this is a lot like the ijam widget. rockout in your lunch break.

http://www.widgetgallery.com/view.php?widget=37305

/F13ND

Posted at 11:05 am on Dec 7th, 2005 by F13Nd

anyone know how to get it to work with OpenOffice?

Posted at 11:24 am on Dec 7th, 2005 by evan b

This is a great project…I only wish there were more explanation on the website about how it works. Could the spreadsheet be used to program drum patterns rather than playing them live?

Posted at 11:40 am on Dec 7th, 2005 by annie_linux

I’m not sure I see the point of Excel in this. Write it in REALbasic (http://www.realsoftware.com/) and it would be not only easier, but run on Mac and Linux too. In fact I recall that being the subject of a tutorial several years ago… yes, here it is: http://www.resexcellence.com/realbasic/articles/2001/10-04-01/

Posted at 1:37 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by Joe Strout

what was the point of excel in this?
i would have tried it, but i don’t sell my soul to the devil everytime i want to reinstall my operating system.

thank you linus :)

Posted at 2:36 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by n3ldan

#5: honestly, we all know Linux is better than Windows, we’ve heard it countless times. A lot of people prefer Windows because it’s:

a) what they’re used to
b) the only OS supported by their favorite programs
c) believe it or not, for the average user, easier to install and operate

By calling Microsoft the devil and Linus your lord, all you’re doing is making yourself look like a jerk. Now, don’t get me wrong: I love Linux, and prefer it over Windows.. but you don’t have to be such a troll whenever the word ‘Microsoft’ enters the conversation. If you want people to convert to Linux, try being nice, then maybe they’ll listen to you.

Using Linux doesn’t make you a superior human being, it simply makes you a Linux user.

Posted at 4:41 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by tristan

ooowwwwww snap!

Posted at 5:12 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by happy gilmore

but tristin, we are jerks. and we’re proud :)

Posted at 5:33 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by fucter

I was in a band for years. Our drummer really sorta sucked but our guitarist could play drums(and sing, play harmonica, trombone, organ, well, I hated his raw talent,) but this would have been a great alternative to one of those expensive(crappy) drum machines. I plan on giving this a whirl. Maybe I can figure out a way to save the inputs and have it play back.

I’ll be drumming like Danny Carey(Tool) in no time now!

Posted at 6:59 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by The Tech Department

#6:Microsof tisnt teh devil, but they’re EULA certainly isnt something I woudl agree with. Thankin Linus doesnt make him my lord, either. It’s the fact that (the drum machine dude) built it into $350 software, rather than the free equivelant. Or just making it standalone. Believe it or not, not all windows users have office (and for good reason)

Posted at 7:07 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by n3ldan

bravo, thsi is a nice change of pace.

Posted at 7:29 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by tomskag

For those of you asking what the point of using Excel was… Hack value, plain and simple. It’s like climbing Everest, only without the sherpas and oxygen deprivation.

Posted at 8:40 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by furtim

yeah, i know, it’s cool and all, but it won’t let you do two samples at the same time, which kind of makes it pretty un-practical… if this is somthing wrong on my computer or settings, let me know please

william

Posted at 9:50 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by william

His link to a site with drum samples kinda crashed that guy’s bandwidth. Bummer, but I recorded some vocal samples, and we’re cool now. With a little bit of VB and time and a better microphone, and yes, a better voice, you could program a full keyboard, forget “just” the drum set.
Oh, and who here paid $350 for excel? It runs on ‘97! I might play with this and see how well I can script it. Haven’t looked terribly closely at the code, yet.

Posted at 10:26 pm on Dec 7th, 2005 by pocketbrain

Thanks for the link! The ability to script the kit–to create a real drum machine–is something I’d like to work on, particularly straight from a spreadsheet, but if someone else wants to put it together that would also be cool.

Posted at 6:41 am on Dec 8th, 2005 by Thomas

Totally badass! I love it. Now, If it only had MIDI support…

Posted at 12:13 am on Dec 9th, 2005 by mix master master mixa

If he had programmed a drum machine himself, that wouldn’t be much of a hack, would it? The whole fun of hacking is making a product designed for one purpose do something entirely different isn’t it? To customise a product you own to make it better suit your needs?

Posted at 5:34 am on Dec 9th, 2005 by iNSOMNIACUK

“To customise a product you own to make it better suit your needs?”

uhh… i don’t own MSExcel… so that must mean… this is useless.

Try hacking using the ultimate hackers resource… Opensource.

here’s a tip… http://www.openoffice.org

Posted at 4:20 pm on Dec 13th, 2005 by p@

There is already a good free drum machine with tons of preloaded samples; it’s called garageband and it ships with every mac! And for 70 bucks you can get a midi keyboard to jam out with. I don’t have the time to master frets and strumming on a real guitar but hell, I know what sounds good and I’ve been hitting keys for 15 years :). I wonder, can you install the iLife applications on OSX86? Anyone?

Posted at 6:46 am on Dec 15th, 2005 by max

If I’ve got to buy a Mac, it’s not really free, is it?

Posted at 9:51 am on Dec 15th, 2005 by Thomas

what do you mean “not all windows users have office”? i thought that it was a law now. damn that dell sales person!

Posted at 2:03 am on Dec 16th, 2005 by Zerophil

OK! I see a drum machine!!But wheres
the download!!!
Another link to nothing, just as expecteed!!!
Thanks for nothing

Posted at 4:41 pm on Dec 18th, 2005 by john smith