On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 8:18 AM, Jim Aikin <midiguru23@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>
> Indeed. But I note that you said "users," not "newcomers." I was talking to
> Dr. B the other day, and asked him for a guesstimate of the number of Mac
> vs. Windows vs. Linux/Unix users in the Csound community. He said probably
> 60% Linux/Unix and 20% for each of the other two. That highlights part of
> the problem with the documentation. I'm writing for a general readership,
> which is probably 48% Mac, 48% Windows, and 4% Linux (at most). The
> expectations and level of experience are very different.

Csound can actually be a gateway drug into the world of Unix, as it was for me.

> Well, in the draft of the intro to the article, I'm suggesting several
> things that may interest people. Perhaps you can suggest more. I've
> mentioned algorithmic composition (though I suppose I need to write a
> sidebar explaining what that is!), microtonal tunings, learning about DSP,
> doing advanced synthesis on an old, slow computer or without spending any
> money, and so forth.

I'm building a microtonal sequencer GUI which uses Csound
(transparently or directly, depending how the user wants to make
sound).  It isn't functional yet, but I hope to offer it as another
way to interface with Csound.

>> I hope that you have been able to find stimulating example pieces, or
>> instruments, that suggest some possibilities. If so, what are some of
>> them?
>> If not, please let us know.
>
> Nothing leaps to mind, but I still need to do a lot of digging to try to
> find things. I'm not saying it's not there, just that I haven't found it
> yet. I've listened to a few of the podcast tracks from Dr. B's students, and
> they're good, but nothing was so memorable that I can recall it a week
> later, I'm sorry to admit.

I personally love the examples of formant synthesis.  Tobiah's
"Electric Priest" is one I recall 2 or 3 years later.

-Chuckk

-- 
http://www.badmuthahubbard.com