EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 40, Issue 13 This issue's topics: ADAT sync Analog Reel-to-Real (2 messages) compressors/limiters EPS effects mixing Help me spend my money....! Info on amplifers? (Crown, Peavey, Hafler,...) (3 messages) Korg S3; Emu Procussion PC Notation SoundBlaster Software PowerGlove (2 messages) Programming MT32/LAPC-1 ProTools ProTools vs easy to use digital audio editing/mixing tools Q. on MIDI setup. Do I need a merger? Samplers-A plea for help Trying to hack the MPU-401 via IBM GWBASIC (2 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: Sat, 2 May 1992 01:03:51 PDT From: Steve Buck Subject: ADAT sync I was looking at various articles on the new Alesis ADAT digital 8-track and had a question about the syncing. According to JLCooper, which makes a unit called the DataSYNC that converts the sync output of the ADAT into MIDI Time Code or MIDI Machine Control, and vice versa, you don't have to record a sync track. I'm trying to get more info about this. Could someone explain how this works and how the ADAT stays in synch during overdubs. Thanks in advance. Also, if I used the Opcode's Studio 4 with the DataSYNC and Alesis ADAT, could I somehow sync the ADAT to a VCR using SMPTE? THe Stuio converts from SMPTE to MIDI Time Code, and then the DataSYNC would convert MIDI Time Code to ADAT sync. I'm confusing myself.. ..oh well any suggestions..help would be appreciated. -- <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> < Steve Buck Internet: (sbuck@eddie.ee.vt.edu) > < > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 May 1992 16:14:18 EDT From: Foote Subject: Analog Reel-to-Real A friend has a venerable but fully functional TEAC reel-to-reel tape deck he is selling for basically nothing. It's one of those 4-track- -but-really-stereo things that audiophiles used before their was DAT. What I want it for is for things like razor-blade editing and cheesy tape-reverse effects ("kazuM ot snetsil nataS"). Unfortunately, you can't play stuff backwards the way the heads are laid out, for the same reason you can't play a cassette backward on a normal deck. So what I want is to somewhere procure a 2-head head, if you know what I mean; a set of heads for a 1/4", two-track reel-to-reel, sometimes called a "mastering deck." My idea is just to swap heads to get a 2-track. Question: Can I get away with it? Will the electronics designed for a 4-track head cope with one twice the width? Bueller? Anybody? ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 May 1992 08:20:08 EDT From: The Radio Gnome Subject: Re: Analog Reel-to-Real Hi, Easy solution for reverse effects! Feed the tape around the opposite side of the pinch roller. I've done it on a cheapo Akai 7" R to R. As long as you have easy access to the capstan/pinch roller. Use a tape that you wouldn't mind losing to stretch since the amount of tension on the take up and feed reels will be reversed. Make sure the pinch roller is clean or you'll end up with a 'snag' which could be hard to undo. Andy Wing ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 2 May 1992 22:21:47 PDT From: Steve Buck Subject: compressors/limiters Just wondered if anyone has used either the Alesis 3630 Compressor/limiter, or the Ashly CL-52-E. I'm looking to buy on of these and wanted some comparisons between the two. Thanks. -- <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> < Steve Buck Internet: (sbuck@eddie.ee.vt.edu) > < > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 16 May 1992 17:39:00 EST From: NLEONARD@RCNVMS.RCN.MASS.EDU Subject: EPS effects mixing I would like to automate the mixing of the EPS effects as well. The dedicated reverbs uses a modulation source to mix the wet/dry ratio on BUS1. Other effects are less flexible. Is there a way to assign samples to different busses via MIDI? Could I do this via sysex from a sequencer like Performer? I would like to use ROM-10 CHOR+REV+DDL, and assign different instruments to different points in the effects chain via an external sequencer. Does anyone know if I can do this with the Waveboy software? Thanks in advance for any help, Neil Leonard nleonard@ecn.mass.