Well, yes, WAVE files are inherently multi-channel too, it's is only the driver
software for the output hardware that is the sticking point. I have Sound Forge,
and, I am sorry to say, it does not load anything other than mono or stereo
files. This may change in a future upgrade, but I have no information, inside or
otherwise, about that.

The other general point about multi-channel opcodes, is that there does need to
be some specific musical purpose to them, other than routine mixing. Sound
spatialization is the obvious one, with both 4 and 6 channel modes being highly
relevant. Beyond that, I would be interested to hear of innately multi-channel
applications, which might justify the effort to provide high-order multi-channel
outputs.

Richard Dobson

Graeme Gerrard wrote:
> 
> Jamie,
> >
> >>I am interested in generating multichannel output files with Csound (i.e.
> >>> quad).
> >>Is there a way of doing this with Csound?
> >
> >It depends what platform you are using.
> 
> Have to confess I am a Mac user for audio.  AIFF files are inherently
> multichannel.
> I use SoundMaker (great effects), but also SoundEdit II to play these
> files. The Mac
> Sound Manager mixes them to stereo though.
> You can use third party multichannel cards to play back multichannel
> files - see
> previous thread.
> 
> PS. You used to be able to create quad files in Sound Designer II format,
> but SD wouldn't play them.  This has probably changed by now. This was a
> while back.
> 
> PPS. I believe Sound Forge for Win plays multichannel files with DirectX
> installed.
> I have also heard it's possible to play > 16 STEREO tracks on Win95 with
> an Ultra Wide SCSI disk (err...using a custom app).
> Ross Bencina's AudioMulch for WIn 95 does at least 8 tracks.

On Thu, 11 Jun 1998, Richard Dobson wrote:

> Well, yes, WAVE files are inherently multi-channel too, it's is only the driver
> software for the output hardware that is the sticking point. I have Sound Forge,
> and, I am sorry to say, it does not load anything other than mono or stereo
> files. This may change in a future upgrade, but I have no information, inside or
> otherwise, about that.
> 
> The other general point about multi-channel opcodes, is that there does need to
> be some specific musical purpose to them, other than routine mixing. Sound
> spatialization is the obvious one, with both 4 and 6 channel modes being highly
> relevant. Beyond that, I would be interested to hear of innately multi-channel
> applications, which might justify the effort to provide high-order multi-channel
> outputs.
hmmmm... what do you mean by specific musical purpose for opcodes? related
to csound or someother program?

Michael

 
> Richard Dobson
> 
> Graeme Gerrard wrote:
> > 
> > Jamie,
> > >
> > >>I am interested in generating multichannel output files with Csound (i.e.
> > >>> quad).
> > >>Is there a way of doing this with Csound?
> > >
> > >It depends what platform you are using.
> > 
> > Have to confess I am a Mac user for audio.  AIFF files are inherently
> > multichannel.
> > I use SoundMaker (great effects), but also SoundEdit II to play these
> > files. The Mac
> > Sound Manager mixes them to stereo though.
> > You can use third party multichannel cards to play back multichannel
> > files - see
> > previous thread.
> > 
> > PS. You used to be able to create quad files in Sound Designer II format,
> > but SD wouldn't play them.  This has probably changed by now. This was a
> > while back.
> > 
> > PPS. I believe Sound Forge for Win plays multichannel files with DirectX
> > installed.
> > I have also heard it's possible to play > 16 STEREO tracks on Win95 with
> > an Ultra Wide SCSI disk (err...using a custom app).
> > Ross Bencina's AudioMulch for WIn 95 does at least 8 tracks.
> 

Allow me to say something about multichannels support in Win95.
Currently, there are several soundcards that support real multichannel
playback.
Examples include the Emagic AudioWerk8 (they have now a Windows multichannel
drive that allow any application to work with the card and access all the
eight outputs).
Other examples are the ARC88 and Midia Prodif Gold - SEK'D (eight in, eight
out - generic multi driver also), and the forthcoming MOTU 2408.

About applications, it seems there is some confusion between the ability to
play several files at once (multitrack playback), and the ability to pilot
several outputs, which will give multi channel playback. Sound Forge could
never be able to play several tracks, since it is a post-productions and
mastering oriented tool, and only plays mono or stereo files (like the ones
we get on CDs).
About software to play multitrack files, there are several, and one is more
or less well known - its Cool Edit Pro, the descendant of Cool Edit, and is
able to play up to 64 tracks - however, it is not multichannel, since it
plays averything through a stereo output. AudioMulch is in the same way.

But there is at least one application I know that plays multitrack files AND
multichannel, which is Samplitude Studio from SEK'D .
This application, besides playback lots of tracks of audio, real time FX,
etc., pilots up to four cards, or four stereo outputs, which is the same.
This, together with ARC88, Midia Prodif Gold, AudioWerk8 or MOTU2408 gives
true QUAD (actually OCTAD) output to anyone - if one has several amplifiers
and/or amplified speakers.
This is because, to have real QUAD output one will have to connect the first
stereo pair to one stereo amplifier, and the second stereo pair to another
stereo amplifier, or have four amplified speakers, like the Mackie HR824.

If you have these facilities, buy one of the above listed cards and the
mentioned aplication, and you'll have real QUAD outputs.
Hope this gives some help, and sorry for the time consuming explanation.

Fernando Rodrigues

> On Thu, 11 Jun 1998, