Greetings:

  Reading David Schuyteneer's thanks and Pedro Batista's lament I think
something needs to be noted. The Csound mail-list needs a FAQ sheet
which should be routinely
suggested or sent to new members. This FAQ could indicate the major
sites for such commonly-requested items as orc/sco files, tutorial
examples, platform-specific download sites, the missing parameter for
GEN01, etc.

  I learned Csound by going through Richard Boulanger's "toots" and the
ACCCI catalog. I read FR Moore's "Elements Of Computer Music", then
studied algebra again for a year using a neat and cheap software tutor,
then re-read Moore's book. I translated Dodge's examples into Csound
code, I nearly drowned in my attempt to understand just what the !@#$ is
a phase vocoder, and of course I asked questions on the mail-list. I
also have a feeling that many others on this list have a similar
experience: I'm a musician first, and I'm a "computer-type guy" only at
a very distant second.

  But now the situation has changed somewhat, and I think that David and
Pedro are showing us that our beloved Csound is no longer quite so
straightforward to learn and use. Hey, I can't even keep up with the
rush of new opcodes, and I'm supposed to be maintaining the Linux
version ! ;-)

  There's no shortage of on-line information. Hans Mikelson's wonderful
instruments are all available, the ACCCI catalog is still on-line,
Rasmus Ekman is doing good things for DOS/Windows Csound beginners, Jean
Piche has consistently maintained the excellent HTML manual, and of
course there's still the fine Csound Front Page at Leeds. A FAQ sheet
could indicate the whereabouts of all those sites, which I think could
be of immediate assistance to any newcomer.

  I should state clearly that I don't at all mind reading posts from
newbies, and I don't want anyone to feel discouraged about writing to
the list for help. I just think that a maintained FAQ sheet would be of
great value to Csound newbies *and* pros.

  Meanwhile, for David, Pedro, and any other newcomer to Csound, here
are a couple pages which may be of some small assistance:

	http://www.bright.net/~dlphilp/linux_csound.html

	http://www.bright.net/~dlphilp/dp_csound.html 

The first URL is actually a listing of various sites relevant to Csound
users, not just Linuxen. The second address is a brief tutorial, replete
with neat little graphics and soundfile examples.

  Csounders, Go ye forth and multiply, divide, add, subtract, convolve,
vocode, modulate, oscillate, predict linearly, rotate superficially,
bend, fold, spindle, and mutilate sound into shapes so beautiful that
world peace will reign, and People Magazine will interview jpff and
Russell Pinkston while the Spice Girls fade into a merely annoying
memory...

  Whoa, time for another cup of coffee !

== Dave Phillips

       http://www.bright.net/~dlphilp/index.html
   http://www.bright.net/~dlphilp/linux_soundapps.html

Dave Phillips wrote:
>
>  Reading David Schuyteneer's thanks and Pedro Batista's lament I think
>something needs to be noted. The Csound mail-list needs a FAQ sheet
>which should be routinely
>suggested or sent to new members. This FAQ could indicate the major
>sites for such commonly-requested items as orc/sco files, tutorial
>examples, platform-specific download sites, the missing parameter for
>GEN01, etc. (snip)
>
>  I learned Csound by going through Richard Boulanger's "toots" and the
>ACCCI catalog. I read FR Moore's "Elements Of Computer Music", then
>studied algebra again for a year using a neat and cheap software tutor...

thought i did remember reading a FAQ a long while back. but perhaps the
suggestion of similar math tutor software could be included.

in particular, i would like a package to walk me through calculus on a mac.
could someone please suggest such a program? your aid will be appreciated.


as a perpetual newbie, i have no complaints about the assistance available
on this list. or the price. but do well understand the frustrations
encountered by non-programmers. And have noted that the classic bang the
head against the wall technique must be practiced with a *brick* wall in
order to be fully effective.

tolve