Live data from Hacker News

Show HN: Turtle.audio – a music sequencer inspired by turtle graphics

turtle.audio

11–20 of 21 posts

Re: Show HN: Turtle.audio – a music sequencer inspired by turtle graphics

#11
post #8

I love this tool but as an amateur musician, I have to wonder: who is your target audience? Anyone remotely serious about making music won't use it. I'll play around with it but if I want to make a track, I'll just head over to Ableton. There is value in making music easier, but you're only good enough for a little while before people move on to more professional tools

There's a huge market for musical software and instruments that are ultimately just games. I would guess more than 99% of any music equipment and software bought is never used to create commercially used music, which is fine - it's fun and interesting, and it's challenging to learn.

A clear example is everything made by [Teenage Engineering](https://teenage.engineering) - check out the OP-Z. The interface is completely weird in the age of hi-res screens, but I'm sure it's going to be a hit.

Another point is that in a creative process, sometimes the 'easiest' way to produce output causes all the output to be similar and uninteresting. When you change the rules, and make the creation process significantly different, you can sometimes see new results you wouldn't have expected.

Re: Show HN: Turtle.audio – a music sequencer inspired by turtle graphics

#12
post #11
post #8

I love this tool but as an amateur musician, I have to wonder: who is your target audience? Anyone remotely serious about making music won't use it. I'll play around with it but if I want to make a track, I'll just head over to Ableton. There is value in making music easier, but you're only good enough for a little while before people move on to more professional tools

There's a huge market for musical software and instruments that are ultimately just games. I would guess more than 99% of any music equipment and software bought is never used to create commercially used music, which is fine - it's fun and interesting, and it's challenging to learn. A clear example is everything made by [Teenage Engineering]( https://teenage.engineering ) - check out the OP-Z. The interface is comple…

Case in point, no clue about music but love my Pocket Operator!

Re: Show HN: Turtle.audio – a music sequencer inspired by turtle graphics

#13
post #8

I love this tool but as an amateur musician, I have to wonder: who is your target audience? Anyone remotely serious about making music won't use it. I'll play around with it but if I want to make a track, I'll just head over to Ableton. There is value in making music easier, but you're only good enough for a little while before people move on to more professional tools

I think the point is to get people interested in more serious tools, not to prevent people from using them. Crayons are great for getting kids to draw. Doesn't mean a professional artist would use them (well, now that I think about it I'm sure there's at least a sculpture or two with crayons, but you get my point).

Re: Show HN: Turtle.audio – a music sequencer inspired by turtle graphics

#17

Amazing project. Do you plan to create some kind of gallery for the "scenes"? I'm sure people will create unbelievable things with it and it would be greta to learn from such examples.

Hey, yeah that's a great idea! I have been keeping my eye out for neat sketches in the wild.

Re: Show HN: Turtle.audio – a music sequencer inspired by turtle graphics

#18
post #14

Reminds me of SimTunes! "Bugs" move around the screen according to simple rules, triggering notes as they pass over them. For example: https://youtu.be/DAluHrsCKxw

SimTunes was (and will always be) a huge source of inspiration for me. Played it a bunch as a kid. :)

Re: Show HN: Turtle.audio – a music sequencer inspired by turtle graphics

#19
post #11
post #8

I love this tool but as an amateur musician, I have to wonder: who is your target audience? Anyone remotely serious about making music won't use it. I'll play around with it but if I want to make a track, I'll just head over to Ableton. There is value in making music easier, but you're only good enough for a little while before people move on to more professional tools

There's a huge market for musical software and instruments that are ultimately just games. I would guess more than 99% of any music equipment and software bought is never used to create commercially used music, which is fine - it's fun and interesting, and it's challenging to learn. A clear example is everything made by [Teenage Engineering]( https://teenage.engineering ) - check out the OP-Z. The interface is comple…

I've used the OP-1 and loved it, but I don't see it fitting into my workflow (Serum is a far more capable synth).

But I guess I'm approaching this from a very different perspective. I hope to go pro some day, so I also use tools that are not meant to "just have fun" (which the OP-1 is a whole load of).

The majority of musicians are just doing it for fun. For them, I can see something like this being another tool to play around in.

I take my comment back. I now understand what kind of people might use this (anyone not insane enough to want to be a professional musician)

Re: Show HN: Turtle.audio – a music sequencer inspired by turtle graphics

#20
post #8

I love this tool but as an amateur musician, I have to wonder: who is your target audience? Anyone remotely serious about making music won't use it. I'll play around with it but if I want to make a track, I'll just head over to Ableton. There is value in making music easier, but you're only good enough for a little while before people move on to more professional tools

I think this would make a fun max4live sequencer tool.

My first play: http://turtle.audio/play/9qz2ni

Post reply on HN