Animusic Movies: What Are They?

Imagine six (6) different string instruments connected to a common resonating body chamber, all being played by mechanical fingers.  Here it is, the classic Animusic very well done:

Imagine what Animusic would look like to Trans Siberian Orchestra !

So, you may ask what is Animusic?

Animusic is a challenge to to describe since it is not like other forms of music which is what makes it unique.  Much like Pixar movies, these audio-video extravaganzas are computer-generated, photo-realistic animations.

Each movie is absent of  people, animals, dialogue, and singing, but instead are full of abstract alien instruments that are played robotic fingers or creatures as well as pulsating lasers. For example, in “Resonant Chamber,” delicate bird-like robotic fingers pluck and play a guitar with nine necks.  In “Pipe Dream” several string and percussion instruments of different types are struck with impeccable timing by balls that are fired from pipe cannons.  And, in “Pogo Sticks,” body-less bass-like instruments each with two strings are seen balancing on one wheel as they cruise and boogie through a 3-Dimensional tunneled landscape.

Animusic Core Characteristics

With Animusic the core concept is entirely new, but elements that make it work are all too familiar from the likes of renown media such as “Metropolis,” “Alien,” digital games, Disneyland, laser shows, Spielberg movies, MTV, Electric Light Orchestra, and even  science museums and great church cathedrals.  If it were not for the the music, some of the animusic videos might be called creepy weird science fiction.  A major characteristic of the music is the digital layers of   rhythmic techno rock which goes well with the visual characteristics suggesting space-age, interplanetary, foreign, bizarre species of incredibly talented music machines.

The Passion of Animusic Studio

Wayne Lytle is the programmer, music composer who has followed his passion and made his occupation the creation of Animusic Studio Software.  As of November 2007, Wayne says they have been doing well enough to move into some really nice office/studio space after having worked at home and has spent over a decade perfecting the animusic art form.  After many years of custom-programming, Wayne’s proprietary software now generates the animation of the objects, automatically.  Specifically and using “Resonant Chamber” as an example, Animusic Studio Software manipulates the fingers, hammers and pluckers of the robots based upon a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) file fed to it.  When the MIDI music file is altered, the animation is effortlessly regenerated following a production outline given the animusic software.

Because of the high integration of animation and music computer software, the rendering of the video musical instruments are sonically accurate, meaning every time a specific drum is struck, a key pressed, or a string plucked, it always produces the same pitch. (There’s still plenty of hand animation, of course, primarily having to do with the lighting, “camera moves,” set and character movements.)

As each new version of Animusic Studio Software is released, the public simply finds the product richer and more sophisticated, and the people’s response, well most of them simply gape in amazement as to what the Animusic can do.

Video animation industry experts and critics continue to question Mr. Lytle’s motivation for creating the software and what he should do with Animusic.  Suggestions for usefulness include  “Play it on big plasmas in dance clubs!”; “Music teachers in schools should show this to the kids!”, and the common “Sell Animusic to Pixar!”  At conferences for education and technology, the frequent questions are  “What’s the target age group?” “What’s your educational philosophy?” “Why isn’t  it interactive?”  But no matter who is asking the questions, among all viewers of audio and video produced by Animusic Studio Software, the consensus is that it’s just plain cool.

Animusic DVDs For Sale

One can find, see, hear and enjoy Animusic tracks at www.animusic.com.  Note, the effect of the audio videos on DVD when played on large screen TV are many times a more powerful experience, particularly played through a big, 5.1 Dolby surround sound system. The Animusic web site is where you can buy the DVD’s at $20 each (or $35 for a pair).  As the cult of Animusic fans has grown virally on the internet, Mr. Lytle says sales has  grown to 60,000 copies of the first disc over the years.

Wayne Lytle with his team producing Animusic may very well be a prominent example of something special in the way that technology can give a voice and a canvas to otherwise undiscovered talent in an artist. In the case of Animusic, that talent is prodigious, and the resulting works of art are awe-inspiring.