VJ Heaven

VISP is an open source visual performance application built on Adobe AIR (formerly Apollo) Rich Internet Application Platform.  Go to VISP-VJ.com  for source code and downloads. To run VISP you will also need Adobe AIR. The VISP homepage contains tutorials and guidelines for running, installing and creating artworks with the program. VISP looks to be a pretty exciting release for real-time digital visuals.

ArKaos offers VJs, installation and event artists the ability to work with their own image and movie files along with loads of different effect types and sequences to make great live VJ performance. In other words, ArKaos will help you visualize your music. This is a professional VJ tool for just about anyone - VJs, installation or events artists etc - that allows you to work with still and motion pictures, as well as a seeming endless array of effects and sequences. ArKaos is created by the same company that created visuals for artists like Daft Punk, M People and U2. Fatboy Slim and the Chemical Brothers have also used visuals created directly from ArKaos software.

Arkaos supports QuickTime movies (.MOV), Windows Video (.AVI), MPEG and Flash animation (.SWF). This program is very easy to use. Its ‘drag and drop’ capabilities allow the user to quickly select clips and effects from the main interface, with instant results. There’s a bank of movie clips and stills for you to use, called demosynths, which can come in quite handy if you forget your DV camcorder. But the real fun to be had with ArKaos is through real-time effects control. This is as simple to use as clicking a box and, when activated, triggers your images to move to the preview window in time with the percussion and bass of the music that is playing. It’s a very cool feature. The best way to imagine ArKaos is that you’re using a music sequencer, but now arranging and manipulating video.

External MIDI devices can be used to trigger patches of images, movies or effects. This can be from a MIDI keyboard, giving you more hands-on flexibility (and up to 128 patches), or from any MIDI sequencing device or sequencing software. Overall, ArKaos is a great semi-professional program, particularly useful with VJ demanding real-time video. That’s not to say a novice can’t get just as much enjoyment from it, because the software is very simple and intuitive to use.

You can find more about ArKaos here

If you are looking for a free and/or open source VJ tool, then Onyx is for you. This is an amazingly professional and flexible Flash-based VJ tool which allows you to mix video loops live. Its a great program and everything feels really intuitive. As a bonus, it now runs on both Windows and Mac. (Next stop, Linux/Pure Dyne) The latest release has some nice new features:

- Tempo filters can be turned on or off with a global setting

- Can sync tempo to specific beats.

- Mix files can now save display controls and filters

- Layers now have an anchor point for rotation or scaling

- Visualizers can be loaded in independant layers

- Tons of bug fixes and debugging tools</ol>

The latest release is 3.03 but 3.05 should be coming out soon (June) and we will keep you updated on the new features when it is released. Onyx is pretty much a must-have, even if only as a secondary / backup visual tool. This is a great free VJ tool. Kudos to the developers. I think it has a bright future.

You can download it here.