Here are some links that you might find useful as further reading from our article in the latest edition of Special Children, ‘Resurrecting old music technology’. Soundbeam Manuals & software – a great selection of manuals and handbooks for the various versions of Soundbeam, all the way back to Soundbeam 1. Effects Units Alesis MicroVerb4 – Look […]
Resurrecting old music technology
You can read our article on making the most of your existing music technology equipment in the latest copy of Special Children Magazine (April/May 2015 – 224). Andrew and I discuss what to look for in your cupboards and how to start putting the pieces back together. It follows our trips into many schools where fantastic […]
Introducing MIDIgrid
We asked Audrey Podmore from Full Pitcher Music to tell us about MIDIgrid – a musical instrument that can be played with a computer mouse. It was originally developed out of research at the University of York but Audrey spotted the potential for a much wider audience.
Music Education Expo 2015
Last week I made my now annual pilgrimage to the Music Education Expo at London’s Barbican Centre. The expo has quickly become a firm fixture in many music educators calendars, mainly due to its diverse selection of seminars and talks.
AlphaSphere starts a crowdfunding campaign
Following a recent trend for some of the more interesting musical instruments and interfaces to start life on crowdfunding sites, AlphaSphere have begun a campaign for their new AlphaSphere Me. The Me, which was originally announced back in January, is a smaller version of the AlphaSphere DJ controller. It links to a PC or Mac, […]
MIDIcreator – Papers and articles
A number of papers and articles have been published over the years featuring MIDIcreator. The following list was put together several years ago but maybe helpful to anyone doing research in accessible and assistive music technology.
This information was previously hosted on the MIDIcreator-Resources website.
Buy a Soundbeam and get a free training course
Soundbeam currently have a great offer on for anyone in the market for the latest Soundbeam 5. Anyone purchasing a unit between now and the end of April is eligible for a FREE place (normally £500 plus VAT) at their residential training course in May.
Updating Soundbeam 5 – Part 2
In this second part of my guide to updating the Soundbeam 5, we look at upgrading the included samples and sound sets. This will add new sounds to your Soundbeam and change the demos played when you press the ‘preview’ button.
Again, all the sounds are free from the Soundbeam website.
Updating Soundbeam 5 – Part 1
The joy of computer based instruments is the ability to download updates to fix bugs and add features. Whilst the Soundbeam 5 is entirely self-contained, the rear panel features a USB port that allows you to connect it to a PC. Although you rarely need to do this, it’s always worth checking to make sure you’re running the latest version.
Music Tech at BETT 2015
A trip to the BETT Show used to involve multiple levels, confusing layouts and the ability to wander off down Kensington High Street in search of food. The move to the Excel Centre in Docklands in 2013 has put everything on a single level, at the expense of that central London location.
Not the biggest fan of this airless barn of a building, I decided to shun my usual two day wander around stands in favour of a more targeted approach in just a few hours. Here’s what I managed to find.