Products of Interest
U & I Software VTrack 1.5 Multi-
track Video Tool
U & I Softwares VTrack is an eight-
track video editor/sequencer and ef-
fects application that can be used to
mix QuickTime movies, DV streams,
still images, sounds, and ArtMatic
structures. ArtMatic, also from U &
I, is a graphics and animation synthe-
sizer that allows users to easily create
complex digital art using graphics
functions and filters. The combina-
tion of video-mixing with ArtMatic
features makes VTrack a useful post-
production tool as well as an applica-
tion for creating art and music videos.
A VTrack project consists of a
number of events of different types
arranged across eight tracks on a
tempo-based grid. A number of differ-
ent types of transport modes can be
used to specify how the layers of
events are combined. Events in
VTrack can be picture, movie, Art-
Matic, or simpler graphic events cre-
ated with the VTrack graphic editor.
A project library of events for pos-
sible use can hold 96 pictures and
movies, and 64 images. A set of 3,000
ArtMatic presets are provided. More
than one project can be opened at the
same time so the user can copy and
paste between them. A separate
soundfile can be associated with the
project to act as a soundtrack. It is
also possible to associate a soundfile
with a particular picture or ArtMatic
file so that each time the graphic
event appears, the sound is played.
Special effects, fades, transitions,
and title sequence features, along
with powerful ArtMatic features,
mean that VTrack can be used as a
standalone video editor and se-
quencer or can be used to create
whole videos or video clips for fur-
ther processing and editing in other
applications. Video output from
VTrack can be in a number of for-
mats, including QuickTime Movie,
MPEG, AVI, and DV, with a number
of codec and frame rate options.
VTrack runs on Mac OS X using
CarbonLib 1.3 or later and can run on
Macintosh OS 9 as long as CarbonLib
is installed. A VTrack demonstration
version is available from the U & I
Software Web site.
VTrack is listed for US$ 299. Along
with ArtMatic and MetaSynth, vari-
ous combination and upgrade discounts
are available. Contact: U & I Software;
electronic mail ui_public@uisoftware
.com; Web www.uisoftware.com/.
Apple Final Cut Studio with Final
Cut Pro 5 and Soundtrack Pro
Final Cut Studio is a suite of Apple
software for the professional video
market. The centerpiece of this col-
lection is Apples Final Cut Pro 5
video editing software with new High
Definition (HD) support. Soundtrack
Pro is included for audio editing and
mixing, Motion 2 for real-time mo-
tion graphics, and DVD Studio Pro 4
to prepare and burn videos to DVD.
Soundtrack Pro is a new product but
the other applications are all up-
grades of previous releases with pow-
erful new features. Collectively, they
offer the video producer a profes-
sional product that covers the entire
video production process from start
to finish.
Final Cut Pro 5 is a comprehensive
video editing and mixing application
with support not only for Digital
Video and Standard Definition film,
but also for a variety of High Defini-
tion (HD) formats, including uncom-
pressed, HDV, DVCPRO HD (a
Panasonic DV format), and newer for-
mats. Among the new features in Fi-
nal Cut Pro is support for multiple
cameras, allowing editors to switch
angles from shot to shot and auto-
matically combine video sequences
based on time-of-day timecode. Up to
Products of Interest
128 sources can be used. Effects are
processed in real-time on all formats.
A new Dynamic RT (real-time) sys-
tem can be set by the user to adjust
image quality and frame rate in real-
time according to CPU power usage.
Also new in this version is support
for 24 channels of 24-bit audio sam-
pled at 96 kHz.
Although audio mixing is available
in Final Cut Pro 5, Soundtrack Pro
with its roots in Apples Soundtrack
and Logic Pro applications provides
additional plug-in, effects, and
recording/editing utilities. More than
50 effects plug-ins and 5,000 Apple
Loops, with a range of both musical
sounds and sound effects, are in-
cluded. A set of noise removal and
audio cleaning utilities are available,
and AppleScript is supported. Audio
sequences can be transferred from the
audio editor of Final Cut Pro for more
detailed editing.
Motion 2 is a real-time graphics
application with support for MIDI
controllers. Featuring graphics pro-
cessing units (GPU) accelerated 32-
bit float rendering, motion graphics
with improved quality even at low
bit rates, no banding artifacts, and
very accurate colors, are possible.
New to Motion is the Replicator
Tool, an automated tool for creating
multiple copies of particular graphic
features with user-defined behaviors.
A set of more than 50 filters, effects,
and particle presets are included. Fil-
ter and transform parameters can be
mapped to MIDI controllers for dy-
namic response to multiple inputs.
Finally, DVD Studio Pro 4 can be
used to burn SD or HD videos to
DVD. Distributed encoding can be
used to speed up the process. A Dolby
Digital Professional (AC3) encoder
and General Parameters (GRPM) for
storing viewer history and making
appropriate changes to the playing of
the DVD, are also included.
Detailed application specifications
99

and system requirements are avail-
able on the Apple Web site.
Final Cut Studio is listed for
US$ 1,299. Purchased individually,
Final Cut Pro is listed for US$ 699,
Soundtrack Pro for US$ 299, Motion
2 for US$ 299, and DVD Studio Pro
for US$ 499. Upgrade discounts and
educational pricing are available.
Contact: Apple, Inc., 1 Infinite Loop,
Cupertino, California 95014, USA;
telephone (+1) 408-996-1010; Web
www.apple.com/finalcutstudio.
Mackie Control Universal and
Control C4 MIDI Controllers
The Mackie Control Universal
(MCU) is a touch-sensitive control
surface that now offers support for
Apples Final Cut Pro 5 and Sound-
track Pro. The MCU has eight 100-
mm motorized touch channel faders
and a master fader (see Figure 1).
There is no limit to the number of
banks that can be used and therefore
no limit to the number of channels.
Each channel has a rotary V-pot with
an LED surround displaying the cur-
rent controller value. Each channel
also has dedicated buttons for record
arm, solo, mute, channel select, and
signal present. The most noticeable
feature of the control surface is the
55 2 backlit LCD that is incorpo-
rated into the design. The display can
be used for various parameters in-
cluding track name, channel meter-
ing, plug-ins, I/O assignments, and is
complemented by a seven-segment
LED timecode display. The master
section is labeled for Logic Pro but as
the controller supports Pro Tools, Fi-
nal Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro, Nuendo,
Cubase SX, Adobe Audition, and
Cakewalk Sonar, among others,
Mackie supplies Lexan overlays for
many of these applications. Trans-
port controls, a jog/shuttle wheel and
software-specific controls make up
100
Figure 1. Mackie Control
Universal with XT exten-
der and control C4.
the master section. The MCU con-
nects to the computer by means of a
MIDI interface.
