YOW*, a QuickTime multimedia mixer has been released by Yowstar. Modeled on the mixing ideas developed by vinyl DJs, YOW* extends the concepts to the realm of all digital files, according to Peter Nyboer of Yowstar.
Any type of digital media that QuickTime supports — audio (including .WAV, .AIF, and .MP3), video (.AVI, .MOV, and MPEG-1), stills (TIFF, JPEG, GIF animations, etc.), MIDI files, and 3DMF files — can be mixed visually and audibly with the software. With four modules of media, YOW* extends the DJ toolset from two sources to four, and from analog audio to any digital art.
“Equally suited for audio or video performance, YOW* is developed as a performance instrument, particularly suited for PowerBook computers,” Nyboer said. “Many functions, such as crossfading and pitch control, are mapped to click-free mouse control, Macintosh keyboard, and almost any parameter or effect can be controlled with MIDI. Visual artists get an extra boost for their performances with a wide variety of real-time video effects, allowing instant manipulation of any image.
A free, 30-day trial is available for download from the Yowstar Web site. The commercial version is available at the same site for US$100. An interactive manual is also available online.