Hans Mikelson wrote:
> 
> http://www.ircam.fr/produits-real/logiciels/metasynth-e.html
>
> cool too!  Maybe it would be good to have color represent panning
> (Red-->Green==left-->right) (I think Metasynth does this),

Hm, forgot to CC this to the list.
(In response to Hans Pelleboer)

Metasynth runs on PowerMac only. Until just now the demo was only 
available to the Ircam user group subscribers, or as a blind buy (1800
franc).
It is now distributed by the programmer, and available as demo from
   http://www.uisoftware.com/PAGES_COM/msdemo.html
Info available from links on
   http://www.uisoftware.com/PAGES_ALT/ms_features.html

Metasynth maps red->right amp, green->left amp. What makes it 
specially nice are the specialised drawing tools and filters included, 
which make it easy to paint your sounds. My favourite is rotation.
This will as you understand rotate  pitch <-> time. This tool is alas 
not available in the same form in any graphic program I've seen 
(it will keep the size of the image, and wrap it around over and over). 
There are also special brushes, echoes (repeat pixels at intervals) etc.
It can use wavetables (editable in the prog), imported soundfiles, 
or FFT'ed sounds.

There were some silly limitations in available pitch range in the
old demo. The new demo is upgraded, I hope he's changed that.
(Haven't had time to look at it yet, I've only run the old one in the
electro-acoustic studio here in Stockholm.)

Regards,

        re