EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 35, Issue 07 This issue's topics: Did I say that...? Dynacord Rhythm Stick Help with MIDI (2 messages) MIDI -> Slide Projector trigger? MIDI lighting controller? (6 messages) MPU401 specs? SQ1 SY77 versus DX-7 !! (3 messages) Synth question (3 messages) Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon . You may subscribe to EMUSIC-L by sending mail to listserv@american.edu with the line "SUB EMUSIC-L your name" as the text. The EMUSIC-L archive is a service of SunSite (sunsite.unc.edu) at the University of North Carolina. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1991 11:47:41 +0000 From: Nick Rothwell Subject: Did I say that...? Years and years ago I wrote: >>Maybe it was >>just a difference in programming, but the SY77 carried more punch with me, >Not difficult - the Wavestation has the punch of a kitten. Punch ain't its >strong point. Hmm. Well, I think the WS had a lot of punch. I guess I'm just getting better at programming it. These N-month-old digests are actually quite useful; I'm getting to see how my opinions are changing as I get familiar with the gear and work with it more. Nick. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 26 Dec 1991 08:12:25 EST From: Jon Crystal Subject: Dynacord Rhythm Stick Anyone have any experience with this alternative controller? I recently came ac ross a description and it sounds pretty intriguing. I'd love to get my hands on a new or used one. All comments welcome! Jon ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1991 11:37:00 EST From: Joseph_Pearl@VOS.STRATUS.COM Subject: Help with MIDI Help! I just got an Electronic Keyboard (Casio CT-670) and it has MIDI jacks and compatibility. I also have a PC. I want to learn more about MIDI and what I can do with it. For example, what is it? What is it used for? Can I write music on my PC (with the proper software) and download it to the keyboard? Does that work in the reverse? Can anyone provide me with some information? A book recommendation, some personal thoughts, or somewhere on Internet where I can FTP something. Thanx, joe. (Joseph_Pearl@vos.stratus.com) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1991 18:21:00 EST From: JONES@NYUACF.BITNET Subject: Re: Help with MIDI One good source for published information about MIDI (and most other topics) is your local library. If you enjoy making use of Internet resources, there are more than 200 hundred library catalogs available for searching. Here are the results of a search of the NYU BobCat OPAC: 056 BOBST LIBRARY - GEAC LIBRARY SYSTEM - ALL *SUBJECT SEARCH Your subject: midi sta matches 2 subjects No. of citations in entire catalog 1 MIDI (Standard) 17 2 MIDI (Standard) -- Software -- Catalogs. 1 Type a number to see more information -OR- FOR - move forward in this list BAC - move backward in this list CAT - begin a new search Enter number or code, then press CARRIAGE RETURN 1 056 BOBST LIBRARY - GEAC LIBRARY SYSTEM - ALL *SUBJECT SEARCH This subject: MIDI (Standard) has 17 citations in entire catalog Ref# Author Title Date 1 Anderton, Craig. MIDI for musicians / 1986 2 Boom, Michael. Music through MIDI : using MIDI to > 1987 3 Casabona, Helen. Using MIDI / 1987 4 Conger, Jim. C programming for MIDI / 1988 5 De Furia, Steve. The MIDI book : using MIDI and rela> 1988 6 De Furia, Steve. The MIDI implementation book / 1986 7 De Furia, Steve. The MIDI programmer's handbook / 1989 8 De Furia, Steve. MIDI programming for the Macintosh > 1988 9 De Furia, Steve. The MIDI resource book / 1987 10 De Furia, Steve. The MIDI system exclusive book / 1987 11 Donaldson, Peter. A guide to computer music : an intr> 1988 Type a number to see associated information -OR- IND - see list of headings FOR - move forward in this list CAT - begin a new search Enter number or code, then press CARRIAGE RETURN for 056 BOBST LIBRARY - GEAC LIBRARY SYSTEM - ALL *SUBJECT SEARCH This subject: MIDI (Standard) has 17 citations in entire catalog Ref# Author Title Date 12 Milano, Dominic. Mind over MIDI / 1987 13 Rona, Jeffrey C. 1957- MIDI, the ins, outs & thrus / 1987 14 Sanchez, Rey. MIDI guitar : a complete applicatio> 1988 15 Thomas, Terence, 1942- Sound synthesis : analog and digita> 1990 16 Turkel, Eric. MIDI gadgets / 1988 17 Yelton, Geary. Music and the Macintosh / 1989 Type a number to see associated information -OR- IND - see list of headings BAC - move backward in this list CAT - begin a new search Enter number or code, then press CARRIAGE RETURN end Bill Jones N N Y Y U U Head, Catalog Maintenance N N N Y Y U U Bobst Library N N N Y Y U U BITNET: jones@nyuacf N N N Y U U Internet: jones@acfcluster.nyu.edu N N Y UUUUUU ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1991 11:11:51 PST From: Malcolm Humes Subject: MIDI -> Slide Projector trigger? I've programmed some slide projection dissolve shows to visually accompany my music, and instead of using multitrack tapes to trigger the dissolves I'd love to use MIDI. I'm curious if anyone knows of any MIDI -> slide related devices or can offer any advice on making one. Since I already have the slide dissolve equipment I think I could interface to MIDI easily with a simple box. Don't know if something like this exists, but what I want is just a box that takes a MIDI in and has a 5 pin out to trigger a slide projector to advance. If it doesn't exist it seems like it should be very simple to build something like this. I think the slide projectors are triggered by a small voltage (5v?), and I suppose there'd need to be some hardware/software capable of receiving a MIDI note on and generating a voltage output. I'm really not very techie but have some friends who are, and I'd consider paying someone to make this device for me if nothing like this exists. Since all I need is a basic trigger I think the box could be made to permanently use one note value and midi channel. That's the basic idea for a box that just triggers the slide projector to advance, and this would suit my needs for interfacing with my existing dissolve unit. A more complex version of such a device might be able to directly control all functions of a projector (advance, backwards, fade lamp on, fade lamp off) and allow a little more versatility, and having two or more of such devices with the capability to assign different trigger notes or midi channels would allow me to just interface directly to the projectors and to skip using a dissolve box. I know there are existing computer based slide dissolve programmers, but what I want is something that will let me program the dissolve show in sync with my music, and to allow me the flexibility to trigger visuals with my keyboards live. I know slides don't seem to be very popular these days but I think they offer me a greater flexibility than video or computer images in both image size and production/projection costs and I also find it an interesting medium to work with. Does anyone have any advice to offer of existing devices that might suit my needs? Any advice on creating something like this, or speccing out what I'd need to do? Anybody out there want to try to offer a bid or estimate on making a prototype unit for me? - malcolm@wrs.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 12 Dec 1991 12:13:33 GMT From: pklammer@CUDNVR.DENVER.COLORADO.EDU Subject: MIDI lighting controller? Has anyone heard of a "MIDI light controller" or "MIDI lighting sequencer"? This makes so much sense, it must have already been invented; if I don't hear from anybody I'll assume I can go make my million with the idea... A box with midi input and switches output for controlling lamps (or anything). Connected straight to a keyboard, you could turn 66 or 88 bulbs on and off individually. But more practically, you could choreograph the lighting of a stage or music production, record it in a MIDI sequencer, etc. Please *email* me if you have any idea where I might obtain such a beast, or plans to build one, or even (sigh) proto-plans for homebrew MIDI projects. -- Peter F. Klammer, CCP, ACM, IEEE, HKN, TBP, LPF CU-Denver EE Class of '93 (303)233-9485 FAX(303)556-4822 /'^`\ Founding Member, CU-Denver Student ACM 11221 West 27th Place -=+(<{*|*}>)+=- PKLAMMER@CUDENVER.bitnet Lakewood, Colorado 80215 `\v/' pklammer@cudnvr.Denver.Colorado.EDU ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1991 12:47:41 EST From: Rick Duffy Subject: Re: MIDI lighting controller? > Has anyone heard of a "MIDI light controller" or "MIDI lighting sequencer"? Yes - I've seen them advertised somewhere. Some I believe control a set of voltages on plug in things (I'm not very electrically oriented ever since some miswired experiements from my youth - another story). I believe I've also heard of laser-show setups that run this way. ... Rick ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1991 16:10:05 -0500 From: Max Stevens-Guille Subject: Re: MIDI lighting controller? > > Has anyone heard of a "MIDI light controller" or "MIDI lighting sequencer"? > > This makes so much sense, it must have already been invented; if I don't hear > from anybody I'll assume I can go make my million with the idea... > > A box with midi input and switches output for controlling lamps (or anything). > Connected straight to a keyboard, you could turn 66 or 88 bulbs on and off > individually. But more practically, you could choreograph the lighting of > a stage or music production, record it in a MIDI sequencer, etc. > > Please *email* me if you have any idea where I might obtain such a beast, or > plans to build one, or even (sigh) proto-plans for homebrew MIDI projects. > -- > Peter F. Klammer, CCP, ACM, IEEE, HKN, TBP, LPF CU-Denver EE Class of '93 > (303)233-9485 FAX(303)556-4822 /'^`\ Founding Member, CU-Denver Student ACM > 11221 West 27th Place -=+(<{*|*}>)+=- PKLAMMER@CUDENVER.bitnet > Lakewood, Colorado 80215 `\v/' pklammer@cudnvr.Denver.Colorado.EDU > Don't be running off for a patent search just yet -- save your bucks and buy one! I met a guy at the ICMC show in Montreal who has just what you're looking for. Actually, he has a monster language that sits on top of a commercially available lighting MIDI controlled lighting system. I'm really grabbing at thin air here, but I believe the acrynym/initialism for the lighting controller standard was a DM?-512. I dunno, some lighting person on the list should be able to fill us in. MIDI lighting is simple in theory, but difficult where choreographed humans must become slaves to a computer's view of time and space. Try not only dancing, but also being in exactly the right place for a spot that's following you! The basic circuitry of a lighting controller is pretty simple (at least in theory). You get some RAM and load in a PWM waveform. At a known frequency, you read the contents of RAM and drive the bitstream to base of a monster transistor which in turn turns on and off a light. Changing the brightness is as simple as loading a new waveform. Most of the systems that I've seen have a little toaster controller that does the loading of the RAM and the yacking to MIDI. The theory is simple, but in practice it's a pretty serious job. I seem to recall something in Circuit Cellar Ink (Steve Ciarcia of Byte Magazine fame 's new magazine*). I know for sure that the Banff School of Fine Art has done extensive work on this. If you're interested, I'll find out what the guy in Montreals name is. * Circuit Cellar Ink The Computer Applications Journal Reader Service P.O. Box 5333 Pittsfield MA 01203-9873 A really good magazine for toaster-controller enthusiasts... occasional MIDI articles. -- Max Stevens-Guille Research & Development __ Alias Research Inc. 110 Richmond St. East, / Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5C 1P1 / Alias max@alias.com / \ Research vox: (416) 362-9181 fax: (416) 362-0630 / \_ Incorporated ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1991 03:18:24 GMT From: Darrin P Cardani Subject: Re: MIDI lighting controller? In article <1991Dec12.122033.886@cudnvr.denver.colorado.edu> you write: >Has anyone heard of a "MIDI light controller" or "MIDI lighting sequencer"? > >This makes so much sense, it must have already been invented; if I don't hear >from anybody I'll assume I can go make my million with the idea... > >A box with midi input and switches output for controlling lamps (or anything). >Connected straight to a keyboard, you could turn 66 or 88 bulbs on and off >individually. But more practically, you could choreograph the lighting of >a stage or music production, record it in a MIDI sequencer, etc. > >Please *email* me if you have any idea where I might obtain such a beast, or >plans to build one, or even (sigh) proto-plans for homebrew MIDI projects. >-- I know that at my high school (this was 3 years ago) they bought a new light board that had a MIDI input. I think there are MIDI controllers for vari-lites. I went to a Pet Shop Boys concert that had an incredibly extensive light set-up that I'm sure was somehow linked to the music. But hey, if you've got a better way to do it, go for it. (But don't post it because I'll steal it and put it out first.) Darrin darrin@engin.umich.