Since launching Wave, we realized our community is using the ring in even more creative ways than we imagined. So we made a video series to capture it. Making Waves is our new mini documentary series, showcasing the creative process of musicians, producers, and performers. Each video is a glimpse inside the studio or a performance, highlighting the tools and setups that unlock creativity. For our first Making Waves, we sat down with Viktor Ingi Guðmundsson, audio director at Myrkur Games, at his studio. Viktor uses Wave in his daily setup as he works on scoring music for The Darken, a fantasy adventure video game. Wave + Native Instruments Straylight Viktor transforms Wave into an x-y controller in Straylight. By mapping out the tilt and pan function in Softwave to Straylight, the x-y axis is transformed using real space and his movements are transferred to the screen. Presets in Softwave Viktor customized his Wave through Softwave, the software that is included with Wave. He created three presets in Softwave to help him compose with MIDI: 1st preset: controls modulation in orchestral libraries for a natural sounding flow. 2nd preset: controls modulation on the Y axis with tilt and expression with pan on the x axis, making Wave act as a controller in Straylight. 3rd preset: controls master volume. Click here to download Viktor’s Softwave presets Working on a new project? Show us your creations by using #WaveByGenki

Since launching Wave, we realized our community is using the ring in even more creative ways than we imagined. So we made a video series to capture it.
Making Waves is our new mini documentary series, showcasing the creative process of musicians, producers, and performers. Each video is a glimpse inside the studio or a performance, highlighting the tools and setups that unlock creativity.
For our first Making Waves, we sat down with Viktor Ingi Guðmundsson, audio director at Myrkur Games, at his studio. Viktor uses Wave in his daily setup as he works on scoring music for The Darken, a fantasy adventure video game.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vJ-KT38i9Ls" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 
<h4>Wave + Native Instruments Straylight</h4>
Viktor transforms Wave into an x-y controller in Straylight. By mapping out the tilt and pan function in Softwave to Straylight, the x-y axis is transformed using real space and his movements are transferred to the screen.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C-Hgi4Jm0wE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 
<h4>Presets in Softwave</h4>
Viktor customized his Wave through Softwave, the software that is included with Wave. He created three presets in Softwave to help him compose with MIDI:
1st preset: controls modulation in orchestral libraries for a natural sounding flow.
2nd preset: controls modulation on the Y axis with tilt and expression with pan on the x axis, making Wave act as a controller in Straylight.
3rd preset: controls master volume.
<a href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Viktor-Myrkur-Wave-Orch-Preset.xml">Click here to download Viktor’s Softwave presets</a>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TB789hiIJfA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Working on a new project? Show us your creations by using #WaveByGenki

Making Waves with Viktor Ingi Guðmundsson

Musicians can now use the Genki Wave controller in MiMU’s ‘Glover’ app - the software behind the MiMU Gloves Wave is the ring that lets you easily control sound, shape effects and send commands using the motion of your hand. MiMU Glover users can now use the Genki Wave in conjunction with Glover’s powerful suite of tools for composing and performing using movement-tracking devices Glover now supports a wide range of movement-based controllers, including Genki Wave, Leap Motion, iPhone, micro:bit and the MiMU Gloves London, 24th October 2023: Music tech companies MiMU (London, UK) and Genki Instruments (Reykjavik, Iceland) are today announcing support for the Genki Wave MIDI ring inside MiMU’s software ‘Glover’, a desktop application for expressive control of music through movement. Glover supports a variety of motion tracking devices for music-making, with the Wave ring joining the iPhone, Leap Motion, micro:bit and of course the MiMU Gloves. MiMU and Genki both share the goal of giving musicians more creative freedom through tracking the expressive power of human movement. This new collaboration highlights the growing number of people exploring the use of gesture-control devices for music-making. MiMU Glover lets users connect their motion tracking devices to music software such as Ableton Live or Logic Pro and MIDI-enabled hardware. State-of-the-art gesture recognition algorithms analyse incoming movement data and let you map your gestures to MIDI or OSC. These connections between movement and music allow artists to develop their own unique musical language to physically interact with their sounds and effects. Glover gives musicians more expressive power, and allows them to create visual and engaging performances. Genki Wave is the ring that lets you easily control sound, shape effects and send commands using the motion of your hand. Patented gesture engine gives you access to six unique gestures: tilt, pan, roll, vibrato, tap and click. Due to Wave's innovative design, you don't need to take your hands off your instrument to control your DAW. The control is right there, at your fingertips. Wave uses an array of sensors to detect the gestures and movements of the user's hand. These gestures can be mapped to various parameters in the software or hardware a musician is using, providing a unique way to control and interact with the music. Wave has been used on stage during Björk's live performance, on the Hans Zimmer 2023 world tour and esteemed studios all around the world. Genki Wave is available for $249.99 from genkiinstruments.com Glover is available for a one-time price of £119 / €129 / $159 from mimugloves.com Glover has a free 14-day demo and supports Mac and Windows platforms About MiMU MiMU exists to place human expression at the heart of music technology. MiMU is a team of artists, technologists and designers developing cutting-edge wearable technology for the performance and composition of music. Founded by Grammy award-winning musician Imogen Heap, MiMU has captured worldwide attention by showing that there is a better way to make music than with sliders and buttons – through the complex movement of the human body. The team has developed the MiMU Gloves - a wireless, wearable, gestural musical instrument and controller. The MiMU Gloves are a fusion of textiles and electronic sensors. Combined with dedicated gesture detection and mapping software, they offer a new and flexible approach to the control of music and visuals through intuitive human movement. MiMU Gloves are now used by a community of musicians worldwide, ranging from pop star Ariana Grande to beatboxers, classical pianists, film composers and visual artists.

<li style="font-weight: 400;">Musicians can now use the Genki Wave controller in MiMU’s ‘Glover’ app - the software behind the MiMU Gloves</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Wave is the ring that lets you easily control sound, shape effects and send commands using the motion of your hand.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">MiMU Glover users can now use the Genki Wave in conjunction with Glover’s powerful suite of tools for composing and performing using movement-tracking devices</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Glover now supports a wide range of movement-based controllers, including Genki Wave, Leap Motion, iPhone, micro:bit and the MiMU Gloves</li>
 
London, 24th October 2023: Music tech companies MiMU (London, UK) and Genki Instruments (Reykjavik, Iceland) are today announcing support for the Genki Wave MIDI ring inside MiMU’s software ‘Glover’, a desktop application for expressive control of music through movement. Glover supports a variety of motion tracking devices for music-making, with the Wave ring joining the iPhone, Leap Motion, micro:bit and of course the MiMU Gloves.
 
MiMU and Genki both share the goal of giving musicians more creative freedom through tracking the expressive power of human movement. This new collaboration highlights the growing number of people exploring the use of gesture-control devices for music-making.
 
<a href="https://mimugloves.com/glover">MiMU Glover</a> lets users connect their motion tracking devices to music software such as Ableton Live or Logic Pro and MIDI-enabled hardware. State-of-the-art gesture recognition algorithms analyse incoming movement data and let you map your gestures to MIDI or OSC. These connections between movement and music allow artists to develop their own unique musical language to physically interact with their sounds and effects. Glover gives musicians more expressive power, and allows them to create visual and engaging performances.
 
<a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/products/wave">Genki Wave</a> is the ring that lets you easily control sound, shape effects and send commands using the motion of your hand. Patented gesture engine gives you access to six unique gestures: tilt, pan, roll, vibrato, tap and click. Due to Wave's innovative design, you don't need to take your hands off your instrument to control your DAW. The control is right there, at your fingertips. Wave uses an array of sensors to detect the gestures and movements of the user's hand. These gestures can be mapped to various parameters in the software or hardware a musician is using, providing a unique way to control and interact with the music. Wave has been used on stage during Björk's live performance, on the Hans Zimmer 2023 world tour and esteemed studios all around the world.
 
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">
Genki Wave is available for $249.99 from <a href="http://genkiinstruments.com">genkiinstruments.com</a>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">
Glover is available for a one-time price of £119 / €129 / $159 from <a href="https://mimugloves.com/glover/">mimugloves.com</a>
</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">
Glover has a free 14-day demo and supports Mac and Windows platforms 
</li>
</ul>
About <a href="https://mimugloves.com/">MiMU</a>
 
MiMU exists to place human expression at the heart of music technology.
 
MiMU is a team of artists, technologists and designers developing cutting-edge wearable technology for the performance and composition of music. Founded by Grammy award-winning musician Imogen Heap, MiMU has captured worldwide attention by showing that there is a better way to make music than with sliders and buttons – through the complex movement of the human body.
 
The team has developed the MiMU Gloves - a wireless, wearable, gestural musical instrument and controller. The MiMU Gloves are a fusion of textiles and electronic sensors. Combined with dedicated gesture detection and mapping software, they offer a new and flexible approach to the control of music and visuals through intuitive human movement.
 
MiMU Gloves are now used by a community of musicians worldwide, ranging from pop star Ariana Grande to beatboxers, classical pianists, film composers and visual artists.

