Kenaxis transforms the laptop into an expressive instrument. Developed by Stefan Smulovitz over the last 10 years for use in improvisational and compositional settings, this easy to use software allows for live sampling and real time sound manipulation including looping, granulation, and convolution. There is also Kenaxis Surround for surround sound playback: spin, spiral or exact placement of sounds are all possible in realtime. All welcome!

http://www.naisa.ca/soundplay/workshops.html#wk2

OSC enables Kenaxis to communicate with a variety of hardware and software interfaces including consumer devices as familiar as the iPod touch, the iPhone and Wii remotes.

Meanwhile, the new FFT Phase Vocoder offers a new technique for sonic time stretching and freezing.  While Kenaxis 3.1 is still loaded with granular synthesis tools, the Phase Vocoder will appeal to musicians who desire more organic, analog-sounding textures in their performances and compositions.  While it is a valuable tool for all musicians and composers, the FFT Phase Vocoder may resonate particularly well with noise artists.

Feel free to read our press release for more details on this update.

Also for those of you with iPod Touches or iPhones you can check out the applications I have created using RJDJ. They include a simple version of the granular synthesis system used in kenaxis. Some of the scenes are free including the granular synthesis engine and some are 1 euro. You can find out more here.

Enjoy,

Stefan

The Granulator and Basunerah were used to create harmonic sound ‘clouds’ and sequences of random vocal syllables in my piece Haiku. The ability to morph between various parameter settings enables a truly dynamic sound palette.

-Rohan De Livera, Electronic Music Composer
Colombo, Sri Lanka

I created Kenaxis out of a need to explore new sounds in an intuitive way. Coming from a background as an improvising violist, I wanted to create an instrument that would be fast and flexible enough to react to any musical situation.

If you would like to hear some of my music you can hear my solo work at MySpace and my duet work with vocalist Viviane Houle at Cellar Live.

Stefan Smulovitz – Vancouver, BC – creator of Kenaxis

I have used Kenaxis for preparing soundtracks for installations and performances. It is an intuitive tool for mixing and manipulating sound files on the fly, making it a breeze to prepare what I need. Most recently, I used Kenaxis in the Amorph!08-festival in Helsinki, in making a soundtrack that played in a park.
Besides that, Kenaxis is also an interesting digital expansion for my improv guitarism.

I just did another show with Kenaxis, running about in a café with a wireless mic, sampling things and people. The attached mp3 is from that particular mayhem..

Pessi Parviainen – Interdisciplinary artist – Helsinki, Finland

If you are are attending the summit please stop by and say hello. I will be giving demonstrations about Kenaxis as well as available for one-on-one demos.

What’s cool about Kenaxis is that you can sit down and make something happen. It never fails to generate a cool sonic idea.

Banjo Ideas Audio Sample (1:47) – Click to Play

Danny Barnes – banjoist, composer, remix artist, inventor of folktronics – Port Hadlock, Washington

I use Kenaxis in works for fixed media (surround sound concert works) & in live performance.

John Oliver – Composer and Sound Artist, Vancouver BC