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Article from Music Technology, May 1994

The month - this month



New Roland products



At the head of a stampede of new Roland products, which include a new dimensional expander, are more JVs than Jim Davidson could shake a stick at. The new generation of synths - the JV-35, JV-50 and JV-90 - have each been designed to be upgradeable via expansion boards, to increase the polyphony, multitimbrality and the total number of sounds available. The JV-35, which retails at £1,099, comes in the physical form of a 61-note velocity-sensitive keyboard and with the aid of a pre-installed VE-JV1 expansion board offers 56-note polyphony and 16-part multitimbrality. The JV-50 has all the functions of the JV-35 but with the addition of a SMF player, all for the retail price of £1,350.

The JV-90, a better-endowed 76-note keyboard, has been designed by Roland to be both a live keyboard, with its comprehensive controller sliders and a velocity- and aftertouch-sensitive keyboard, and a synth for studio/sequencing applications. £1,499 will buy you 56-note polyphony and 24-part multitimbrality with a wealth of sounds and expansion capabilities.

The SDX-330 is Roland's latest step in their ventures into 3-dimensional sound. Utilising the RSS technology first implemented by Roland in 1990, the SDX-330 is able to move audio signals around a 3-dimensional sound field using conventional stereo speakers. Effects offered include 3-dimensional chorus, panning, flange, phasing and a 3-band parametric EQ, of which certain parameters (up to a maximum of five), like rotation speed or panning, can be controlled via MIDI. The SDX-330 will retail for £745 including VAT.

The MT-120S sound module represents another poke at General MIDI for Roland, but this time incorporating a more 'all-in-one' music source. Not to be confused with another MT-120S, this one features (amongst familiar GM/GS facilities) a built-in 14W powered speaker system, and a 3.5" disk drive that loads SMF and MIDI ISM data formats. The MT-120S can store up to 40,000 events per song in its 5-track sequencer, and has additional audio inputs so that other instruments can be mixed. The MT-120S will retail for £825. For more information contact: Roland UK, (Contact Details).



Multimedia '94



By its own admission, the Multimedia '94 show, which is to be held at Earls Court 2, London, between the 7th and 9th of June, is going to be "a showcase for companies selling multimedia to businesses". The event seemingly therefore is going to require a stiff upper lip and some form of business apparel, and if this seems bearable then perhaps the Innovation Gallery, a feature devoted to demonstrating new and developing products, will be worth seeing. For more information call Paul Shelley on (Contact Details).

Expanding the boundaries of Time and Space While AMG are off concentrating on the production of new CD-ROMs and audio CDs, including libraries from the likes of Gota Yashiki of Simply Red and Tim Farriss of INXS, Time+Space have become the UK distributor for all of their existing range, and if this isn't enough, the German-produced 'Best Service' range of audio CDs and CD-ROMs as well. The latest sample CDs and CD-ROMs they have to offer include Hallelujah!, a collection of assorted vocal samples ranging from classical and ecclesiastical choirs to ragga and rap, and XX-Large, a CD full of loops for the dance, house and techno orientated. For full details on these products, or any others, contact Time+Space, (Contact Details).



Metra Sounds



Answering the pleas of many old synthesiser owners for new, professional sounds, Sounds OK, the UK distributors of the Metra Sound cards and disks, are now distributing a range of disks, cards and even cassettes, by the American company 'Kid Nepro'. Keyboards and modules such as the Casio CZ and VZ series, Roland's Juno keyboards and the Korg Poly800 are now being catered for, in addition to Sounds OK's usual service to more recent models. Prices for cassettes are £24.30 each, disks are £32.45 each, and Korg/Roland RAM cards are £68.87 each. For a full list of prices and sounds available, contact: Sounds OK, (Contact Details).



CD recording tips



If you've ever had one of those DAT to CD-R sessions where nothing seems to work, HHB have the "essential fix-all" device for you! The Bit Box CD-R Optimiser is able to translate index points, convert sample rates and, by "manipulating status bits", make the transferral of data from both professional and consumer DAT recorders to CD-R devices an apparently simple process. The Bit Box will be available from June. For further information on what bits are manipulated contact Steve Angel at HHB Communications Limited, (Contact Details).



