Hamster-controlled MIDI

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Posted by michael on Thursday February 19, 2004 @04:07PM from the better-than-most-composers dept.

haeger writes "I found this wonderful page on the net. The project was initially fueled by the desire to explore the MIDI protocol. It was decided that this would be accomplished by building a MIDI device, and an intelligent hamster controlled MIDI sequencer was designed. Each voice was controlled by two hamsters: one that was responsible for adjusting the rhythmic qualities of the melody and another that modified the note sequence. With all of these elements in combination, an output was produced with very musical qualities. This is like Fritz & His Performing Hamsters with a geek twist. Video and music is provided on the webpage."

39 of 216 comments (clear)

This puts a whole new meaning by va3atc · 2004-02-19 16:08 · Score: 5, Funny

to the song Hamster Dance

Remember this when ICQ was in its infancy? :)

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Candle burns its brightest in the dark
1. Re:This puts a whole new meaning by Nermal6693 · 2004-02-19 16:09 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  It's Hampster, you insensitive clod! :)
2. Re:This puts a whole new meaning by JoeBaldwin · 2004-02-19 16:14 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Fuck, I remember it from now. Literally, I just got emailed a link to the fucking Hamster Dance. RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND.
  
  I'm scared, so very very scared.
  
  --
  I'm amazing. You aren't. SUCK IT
*sigh* by TWX · 2004-02-19 16:08 · Score: 5, Funny

Richard Gere jokes in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

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Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
1. Re:*sigh* by Trillan · 2004-02-19 16:12 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  *points one post down and giggles*
  
  Dude, you called that pefectly... :)
2. Re:*sigh* by TWX · 2004-02-19 16:18 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  "*points one post down and giggles*
  
  Dude, you called that pefectly... :)"
  
  Yeah, I noticed that. Kind of caught me by surprise. That post is here for anyone not browsing at -1, where the comment was moderated to...
  
  --
  Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
Not only can hamsters make music by Anonymous Coward · 2004-02-19 16:09 · Score: 5, Funny

They can make people dance as well. Just ask Richard Gere
Electrocuting hamsters for music by JoeBaldwin · 2004-02-19 16:09 · Score: 5, Funny

How could we sink so low...

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I'm amazing. You aren't. SUCK IT
Great! by Trillan · 2004-02-19 16:10 · Score: 5, Funny

I want those hamsters. My GarageBand music could use a professional touch...
Well by savagedome · 2004-02-19 16:11 · Score: 5, Funny

Using Hamster input for music. We are now a step closer to monkeys writing Shakespeare. Its finally going to be true!

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how long... by mikeeeeeee · 2004-02-19 16:12 · Score: 5, Funny

until i can see them in concert?
hamster intelligence by tsunamifirestorm · 2004-02-19 16:12 · Score: 5, Funny

an intelligent hamster controlled MIDI sequencer
as opposed to a nonintelligent hamster? ;)
Why bother? by Rallion · 2004-02-19 16:12 · Score: 4, Funny

It's a multimedia item, and it looks to be pretty low bandwidth. Now the server is actually on fire somewhere and only about ten Slashdotters got to hear the hamsters play.
Well... by DoraLives · 2004-02-19 16:12 · Score: 4, Insightful

if you consider some of the *cough* art that's being foisted upon the music consumer these days by the Big Corps, this might be considered a sign of Coming Improvements in the product.
Is the RIAA looking into this stuff?

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Is it fascism yet?
1. Re:Well... by PacoTaco · 2004-02-19 17:29 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Is the RIAA looking into this stuff?
  RIAA hamsters cost $17 each and you're not allowed to let them out of their cages.
2. Re:Well... by lavaface · 2004-02-19 17:45 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  if you consider some of the *cough* art that's being foisted upon the music consumer these days by the Big Corps, this might be considered a sign of Coming Improvements in the product
  I'm getting tired of the endless comments about the endless stream of crap the "Big Corps" are shoving down our throats. While I agree there is a lot of redundant, senseless tripe being peddled these days, you have to give some credit for bands like Radiohead, Sigur Ros, DJ Shadow, and countless other deserving artists that are served up alongside the Spears and [insert mindless pop band]. I have the sneaking suspicion that much of the crud out there is not necessarily "foisted" upon the masses; a lot of idiots actually like the blah and request it. Companies respond to market forces.
  That being said, let me note I hate corporate control of culture. I would love to see the day when the general public catches on to how useful the internet can be for finding and promoting good music. I work with music and every day I see more people realizing you can sculpt soundscapes, make beats and bust grooves with a computer, cheap software and (also cheap) instruments. It's a two way street. Consumers can be producers. With sites like Magnatune and countless others it's just a matter of time before all true artists realize their best bet is to share and sell direct to fans. Two more years and that will be the prevailing model.
  Video is next . . .
  
  --
  harmonious design
Despite.. by agent+dero · 2004-02-19 16:12 · Score: 4, Interesting

the 'cool as hell qualities.'

Does this question strike anybody; how much, alchohol/time/delirium must a person have to mix hamsters, small rodent aminamals, and MIDI.......

Something just seems......weird here.

