In my internet wanderings, I came across the Tenori-on; a gadget released in 2007 from Yamaha. It blew my mind after watching Jim O'Rourke play an improvised musical number on the synth. The Tenori-on, according to Yamaha, is a "A 16x16 matrix of LED switches allows everyone to play music intuitively, creating a "visible music" interface". It looks space-age and definitely a neat toy to tinker with, and it is now added to the "what i'm doing with my OSAP money" list. You can also discover more about this instrument on Yamaha's website.
Coincidentally, someone led me to this site featuring a tone matrix, where you can use a similar instrument online and manipulate sounds into crazy, yet melodic techno beats looping into infinity. Another similar site using the tone matrix is Hobnox, where you can create looped sounds with various pedals, drum machines, and mixers. It's an entertaining attempt at re-creating the reality of music, with the input/output cables, etc.
I had a lot of fun playing around with these user friendly music creation sites. I also wanted to note that fanny packs are making their scheduled rounds and are coming back full force.