Yamaha MT120S



Yamaha's MT120 4-track has undergone an identity change, and with it a host of improved features have been added. Recently discharged from the clinic under the new title of the MT120S, it now boasts, in addition to all the facilities that the original model had to offer, a 'stereo-sub' input, that allows a line level input from an external source to be routed into the stereo master mix. Also, the new MT120S offers the function of auditioning foot-controlled punch-ins and overdubs, thus avoiding any tape degradation caused by continuous re-recording. The footswitch operation itself features a 3-stage control sequence; once to start the tape, twice to punch in and a third time to punch out. For further information contact Karl Christmas at Yamaha Kemble UK Ltd., (Contact Details).



Easy upgrading



Harman Audio, the UK distributor for Steinberg, has announced the implementation of a Cubase upgrade system whereby version upgrades, and even computer platform crossgrades, are possible.

Prices for converting to a better life are available by contacting Harman Audio at the address below, or by contacting your local dealer. In addition, Steinberg now have the Synthworks' Editors available for the Atari Falcon, which are also upgradeable from the ST version by sending your original program disk to Robin Pearce at Harman Audio, (Contact Details).



Piece of Cakewalk



Cakewalk Home Studio is a software-based entry level sequencing package for the PC, featuring many of the facilities found in professional kits like score, event, piano roll and MIDI controller mixer edit pages. Priced very reasonably at £139 (inc VAT), for £299 (inc VAT) the same package comes complete with the Turtle Beach Maui wavetable synth and Samplestore card. Cakewalk Home Studio works on any IBM-compatible PC running Windows 3.1 or higher, and supports up to 16 MIDI ports with Windows drivers, including the Roland MPU401 and Soundblaster compatibles. More information can be sought from Et Cetera on (Contact Details).



Islington Music Workshops



As for so many aspiring music technicians, the prospect of ever getting that dream job in a major recording studio is as unlikely as the Channel Tunnel opening on time, so knowing that the Islington Music Workshop is running diploma courses in 24-track recording, MIDI and the like, has to be a good thing.

In addition to the 8-week diploma course, IMW are running a series of shorter courses in Sampling/Sequencing/MIDI basics, 24-track engineering and backing vocal training. There is also a course in sampling and MIDI specifically for women. All courses are priced at a reduced rate for the unemployed and residents of Islington. For a free brochure and prospectus call (Contact Details), or write to: Islington Music Workshop, (Contact Details).



Sound Galaxy upgrade



PC users with a 16-bit Sound Galaxy sound card can plug in and go with Wavepower. The board supplies a 16-channel, 32-note polyphonic synth, complete with 4Mb of onboard waveforms and hundreds of digital sounds.

Plus the Midisoft Studio For Windows sequencing software, GM compatibility and a price of only £104.58 (inc VAT). More from Mark Blackham at Silica, (Contact Details).




On the right track



Steinberg now have an alternative to having to give up a track of your ADAT to SMPTE timecode when sync'ing to a MIDI sequencer. The ACI is a device that can translate the ADAT's proprietary timing information into MTC for any MIDI Machine Control (MMC)-compatible sequencer to follow. This means that, aside from having eight tracks of audio, far more intuitive editing is available by using the transport functions actually on the sequencer. The ACI also has a 2-way interface that allows the connection and control of more than one ADAT. More from: Harman Audio, (Contact Details).



The complete audio picture



Professional audio in its many guises will be displayed for all to see and query at the 1994 APRS exhibition, taking place from the 22nd - 24th June at Olympia 2, London. The APRS show aims to provide a series of workshops and 'briefing sessions' for all visitors, encompassing some of the latest and most critical subjects including multimedia, theatre sound, broadcasting, post-production and automation. Amongst the exhibitors already confirmed to appear at the APRS are AMEK/TAC, Otari, Harman Audio, Sony and Turbosound. For further information, contact Philip Vaughan at APRS, (Contact Details).




Dance to the MIDI music



Dance Master is the new collection, available on two floppy disks, of programmer Peter Murphy's much sought after drum patterns. Each disk contains over 500 2-bar drum beats, with several variations on each basic theme.

Stylistically, the patterns are divided into 140 club, 50 house, 100 rave, 180 soul music and 40 ambient breaks - so the current club scene is well catered for. "Today's dance music means anything goes," says Murphy, and since he cites both 2 Unlimited and The Orb as style templates, it would seem it most certainly does. More from: Profile Midi-Music, (Contact Details).



The SoundMan Wave PC sound card: just like having a little man playing sax inside your PC?


making waves in PC audio


Logitech's latest sound card, called SoundMan Wave, employs wavetable technology to stowaway samples inside your PC. It's a 16-bit stereo card running at 44kHz, and uses a Yamaha OPL-4 chip to store 128 original sounds. There's a SCSI-II interface for CD-ROM drives, and the card is compatible with either Windows 3.1 or DOS without any installation adjustments. In addition, FM synthesis is supported, so both the old and the new standards in PC audio are covered.

