Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site umcp-cs.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!chris From: chris@umcp-cs.UUCP Newsgroups: net.music Subject: Re: Summary of musical instrument technology developments Message-ID: <163@umcp-cs.UUCP> Date: Tue, 14-Jun-83 18:48:57 EDT Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.163 Posted: Tue Jun 14 18:48:57 1983 Date-Received: Thu, 16-Jun-83 06:28:46 EDT References: <501@pyuxjj.UUCP> Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept. Lines: 28 Say, here's an idea: get a bunch of microprocessors, tie them together with a high-speed network, put a bunch of DACs and a mixer on them, and use each one to produce one voice in a set. They can have (say) a page of memory allocated for an envelope, one page for a set of pitch values making up the basic waveform for a particular voice (perhaps several, if the waveshape changes with octaves, or amplitude), a fast integer multiplier, and use them to produce easily- tunable music! That's a description of what we'd like to have. What we have instead is a network of lim Z80s (currently 8) n->256 on a ring network that looks like an N by N crossbar. We've wired up some 8255's as eight bit DACs. Quality is lacking, but the sound is slowly improving. It's fun, though, to program these suckers to zip in a tight loop dumping waves to an amplifier. We've gotten some not-un-respectable 4-voice pieces working. Has anyone ever heard of something similar? I hear there's something called Music-11 for the PDP-11, which could probably outdo those pokey Z80s, even with one for each voice. It would also be nice to have more than 8 bits of DAC. I'd be interested in hearing more about Music-11, or anything like it. - Chris ({seismo,allegra}!umcp-cs!chris)