I apologize if you posted a comment and it didn’t go through recently. As Wire to the Ear continues to grow the site is getting hit quite hard by spam. It almost all gets caught by Akismet and some other plug-ins however some of your own comments end up in there too. I’ve noticed a lot of larger blogs either turned off comments or use a third party system like Facebook connect or Disqus. For now I’m going to keep things as they are. I like the idea of having control on my own server. I should point out that most of the comments on each of these posts mostly takes place on my Facebook page with Twitter and Google+ trailing. Anywhere you create the discussion I enjoy it.

“The labeled ingredients in the classic variety of Spam are chopped pork shoulder meat, with ham meat added, salt, water, modified potato starch as a binder, and sodium nitrite as a preservative. Spam’s gelatinous glaze, or aspic, forms from the cooling of meat stock.” – Wikipedia

Here I am: Facebook, Twitter and Google+

My friend Noah Benzing sent me the first video above of Dan Laskowski and his 1980s Commodore 64 audio software FastFingers. I think Dan himself is the interesting part of this video.

“How did I get into the future?” – Dan Laskowski

photo credit: Matrixsynth

Minitaur Quick Demo from Moog Music on Vimeo.

Could it be a $600 100% analog Moog with MIDI based on the Taurus pedals will be announced at Namm? It seems so!

“The MINITAUR is a compact table-top monophonic MIDI-and-CV-controllable analog bass synthesizer module with a 100% analog audio signal path, based on the design of the Taurus 3 bass synthesizer.” – proaudiostar.com

For more info: moogmusic.com

via Matrixsynth

2011 was electric. 2012 will be electrifying! Happy New Year!!!

“There are a variety of popular beliefs about the year 2012. These beliefs range from the spiritually transformative to the apocalyptic, and center upon various interpretations of the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar.” – Wikipedia

For more info: survivalguide2012.org

photo credit: Creativity103

There are numerous Fireplace apps for iOS to keep you warm. However for the modern hipster Ted Martens has created an 8-bit Fireplace for Mac or PC. Commands include: log, match, marshmallow, smore, eat hotdog, fireworks, photo, paper and water

“Type words to interact with the Fireplace or just sit back and enjoy. The logs burn down to ashes in about 30 minutes each.” – tedmartens.com

For more info: tedmartens.com/fireplace

photo credit: ted_martens

I took Piano lessons for about 5 years. Next to the human voice it’s the most expressive instrument I ever played. I wish I had one in my house. I would spend hours in the basement tossing around ideas which are now all long gone and lost. The Fluid Piano has been out for a few years. I think it’s interesting its creator thinks of his creation as a force against Western sound. I think it just sounds nice. I’d like to hear it along with some slide guitar.

“Mark Brown talks to Geoff Smith, whose reinvention of the piano allows players to alter the tuning of notes either before or during a performance.” – The Guardian

For more info: news.bbc.co.uk/world_news_today/859…

Sweetwater sells gear so their top list for 2011 maybe be slanted because they want to sell more of something to you. However, I do agree with some of their choices and it got me thinking I should ask you the question: What do you think were the best few pro-audio products that came out this past year?

“Ten is a composite number, its proper divisors being 1, 2 and 5. Ten is the smallest noncototient, a number that cannot be expressed as the difference between any integer and the total number of coprimes below it.” – Wikipedia

For more info: sweetwater.com

photo credit: Andrew Stawarz

Tempest Samples by iamPym

Chris aka Pym who works for Dave Smith Instruments posted the above set of samples from the Tempest. These are no substitute for the owning the real thing but it helps you get an understanding of it’s sound.

“Have you heard the samples I put up on soundcloud? Analog only, no external FX. I played some of those back to back with an 808, double blind, and they SLAM on a big sound system. Granted the snares still need some work, but I think some small envelope tweaks will help them hit a bit harder/cleaner. Played them on a very nice Function One system up here a couple weeks ago and was very happy with the bass. The really low kick (one of the last samples) was really deep, very powerful on a well tuned system, and that isn’t even as low as the Tempest can go.” – Pym

For more info: gearslutz.com/dave-smith-instruments-tempest…

For more info: peanuts.com

Joyless Pleasure – The Remixes (Sampler) – The Horrorist by thingstocome

My last full length album was released in May (The Horrorist, Joyless Pleasure). Before this year is up I will release a remixed version. All the remixes are in and I hope to finalize the artwork this weekend and get it off to download stores and the CD duplicator. I put together a quick sampler of some of the mixes above. Everyone did a great job including some readers of this blog.

1. I Stand with You – Haujobb remix
2. Modern – Steinkind remix
3. Love Sick – Tomas Tulpe remix
4. We Will Get Wicked – Miss Duckin’ remix
5. I Stand with You – Raytrace remix
6. Hostage – Miro Pajic remix
7. I Stand with You – Millimetric Remix

There’s more… more remixes on the download album/CD when it is released later this year!

“joyless pleasure is like a jewelry piece but in electronic music.” – morganistik.com

photo credit: Daniel Fogg