dubSpot, the West Coast + East Coast music technology training center is doing an eight-city tour of the US to talk about Ableton Live 8 and the Akai APC40 controller. They’re enlisting some of my favorite people to do the workshops. I like the curriculum: it’s not just “here’s how to use Live,” but a real focus on music production, finishing actual music, and pushing the envelope with live visuals, onstage performance and controllers. We also have a $25 discount exclusively for CDM readers if you want to attend.

I want to thank dubSpot for helping sponsor CDM this month – their support makes possible our own free tutorial content and artist coverage slated for later in May.

The tour kicks off this week in San Francisco, but will travel to other US cities soon (dates to be announced; stay tuned).

The artists doing the instruction are some folks whose work I particularly enjoy:

At long last, the Yamaha Tenori-On, the unusual sampling/sequencing instrument bestrewn in light-up buttons, is getting its worldwide release.

And it’s going to be an amazing party.

Launch cities:

• Frankfurt and Berlin, Germany
• Paris, France
• Montreal, Quebec
• New York, NY
• San Francisco, CA
• (most appropriately) Tokyo, Japan

The tour kicks of in Frankfurt first on March 12, then hits the other towns April 8 – 25, finishing where the Tenori-On was born: Tokyo.

Launch artists:

If you’re going to San Francisco (or, like, live there), come hang with some fellow laptop and electronic musicians at a special Macworld edition of the Backlit Lounge electronica party, which has been featured regularly on the CDMusic forums. I’ll be playing a featured set myself, and it looks like a great lineup. It’s the most logical place for CDMusic readers to meet up during Macworld week — especially since it’s free to all, even without an expo pass. Maybe I’ll bring a flag.

If you plan on coming, say hi in comments or email me directly. (I may just check out early, since I have to lead a day-long presentation Friday!)

And if you want to play yourself, I think the organizers are still accepting more players; head to the Myspace page below.

Macworld goers, this is very close to the Moscone Center.

Backlit Lounge SF
San Francisco’s Laptop/Electronica Lounge
January 10, 6 pm to 2 am
Rx Gallery
132 Eddy Street, San Francisco [Map]

Information, friend adds, photos, video, and those interested in performing:
backlitloungesf @ Myspace

Video series on the event, so you can relive Backlit Lounges vicariously (pour yourself a beer or two):
Backlit Lounge @ revver

See also the visual salon with workshops and VJ jam on Thursday night.