Being into music, dj’ing, technology, design etc etc pushes me to look around for the latest trends in all the mentioned above.
A couple of the coolest things I’ve seen lately are The Emulator & the interactive Reactable.
The Emulator in simple words is a transparent touchscreen-mixing desk. This transparent, 46-inch multi-touch system from software development company Smithson Martin puts the person spinning the discs – or in this case the touch display – front and center. It is the world’s first and only multi-touch midi controller PC software for professional DJ and music. The screen is made from durable toughened glass – useful if a disgruntled raver hurls a beer can in your direction. Being see-through, the set-up also adds an extra dose of audience interaction to the whole process as the crowd can watch you mix, add effects and loop tracks. Basically, it’s the hottest thing for djs and it only sets you back $10,000…
Here is a video clip of The Emulator in action:
This Fifth Element (remember the movie with Bruce Willis & Milla Jovovich) styled apparatus is hard to describe because it’s being called a “musical instrument” but it’s definitely not like anything I’ve seen before. According to the website: “The Reactable Experience is an innovative electronic musical instrument that enables everyone to experiment with sound, change its structure and be creative in a truly engaging, fun and visually appealing way, unlike anything you have ever known before.”
Here’s a video of the Reactable in action: