Speaking of the folks at DJ Tech Tools and modding controllers, my friend Matt Moldover is pushing a new term he’s coined, “controllerism.” Moldover, pictured here with his hacked-up Novation ReMOTE keyboard at the last Handmade Music event from CDM, Etsy, and Make, has a rig that combines custom Reaktor ensembles, Ableton Live, and modified controllers. His idea is I think to separate digital DJs using vinyl (following in the steps of the original turntablists) from those adding other performance elements unique to computers.

For more, here’s Ean Golden’s feature for Remix Magazine:
MUSIC MANEUVERS: Discover the digital turntablism concept, “controllerism,” compliments of Moldover

I’m curious to hear what people think of the idea. I enjoy what Matt’s doing, but I’m less into trying to put a specific label on it. Controllers have long been a part of computer music performance in all genres; I’m not terribly into the term “laptop music”, either, for the same reason. I’m not even into throwing out vinyl yet, either, especially when it can be used to power vibrating chairs and installation art with tree trunks — to say nothing of the folks who are still better at scratching vinyl than most of us are at, well, everything else. (Ironically, here at Create Digital Music I think we tend to be less pro-digital than Ean is, when he suggests anyone not embracing digital is a dinosaur.) Then again, I’m not all that into separating DJs from, you know, music. But regardless, maybe controllerism is a good term. Certainly, having seen Matt play, I think “musician” works pretty well, too.

Matt I know meant to be provocative. So I’m very interested to hear what you think.

What if Kraftwerk’s classic “Computer World” were made today? And, erm, what if Kraftwerk were actually Swedish? For all of you who dare to dream, our friend Audio Objekt has created a re-created version. (Warning: video contains occasional scandalous nude images as social critique, so it could be very briefly not safe for work.)

Sing along:

BLOGG.
INTERNET.
GLOBALISERING.
PIRATKOPIA.

Wow. I suddenly feel really depressed. I think. Actually, maybe I’d better watch that again with my Swedish-English dictionary handy this time.

The YouTube community in general seems to be all about Kraftwerk. Where else would you find people sharing video evidence that Kraftwerk’s “Pocket Calculator” employed a bleepy portable music toy called the Bee Gees Rhythm Mach– wait a second. Forget about Kraftwerk for a second. There’s a Bee Gees Rhythm Machine? Now that’s a beautiful thing. Have a look:

Okay, Akai. You’re going to have to get on the ball, fast. Sure, the new MPCs have all kinds of sophisticated music production capabilities. But can they remix the sultry, animal call of The Cheat, or make the ladies swoon with a solo by Strongbad?*

Onetwo, short video made with looping … uh … things [Homestarrunner.com]
Onetwomixer: MixMastah 800 for mixing it yourself

Yes, a lot of these Flash-based remix tools / mash-up gimmicks have been somewhat … limited … musically-speaking. But this is strangely fun. I dare you to use it live. (If they had only played up the “mash-up” angle, maybe they might have gotten mentioned in Wired. Sigh.)

*Oh, and Akai/MPC fans: I’m kidding.