A few weeks ago I mentioned that the Detroit Symphony Orchestra would be conducted by a robot named Asimo on an upcoming concert. Asimo, a Honda spokes”robot” conducted “The Impossible Dream” as a part of a multi-million dollar sponsorship from Honda. Well, he did it - and he wasn’t half bad.

A video posted on YouTube shows the entire event. I have to admit that it was truly eerie to watch this robot walk on stage, interact with the audience and the orchestra, and then start conducting. It is truly strange to see a robot “alive”. It will never get old to me. Once he began conducting the initial reaction by the audience seems to be a slight chuckle. Soon thereafter you forget that this thing is a robot. It actually portrays emotion while conducting and it does a really nice job of conveying tempo and even cues for the musicians. Whoever programmed Asimo did a wonderful job. Will it ever replace a live human? Of course not. But it is a wonderful display of technology (and the fact that orchestras must go through publicity stunts like this to remain in business).

I urge you to share this video with your students and get their reaction. What do they think about it? I’d love to hear from you.

Korg recently launched a new microsite for the Kaossilator - my favorite piece of gear for 2008. Check it out. There is a great demo video that shows all of the functions of the device, as well as a very cool rollover diagram of the device where you can learn all about what each of the buttons does. There is also a place for you to submit your own videos of yourself playing the Kaossilator. I will finish editing a video that I made of my former students playing Kaossilators (the Kaossilator Orkestra) by the end of next week.

If you’ve been interested in checking out this great new device from Korg, I highly recommend checking out the site. Let me know what you think!

Have you ever wanted to have a virtual keyboard to try out some sounds using one of your VSTs or DAWs while you are waiting around? Sure, GarageBand has one that can be controlled with your QWERTY keyboard, but what if you are a PC user, or want to use Reason or one of your virtual synths? Sure, a hardware based USB MIDI keyboard controller should always be your first choice, but what if you’re on a plane or just forgot it? Meet Chirp, a new virtual MIDI keyboard controller for Windows XP/Vista or your Mac OSX from Tanager Audioworks. At a great price of $39.95, Chirp offers users a two octave keyboard with “full size” keys that correlate to letters on the QWERTY keyboard. There are also 10 assignable pad controllers, a pitch bend, and a modulation wheel. Chirp works with any DAW or VST - which makes it very different from the built in keyboard that comes with GarageBand. For a cool little video that demonstrates who Chirp works, click HERE.

I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Yesterday I came across a wonderful opportunity for students of all ages who are creating music and digital media with computers. The International Competition for Young Media Creatives is a European competition but it is open to any student worldwide. It is sponsored by the SAE Institute in Frankfurt, Germany.

There are a number of different categories. They include: Music Production, Multimedia, Short Film, 3D FX/Animation, and Creativity First. The prize in each category is pretty impressive: an iMac and 3,000 Euros. For more information, visit their “>website. Please pass this on to anyone who you think might have students who would be interested in entering the competition. Good Luck!

A few years ago I was interviewed for an article written by Scott Watson in Music Education Technology Magazine that asked music educators what three pieces of technology would they choose to have if they were stranded on a desert island. My answers at the time were: the Korg GEC3 Group Education Controller, GarageBand, and Sibelius. There were two other teachers interviewed, and I find reading the article very interesting. Different teachers gravitate to different technologies - none of us had the same response. I recommend reading the article to see how educators use technology in their music programs.

Now that I am officially out of the classroom, my choices have changed a bit. My top three technology choices now are: the MicroTrack II from M-Audio, my Korg microKONTROL, and my Korg Kaossilator (surprise, surprise). The MicroTrack II is the most convenient hand-held MP3 recorder, and I literally have it with me at all times. Whenever I am presenting a session, or want to record audio, I pull the MicroTrack II out of my bag and press record. It is literally that easy. My other two choices may seem skewed (as Korg is my employer) but I have had my micrKONTROL for five years and many who know me usually see me with it slung over my shoulder. It is the perfect USB controller - 16 pads, a great control surface, and 37 mini keys. Portable and powerful, it is always on my desk or in my bag. Finally, it should come as no surprise that the Kaossilator rounds out my top three. I have never had so much fun with a piece of gear before. Everyone that I show it to does not want to give it back. Sibelius and GarageBand still are at the top of my list, but since leaving th classroom, I have been using them a little bit less. Reason 4.0, the Blue Snowball USB microphone, and ProTools would round out my top 8 picks.

So now it is your turn. What would you take with you to a desert island? You have to choose only 3 things (I know it is difficult). I’d love to get a big response on this so please pass it on to your friends and colleagues.

Working for Korg has been a dream come true so far. I have always been a huge fan of the full line of Korg products - everything from the M1 to the Kaossilator and their full line of amazing tuners! As an employee, I get a bit of a discount on gear, and I have made quite a few purchases in the last four months. One of my recent purchases was the Korg padKontrol. While I already own the microKontrol (which has 16 pads on it) I love the feel of the larger pads on the padKontrol. They are completely touch sensitive, and unlike other MIDI pad controllers on the market, every square millimeter of the square pad is active.

I have been using my padKontrol with some of my favorite sequencers, including GarageBand, Reason & Logic. What is great about the padKontrol is that when you use it with the software synthesizers (particularly the drums) you can play the instrument with a much more humanized feel. There is something very different about playing the pads instead of playing keys on a MIDI keyboard controller. Each pad on the padKontrol is assignable - you can select any pitch or sound for each pad. When I played one of the Whirly’s in Logic, I assigned the pads to a dorian scale and had a ball making music in a non-keyboard environment. The sensitivity of the pads is amazing. I especially like the flam and roll feature that really makes your drumming sound human. Finally, the X-Y pad gives the padKontrol a Koassilator feel and the combination of the pads and X-Y pad is a terrific way to perform with this great instrument.

From a pedagogical standpoint, I believe that the padKontrol opens up some wonderful opportunities for those “non-music makers” in your school. I personally feel that there is no such thing - every child is musical - they just might have some obstacles that get in their way, like knowing how to play a traditional instrument. I used the padKontrol with some middle school students this week and they had a blast with it!

Check out this great video demonstration from YouTube to see what the padKontrol can do.

I welcome your comments and questions.