Wave support in MiMU Glover ✨

We are in festive mood and want to give back 🎹 🎁 🦌 Our holiday sale just launched and you can subscribe below to WIN gear worth $759! Yamaha Reface CS 🎹 Wave by Genki 💍 WIDI Master by CME 🧙 We announce the lucky winner on December 22nd Loading…

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<meta charset="utf-8">We are in festive mood and want to give back 🎹 🎁 🦌 
</div>
<div _ngcontent-nyu-c1017="" class="copy-field ng-star-inserted"></div>
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<div _ngcontent-nyu-c1017="" class="copy-field ng-star-inserted">Our <a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/holiday">holiday sale just launched</a> and you can subscribe below to WIN gear worth $759!</div>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://usa.yamaha.com/products/music_production/synthesizers/reface/reface_cs.html">Yamaha Reface CS</a> 🎹</li>
<li>
<a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/">Wave by Genki</a> 💍</li>
<li><a href="https://www.cme-pro.com/widi-master/">WIDI Master by CME 🧙</a></li>
</ul>
<div _ngcontent-nyu-c1017="" class="copy-field ng-star-inserted"></div>
<div _ngcontent-nyu-c1017="" class="copy-field ng-star-inserted">We announce the lucky winner on December 22nd
</div>
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<iframe src="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeie1hV5Ky_yXFyB8zr44SvSMCOeVnxbHbz2aZV_c4FmIMn4g/viewform?embedded=true" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" width="640" height="742" frameborder="0">Loading…</iframe>

Holiday Giveaway 🎁

Starting 12:00 GMT on November 28th we are launching a 24 hour FLASH SALE on our Cosmos synth where you can save $99 off your purchase 🚀 Embark on an epic sonic journey through space and time with the Cosmos synth. Hitchhike a ride on friendly UFOs and make your music echo across the universe. Let your love shine ❤️ 8-voice polyphony Variable shape virtual analog oscillators with sync, FM and cross-fading. Velvet noise engine. Sub oscillator. Lush reverb and echo with variable feedback, damp, time and mix. Patch anything with two UFOs (frequency and shape) and envelopes. Galaxy arpeggiator with rate, octaves and four unique modes. Easy to use preset mechanism.

Starting 12:00 GMT on November 28th we are launching a 24 hour FLASH SALE on our <a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/products/cosmos">Cosmos synth</a> where you can save $99 off your purchase 🚀
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/775738329?h=53e2b78c57&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" title="Cosmos_4x5_Flashsale.mp4" width="1280" height="1600" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Embark on an epic sonic journey through space and time with the <a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/products/cosmos">Cosmos synth</a>. Hitchhike a ride on friendly UFOs and make your music echo across the universe. Let your love shine ❤️
<ul>
<li>8-voice polyphony</li>
<li>Variable shape virtual analog oscillators with sync, FM and cross-fading.</li>
<li>Velvet noise engine.</li>
<li>Sub oscillator.</li>
<li>Lush reverb and echo with variable feedback, damp, time and mix.</li>
<li>Patch anything with two UFOs (frequency and shape) and envelopes.</li>
<li>Galaxy arpeggiator with rate, octaves and four unique modes.</li>
<li>Easy to use preset mechanism.</li>
</ul>

COSMOS 24 HOUR FLASH SALE

Limited time only! Our Black Friday Sale for 2020 is now live for a limited time only! We have three amazing bundles Ultimate Genki Bundle — All our products in one! Wave, Wavefront, WIDI and our Cosmos synth at a whooping 45% discount. Wave and Wavefront — For those Eurorack-curious among you, Wavefront is a fantastic module to connect not only Wave, but also any other BLE MIDI device! 2x Waves — Perfect opportunity to snatch two Christmas gifts at once!

<h1>Limited time only!</h1>
<iframe src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qy8Wz3KezJ9Mi0JLWqRa5L2nU6p4mg2l/preview" allow="autoplay" width="640" height="480"></iframe>
Our Black Friday Sale for 2020 is now live for a limited time only!
We have three amazing bundles
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/black">Ultimate Genki Bundle</a> — All our products in one! Wave, Wavefront, WIDI and our Cosmos synth at a whooping 45% discount.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/black">Wave and Wavefront</a> — For those Eurorack-curious among you, Wavefront is a fantastic module to connect not only Wave, but also any other BLE MIDI device!</li>
<li>
<a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/black">2x Waves</a> — Perfect opportunity to snatch two Christmas gifts at once!</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/black" target="_blank" title="BLACK FRIDAY SALE ⚫️" rel="noopener noreferrer"><img src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0246/7348/4875/files/BF_Ultimate_480x480.png?v=1669372140" alt="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a>

Black Friday Sale ꩜

What’s your process in writing music? It used to be just me making everything from start to finish but now I’m working with another producer so it’s a more collaborative experience which is very fun! We usually start by recording some chords and then layer with other sounds until we’re pretty satisfied and then we move on to drums, if we feel it adds to the song. Then I hop on the mic and come up with melodies and harmonies which is my absolute favorite part of the music making process. After that we try to figure out the vibe of the song and what it should be about. I usually take my time with it and I can sit with songs for a very long time until I come back to them and finish. https://www.youtube.com/?v=1P4O6aG_XWk What has inspired your sound of using lots of layered vocals? When I began producing I was kind of insecure and felt like I needed to “fill the space” with vocals because I was not an experienced producer and I thought it would sound more professional with more vocals. Now I don’t feel like that anymore and I just really like the sound of it and creating harmonies is my favorite part. It’s so satisfying when you come up with harmonies that fit the lead vocal perfectly, it creates such nice moments in the song. I love how Bon Iver does it and uses the harmonizer too, it’s such a cool effect and I want to use it more. Enya and Imogen Heap are also artists that have inspired me a lot when it comes to vocal layering and harmonising. Who are your musical influences? FKA twigs and Banks are at the top of the list I would say but I’m also really inspired by Bon Iver and AURORA, especially her lyrics. I recently discovered an artist called Oklou and I’m obsessed with her sound, it’s been a while since I connected so much to someone’s music. I can’t answer this question without also mentioning Beyoncé. I grew up singing to her songs and tried to imitate her as well as I could (impossible) but she is almost always at the back of my mind when I’m singing. You posted that you write two kinds of songs—adventure/nature songs and love songs. Can you talk more about that? Yeah I don’t know why I categorize it like that but I feel like it’s two different things. It just depends on what I’m going through, if I’m inspired by my love life I’ll write about that but I also get inspired by a lot of other stuff; nature, paintings, photographs, books and of course other music. I’ve always been an adventurous person and I love making up stories in my head and creating characters. I probably get that from my dad who’s an author. What’s your studio setup? I have a little home studio at my parents’ house where I record all of my songs. It’s very cozy and has everything I need really which is not much, I’m pretty sufficient when it comes to gear and stuff like that. One thing I could do without is our dog barking which sometimes bleeds into the recordings. What gear do you use (software and hardware)? I have a Roland Juno-DS synthesizer that I’ve used in a lot of my songs and I prefer using that over the virtual instruments I have. The producer I’m working with has a bunch of virtual instruments so I’m lucky that I have access to that too. The ones we use the most are Arturia, Kontakt and Omnisphere. We use Ableton but when I’m producing on my own and recording my vocals I use Pro Tools. As for vocal processing I use the Autotune plugin from Antares. How did you use Wave in your performance to control your vocals? I controlled reverb and delay with the tilt function, a harmonizer on the roll and a granular synthesis engine called Portal on click. I love using this ring, it has sort of a calming effect on me and I just kinda zone out when I use it. I definitely want to use it in my live performances in the future. What are you working on at the moment? I have an EP coming out soon so I’m prepping for that. I’m planning a live session for it and a music video for one of the singles which I’m very excited about! I’m also currently working on my next project with my producer. Learn more about Fríd: Instagram Facebook Spotify

<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GJYCuItdfeE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
<div>
What’s your process in writing music? It used to be just me making everything from start to finish but now I’m working with another producer so it’s a more collaborative experience which is very fun! We usually start by recording some chords and then layer with other sounds until we’re pretty satisfied and then we move on to drums, if we feel it adds to the song. Then I hop on the mic and come up with melodies and harmonies which is my absolute favorite part of the music making process. After that we try to figure out the vibe of the song and what it should be about. I usually take my time with it and I can sit with songs for a very long time until I come back to them and finish.</div>
https://www.youtube.com/?v=1P4O6aG_XWk

