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Jumbo-Sized MIDI Sampler Let's You Muscle Out Beats Like Mario in Giant World
Posted by John Mahoney at 11:15 AM on August 1, 2008
No matter how good the music is, musicians look kinda lame tapping out little beats on tiny samplers on stage. What is emphatically not lame though is pounding them on 16 giant pressure-sensitive pads with this 340kg sampler rig. It was built for the Warped-tour band Family Force 5 by a musician named bwack, and it packs a 22" monitor, 10 control knobs, two pizza-sized pitch wheels and a Mac running Ableton to control the whole game. Check it out onstage at the Warped tour below. Giganto-rock!
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
elephantattack
Posted 1:33 PM 1/8/08
ok that first video was really dull
elephantattack
DavidPFarrell
Posted 12:50 PM 1/8/08
Very sweet.
I can see the "Blue Man Group" adopting something like this.
DavidPFarrell
gamecrazychris
Posted 11:44 AM 1/8/08
At first I thought he was trying to play the mario theme song but then I realized he was just punching a wall making random sounds.
gamecrazychris
KryptonZero
Posted 11:33 AM 1/8/08
The second video looks pretty cool but that can't be fun having to keep your back to the audience like that. Maybe the next version her makes could be transparent with a larger variety of colors.
KryptonZero
Spyrojoe
Posted 11:24 AM 1/8/08
That looks seriously fun!
Spyrojoe
Emiat
Posted 2:44 PM 1/8/08
I'd like to see someone at least attempt some old game classics instead of seeing some really bad band try to even make it enjoyable.
Emiat
Bokusatsu_Tenshi
Posted 2:40 PM 1/8/08
Looks like loads of fun... I want it too
Bokusatsu_Tenshi
tehdahl
Posted 2:34 PM 1/8/08
@[::] gorichgo:
definitely know what you're talking about.
I'd do more to my mom for that.
tehdahl
[::] gorichgo
Posted 2:20 PM 1/8/08
If that was a giant mp, I might slap my mom in the face to get one.
Ps. mp = MPC 2000XL, for those who have no idea what I'm talking about.
[::] gorichgo
yungjerry703
Posted 2:04 PM 1/8/08
first video is a 1:04 of my life that i will never get back.
yungjerry703
Impetuous_Vigor
Posted 3:22 PM 1/8/08
Something about the first video made me think of an ape, in a cage, playing with human given tools for food.
Impetuous_Vigor
Ethan Halko!
Posted 3:53 PM 1/8/08
@[::] gorichgo: I wouldn't be willing to do much for something that you can get for less than $700 on ebay. Maybe a 2500 or 5000.
Also, at least you can play a normal sized pad controller without looking like a COMPLETE idiot like these guys do. Although I wouldn't expect much more from Family Force 5.
Ethan Halko!
XM8500
Posted 10:11 PM 1/8/08
Oh sweet zombie Jesus...I hope my other band doesn't get wind of this: they've already got me playing drums AND keys, they're the type of band that would go for this ridiculous of an idea.
XM8500
MilktruckHeist
Posted 10:07 PM 1/8/08
uhhhh those pants he is wearing make me want to kill some living being, preferably him...
MilktruckHeist
pitpawten
Posted 1:38 AM 2/8/08
This is just awesome, I wonder how much abuse it can handle though. Nothing ruins a mosh-pit quicker than the synth guy going down mid riff
pitpawten
entropyman
Posted 1:24 AM 2/8/08
"No matter how good the music is, musicians look kinda lame tapping out little beats on tiny samplers on stage."
you are obviously not a laptop artist fan- there are whole communities that would punch you in the nuts for a comment like that
entropyman
Human Bomb
Posted 3:32 AM 2/8/08
@gamecrazychris: I think he was recording or testing sounds.
@Ethan Halko!: Don't hate a band that drops references to classic Contra.
Human Bomb
JEmlay
Posted 4:05 AM 2/8/08
@JEmlay:
Er... Mac Mini...oops... Long night last night!
JEmlay
JEmlay
Posted 4:05 AM 2/8/08
:O
Was that an AppleTV!?!?!?!?!
JEmlay
KenK
Posted 4:29 AM 2/8/08
So we can see at 0:17 in the second video he already has the same functionality in a nice portable unit, but wait..... let's make it so big I can hit the keys with my head! Sweet!
This is the dumbest thing ever. I hope his roadies kill him for the added bulk (and his pants).
KenK
praevalesco
Posted 7:35 AM 2/8/08
@tehdahl: I'd do more to your mom also... if you get my drift.
praevalesco
fivestarsoul
Posted 1:02 PM 1/8/08
No apostrophe in "Lets" for the title... just thought you'd like to know!
fivestarsoul
FeliciaTubertus
Posted 2:39 AM 2/8/08
For those who said the first video was lame, you dont know Bwack. He is a very low key guy, and was just testing the thing for the video. he is the guy that made the thing.
FeliciaTubertus