Virtual Museum of Soundtoys : Web-Native Audio & Music Applications

Ambient Sound & Vision Mixing 

Boomshine

A colorful, musical, chain reaction game in which the objective is to make the dots go away. There are 12 levels. Perform a 'Boomshine' by clearing all of the dots on the screen. (Flash)

Moodstream

An interface for controlling and generating still images, videos and audio into a seamless creative pallette. As a marketing tool it showcases licensed media in a contextual format.

Flow in Games

A game where you dive deep into the space eat and evolve. Atmospheric ambient sounds play in the background. Offline Version (PC & Mac) 8.4mb also available for Playstation. (Flash)

Sound Sleeping

Mix and combine natural sound effects to create relaxing sonic ambiences. (Flash)

Visual Acoustics

A canvas to paint reactive music and vision as a real-time artistic performance. Brushes are painted across the screen, each consisting of an instrument and accompanying visual, to build layers of improvised musical vision. (Flash)

Generative Composition 

Generating and manipulating musical data

Moonbell

Moonbell transforms the topography of the moon into sound, using data from a laser altimeter sensor (LALT), transforming the altitude data into musical intervals. Features two playback modes, [Orbit Play] and [Free Scratch].
Additionally, you can watch the sound displayed as color patterns with the [Graphic Screen] function. Includes a music creation/mixing/control interface to manipulate data via MIDI instrument sounds and musical scales.

Musical Algorithms

Algorithms and Interactive Tools for Exploring Music Composition, Analysis, and Interdisciplinary Learning.

pi10k

This experiment attempts to convert the first 10,000 digits of pi into a musical sequence.

P22 Music Text Composition Generator ( A free online music utility)

The P22 Music Text Composition Generator allows any text to be converted into a musical composition. This composition is displayed in musical notation and simultaneously generated as a midi file.

Tune Toys

A collection of web-based algorithmic composition toys, written by Tim Thompson. All of them make use of the KeyKit programming language for processing and producing MIDI music. The source code for most of the tools is viewable from each tool's page.

Viragelic

A random sound generator that creates ambient style electronic music. Three sound layers are superimposed onto a grid of squares, populated with icons in three shades of colour. Another three randomly moving squares with relating colours appear on the grid. The squares move through the maze-like matrix, triggering sounds assigned to icons of the same colour, kind of an automatic Pacman composition tool. Fresh soundscapes can be generated with a click of the mouse in seconds, each composition being entirely random. (Flash)

Wolfram Tones

Explore algorithmic music composition and generate unique musical ringtones for free download to mobile phones. You can select from a range of genres and intrumentation.

Music Sequencing 

Virtual looping instruments and step sequencers

BBC 1X Sequencer

Make your own tunes with this four track Sequencer. (Shockwave)

BBC - One Music - Virtual Studio Sequencer

A four track sequencer that lets you create a one-bar loop using a choice of drums, bass, synth, FX and melody samples.

Beaterator

A real-time 8 track music sequencer and sampler. Allows uploading of samples and saving of mixes as mp3 files. (Flash)

Extrajetzt Composer

Sequencer, drum computer and synthesizer package. (Flash)

JamStudio.com - The online music factory

An online music mixing and songwriting tool. Aarrange chords and loops, select instruments, to create basic backing tracks, karaoke songs, soundtracks & demo songs.

Kisstunes.com - Play and record tunes online using your computer's keyboard

Provides an interface similar to professional midi software. Notes are reflected on the piano roll as you record. Instruments include keyboards, bass guitar, bells, drums and percussion. You can drag and drop notes to adjust timing and their pitch, save and edit later. You can also listen to what others are playing, edit their work and save it as a new tune. (Flash) Also http://www.kisstunes.com/m2/page1.aspx

Mack-o-Chalk Industrial Taiko-Drum Ensemble

Create a mechanical sounding rhythm loop using a selection of metallic objects. (Flash)

MIDI & Ringtone Music Sequencer

An 8 track step sequencer with drums and instruments for creating your own MIDI polyphonic music and ringtones. You can use the Media-Convert online conversion tool to convert MIDI music to MP3 or whatever if your phone does not handle MIDI music.

