In case you haven’t heard, having already made the leap to iPhone, ReBirth is now available in a new version re-conceived for the iPad. (Happily, Propellerhead resisted the temptation to call it ReBirth HD.) It’s a sign of the maturity of music software that there can be a “classic” production tool – and a bit of irony that that a major feature of that tool is, in turn, emulating the Roland TB-303, TR-808, and TR-909 bass synth and drum machines.

Propellerhead has done a really nicely-produced video that explains what they think the tool is about, complete with some well-executed screencasts so you see it in action. But for all the buzz this release has generated this week, it’s worth asking – how will people actually make music on these new platforms? Where does a tablet (any tablet, not just Apple’s) fit into a workflow? And what does this mean for music making?

One of the things I enjoy about talking to Propellerhead CEO Ernst Nathorst-Böös is that, when you ask him a question, he often answers with other compelling questions. (That seems to be a common feature of a lot of the most successful music software developers.) I think the video does a good job of talking about how ReBirth could conceivably work as a standalone production tool. But as for what iOS software means in the grander scheme of music production, in this case, we’ve got questions – and you, digital music creators, may be the ones who discover the answers.

Ernst tells CDM what they as developers want to know from you, and how they’re approaching ReBirth on iPad. (And yes, if you prefer a netbook, you can still do that, too, even if you’ve installed Linux.)

CDM: Propellerhead advanced notions of inter-application interoperability for music software with ReWire (alongside REX, Remote). There’s a desire from users and developers to find ways of maintaining the “one app at a time” focus of things like the iPad, but also being able to make the sum of those apps better than their parts alone. It’s just intuitive – you’re using one app, and then switch to another app, and it makes sense to take some of your musical ideas with you. Do you think there’s an opportunity for innovation here? Have you looked at all at third-party APIs like AudioCopy?

There’s absolutely room for innovation, and yes we have looked at AudioCopy. The way we decided to approach conversion to various formats in ReBirth for iPad is to let the user upload the actual song document (which is very small) to a server where we render out the mp3, integrate it with Facebook, build a small web page etc. This provides a much more flexible approach, we think. And yes, it is also innovative . With this approach we are only limited by what we can do on that server, in terms of exchange with other applications and even platforms. This potentially opens a lot of doors.

But what I think you actually asked about was getting some of the workflow we have on the desktop today – via plug-ins, ReWire and file exchange for example – to the iPad and iPhone. Here I have to say that I don’t feel at all sure about what the right approach is. And why I say that is that is because I don’t feel we know how people use these apps yet. On the desktop, the prices are high enough for us to assume that what people buy is also what they actually use when making music. On the mobile platforms, I’m not sure that is the case. Take, for example, the Korg iMS-20. It looks absolutely awesome and I think Korg did an amazing job on it, hats off. It’s just 16 bucks and ReBirth is just 15 so you can buy either (or both!) without thinking about it as an investment. But how will people actually use the iMS-20? Or ReBirth? Or NanoStudio? Is it mainly recreational, and the result is less important than the experience? Or do they really want take that work, add more stuff in other apps (guitars? vocals?) and publish it? Or does even adding that possibility add a level of pretension that kills the joy? Are we better off isolating the apps from each other completely to keep the fun in? OK, maybe that was extreme, I don’t think that is the right path at all of course, but you get how I’m thinking. Propellerhead wants to make what people *really* need, and when great shifts like these happen, finding out what that is takes some time. As we’re building, we’re also watching, very closely.

We at PropellerHeadQuarters would love to hear from users here on CDM and elsewhere how you actually use your iPhone and iPad apps and what your real needs are? Not just what would be cool, but what would be really useful in your music making.

One of the criticisms of ReBirth on iPhone – aside from lack of screen area – was that it was just a direct port of the PC version. Now, it looks like something very different, something really built for the platform. What was added here above and beyond ReBirth as we know it on the PC?

