MicroSynth

MicroSynth for the Apple iPhone® is exactly that, a tiny synth based on a wonderful the BBC Micro Computer which is now on the verge of being 30 years old! All of the sounds you hear are actual samples taken from one of my real Micros and all of the sounds were also programmed by me. I hope you you enjoy making music with this MicroSynth.

The App is avaiolable now from the app store here,  you can also download all of the sounds that are included in the App for use in your own music or whatever here. BBCMICROSOUNDS ZIP FILE (6.13 MB) release under Creative Commons License

Pixelh8 BBC Micro Sounds by Pixelh8 / Matthew C. Applegate is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Closer to September 30th, 2011 the BBC Micros 30th Birthday I will be releasing my archive of several hundred almost a thousand retro sounds made with my BBC Micro free for you to use.

SONUS (ONE)

for the Apple iPhone® (Download here) & Android phone (TBA).

“Sonus (One)” is a spatial realisation of aleatoric or randomly generated music. Although not all of the music is left to chance, the player can intervene albeit in a seemingly haphazard manner. Use the blocks either to block the flow of the balls or to trap them removing them from play.

The software in part inspired by the work and teachings of John Cage, with “Sonus (One)” adding the dimension of space to the music of chance. Not only letting “sounds be themselves” but giving them room to do so.

“Sonus (One)” is part of the “Otherwise Autonomous” collection of digital instruments designed and programmed by Pixelh8.The instruments are a culmination of three years of Masters Degree research in to alternative musical instruments and notation systems. “Sonus (One)” is the first of many.

Inspiration

Inspiration for Sonus (One) comes from a many places,

Sonically: John Cage (to primarily illustrate random music)

Interactively: Breakout on Atari 2600 (different but limited tones for different walls, instead uses different tones for different balls, move the blocks for balls to bounce off of, the original was very blocky and retro, and the very first demo was made in Game Maker)

Visually: Josh Nimoy’s BallDroppings (simplistic graphics i.e. balls and lines, but uses same six tones repeatedly instead of environmentally based pitches)

Visually: The Vectrex Computer (Black & White vector graphics)

Visually: Apple iPhone icons (the boxes where changed from hard edged boxes to smoother rounded ones similar to iPhone Icons and buttons provided in the Apple SDK)

Visually: Processing (one the early versions being a processing sketch hence black & white see below image)

SONUS (SIX)

for the Apple iPhone here & Android phone (TBA).

Sonus (Six) is a digital referee for 12-note serial composition. Users simply tap on a block releasing the sound contained within it, once released the block extinguishes itself. This continues until as per the rules of 12-note composition, all twelve
boxes have been utilised and they are free to return to play.

The software in part inspired by the work of Arnold Schoenberg, with “Sonus (Six)” adding the dimesion the uknown note contained in the box. Not only allowing for each note to be of equal importance but allowing the performer no preference of known order.

“Sonus (Six)” is part of a collection of digital instruments designed and programmed by Pixelh8. The instruments are a culmination of three years of Masters Degree research in to alternative musical instruments and notation systems.

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All other Music & Imagery © 2006-2010 Room 1 Studios & Hidden Youth Records UK.