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 May 1992 09:16:00 EST From: BULMER STEVEN R Subject: Help me spend my money....! Hello to those that I haven't netted with in a year or so....I have exchanged my disk quota from ALLMUSIC to EMUSIC. I am in the market to obtain hardware and software for music publishing and am seeking your advice on how to spend my $5000 or so. I have been looking through old issues for such a thread butat 256KB limit per day from LISTSERV, I have not found anything on this thread yet. I like the features of Finale software such as its print quality, ability to extract parts and in general its ablility to interface the printed page with live or sequenced performance. Are there other packages to consider? I do NOT want a music writing program that does not have MIDI in/out. What about hardware platform? As I work on unix workstations and Crays, it would pain me to pay the price of Macs for the power you get, but it may go that way. Would it be wise to check out the IBM PC (386/486) implementation of Finale? I hear horror stories about Mac Se's taking days to extract and print out parts to only moderatley complicated scores. This seems to be one of those gray areas where it is difficult to get good hybrid advice.....music stores know very little about computers and computer stores know very little about music. Would you esteemed listers be able to point me in the right direction? Even an LISTSERV archive file would be a good start. Thanks much in advance. -Steve Bulmer ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 May 1992 14:32:41 CDT From: "Jonathon Simon" Subject: Info on amplifers? (Crown, Peavey, Hafler,...) I have a chance to pick up a used Crown DC300 Series II in excellent condition (5 yrs. old) for $350.00. I have been looking at various new (studio) amps for a few weeks now. I'd like a good quality dual amp with very low distortion, 95dB S/N or better, and a nice flat response. I've heard that Hafler and Carver are very good - how does Crown match up? What's the reliability of Crown? At the low (cost) end, the dealer showed me a Peavey 250 for $309 new. It has a feature called DDT - some kind of clipping compressor circuit - is this a worthwhile feature or is just a gimmick - if this soley intended to prevent the amp from shutting down (due to overloading) during a performance I don't care since I'm not using it live. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 May 1992 12:50:00 EDT From: The Radio Gnome Subject: Re: Info on amplifers? (Crown, Peavey, Hafler,...) On Mon, 4 May 1992 14:32:41 CDT Jonathon Simon said: >I have a chance to pick up a used Crown DC300 Series II in excellent >condition (5 yrs. old) for $350.00. The Crown DC series are classic live amps. Simple and reliable. As for their studio sound, I'm not so sure. >I have been looking at various new >(studio) amps for a few weeks now. I'd like a good quality dual amp with very >low distortion, 95dB S/N or better, and a nice flat response. How much do you want to spend? How much power do you need? If you're looking at Haflers and Carvers, then you're probably into the price range of a low end Linn, Krell or Bryston which should outperform the Crown and simply blow away any Peavey. >At the low (cost) end, the dealer showed me a Peavey >250 for $309 new. It has a feature called DDT - some kind of >clipping compressor circuit - is this a worthwhile feature or is just >a gimmick - if this soley intended to prevent the amp from shutting down (due >to overloading) during a performance I don't care since I'm not using it >live. Most protection circuits make some kind of sonic compromise in order to keep the amp stable and operational under grueling live conditions. I think DDT is just such a circuit. I'll have to verify this with my Peavey lit. Whatever you do, don't spend $1500 on a power amp and then waste that investment on a pair of $300 Tannoy monitors. There are many hi-fi speakers designed for near field listening that can function as monitors as well. I use a pair of B&W DM570s for my studio monitors. Andy Wing ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 6 May 1992 15:05:47 CDT From: "Jonathon