Animusic - A Computer Animation Video Album (Special...

Buy This Item Animusic - A Computer Animation Video Album (Special... by Animusic  Available from Amazon  $13.99  on 11-25-2008     Watching <i>Animusic</i> is like being mesmerized by the world's most elaborate Rube Goldberg devices: You're so astonished by their ingenuity that you can't look away. This "computer animation video album" is the brainchild of Wayne Lytle, a progressive-rock keyboardist and 1988 graduate of Cornell University's Program of Computer Graphics. Modifying techniques originally applied to the visualization of scientific data, Lytle partnered with graphic artist and 3D modeler Dave Crognale to create elaborate virtual stage sets and imaginary musical instruments that are driven via MIDI interface to virtually "play" the music that Lytle has composed for them. "The music drives the instruments," explains Lytle in his engaging DVD commentary, "and not the other way around." Using proprietary software called MIDImotion&#153;, Lytle and Crognale have invented self-playing musical instruments that exist in a magical realm of musical and mathematical precision, perfectly synchronized to the kind of fully-synthesized prog-rock that Lytle obviously enjoys (and if you're a fan of Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, you will, too). It's the kind of audiovisual bombast that appeals to some more than others (and there's something oddly impersonal about removing humans from the performance of music), but <i>Animusic</i> is so intricately clever that anyone can be captivated by the meticulous novelty of these beautifully engineered musical marvels.<p> Take, for example, the most popular track, "Pipe Dream," in which thousands of animated balls take on a life of their own, popping out of an intricate system of pipes and barrels and bouncing, with percussive precision, onto all varieties of strings, drums, xylophones, timbales, cowbells it's just hypnotically amazing. The same holds true for all of these videos, and while the colorful 3D rendering of <i>Animusic</i> (first released in 2001) is no longer state-of-the-art, the underlying mechanics remain timelessly appealing. For this special edition DVD released in 2004, Lytle opens his toy-box to reveal the creative process of <i>Animusic</i> from conceptual drawings to final 3D rendering. There's also a "solo-cam" function allowing viewers to switch angular focus from one instrument to another, along with animated set-construction demonstrations to show how everything fits together in the realm of <i>Animusic</i>. The 5.1-channel surround mix makes <i>Animusic</i> a perfect demonstration disc for high-end video systems (this is nothing if not a geek's delight), and Lytle's first animation (from 1996) is included along with a sneak-peek at <I>Animusic 2</I>, the follow-up DVD released in 2005. <i>--Jeff Shannon</i> Reader Reviews Whenever I'm ill, I have my classes watch a music based video. Well, problem is, I know my students well enough to know what they WONT watch! This video captivated them. Each clipping made them want more. I think the clips should be longer for the more intricate designs, but I explain to the students that it'll make them want to watch it again and look for something they haven't noticed the last time. As for the music, it's definitely based on "basic theories" of certain genres. But what's wrong with that? Some of the crap these kids listen to are rotting their knowledge of the classics. It's not too hard on the ears for adults, but not boring for the younger crowd. After I play this video (takes 2 class periods) I ask them about their opinions and criticisms. It allows them to show me what they want to see more of in the future. My older student will use this lesson for a creative writing project in their homeroom and I send those papers to the creators so they know what the future generations are looking for. I bought the 2nd DVD and wasn't as impressed. Most 3/4th graders liked it and younger. My 5th and 6th graders felt the same as me, not enough detail and imagination put into it...needed more wow-factor to make it worth their time.

Animusic - A Computer Animation Video Album (Special... Available from Amazon Price: $13.99 Updated on 11-25-2008.

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