Brian Heywood brings you the latest PC news, and tells you how to get on the 'information superhighway' — free of charge! But first, the news...
Digidesign have just announced a Windows version of SampleCell II, plus some new features for their Session 8 Hard disk system aimed specifically at the broadcast arena. SampleCell II has been available for the Apple Macintosh since March 1993, but has only just made it into the world of Windows. Digidesign describe it as an easy‑to‑use, powerful and cost‑effective sample player for music and audio post‑production applications. In fact it's a PC expansion card, with a Windows device driver that makes it look as if your PC has an external sample player (akin to an Akai S1000 PB) connected to a MIDI port. The card is similar to the Turtle Beach Maui, Creative Labs AWE32 and the Gravis Ultrasound, except that it has eight individual (or four stereo) outputs, which makes it ideal for connecting to an external mixing desk. Other features include 16‑bit sample replay, 32‑voice polyphony, and it can be fitted with up to 32Mb of RAM using standard Macintosh II 4Mb SIMMs. SampleCell II is also accompanied by two CD‑ROMS with over 650Mb of instrument sounds and sound effects.
The additional Session 8 features are designed to make the system more useful for audio post‑production and include improved editing and auditioning, a built‑in backup capability, and the ability to 'strip silence' from previously recorded material. For more information, call Digidesign on 081 875 9977.
Max Headroom?
The new Ultrasound Max card (£270) is being shipped even as I write this. The Max is a fully 16‑bit record and playback version of the popular Gravis Ultrasound MPC soundcard, with built‑in interfaces for a number of common CD‑ROM drives. Alan Alvarez at Gravis tells me that the integration of the 16‑bit record module into the main board improves audio performance in situations where the PC generates a lot of electrical noise internally. One interesting feature of both the Max and the original Ultrasound is that they can record and play back at the same time, so you can convert your PC into a digital portastudio. In fact, Optech are bundling IQS's Software Audio Workshop (SAW) in a single package to give you a stereo 4‑track system for £780. For more information call Optech on 0252 714340.
Living In Cyberspace
One of the problems of the desktop music revolution is the isolation it tends to engender. Despite all the downsides of using a commercial studio, it provides an opportunity to meet other musicians/producers. So what are the options for the lonely‑hearted computer musician? Well, you could hang around your local 'hi‑tech' music shop looking for like‑minded souls. This will undoubtedly warm the hearts of the owners, since it's almost impossible to patronise one of these places without buying something. The alternative is to buy a modem and tap into the electronic community.
There are two reasons why you might want to venture into Cyberspace: communication and information. Communication in the electronic domain can take a number of forms; one‑to‑one 'real‑time' chatting, electronic mail and conferencing. Real‑time 'chat' is where everything you type on your computer keyboard appears on your partner's screen and vice versa, which is a rather pointless exercise under most circumstances, since it is much faster to pick up the phone and speak. Email is rather like a normal mail message, except that you can usually include data, so you could send a MIDI file to someone you're collaborating with. Ideally, you could send audio data as well, but the technology isn't quite there yet, except for fairly short segments of audio. Conferencing electronically is probably the most useful aspect of going on‑line, since it allows you to 'talk' to a number of people at once, sharing information and ideas.
On the information side, there are literally terabytes of program and data files available, either from bulletin boards and conferencing systems such as CIX or Compuserve via FTP from the Internet. Locating files can be a problem, but most systems have an indexing feature that allows you to browse the lists on‑ or off‑line. Or you can ask in the appropriate on‑line conference — cybernauts always seem to be happy to share information.
Akai — Sonic Boom
Just as an example of what is possible, Akai have recently set up an on‑line service called 'Sonic Boom' (081 994 9119), which is designed to be used as a technical reference point for anyone using Akai equipment. Better yet, they plan to place the entire Akai sound library for the S1000, S1100, MPC60, S3000, S950 and S01 samplers on the bulletin board. This service is designed to complement the Akai Sample Service provided by A. L. Digital (081 742 0755) and will allow you to download Akai data free of charge using your modem. There will be a program that allows the PC to create a floppy disk that can be read by the appropriate sampler, so you can get at the samples at any time. Using the fastest commonly available modem — a V.32bis — it will take about 16 minutes to download a S1000 sample disk, or eight minutes for a S950/S900 disk — so watch those phone bills!
Special Offers
I've managed to arrange a couple of special offers with the CIX and PAN on‑line services for Sound On Sound readers who want to get into networking. To take advantage of these offers, you will need to have a modem and some terminal emulation software — the Windows terminal works fine. Both services have OLRs (Off‑Line Readers) available that help you keep the connection time and thus your phone and usage bills, to a minimum. Be sure you find out about OLRs as soon as you join. This month's offer is from the Compulink Information eXchange or CIX (pronouced 'kicks'); next month I'll tell you how to get onto PAN.
REGISTERING WITCIX
The PC Notes special offer entitles you to a free registration to CIX worth £25; register on‑line today to take immediate advantage of the offer. To do this, follow the instructions below:
- 1. Set your communications package parameters to eight data bits, no parity, one stop bit (8,n,1).
- 2. Set your modem to the fastest speed it can manage, and dial one of the CIX modem lines: 081 390 1244 up to V.32bis, or PSS NUA: 2342 1330 0310.
- 3. Once connected to CIX, follow the prompts. You'll be asked for your name, address and credit card details, and then a special code, which is as follows: SoundOnSound
This completes the registration. Shortly after this, you'll receive a user manual in the post. If you have any questions or queries, call 081 390 8446 (Technical Support), or 0492 641961 (Customer Care).
Note: Once registered, regular monthly and hourly CIX rates apply. These are available at any time by typing 'help rates' at the 'Main:' prompt.
Brian can be contacted via email on CIX as brianh@cix, on PAN as BRIANHEYWOOD or the Internet using brianh@cix.compulink.com or BRIANHEYWOOD@pan.com.
What Is Cyberspace?
Cyberspace is often used as a generic term for the world‑wide network of computers that are interconnected via the Internet. The Internet is a Wide Area Network (WAN) which has evolved from an American experiment into distributed networking in the early '70s. The odd thing about the Internet is that it exists at all, as no one organisation actually created it, runs it, or even makes money out of it! Nick Rosen of the Guardian has quoted Jon Crowcroft at UCL describing it as a 'anarcho‑syndicalist set‑up' and this fits in with my experience of it!
There's not a lot you can't do with Internet. I've used it to exchange email with musicians in Australia (hi, Keith!), North America and Europe, grab files from remote computers, even to access remote systems such as PAN and chat with the doyens of the MIDI world on the MMA. I've also clinched a record deal with a company in the US, entirely using electronic mail. In fact, it seems the only thing you can't do is connect with anyone attached to the BT data services. I guess communication is not BT's bag.
WHY CYBERSPACE?
The word was coined by the American science fiction writer William Gibson, in his novel Neuromancer. Mr Gibson invented a futuristic world whose denizens could 'jack' into a virtual space, a 3D representation of the Net. In this world, you program your computer by plugging your nervous system directly into Cyberspace, and the cowboys — hackers in today's parlance — can die if they try to break into the wrong computer. The Internet hasn't reached this level of complexity yet, but there are a lot of people working on it.
DIY Cyberspace Kit
If you have a computer, all you need to go on line is a modem, some terminal emulator software and a normal telephone line. The cost of modems can vary a lot, but you should be able to get a fast one for around £200. Try contacting Demon Internet Limited on 081 349 0063 or 031 552 0344 for a competitive price on a V.32bis modem.