This is to announce the availability of AXCsound, a freeware ActiveX control
version of Csound.

AXCsound contains all the features of John ffitch's public-domain Csound,
the most widely used sound processing language, together with Gabriel
Maldonado's code for real-time MIDI control and low-latency
DirectSound output, in the form of a full ActiveX control and a standalone
Windows program.

AXCsound has been tested on Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0, and should run on
Windows 98. Additional features include:

...A graphical user interface.

...A new all-in-one text file format for Csound, combining command options,
score, orchestra, and MIDI file into one file.

...The ability to stop, restart, or reload Csound at any time.

...Built-in text editing windows for scores and orchestras.

...An "arrangement" window for assigning numbers to named instruments.

...A test window with a test score for rapid, interactive development of new
instruments.

...Online help.

...A COM interface for the complete programmatic control of AXCsound from
other
languages and applications such as C++, Visual Basic, or J++.

...The ability to be embedded, complete with score and orchestra, in
spreadsheets, Web pages, and other OLE container documents.

...A launcher for standalone use; it can even render the same command lines
as
regular Csound.

...A MathLink protocol for use from inside Mathematica 3.0 notebooks.

I developed AXCsound to serve as a general-purpose software synthesizer
component for my algorithmic composition software. But, of course, AXCsound
can be used for other purposes as well, including, on a fast enough
computer,
live performance.

Download AXCsound now from http://www.pipeline.com/~gogins/AXCsound.htm, or
read more about it. It's free! And it includes all source code under the
terms of the GNU General Public License.