Yes, cramming all of ReBirth onto a phone was by definition a compromise. We think we did a great job, given the limitations. But on the iPad we could really go nuts. We redesigned the whole panel with new beautiful graphics. We added multitouch — now I can use all of my eleven fingers to tweak the knobs, which is actually much cooler then the original mouse-driven version. We improved editing and added a pattern selection, performance-type mode. We put a nice little song browser in and then of course the sharing, direct to Facebook in MP3 format without having to have any other service in between.

Thanks for the preview, Ernst. And yes, readers — the call is out. We’ve heard from people who love the iPad and similar platforms; we’ve certainly heard from those who don’t. But those of you who do intend to use these platforms for music — what do you actually want to do? You could conceivably ask for anything, so what’s most important to your music making? We hear about users wanting things like AudioCopy — how would you use it, and with which tools? Propellerhead has had your ear; now’s your chance to have theirs.

I just picked up a $280 Asus netbook and installed Ubuntu on it. ReBirth seemed a perfect addition; its compact-sized UI, lightweight processing and memory requirements, and simple functions are the ideal companion to a netbook. And, thanks to Propellerhead, it also happens to be free.

If you stick with Windows, just download and go. On Linux, though, you have to give the installer some help to see the install disc. (Why install Linux? I’m finding Ubuntu is just fine for battery life, and I wanted to take advantage of the OS’ optimizations for netbooks and its flexibility for the work I do, audio and otherwise. Windows 7 Starter, by contrast, I found slow and painfully hobbled.) You’ll need WINE, a Windows compatibility tool, in order to run this Windows app in Linux without virtualization.

Here’s what to do, adapted from a forum discussion on the topic.

First, mount the disc. I’m assuming you’ve downloaded to a folder called “Downloads” in your home directory:

mkdir /files/media/rebirth
sudo mount -o loop ~/Downloads/rebirth*.iso /files/media/rebirth
wine /files/media/rebirth/"Install ReBirth RB-338.EXE"


The trick is, while ReBirth is free, it does check to see if you have the CD the first time you load it. Even though the disc is mounted, it’s not mounted in a way programs in WINE can see it. The fix: make a shortcut to WINE’s virtual “E:” drive:

cd ~/.wine/dosdevices
ln -s /files/media/rebirth e:
ln -s ~/Downloads/rebirth*.iso e::

That’s it. Now you can go enjoy some soft synth history. 13 years after its introduction and five years after it reached the end of its life, ReBirth is still a lot of fun. I hope we see software get longevity like this more often. (I plan to work out some other tweaks for my setup here, so I may add to this guide later; stay tuned.)

More:
ReBirth Museum, with community, resources, and more
ReBirth port for iPhone, plus Q&A on that version

Anyone else running ReBirth on WINE? Other tips for netbooks running Windows or Linux? Shout out.

The software synthesizer has come full circle. What was once possible only with a mid-range desktop computer is now easily accomplished with a sub-$200 device that rests in your hand and sips power. That transformation, once something people regarded in some vague time in the future, is now one that’s very present. I expect a lot of the hand-wringing about the future (some of it from me) comes from the uncertainty about just what it’ll mean. For some small glimpse, though, it’s nice to get to talk to Propellerhead CEO Ernst Nathorst-Böös.

ReBirth is a tool that convinced a lot of people that computers could stand in for dedicated music hardware. Now that it’s on an iPhone or iPod touch or iPad, there’s no question we’ve reached a benchmark. Ernst was nice enough to send some thoughts on a Saturday evening. (I do think he used a QWERTY keyboard to do it, so please, let’s refrain from too many prognostications about how new devices will eliminate the need for furniture or oxygen, etc.) There are some interesting thoughts here, and I expect fuel for others contemplating what to do with new mobile devices. And yes, this is a direct port: believe it. There’s a lot these plucky mobile chips can do.

Peter: What made you guys decide to make the leap? How did it come about?

