Our stream experiment worked – thanks for enduring it! So, we did get a very basic stream going and were able to successfully broadcast over 3rd Ward’s network. I imagine it was generally not so interesting if you tuned in (we had some equipment and camera placement issues). However, it functioned a proof of concept, and in future we can actually make it much more interesting, with videos of projects queued, more interaction, and camera + audio that actually brings you the event. So thanks for those of you who helped (who also clued us into making chat work on IRC as well as ustream), and looking forward to our first proper livecast!

This is entirely experimental, but I’ll be broadcasting live from Handmade Music tonight in Brooklyn. Drop by and have a look at what’s going on. 7:30pm Eastern (that’s GMT -4) is when the event begins. We may be able to switch on earlier than that, but I’ll at least try to have something up by then. Note that we may not be able to have someone live on chat through the evening, so you could get a fishtank experience, but I’ll try to get folks to come say hi through the evening.

And of course, if you’re in the New York area, you can just drop by yourselves and have free beer.

Here’s a cruel joke for you: the first day of Frankfurt’s Musikmesse trade show? The date on which all the music tech press releases for the show have dated their embargo? April First.

Now, to me, the whole point of April Fool’s is surprise, or at least humor. April Fool’s has become so obligatory that everything from faux press releases to blog posts are dedicated to the topic whether they were inspired or not. So, you know what? No April Fool’s Day here. Anything covered on this site tomorrow will be – to the best of my knowledge, anyway – real. (Or as near reality as we ever get.)

Ironically, news in our world is so unsurprising, any interesting news is immediately suspected of being fake. Teenage Engineering’s Operator-1 is so cool looking that, aside from concerns it may not ship, some of you have gone so far to worry the whole thing is an elaborate April Fool’s prank. (One clue that that’s nonsense: it was announced on March 30. It even missed the Ides of March.)

But there you go: case in point. Reality actually can be cool. So we’ll stay away from the pranks this year, and any foolery will be of the technological kind. Enjoy.

I’ve just finished my first full day of the Game Developer Conference. While this is not Create Digital Games, there are some real highlights here, from ideas in music and visual production and experimental interface design to the work to promote and codify interactive music at the Interactive Audio SIG. Between GDC and the usual cast of characters in San Francisco, there’s a remarkable roster of folks. Text is in drafts, so stay tuned. The fundamental contradiction of all writing is that of being and recording your being. But to me, beneath headlines about development products or new games, these things are never-repeated assemblages of interesting people – and they’re usually the ones with the stories. If you happen to be around, give a holler.

I’m also connecting with our friends at Boing Boing and Boing Boing Offworld, and we’ll have some joint coverage this week and next. They’re crazy enough to be doing a live video stream, so if it’s during the day West Coast time you can see what they’re up to:

Once a month, CDM goes from its virtual state to a sort of augmented reality existence in Brooklyn. (In Williamsburg, no less, which has itself been augmenting itself into neighborhoods formerly known as Bushwick.) Tonight is one of those times.

If you’re in Brooklyn, you should come enter our physical dimensions so you can:

• make your own NoiseToy with Loud Objects’ Tristan Perich, and take it home for the low, low price of ten clams. (Dollars, though I think clams are actually worth more at the moment. I’ll eat the clams.)
• witness strange, wonderful things happen in the areas of audiovisual virtual reality and free, new sequencers for Mac and PC
• watch me make a fantastic musical Processing sketch work, shipped over the Interwires from Spain!
• hang out with us and discuss our other projects that don’t work (because, really, that’s part of the process

TONIGHT = 7:30 pm (drop by late if you must) = Brooklyn, here

If you are separated from Brooklyn by time and space, fret not. I’m working on a site that will start to document these projects, and we’re extending our geographical dimensions so that these events start happening in other cities / countries / continents (perhaps among the all-Firefox crowd in Antarctica, where I gather they use Linux as they actually are penguins).

Also, a lot of these hardware and software projects are available for your consumption — sometimes free (as in beer and freedom), so we can all share the love.

For instance, learn about / acquire a Noise Toy on the Noise Toy site!
http://www.loudobjects.com/kit/

But it’s my belief that the future of CDM really depends on the interplay between physical and virtual reality in all sorts of dimensions. That is, so long as in the process I don’t become unstuck from time. I’ve watched Lost / Doctor Who, and that often ends badly.

It’s time again for Handmade Music, the party – musical performance – science fair geek-out for musicians and the musi-curious. We’ve got an amazing lineup this month if you happen to be in the New York area. We’ll have some usual raucus racket noise-making time, but also a full live performance from a DIY gamelan ensemble. (I’ll see if I can set up a live stream, too.) And if you have a hardware or software project you’d like to show off, check out our call for works. Remember – it doesn’t have to be done / entirely working; this is a chance to get some feedback from fellow makers. We’re all learning.

Event Details

Presented by createdigitalmusic.com with our friends at music trend-setters XLR8R.com, DIY bible makezine.com, self-made marketplace Etsy.com, and artists’ facility 3rd Ward

7:30pm, Thursday, February 19
3rd Ward is located at 195 Morgan Ave., at the corner of Stagg St., in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
(near the Grand St L train)
Directions
RSVP: handmade@3rdward.com

Sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon, with free beer while it lasts!

This Month

Handmade Music 2/19 features special guest Electric Junkyard Gamelan. Composer/founder Terry Dame and ensemble members will demonstrate the self-created instruments, and will provide a unique live performance.
Terry Dame’s Electric Junkyard Gamelan

Also in February, a free hands-on: learn the basics of musical electronics without any previous experience, and without even picking up a soldering iron. Using the PAiA ribbon controller kit, a kit you can assemble on a business card with a graphite pencil as your only tool, you’ll make a simple sound-making circuit that you can apply to many other projects. Come early while the PAiA kits still last.

Learn musical electronics without soldering
Provided through the generosity and ingenuity of PAiA Electronics

Newcomers to music and electronics alike welcome, as always (and you, too, can make a ribbon controller kit).

Call for Works

Got a project you want to show off? We’d love to have you bring it round for the show-and-tell / racket-making portion of the evening.

Call for Works [direct link, Google Docs]