Simon" Subject: Re: Info on amplifers? (Crown, Peavey, Hafler,...) >>I have a chance to pick up a USED Crown DC300 Series II in excellent >>condition (5 yrs. old) for $350.00. > > The Crown DC series are classic live amps. Simple and reliable. As for >their studio sound, I'm not so sure. Audio experts - please help me out here! I have to make a decision on this amp today. The only thing I can see (spec wise) that is inferior to the Hafler, etc. is the CROWN's "skew rate". skew = 15V/usec WHAT DOES THIS MEAN! Is that how many volts the signal can change in a microsecond? What does it mean in terms of the what one actually hears (with an amp with a low skew). Does it limit the type of sounds/ instruments it can reproduce realistically? Does this mean the amp may not be acceptable for studio use? >looking at Haflers and Carvers, then you're probably into the price range of >a low end Linn, Krell or Bryston which should outperform the Crown and simply >blow away any Peavey. > >>At the low (cost) end, the dealer showed me a Peavey >>250 for $309 new. It has a feature called DDT - some kind of >>clipping compressor circuit - is this a worthwhile feature or is just >>a gimmick - if this soley intended to prevent the amp from shutting down (due >>to overloading) during a performance I don't care since I'm not using it >>live. > > Most protection circuits make some kind of sonic compromise in order to >keep the amp stable and operational under grueling live conditions. I think >DDT is just such a circuit. I'll have to verify this with my Peavey lit. > > Whatever you do, don't spend $1500 on a power amp and then waste that >investment on a pair of $300 Tannoy monitors. There are many hi-fi speakers >designed for near field listening that can function as monitors as well. I >use a pair of B&W DM570s for my studio monitors. > > Andy Wing ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1992 22:48:47 CST From: Jason Keeler Subject: Korg S3; Emu Procussion Hi; I've recently been contemplating the Alesis D4 for my rig (to take the strain off my S-330) however, I've heard one or two comments (from music stores mostly) pointing me in the direction of the Korg S3 or Emu Procussion. This may have been due more to the fact that the stores who I asked were out of D4's. However, I did want to get a few opinions on these other modules. Unfortunately, nobody in town has either an S3 or Procussion. ...Jason ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 May 1992 09:04:37 EDT From: Brian Adamson Subject: PC Notation SoundBlaster Software A co-worker's father sings in a barber shop quartet. He has a PC and recently got a SoundBlaster card. He's interested in buying some software to let input some music and play it through the SoundBlaster card (I'm not sure exactly what he wants, but probably something in the vein of Music Construction Set, etc (I'm a Mac user, therefore PC ignorant)). One requirement is that the software not require Windows to run. Any help or reccommendtations will be greatly appreciated. -- Brian Adamson NRL Code 5523 adamson@itd.nrl.navy.mil ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1992 08:16:32 EST From: Jon Crystal Subject: Powergloves Could someone post details on hardware/software needed to connect a Powerglove to a MIDI network to use as an alternative controller? I think there are folks out there who'd be interested in both Mac and PC hookups. Thanks! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1992 14:09:02 EDT From: Rick Duffy Subject: Re: PowerGlove Re: Could someone post details on hardware/software needed to connect a Powerglove to a MIDI network to use as an alternative controller? I think there are folks out there who'd be interested in both Mac and PC hookups. Thanks! Response: There are some info files and schematics on how to adapt this glove to various platforms on the ftp site karazm.math.uh.edu (129.7.128.1). I think its in the /pub/VR directory. I'd be interested in learning of your results! ... rick rick@maxai.den.mmc.