Nudge

A virtual-instrument widget designed for self-expressive online music making & sharing. Features 8 instrument tracks, 16 step matrix sequencer, BPM & mix controls, webpage embed code.

Pickledonion - Phase Toys

A minimal 3 channel sequencer that lets you mix 6 seperate note pitches to create simple chords and melodies on a 1 bar loop. It uses a toy piano type sound. Right click to pause. (Shockwave)

Punk-O-Matic Music Generator

Simple drums, bass and guitar sequencer with a punk style. Caution! Not suitable for young children due to bad language. (Flash)

Red Bull Music Labs Mixer

This is a simplified version of the Ableton Live 3.0 digital music software. You can create songs up to 2 minutes in length which can be emailed to friends. (Flash)

Sheeps Get Their Grooves On

Create music using drums, bass and keyboard sounds over a 4 bar sequence. (Flash)

Typorganism Visual Composer

A graphical interface that lets you create a twelve second loop of music using either piano or a selection of percussion sounds. You can save your composition on the site or listen to other saved pieces.

Zefrank : Sequencer

Up to 22 sounds can be combined to create a looped section of music with adjustable BPM. (Flash)

Online Music Games 

Fun sound and music based games

BBC Music Games

A fun collection of sound toys and music games for children, grouped into themes of Compose, Play, Mix and Try. (Shockwave)

Childrens Music Games

A creative music environment for children to compose music, play with musical performance, music games and music puzzles.

"Don't Worry Be Happy" Game

Create your own version of the Bobby McFerrin song.

Flash Music Games

A collection of interactive music games for piano, guitar, drums, ear training, and other learning activities.

Free Style

Jump through a musical playing field to create a random, free-style jazz melody. (Flash)

JamLegend - Music Gaming Unleashed

Like the games Guitar Hero and Rock Band, JamLegend simulates the thrill of rocking out for a sold out crowd. It features a limitless song library, massive multiplayer, tournaments and social features.

Match My Jam

Match the artists with the samples, song titles, and the album or CD where it first appeared. As you rollover each match piece, you will be able to see what type of match element is beneath. Created by Kevin Ready. (Flash)

Mozart's Musikalisches Würfelspiel

A musical dice game for composing a minuet.

Play Auditorium

Auditorium, the first game from creative group Cipher Prime, is an audio-visual experience unlike anything produced for the web. Auditorium hopes to push the limits of casual gameplay by immersing the player in its unique audio particle world.

Virtual Instruments 

Online musical instruments

314 Turntable

A virtual turn table where you can mix your own beat.

Actionist Respoke

Unusual interface that's something between a sequencer and sound tamagotchi that can play sampled loops. Created by by michael janoschek and r? schl?, in cooperation with christian kahl / ralf bresser. (Shockwave)

Akai MPC 2000

Simple virtual instrument representation with 16 samples mapped to the percussion pads. (Flash)

aM laboratory

A collection of interesting and entertaining sound-toys including the ToneMatrix - a simple sinewave synthesizer triggered by a 16step sequencer. Also a synthesized guitar, 909 drum machine emulator and more.

Apronus Piano

A simple two octave piano keyboard that is played with the mouse. (Flash)

Are You Prepared - an online prepared piano by Andreas Busk-Jepsen

Use the mouse to trigger samples on each of the piano keys.

Buckle Inc.

A simple virtual drumkit with sound samples and a selection of patterns for demonstrating acoustical properties.

Desktop Blues

A fun application that lets you play music via a virtual blues guitarist. You can trigger a selection of acoustic guitar licks and vocal phrases using the mouse to create your own version of the blues. Turn the radio option on and you have a handy twelve bar blues backing track to jam along to in E major.

Down Town Open Air

Trigger rock guitar and vocal samples over a virtual rock band soundtrack. Similar to Desk Top Blues.

EYE4U modular websynth

Simply switch the six synth modules on and off. All sounds fit and play together, only the piano sounds require a little rhythmic skills to line up with the drums. (Flash)

Fivorion | RandomThink Labs

Use the mouse to paint notes on a grid sequncer where each column is a 1/16th note, based on the BPM slider. By Brian Arnold.

