Animusic - A Computer Animation Video Album (Special Edition)
directed by: Wayne Lytle
Price: $19.98
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Product Description:
Studio: Cerebellum CorporationRelease Date: 04/27/2004Run time: 75 minutes
Amazon.com:
Watching Animusic is like being mesmerized by the world's most elaborate Rube Goldberg devices: You're so astonished by their ingenuity that you can't look away. This "computer animation video album" is the brainchild of Wayne Lytle, a progressive-rock keyboardist and 1988 graduate of Cornell University's Program of Computer Graphics. Modifying techniques originally applied to the visualization of scientific data, Lytle partnered with graphic artist and 3D modeler Dave Crognale to create elaborate virtual stage sets and imaginary musical instruments that are driven via MIDI interface to virtually "play" the music that Lytle has composed for them. "The music drives the instruments," explains Lytle in his engaging DVD commentary, "and not the other way around." Using proprietary software called MIDImotion™, Lytle and Crognale have invented self-playing musical instruments that exist in a magical realm of musical and mathematical precision, perfectly synchronized to the kind of fully-synthesized prog-rock that Lytle obviously enjoys (and if you're a fan of Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, you will, too). It's the kind of audiovisual bombast that appeals to some more than others (and there's something oddly impersonal about removing humans from the performance of music), but Animusic is so intricately clever that anyone can be captivated by the meticulous novelty of these beautifully engineered musical marvels.
Take, for example, the most popular track, "Pipe Dream," in which thousands of animated balls take on a life of their own, popping out of an intricate system of pipes and barrels and bouncing, with percussive precision, onto all varieties of strings, drums, xylophones, timbales, cowbells... it's just hypnotically amazing. The same holds true for all of these videos, and while the colorful 3D rendering of Animusic (first released in 2001) is no longer state-of-the-art, the underlying mechanics remain timelessly appealing. For this special edition DVD released in 2004, Lytle opens his toy-box to reveal the creative process of Animusic from conceptual drawings to final 3D rendering. There's also a "solo-cam" function allowing viewers to switch angular focus from one instrument to another, along with animated set-construction demonstrations to show how everything fits together in the realm of Animusic. The 5.1-channel surround mix makes Animusic a perfect demonstration disc for high-end video systems (this is nothing if not a geek's delight), and Lytle's first animation (from 1996) is included along with a sneak-peek at Animusic 2, the follow-up DVD released in 2005. --Jeff Shannon
Studio: Cerebellum CorporationRelease Date: 04/27/2004Run time: 75 minutes
Amazon.com:
Watching Animusic is like being mesmerized by the world's most elaborate Rube Goldberg devices: You're so astonished by their ingenuity that you can't look away. This "computer animation video album" is the brainchild of Wayne Lytle, a progressive-rock keyboardist and 1988 graduate of Cornell University's Program of Computer Graphics. Modifying techniques originally applied to the visualization of scientific data, Lytle partnered with graphic artist and 3D modeler Dave Crognale to create elaborate virtual stage sets and imaginary musical instruments that are driven via MIDI interface to virtually "play" the music that Lytle has composed for them. "The music drives the instruments," explains Lytle in his engaging DVD commentary, "and not the other way around." Using proprietary software called MIDImotion™, Lytle and Crognale have invented self-playing musical instruments that exist in a magical realm of musical and mathematical precision, perfectly synchronized to the kind of fully-synthesized prog-rock that Lytle obviously enjoys (and if you're a fan of Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, you will, too). It's the kind of audiovisual bombast that appeals to some more than others (and there's something oddly impersonal about removing humans from the performance of music), but Animusic is so intricately clever that anyone can be captivated by the meticulous novelty of these beautifully engineered musical marvels.
Take, for example, the most popular track, "Pipe Dream," in which thousands of animated balls take on a life of their own, popping out of an intricate system of pipes and barrels and bouncing, with percussive precision, onto all varieties of strings, drums, xylophones, timbales, cowbells... it's just hypnotically amazing. The same holds true for all of these videos, and while the colorful 3D rendering of Animusic (first released in 2001) is no longer state-of-the-art, the underlying mechanics remain timelessly appealing. For this special edition DVD released in 2004, Lytle opens his toy-box to reveal the creative process of Animusic from conceptual drawings to final 3D rendering. There's also a "solo-cam" function allowing viewers to switch angular focus from one instrument to another, along with animated set-construction demonstrations to show how everything fits together in the realm of Animusic. The 5.1-channel surround mix makes Animusic a perfect demonstration disc for high-end video systems (this is nothing if not a geek's delight), and Lytle's first animation (from 1996) is included along with a sneak-peek at Animusic 2, the follow-up DVD released in 2005. --Jeff Shannon
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- What do you expect !!
I challenge someone to find a mistake between the sounds & the visual. It's not a rock concert or Pink Floyd show. It's captivating, that's all.
Why not leave it as it is, entertaining. ps Patiently waiting for III.
Rating: - Fantastic
Great DVD - bought for Grandson who watched it 4 times in a row!!
Shipper got it to me quick, with no worries.
Rating: - So differant
I'm into things that are differant and this is.. love the music and 'ANNI'
Most enjoyable..
Rating: 
- Hours of entertainment
We bought this DVD because our 3 year old LOVES anything musical but have found that we can actually watch it continuously as well. The acoustics and animation are pretty incredible to watch and are especially enhanced on larger televisions. Overall just a really enjoyable and enthralling viewing and listening experience for all ages.
Rating: - Great gift for music lovers.
I bought this as a gift for my brother-in-law and my sister who are both music teachers. They love it! Not only is the music great, but the animation is amazing as well! My sister and her husband have a young daughter and they asked her if this video was for dancing or for watching and she said that it was for watching because of the incredible computer animation. I think anyone would enjoy this product.
- What do you expect !!I challenge someone to find a mistake between the sounds & the visual. It's not a rock concert or Pink Floyd show. It's captivating, that's all.
Why not leave it as it is, entertaining. ps Patiently waiting for III.
- FantasticGreat DVD - bought for Grandson who watched it 4 times in a row!!
Shipper got it to me quick, with no worries.
- So differantI'm into things that are differant and this is.. love the music and 'ANNI'
Most enjoyable..
- Hours of entertainmentWe bought this DVD because our 3 year old LOVES anything musical but have found that we can actually watch it continuously as well. The acoustics and animation are pretty incredible to watch and are especially enhanced on larger televisions. Overall just a really enjoyable and enthralling viewing and listening experience for all ages.
- Great gift for music lovers.I bought this as a gift for my brother-in-law and my sister who are both music teachers. They love it! Not only is the music great, but the animation is amazing as well! My sister and her husband have a young daughter and they asked her if this video was for dancing or for watching and she said that it was for watching because of the incredible computer animation. I think anyone would enjoy this product.