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 22 May 1992 09:38:00 LCL From: RSUD Subject: Programming MT32/LAPC-1 Hello, a couple of buddies and I are developing a game. We know virutally nothing about programming music/sound effects on the Roland MT-32/LAPC-1. I was wondering if anyone out there has had any experiencing programming these sound devices in C or maybe even Pascal. Are there any good books on the subject? I have seen the book 'Midi Sequencing in C', it didn't seem to be what I needed, but then again, I not sure what I need. I have Cakewalk and an LAPC-1. If I were to pick up a MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard, and then record/save some neato music and sound effects, How would I read a .WRK or .MID file in C? Is it possible, or worth it, to create music with just Cakewalk, manually entering notes one by one? I would also like to learn how to program the Pro Audio Spectrum, Soundblaster, and Adlib sound cards. Gee, thanks. :-) -Rajesh- rsud@harvarda.harvard.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 May 1992 07:58:31 CDT From: "t.m.doc hamilton" Subject: ProTools Forget the literature...could anyone out there comment on Digidesign's ProTools for me. Our facility is looking at a major jump into digital audio editing/mixing, and it keeps coming back to ProTools. Are there alternatives? We are a film and video facility and will be mixing appx. 50 student projects per semester, nominal length of 10 minutes. Need a workstation that is user friendly; that your average college senior can pick up in a day or two of instruction. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Doc Hamilton Tech Staff Dept. of Radio/TV/Film The University of Texas internet: docham@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 May 1992 13:37:11 PDT From: adrian@CNMAT.CNMAT.BERKELEY.EDU Subject: Re: ProTools vs easy to use digital audio editing/mixing tools Studer Editech's Dyaxis has been noted for its ease of use compared to competitors in reviews. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 15 May 1992 17:22:00 CDT From: Mario Kefalopoulos Subject: Q. on MIDI setup. Do I need a merger? Hello, With the talk about MIDI mergers, I thought of asking this question about my setup. I have a VFXsd, an IBM compatible with a 1-IN 1-OUT interface and a Roland PD-5 drum pad wich has one MIDI OUT. Currently I have done the standard setup with the computer and the synth: the card's IN to the synth's OUT and the cards' OUT to the synth's IN. I'd like to add the pad to the configuration, but how? Do I need to merge the pad's OUT with the synth's OUT and feed it to the computer's IN? The pad sends only on channel 10, so there's little concern of possible channel overlap between the synth and the pad. I could leave channel 10 open only for the pad when the computer records. Or, merge the computer's OUT with the pad's OUT and feed it to the synth's IN? It seems to me that this way, the computer won't have to be turned on in order for the synth to record from the pad (the synth also has a sequencer). Any other suggestions? Now, if I split the pad's OUT and merge it with the computer's OUT and .... [:> Mario ______ ____ ______ ____ Mario Kefalopoulos u15708@uicvm.bitnet | __ | | _ | | __ | | _ | | pa vu ga di ke zo ni u15708@uicvm.uic.edu | | _| | | |__| | | _| | | |__| | | |____| |______| |____| |______| ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 7 May 1992 09:01:46 EDT From: "D. Yuen" Subject: Re: Samplers-A plea for help Hi. Here's what I would like to do-Use my M-1 to sample live sounds or resample itself. Here's what I have- An M-1. A Dat recorder. Sooooo I can get audio to digital from the DAT, and... Frontal Lobe has this stuff that can take an input MIDI Sample file and put it into the M-1 wavetable but it can't take digital in, or audio in. Now there's *some* cards that go into an IBM pc that can digitize and store and edit audio, but can they convert it into a MIDI sample file? Is this kind of set up the same as Hard Disk recording, in the sense of being able to record say 15 minutes of multi track audio? Are there samplers out there that provide a MIDI standard dump of a sample file as part of their operating system? Also as a kind of side question do ordinary samplers -like a EMax or something-allow for multiple MIDI channel