Code Karaoke and Laptop DJs

msracid — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 09:17:00 GMT

In one of our more obscure diversionary projects at MSRA, we tried to see if we could create music by KTVing to popular tunes using programming code for the "Hello World" script.. We tried C++, BASIC, Pascal, and some really obscure legacy computer languages, even the made up languages. Either due to our lack of musical talent or the fact that computer code was not meant to be lyrics in a song, it turned out pretty bad. Of the languages. PERL seemed the most closest to be able to sing to. C++ had too many symbol operators to be coherent to the human ear. Out of this "team building" exercise, Beijing Installation artist and Visiting MSRA Scholar Rania Ho and I, later to be joined by Neema, created a performance musical team. Rania did the visual loops and Neema and I demonstrated the highly versatile Windows Tablet Laptops as DJ and performance devices with a combination of mashups and rapping.

One of Rania's comments was that Electronica performances are usually dull because all you see is a guy sitting down with half his face peeking over a laptop screen. Also, the level of electonica performances in Beijng were usually highly intellectualized noise/sound experiments and that they can make do with a little more tunes. In response and as a spoof we created a made up bio and have performed in several venues here already. Using laptops and some AV from Rania, we attempted to make performances a little more interesting (if not better). Plus, since both Neema and I use tablets, we can demonstrate that Windows Tablets make excellent music control devices since their touch screens lend themselves to both active UI for standing up as well as seeing our faces (looking down) as we perform. We always get questions about the tablets more than the music since the use, at least here in Beijing, is quite rare to see not one but two top of the line Tablet PCs as performance devices.

If you are in Beijing on Dec 7, come drop by and feel the love.

-Frank

[Chinese version is below // 中文在下面]

Hello D-22 Friends!

In the run-up to the year-end explosion we have an exciting week. On Saturday you can check out three of our favorite bands, including the brilliant Car-Sick Cars. Friday groove to the sounds of Caffe-in and End of the World, and on Sunday come hear the Red Hand Jazz Band.

Wednesday December 6
7:00pm: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (USA 1952) Dirs: Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly (part of D-22's December 'Musicals' series)
10-10:40pm: "sound drama -----10 series battle array" (Part of an experimental 10-show series at d-22 by FengHao, YangTao & Xiao Wei)
11+pm: PAN ON WOOD. Pan (who used to be the lead singer of NeZha) brings back the acoustic punk nights to D-22 on Wednesdays. Feng Ling and other musicians will also play.
[Free]

Thursday December 7
10:00pm: Yan Jun's One Plus weekly series of experimental music, features FRANK YU and RANIA. Frank and Rania formed A Train Wreck for My Comrades in 2005 as an emotional protest against the ban of the Sichuan numbing pepper from import into the USA. They collaborated on the disastrous "code karaoke" confusion project which convinced them to spread the seeds of dissent to the masses itself. Later they were joined by the mysterious Neema "the shah" from Iran...
[20 rmb/10 students]

Friday December 8
10+pm: CAFFE-IN, a punk-pop band with wicked chops who we've been seeing a lot of teams up with END OF THE WORLD and other bands.
[30rmb/20students]

Saturday December 9
10+pm: CARSICK CARS is interrupting their recording schedule to bring back to D-22 their brilliant guitar and blistering harmonic attack. They perform with CASINO DEMON, another D-22 favorite, and the very sophisticated and brilliantly hard-rocking HEDGEHOG, whose performance in late October astonished us all and made us eager to bring them right back. We'll be seeing them a lot more.
[30rmb/20students]

Sunday December 10
9pm: LIVE Jazz Night at D-22. D-22 is proud to offer LIVE jazz on Sundays. The RED HAND JAZZ BAND now plays every Sunday and is wowing our audiences. Come this Sunday and hear the best live jazz we've heard in the middle kingdom.
[Suggested donation]

Tuesday December 12
7pm: West Side Story (USA 1961) Dir: Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise (part of D-22's December 'Musicals' series)
[Free]

Wednesday December 13
7:00pm: BLACK ORPHEUS (aka Orfeu Negro) (Brazil/France/Italy 1959) Dir: Marcel Camus (part of D-22's December 'Musicals' series)
10+pm: PAN ON WOOD. Pan (who used to be the lead singer of NeZha) brings back the acoustic punk nights to D-22 on Wednesdays. Feng Ling and other musicians will also play.
[Free]

Thursday December 14
10:00pm: Yan Jun's One Plus weekly series of experimental music, features AARON HULL who is an Australian sound and video artist working primarily with processed field and instrumental recordings.
[20 rmb/10 students]

We hope to see you at D-22 this week.