<div>
What has inspired your sound of using lots of layered vocals? When I began producing I was kind of insecure and felt like I needed to “fill the space” with vocals because I was not an experienced producer and I thought it would sound more professional with more vocals. Now I don’t feel like that anymore and I just really like the sound of it and creating harmonies is my favorite part. It’s so satisfying when you come up with harmonies that fit the lead vocal perfectly, it creates such nice moments in the song. I love how Bon Iver does it and uses the harmonizer too, it’s such a cool effect and I want to use it more. Enya and Imogen Heap are also artists that have inspired me a lot when it comes to vocal layering and harmonising. Who are your musical influences? FKA twigs and Banks are at the top of the list I would say but I’m also really inspired by Bon Iver and AURORA, especially her lyrics. I recently discovered an artist called Oklou and I’m obsessed with her sound, it’s been a while since I connected so much to someone’s music. I can’t answer this question without also mentioning Beyoncé. I grew up singing to her songs and tried to imitate her as well as I could (impossible) but she is almost always at the back of my mind when I’m singing. You posted that you write two kinds of songs—adventure/nature songs and love songs. Can you talk more about that? Yeah I don’t know why I categorize it like that but I feel like it’s two different things. It just depends on what I’m going through, if I’m inspired by my love life I’ll write about that but I also get inspired by a lot of other stuff; nature, paintings, photographs, books and of course other music. I’ve always been an adventurous person and I love making up stories in my head and creating characters. I probably get that from my dad who’s an author.  What’s your studio setup? I have a little home studio at my parents’ house where I record all of my songs. It’s very cozy and has everything I need really which is not much, I’m pretty sufficient when it comes to gear and stuff like that. One thing I could do without is our dog barking which sometimes bleeds into the recordings.  What gear do you use (software and hardware)? I have a Roland Juno-DS synthesizer that I’ve used in a lot of my songs and I prefer using that over the virtual instruments I have. The producer I’m working with has a bunch of virtual instruments so I’m lucky that I have access to that too. The ones we use the most are Arturia, Kontakt and Omnisphere. We use Ableton but when I’m producing on my own and recording my vocals I use Pro Tools. As for vocal processing I use the Autotune plugin from Antares. How did you use Wave in your performance to control your vocals? I controlled reverb and delay with the tilt function, a harmonizer on the roll and a granular synthesis engine called Portal on click. I love using this ring, it has sort of a calming effect on me and I just kinda zone out when I use it. I definitely want to use it in my live performances in the future. What are you working on at the moment? I have an EP coming out soon so I’m prepping for that. I’m planning a live session for it and a music video for one of the singles which I’m very excited about! I’m also currently working on my next project with my producer. 
<div>
Learn more about Fríd: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fridmusic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fridmusic/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Facebook</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/6SI8O2VSRJBiH6OuEQt8Kp?si=DlDPzxO-RqChtiA16mQEag" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Spotify</a>
</div>
</div>

Melodies and Harmonies with Fríd

Tóti Guðnason is a composer for film who has worked with composers like Hildur Guðnadóttir, Högni Egilsson, Ólafur Arnalds and the late Jóhann Jóhannsson. He also writes and performs with his band Agent Fresco. We sat down with him in his studio to learn about his process and how he uses Wave as a studio remote. What are you working on at the moment? I’m currently recording the last bits of Agent Fresco’s third album which has been a long time in the making and I’m extremely excited about letting people experience. My first score as a sole composer for a featured film called “DÝRIÐ” will be out later this year starring Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snær Guðnason. Then I’m on the last few meters of a Netflix series called “KATLA” where I’m producing the score for my friend Högni Egilsson. How do you approach composing? I tend to stay away from any kind of prenotions or templates. Most of my ideas come from musically theoretical concepts or timbral experimentations that can come about equally by effort and accident. However the majority of my creative efforts are spent in front of my computer in Pro Tools, Sibelius, Ableton, or Cubase. Tell us about your studio setup. My space is decently sized and way too cluttered. I try to make it invite creativity while being ergonomic. I have a lot of instruments that I rarely use but when I use them they make up for the space they take up. Therefore I’m always on the lookout for ideas to get to recording something as fast as possible when inspiration hits. But the majority of my time is spent programming midi and automating in DAW’s. What’s next for you? I’m going to be focusing on writing new music that’s not intended for media composition. I believe it’s vital to keep reinventing what interests you musically and not get into habits just because they produce adequate results but rather keep challenging your workflow. That being said I’m putting all my heart into finishing Agent Fresco’s third album with the integrity and attention to detail I feel it deserves. I’ve never been more pleased with music I’ve created. You’ve been using Wave as a studio remote, can you tell us how using Wave for that purpose has changed your creative process?Wave as a remote was an instant part of my workflow. It might not seem like a big deal but having control of your most vital shortcuts, feeling like an extension of your index finger, takes you away from the virtual space of a computer and puts you in front of the instrument you are manipulating at a given moment. I don’t have to look at my DAW if I don’t want to, I can just communicate with it “telepathically”. Would you be willing to share your studio remote setup, and maybe explain a bit how it works? Softwave is a deep software of which I’m constantly running into new ways to approach and maneuver but this is a very straightforward and easy way of using it. I think all Wave users should have a think about what commands they would like to be able to bring away from their normal seated position in front of the keyboard and mouse and make their own personal version of it. My main focus was to be able to start recording, listen back, UNDO and create new playlists. Then I have scrubbing 1 bar back and forth but I don’t tend to use that a whole lot. I want to emphasize that these are just the commands that made sense to me to have available for Pro Tools. This is in essence making your normal QWERTY keyboard shortcuts a mobile extension of your muscle memory. Get Toti's Presets here:https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Toti_PT_Preset_v1.0.xml

<div dir="ltr">Tóti Guðnason is a composer for film who has worked with composers like Hildur Guðnadóttir, Högni Egilsson, Ólafur Arnalds and the late Jóhann Jóhannsson. He also writes and performs with his band Agent Fresco. We sat down with him in his studio to learn about his process and how he uses Wave as a studio remote.</div>
<div dir="ltr"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fk0a_TvN0BY" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">
What are you working on at the moment?
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
I’m currently recording the last bits of Agent Fresco’s third album which has been a long time in the making and I’m extremely excited about letting people experience. My first score as a sole composer for a featured film called “DÝRIÐ” will be out later this year starring Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snær Guðnason. Then I’m on the last few meters of a Netflix series called “KATLA” where I’m producing the score for my friend Högni Egilsson.
</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">
How do you approach composing?
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
I tend to stay away from any kind of prenotions or templates. Most of my ideas come from musically theoretical concepts or timbral experimentations that can come about equally by effort and accident. However the majority of my creative efforts are spent in front of my computer in Pro Tools, Sibelius, Ableton, or Cubase. 
</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">Tell us about your studio setup. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
My space is decently sized and way too cluttered. I try to make it invite creativity while being ergonomic. I have a lot of instruments that I rarely use but when I use them they make up for the space they take up. Therefore I’m always on the lookout for ideas to get to recording something as fast as possible when inspiration hits. But the majority of my time is spent programming midi and automating in DAW’s.
</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">
What’s next for you?
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
I’m going to be focusing on writing new music that’s not intended for media composition. I believe it’s vital to keep reinventing what interests you musically and not get into habits just because they produce adequate results but rather keep challenging your workflow. That being said I’m putting all my heart into finishing Agent Fresco’s third album with the integrity and attention to detail I feel it deserves. I’ve never been more pleased with music I’ve created. 
</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">
You’ve been using Wave as a studio remote, can you tell us how using Wave for that purpose has changed your creative process? Wave as a remote was an instant part of my workflow. It might not seem like a big deal but having control of your most vital shortcuts, feeling like an extension of your index finger, takes you away from the virtual space of a computer and puts you in front of the instrument you are manipulating at a given moment. I don’t have to look at my DAW if I don’t want to, I can just communicate with it “telepathically”.
</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">
Would you be willing to share your studio remote setup, and maybe explain a bit how it works?
</div>
<div dir="ltr">Softwave is a deep software of which I’m constantly running into new ways to approach and maneuver but this is a very straightforward and easy way of using it.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
I think all Wave users should have a think about what commands they would like to be able to bring away from their normal seated position in front of the keyboard and mouse and make their own personal version of it. My main focus was to be able to start recording, listen back, UNDO and create new playlists. Then I have scrubbing 1 bar back and forth but I don’t tend to use that a whole lot.  I want to emphasize that these are just the commands that made sense to me to have available for Pro Tools. This is in essence making your normal QWERTY keyboard shortcuts a mobile extension of your muscle memory. 
</div>
<div dir="ltr"></div>
<div dir="ltr">Get Toti's Presets here: <a target="_blank" class="c-link" data-stringify-link="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Toti_PT_Preset_v1.0.xml" delay="150" data-sk="tooltip_parent" href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Toti_PT_Preset_v1.0.xml" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-20448">https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Toti_PT_Preset_v1.0.xml</a> </div>

Making Waves with Tóti Guðnason

Softwave is receiving yet another update! The most notable change in this version is improved stability on Windows systems and fixing VST3 and AU plugin hosting. Download the new version for your platform Windows 10 macOS Important: Make sure to back up your preset bank before installing the update - just in case (see Saving & Loading). What's new For this update we've dropped the dependency on Korg's BLE MIDI driver. The driver has proven problematic on many systems, and we recommend uninstalling it completely before installing this update. Softwave now uses virtual MIDI driver software provided by loopMIDI. To use Wave as a MIDI device in your DAW, you need to install loopMIDI - if you haven't already. The software is free, and has proven to be very reliable. Softwave will now completely manage connections with Wave and other Bluetooth MIDI devices, and expose their MIDI ports to DAWs and other software in your system. This allows for a unified and streamlined connection process on both macOS and Windows 10. Additionally, Softwave will remember which devices have been connected and will automatically reconnect when they become available. This means that Softwave is now required to be running to maintain a connection with Wave. On macOS, if you must run Wave in standalone mode without Softwave that is still possible to do through Audio Midi Setup (provided in all recent macOS releases). This new version also comes with a small firmware update, mostly bug fixes and stability updates.Read the full release notes.