The MCU can be extended by the
Mackie Control Universal XT, an
eight-channel extension similar to
the MCU but lacking the master
section.
The final device in this control sur-
face collection is the Mackie Control
4, a controller for plug-ins with sup-
port for Logic Pro 7, Logic Express 7,
Sonar 4, and Tracktion 2. The con-
troller features the same 55 2 back-
lit LCD as the MCU with 32 V-pots
with LED indicators that give access
to 32 plug-in parameters. The pots
are grouped into sets of eight with a
further 55 2 LCD display beneath
each group acting as a scribble strip.
The C4 can be used as a standalone
unit or in conjunction with the MCU
and MCU XT.
The MCU is listed for US$ 1,299,
the XT for US$ 1,099 and the Control
C4 for US$ 1,299. Contact: Mackie,
Inc., 16220 Wood-Red Road N.E.,
Woodinville, Washington 98072, USA;
telephone (+1) 425-487-4333; fax (+1)
425-487-4337; Web www.mackie.com/
products/msu/index.html.
Apple Pro Training Series:
Soundtrack by Mary Plummer
Peachpit Press publishes a variety of
technical how-to books, including
the Apple Pro Training Series, the
self-paced learning tool and the offi-
Computer Music Journal
cial curriculum of the Apple Pro
Training and Certification Program.
This series includes volumes for
learning how to work with Final Cut
Express/Pro, DVD Studio Pro, Logic,
Shake, and Motion. Mary Plummer
has added to the list with her book
on Soundtrack (softcover, 2004,
ISBN 0-321-24690-X) (see Figure 2).
No doubt, an updated version will
soon be out to address the Sound-
track Pro upgrade.
In addition to the Getting Started
section, the 458-page book is organ-
ized into nine lessons, followed by
an appendix (Apple Professional
Products Integration) and index.
These lessons are laid out as follows:
1. Working with the Interface; 2. Ar-
ranging a Song; 3. Editing, Mixing,
and Effects; 4. Creating and Exporting
a Temporary Score; 5. Using Ad-
vanced Editing and Mixing Tech-
niques; 6. Scoring Techniques for
Multimedia Projects; 7. Distributing
and Managing Soundtrack Files; 8.
Recording Audio in Soundtrack; and
9. Using the Soundtrack Loop Utility.
The book comes with a DVD-ROM,
containing all the files necessary to
follow the lessons, along with guide-
lines for downloading a 30-day trial
version of the software.
Soundtrack: Create Original
Scores for Video, DVD, and the Web
is listed for US$ 39.99. Contact:
Peachpit Press, 1249 Eighth Street,
Berkeley, California 94710, USA;
telephone (+1) 510-524-2178; fax
(+1) 510-524-2221; electronic mail
Figure 2. Apple Pro Train-
ing Series: Soundtrack by
Mary Plummer (Peachpit
Press).
info@peachpit.com; Web www
.peachpit.com/.
JazzMutant LEMUR Multitouch
Controller
Created by JazzMutant and marketed
by Cycling 74, LEMUR is a controller
with a multiple-finger touchscreen
for live performance of audio and mul-
timedia applications (see Figure 3).
The display/touchscreen of LEMUR
is a 12-in., 800 600 LCD screen.
The controller has a built-in 100
Base-T LAN interface for connection
to an Ethernet port and uses Open
Sound Control (OSC) to send and re-
ceive 32-bit precision data. OSC is
currently supported by Max/MSP/
Jitter, Reaktor, Pure Data, SuperCol-
lider, and a software development kit
is available. Multiple LEMURs can
be used with one or more computers.
LEMUR is more than just a touch-
screen interface for applications. The
LCD screen allows the creation of
new touch-oriented interfaces for
control of application parameters and
functions. A cross-platform software
editor is used to arrange LEMUR
projects. A project consists of one or
Figure 3. JazzMutant
LEMUR multitouch con-
troller.
more interfaces that detail the map-
ping relationship between the hard-
ware controller and audio software.
Currently 1,024 objects of various
types are available for building these
interfaces. Faders, switches, toggles,
keyboards, and two-dimensional area
controllers can be combined and
mapped to musical and control pa-
rameters in audio applications. Physi-
cal switches (+/) above the display
panel allow the user to switch be-
tween interfaces. The software editor
has four main windows: an interface,
an object list window, an object wiz-
ard window, and an expression editor.
The object list window allows the
user to create and manage object in-
stances as well as functions and vari-
ables. The user can set parameters
and properties in the object wizard
window. The expression editor, with
1,024 expressions, allows for editing
functions and variables. Many of the
user interface objects have parameter
settings for things like shape, size,
and the amount of friction or smooth-
Products of Interest
ness involved in movement. Objects
can be labeled according to the param-
eter(s) they are controlling. Another
important feature for performance
settings is LEMURs ability to track
parameter values on the computer so
that the user does not have to moni-
tor the computer display itself for
feedback.
LEMUR is not pressure sensitive
but the creators suggest that the rate
of change and size of objects can be
used to emulate pressure readings.
The controller is powered by a 12-V
external power supply. Video clips of
the LEMUR in use are available on
the JazzMutant Web site.
The LEMUR is listed for US$ 2,495.
Contact: JazzMutant, 2 alle du Doyen
Georges Brus, 33600 Pessac, France;
telephone (+33) 556-460-344; elec-
tronic mail info@jazzmutant.com;
Web www.jazzmutant.com/. In
North America, contact: Cycling 74,
379A Clementina Street, San Fran-
cisco, California 94103, USA; tele-
phone (+1) 415-974-1818; fax (+1)
101
415-974-1812; electronic mail
info@cycling74.com; Web www
.cycling74.com/products/lemur.html.
Arturia/IRCAM BRASS Physical
Modeling Virtual Instruments
Arturia has teamed up with the Insti-
tut de Recherche et Coordination
Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM), to
produce a set of three virtual instru-
mentstrumpet, saxophone, and
trombonethat can be used as stand-
alone software or as plug-in instru-
ments in most popular formats.
IRCAM has been involved in the
development of physical models of
instruments for a number of years. Its
previously released Modalys software
is a library of objects for building in-
struments, the latest version of
which combines a graphical user in-
terface with Max/MSP control. This
current collaboration with Arturia
brings IRCAMs physical modeling
techniques to a wider audience.
