If you've recently upgraded to iTunes 8 and you use the program's visualizer, you've likely noticed it has a whole new look and feel. The new iTunes 8 default visualizer is based on Robert Hodgin's spectacular Magnetosphere plug-in visualizer, which apparently Apple liked so much they just bought it and built it right in to iTunes.
I was just enjoying this new visual component of iTunes 8 when I noticed a recent TUAW blog post by Cory Bohon about how to control the new visualizer with keyboard shortcuts. I enjoyed playing with the controls so much, that I wanted to share them with you. If you like manipulating psychedelic visualizations along with your music, playing around with these keyboard shortcuts in iTunes 8 should keep you busy for hours.
Here's the most important iTunes 8 Visualizer keyboard shortcuts that you should know about:
? - Toggles the help screen
M - Changes the mode
P - Changes the color palette
I - Displays the track information
C - Toggles auto-cycle
F - Toggles freeze mode
N - Toggles nebula mode
L - Toggles camera lock
If you haven't ever used the visualizer in iTunes, you're in for a treat. To turn on the visual effects just go to the "View" pull-down menu and selext "Show Visualizer".
View > Show Visualizer
To change your iTunes visualizer options, go to the "View" pull-down menu and choose "Visualizer". This will present you with a list of all of the installed and available visualizers, and the ability to bring up an Options screen for each one.
View > Visualizer > [Option]
Now just play around and see what you can come up with. For extra credit, hook your Mac up to your big screen TV and run the iTunes visualizer at your next party.