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1991 16:48:10 GMT From: Karl Lehenbauer Subject: Re: MIDI lighting controller? J. L. Cooper makes, or used to make, MIDI lighting controllers. -- -- sysop of Sugar Land Unix ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Dec 1991 21:08:50 GMT From: William R Marshall Subject: Re: MIDI lighting controller? I saw one made my sun-spots. Never played with the midi on it though. It was fairly low budget. Bill -- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 3 Dec 1991 12:08:51 LCL From: David Ford Subject: MPU401 specs? Please subscribe me to the list.... PS - Could SOMEONE (anyone) PLEASE send me a copy of the specs for a roland MPU401 device driver ? (ie mpu*.sys) I'm trying to design my own MIDI card, and I'd like to write a driver so all the normal MIDI software will work with it. Thankyou ___________________________________________________________________________ David Ford Voice : +61 02 49 6887 Claremont College Fax : +61 02 49 1984 Link Rd email : david@slick.clare.tased.edu.au Claremont TAS 7011 AUSTRALIA The Internet : "Wherever you go... There you are..." Buckaroo Banzai ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1991 13:14:55 +0100 From: EEAPONZO@FRGREN81.BITNET Subject: SQ1 Hello everybody! I'm a new user of this wonderful list! I'm french,and I live in France (amazing,isn't it ?) So,sorry for my medium level english... Well,I'm the owner of an Ensoniq SQ1 Plus I'd like to have some contacts with other owners of this synthetizer because in France,it is not yet very developped...if you see what I mean... That's all folks! See you soon... ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1991 16:31:00 CST From: greg@IHLPM.ATT.COM Subject: Re: SY77 versus DX-7 !! > >Should I save up some more money, wait > >maybe a 6 months - 1 year and get an SY-77 or should I just go for the DX-7 > >and upgrade later. > > "Upgrade" in this context means "try to sell second-hand at a loss." Well, if you could get a used DX-7 for a reasonable price you might not loose all that much selling it in a year since most depreciation occurs when you get a brand new unit. Also, you might wish to keep it, since it seems there is always a need for more voices in most MIDI setups. > Unless your needs are quite basic, I'd wait for the SY-77. I also suspect > the SY-99 is going to push '77 prices down. On the other hand you would have 6 months - 1 year of experience and know more if the SY-77 (or whatever tickles your fancy then) will be right for you. Since you said you were beginning your MIDI studio you might be better off to get started with the DX-7, rather than doing nothing but wait for several months. Just another point of view, -- Greg Youngdahl AT&T Bell Laboratories Naperville, IL greg@ihlpm.att.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1991 13:37:22 +0000 From: Nick Rothwell Subject: Re: SY77 versus DX-7 !! >Should I save up some more money, wait >maybe a 6 months - 1 year and get an SY-77 or should I just go for the DX-7 >and upgrade later. "Upgrade" in this context means "try to sell second-hand at a loss." Unless your needs are quite basic, I'd wait for the SY-77. I also suspect the SY-99 is going to push '77 prices down. Nick. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 13 Dec 1991 15:34:26 PST From: "Matthew Rogalsky" Subject: Re: SY77 versus DX-7 !! May as well get a DX7 now... if you can find a real deal. For $500 (Can.) I recently got: DX7, 2 ROM carts, 2 regular RAM carts, 1 multi-RAM cart (4 in 1), mod pedal, and Anvil case!! And if you get a DX7 with E! it'll be a long time before you exhaust its capabilities. The SY77 is obviously a great tool, but in 2 years you'll be able to buy it for a reasonable price, after the next HOTTEST SYNTH EVER comes out. And if you were going to get a 77, why not spend the extra bucks and get an SY99, which can receive MIDI sample dumps (am I correct here?). Matt rogalsky@mailserver.sfu.ca ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Dec 1991 21:57:01 GMT-0400 From: s108352@CC.GETTYSBURG.EDU Subject: Synth question Netters: This probably does not belong to an EMUSIC list, but I'm not sure where else to turn. I'm looking for a good sysnthesizer/keyboard, with a price range between $200 - $600 (new or used). I plan to use it for performance and midi capabilities, and I need one that is quick on the fly, (as far as sounds and effects) but has decent sound quality and would be interesting to use for serious compositional work.(A renaissance machine, if you will). Am I dreaming? I am basically clueless, I have only worked with a Roland soundsystem on an IBM. I am a good player and I am very concerned with touch.(at least 5 octaves, pressure sensistive etc..) Please help me, or please point me to a list that can. Thank you, Jay Smith ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1991 09:08:50 PST From: "Matthew Rogalsky" Subject: Re: Synth question 91 9:57 pm You won't find a lot to interest you terribly even at the $600 level, although if you look hard for a bargain on a used synth you might have some luck. There are some good sound modules in the price range but you need a keyboard. How about a used DX7 or DX7II? I've seen loads of original DX7s for sale at around $500, and in fact I bought one (with tons of extra stuff included) for this price not too long ago. If you don't care about having "real" instrument sounds, and you're not completely tired of the DX7's own sound, then I would suggest finding one. Matt rogalsky@mailserver.sfu.ca ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 18 Dec 1991 16:18:00 EDT From: WSCOTT@WOOSTER.BITNET Subject: Re: Synth question I second the nomination of a DX7 in your price range. It's not multitymbral, though. If I were looking to buy one right now, I'd try to get one with the E! system upgrade. E! makes all the difference if you want to continue using the DX7 as a midi controller with other tone generators. E! allows you to select different velocity curves (fixing a BIG problem with the original DX7), different keyboard splits (including an intellegent split that can follow your bass line or melody up and down the keyboard) and other indespensible "extras". A multitymbral synth that might be available used in your price range is the Kawai K1. I think it even had weighted keys. The K1 is the predecessor to the K1 II without a drum set or effects. Some of its sounds are very nice, others are pretty grungy. Bill Scott WSCOTT@WOOSTER.BITNET ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1991 13:25:02 CST From: michael whitten Subject: Re: Taurus, Liberation, S-triggers & ARPs. Wow......Lorne's missive certainly brought back a wave of memories. I am not a collector of those old instruments; I have a friend who is, though, and he'd flip over some of those references. I, myself, fondly recall the old ARPs..........the Odyssey was a way-cool instrument...very much a 'neutral'-sounding machine....and ALL THOSE LITTLE SLIDERS!...it was frob and tweak heaven. The first synth I used was an EML-101; anybody remember that one? It was kind of a poor man's mini, but patchable.....BTW, anyone remember patch cords? Had great selectable-pass filters and wonderfully unpredictable rocky-road oscillators.....yum! It was a fave. Pere Ubu's Ravenstine used 'em a lot. Next, was the ARP 2600; that was a fave, too, also patchable. My ultimate favorite was the Buchla w/ sequencer and later Serge set-ups. That was serious sound-design hardware, folks. And not one digital circuit between 'em. I don't know what my last remark meant. The salient feature, I think, about those old analog machines is that they kind of breath on their own, they are much closer to organic and unpredictable beings (co-composers!) than digital types, but I say that because ORGANIC and UNPREDICTABLE haven't been coded for, yet........................... ........................................................................ .................................HAVE THEY? I ride tandem with the random. Peter Gabriel. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Dec 1991 12:18:17 EST From: "Joseph D. McMahon" Subject: Taurus, Liberation, S-triggers & ARPs. [Here's a very useful old-stuff posting from Lorne Hammond on EMUSIC-D - JM] RE: Taurus, Liberation, S-triggers & ARPs. The "funny plug" is, according to Rea's Minimoog D operating manual, an "S-Trig," short for switch trigger. When a key is depressed an S-Trig, or drop to zero volts, is generated. On release it returns to a positive voltage. Its purpose is to trigger and end the actions of what they call a contour (we call an envelope) generator. Anyone who spent time feeding external audio into a minimoog in the pre-envelope follower/Korg MS-20 days will remember going down to the elctronic parts shop to get a male jack and then soldering a wire across the two terminals so that the filter and VCA would stay "open" while you swept and modulated the audio. It was a very odd solution which drove us all mad. A few companies recognized it existence. My analog oberheim sequencer puts out triggers for both ARPs and Moog systems. I have never used a Liberation, but when I think of it I always have the image of the keyboard player in the Irish Rovers ("The Unicorn" and other horrors to those who have seen Ministry live) in a jump suit playing it. Tacky, tacky, tacky!!! Anyhow, I pulled out the 1982 Moog Product catalog as a refresher: Basically it is an organ with a lead monophonic two oscillator synth, ring modulation, noise source, and mixer. It weighed 14 pounds, came in black, red or white and had two parts. In 1882, oops sorry, showing my occupation, history grad), in 1982 it was $1,445 in black and $50 more for red or white. The catalog shows a case with it. I did see one used for $175 canadian a few years ago. I still thought it was tacky. My conclusions on the trigger issue is that the cv and trig outs are the monophonic (probably high note?) ones and the jacks there would be typical Moog. Taurus: There were two. The one to get is the first, that big floor model used by RUSH and the Police. Wicked bass pedals. The second is more common, with the electronics on a mike pole above the pedals. This one, the Taurus II (intro 1982 at US$895) had a rarity for Moog Land, syncable and sweepable oscillators (two). There maybe something strange to its triggers in that a guitarist could hit the pedal (triggering envelopes) and dance away. They refered to this as "unconditional mode". Gosh. That implies that on the original Taurus you had to hold the pedal down? Anyhow The other important thing to note is that not only can another Moog control the Taurus II (S-trig & CV) BUT, "Other monophonic synthesizers can be played from the taurus II's pedalboard". That may be the reason for the stereo jack. Is it a CV IN/OUT, S-Trig IN/OUT situation? ARP: Someone mentioned they had a black ARP w Gold lettering and no interface board on the back for trig/CV. Interesting. The first ones were the same but white. My black w gold has the PPC pressure pads for pitch bend up, pitch bend down, and modulation, and a full factory jack panel. I bet that Black&gold, no panel, has the old pitch lever/knob meaning it is old stock white series, painted for the new series? The orange & black are a high water mark. Metal case, smaller than the plastic ones and a balanced XLR line out for studio recording and removable power cord. Some studio "dudes" claimed the arp was more neutral than the Mini Moog with its trademark sound. That made it a more flexible machine. When I got my black/gold ARP Odyssey (Wanted on in the mid1970s $2500!, could only afford a Roland SH3, later traded on a MiniMoog, still got, and the ARP showed up with all the pedals for $250 ((the usual 90% depreciation on music electronics))) I switched for awhile from the Mini and was very suprised by how good the bass was. A very underrated synth. MIDIMOOG: $2,000, why bother. Get a cheap Roland MPU-101 midi to 4 channels of CV & triggers. Put in arp gates, drive the mini and use a Dx-7's velocity to give you control over the VCA and/or filter. Voila, a touch sensitive Minimoog for bass lines. (the Mini has 3 cv inputs: oscillator, filter, vca) Anyhow, end of missive. Lorne Hammond fade to black ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************