BRASS is available to both Macintosh-
and Windows-based users, in stand-
alone format or as VST, DXi, RTAS,
HTDM, or Audio Units plug-ins.
With BRASS, a keyboard or other
controller can play virtual instru-
ments with physical characteristics
specified by the user. The software
operates in two modes. The Live
mode is a basic instrument playing
mode, and the Riff mode allows the
user to recall, edit, and export a li-
brary of preset stored phrases.
For each instrument, the user can
control the attack, pressure, pitch,
timbre, amount of noise, vibrato, and
position of the instrument in relation
to a microphone. A mute parameter
is available for the trumpet and trom-
bone. MIDI controllers can be as-
signed to these parameters to allow
for real-time control in performance.
Drawing tools enable precise editing
102
of parameters, and a chorus mode and
specialization tool are provided for
the instruments.
The riffs that are included in
BRASS span a variety of styles and
can contain up to four instruments.
A chosen riff can be changed in
tempo manually or set to synchro-
nize with a host sequencer. They can
be launched automatically from the
users keyboard and exported as MIDI
files for use in sequencers. Individual
notes can be edited with a piano roll
editor. MIDI files can also be im-
ported to form BRASS riffs.
BRASS is available for Windows
XP and Mac OS X. For each, a mini-
mum of 256 MB RAM and a 1.5-GHz
processor is recommended. Contact:
Arturia, 4 Chemin de Malacher,
38240 Meylan, France; telephone
(+33) 438-020-0525; electronic mail
info@arturia.com; Web www.arturia
.com/.
Vienna Symphonic Library and
Horizon Series Orchestral Sample
Libraries
The Vienna Symphonic Library, from
the company of the same name, is a
vast sample library of orchestral
sounds with performance controls.
The library is available in two ver-
sions, a First Edition and Pro Edition,
in GigaStudio and EXS24 formats.
(EXS24 is a software sampler origi-
nally developed by Emagic and now
incorporated into Apple Logic.) The
Pro Edition of this library consists of
a 240-GB collection of 360,000
samples, and the First Edition is a
slightly smaller version. Both are
made up of two parts: the Orchestral
Cube and the Performance Set. Indi-
vidually available sets of strings,
brass & woodwinds, and percussion
instrument samples, form the Or-
chestral Cube component. The Per-
Computer Music Journal
formance Set deals with playing
styles and tools to create convincing
musical performances.
The samples in the Orchestral
Cube consist of single note samples
of varying length with constant dy-
namics, dynamics that change over
time, different velocities, different at-
tacks, and various playing techniques
like vibrato and flutter tonguing.
Each instrument in the library has
the same structure so it is easy to
switch between instruments. The
Performance Set is used to control
legato transitions between notes, the
performance of repeated notes, runs,
authentic grace notes, and more. The
control of repeated notes includes
tempo, velocity, dynamics, and ele-
ments such as legato. Octave runs in
all major keys are included. Along
with standard orchestral instruments,
more unusual instruments like the
contrabass trombone and Wagner tuba
are also included.
All samples were recorded at 24-
bit/96-kHz resolution/sampling rate
in a specially constructed studio, the
Silent Stage, to ensure a signal-to-
noise ratio of 90 dB. The Orchestral
Cube and Performance Sets are avail-
able separately or as a package, and
the instrument sample sets of string,
brass & woodwinds, and percussion
can also be purchased separately.
The Horizon Series comprises 13
editions of individual instruments or
instrument groups, with many of
these instruments taken directly
from the Pro Edition of the Vienna
Symphonic Library. These smaller
sample collections are available in
formats for the EXS24, GigaStudio,
Steinbergs HALion, and Native In-
struments Kontakt, and range in size
from the 2.7-GB horn set to the 29-
GB solo string edition.
Further details of instrument
samples, performance controls, the
editions of orchestral samples, and

upgrade and combination-purchase
offers are available on the Vienna
Symphonic Library Web site.
The complete orchestral package of
the First Edition is listed for US$ 3,690
and the Pro Edition for US$ 5,990.
Contact: Vienna Symphonic Library
GmbH, Draschestrasse 89, A-1230
Wien, Austria; electronic mail
office@vsl.co.at; Web www.vsl.co.at/.
String Theory v1.5 Physical
Modeling String VSTi
Synthesizer
Chris Sciurba (a.k.a. Ugo) is a graphic
artist, composer, and developer of a
number of free VST synthesizers, in-
cluding String Theory, a Physical
Modeling plucked hybrid instrument.
This synthesizer can produce not
only a range of plucked strings but
atmospheric pads and hybrid synthe-
sizer sounds. Along with the physi-
cally modeled plucked strings are
delay-based oscillators, amplitude en-
velopes with two different kinds of
attacks, a Low Frequency Oscillator
(LFO), a tremolo, and a detune func-
tion. A range of filters for shaping the
sound includes a band-pass and band-
reject filter and high- and low-pass
filters, both with envelope control
and LFO. A dual phrase apreggiator
offers controls of speed, gate, and
octave of each unit and can be used
to reproduce guitar finger-picking
effects. Parameter values can be
mapped to MIDI control messages.
The synthesizer comes with 173 pre-
loaded patches.
Other synthesizers available in-
clude: Motion, featuring, among
other things, eight LFOs and three
16 step sequencers; Texture, with a
band-pass filter as a key element; and
Rez, a monophonic synthesizer with
a multiple-filter chain.
String Theory 1.5 is available for
free download from Ugos Web site.
Contact: Ugo; electronic mail
ugo@ix.netcom.com; Web www
.cortidesigns.com/ugo/.
Digigram VX881HR and
VX882HR Multichannel
Soundcards
Digigram specializes in producing au-
dio soundcards and other hardware
for the broadcast industry. Its High
Resolution VX series soundcards are
aimed at broadcast users who deal
with applications relating to produc-
tion, on-air audio, permanent play-
back, and audio logging.
The VX882HR sound card features
eight analog and eight digital input/
outputs (see Figure 4) and the
VX881HR is an all-digital version
with eight digital input/outputs. The
card can handle sampling rates of 8
kHz to 192 kHz at up to 24-bit resolu-
tion. Hardware sample rate convert-
ers are built in to allow simultaneous
recording of audio with different
sample rates. The card is in PCI for-
mat, requiring a single slot, and oper-
ates at a 64-bit resolution and a rate
of 66 MHz. Maximum input and out-
put level is +24 dBu.
The cards are compatible with
Windows 2000 or XP and drivers are
available for Windows Driver Model
(WDM), DirectSound, ASIO, Wave, as
well as Digigrams own np drivers.
