Régine of Near Near Future has some more interactive strings, along the lines of last week’s laser harp:

Interactive strings

(Cellists out there are probably wondering why the idea of “interactive strings” is new. Well, clearly you don’t und. . . um . . . okay, you’ve got me.)

Anyway, this stuff is big business. Artist David Small got a gig here in NYC with cosmetics giant L’oreal; his poetry harp triggers billowing poetry.

As for the op_era, I’m at a loss. First, it claims to be four-dimensional. (Okay, it exists in time I suppose — so does a Calder mobile.) Let’s let them explain that: “If the interactor proceeds through dimensions 1D to 2D, the prior dimension is incremented to the next (2= 2+1), a rule that also correspond to the integration of the body.” Wait a minute, what?! Maybe the last line says it best: “In this dimension, space visualization and cognition is only possible through simulation.”

Yes, this gets at the real reason for designing this interaction: to make you get really, really dizzy. Think I’m exaggerating? Try the QuickTime videos. Help!! . . . I’m falling into a big spiral hole . . . aaaaaaaaaaa . . . .

Just received a dispatch from the good folks of Res on last month’s Optronica show in London, which mixed visuals and sound in a blowout featuring visual acts, live A/V, cinema, VJs, and DJs from around the world. Oh yes, and everyone’s favorite large screen — IMAX. (See previous report). Video clips of the artists:

Optronica 2005 [samurai.fm]

Canned coverage from Res follows, but did anyone go? If so, let me know your impressions! I’m looking forward to the RESFEST in cities in the U.S., in the meantime.

First off, welcome readers of Keyboard Magazine, which has bravely taken on a new regular feature on VJing for musicians. Don’t read Keyboard? Check out online stories or subscribe at Keyboard’s site.

In the September issue of Keyboard, there’s not only a great cover story on Trent Reznor, but I did a two-page feature on VJ Holly Daggers. There were a lot more links that I wanted to talk about than I could fit into the article, so here goes:

Holly Daggers, Reflective Chroma-keying, and the Korg Entrancer [CDM]

Holly’s rig: Reflecmedia’s miracle surface, perfect for chroma-keying, Edirol V4, the favored 4-channel hardware video mixer of VJs everywhere, and of course the Korg Entrancer, the key to Holly’s setup

VJ resource list from community sites to VJ performance reports [CDM]

Hands-on with the Kaptivator, Korg’s beefed-up new video sampler (Holly? Have they sent you one yet?) [CDM]

Forward Motion Theater, Holly’s collaboration with Eric Dunlap that produces the Eyewash VJ event here in NYC

VJing: Now in convenient book form! Lastly, much to my surprise, we have a new VJ book to look forward to that features the Eyewash crew and many of the other top VJs and video artists, and provides essential how-to information:

The VJ Book [via share.dj]

Not only that, but the writer is Paul Spinrad, who I also get to work with via Make Magazine. We’ll have to all have drinks in the fall when his book, plus my upcoming (delayed) book Real World Digital Audio are both out!

Got other VJing tips or resources to share, technical questions to ask, or just want to brag about your demo reel? Drop me a line, because remember, “I don’t sleep.” (TM)

Search for “VJ” for more coverage at CDM, or check out the latest news.

Legendary game developer Jeff Minter, the Llamasoft founder behind vintage classics like Tempest 2k, has had musical visualizers on the brain for some time. Now, he wants to take “retina-searing” visuals with music to the next left with Microsoft’s new Xbox 360 console. His latest light synth, Neon, will even be bundled with the machine. If you’re impressed by the low-res, basic visualizer in iTunes (hey, Apple, when you going to update that), wait until you see Neon. More coverage has emerged since we last covered this story:

Screenshots, hard drive-eating movies, and info on the Neon platform [Llamasoft]

Interview with Jeff Minter, Neon creator [Guardian Unlimited]

In the meantime, I’m focused on creating new visuals with Apple’s Quartz Composer (still learning that) and Jitter 1.5. Because really, what is music without something to trip out to?

Via Pixelsumo comes a fantastic lineup of links to futuristic interfaces for music, etc. If you were impressed by Cycling 74’s new Lemur touchscreen, with the power to let you touch multiple points on a pad simultaneously for controlling music/sound/etc., Jeff Han has built his own. His Frustrated Total Internal Reflection project may sound like some sort of existential experience, but it’s really an optical system for tracking multiple finger touches on a screen. You need a back projector, so it’s not as portable or compact as the Lemur, but watch the video: extremely low latency, extremely high sensitivity. Jeff has other tricks up his sleeve, too: using LEDs for touch control, and volumetric 3D displays using dust, among others. I’m heading to NYU later this week, so I’ll have to see if there’s something in the water. If you’re at Siggraph, go check these out and let us know more!