Digital diagnostics, techno troubles, glitches in your Gizmos; they're all in a day's work for THE MIX medical department. Send your queries to: The Help File, The Mix, (Contact Details)

Dig-It Yourself

QSeveral years ago I bought some DIY analogue synthesiser modules from Digisound, run by Tim Higham. Great little modules that were affordable and hands-on fun to operate, with the added advantage of being possible to buy individually, in order to start a basic system which could then be built up as finances permitted.

Over the last couple of years I've been trying to contact them, with a view to buying some more modules, but without success. Have they, God forbid, gone out of business? Or relocated? Can THE MIX or any of your readers who are Digisound users offer advice?
Howard Ingram, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

ANo-one here at the mix has been able to track down Digisound or Tim Higham I'm afraid. Perhaps our ever helpful readers may be able to help as you say. If anyone out there has information about Digisound which will assist Howard in his quest, please send it in to us here at the mix and we'll pass it on. RB

Hey Mr CD!

QFor some time I've been saving for two CD players and a mixer, as I'm interested in learning to DJ using CDs (owing to the fact that much of my collection is in this format). The problem is, after reading piles of product brochures and talking to quite a few sales staff, I am confused as to which CD players and mixer would be best to buy.

So, as you are the first magazine I have seen which rates hardware, I was wondering if you could recommend any equipment you think would be ideal for a beginner. Also, can I just add that I thought the Hey Mr DJ article in the Sound Advice section was excellent and has helped in a small way.
Craig Kelsall, Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

AI trust you've read our article on DJ CD players in the September 1994 issue of THE MIX. Basically, you have a choice of twin deck players by Vestax or Denon which simply rack two CD players side by side, or the Pioneer CDJ-500; a single unit which offers the facility to 'scratch' your CDs in time-honoured DJ style by moving a front mounted scratch wheel.

Two of the Pioneers would allow you to DJ with CDs in traditional style, while the other units tend toward the more simple approach of programming in tracks, with you cross-fading them from your mixer. If you're a novice who wants to experiment, why not borrow a friend's CD player, buy a simple inexpensive DJ mixer like the Chronics SM150, plug them in and start experimenting. Mixing with CDs is a new field, and as there are no set styles developed, you're free to come up with your own. RB

Help is at hand

QI read in THE MIX (issue November 1994) that Dominic Beeton needed some help with an ST editor to use with his JV80. I think I can try to help him, as I program on my STe. I'd like to get in contact as soon as possible and enclose a SAE letter for him. Please could you forward it on to him. Thanks a lot. I must add that your magazine is really good, keep up the good work!
Brahim, Plymouth

AThanks for your vote of confidence Brahim. I've passed your letter on to Dominic, hope you can help him. Meanwhile, if anyone has an address for Keynote please pass it on to us. RB

On the cheap

QIt seems the software for hard disk recording is coming down in price to levels which can be afforded by mere mortals (i.e. home studio freaks ) — thank you for keeping your readers up to date on developments.

I am sure we all drool over the articles describing technicolor screens of our meanderings and so on, and having mastered PC sequencing I feel confident I could take on a direct-to-disk program. However, I remain perplexed as to how to get my sounds into the computer and out again. There are two main queries: Firstly, I understand that in order to inject my blues wailings onto my hard disk I will need an Analogue to Digital interface. What is on the market, for how much, and how complex are the plugging-in arrangements?

Secondly, it appears the computer games retailers offer sound cards with D to A converters on board. Can they be used as interfaces? If so, as they retail for £100-200, why do the big boys cost ten times as much? Presumably there are more facilities, but us home-based musicians probably only need a stereo in/out, provided the software has several tracks plus built-in mixing. Are there significant differences in sound quality? Perhaps an article or two could be arranged.
Peter Frost, Findfield, West Sussex.

AMost PC sound cards have analogue stereo inputs and outputs, and support sampling of WAV files, but you do need a program to squash and sequence the audio together once you have it. One option is the new Samplitude Pro hard disk recording software from Evolution, which is quite inexpensive at about £230. The software works with any sound card, and Evolution can provide you with one from their range of many if your PC doesn't already wear one.