Granular Synthesizer

Interface that allows you to experiment with granular synthesis. (Shockwave, click 'always allow' to any security warnings)

Guitaresque: Online guitar toy

A musical toy for guitarists to learn theory of music. (shockwave)

Harry Partch's Instruments

A virtual collection of real instruments designed by Harry Partch you can play and learn about. (Flash)

Hobnox AudioTool

A free electronic music studio that combines several virtual instruments. Save and load your work, collaborate with other users. A Timeline-Feature enables Sequencing/Automation. Includes modules for effect devices, synthesizer, drum computer, sequencer, sample editor. (Java).

HTML5 Drum Kit | RandomThink Labs

A fun sample drum machine simulator using HTML5 by Brian Arnold. Allows you to create drum patterns using sound samples on a grid sequencer.

Intuitive Instruments for Improvisers

A collection of virtual instruments traditional and computer based that can be explored using the mouse. Select the drum beater icon on the navigation bar to choose an instrument. (Flash)

Ken's Virtual Drum Kit

An image map of a real drum kit that lets you trigger percussion sounds using the mouse or computer keyboard. Created by Ken Brashear. (Flash)

kSynth - Sound Synthesiser and Sequencer by Mike Hodnick

This instrument generates raw sound waves from sine, saw, square, and triangle wave calculations. It then mixes and shapes the generated waves through other controls. There's a sequencer note grid for arranging up to eight pitches over a maximum of 32 timed steps. Each placed note will play a sound from the synthesizer. (Silverlight app)

orDrumbox

A free software drum machine for XP, Mac OSX, Linux. Online and downloadable versions are available. Pattern oriented, accepts user wav samples, unlimited tracks. (Requires Java)

Pascal Ayerbe

A collection of personal artworks from French multi-instrumentalist Pascal Ayerbe that allow you to explore images, sounds and invented instruments.

Pianolina, the interactive Piano by GROTRIAN

Play with the floating tones, create new atmospheric melodies and let yourself be fascinated by the charm of the Pianolina. The interface allows you to drop floating notes and chords onto a square work surface where they glide around creating interactive sounds. Pre-programmed compositions are supplied and you may further control playback parameters via a menu of options.

PitchWeb

A multiuser musical instrument created for the Cathedral Project. You play it by moving shapes that trigger sound samples. (Shockwave, Quicktime)

Repercussion

A collection of digital musical instruments for performance and exploration. Created by Carla Diana. (Flash)

Springtails

A colony of e-insects which react when touched. Touch the e-insects with your cursor and they catapult, entrap them in a spring and it chimes. This soundwork combines human interaction with autonomous behaviour. The springtails respond to both the cursor and each other, compiling their own sound compositon - this enables each performance to be unique.

THE DAFT PUNk'S CONSOLE by NAJLE.com

Daft Punk "Harder Better Faster Stronger" sound board - use your keyboard to play vocal audio samples. (Flash)

The Pate a Son

A sound toy and compositional tool conceived to encourage musical experimentation. Drag instruments, switches, and transporter pipes from the conveyor belt to the checkerboard above to make music. Rotate the pieces. Choose a melody. Change pitch, tempo and volume to fine-tune your composition. Original concept and production by LeCielEstBleu.com. (Shockwave)

The Virtual Piano - Play it Now!

A simple piano interface that allows you to play chords in the C Major scale using the mouse or numeric keypad.

The World is Our Sound Toy

A collection of musical interfaces built from objects and things in the world around us. The virtual toys form a departure from metaphors commonly used in the design of music software. By using photographs of the Australian environment the user interface extends into the real world. Each toy is designed to encourage imagination and new ways of interpreting the environment around us. (Shockwave)

Virtual Drum Machines at Audio Playground

A large collection of recreated vintage drum machines. Also a couple of unusual keyboard instruments. Created by Joseph Rivers. (Shockwave)

Virtual Drum Set

A colllection of sound samples are mapped to a virtual computer keyboard that you can play by clicking your mouse button. (Flash)

VirtualiToy.com

Play free virtual drums and guitars online. Customize your drums with decals, custom colors, & backgrounds. Provides lots of free virtual toys for kids to play with online in an entire virtual toy store.

Music Discovery Tools 

New music recommendation engines

Jamendo : Spiral

Discover, download and recommend free, Creative Commons licensed music.

