posted Oct 20, 2010, 8:41 PM by Ken Rushton
[
updated Oct 23, 2010, 8:11 PM
]
News: Michael Eskin has developed jammer applications for Apple products:
- mJammer is a WiFi-based wireless MIDI jammer-style control surface for the iPhone/iPod Touch
- iJammer is a WiFi-based wireless MIDI jammer-style control surface for the iPad
- HexJam is a high-quality, easy-to-play, jammer-style hexagonal layout "Jammer" concertina for the iPhone
These present a cool new way to try out jammers
As well, Musix is a fully-customizable multiple-layout isomorphic musical
keyboard generator with sounds.
"Each hexagon on the screen is a note, and surrounding
hexagons are harmonically related. Songwriters benefit by discovering
new melodies and musical relationships. Novices find it easy to learn
to play. Experienced musicians are rewarded with an intuitive interface.
Shiverware presents Musix: the definitive isomorphic
keyboard. For beginners, for experts, for you".
They give a good digest of what some isomorphic layouts are good for: - Gerhard
(- Maj. 3rd; + Min. 3rd; Vertical) Designed
specifically for the iPad and Musix, this layout attempts to balance the
advantages and disadvantages of other layouts listed
below. Scales are tight and chords fit naturally on the fingers.
- Park
(- Min. 3rd; + Maj. 2nd; Horizontal) A variation on the
Wicki-Hayden (listed below), this layout, white notes are together
making
patterns easier to see, and scales can be played by
sliding fingers along the screen. Alternate and jazz chords are
compact, which
means this pattern sounds great when button mashing.
- Wicki-Hayden
(- Perf. 4th; - Perf 5th; Horizontal) This is the
classic layout used for centuries on Accordions and Concertinas. White
notes are together, and the I-IV-V pattern of many many
songs forms a compact triangle. Scales play linearly left-to-right
(like a
piano) with jumps for each semitone. Whole-tine scales
are linear. Simple chords are comfortable, more complex chords are more
challenging. This is also the preferred layout for
"jammer" instruments.
- Harmonic
(- Maj. 3rd; - Min 3rd; Horizontal) Also called
the Harmonic Table, this relatively modern layout was developed and
popularized by C-Thru Music, the makers of the excellent
Axis line of isomorphic MIDI keyboards. The harmonic table provides
impossibly easy chords, with major and minor triads in
triangles playable with a single finger. Scales are somewhat cumbersome,
but as
with all layouts, once learned in one key, all other
keys are the same pattern.
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