Cheers,
Charles Saliba
D-22 Manager
139.1009.2631
242, ChengFuLu
(010) 6265.3177
www.d22beijing.com

D22的朋友们：你们好！

马上就要结束这一年的长跑了，在这激动人心的爆炸时刻，我们又有一个精彩的活动周，周六的3个演出乐队包括才华出众的Car-Sick Cars，周五有 Caffe-in和End of the World，周日还可以来听爵士乐队Red Hand。

12月6号星期三
晚七点电影播放：《雨中曲》（美国 1952）导演：斯坦利堂那和吉恩凯利（D22 12月音乐剧系列）无门票
晚十点到十点四十：《十连阵》４００分钟的声音成长日志，由冯昊，杨韬，小伟三位中国的先锋音乐新秀组成。
晚十一点："Pan on Wood"将送上精彩的演出，Pan on Wood是前不久解散的北京新秀乐队哪喳的主唱，他会在星期三为D22带来他的声响PUNK。冯铃和其他的一些乐手也会出演。
无门票

12月7号星期四
晚十点：严峻每周四的"1+"，本期艺人：frank yu和他的朋友们.电子合成器和所有新奇的音乐手法，2005年，他们一起合作了"code karaoke"项目，奠定了他们伸展更远的基础，之后他们会加入到来自伊朗的神秘的"the shah"frank和他的朋友们一起在D22折腾起来。
门票20元学生10元

12月8号星期五
晚十点：流行PUNK"咖啡因"和邪恶的抨击乐队"世界中指"一起与另几个乐队在D22闹起来。
门票：30元学生20元

12月9号星期六
晚十点： CARSICK CARS临时中断了他们的录音时间安排而回到D22来进行灿烂的吉他噪音和动听的声音出击，和他们一起演出的另一个乐队有CASINO DEMON，还有D22非常喜欢的硬摇滚乐队HEDGEHOG，他们在10月演出的时候另全场精彩叫好并再次的被安排回到了这里，我们以后也会不断的在这里看到他们。
门票：30元学生20元

12月10号星期日
晚九点：D22的现场JAZZ之夜， D22很高兴的在每个星期日的晚上安排JAZZ演出。RED HAND爵士乐团现在每个周日晚上都会在D22演出，并且赢得了大批的观众群和喝彩，这周日快来听一听最好的现场爵士乐吧。
建议捐赠门票

12月12号星期二
晚七点电影播放：《西城故事》（美国 1961）导演：杰罗母罗宾森和罗博特万斯（D22 12月音乐剧系列）
无门票

12月13号星期三
晚七点电影播放《黑人奥尔菲》（巴西/法国/意大利 1959）导演：马塞尔加谬（D22 12月音乐剧系列）
晚十点："Pan on Wood"将送上精彩的演出，Pan on Wood是前不久解散的北京新秀乐队哪喳的主唱，他会在星期三为D22带来他的声响PUNK。冯铃和其他的一些乐手也会出演。
无门票

12月14号星期四
晚十点严峻每周四的"1+"，本期艺人： AARON HULL来自澳大利亚的声音和视频艺术家带着他优美的田园录音和器乐录音一起创造生动的现场。
门票20元学生10元

希望在D22见到你们。

李博弈
D-22 经理
139.1009.2631
242, 成府路
(010) 6265.3177
www.d22beijing.com

One Billion Users: Emerging Trends in Emerging Markets : code dj karaoke

Code Karaoke and Laptop DJs