JSyn Example Applets

A large collection of virtual audio applications that use the free JSyn plugin. Choose from a range of projects including algorithmic music tools and compositions, collaborative HyperInstruments for web-based jamming, sound science devices and demonstrations, soft synths and virtual instruments.

Liveplasma

A music and movies visual exploration tool for discovering similar artists, movies or directors available through the Amazon.com catalog. Members can build their own visual recommendation maps. (Flash)

MusicIP

Discover music using the "Playground" interface that lets you search, listen and purchase music via a related/recommendation system. (Flash)

Musiclens

Unusual interface that lets you adjust 10 sliders to generate music recommendations based on user input criteria. Provides audio preview and link to purchasing point. (Flash)

Musicovery : interactive webRadio

Discover new music based on your mood, this free webradio let you browse music styles and epochs. Amazon shopping integration. (Flash)

MyStrands Labs

MyStrands develops behavior-based recommendation technologies, to help people discover and organize content, and share tastes with others. MyStrands Labs is where you can find technologies in the early stages of development, including music visualization interfaces, web mashups and recommendation maps.

Novation XioSynth

The XioPlayer web-interface lets you preview XioSynth sound patches. (Flash)

TuneGlue Musicmap

An interactive music discovery tool that uses data supplied by Last FM and Amazon. (Flash)

Remix Environments 

BBC 1X Mixer

Mix tracks from a choice of five music genres. (Shockwave)

BBC - One Music - Virtual Studio Mixer

Mixing environments for Dance, Drum 'N' Bass, Garage and Indie music.

Blob Productions

Two interactive music consoles and a synthesizer. Lets you collaborate online, load and mix songs, explore sounds. (Flash and Shockwave)

CreateBands.com

Choose musicians to create a virtual band that you can jam with online. Loop based music with animated graphics of real people. Created by Paul Stroot. (Flash)

EnterSongs

Play live interactive synthesized music in the browser, mix together up to 16 sounds at once, create a playlist of songs using MP3, WAV, AIF, and other popular formats. Created by Kevin Ready. (Beatnik Player 2, Flash, RealPlayer)

Flat Earth : Play Jammers

Fun stone age cartoon characters you can jam along with using the mouse. Five songs to choose from. (Shockwave)

GameScene: MP3000 Rom1

A music and video creation environment. Start by choosing one of five ROMs - (advance the Rom number in the URL to access directly). Each contains a different musical style that allows you to mix loops, record and playback. (Flash)

iClip

Uses graphics of the hands and feet as an interface. Click the fingers and toes to play the sound loops. Music by Lusine Icl. (Flash)

INCREDIBOX presents THE INCREDIBLE POLO

A fun online app that lets you discover the musical universe of "The Incredible Polo", handling a range of "human beat-box" sounds created by the artist. Simply point and click to create vocal mixes. (Flash)

Into Infinity Audio Mega-Mixer

A soundboard that lets you create live sound collages from a collection of 8-second audio loops. INTO INFINITY is an art and music exhibition presented by DUBLAB and Creative Commons. Built on audio loops and circular canvases that are available online to the public for sharing, remixing, and resubmission.

Interfazok

Mix sound loops and visual clips using the mouse. (Flash)

Infinite Wheel - Dub City Rockers

A collection of dub music mixing environments. Created by Jim Johnstone. (Flash)

Juniper Blue Audio Toy

Mandala style graphical interface that lets you remix pre-defined instrument samples using mouse clicks. (Flash)

Littlecountry.net

A collection of interactive musical animations. Fun DJ mixing environments for reggae dub, hip-hop, and other dance styles. (Flash)

Looplabs - free online music mixing software

Offers multi-channel mixing (up to 32 channels) - advanced multi-channel presets - MP3 sampling / triggering / remixing - complete load/save/vote functionality - audio recording capabilities (client-side) - sequencing / song composing - output audio to WAV/MP3 files - ring tone creation and output - video mixing capabilities and integration - multiuser, collaborative music environments - stereo-effects processing - drum and rhythm pattern machine - MP3 mixing / crossfading - Widget playback and distribution - Social network integration - crossplatform (MAC|PC)

Looptracks

An interactive music video that lets you edit the content as you move through it. Created by Conor O'Boyle. (Flash)

MixMatchMusic :: Sequencer

MixMatchMusic helps artists make music with others online, engage fans by bringing them into the creative process, and sell their songs, stems, and riffs. This links directly to the online sequencer application where so you can start recording.