The cards feature a 62-pin external
connector, inter-board synchroniza-
tion, and a companion board connec-
tor for Digigram or other custom
add-on cards. An optional breakout
box is also available.
The VX882HR is listed for
US$ 2,290, and the VX881HR digital
card for US$ 1,690. Contact: Digi-
gram, 2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite
1004, Arlington, Virginia 22201,
USA; telephone (+1) 703-875-9100;
Products of Interest
Figure 4. Digigram
VX882HR high resolution
multichannel soundcard.
fax (+1) 703-875-9161; electronic
mail input@digigram.com; Web
www.digigram.com/. Outside of
North America, contact: Digigram,
Parc de Pr Milliet, 38330 Montbon-
not, France; telephone (+33) 476-52-
47-47; fax (+33) 476-52-18-44.
Digidesign Pro Tools M-Powered
Audio Workstation Software
Pro Tools M-Powered is a new ver-
sion of Pro Tools created especially
for use with M-Audio hardware inter-
faces (see Figure 5). This enables
users to utilize powerful Pro Tools
features, without the need for
Digidesign hardware, for the first time.
Pro Tools M-Powered supports se-
lect M-Audio audio/MIDI interfaces.
Currently the supported interfaces
are the Audiophile 192 and 2496 PCI
cards; the Delta 1010, 1010LT, 66,
and 44 PCI cards; the FireWire mo-
bile interfaces (models 410, 1814, and
Audiophile); the FireWire Solo; and
the Ozonic, a 37-key audio/MIDI
FireWire interface with microphone/
instrument preamplifier.
This new version of Pro Tools soft-
ware provides professional standard
audio recording, editing, and mixing.
Sessions recorded with Pro Tools M-
Powered can subsequently be opened
in Pro Tools TDM and LE full ver-
sions. One of the main benefits of
this is that initial recording and ses-
103
Figure 5. Main user inter-
face for Digidesign Pro
Tools M-Powered software.
sion work can be done on a computer
at a home or project studio before
transferring work to a full Pro Tools-
based recording studio. Both 16-bit
and 24-bit sample sizes are available
and sampling rates of up to 96 kHz
can be used. A total of 32 simultane-
ous audio tracks are provided and up
to 256 MIDI tracks. A number of
MIDI sequencer functions such as
loop recording and quantizing are
built into the software.
Both effects and instrument plug-
ins, in RTAS and AudioSuite for-
mats, can be used with Pro Tools
M-Powered. A set of 30 free plug-ins,
104
designed by Bomb Factory and Di-
giRack, is supplied with the software.
Equalizers, delays, choruses, dy-
namic processors, reverberation, a
pitch shifter, and more are available
in the form of plug-ins. Pro Tools M-
Powered also supports ReWire, en-
abling the user to capture audio
streams from other ReWire-compatible
software running concurrently on the
computer. The software is also com-
patible with Digidesigns Command|8,
a control surface with eight touch-
sensitive faders. Ableton Live Digi-
design Edition, a sampling sequencer,
is packaged with the software.
Computer Music Journal
Pro Tools M-Powered is available
for Windows XP and some Mac OS X
operating systems. Apple computer
users should make sure to check the
compatibility listings available on
the Digidesign Web site (www
.digidesign.com/compato/).
Pro Tools M-Powered is listed for
US$ 349.95 for the software alone. It
can only run in conjunction with an
M-Audio hardware interface, avail-
able for purchase separately. Contact:
M-Audio, 5795 Martin Road, Irwin-
dale, California 91706, USA; tele-
phone (+1) 626-633-9050; fax (+1)
626-633-9070; electronic mail

sales@m-audio.com; Web www
.m-audio.com/. Additional information
is also available on the Digidesign
Web site (www.digidesign.com/).
Klipsch RVX-54 and RVX-42
Reference Series Speakers for
LCD and Flat-Panel TV
Klipsch makes a wide range of loud-
speakers for the home user. One of its
latest developments has been a range
of stylish slimline units aimed at the
entertainment market for use with
plasma and LCD televisions. Here we
note the RVX-54, a floor-standing
unit, and the RVX-42, a wall-mount
speaker.
Both loudspeakers consist of a
single-piece aluminum extrusion
and both have a 1-in. magnetically
shielded titanium-dome compression
driver tweeter with a round Micro-
Tractix Horn. The RVX-42 also has
dual 4-in. magnetically shielded alu-
minum woofers, with a frequency re-
sponse of 92 Hz to 20 kHz and 75 W
power capacity (300 W peak). The
size is 24 5.75 4.5 in. Keyhole
mounts and dual-threaded inserts
are included and the user has the
option to wall mount or use the
pedestal bass, so that the speaker can
be used as a center channel or as a
bookshelf speaker. The speaker also
has a bass compensation switch that
can be switched on/off according to
positioning.
In addition to the tweeter, the RVX-
54 has four active 5.25-in. woofers,
providing 150 watts of power (600 W
peak) in a unit that is 49.3 7 6.5 in.
(see Figure 6). The frequency response
range is 75 Hz to 20 kHz (3 dB). The
inputs on both units are binding post
speaker terminals.
Both loudspeakers are available in a
black or silver finish that matches the
range of Klipsch Reference Satellites.
These speakers are sold separately so
Figure 6. Klipsch RVX-54
Reference Series loud-
speaker.
that the user has full customizable
control for setting up a surround-
sound listening environment. A full
range of satellite and subwoofers that
would compliment these speakers are
listed on the Klipsch Web site.
The RVX-42 is listed for US$ 449
and the RVX-54 is listed for US$ 799.
Contact: Klipsch, 3502 Woodview
Trace, Suite 200, Indianapolis, Indiana
46268, USA; telephone (+1) 317-860-
8100; fax (+1) 317-860-9170; elec-
tronic mail promedia@klipsch.com;
Web www.klipsch.com/.
Yamaha YSP-1 Multichannel
Surround Sound Digital Sound
Projector
Yamaha has combined a distinctive
and unique approach to multichannel
surround sound with a stylish com-
pact loudspeaker design in the YSP-
1.The surround-sound projector is
aimed at plasma and LCD television
owners who require a compact, non-
intrusive, multi-channel audio sys-
tem. The YSP-1 digital sound
Products of Interest
projector actually incorporates 42 in-
dividual loudspeakers into a single
unit (see Figure 7). The direction of
sound is controlled by focusing it
into beams and taking advantage of
wall reflections.