Ernst: We’ve been watching the iPhone/Touch/iPad development closely. Monitoring what others are doing, thinking about how it fits in what what we are trying to achieve. And honestly, I haven’t personally seen anything yet that really points to the future in the way I have seen it happen a couple of times before in my life (MIDI, computers, DAWS, the whole incredible transition we’ve been going through in the years since I started making music). It’ll happen, that’s for sure, it just hasn’t yet.

And Rebirth for iPhone is not that. It is a comeback of something that changed the scene as long as thirteen years ago. There’s a bit of nostalgia involved, but truth is, the program amazingly enough still beats the s*** out of a lot of what is going on iPhone right now, when it comes to inspiring you to create and experiment and actually make a whole track. Which is exactly what the app was about all the way back in 1997.

As for how it came about, the ReBirth idea had been lurking in the back of our heads since long and then the opportunity to work with Retronyms came about and – well, we just did it.

What’s the workflow like here? The audio output of these devices is okay, but not great. I see there’s a share button – how do you imagine people might use this? (How have folks around the Props office started using it?)

We imagine people using it in may ways. To kill some time on the bus. To try ideas and get inspired. To create beats and loops for other compositions. To work together with friends, collaborate and exchange ideas. And hopefully in ways we haven’t thought of. The sharing features we have now are very functional and straightforward. You just upload the doc and tell your friends about it so they can access it. However, it’s easy to dream up extensions to those and we will monitor closely how people use it and what they will be asking for.

I see that right now it just scales to the iPad; are you planning an iPad-native version?

We never comment on future releases, simply because we don’t want to disappoint anyone. But of course we are looking at the iPad. But there are a lots of things we want to do. The iPad is a slightly different beast, compared to the phone and Tocuh and we prefer to get it right rather than to be first.

How different is this from the original ReBirth, aside from the obvious difference of using touch? In terms of sounds and features, were you able to add anything? Did you have to compromise anywhere to make it run on these devices?

This is a 100% port. It sounds exactly the same and is completely file compatible. No compromises. We only omitted functional stuff, like being able to load any Mod. But no, nothing added either, except sharing. It’s cool that the iPhone doesn’t have a file system, but it also forces you to think differently and we don’t want to try to put round pegs in square holes.

I have to ask – are you concerned at all with all of these little widgets that this thing is hard to see?

We worked hard on the navigation, the zooming and panning, to make it feel natural. It was hard since there are so many controls on the screen (look at the 808!) and you need to move around quickly and fluently while never risking changes to the document. I really like how it turned out.

It seems to me that there’s a debate on about how interfaces should evolve. In some ways, it seems that we could use new UI elements with the advent of touch interfaces, not just replicate hardware. On the other hand, replicating hardware almost works better with touch access
than it does with a mouse. Is this something you think about, as well?

I completely agree. The hardware metaphor is serving us well, but it’s just one way to go. But on something like the iPhone and iPad it really makes a lot of sense, maybe even more than in a mouse controlled environment. However, if you ask me, those control surfaces that you connect to control aspects of the software you are already running on your computer just don’t cut it. Then a hardware control is actually better, at least in in my personal opinion. Apple’s devices are all integrated, touch interface and machinery in one, and that’s a completely different thing, very exciting for the future!

http://rebirthapp.com/

ReBirth, the Roland groovebox emulation that helped launch the popularity of soft synths, is now on Apple’s mobile devices for US$6.99. (I woke up to a note from Propellerheads’ CEO Ernst left in my inbox overnight, so thanks, Ernst, for the tip!)

This is not the native iPad version MusicRadar predicted after an interview with Ernst. For now, iPads scale up the iPhone interface. But a version with “native” resolution for the tablet seems a no-brainer down the road.