Mouse Jam

A collection of themed interfaces that allow you to jam to music using the mouse. Created by Clifford P. Walker & Dorian Reyes. (Quicktime)

NIO

An interactive art work thats lets you mix a combination of 16 sound loops by using the mouse.

One Soul Games : Music Machines

Four themed interactive environments with loop based music mixers. The Medieval Music Mixer, The dirty punk anarchy machine, The Automachine, The indian shankar drum ganesh machine. (Flash)

Pianographique

A multimedia instrument that uses the computer keyboard to trigger audio visual samples. There are pre-recorded themes to remix or create your own using Continuum. French and English versions. (Shockwave)

Radiophon-A-Tron

BBC Dr Who, create your own version of the Doctor Who theme tune. (Flash)

Rave Generator - Old Skool Fun

A simple interface that lets you select and mix loops of Drums, Breaks, Bass, Leads and Vocal samples. Flash (1.25Mb).

Remixatron

A four track sequencer with a recordable scratchable fader. There are two songs available for mixing. (Shockwave)

Resequenced

Multimedia remix environment for the music of Jason Cluts. Allows you to resequence a selection of music loops. (Flash)

Skop

A selection of audio video remix tools including " I Know Where Bruce Lee Lives". (Flash)

Sound 101 : Bad Vibes

A four track mixer and sequencer with 8 horrible sound samples. Part of a project led by Prof. Trevor Cox of Salford University's Acoustic Research Center into what makes a sound unpleasant to hear. (Flash)

Soundation Studio

A web based sequencer that enables you to make music, ringtones and audio clips directly from the internet without downloading any software. includes over 400 royalty free audio loops, 9 different effects, track automation, basic loop editing, loop audition, master channel control and mix down to desktop.

Verizon Beatbox Mixer

Create your own audio and video mix from signature riffs of top human beatboxers Rahzel, Click, Max B, Masai Electro and Butterscotch.

Sound Science 

Exploratorium Science of Music

A collection of exhibits that let you play with music in new ways. (Flash)

General Physics Java Applets

Graphical demonstrations of waves and other science topics. Developed by B.Surendranath Reddy.

Java Applets on Physics

Provides several programs demonstarting Oscillations and waves. By Walter Fendt.

Math, Physics and Engineering Applets

Educational java applets to help visualize various concepts including acoustics, oscillations and waves. Developed by Paul Falstad.

Resonata - A wave visualization machine you can play with

This is a spring system, designed to demonstrate many of the universal features of waves. Created by Fergus Ray Murray. (Java applet) See also visualizations below.

Martindale's Music Calculators

A directory of music related calculators and reference tools. Other resources for acoustics, live performance and HI-Fi sound can also be found at the site. (Various Java applets, Flash, etc)

Sound Lab

Allows you to design your own object and render the sounds this makes under various interactions like hitting, plucking, and scraping.

Spacesounds

A multimedia presentation that lets you listen to sounds from space and the history of the space program. The site also has links to other sounds including; storm-sounds, whale-sounds, and simulations from the age of the dinosaurs. (Flash)

The Virtual Flute

A web tool for flutists and composers.

Wim Swelden's Wavelet Cascade Applet

Interactive tool for exploring wavelet theory.

Auditory Illusions & Musical Paradoxes 

Audio Paradoxes

MP3 audio demontrations of Shepard's ascending tones, Falling bells, Quickening Beat.

Diana Deutsch's Musical Illusions

Perceptual discrepancies.

Exploratorium : Can you Find the Highest Note?

Interactive presentation of three auditory illusions: The Shepard Scale, The Tritone Paradox, The Risset Scale. Created by students from the Center for Electronic Art. ( Shockwave)

New Scientist: Five Great Auditory Illusions

Auditory illusions can help us understand the workings of the brains - listen to five of the most striking examples.

Shaken Matchbox Holophonic Illusion

Mp3 audio demo of a shaking matchbox moving around your body (Headphones required). See also Sound Immersion below.

