, so it's quite easy to
>> manipulate. Plus, I think it's been ported to every platform but 
>Atari2600.
>> It's very small and efficient. Check out Tim Thompson's website. There's
>> plenty more info there, plus he has some of the tools available in
>> web-accessible form. Cool.
>> 
>> Whereas KeyKit is mostly programmatical and composition-oriented,
>> BuildingBlocks is mostly graphical and performance-oriented. You have 
>small
>> modules that perform different tasks (note in, echo, arpeggiators) and 
>you
>> graphically connect them, i.e. drag a line from the output of one to the
>> input of another. Oh, and it's also set up to allow input from the
>> keyboard, from mice and from joysticks (2 buttons or 3!). Since the
>> learning curve is shorter for me with BB, I tend to favor it for 
>capturing
>> peformance ideas on the fly. It has a very LEGO feel to it. And don't 
>rule
>> it out for composing -- one fellow just used it as the major composition
>> engine in a minimalist piece. I can't recall his name right now. It's on
>> the BB website.
>> 
>> Wow. How's that for a sales pitch? Which reminds me, KeyKit is FREE, 
>and BB
>> is under $100 (don't remember the exact price).
>> 
>>> Probably not what you're after, but I've played around with combining a
>>> mouse-to-MIDI program (mouse movement generates two MIDI CC data 
>streams)
>> with a
>>> wireless (infrared) mouse.  It's fun!
>> 
>> That's a great idea! Sounds like fun. BB might be down your alley.
>> 
>>> What kind of MIDI do you want to transmit (wirelessly)?
>> 
>> I want the whole MIDI stream wireless. I have a WX5 wind controller 
>(MIDI
>> sax) and I want to be able to walk around without dragging a cord behind
>> me, just like guitarists get to do. MidiMan used to make one, but no
>> longer, and the company Aquila won't return my inquiries. Some people 
>have
>> suggested using a wireless network card, but the mod on that seems a bit
>> over my head. The primary issue is error correction. I've been wondering
>> about wireless modems (radio, not infrared, then there's no 
>line-of-sight
>> issues), but have been too busy on other projects to jump into that 
>quagmire.
>> 
>> Of course, if anyone else thinks this is a cool idea...
>> 
>> Hope all of this helps somebody, anybody.
>> 
>> Tim
>> http://www.quiltedfish.com