RTFA: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM…

Apple Inc. is now selling the vast majority of its digital songs without copy-protection software.

The maker of the iPod also announced Tuesday a deal to roll out variable pricing on songs from the iTunes Music Store, with prices between $0.76 and $1.29 U.S. .

Apple announced the changes at the Macworld Expo trade show in San Francisco Tuesday.

Copy-protection software, also known as digital-rights management or DRM, has proved a controversial topic with music fans and record labels alike. Eight million of iTunes s 10 million songs will be available without DRM.

The software was designed to prevent fans from illegally sharing digital downloads on file-sharing services. But it also prevented many fans from moving their own songs between devices and became increasingly unpopular.

Apple’s founder, Steve Jobs, publicly called on major record labels to drop DRM in February, 2007.

In exchange, labels have been asking that iTunes agree to sell songs at variable prices. Currently, iTunes sells all individual songs at 99 cents regardless of their popularity or date of release, unlike most other retail outlets.

RTFA: http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=_GabHGlGm14&feature=…

A big broccoli ocarina can have been done. The tune is “Angels We Have Heard On High.” My wife is accompanying it.

Okay – here’s an ALL BROCCOLI instrument. The carrot from the previous post has a clarinet mouthpiece, but that’s totally lame compared to the ALL BROCCOLI instrument.

RTFA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWbj7FYEi3M&eurl=ht…

Linsey Pollak drills out a carrot and turns it into a clarinet and plays it, live looping with a Boss RC20 to record 3 layers….from his solo show “Making Jam”

Yes! This is great! Not only is it a pretty good presentation, but the music is totally cool. …as in, excellent.

RTFA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFDdIIITJ08&feature…

…and now, for something completely different, I present you with a totally rocking piece by John Frusciante, Flea and Omar Rodriguez.

The live performance pulls together parts of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Mars Volta in two really great, meandering meditations. This all-instrumental show blends improvised and rehearsed elements, strange time signatures, long patterns, and tons of different guitar tones.

The video seems to have been edited by a group called GT Graphics (noizEwater & noir dueil?), and it delivers. Although these three are guitar luminaries, the video, with its wide borders, creates the impression of small-format film, and establishes an underground indie feeling.

Definitely watch both parts: the second video contains the end of the first song, as well as a more experimental work – and they’re definitely working hard to keep up the pace!

RTFA: http://www.wimp.com/guitartrio/

Three kids play one guitar and create an amazing song.

…the video is hard to embed, so you’ll have to click for it. However, it’s a really cool idea: one kid rides the low-E, one plays the lead on the higher strings, and the third taps out a beat on the body of the acoustic guitar. I happen to like Rusted Root, so I also think the song is a good one to work with.