Belkin's $180 iPod-powered four track mixer

Palm Sounds report on Belkin's great-looking TuneStudio iPod portastudio, which can record 4 tracks mixer - which can mix four tracks into a two channel recording on a 5G ipod. You can nearly do the same thing with a Behringer mixer and a Tune Talk (although there will be a level problem as the Tune Talk only has a mic input). But this thing is cute and knobby, and $180 isn't a terrible price. Alternatively, for $99 you can stay strictly old-school on cassette with the Tascam MFP01 which is actually sold with the line "Records one track at a time with classic warm analog sound"... (More coverage of the TuneStudio at iLounge, Engadget and Gizmodo.) (Thanks to everyone in the comments for explaining this story back to me...)

NAMM preview: M-Audio's dedicated controller for something

So far it's nothing more than a picture on a MySpace page, but this is the new thing from M-Audio. Sensibly, given their enthusiasm for cheap plastic and ugly design, they've decided to photograph it in the dark, although it must be said those coloured lights and glowing buttons and knobs are pretty. Concensus of opinion seems to think it's a dedicated controller for Ableton Live - with what looks like 10 clip launch buttons (maybe in four banks?). Perhaps they've done some Behringer-style borrowing of the Faderfox form factor and added a Fisher-Price lighting scheme. An Ableton controller would make sense, as M-Audio own distribute Ableton (and so they're both part of the Avid empire, along with Digidesign/Pro Tools and Sibelius). Presumably we'll know everything on January 18th, when NAMM opens. (Thanks Danny)
UPDATE: See, this is why I write about stupid videos and weird-looking synths. Turns out Ableton might be divorcing M-Audio, so this is unlikely to be an Ableton controller, and more likely to be connected with M-Audio's Torq DJ-ing software (produced by their 'SynchroScience' department) Thanks to everyone in the comments...
UPDATE 2: Here it is. It's called Torq Exponent and it's proper Fisher Price... (Thanks Tomasz)

How to play Windows XP alerts on the piano

I'm proud to say that I'm no longer the world's geekiest man. 'TheCanCollecter123' has taken my crown with this piano medley of Windows XP alerts. All the hits are here: 'Chime', 'MSN message received', 'AIM message received', 'GoogleTalk message received' and of course the immortal 'Tada'. It's a shame he hasn't done our old friends Intel Chimes, Windows 95, THX (try playing that on a piano) or Mac startup.

Old upright piano gets a $3,000 pimp makeover

Proximasolaris, who claims to be a 41 year-old living in France, spent 250 hours on this incredible piano casemod - installing the guts of a $2,300 Korg Triton Extreme, $300 of motors, $500 of assorted mechanics and blue LEDs. Or you could just burn one. (via Chip Collection)

1328 British people vote to ban snares

This seems a bit unfair to drummers. (Thanks Danny)

What sucks? You say Esteban guitars & Blue Man Group

I'm too late, as usual, for any Review of the Year celebrations. I was looking through my web statistics, searching for meaning, and I discovered that many readers come to this site angry. Click the little picture for the full list of sucky things that people came to Music Thing looking for. Interestingly, the 'Rules' list is shorter but more poetic.

Whitney Houston's old music gear up for sale (don't all rush)

Greg writes to point me in the direction of Whitney Houston's entire stage setup, being auctioned in New Jersey next Monday, presumably as a result of her crack-related tax complications because she hasn't paid the storage bills. There are many low-rent delights, including loads and loads of old Roland controller keyboards, a nice-looking flighcased Hammond, numerous Bobby Brown music awards (many for cassette tape sales). Elsewhere in the catalogue you may find: "1 Aroma Steam Personal Sauna, in two flight cases", "'Whitney's Throne' Chair", a Lucite Grand Piano with no legs, a Sharp microwave in a flight case, and really a lot of old Akai samplers.