Aiming the card at the multimedia and games markets, Logitech hope that the quality of the audio will increase the seriousness with which audio is taken in these fields; at the same time, of course, progress of this nature continues to increase the status of the computer as an integrated musical instrument. At a recent demo, the card was pitched against four others in a test not unlike Blind Date for PC journalists, and SoundMan Wave was unanimously voted top in sound quality. So you never know; this could be the start of a beautiful friendchip. More from: Martin Pickering at Logitech, (Contact Details).




Backing musicians without attitude



OK, you've got piles of superb songs just waiting to be heard. Trouble is, you don't play drums or bass, your keyboard and guitar skills are open to critical analysis and, whoops-a-daisy, you don't run a professional recording studio with session musicians wandering in and out at all times of day and night. Well, MusicStation For Windows could be just the nudge you need to get you out of this hole and into a rewarding computer-based groove. This program, from Cubase moguls Steinberg, is aimed at the seriously ambitious when it comes to songwriting, and the absolute beginner when it comes to computer sequencing.

MusicStation has 15 GM/GS-compatible style templates, with 64 variations within each template. Further styles can be loaded from disk, or generated by your own adaptations. These styles are arranged into eight instrumental parts, which can be edited to taste. In other words, if you've got the melody and the chords, MusicStation has the rest.

A wavetable program incorporates some digital audio; score printing is included; and plenty of MIDI help is thrown in along with some MIDI song files. What's that? The computer? Oh... a 386/25MHz PC running Windows 3.1 or higher with 2Mb of free RAM. Your choice of MIDI keyboard is your own affair.

Given that you can upgrade to any Cubase package on any platform (after the first three Top Ten singles, presumably), MusicStation would seem to get you off to a very reasonable start at £149.00. More from Jane Pendry at: Harman Audio, (Contact Details).



desktop EFFECTS



Mac musos can look forward to a range of signal processors available as software add-ons - sort of on-line FX as opposed to inline FX. The first of these is Hyperprism from Arboretum Systems, which offers real-time, non-destructive effects application and editing to sound files of any length. Two effects can be applied simultaneously, and all the likely types of effect are available - subdivided into filters, modulations, delays, followers, spatialisation and 'special' (ring modulation etc). Obviously, parameters can be set up and stored ad infinitum.

It's all click'n'drag stuff, and one more step in the direction of the all-in-one professional desktop studio. NB - you will need a NuBus or LC slot, plus SoundTools 1 or 2, Audiomedia 1 or 2, or ProTools hardware. Price: £411.25 (inc VAT). More from: TSC, (Contact Details).



HomeTech Music Club



If the thought appeals of rifling through your local record store and coming across a 12" with a sticky white label on it bearing the name of you or your band, I dare say you're not alone. It's for this reason that the HomeTech Music Club has formed. The club is designed to help hi-tech home musicians unite with their potential audiences via a periodic promotional newsletter. Initially a quarterly publication (until such time as circumstances allow a monthly), the newsletter (priced £3.00, or £2.50 to members) will provide the much sought after link between buyer and musician with a mail order facility and an accompanying demo tape of members' work.

The service is essentially free, though presumably there is a charge for membership (which is for life), and as an incentive to apply, HomeTech are currently offering complimentary copies of their preview issue and tape to all enquiries they receive. Those interested in finding out more should contact Keith Nelson-Tomsen at: HomeTech Music Club, (Contact Details).



Scenes from the Frankfurt Music Messe...


Show Offs


The Waldorf Wave - a big, big synth with designer knobs for the '90s...

An ebullient presentation for Emagic's Logic Audio software, showcasing The Digital Factory editing tools. During the launch of this DTD recording package, Sting's 'We'll Be Together Again' was groove-quantised into a reggae track in (almost) real time. All of the functions of MIDI sequencing (as in Notator Logic) are available to the digital audio, integrating MIDI and acoustic parts with unprecedented control.



New 'virtual acoustic' synthesis from Yamaha: the VL-1.


Akai DA8 DTD recorder, 8-track plus 16-channel onboard mixing...

Blow your mind with Akai's EWI3020 wind-controller and EWI3020m sound module, upgrades to the almost forgotten EWI3000.