The YSP-1 speaker system is de-
signed to be placed at front-center or
front-corner of a room and can be
wall- or table-mounted. Yamaha uses
a patented Digital Sound Projection
technology that controls not only the
direction and volume of the sound
but the delay time and phase of the
output of each speaker driver. This
ensures that there is no dissipation in
the energy of the sound whether it
reaches the user via wall reflections
or comes directly from the speaker
unit. The result is that the listener
perceives the sound as if it is coming
from additional speakers placed
throughout the room.
The YSP-1 is made up of 40 4-cm
speaker drivers, each outputting 2 W
of power, and two 11-cm woofers out-
putting 20 W each. The unit itself
measures 1,030 194 118 mm.
As this surround system has only
one main cabinet component it is
easy to set up, and a range of features
are available to help users configure
the speaker system for their require-
ments. An on-screen menu, in con-
junction with a preset remote
control, gives access to a range of fea-
tures. These include a set-up func-
tion for the room type, speaker
position, and room size, three user
memory positions, a control for hori-
zontal/vertical angle, a room equal-
ization tool, and night listening
mode. The remote control can also
control the TV and DVD players. An
LCD screen displays surround set-
tings and volume. Decoders are built
in for Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic
II, and DTS Neo6, this latter a system
that decodes matrixed stereo record-
ings into multiple channels for 5.1 or
6.1 sound.
105
Figure 7. Yamaha YSP-1
multichannel surround
sound digital sound
projector.
Two digital optical outputs, a coax-
ial digital input, two analog stereo in-
puts, and an RS-232C interface are
provided. A subwoofer output is also
included for optional subwoofer use.
The Yamaha YSP-1 is listed for
US$ 1,499.95. A full listing of Yamaha
dealers is available from the Yamaha
Web site. Contact: Yamaha Electron-
ics Corporation USA, 6660 Orangeth-
orpe Avenue, Buena Park, California
90620, USA; telephone (+1) 714-522-
9105; Web www.yamaha.com/yec/
YSP1/index.htm.
Waves MaxxPlayer Windows
Media Player Plug-in
Waves is probably best known for its
professional audio software, espe-
cially the range of high-quality plug-
in effects. This plug-in for Windows
Media Player marks a new departure
for the company but is one that com-
bines many recognizable elements of
existing products.
MaxxPlayer takes control of the
audio output from the Windows Me-
dia Player, optimizing it for the users
particular system setup and cutting
out changes in volume level that oth-
erwise often occur when listening to
tracks from different audio sources.
The plug-in also allows the user to
play audio at higher levels than previ-
ously while maintaining clarity of
106
sound in noisy environments, provid-
ing better bass and high frequency re-
sponse, and widening the stereo
image. Many of the above functions
are possible through the use of DSP
algorithms that are based on psycho-
acoustic principles.
The MaxxPlayer interface consists
of three main sections. In the first,
the listener specifies the source ma-
terial (music or speech); in the second,
one sets the type of music system be-
ing used; and then finally, a control
section is provided for bass, treble,
stereo width, and volume. Once the
plug-in is engaged the user controls
volume and equalization from the
MaxxPlayer GUI rather than the
Windows Media Player itself.
As mentioned, the audio source
can be specified as being music or
speech, and an extra Quiet Mode
option is used if either is at a particu-
larly low level. This on/off switch is
intended to keep the sound level con-
sistent when listening to TV and ra-
dio sources in which the sound level
can vary between commercials and
programs.
The user specifies the type of sys-
tem being used in terms of loud-
speaker type: HiFi for large speakers,
Multimedia for smaller home com-
puter speakers, and Notebook for inte-
grated laptop speakers. A separate 2.1
switch is available for cases in which
the user already uses a subwoofer.
Computer Music Journal
The four main audio controls in
MaxxPlayer include technology
used in many other Waves plug-ins.
Elements of the professional L1
Ultramaximizer (peak limiter), Re-
naissance Compressor, Renaissance
Bass, MaxxBass, S3600 Surround Im-
ager, and S1 Spatial Imager are all
combined in this one plug-in.
The MaxxPlayer iVolume control
is a gain control that ranges from 20
dB to +20dB and includes peak limit-
ing, compression, expansion, and
noise gating. All of these functions
work together to ensure that the user
can increase the volume level with-
out clipping, that weak signals are
automatically boosted above the
noise floor, and that system and
background audio noise are kept to a
minimum.
The MaxxBass replaces all bass
boosts and equalizers on your sys-
tem. By using psychoacoustic prin-
ciples with this bass control, Waves
provides subwoofer-type bass perfor-
mance, enabling users to hear fre-
quencies far below those physically
possible on your loudspeakers (up to
1.5 octaves, it is claimed).
The MaxxTreble control enhances
high frequencies to provide a crisp,
clear audio sound. The MaxxStereo
control gives users control over the
width of the stereo field, allowing
them to create the illusion of loud-
speakers being further apart than
they are and hence giving the impres-
sion that the listener is in a bigger
space.
An On/Bypass control is provided
for switching easily between using
the plug-in and using the Windows
Media Player output.
The MaxxPlayer plug-in is avail-
able for Windows XP and 2000 in-
stalled with Windows Media Player 9
or 10. A free demonstration version
of the application is available for
download from the Waves
MaxxPlayer Web site.
 Figure 8. Korg D4 digital
four-track recorder.

Waves MaxxPlayer is listed for

US$ 30. Contact: Waves, Inc., 306
West Depot Avenue, Suite 100,
Knoxville, Tennessee 37917, USA;
telephone (+1) 865-909-9200; fax (+1)
865-909-9245; Web www.maxxplayer
.com/ or www.waves.com/.

Korg D4 Digital Four-Track

Recorder

Many readers will already be familiar

with Korgs range of digital recorders,
but it is the latest in their line of
four-track recorders that warrants a
special mention due to its compact
lightweight design. The D4 is a four-
track digital recorder with effects,
metronome, rhythm patterns, and a
tuner, all combined in a package
that measures just 191 145 41
mm and weights less than 1 lb (415 g)
(see Figure 8).
The D4 provides two inputs with a
trim knob on each. Input 1 is a com-
bination XLR/1/4-in. jack, and input
two has an XLR jack only. Two tracks
of audio can be recorded simulta-
neously and eight virtual tracks are
available on each of the four tracks.
Twenty-bit A-to-D/D-to-A conver-
sion is provided and sampling rates of
up to 32 kHz are possible.
When recording or editing activity
ends, the recording is saved automat-
ically onto CompactFlash cards in
MPEG1-Layer 2 format (16-bit).