Sound Immersion

A Flash version of the matchbox surround sound recording (Headphones required).

Tritone Paradox

More on perceptual discrepancies.

Visual Representation 

ColorOfMySound.com

An open experiment in Synaesthesia (mixing of the senses) that lets you assign colors to playing songs. Free registration allows you to upload audio files which also makes this a music promotion tool. Music can be browsed via categories and tags.

Sonic Wire Sculptor

Draw structures with the mouse to hear sounds generated in real-time. (Quicktime, JSyn plugin)

The Shape of Song

The custom software in this work draws musical patterns in the form of translucent arches, allowing viewers to see the shape of any composition available on the Web. Created by Martin Wattenberg. (Java)

The vOICe

Allows you to draw an image using the mouse and immediately hear the corresponding visual sound being synthesized on the fly. You can view sound waves, sonify existing images, train for audiovisual synesthesia, perform on-line composing, make visual sound animations and create spectrograms (sonograms, sonagrams). (Java Applet)

Whitney Music Box

A musical realization of the motion graphics of john whitney as described in his book "digital harmony".

Whitney Music Box Complex

This interactive version of the Whitney Music Box uses a more complicated algorithm for the motion and generates the music in real-time using Midi. Requires a fast Windows computer and the FlashMidi plug-in available at the site.

Audio Visual Art & Design Resources 

Bossanovologia

Gallery of Bossa Nova Album Covers.

FindSounds

Search for sound samples of toys.

GUIdebook

Graphical user interface gallery.

Information Aesthetics

A blog focusing on visual design and information aesthetics. Use the explore and search ntools to find sound and music related projects.

Kiddie Rekord King

A complete source of information on antique 78 rpm childrens records.

Musical Prototypes

A photoshop competition with inspirational image creations of weird and wonderful hybrid musical instruments.

Show & Tell

A collection of Crazy Album Covers.

Soundart.html

Seth Cluett's comprehensive listing of Sound Art resources including: Sound art parts, sound art exhibits, sound artists, sound art venues, sound art links pages/online communites, sound art magazines, radio, sound art books/bibs/misc, sound art syllabi.

Toyadz

Treasury of Vintage Toy Ads.

Virtual Guitar Modeling System

A graphic design tool that lets you create customized guitars based on standard guitar types.

We Make Money Not Art

The sound archives of the popular art, culture and technology website.

Wikipedia Interactive Art

Provides info and links to artists and related topics.

Wikipedia Sound Art

Information, topics and links related to Sound Art.

Sound-Toy Collections & Galleries 

FRIENDCHIP

A collection of sound-oriented interactive toys.

Fusion Flows: Sound Toy Gallery

Sound and image merge in two interactive experiences that turn you into the composer. Provides links to other art works.
Editorial by Angus Leech. (Flash)

Generative.net

A collaborative collection of digital artworks and online interactive experiments. The link page features a constantly growing list of links to generative artworks.

Metalriffs.com Guitar Toy Museum

A small picture gallery of electronic guitar toys.

Nintendo ds music apps - remain calm: blog

A list of recommended sound toys that are available for the nintendo ds platform.

SoftForm Exhibition

A gallery of works curated from an international selection of digital and net artists.

Soundtoys.net

A community for artists and space for the exhibition of audio visual projects.

Electronic Keyboards & Synthesizers 

Miniorgan.com

A private collection of rare and vintage musical electronic toys, lost organs, damned keyboards, childish synthesizers, dusty voice transformers and singing calculators. Most of them are from the 70ies and 80ies. An interactive audio section lets you mix sounds from up to 8 pre-programmed toys.

Moog Archives

This website provides a glimpse into the history of MOOG, a leading Designer and Manufacturer of Electronic Music Instrumentation from 1953 to 1993. The pages are filled with rare, historic photographs and documents collected over the years by a former Moog employee.

Synthfool - Vintage Synthesizer Archives

A large photo/patch/schematics archive of vintage synthesizers and analog sound modules. You can find pictures of rare instruments and old manufacturer's brochures. The site also has a comprehensive collection of music technology links and vintage price lists.

Synthmuseum.com

An informative online museum of vintage electronic musical instruments, including Synthesizers and Drum Machines, both analog and digital. Provides historical overviews of main synth companies and design developments.