Feature list:

2 x TB-303 Bassline synths
TR-808 Drum Machine
TR-909 Drum Machine
Pattern Controlled Filter
Distortion unit
Compressor
Mixer
5 user mods
Pattern sequencing
Full automation
Combine patterns to build songs
Share songs with other ReBirth users

Full details: http://rebirthapp.com/

I have a few questions about this tool that I hope to get answered. I do wonder, for one, whether people in Sweden have some sort of superhuman vision that allows them to see incredibly tiny (ahem) user interface widgets. I’ll have to test this on my iPod touch. On the other hand, the faux hardware knobs and buttons actually seem to me to make more sense on a touch device than they did with a mouse, so that element could be a lot of fun. In a way, I’m sort of happy that they did a direct port like this, visually – the only way to tell if it makes sense for you is to give it a try. I’ll reserve judgment until I do.

Updated: I did get a chance to verify the export workflow, and unfortunately… there is none. Ernst confirms:

You can import files from the Rebirth Song archive and from your computer (via a web page), but not export to anything but iPhones.

That’s a deal-breaker for me personally, because I like the handheld as a way to sketch ideas for the desktop, not just via audio. Hopefully that’s something that can be addressed. I’m sure for the way other folks work it may be less of an issue. Stay tuned; I’m putting together an overview of all the various musical apps in terms of how you could integrate them with your creative process on your laptop or studio machine.

Synthtopia has some good thoughts on why this release matters. You can tell from the exclamation points what the review may be:
ReBirth Is Back! Turns Your iPhone, iPad Into A Techno Studio!

I’m also interested to know more about that sharing workflow, and how you might use this in a studio, beyond just connecting the audio out headphone jack of your device.

Of course, if you don’t have an Apple mobile, you can still get the original ReBirth for free, for Windows, meaning various tablets and netbooks can run this, too. (It’s ReBirth Everywhere! Speaking of which, I still need to try to make it run in WINE on Linux – anyone done that?)

In the meantime, enjoy; have a great weekend, everyone. I’m back to notating a conventional score, using paper, a pen, and a laptop. Kids, ask your parents.

Updated: questions answered.
ReBirth, Reborn, as Synths in your Hand: Q+A with Ernst Nathorst-Böös

Very often, computers and music gear greedily consume whole corners of the room. Here’s a tidy alternative, modest in space consumption as well as in cost.

So, what’s so wonderful about DIY creations by our friend Sasa Djuric (aka fibra)? It isn’t just that his stands are recycled from monitor stand parts. It’s not just because the free ReBirth for Windows and an Asus netbook make for a wonderfully affordable computer music station. It’s not even that his cases for the x0xb0x 303 clone and a MIDIbox project are beautifully executed, or that magnets on the stands more effectively support those gadgets and place them in an ergonomic position.

What’s wonderful to me is that these designs relate the scale of those music-making objects to human hands. You just want to put your fingers on these devices and make some music.

From the Flickr set, Sasa explains:

This universal stand was part of the monitor once. I attached a piece of thick still and and 2 neodymium magnets recycled from hard drive.

[on the now-free-as-in-beer software running on the Asus netbook] …yes, in the name of good old times. ReBirth was my very first step in music making. I couldn`t even imagine I`ll build myself clones of all those machines.

He tells CDM:

I used 2 stands that are leftovers from monitors that are installed into an info kiosk. One is bigger than other which is allows me to cascade few machines. This was a really quick project as I used what I had laying around. Thick piece of steel is wood joint. Magnets are from a hard drive; the
tin plates glued on the eee and other machines are cutout from CDROM drive case, rubber comes from a blood pressure meter…
pretty much everything is recycled.
Besides the x0xb0x and eee you recognized, you can also see a ClockBox – MIDI clock generator (midibox project).

Really beautiful work – economic use of materials, clever design, and it could let you put a drum machine in your kitchen so you can cook music and food for a brilliant evening.

More on the elements of this project:
The x0xb0x is a fully open-source 303 bassline clone
The clockbox is a project based on the Midibox platform (see site, blog)
The Liliputing blog has great netbook coverage
ReBirth lives on as freeware at the ReBirth Museum. This is Windows, but if you don’t want to swap Windows onto your netbook, you can run it in WINE on Linux. (have to try that myself!)
Flickr set

All photos by Sasa Djuric, used by permission.