First up, here’s a demo of the new app FingerPlay MIDI, which turns Android into a simple touch controller. True, we’ve seen similar things on iPhone, and Apple’s platform has precise multitouch which Android lacks, but it’s nice to see the concept extended across platforms. Big thanks to postromantic on Twitter for the tip! (Follow cdmblogs for more.)

FingerPlay MIDI

I can’t tell yet if this will be open source – that would actually be nice, I think, as it’d allow the community of developers to have a shared set of tools. (In fact, it seems a logical model would be to cash in on general-market apps and open source the more music-specific, niche stuff.)

In other Android mobile news, Christopher Souvey continues to work on his Musical application and the Musical Pro desktop app. The desktop client works with MIDI over Wifi, and thanks to the Cupcake OS update, latency is greatly reduced after a complete rewrite and the creation of custom drawing and event handling and controls. Check out the slick new tuner and UI Christopher has been developing, too.

http://www.souvey.com/ [blog with all the latest]
http://www.souvey.com/musical/

This play-along piano is probably not something any of you folks desperately need, but it is a good demonstration of what’s possible.

Another interesting thread to follow will be the growing power of Web apps. On Android, you’re already able to combine a Web app with the Java APIs, and going another level, mobile apps with native ARM code for the processor. Translation: while phones still have a fraction of the power of your computer, it’s getting easier for developers to work across platforms and to take advantage of what power is there. That’s leading to trends that could be of use not only to a single platform (Android, iPhone), but to mobile devices in general.

I love the sound bugs make when you squish them under a solution.

AlexP, whose blog is also a great source for multitouch and the Sony PS3 Eye Camera and Windows drivers we used in the recent hackday, has been diagnosing his MacBook under Windows Vista. Hardware problems are often the source of sound blips on computers. I’ve talked previously about using the DPC Latency Checker to find this issue.

The good news: Alexander has found the problem (the Broadcom Wireless Adapter in some Apple MacBooks) and a solution (switching off Windows’ automatic wireless network search when you don’t need it). I actually wonder if a similar problem was culpable in early problems with network WiFi on Mac OS X Leopard. Whatever is going on, check out the fix here if you’re encountering this problem. And let us know if you’re seeing this on machines other than just the MacBook revision F; I’d imagine any PC with a similar wireless adapter might have the issue:

MacBook Rev. F Audio Skipping in Vista Analysis and Solution – Part 2

And yes, hardware/driver problems may frequently manifest as what Windows terms DPCs – basically, a symptom of hardware usage that can interfere with reliable audio performance. I’m curious whether WiFi connections specifically may be a cause in other cases. The problem is almost certainly not limited to computers from Apple – especially since, in this case, the MacBook is just behaving like any PC laptop with similar specs.

We’ve already seen the Nintendo DS used as a wireless WiFi MIDI controller. But if you’re longing for some good, old-fashioned, hard MIDI connections to your DS, too, you’re now in luck.

Natrium42, the creator of homebrew-launcher classic PassMe, has built a multi-purpose serial device for the DS called DSerial. Via his schematics, you can support both MIDI input and MIDI output via standard 5-pin DIN cords.

That’s cool enough, but of course you need something with which to use all that MIDI goodness. Tobias Weyand has updated his DS MIDI application so it now supports both wifi MIDI connections (to a computer) and hardware, cabled MIDI connections (to MIDI-compatible synths, keyboards, controllers, effects, guitar controllers, etc., etc.) That makes your DS into an all-purpose MIDI controller for everything you own. Since the previous name, DSMIDIWiFi, doesn’t cover the full range, Tobias has redubbed the application DSMI. (Sounds like some evil branch of the US Defense Department creating killer, mutant dolphin cyborgs. Actually stands for DS Music Interface.)

And this should soon get even better: Tobias is working on keyboard support via DSerial and DSMI for his DS tracker, NitroTracker, which would make the DS into an all-in-one mini music studio.

Grab your soldering iron and your DS and read up on the details.

The hardware hack (DSerial + MIDI) for adding input and output jacks:
MIDI In/Out Hardware for DS [Natrium42 blog]
Schematics and instructions for MIDI on the DSerial wiki

The software side, for wifi support and/or communications via DSerial + MIDI:
DSMIDIWiFi gets DSerial support and becomes DSMI [0xtob’s DS coding blog]

With its touchscreen input, compact size, internal Nintendo-style synth, and wireless Internet connection, the Nintendo DS has a lot of appeal for music use. The challenge is how to hook it up to a computer. TheRain has a hardware hack called DSMIDI: with a little soldering and hacking, you can connect the DS to a standard MIDI cable via a cartridge.

DSMIDIWiFi goes much further, though: without picking up a soldering iron or connecting a cable, you can use your DS as both a synth and a controller, all over the DS’ WiFi connection. And now, the good news: the software is finished, and the solution is a free download away:

DSMIDIWiFi — Wireless MIDI for the Nintendo DS [Project site, instructions, and download]

In case you haven’t seen it, here’s the video demo:

Server software on your Mac, Windows, or Linux computer translates the WiFi data into MIDI messages for use with whatever music or visual software you like. (As I observed on Create Digital Motion, this could make the DS a very drool-worthy wireless controller for VJs.) Three applications are included, two for control and one for synthesis:

1. X/Y “Kaoss Pad” controller: The must-have for the DS, you can turn the touchscreen into an X/Y controller. This to me is especially exciting, as it’s a natural for the DS hardware and the units are small enough that they could be propped on a keyboard, etc.
2. Keyboard controller: A MIDI keyboard controller sends notes, pitch bend, and MIDI controller adjustments via an on-screen keyboard. Sure, you might not want to use this to replace a hardware keyboard, but it could be great for programming and for controlling other things (triggering clips, running visuals, etc.).
3. DS Synth: The internal sound generator provides vintage Game Boy-like sounds. Now, I know purists prefer the original 8-bit Game Boy, but I kind of like the idea of bringing chiptune music into the 21st Century … especially if means I can rationalize buying a DS Lite. Erm, I mean … uh … going wireless.

The software is the creation of TheRain and Tobias Weyand, the creator of NitroTracker. The good news for you programmers out there is that they’ve completed open-sourced the code, so you could use this as the basis of your own wireless Nintendo DS creations.

Next up: hacking the Wii. (Any takers?)

Previously:

Wireless Nintendo DS Synth and Controller

Mobile Music: Tracker for Nintendo DS, DS Homebrew Music Roundup

And, since you’ll need a way of running this (just as with any homebrew software for DS):
Homebrew Music on Nintendo DS, Now Easier with DS-X Update; LEDs Dance to Music