Softwave is receiving yet another update! The most notable change in this version is improved stability on Windows systems and fixing VST3 and AU plugin hosting.
Download the new version for your platform
<ul>
<li><a href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Softwave_win.zip">Windows 10</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Softwave_mac.zip">macOS</a></li>
</ul>
Important: Make sure to back up your preset bank before installing the update - just in case (see <a href="https://support.genkiinstruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/360014618438-Saving-Loading" rel="nofollow">Saving &amp; Loading</a>).
 
What's new
For this update we've dropped the dependency on Korg's BLE MIDI driver. The driver has proven problematic on many systems, and we recommend uninstalling it completely before installing this update. Softwave now uses virtual MIDI driver software provided by <a href="https://www.tobias-erichsen.de/software/loopmidi.html" rel="nofollow">loopMIDI</a>. To use Wave as a MIDI device in your DAW, you need to install loopMIDI - if you haven't already. The software is free, and has proven to be very reliable.
Softwave will now completely manage connections with Wave and other Bluetooth MIDI devices, and expose their MIDI ports to DAWs and other software in your system. This allows for a unified and streamlined connection process on both macOS and Windows 10. Additionally, Softwave will remember which devices have been connected and will automatically reconnect when they become available.
This means that Softwave is now required to be running to maintain a connection with Wave. On macOS, if you must run Wave in standalone mode without Softwave that is still possible to do through Audio Midi Setup (provided in all recent macOS releases).
This new version also comes with a small firmware update, mostly bug fixes and stability updates. Read the <a href="https://support.genkiinstruments.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360014429217-Softwave-v0-10-0-VST3-AU-hosting-and-Windows-10-stability-updates">full release notes</a>.

Softwave v0.10.0 - VST3/AU hosting and Windows 10 stability updates

Next time you're in the studio recording a track, you can use Wave as a remote control to help manage your recordings from afar.Using key commands, you can create a new track, hit record, and stop recording or mute a track—all while you play. We've created presets for Ableton, Logic and Pro Tools to get you started. First step: Make sure you are running the latest version of Softwave Download it here Second step: Download presets for your DAW These preset banks were made on Mac. Some adjustment of key commands might be needed on Windows. Logic Pro X Download Preset UP Button Creates new track (note that you need to press the button twice for it to register) MIDDLE Button starts recording DOWN Button stops recording and mutes the track Pro Tools Download Preset for Recording Remote UP Button Disarms the current track and creates a new one MIDDLE Button Moves cursor down a track, arms that track and starts recording DOWN Button stops recording and mutes the track Note that you might need to type in the key command for playlist again, depending on your keyboard language. Download Preset for Playlist Remote UP Button Creates a new playlist on the selected track MIDDLE Button starts recording DOWN Button stops recording As users generally like to make playlists in Pro Tools this preset allows you to do that Ableton Live Download Preset UP Button creates a new track and arms it MIDDLE Button starts recording DOWN Button stops recording, disarms and mutes the track Note that Ableton doesn’t allow mapping to ‘Mute’ and ‘Arm’ so we have been using a Max 4 Live patch called Futility (version 3.3) -> https://gumroad.com/l/FKHsF It costs $3 but is worth it. You load it to your sessions master track and for the preset bank to work you need to Key Map the Mute button to ‘m’ and the Arm button ‘r’. ------ 1. Load the preset bank for your DAW of choice in Softwave 2. You can now use Wave as a recording remote in your DAW! Learn more about Wave here

Next time you're in the studio recording a track, you can use Wave as a remote control to help manage your recordings from afar. Using key commands, you can create a new track, hit record, and stop recording or mute a track—all while you play. 
We've created presets for Ableton, Logic and Pro Tools to get you started.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9pEGV0H5nTw" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
First step: Make sure you are running the latest version of Softwave
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.genkiinstruments.com/softwave" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Download it here</a></li>
</ul>
Second step: Download presets for your DAW
<ul>
<li>These preset banks were made on Mac. Some adjustment of key commands might be needed on Windows.</li>
</ul>
 
Logic Pro X
<a href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Logic_Pro_X_Recording_Remote.xml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Download Preset</a>
UP Button Creates new track (note that you need to press the button twice for it to register)
MIDDLE Button starts recording
DOWN Button stops recording and mutes the track
 
Pro Tools
<a href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Pro_Tools_Recording_Remote.xml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Download Preset for Recording Remote</a>
UP Button Disarms the current track and creates a new one
MIDDLE Button Moves cursor down a track, arms that track and starts recording
DOWN Button stops recording and mutes the track
<ul>
<li>Note that you might need to type in the key command for playlist again, depending on your keyboard language. </li>
</ul>
 
<a href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Pro_Tools_Recording_Remote__Playlist.xml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Download Preset for Playlist Remote</a>
UP Button Creates a new playlist on the selected track
MIDDLE Button starts recording
DOWN Button stops recording
<ul>
<li>As users generally like to make playlists in Pro Tools this preset allows you to do that</li>
</ul>
 
Ableton Live
<a href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Ableton_Live_Recording_Remote.xml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Download Preset</a>
UP Button creates a new track and arms it
MIDDLE Button starts recording
DOWN Button stops recording, disarms and mutes the track
<ul>
<li>Note that Ableton doesn’t allow mapping to ‘Mute’ and ‘Arm’ so we have been using a Max 4 Live patch called Futility (version 3.3) -&gt; <a href="https://gumroad.com/l/FKHsF" rel="nofollow">https://gumroad.com/l/FKHsF</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>It costs $3 but is worth it. You load it to your sessions master track and for the preset bank to work you need to Key Map the Mute button to ‘m’ and the Arm button ‘r’.</li>
</ul>
------
1. Load the preset bank for your DAW of choice in Softwave
<img src="https://support.genkiinstruments.com/hc/user_images/ZhTvqTtneJ-8ViGFbt1wDA.png">
<img src="https://support.genkiinstruments.com/hc/user_images/X0oX9CxZDQgXYDo9Hifudw.png">
2. You can now use Wave as a recording remote in your DAW!
<img src="https://support.genkiinstruments.com/hc/user_images/dGveVUfo-338ehHBAWO3Mw.png">
Learn more about Wave <a href="https://genkiinstruments.com/products/wave" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>

Wave as a Recording Remote

The newest version of Softwave introduces a standalone mode editor and gives you the ability to create multiple presets and store them directly onto Wave.‍Get the latest version here. In this video selection, the Standalone mode editor is shown and the basics of Softwave are demonstrated. Softwave v0.8.0 Release Notes‍ New features and improvements‍ Multiple standalone presets and new standalone mode editor Softwave now allows you to create multiple presets that are stored on Wave. These presets can be accessed whenever Wave is not connected to Softwave. Learn more about this new standalone mode editor here. New edit mode Along with the new standalone mode, we've updated the edit mode on Wave itself. Now you can go deeper into each function and configure them without connecting to Softwave. See section 4.4 of our instruction manual for details.‍ Softwave can now learn incoming MIDI controllers when connected to a MIDI output.‍ You can now assign a specific MIDI program change message to each preset. When cycling presets on Wave, it will automatically select the correct patch on your synth.‍ Quickly cycle between presets in Softwave using the number and arrow keys on your keyboard.‍ Replaced the MIDI SysEx communication layer between Wave and Softwave. This prevents crashes in the Korg BLE MIDI driver on Windows 10, and helps reduce mapping issues in DAWs that allow learning MIDI SysEx messages.‍ Softwave now allows you to route MIDI from Wave directly to your hardware synth or any other MIDI output.‍ The click function has been streamlined further. No need to navigate to the Wave configuration panel to enable the click function for a button.‍ Wave's button configuration has been simplified.‍ Major CPU usage optimizations when multiple VST/AU plugins are loaded in a bank.

The newest version of Softwave introduces a standalone mode editor and gives you the ability to create multiple presets and store them directly onto Wave. ‍ Get the latest version <a href="https://www.genkiinstruments.com/softwave">here.</a>
 In this video selection, the Standalone mode editor is shown and the basics of Softwave are demonstrated.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UrhpFpQ9i4I" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 
<h3>Softwave v0.8.0 Release Notes ‍</h3>
<h4>New features and improvements ‍</h4>
<ul role="list">
<li>
Multiple standalone presets and new standalone mode editor Softwave now allows you to create multiple presets that are stored on Wave. These presets can be accessed whenever Wave is not connected to Softwave. Learn more about this new standalone mode editor <a href="https://start.genkiinstruments.com/17/">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul role="list">
<li>
New edit mode Along with the new standalone mode, we've updated the edit mode on Wave itself. Now you can go deeper into each function and configure them without connecting to Softwave. See <a href="https://start.genkiinstruments.com/17/">section 4.4</a> of our instruction manual for details. ‍</li>
<li>Softwave can now learn incoming MIDI controllers when connected to a MIDI output. ‍</li>
</ul>
<ul role="list">
<li>You can now assign a specific MIDI program change message to each preset. When cycling presets on Wave, it will automatically select the correct patch on your synth. ‍</li>
<li>Quickly cycle between presets in Softwave using the number and arrow keys on your keyboard. ‍</li>
<li>Replaced the MIDI SysEx communication layer between Wave and Softwave. This prevents crashes in the Korg BLE MIDI driver on Windows 10, and helps reduce mapping issues in DAWs that allow learning MIDI SysEx messages. ‍</li>
<li>Softwave now allows you to route MIDI from Wave directly to your hardware synth or any other MIDI output. ‍</li>
<li>The click function has been streamlined further. No need to navigate to the Wave configuration panel to enable the click function for a button. ‍</li>
<li>Wave's button configuration has been simplified. ‍</li>
<li>Major CPU usage optimizations when multiple VST/AU plugins are loaded in a bank.</li>
</ul>

Softwave v0.8.0 is here - New Standalone mode editor

When you are working on a creative project, you’re bound to run into moments when you get stuck. It happens to all of us. The trick is when inspiration doesn’t strike, to engineer it by trying out a few techniques. Here are some tips to inspire you: Play an instrument you aren’t used to playing Picking up a new instrument can give you ideas, especially when you don’t know where the notes are located and have to use your ears. Or try making the instrument you already play sound new by playing it in ways it isn’t supposed to be played. Create new sounds by modifying it, like Jimmy Page and Jonsi from Sigur Ros did by bowing their electric guitar, or in this example using a pencil on an acoustic guitar to replicate the sound of a cello: Sample your household items. It’s amazing how much potential normal household items have. Look around your home for items that might produce interesting sounds. The raw acoustic sounds might surprise you once you load them into your sampler to process them.See Fin_draper Even better if you can get the whole family in on it:See here Go DAWless Let’s face it, computers aren’t going anywhere. Luckily for us, because they make us productive and get stuff done. But every now and then, it's important to get away from the screen and use other senses besides the eyes. Switch over to a tactile experience and play around with hardware that might be in your studio or try totally new ways to express yourself. And if all else fails, build your own gear If you are a DIY type, why not try your hand at building your own gear? There’s plenty of information out there to get started, and plenty of rabbit holes to go down, like this customized organ made entirely out of Furbys.

When you are working on a creative project, you’re bound to run into moments when you get stuck. It happens to all of us. The trick is when inspiration doesn’t strike, to engineer it by trying out a few techniques. Here are some tips to inspire you: 
 
Play an instrument you aren’t used to playing 
 
Picking up a new instrument can give you ideas, especially when you don’t know where the notes are located and have to use your ears. Or try making the instrument you already play sound new by playing it in ways it isn’t supposed to be played. Create new sounds by modifying it, like Jimmy Page and Jonsi from Sigur Ros did by bowing their electric guitar, or in this example using a pencil on an acoustic guitar to replicate the sound of a cello:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TyF-jrQthmE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 
Sample your household items. 
It’s amazing how much potential normal household items have. Look around your home for items that might produce interesting sounds. The raw acoustic sounds might surprise you once you load them into your sampler to process them. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_K88PGpSXH/embed/?cr=1&amp;amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">See Fin_draper</a>
Even better if you can get the whole family in on it: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-FYvIuHLnP/embed/?cr=1&amp;amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">See here</a>
<h4>Go DAWless</h4>
Let’s face it, computers aren’t going anywhere. Luckily for us, because they make us productive and get stuff done. But every now and then, it's important to get away from the screen and use other senses besides the eyes. Switch over to a tactile experience and play around with hardware that might be in your studio or try totally new ways to express yourself.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LRr9T-CXR-s" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> 
 
And if all else fails, build your own gear
If you are a DIY type, why not try your hand at building your own gear? There’s plenty of information out there to get started, and plenty of rabbit holes to go down, like this customized organ made entirely out of Furbys.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GYLBjScgb7o" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

How to get over creative roadblocks

On a freezing Friday night in Reykjavík a bus full of people danced the night away.Each year, the city of Reykjavík hosts the Winter Lights Festival, which is an annual event celebrating both the winter world and the growing sun light after a long period of darkness. The program consists of light installations, culture and outdoor activities. This year, music tech company Genki Instruments, with Tiny/Massive and teenage engineering organized a party in a bus outside Harpa, Reykjavík's stunning Music and Conference Hall. In the extreme cold a powerful performance from Milkywhale (IS) got the bus bouncing and hearts pumping. During the concert, the lights on Harpa were being controlled by Wave by Genki Instruments. Wave is a ring that senses the motion of your hand and allows musicians to control and shape sound, light and effects with the motion of their hands. In this case the whole atmosphere was dancing along with Milkywhale. After the performance was over, guests got to try the ring out and simultaneously control effects on the music and the whole light facade of Harpa. Wave is designed to allow artists to express themselves in an intuitive way and to give them a creative layer of control on top of the digital tools they already use merging art and technology in a new way.Earlier in the evening, Sweden's Loney Dear had also performed using an innovative instrument to control sound and light. He performed and controlled the visuals on Harpa using teengae engineering's new instrument, the OP-Z. The long awaited multi-media synthesizer and sequencer was almost made for a moment like this and the setting showed it's enormous potential as a stand-alone device to control all aspects of the party. Afterwards, concert guests got to play around with the instruments to control the light facade themselves. For the people gathered in a bus in -8°C on a windy night in Reykjavík it was definitely a night to remember.

On a freezing Friday night in Reykjavík a bus full of people danced the night away. Each year, the city of Reykjavík hosts the Winter Lights Festival, which is an annual event celebrating both the winter world and the growing sun light after a long period of darkness. The program consists of light installations, culture and outdoor activities. This year, music tech company Genki Instruments, with <a href="https://tinymassive.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tiny/Massive</a> and teenage engineering organized a party in a bus outside Harpa, Reykjavík's stunning Music and Conference Hall.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H0uLc6VOWs8" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 
In the extreme cold a powerful performance from Milkywhale (IS) got the bus bouncing and hearts pumping. During the concert, the lights on Harpa were being controlled by Wave by Genki Instruments. Wave is a ring that senses the motion of your hand and allows musicians to control and shape sound, light and effects with the motion of their hands. In this case the whole atmosphere was dancing along with Milkywhale.
 
After the performance was over, guests got to try the ring out and simultaneously control effects on the music and the whole light facade of Harpa. Wave is designed to allow artists to express themselves in an intuitive way and to give them a creative layer of control on top of the digital tools they already use merging art and technology in a new way. Earlier in the evening, Sweden's Loney Dear had also performed using an innovative instrument to control sound and light. He performed and controlled the visuals on Harpa using teengae engineering's new instrument, the OP-Z. The long awaited multi-media synthesizer and sequencer was almost made for a moment like this and the setting showed it's enormous potential as a stand-alone device to control all aspects of the party.  
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wAKno0pe4UQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 Afterwards, concert guests got to play around with the instruments to control the light facade themselves. For the people gathered in a bus in -8°C on a windy night in Reykjavík it was definitely a night to remember.

Music lights up Harpa Music Hall

Bruno Tonao is a finger drummer who combines his craft with the DIY tech scene. In this interview, he shares his unique approach to creating music, and how he incorporates his inventions and technology into his setup. What are you working on at the moment?I’m a finger drummer so for me, a musical performance needs to also be visual. That's why for now when I'm not practicing finger drumming, I spend most of my time trying to create objects to interact with what I play. Your Instagram page is a mixture of art, music, and technology from 3D printing to finger drumming. How did you get started in those interests and how do you combine them?I started to get into this “do it yourself” tech universe because of my job. I was born in Brazil and I used to work traveling with foreign musicians playing in São Paulo. But when I moved to France, I got a job in a venue specializing in digital art and electronic music, so I had no choice but to learn things like coding, 3D printing, and video mapping. Now, we host all different kinds of projects and my primary mission is to help these artists make their unusual ideas come alive. It could be a spider web harp, a disco ball drone, or a wall-mounted singing fish. Tell us about your studio setup - what gear are you using and can you explain the story behind the mannequin hands?My studio setup is a mix of fab lab and a cabinet of curiosities. I have all these prototypes that I made and building these kinds of things is like making a track—the majority of time you start a new one before finishing what you are currently working on. So all these unfinished objects end up stacked in my studio. The mannequin hands are one of them. I just made them to integrate some visuals into my live performances. But for standard music gear, besides Wave, I have an OP-Z that I use for sketching ideas and sequencing lights or visuals, then I have a turntable for digging samples and finally an Ableton Push and an MPC Live for finger drumming. How has technology changed the way you make music?It changes everything. When I was a teenager I used to play bass but I always got frustrated because it was actually very hard to find a band to play with. I quickly got into music production to record my own tracks and then I started finger drumming to be able to play everything live. Technology will never stop evolving. Sometimes people say that there’s a “right way” to play something or there's a “right tone” for an instrument. I really think this claim for purism is just a way to limit yourself. What's next for you?For now I hope I can finish all my side projects and finally play some concerts when Corona calms down. Check out Bruno's work:Bruno on Instagram: Bruno on Youtube: Bruno on Facebook:

Bruno Tonao is a finger drummer who combines his craft with the DIY tech scene. In this interview, he shares his unique approach to creating music, and how he incorporates his inventions and technology into his setup.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uHmOodKrw7Q" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 
What are you working on at the moment? I’m a finger drummer so for me, a musical performance needs to also be visual. That's why for now when I'm not practicing finger drumming, I spend most of my time trying to create objects to interact with what I play.
Your Instagram page is a mixture of art, music, and technology from 3D printing to finger drumming. How did you get started in those interests and how do you combine them? I started to get into this “do it yourself” tech universe because of my job. I was born in Brazil and I used to work traveling with foreign musicians playing in São Paulo. But when I moved to France, I got a job in a venue specializing in digital art and electronic music, so I had no choice but to learn things like coding, 3D printing, and video mapping. Now, we host all different kinds of projects and my primary mission is to help these artists make their unusual ideas come alive. It could be a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi2KXDABwQE/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spider web harp</a>, a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEb4c4THOcV/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">disco ball drone</a>, or a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnTpA76HGma/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wall-mounted singing fish</a>.
Tell us about your studio setup - what gear are you using and can you explain the story behind the mannequin hands? My studio setup is a mix of fab lab and a cabinet of curiosities. I have all these prototypes that I made and building these kinds of things is like making a track—the majority of time you start a new one before finishing what you are currently working on. So all these unfinished objects end up stacked in my studio. The mannequin hands are one of them. I just made them to integrate some visuals into my live performances. But for standard music gear, besides Wave, I have an OP-Z that I use for sketching ideas and sequencing lights or visuals, then I have a turntable for digging samples and finally an Ableton Push and an MPC Live for finger drumming.
How has technology changed the way you make music? It changes everything. When I was a teenager I used to play bass but I always got frustrated because it was actually very hard to find a band to play with. I quickly got into music production to record my own tracks and then I started finger drumming to be able to play everything live. Technology will never stop evolving. Sometimes people say that there’s a “right way” to play something or there's a “right tone” for an instrument. I really think this claim for purism is just a way to limit yourself.
What's next for you? For now I hope I can finish all my side projects and finally play some concerts when Corona calms down.
<h4>Check out Bruno's work: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/me.tonao/" target="_blank" title="https://www.instagram.com/me.tonao/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bruno on Instagram: </a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/me.tonao/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHpW93qoKIStH4rcz1GWTIw" target="_blank" title="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHpW93qoKIStH4rcz1GWTIw" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bruno on Youtube: </a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHpW93qoKIStH4rcz1GWTIw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/me.tonao/" target="_blank" title="https://www.facebook.com/me.tonao/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bruno on Facebook:</a> </h4>

A Finger Drummer's Cabinet of Curiosities

HalLó is a percussion duet, consisting of percussionists Halldór Eldjárn and Svanhildur Lóa Bergsveinsdóttir. During the Making Waves exhibition at Design March, they performed with two Waves each, creating a performance full of rhythms and textures. In this breakdown of their performance, they explain how they control effects and manipulate the drums in real time. Find out more: Instagram: inorganic.audio and halldorel https://inorganic.design https://inorganic.audio https://hdor.is

HalLó is a percussion duet, consisting of percussionists Halldór Eldjárn and Svanhildur Lóa Bergsveinsdóttir. During the Making Waves exhibition at Design March, they performed with two Waves each, creating a performance full of rhythms and textures.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EE6bfhGNuF4" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
In this breakdown of their performance, they explain how they control effects and manipulate the drums in real time.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7pERGdqdg0Y" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> 
<h4>
Find out more:  Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/inorganic.audio">inorganic.audio</a>  and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/halldorel">halldorel</a>  <a href="https://inorganic.design/">https://inorganic.design</a>  <a href="https://inorganic.audio/">https://inorganic.audio</a>  <a href="https://hdor.is/">https://hdor.is</a>
</h4>

HalLó percussion duet performance

Wavefront, our Eurorack receiver got a major update and now connects EVERY Bluetooth MIDI device like a phone, tablet, or laptop to a modular system. Improved functionality, endless possibilities The update expands the module's potential by translating MIDI to CV to control or automate parameters in a modular setup and creates new possibilities which include: Use a phone or tablet as an XY pad with TouchOSC layout Use Wave to trigger/gate modules Connect standalone hardware to a modular synth without cables Use a computer to automate CV through Ableton Live Use a keyboard to interact with a modular setup Step away and play a patch from a distance‍ Learn more about Wavefront Click here to download a TouchOSC layout and update firmware

Wavefront, our Eurorack receiver got a major update and now connects EVERY Bluetooth MIDI device like a phone, tablet, or laptop to a modular system.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OxGjLVSPjCE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 
<h4>Improved functionality, endless possibilities</h4>
The update expands the module's potential by translating MIDI to CV to control or automate parameters in a modular setup and creates new possibilities which include:
<div>
<ul>
<li>Use a phone or tablet as an XY pad with TouchOSC layout</li>
<li>Use Wave to trigger/gate modules</li>
<li>Connect standalone hardware to a modular synth without cables</li>
<li>Use a computer to automate CV through Ableton Live</li>
<li>Use a keyboard to interact with a modular setup</li>
<li>Step away and play a patch from a distance<a href="https://www.genkiinstruments.com/wavefront">‍</a>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
 
<h4><a href="https://www.genkiinstruments.com/wavefront">Learn more about Wavefront</a></h4>
<h4><a href="https://www.notion.so/genkiinstruments/Wavefront-Bluetooth-MIDI-d837c0a19e5c442295677280d9a53b98">Click here to download a TouchOSC layout and update firmware</a></h4>

Major Wavefront update brings Bluetooth MIDI to all Euroracks

Softwave is getting another update! We truly value our users' feedback and try our very best to keep improving the experience. ‍ Softwave 0.9.0 is available for download now (Windows 10 and MacOS). ‍ Softwave v0.9.0 Release Notes‍ This version comes bundled with a firmware update for Wavefront, now you can connect any Bluetooth MIDI device and control your Eurorack in a new way. Read more here.‍ Softwave now has a built-in auto-update mechanism so it's easier to stay up to date.‍ This version also has a minor firmware update for Wave-In standalone mode, the auto-activate property wasn't always treated correctly New About section displaying current software version and firmware version of connected Waves Added an option to keep Softwave always on top‍ Softwave now comes with an installer and actually installs properly to the Applications / Program Files folders‍ Various bug fixes-Midi output selection wasn't always accessible in Audio/Midi Settings.-Changing the audio sample rate / buffer size caused synth engines to stop working-Center point not displayed correctly when switching between presets in Softwave-Windows: Prevent application crash on startup if no Bluetooth adapter is available ‍ If you face any issues, don't hesitate to reach out to us via wave@genkiinstruments.com

Softwave is getting another update! We truly value our users' feedback and try our very best to keep improving the experience.
‍
<h5>Softwave 0.9.0 is available for download now (<a href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Softwave_win.exe" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Windows 10</a> and <a href="https://bitbucket.org/genki_instruments/software_releases/downloads/Softwave_mac.zip" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MacOS</a>).</h5>
‍
<h3>Softwave v0.9.0 Release Notes ‍</h3>
<ul role="list">
<li>
This version comes bundled with a firmware update for Wavefront, now you can connect any Bluetooth MIDI device and control your Eurorack in a new way. Read more <a href="https://www.notion.so/Wavefront-Bluetooth-MIDI-d837c0a19e5c442295677280d9a53b98">here</a>. ‍</li>
<li>
Softwave now has a built-in auto-update mechanism so it's easier to stay up to date. ‍</li>
<li>This version also has a minor firmware update for Wave -In standalone mode, the auto-activate property wasn't always treated correctly</li>
</ul>
<ul role="list">
<li>New About section displaying current software version and firmware version of connected Waves</li>
</ul>
<ul role="list">
<li>Added an option to keep Softwave always on top ‍</li>
<li>Softwave now comes with an installer and actually installs properly to the Applications / Program Files folders ‍</li>
<li>Various bug fixes -Midi output selection wasn't always accessible in Audio/Midi Settings. -Changing the audio sample rate / buffer size caused synth engines to stop working -Center point not displayed correctly when switching between presets in Softwave -Windows: Prevent application crash on startup if no Bluetooth adapter is available</li>
</ul>
‍
If you face any issues, don't hesitate to reach out to us via <a href="mailto:wave@genkiinstruments.com">wave@genkiinstruments.com</a>

Software v0.9.0 - Wavefront firmware update

What are you working on at the moment? I am working on my next weekly video upload for my Youtube channel which has been my form of emotional therapy haha and gear adventure. I especially love sharing my explorations of the gear that I am new to on my channel. I have realised that making videos is how my mind enjoys learning, utilising, and understanding a piece of gear. My most recent additions are the Wave ring and Wavefront module so the last 2 videos have been about exploring and getting to know them better. I am having lots of fun!I have also finished writing and producing my album. I want to release it this year. How do you approach songwriting? Songwriting has always been a way for me to fully digest and truly understand how I am feeling inside because I have a reserved and at times delayed reaction to things. When something is happening especially if it's sad or intense, I have realised that during that exact moment I tend to go into autopilot mode. I try my best to stay calm, not react, keep my feelings inside on the back burner but it then, of course, always builds up. Like a human sponge, I absorb things and that gets heavy so songwriting has been a way to release that pressure, let things out peacefully. Most of the time when I am writing a song, I really don't know why the lyrics come to mind the way they do. Only after it's finished that I realise it is my delayed response to something that happened and I am finally responding to it. My lyrics are usually in metaphors, I guess that's how I capture what has happened in my perspective, in my own codes. "I think the process of releasing music has also turned a lot of pain into healing because you start to make real connections with people who feel the same way." When I get messages saying my music sounds comforting, healing, or like a sad smile with both darkness and lightness, I feel that they really see me, we see each other and we connect with all of that. I am really grateful that songwriting can do that, it brings our community closer, we create and heal together. That is why songwriting is my favourite form of connecting, journaling and therapy so starting with no pressure, honesty and vulnerability is how I approach it. Heymun with some of her gear family: Larry, Frozzy and Ringo Tell us about your studio setup. What gear are you using and how did you come about naming your gear Thank you for noticing! I always beam a little inside when anyone calls my gear by their names. When I saw the comment from Genki Instrument's saying "Frankie" on my Wavefront + Wave ring Youtube video, I was so happy, thank you. I love naming all my gear. I believe each gear has its own unique personality. It actually all started with "Larry" my studio companion cup that has the cutest smiley face on it. It was the first decorative item I got when I finished setting up my studio. I spend a lot of time working alone in my studio, lots of long days, late nights and at times full weekends and "Larry" the cup would always be there keeping me company sitting on top of my left speaker. Its cute face is so wonderful to look at and is a reminder to take a break from staring at my screen. I introduced "Larry" on my Insta stories one day and from there the naming of gear took a life of its own. It has become a bit of a fun thing, the community is super cool like that and they have also introduced their studio companions to me from around the world. I often pair my gear with each other in my exploration videos so their names then merge and it becomes, in an example, Frozzy ( Frankie the Eurorack + Ozzy the OP-Z) and from that sometimes I get gear pairing requests just by their names haha. I love it! So, I do keep those who are following me updated on new gear family members and during the unboxing of gear is usually when I have an idea for a name. The gear that I am currently using are "Frankie" the Frankenstein Eurorack, "Ozzy" the OP-Z, "OP1(andonly)" the OP-1, "Gran" the Grandmother Moog, "Poe" the PO Modular 400, "NaNa" the PO Modular 170, "Rolo" the Roland piano and my latest addition is "Ringo" the Wave ring! Honestly, the naming of gear extends to everything plus the chairs in the studio so I will just stop here! haha. The main setup on my studio desk is an iMac, Yamaha HS7's, Apogee Quartet, Neumann KMS 105 microphone and my DAW is Ableton, I love Ableton! What's next for you? Keep making and sharing music alongside our beloved music community and release my album! We are fans of your YouTube page's ambient explorations. How did you get into modular? Thank you so much, I am grateful and happy to hear that. I am really fascinated with the world of modular. I find it so mesmerising and limitless but also quickly found that my budget was very limited. "I suffer from serious G.A.S (Gear Acquiring Syndrome) like everyone else haha so I knew I had to ease my way in slowly." I started with the Moog Apps to VCV rack to Arturia Buchla Easel V, just a little taste of it virtually then I started to get into semi-modular via the Grandmother Moog. I also loved researching DIY kits like the Buchla 208 on forums because I adore the Buchla Music Easel and am so curious about it. So, all that curiosity and not enough of a budget to make moves on any of the modular grid "rackdreams" I had put together (story of our lives) but then one beautiful day Teenage Engineering released their PO Modular series. For a newbie like me who was already a fan and user of Teenage Engineering via the OP-1, seeing the price, the opportunity to build it and how many modules the PO 400 came with, I "add to cart" and checked out so fast. That was the beginning. My start into modular. I was experiencing modular for the first time via the PO 400 and I was sharing all of my processes, from build to explorations to modular music on Instagram and I started to feel the presence of similar people who wanted a way into modular but didn't know where to start and I also felt the presence of the awesome people of Teenage Engineering. Months later I was approached to be a Teenage Engineering mentor, I said yes and that reinforced my desire to keep learning, sharing my explorations, chatting with our community and also dive deeper into modular from there. In March this year, I started my own little Eurorack named "Frankie". "Frankie" is an Intellijel palette with 2 Mutable Instruments modules Marbles + Plaits and that was as far as my budget could take me for the time being. Without any blank panel plates, there's a gaping hole in "Frankie's" Eurorack body haha but I think that "Frankie" is so beautiful anyway and I am happy to make the most of it so I started to create and share my ambient modular music exploring both Plaits + Marbles. I was surprised and grateful that "Frankie" was mentioned on The Verge website in a modular article recently because that connected me to some passionate modular friends who ask often, How's Frankie doing? What will your next module be? They are always so keen to talk about their favourite modules, share their explorations and it is that kind of enthusiasm that is so intoxicatingly fun about the modular and music world. I’ve always replied, if I am able to add another module, a performance, tap, touch, interactive, basically any module that allows that human touch when it comes to expression would be great cause I always knew that I wanted to interact with "Frankie" like that and not long after, my wish came true. The Wavefront module came into the picture and with that "Frankie" now has its third module. I am blown away by what the Wavefront module can do alongside the Wave ring.

What are you working on at the moment?
I am working on my next weekly video upload for my Youtube channel which has been my form of emotional therapy haha and gear adventure. I especially love sharing my explorations of the gear that I am new to on my channel. I have realised that making videos is how my mind enjoys learning, utilising, and understanding a piece of gear. My most recent additions are the Wave ring and Wavefront module so the last 2 videos have been about exploring and getting to know them better. I am having lots of fun!I have also finished writing and producing my album. I want to release it this year.
How do you approach songwriting?
Songwriting has always been a way for me to fully digest and truly understand how I am feeling inside because I have a reserved and at times delayed reaction to things. When something is happening especially if it's sad or intense, I have realised that during that exact moment I tend to go into autopilot mode. I try my best to stay calm, not react, keep my feelings inside on the back burner but it then, of course, always builds up. Like a human sponge, I absorb things and that gets heavy so songwriting has been a way to release that pressure, let things out peacefully.
Most of the time when I am writing a song, I really don't know why the lyrics come to mind the way they do. Only after it's finished that I realise it is my delayed response to something that happened and I am finally responding to it. My lyrics are usually in metaphors, I guess that's how I capture what has happened in my perspective, in my own codes.
<h3>"I think the process of releasing music has also turned a lot of pain into healing because you start to make real connections with people who feel the same way."</h3>
When I get messages saying my music sounds comforting, healing, or like a sad smile with both darkness and lightness, I feel that they really see me, we see each other and we connect with all of that. I am really grateful that songwriting can do that, it brings our community closer, we create and heal together. That is why songwriting is my favourite form of connecting, journaling and therapy so starting with no pressure, honesty and vulnerability is how I approach it.
<img src="https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0246/7348/4875/articles/Imaddge.png?v=1601032213">
Heymun with some of her gear family: Larry, Frozzy and Ringo
<hr class="hr--small">
Tell us about your studio setup. What gear are you using and how did you come about naming your gear
Thank you for noticing! I always beam a little inside when anyone calls my gear by their names. When I saw the comment from Genki Instrument's saying "Frankie" on my Wavefront + Wave ring Youtube video, I was so happy, thank you.
I love naming all my gear. I believe each gear has its own unique personality. It actually all started with "Larry" my studio companion cup that has the cutest smiley face on it. It was the first decorative item I got when I finished setting up my studio. I spend a lot of time working alone in my studio, lots of long days, late nights and at times full weekends and "Larry" the cup would always be there keeping me company sitting on top of my left speaker. Its cute face is so wonderful to look at and is a reminder to take a break from staring at my screen. I introduced "Larry" on my Insta stories one day and from there the naming of gear took a life of its own.
It has become a bit of a fun thing, the community is super cool like that and they have also introduced their studio companions to me from around the world. I often pair my gear with each other in my exploration videos so their names then merge and it becomes, in an example, Frozzy ( Frankie the Eurorack + Ozzy the OP-Z) and from that sometimes I get gear pairing requests just by their names haha. I love it! So, I do keep those who are following me updated on new gear family members and during the unboxing of gear is usually when I have an idea for a name.
The gear that I am currently using are "Frankie" the Frankenstein Eurorack, "Ozzy" the OP-Z, "OP1(andonly)" the OP-1, "Gran" the Grandmother Moog, "Poe" the PO Modular 400, "NaNa" the PO Modular 170, "Rolo" the Roland piano and my latest addition is "Ringo" the Wave ring! Honestly, the naming of gear extends to everything plus the chairs in the studio so I will just stop here! haha. The main setup on my studio desk is an iMac, Yamaha HS7's, Apogee Quartet, Neumann KMS 105 microphone and my DAW is Ableton, I love Ableton!
What's next for you?
Keep making and sharing music alongside our beloved music community and release my album!
We are fans of your YouTube page's ambient explorations. How did you get into modular?
Thank you so much, I am grateful and happy to hear that. I am really fascinated with the world of modular. I find it so mesmerising and limitless but also quickly found that my budget was very limited.
<h3>"I suffer from serious G.A.S (Gear Acquiring Syndrome) like everyone else haha so I knew I had to ease my way in slowly."</h3>
I started with the Moog Apps to VCV rack to Arturia Buchla Easel V, just a little taste of it virtually then I started to get into semi-modular via the Grandmother Moog. I also loved researching DIY kits like the Buchla 208 on forums because I adore the Buchla Music Easel and am so curious about it. So, all that curiosity and not enough of a budget to make moves on any of the modular grid "rackdreams" I had put together (story of our lives) but then one beautiful day Teenage Engineering released their PO Modular series. For a newbie like me who was already a fan and user of Teenage Engineering via the OP-1, seeing the price, the opportunity to build it and how many modules the PO 400 came with, I "add to cart" and checked out so fast.
That was the beginning. My start into modular.
I was experiencing modular for the first time via the PO 400 and I was sharing all of my processes, from build to explorations to modular music on Instagram and I started to feel the presence of similar people who wanted a way into modular but didn't know where to start and I also felt the presence of the awesome people of Teenage Engineering. Months later I was approached to be a Teenage Engineering mentor, I said yes and that reinforced my desire to keep learning, sharing my explorations, chatting with our community and also dive deeper into modular from there.
In March this year, I started my own little Eurorack named "Frankie". "Frankie" is an Intellijel palette with 2 Mutable Instruments modules Marbles + Plaits and that was as far as my budget could take me for the time being. Without any blank panel plates, there's a gaping hole in "Frankie's" Eurorack body haha but I think that "Frankie" is so beautiful anyway and I am happy to make the most of it so I started to create and share my ambient modular music exploring both Plaits + Marbles.
I was surprised and grateful that "Frankie" was mentioned on The Verge website in a modular article recently because that connected me to some passionate modular friends who ask often, How's Frankie doing? What will your next module be? They are always so keen to talk about their favourite modules, share their explorations and it is that kind of enthusiasm that is so intoxicatingly fun about the modular and music world. I’ve always replied, if I am able to add another module, a performance, tap, touch, interactive, basically any module that allows that human touch when it comes to expression would be great cause I always knew that I wanted to interact with "Frankie" like that and not long after, my wish came true. The Wavefront module came into the picture and with that "Frankie" now has its third module. I am blown away by what the Wavefront module can do alongside the Wave ring.
 