Zone set ups? Picture it this way four patches split across a keyboard on one MIDI channel, another four different patches split across another MIDID channel (er MIDI channel) for a keyboard length of note values, the same on yet another MIDI channel, etc. till the sampler explodes. Basicly (basically) however you spell it, a set up like the M-1 sequencer set up but with splits accross the the voice patches. O.K. Thats it for now. Anybody? Thanks, Dan Y ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 13 May 1992 19:53:42 GMT From: "Kevin Cole; Washington DC" Subject: Trying to hack the MPU-401 via IBM GWBASIC Hi. I seem to be having trouble controling the MPU-401 via BASIC (don't laugh, it's free). I'm helping out a friend and I don't have access to the MPU manual. Below is the code I've managed to hack together by looking at several examples (in particular, MPUDEMO.C by M.J. Shannon Jr). The code hangs the machine before getting to the first sound. I removed the MPU stuff and the code plays a scale over the PC's speaker, so I know that part's right. On a lark, I tried removing the waits but that didn't get me anywhere either. Do we need to change any settings on the MPU manually? 110 ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 120 ' ' 130 ' SCALER Swiped by Kevin Cole 11-May-92 ' 140 ' ' 150 ' This is based on my own C programs for the Korg M1, and Atari ' 160 ' 1040 ST, plus C programs by Andrew Arensburger, M.J. Shannon Jr. ' 170 ' & Gino F. Silvestri for the IBM, Roland MPU-401 and Ensoniq EPS. ' 180 ' ' 190 ' Variables used: ' 200 ' A = Dummy variable ' 210 ' P = Program (instrument) number ' 220 ' N1 = MIDI Note value (5 octaves worth) ' 230 ' N2 = PC speaker note value ' 240 ' M = Mask for status bits ' 250 ' X = subroutine call argument variable ' 260 ' ' 270 ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 280 ON TIMER(1) GOSUB 530 ' Delay factor = 1 second 290 OUT &H331,&HFF : M = &H40 : GOSUB 490 ' Reset MPU-401 & Wait for DRR 300 OUT &H331,&H3F : M = &H80 : GOSUB 490 ' MPU to UART & Wait for DSR 310 FOR P=0 TO 7 ' For 8 programs... 320 OUT &H330,&HC0 : OUT &H330,P ' ...MIDI Program change 330 N2 = 61.735 ' Start on a low B (C really) 340 FOR N1=36 TO 96 ' For five octaves... 350 N2 = N2*1.059462 ' Up a half step 360 SOUND N2,.011 ' PC play note (indefinitely) 370 X = &H90 : GOSUB 510 ' MIDI Note on 380 X = N1 : GOSUB 510 ' MIDI Note number 390 X = &H40 : GOSUB 510 ' MIDI Medium velocity (64) 400 TIMER ON ' Delay - play the note for... 410 GOTO 410 ' ...one second. 420 SOUND 37,0 ' PC note off 430 X = &H80 : GOSUB 510 ' MIDI Note off 440 X = N1 : GOSUB 510 ' MIDI Note number 450 X = &H40 : GOSUB 510 ' MIDI Medium velocity (64) 460 NEXT N1 ' Next note 470 NEXT P ' Next program (instrument) 480 END ' Done! 490 A = INP(&H330) : WAIT &H331,M,&HFF ' Clear input & wait for M 500 RETURN 510 OUT &H330,X : M = &H40 : GOSUB 490 ' Send MIDI and wait 520 RETURN 530 TIMER OFF : RETURN 420 ' The waiting is over... -- ========== U.S. Mail =============================== E-Mail ================= Kevin Cole | Bitnet: CADS_COLE@GALLUA.BITNET Gallaudet Research Institute (GRI) | Internet: KJCOLE@GALLUX.GALLAUDET.EDU Washington, D.C. 20002-3625 | UUCP: ...!psuvax!gallua.bitnet!kjcole (202) 651-5575 x4592 | The WELL: kjcole ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 May 1992 18:39:14 -0700 From: Phil Burk Subject: BASIC and MPU I cannot comment on your BASIC code but if you are looking for a cheap MIDI language for the PC check out MASC from San Jose State. It runs on a public domain Forth that is faster and more sensible than BASIC and has all the MPU drivers already in place plus many music scheduling goodies. It was written by Dan Kelley and Allen Strange. Allen Strange is currently swamped with ICMC 92 preparations but perhaps he can turn you onto a source for MASC. It is essentially free. -------------------------------------------------------------- | Phil Burk, Center for Contemporary Music at Mills College, | | Frog Peak Music, and Delta Research (HMSL and JForth) | | Email: phil@mills.edu Phone: (415) 461-1442 | -------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************