Key Of Grey

September 5th, 2010 - Sometimes even your favorite songs become lodged into your head and it's difficult to get them out. That's the problem with catchy songs, sometimes they're too successful. Unhearit is a website that uses brute force to dig that earworm out. By cycling through another catchy song in a random playlist, the idea is that another song will take hold, forcing out the song that's been driving you crazy. Whether this new song will be better or not is ... Read More

June 10th, 2010 - Aviary, developer of online audio editor Myna and a host of graphic design applications, has released Roc, an online music creation tool. Unlike Myna (which I assume will be integrated into Roc later down the road according to their feature list), Roc is a grid based sequencer. While Myna allows you to drag in waveforms and loop them, Roc is similar to piano rolls and matrix sequencers. The beta below allows you to sequence single note instruments (eg. a ... Read More

May 29th, 2010 - Soundation Studio is a "powerful online sequencer with 11 real time effects, 3 synthesizers, a drum machine and a fully integrated Sound Shop". Sessions can be saved with a free account, or songs can be exported for downloading. While you can browse around 400 loops and create your own melodies using a simple synthesizer, it's the Sound Shop part that's interesting. As far as I can tell, Soundation Studio's revenue model is based upon buying loop packs for ... Read More

March 25th, 2010 - I've written about Hobnox's AudioTool before, a browser-based app that allows you to play around with emulations of drum machines, synths, and the ToneMatrix (a Monome-esque grid sequencer). At the time, it was fun toy to play around with, but I found it hard to create anything meaningful. The new Firestarter has changed up the formula a fair bit. Now, along with a much improved interface and snappier performance, Audiotool Firestarter has added multiple tracks which is a big ... Read More

February 27th, 2010 - There are a lot of different types of jobs in the audio industry outside of music. One of the sectors that's rising in profile is sound design. Sound designers can work on movies and television, or on video games. They work with sounds they've recorded, or vast libraries that they maintain and apply effects to. It's their job to accurately aurally portray the speed of that Porsche, or the sub-woofer rattling roar of a gigantic octopus-faced sea monster. I've ... Read More

September 3rd, 2009 - moonbell is an online music creation application released by JAXA, Japan's version of NASA. Using geographical information from the Kaguya explorer satellite, the "orbit" or musical path you choose over the surface of the moon dictates specific musical tones. You can change the available scales, the instrument of each voice (although the choices are limited), and tempo. There are two modes you can choose from. One allows you to choose an orbit, and sounds are generated based upon ... Read More

August 23rd, 2009 - I've posted about iVideoSongs before, but CNET has compiled a list of alternative online resources. You might not be a beginner but there's still something for everyone on that list. The Chord Book is a good resource for when you're learning a new song and the tab doesn't explain how to play the chords. As well, some of the advanced lessons in Drums Database seem pretty helpful, even for those who are just programming drums. After all, how ... Read More

July 5th, 2009 - So you just went to an amazing concert for one of your favorite bands. I'm sure you're buzzing with excitement and want to share your experience, or even record it so you remember it. After all, isn't that why many people keep their ticket stubs? Songkick aims to replace that scrapbook, and put your experience online where you not only record your own history, you can congregate and add to the collective. Songkick allows you to view the gig ... Read More