This is a monthly column spotlighting the electro-music developments taking place in America, where a lot of major research into electronics and music was pioneered. In spite of ever-increasing advances in this field being made by other countries, America can still offer a few surprises to the electronic music maker. All specifications are based on manufacturers information and should not be constituted as a review.

Probably the most significant development since the 'chip' is the application of digital technology to musical instruments and although such applications have been around since the mid-sixties we are only now seeing such developments in commercial units.

Just to belie the title of this column (and who wants to be pigeon-holed anyway?) one of the most comprehensive designs in the application of digital technology comes from an Australian company called Fairlight Instruments. Their unit is called the Fairlight C.M.I. (Computer Musical Instrument) and the design concept is that any sound can be played in a musical fashion.

Eight waveform memories can hold waveforms of sounds inputted via a microphone or originally defined in terms of harmonics and their envelopes by the synthesist, using a light pen and VDU screen. These can be played independently, or each memory can be given the same sound for 8-note homogenous polyphonic keyboard playing. Since these waveforms can be stored on disc, then modified or blended with others, the system allows a fascinating insight into the nature of sound to be gained by the synthesist and theoretically any sound forms or characteristics can be achieved by a combination of direct and reproductive synthesis.

The keyboard is velocity sensitive and this parameter, along with the positions of various pedal and switch type performance controls, can be assigned to control aspects of the sound such as volume, attack, vibrato etc.

A built-in sequencer facility allows real time recording of music played in from the keyboard, including velocity information, and up to seven tracks can play along with the one being recorded, allowing complex multivoice compositions to be assembled.

Also included in the system is 'The Composer', a programming language allowing music to be entered via an alphanumeric keyboard and then manipulated in score form using the 'Screen Based Editor'. The language can also compose music directly, in accordance with general rules defined by the programmer/musician.

Capabilities are determined by the programs which are loaded via two floppy diskettes. These can be updated as new programs become available or as the user writes his own.

Con Brio have produced their ADS100 digital synthesiser with a view to interesting the 'live' musician. It has capabilities for 64 digital oscillators each with independent amplitude and frequency control, and also 128 envelope generators. Information is stored on an 8-inch floppy disc which provides immediate recall of previously determined patches and the disc will also store any previously-played keyboard sequence or alternative tunings. Each oscillator can be individually modulated by envelope generators which consist of 16 separate segments. A video display of the envelopes is provided. Additional voicings for the ADS100 are available from Con Brio.

Rocky Mount Instruments have launched their DK-20 which is described as a digital combo keyboard designed to meet the demands of the club musician. Factory presets include guitar, piano, flute and clavinet and the sounds can be altered with digital envelope and filter controls. The DK-20 uses digital tone generation in order to produce an extra clean sound. A special feature is polyphonic timbre modulation which puts each note played through complex timbre changes during its envelope. A 'transient' button gives a biting edge to the initial timbre-changing stages to make each note stand out even during heavy chords. It would, perhaps, help prevent the keyboards getting lost behind mountains of guitar amps and speakers. Also included is a built-in mixer for sound blending and stereo output mixing.

New England Digital are now busy promoting their Synclavier II in America and abroad with the phrase 'Synclavier II - its the last synthesiser you'll ever need'. Certainly it appears nearer the musicians concept of a synthesiser than some of the other computer based systems available, since all synthesis functions, and those of the integral 16-track digital recorder, can be controlled directly from the front panel. A button is pushed for the control to be changed, and a single 4-digit numerical display shows the value of the function selected while a large knob is used to increase or decrease it.

A new method of synthesis called partial timbres, along with frequency modulation, immediate recall of stored sounds (including 64 factory presets), and a host of special effects make it an exceptionally powerful live-performance instrument. The Synclavier II is also very compact - the keyboard unit, which holds all the controls, is lighter than a Minimoog and can be carried under one arm. The computer unit is less than 19 inches square and can be sited a way from the main console along with the disc drive.

Next month: what you can buy for around $69,000,00 (whoever said, 'Another day, another dollar' must have been a musician), plus what's new in some other areas of musical and electronic development in America.

Companies and manufacturers mentioned:
Con Brio, (Contact Details);
Rocky Mount Instruments,(Contact Details);
New England Digital, (Contact Details).
Fairlight and Synclavier II distributed by Syco Systems (UK) Ltd, (Contact Details).