Three different modes of varying au-
dio quality can be used for recording.
CompactFlash (CF TYPE I) cards of
16 MB to 2 GB can be used to save up
to 99 songs. A 64-MB flash card is
included with demo songs. A USB
connection is also provided for
downloading audio files directly to
computer.
One of the key features of this
recorder is the inclusion of Korgs
proprietary REMS (Resonant struc-
ture and Electronic circuit Modeling
System) effects. REMS models the
audio characteristics of amplifiers,
loudspeaker cabinets, and effects. An
AMP effect simulates the sound from
classic and modern amplifier heads,
while the CABINET effect provides
the matching loudspeaker cabinet
models. The MODULATION cate-
gory provides effects like chorus and
flanger, and a 4-BAND EQ effect is
also included. Five dedicated knobs
are provided for editing effects in
real-time and eleven effects can be
saved and recalled using a Favorites
knob. Effects chains can be created
and stored in four different types:
guitar/mono, insert/stereo, master,
and final. One hundred preset effects
chains are provided and 100 user lo-
cations are also available. A dedi-
cated switch is provided for each
effect type.
A metronome/rhythm generator
can provide 32 different metronome
patterns and 55 rhythm patterns in a
variety of styles. Extra features in-
clude a built-in microphone and a
chromatic tuner. Tempo settings
from 40 to 240 BPM are available. A
backlit LCD screen displays user set-
tings and audio levels. The recorder is
AC powered only.
The Korg D4 Digital Recorder is
listed for UK 249. See the Korg Web
site for a list of distributors. Contact:
Korg USA, Inc., 316 South Service
Road, Melville, New York 11747-
3201, USA; telephone (+1) 631-390-
6500; Web www.korg.com/.
Marantz PMD660 Portable Solid
State Recorder
The PMD660 from Marantz is a highly
portable digital recorder. This com-
pact, lightweight recorder can record
mono or stereo audio in WAV or MP3
format onto Compact Flash cards.
Among the main features are XLR in-
puts, phantom power, and editing
features, all running on an incredible
four AA batteries (see Figure 9).
The PMD660 can record 16-bit

Products of Interest 107

Figure 9. Marantz PMD660
portable solid state
recorder.
WAV files at 44.1- and 48-kHz sam-
pling rates. Mono MP3 files can be
recorded at 64 kbps and in stereo at
128 kbps. A 64-MB Compact Flash
card is included with purchases made
in the USA, but higher capacity cards
are recommended. A 1-GB card could
store more than one hour in WAV for-
mat or up to 36 hours using MP3 for-
mat. A USB port can be used for
downloading audio to computer for
further editing or backing up to CD.
Two XLR microphone inputs are
included with 48-V phantom power,
and a stereo condenser microphone is
built into the unit. A 1/8-in. mini-
jack stereo line input/output is in-
cluded, along with a similar-sized
headphone output. Built-in 150 mW
loudspeakers can be used for moni-
toring and playback. A cut-and-paste
function allows audio editing to take
place before transferring to computer,
and 99 virtual tracks are available.
An optional wired remote control
with peak indicator is also available
for purchase.
The recorder weighs just 1.1 lbs
108
and measures 4.5 1.9 7.2 in. The
frequency response is up to 20 kHz
(3 dB) and the dynamic range is 80
dB. The signal-to-noise ratio is 80 dB
on the line input and 60 dB on the
microphone input.
The Marantz PMD660 is listed for
US$ 499.99. The RC600 wired re-
mote control is listed for US$ 79.99.
Contact: D & M Professional, A Divi-
sion of Marantz America, Inc., 1100
Maplewood Drive, Itasca, Illinois
60143, USA; telephone (+1) 630-741-
0330; fax (+1) 630-741-0642; elec-
tronic mail info@d-mpro.com; Web
www.d-mpro.com/.
Tascam X-48 Hybrid Hard Disk
Multichannel Workstation
Digital hard disk recorders have be-
come increasingly available over the
past number of years. Tascam takes
hard disk recording a step further with
its X-48, combining the technology
and features of a hard disk recorder
with a computer-based digital audio
Computer Music Journal
workstation. This hybrid workstation
provides both the hardware for record-
ing audio and software in the form of
a Graphic User Interface (GUI) for ed-
iting purposes (see Figure 10).
As the name suggests, the X-48 is a
48-track digital recorder, capable of
sampling at rates up to 96 kHz (24-bit
resolution). A higher sampling rate of
192 kHz is available for reduced 24-
track recording. The rear panel con-
nections on the workstation include
48-channel TDIF inputs/outputs and
built-in S/PDIF input/output. A VGA
output and PS/2 connection for mon-
itor and mouse are also available al-
though potential buyers should note
that monitor, mouse, or keyboard are
not supplied. Two 24-channel option
slots are also included on the rear
panel for analog, ADAT, or AES/EBU
expansion cards. Synchronization op-
tions include a BNC Video In and
Thru, and a BNC Word Clock In,
Out, and Thru. A MIDI input/output,
1/4-in. TRS balanced SMPTE input/
output, 1/4-in. footswitch input, and
a RS-422 remote input provide fur-
ther operating options.
The unit itself has an 80-GB hard
drive, with options for connecting
external hard drives via USB or
FireWire ports, and a DVD+RW
drive for backup. In all, four USB 2.0
ports and two FireWire ports are
available for use. A Gigabit Ethernet
port is available for transferring
files and the software provided also
includes an FTP server and drive-
sharing capabilities.
The front panel of the unit incor-
porates a range of physical controls
and displays. Transport controls are
conveniently located here, along with
track arming controls and project
management functions. Meter func-
tions for all 48 tracks, in groups of
eight channels, take up most of this
front panel.
The various physical connections
for transferring audio recordings have
Figure 10. Tascam X-48 hy-
brid hard disk multichan-
nel workstation.
been mentioned, but equally impor-
tant is the range of audio file formats
and transfer protocols supported.
Time-stamped Broadcast WAV file
format (BWF) is used for recording.
This is an extended WAV format for
the exchange of audio between broad-
cast platforms and equipment on dif-
ferent computers. Audio can be
imported and exported in Open Me-
dia Framework (OMF), Advanced Au-
thoring Format (AAF), and OpenTL
(Open Track List) formats. OMF is a
file exchange protocol for transferring
between both video and audio work-
stations, AAF was designed by Mi-
crosoft for exchange of media using
Windows computers, and OpenTL is
a Tascam format that was used in the
design of the MX-2424 hard disk
recorder.