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cNzil_ByolE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>

Diving into modular with Heymun

Halldór Eldjárn is an Icelandic musician and software developer who mixes music and technology together. His recent project, Poco Apollo, is a generative music piece based on NASA's Apollo Space mission archive photos. In our recent interview, Halldór shared his artistic process and explained his unique approach to incorporating Wave in his setup. Art-First Approach Halldór believes that while technology is part of the process, art comes first. "Poco Apollo is a computer generated music piece that is built around NASA's library of photos that were taken during the lunar landing missions. I created a program that would fetch images from their server, there are around 14,000 photos, then my algorithm analysed the images and put the data into a monolith of code that I created that can spew out musical compositions based on the detected mood of the picture. So this was basically a way of composing a lot of music at once by creating the musical rules and how everything should connect together. As an artist, I made a lot of decisions, so this isn't an AI that can generate any kind of music, this is a very particular style of music. Maybe the challenge was that when I started doing the project, I thought I could do something more generic, like a more clever algorithm. In the end, I ended up curating a lot of it to suit my taste. With generative music, the most important part is the curation that happens. You generate something but then you select the ones that are actually good, because it creates a lot of obviously computer-made music. What I did after, was release the project as a web page to see the entire music piece with all 14,000 songs, but I also created an album where I selected my favorite ones. I really like coding and writing music, and trying to find unconventional ways of making music. This is all part of a journey as an artist.‍ I want to empower musicians to take part in this conversation with computers, so that the computer is not just a tool but it becomes a collaborator in a way. In areas where it makes sense, because it definitely does not make sense everywhere. I want it to be usable and maybe a bit of a magical experience, you don't know exactly how it works. But the musician always has the last word. You decide whether you like the stuff or not, if you are using it or not."‍ Wave Performance explanation Halldór was an early adopter of Wave, but instead of using it as a MIDI controller, he has been thinking about it as a pickup, "like a pickup on a guitar that picks up the vibrations of the string, but instead this picks up movement." For his Wave performance last November at the Icelandic Design Awards, he wanted to amplify his movements with Wave and use it in a musical way. He took this approach, "because it puts the art first and the technology second in a way, but it becomes completely essential to the project, nevertheless." Explaining his performance, he said: "I wrote this song wearing two Waves. I started the song with a piano loop that I had on my phone then I put it in a granular plugin so it would chop it up and loop parts of it. Then I found it really interesting that I could actually change the composition by changing the parameters of this granulator and shifting to another position in the audio file, and I could connect that to movement so it was not completely obvious that I was doing it. It was really powerful to be able to change the chord structure just by using a movement. So you are not only changing how the song sounds, but you are changing the actual song. Continuing this approach I took a drum loop and chopped it up into single beats that were mapped to a sampler, then I had a plugin that would play random patterns. A randomized arpeggiator was playing the drum samples, and if I kept the range of the arpeggiators short, I would get more bass drum hits but if the range was larger, I would get high hats and snares. It wouldn't be possible to play the song again, it was a completely unique performance." Learn more about Halldór: https://hdor.is/

Halldór Eldjárn is an Icelandic musician and software developer who mixes music and technology together. His recent project, Poco Apollo, is a generative music piece based on NASA's Apollo Space mission archive photos. In our recent interview, Halldór shared his artistic process and explained his unique approach to incorporating Wave in his setup.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SLA8fayy7Fw" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Art-First Approach
Halldór believes that while technology is part of the process, art comes first.
"Poco Apollo is a computer generated music piece that is built around NASA's library of photos that were taken during the lunar landing missions. I created a program that would fetch images from their server, there are around 14,000 photos, then my algorithm analysed the images and put the data into a monolith of code that I created that can spew out musical compositions based on the detected mood of the picture. So this was basically a way of composing a lot of music at once by creating the musical rules and how everything should connect together. As an artist, I made a lot of decisions, so this isn't an AI that can generate any kind of music, this is a very particular style of music.
Maybe the challenge was that when I started doing the project, I thought I could do something more generic, like a more clever algorithm. In the end, I ended up curating a lot of it to suit my taste. With generative music, the most important part is the curation that happens. You generate something but then you select the ones that are actually good, because it creates a lot of obviously computer-made music. What I did after, was release the project as a web page to see the entire music piece with all 14,000 songs, but I also created an album where I selected my favorite ones.
I really like coding and writing music, and trying to find unconventional ways of making music. This is all part of a journey as an artist.‍ I want to empower musicians to take part in this conversation with computers, so that the computer is not just a tool but it becomes a collaborator in a way. In areas where it makes sense, because it definitely does not make sense everywhere. I want it to be usable and maybe a bit of a magical experience, you don't know exactly how it works. But the musician always has the last word. You decide whether you like the stuff or not, if you are using it or not."‍
Wave Performance explanation
Halldór was an early adopter of Wave, but instead of using it as a MIDI controller, he has been thinking about it as a pickup, "like a pickup on a guitar that picks up the vibrations of the string, but instead this picks up movement." For his Wave performance last November at the Icelandic Design Awards, he wanted to amplify his movements with Wave and use it in a musical way. He took this approach, "because it puts the art first and the technology second in a way, but it becomes completely essential to the project, nevertheless."
Explaining his performance, he said:
"I wrote this song wearing two Waves. I started the song with a piano loop that I had on my phone then I put it in a granular plugin so it would chop it up and loop parts of it. Then I found it really interesting that I could actually change the composition by changing the parameters of this granulator and shifting to another position in the audio file, and I could connect that to movement so it was not completely obvious that I was doing it.
<h1>It was really powerful to be able to change the chord structure just by using a movement. So you are not only changing how the song sounds, but you are changing the actual song.</h1>
 Continuing this approach I took a drum loop and chopped it up into single beats that were mapped to a sampler, then I had a plugin that would play random patterns. A randomized arpeggiator was playing the drum samples, and if I kept the range of the arpeggiators short, I would get more bass drum hits but if the range was larger, I would get high hats and snares. It wouldn't be possible to play the song again, it was a completely unique performance."
Learn more about Halldór: <a href="https://hdor.is/">https://hdor.is/</a>

The artistic process with Halldór Eldjárn

In this Wave performance video, Reykjavik-based electronic musician and producer, Hermigervill, uses Wave in combination with our Wavefront Eurorack receiver to control his Arturia gear. Watch Hermigervill explain how he created the performance using Wave and Wavefront in this performance breakdown video. Follow Hermigervill on Spotify and Instagram

In this Wave performance video, Reykjavik-based electronic musician and producer, Hermigervill, uses Wave in combination with our Wavefront Eurorack receiver to control his Arturia gear.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JL6BRF0h-6U" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
Watch Hermigervill explain how he created the performance using Wave and Wavefront in this performance breakdown video.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v5UPrD_4g6s" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
 Follow Hermigervill on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/43RyO0OROtB16n37UJtjSB">Spotify</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hermigervill/?hl=en">Instagram</a>

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