The second option, is the Quad Studio package (reviewed in the December issue of THE MIX), also costing £229 for just the software, or £489 with the Monterey sound card. SAW, also from Et Cetera, is a more professional package, although the two mentioned will certainly do the job more than adequately, and this costs around £400-500. Other more expensive systems include Logic Audio from Sound Technology ((Contact Details)), and Cubase Audio from Harman ((Contact Details)), which offer MIDI sequencing and direct-to-disk recording together in one package.

Plugging in a sound card does require you to open up and rifle around the innards of your PC, but it is fairly easy, as the cards are just slotted in and screwed down; in the same way as the MIDI interface you've (presumably) installed. Then all you need to do is to run a program driver (supplied with the card), that will tell your PC something new is fitted inside.

Most of the more professional audio interface cards are fitted with digital inputs and outputs rather than analogue, which is perhaps why they cost so much more. But for home studio mastering and so on, the quality offered from a sound card with analogue connections is certainly good enough. Contact Evolution on (Contact Details), or Et Cetera on (Contact Details) for more details. DM

MIDI dilemmas

QAs a subscriber to your mag I would like to compliment you on a very informative and interesting read, and while I am writing I might as well ask you for some expert advice (greasy, eh!!). I am very inexperienced in the MIDI set-up scene. As an ex-bassist, my previous experience is of live and studio work. I am just starting to build a home set-up which includes a 486sx 25Mhz PC running Cakewalk Pro for Windows, Roland SC88 and a PSS790 as a controller keyboard (stop laughing!!). My MIDI card is a Soundblaster AWE32.

My problem started because I couldn't access the SC88's Variation sounds and user sounds directly through Cakewalk, so I set up a new PATCHES.INI file in Cakewalk for all Variation and User Banks. This solved the problem but created a bigger one. My problem is now, for example, if I set MIDI Channel 1 on Cakewalk to Variation Bank 8, Patch 8 then change my mind and change it to Variation Bank 16, Patch 12 it would change to Patch 12 but remain on Variation Bank 8. The problem is I cannot change banks without adjusting the SC88 manually. I have been informed of using SysEx messages, but to be honest, after reading the manuals I still don't know where to begin. Is there a message that could be sent to reset the SC88's parts after a song has played? Could you help and tell me what these messages consist of, and where I should put them (in Cakewalk!). Any other info on system-exclusive messages would be greatly appreciated.

I am also thinking of purchasing a Novation Bass Station, but am unsure how I would add it to my set up. Would I need different MIDI leads, as I only have one in and one out at the moment, and would I have to edit my PATCHES.INI file again to access the Bass Station's sounds?

If I wish to use my SC88 in 32 part mode, is it as simple as getting new MIDI leads, two in and two out? This is probably very basic stuff in your eyes, but I have to start somewhere, so I have plucked up courage to ask you all these daft questions! I hope this letter doesn't end up in your bin!
Colin Clyburn, Hartlepool, Cleveland.

AThere's absolutely nothing wrong with a PSS790; I had a PSS680 for a long while, and a great deal of my sample library is made up of synthesised sounds from it. Anyway, your MIDI problems:

To have more than 16 MIDI channels at once (which is what you will need if you use the 32 part mode on the SC88, or if you buy a Bass Station), you'll need another MIDI interface. This can either be in the form of a separate MIDI card (like the VP22 or Roland MPU-401) that's plugged inside the PC in the same way as your AWE32 is; or by using something like the VP11 parallel port MIDI interface (reviewed in the December 1994 issue), which attaches itself to the printer port. Cakewalk can then select between the various MIDI outputs on each individual track; you should be able then to choose from either the AWE MIDI Out (where your MIDI connection is at the moment), the new interface's MIDI Out, or the AWE's Internal sounds. Have you actually considered using the AWE32 as a sound source too? It has a fine palette of noises, ripe for the picking.

Connecting the SC88 with two MIDI interfaces is simple: just take a cable from each of the MIDI ins (A and B), making sure that the unit is in the right mode, and connect one to each of the MIDI interface outputs. As regards setting up the voices, try using the bank select controller change to automatically switch between the variations.

The VP11 and VP22/24 MIDI interfaces are available from Arbiter Pro MIDI. Contact them on (Contact Details). DM

And finally...

Last month P. J Wells wrote in to ask whether we could help him in his hunt for a manual for his Amstrad Studio 100. One of our helpful readers phoned in and has a copy for him. I've passed his phone number on to Mr Wells and hopefully by now he's happily recording on his Amstrad. Thanks Earl, what a gem! RB