The software aspect of this work-
station is centered around a GUI for
editing and mixing 48-track audio at
32-bit floating point resolution. Some
of the features include 6 stereo re-
turns, 24 busses, 6 auxiliary sends,
and a stereo bus. Dynamics processing
and a four-band equalizer are avail-
able on each channel. Four VST plug-
in inserts are also provided for each
channel, group, and auxiliary return.
Some optional extras that are sup-
ported for the X-48 are the Tascam R-
2424 remote control and the US-2400
25-fader controller.
The X-48 is listed for US$4,999.
Contact: Tascam, 7733 Telegraph
Products of Interest
Figure 11. Sennheiser HD
215 DJ/Studio headphones.
Road, Montebello, California 90640,
USA; telephone (+1) 323-726-0303; Web
www.tascam.com/Products/x48.html.
Sennheiser HD 215 DJ/Studio
Headphones
Sennheisers HD 215 headphones are
specifically designed with DJs in
mind. Along with excellent sound
quality and attenuation of ambient
noise, these headphones have a rotat-
able ear cup and single-sided cable for
easy one-ear listening (see Figure 11).
The design is said by the developers
to be rugged yet comfortable. The
coiled cable is detachable and a pro-
tective pouch is included for storage
and transport. The frequency re-
sponse of these headphones is 12 to
22,000 Hz, with an SPL of 112 dB at 1
kHz, a 32-Ohm impedance rating,
and < 0.2% Total Harmonic Distor-
tion (THD). The connector is a 3.5-
mm stereo plug with a screw-on
gold-plated 1/4-in (6.3 mm) adapter.
The headphones weigh 280 g and
come with a two-year warranty.
The HD 215 headphones are listed
for US$ 149. Contact: Sennheiser,
Am Labor 1, 30900 Wedemark, Ger-
many; telephone (+49) 513-060-00;
fax (+49) 513-060-0300; Web www
.sennheiser.com/.
109

Lectrosonics SM Super-Miniature
Wireless Microphone Transmitter
Lectrosonics has specialized in pro-
ducing wireless microphone trans-
mitters and receivers for a number of
years. Its latest line is based around
the Digital Hybrid Wireless technol-
ogy. In these new systems, the trans-
mitter encodes a digital signal into a
format that can be sent across an ana-
log FM link to a receiver, that in turn
decodes this signal back to the origi-
nal digital audio signal. The audio
quality mimics that of a pure digital
system and avoids problems arising
from companders and crystal oscilla-
tor damage in traditional analog wire-
less systems.
The SM, or Super-Miniature, UHF
transmitter from Lectrosonics was
launched, according to the develop-
ers, as the worlds smallest profes-
sional audio wireless transmitter
(see Figure 12). Designed to run on
just one AA battery, the transmitter
measures just 2.3 1.8 0.64 in.
(not including antenna) and weighs
2.7 oz with battery. A single AA
lithium battery can provide six
hours of operation, while a recharge-
able 2500-mAh NiMH battery gives
4.5 hours operation time; a standard
alkaline AA battery can also be
used, with an operation time of
about 1.5 hours.
Despite the small size and single-
battery power, the unit has a 100-mW
transmission power and can handle
24-bit audio with a signal-to-noise ra-
tio of 107 dB. A flat frequency re-
sponse up to 20 kHz is also part of
the specifications. The control panel
includes an LCD screen to enable the
user to adjust frequency and audio
level. Four membrane switches are
used to select different options, and
indicators are included for power and
frequency. Two hundred fifty-six fre-
quency channels are available in 100-
kHz steps over a 25.6-MHz
110
Figure 12. Lectrosonics SM
super-miniature wireless
microphone transmitter.
bandwidth with a pilot tone available
in each of the 256 frequencies.
The input to the transmitter is a
standard 5-pin input jack that is com-
patible with electret lavalier micro-
phones, dynamic microphones, and
line level signals. Five compatibility
modes are available for choosing the
receiver type. The SM can be used
with all Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid
Wireless receivers, the companys
100 and 200 Series analog Synthe-
sized Wideband UHF receivers, and
the Interruptible Foldback (IFB) in-ear
monitoring receivers. Some analog
receivers from other manufacturers
are also compatible.
The body of the transmitter is
made of a splash-proof non-corrosive
material that cannot be damaged by
perspiration or salt water. A water-
resistant holster with a non-corrosive
belt clip is included with purchase.
Full specification details are available
on the Lectrosonics Web site.
The SM transmitter is listed for
US$ 1,650. Contact: Lectrosonics,
581 Laser Road NE, Rio Rancho,
New Mexico 87124, USA; tele-
phone (+1) 505-892-4501; fax (+1)
Computer Music Journal
505-892-6243; electronic mail
sales@lectrosonics.com; Web www
.lectrosonics.com/.
MusicPad Pro Plus Digital Music
Tablet Notebook
FreeHand Systems has released an
updated version of the MusicPad
tablet notebook to include enhance-
ments of already existing features
and some added functionality. The
MusicPad Pro Plus functions as a dig-
ital display for sheet music, incorpo-
rating a 12.1-in. LCD display while
also providing the means of storing
an entire collection of scores, all in a
device that weighs less than 6 lbs.
The LCD touchscreen features
1024 768 resolution and the screen
is backlit for reading scores in low
light and performance situations.
The touchscreen facility is used for
turning pages and for editing scores.
A range of annotations can be made
to the score, including practice
marks, changes to the music itself,
and performance instructions (see
Figure 13). The annotations can be
Figure 13. MusicPad Pro
Plus digital music tablet
notebook.
added by typing text or using hand-
writing and can be stored and later
changed or deleted. A library of com-
monly used notation symbols is pro-
vided and all annotations can be
entered in a range of colors. A zoom
facility is available for entering pre-
cise score markings.
Scores can be viewed in portrait or
landscape mode with the MusicPad
Pro Plus. The landscape mode option
uses a two-page display so that the
musician can look ahead while play-
ing. In portrait mode, half-page turns
are used to look ahead.
The tablet notebook has 64 MB of
RAM installed and a 64-MB flash
memory module is also included.
Browser functions and a file search
function allow the user to locate
stored files. A large collection of mu-
sic in the MusicPad format is avail-
able from the sunhawk.com Web site.
Software is provided for converting
files in Finale, Sibelius, Encore, and
Cakewalk formats to the MusicPad
format, so that even newly created
compositions or arrangements can be
loaded onto the MusicPad. Physical
scores can also be scanned and con-
verted to this format.
