Beat Assembler XT

Beat Assembler XT is drum computer instrument based on experimental design, extended version of previously posted Beat Assembler 48. It is using randomly or manually generated pattern model, which is then being used as basis for creating a drum sequence. The machine is using series of quantizers and sound mappers to re-shape model pattern, fitting it into a time-frame of choice, allowing user to observe the results on the fly.

New and expanded features in  XT version:

• bigger master sequence size (128 notes) and more optimized calculations, which it would require,
• 99999 automatic pattern generator presets,
• up to 16 voice groups,
• drag'n'drop MIDI export, drop final pattern directly to DAW, or to a file manager to create a midi file,
• preset system, 10 memory slots and support for saving sequences to a file (so they can be loaded into another Beat Assembler patch),
• displacer mechanism, introduce 'little changes' to a pattern with single knob,
• expanded manual editor with handful of new tweaks (including copy/paste mechanism, so you can drop a portion of one pattern into another easily),
• filter bank access, filter type can be set quickly from drop-down menu, for each voice group individually,
• resizeable drum kit, makes it easy to create custom drum kits, use the machine as sample shell,
• 12 patches, including a re-creation of obscure polish analog drum machine from the 80's (which I took apart and soldered voice on/off switches, so I could capture each sound separately and then hand programmed re-constructed rhythm patterns in Beat Assembler),
• 36 hand programmed patterns (as opposed to automatically generated ones) to experiment with (can be loaded from file in nka format),
• five background variations, change the machine looks in setup panel,
• and, as usual, a fairly confusing manual in strange English.

Here's a video overview, jamming with three instances of Beat Assembler in standalone Kontakt:

Beat Assembler XT is available on Loot Audio.

It requires full version of Kontakt 5.5.1 or newer to run (Free version will run on Kontakt 4, but XT is actually using Kontakt's new features, like changing filter type from script).

ZX Transmissions

ZX Spectrum was the first computer I had. It used to store data as analog audio, that would be recorded to tape, which could sound interesting at times. Recently I've been discussing possibility of using such data audio files in noise/glitch music. In the end, I created an audio data transmission, that could be used for such purposes. It sounds like this:
 
http://www.fairlyconfusing.net/docs/zx-transmission.mp3

It is free to grab and use in your music, right here, 48kHz, 16 bit, mono WAV file. Take it, if you like.

If you'd like to make such noises yourself, it's really quite simple. Here's the procedure I used. First I created some data, I used Photoshop to make a picture, I made it 256x192 pixels, which is ZX Spectrum native resolution, filled it with geometrical figures in different shades of gray. Converting the picture to bitmap made gray areas fill with repeating patterns (which make more interesting sounds than just random noise). Then I saved the picture to BMP format, but anything without compression would do. Actually you can use any data file, just (for this example) make it no longer than 6KB (bigger files will crash emulated computer when loaded, where I intend to load it).
I have a Spectrum in a dusty box, but it is way easier to use an emulator. I chose ZX Spin, as it lets you load any data file right into emulated memory and it saves WAV files out of the box. The home page seems to be down, but you can find the program here. Spectrum ROM have been allowed for free distribution, so you can use an emulator, even if you don't own the actual machine.
I decided to use video memory region, so I could see how picture loading works. First I wrote a command to save the region. To skip the trouble of learning how, you can use Z80 snapshot included in the download, just load the file into the emulator. You should see a message, "Start tape, then press any key". Now load the data, using menu "file/load binary file". Pick saved picture file and enter 16384 as the address. Now the screen should be filled with scrambled picture from input file. Pick menu "recording/audio/start recording", enter file name to save to and press any key to start the transmission. You should see moving stripes and hear transmission noises. When done pick "stop recording". This will create fun, modem like noise transmission. Try to pitch it down for some extra flavor. Have fun.