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Error 407 - No creative sig found
1. Re:Despite.. by kinnell · 2004-02-20 00:23 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  how much, alchohol/time/delirium must a person have to mix hamsters, small rodent aminamals, and MIDI
  Sadly, not enough to make the conceptual leap from hamster-controlled-MIDI to MIDI-controlled-hamsters.
  
  --
  If I seem short sighted, it is because I stand on the shoulders of midgets
As long as they don't use a Badger... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-02-19 16:13 · Score: 3, Funny

Badger Badger Mushroom Snake!

Sorry. I'll stand over hear and be quiet.
Why Not? by photonX · 2004-02-19 16:13 · Score: 5, Funny

Well, we had the Monkeys, the Beatles, and the Byrds, why not the Hamsters?

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Damn, beat me to it :) by mcc · 2004-02-19 16:14 · Score: 5, Funny

I was actually wanting to do something pretty much just like this with ferrets. My idea being you somehow attach something to some ferrets that will let you track their location and then set them loose in a room, and record their locations over a couple of minutes, and have the current location of each ferret correspond to one tone (maybe with the x position controlling frequency, and the y position controlling a VCF). The idea came when I was at the house of a friend who has six ferrets and he wound up dropping all six into a plastic bag and then just dropping the bag in someone's lap... ferrets just spewed out everywhere...

Unfortunately unlike me the hamster people appear to have actually (1) initiative and (2) the technical will to get it done. Of course, I have the definite advantage that unlike them, my web page still works, because they have just been linked in a slashdot story and I, due to my clever strategy of not putting up cool hamster music, haven't... ;)

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Mirror by markclong · 2004-02-19 16:14 · Score: 5, Informative

Never thought I'd have to mirror Cornell but here she is!

http://slushdot.org/mirror/hamster/

It's a work in progress...give it some time.
Re:/.'ed already? by kryptkpr · 2004-02-19 16:18 · Score: 4, Funny

Don't you mean hamster-powered? It'd be tough to make a hamster-controller webserver.. I don't think hamster are very well suited for parsing HTTP requests.

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Re:Mark your calendar... by cujo_1111 · 2004-02-19 16:20 · Score: 4, Funny

Is this the moment where Slashdot 'jumps the shark'? :)

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Cornell makes me say this... by Faust7 · 2004-02-19 16:20 · Score: 5, Funny

Looks like a hamster-controlled web server as well.

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The coolest voice ever.
So.....how does it go? by trainsnpep · 2004-02-19 16:24 · Score: 5, Funny

1) Get Hampsters to make music
2) ?
3) Profit!

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--<Mike>--
1. Re:So.....how does it go? by Moocowsia · 2004-02-19 16:27 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  You know what... its seems like the RIAA has been doing this for years.
  
  --
  Moo!
Hearing Threshold by Anonymous Coward · 2004-02-19 16:30 · Score: 3, Informative

A hamster's hearing covers only a fraction of ours (http://www.utoledo.edu/psychology/animalhearing/h amster.html), I wonder if the researchers considered using other rodents like mice (SpiceMice) or groundhogs for that Barry White sound.
It's voice activated! by NanoGator · 2004-02-19 16:30 · Score: 5, Funny

To abort the program, you have to shout ARMAGEDDON!

(Before modding me off-topic, look it up. :P)

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"Derp de derp."
Monkeys? by Gothmolly · 2004-02-19 16:31 · Score: 5, Funny

There currently ARE a million monkeys working at a million typewriters, but Livejournal and Xanga are nothing remotely like Shakespeare.

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1. Re:Monkeys? by Hi_2k · 2004-02-19 18:45 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Not true
  
  --
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  Sluggy Freelance.
I wouldn't say Shakespeare by cgenman · 2004-02-19 16:35 · Score: 4, Funny

...But those hamsters do have all of the harmony of the Backstreet Boys.

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1. Re:I wouldn't say Shakespeare by ocelotbob · 2004-02-19 17:06 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  and much more intellect, too.
  
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  Marxism is the opiate of dumbasses
Re:How did you guys find out about my hamsters by mattjb0010 · 2004-02-19 17:05 · Score: 4, Funny

How did you guys find out about my hamsters?

Here.
We could sink lower by not reading the article by eht · 2004-02-19 17:07 · Score: 4, Insightful

This electrocutes the hamster about as much as typing electrocutes you.
Our poor server! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-02-19 17:08 · Score: 5, Informative

I don't think our server was designed to handle much load. (I work for the Neurobiology and Behavior department at Cornell University.) I can't remember what kind of computer it is, but I don't remember it being anything fancy.

Levy worked on my audio project this summer, and he brought his hamsters into the lab for a couple of days. They smelled horrible! I can't imagine anyone keeping them as pets, but, to each his own, right?
INFERIOR by StarKruzr · 2004-02-19 17:22 · Score: 4, Funny

FATMOUSE MUST FEED.

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+++ATH0
One word: by sofakingl · 2004-02-19 17:50 · Score: 3, Informative

False.
Are you making fun of me? by KillerHamster · 2004-02-19 22:29 · Score: 3, Funny

I resent that.

-- KillerHamster