An audio/MIDI output is provided
for MIDI playback and a video output
is also included. A footswitch can be
connected and used for turning pages.
The device is powered by AC or a
rechargeable battery, with a battery
time of 3.5 to 4.5 hours, depending on
which brightness settings are chosen.
A sleep mode is available. Two USB
ports are available for connecting to a
computer for transferring files. Op-
tional extras to the MusicPad include
the foot pedal, MusicPad stand, and
carrying bags.
The MusicPad Pro Plus is listed for
US$ 1,199. Contact: FreeHand Music
Systems, 95 First Street, Suite 200,
Los Altos, California 94022, USA;
telephone (+1) 650-941-0742; fax (+1)
Products of Interest
650-941-0207; electronic mail
info@freehandsystems.com; Web
www.freehandsystems.com/.
The Future of the Music Business
by Steve Gordon; The Future of
Music by David Kusek and Gerd
Leonhard
As Steve Gordon puts it in the Intro-
duction to his book published by
Backbeat Books, The Future of the
Music Business (softcover, 2005,
ISBN 0-87930-844-3, 269 pages),
new technologies are revolutioniz-
ing the music industry. As David
Kusek and Gerd Leonhard put it in
their book from Berklee Press, The
Future of Music (softcover, 2005,
ISBN 0-87639-059-9, 181 pages), The
record industry as we know it is dy-
ing. But the music industry is health-
ier and more vibrant than ever.
In different ways, these two publi-
cations examine the music industry
today, offering perspective on the
changes that are occurring and strate-
gies for successfully working within
this changing environment.
Mr. Gordons book, subtitled
How to Succeed with the New Digi-
tal Technologies: A Guide for Artists
and Entrepreneurs, is organized in
four parts, each fleshed out with a
number of chapters (see Figure 14).
Part I: The Rules, comprises seven
chapters: 1. Music Law & Business
Primer; 2. Overview of Digital Music
Law; 3. Webcasting; 4. Downloading
and Interactive Streaming; 5. Music
Videos, Audiovisual Concerts & Doc-
umentaries; 6. Music-Licensing Fun-
damentals; and 7. Licensing Music
for New Media. Part II: Crisis & Solu-
tionsThe Music Industry in Transi-
tion, contains three chapters: 8. The
Recording Industry in Crisis; 9. Pro-
posed Solutions; and 10. Latest Cases
and Legislative Initiatives. Part III:
How to Succeed in the New Music
111
Figure 14. The Future of
the Music Business by
Steve Gordon (Backbeat
Books).
Business, contains four chapters: 11.
How to Build a Web Site & Why; 12.
Hot Web Sites by Three Artists:
Acoustic & Alternative Rock, Jazz &
Hip-Hop; 13. Additional Ways to Use
the Internet to Promote Your Music
and Make a Living; and 14. How to
Build an Independent Digital Record
Label. Part IV: New Business Mod-
elsStories of Ambition, Indepen-
dence, Imagination, and Success,
comprises seven chapters: 15. Artists
Who Create Their Own Record Com-
panies; 16. Creative Commons: A
New Way to Encourage Creativity
Online; 17. Online Record Stores; 18.
Online Financing; 19. Webcasting as
a Business Model; 20. The Future of
Peer to Peer; and 21. The Digital
Runway: The Convergence of Music
and Fashion (Will Fashion Labels Be-
come Record Labels?).
Mr. Gordons book also includes a
foreword by John Simson, an intro-
duction, acknowledgments, credits,
and index. A CD-ROM (the menu is
listed in the book, helpfully) contains
links to the books Web site, a video
of a seminar, various audio inter-
views, and a large set of links to on-
line music business resources.
The slimmer volume by Mr. Kusek
112
Figure 15. John Chowning,
No. 7 of the Portraits Poly-
chromes publications
(GRM-Institut National de
lAudiovisuel/CDMC).
and Mr. Leonhard contains ten chap-
ters, along with acknowledgments,
introduction, and about the authors
(no index is included). The chapters
are as follows: 1. Music Like Water:
The Future of Music is Mobile, Di-
verse, and Ubiquitous; 2. Our Top-10
Truths of the Music Business; 3. Fu-
turizing Some Popular Music Indus-
try Myths; 4. The Future of Music
Marketing and Promotion; 5. The Fu-
ture of Music Distribution and Ac-
quisition; 6. The Digital Kids and the
Changing Marketplace; 7. A New
Music Economy; 8. How Technol-
ogy Will Rewire the Music Business;
9. Megatrends That Will Impact the
Future of Music; and 10. Onto the
Future.
The Future of the Music Business
is listed for US$ 22.95. Contact:
Backbeat Books, 600 Harrison Street,
San Francisco, California 94107, (biographical or aesthetic), an inter-
USA; telephone (+1) 866-222-5232; view or text written by the composer,
fax (+1) 408-848-5784; electronic mail analysis of one or more important
books@musicplayer.com; Web works, and a detailed list of composi-
www.backbeatbooks.com/. The Fu- tions and/or publications. Further,
ture of Music is listed for US$ 16.95. GRM has developed a Web site for
Contact: Berklee Press, 1140 Boylston each publication in the series, con-
Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215- taining audio excerpts and graphic
3693, USA; telephone (+1) 617-747- analyses (sometimes animated), along
2146; Web www.berkleepress.com/. with additional exegesis particular to
the work of that composer.
To date, there are seven portraits
GRM-Institut National de completed in the series. These in-
lAudiovisuel Portraits clude: Franois Bayle, John Chowning
Polychromes (see Figure 15), Luc Ferrari, Ivo Malec,
Bernard Parmegiani, Gilles Racot,
GRM (Groupe de Recherches Musi- and Jean-Claude Risset. The texts are
cales), through its administrative unit, all in French. An English version of
the Institut National de lAudiovisuel the Web site is in preparation.
(INA), has launched a book series on The books range in price from 9
electroacoustic composers, Portraits to 13. Contact: Institut National de
Polychromes. This initiative has been lAudiovisuel, Maison de Radio-
undertaken in collaboration with France, 116 avenue de Prsident
the Centre de Documentation de la Kennedy, 75220 Cedex 16, France;
Musique Contemporaine (CDMC), telephone (+33) 1-56-40-29-88; fax
published by ditions Michel de (+33) 1-56-40-49-88; electronic mail
Maule, Paris. grm@ina.fr; Web www.ina.fr/grm/
Each volume follows a general out- acousmaline/polychromes/index
line: an introduction to the composer .fr.html.
Computer Music Journal