Animusic DVDs

It's kind of difficult to explain the Animusic DVDs to anyone who hasn't seen them. I first encountered them at a Christmas party a few years ago, held in a funky warehouse loft apartment. The host was a computer and techno whiz, and he had these DVDs set up to project on the wall, looping over and over for background ambiance. I've since also seen some Animusic on PBS, of all places!

So what is this all about? Basically, both DVDs contain several tracks of computer-generated animated instruments playing different types of music. For instance, a bouncing ball may land on the correct synthesizer keys to plunk out a melody, while in the background some robot percussion instruments keep the beat. Shoot, I knew it was going to be impossible to explain! There's no way a simple description can get across how fascinating and hypnotizing these animations are. They're visually fascinating, and the whole time you're watching them you can't help but think how incredibly clever they are!

There are two volumes for sale on Amazon, Animusic and Animusic, Vol. 2. Even the customer descriptions on Amazon don't really do these justice, but every single customer review as of today is a five-star rating. In any case, these would make terrific stocking stuffers for just about anyone. They're suitable for kids, great for teens or college students, and definitely perfect for computer and science fiction geeks. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't find this fascinating.

What: Animusic DVDs
Where: Amazon or elsewhere
How much (as of today's post): $19.99 (plus shipping)