This is the WaveRider, a brainwave-to-MIDI converter. Scanned trans-cranial electronic impulses trigger MIDI notes and are recorded sequencer-style as you, er, go along. At this stage, little happens at the other end apart from random tinklings of General MIDI sounds. In time, pulse, gestures and other biodynamic states could be mapped to pre-ordained sequences, or different sound modules. Place of origin? California...

...Plus: The Manager CD Printer from German company TechnoLab, a hard disk recording system which prints the final mix directly onto a recordable CD... Akai MPC3000 MIDI Production Centre, 32-voice/16-bit sampler/sequencer, 2Mb expandable to 16Mb... The Mac version of Emagic's Logic 2.0 supports QuickTime Video, so soundtracks can be prepared on the desktop... and strong DJ gear presence from Kam, Gemini and others.



collective experimentation



As an alternative to Virtual World, the Cornish dance and cyberfun extravaganza announced in last month's Scanners, the 3rd Annual Festival Of Experimental Music is for those who prefer their headspace to be bombarded in less hedonistic ways. On exactly the same dates - May 27th-30th - this festival will showcase a more cerebral underground scene, where jazz meets electronics and musique concrete meets rock. Artists confirmed so far include Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Fred Frith (ex-Henry Cow), and "electro-scrambling improv pranksters" Stock, Hausen & Walkman. Look out, also, for Jon Rose's 'virtual violin'. Few, if any, prisoners will be taken. The whole thing takes place at Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, Holborn, London WC1, each night at 7pm, and is organised by the London Musicians' Collective. One of their stated aims is "to focus attention on the new aesthetics being forged by the application of contemporary technologies", and when jazzers say things like this you can be sure something big is brewing. Check it out, if you don't like dancing.

The LMC is also showing a healthy interest in mixed media ideas. As part of the London Jazz Festival, they're putting on three nights of new works for music, video and film at Creative Block, 49 East Road, London N1 6AH, at 9pm on 12th, 13th and 14th May. These events feature experiments in sampling, audio-visual co-ordination, tape looping and electronics by acknowledged pioneers in the field. Anyone remember Fluxus?

More from: the LMC, (Contact Details).

Slammin'



For those with vast arrays of sample CDs and disks, and a completely inept filing system to match, perhaps it's about time you woke up to a database system. On the other hand you could always buy one, already prepared with many templates of popular sample CDs, from Intrinsic Technology. Slam CD is a card-based database accessory (so it's possible to run it alongside your sequencer) for the Atari ST/Falcon that helps you catalogue your sample library. It provides the usual search criteria expected of databases, but with the addition of a BPM/delay and Score calculator, which is particularly useful for loops. Slam CD is available for £10 from Intrinsic Technology Ltd., (Contact Details).



Stand and deliver



Whenever we talk about desktop this and desktop that in MT, what sort of desk are we talking about? Something scrawled with compass striations and stained with ink blots? I don't think so. It's probably something more like the GT-CDESK1 portable studio desk from Cambridge Innovation Systems. Designed to accommodate such kit as master keyboard, small mixer, computer, rackmounted modules and monitors, it's undoubtedly a piece of bedroom furniture. Of the three work surfaces, the middle shelf is the largest at 1450mm wide and 700mm deep. The top shelf measures 1450mm by 350mm, and the lower shelf 1400mm by 700 - a surface which is retractable in the manner of your average computer stand. Price? £249.95 (inc VAT). Contact: CIS Sales, (Contact Details).



Radio silence



Following Radio 3's decision to broadcast ambient sounds during the wee small hours between closedown and startup, comes news of a campaign to start an 'ambient' radio station. The hope is that the franchise for the FM spectrum between 105MHz and 108MHz will be used for a continuous program of ambient music.

Unlike Radio 3's concept - which literally transmits natural sound recordings such as running water or birdsong - The Light Program (as it would be known) would carry all sorts of music from "classic rock" to "pure waves of ambient sound", but, crucially, would avoid DJs, jingles, news reports and adverts. Sounds idyllic... and also sounds a lot like any other proposed subscription-based systems for aural wallpaper using cable technology. Our guess is that, while the continued promotion of Brian Eno's concept of ambient music is laudable, only when greater interaction between the listener and the programming is allowed will broadcasting of this kind truly mature.

To join the campaign, send an SAE to: USS, The Sound House, (Contact Details).



Previous Article in this issue

In the first place

Next article in this issue

Virtual Reality


Publisher: Music Technology - Music Maker Publications (UK), Future Publishing.

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Music Technology - May 1994

Previous article in this issue:

> In the first place

Next article in this issue:

> Virtual Reality


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