WarrantyVoid

Electronic sound toy and keyboard modification site (Circuit Bending).

Wikipedia Software Synthesizer

A software synthesizer, also known as a softsynth or virtual instrument is a computer program for digital audio generation. It works like a common synthesizer, but is realized entirely in software.

Wikipedia Toy Piano

Excerpt: The toy piano is a musical instrument, made as a child's toy, but which has also been used in more serious musical contexts. The instrument was invented in Philadelphia in 1872 by a German immigrant named Albert Schoenhut.

Museums & Cultural Portals 

History of Sound

Date list of important events relating to the development of sound technology from the Museum of Sound Recording.

MICHAEL: Multilingual Inventory of Cultural Heritage in Europe

Provides access to the digital collections of museums, libraries and archives from different European countries. Search, browse and examine multiple national cultural portals from a single point of access.

Museum of Soviet Synthesizers

Archives of Russian synthesizers, keyboards, and sound modules. Features include a table of technical specifications, photo library, mp3 sounds, manuals.

The ReBirth Museum

Resource for the discontinued Propellerhead Software ReBirth RB-338. (Virtual Instrument)

Virtual Instrument Museum

Online museum of the World Musical Instrument Collection of the Music Department of Wesleyan University.

Interactive Guides to Music 

Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major

Explore the score and history of the masterpiece.

Guitar Gallery Timeline

EMP Online's Guitar/Bass Timeline traces the evolution of the solid-body electric guitar and the electric bass guitar. Web-based multimedia presentation with images and audio samples.

Hans Reichel's Daxophone

The daxophone, invented by Hans Reichel, is a musical instrument of the friction idiophone category that can be bowed, struck or plucked. You can learn about the various designs and instrument sounds through this entertaining and interactive site.

History of Multimedia - from Wagner to Virtual Reality

Interactive presentation created by Randall Packer.

Interactive African Instrument Museum

Play and learn about african percussion instruments.

Ishkur's Guide to Electronic Music

An online Flash-driven guide to electronic music created by Kenneth John Taylor. The guide encompasses 180 genres and includes over five hours of music samples.

Museum of Techno

An interactive guide to all things techno with collections of humorous videos and sound examples in the exhibits section.

MakingMusic Encyclopedia

An online Musical Instrument Encyclopedia, providing a description, an image and a sound clip per instrument. A downloadable version is available. Several sound toys ca n be found on the projects page including designs for Indian Flute, Sitar, micro, African Animals and orca.

Powerhouse Museum Collection 2.0 beta

The collection includes objects in categories for Musical Instruments, Audio and Visual Equipment, Automata and Mechanical.

The Guitar Is Art: Rhythms of Art & Design In The 20th Century

An exhibition produced in collaboration with The Museum Of Modern Art, New York, exploring the historical and aesthetic relationship between traditional visual art and the guitar. Included in this exhibition is an interactive Photo Montage of over 100 of the most gorgeous guitar photos in the world.

Vibes Interactive

This website is part of the Vibes! The Roots of Urban Music exhibition which looks at the influence of African musical heritage on British urban music.

Wolfram|Alpha - music search

A computational knowledge engine that generates output by doing computations from its own internal knowledge base, instead of searching the web and returning links. A powerful data/learing tool.

About Adobe Flash & Shockwave 

Wikipedia Adobe Flash

Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash and before that FutureSplash), or simply Flash, refers to both the Adobe Flash Player and to a multimedia authoring program used to create content for the Adobe Engagement Platform, such as web applications, games and movies (Excerpt).

Wikipedia Adobe Shockwave

Adobe Shockwave (formerly Macromedia Shockwave) was Macromedia's first and most successful multimedia player prior to the advent of Adobe Flash, called Macromedia Flash at that time. In an attempt to raise its brand profile all Macromedia players prepended Shockwave to their names in the late 1990s. Although this campaign was very successful and helped establish Shockwave Flash as a dominant multimedia plugin, Shockwave and Flash became more difficult to maintain as two separate products. In 2005, Macromedia marketed three distinct browser player plugins under the brand names Macromedia Authorware, Macromedia Shockwave and Macromedia Flash (Excerpt).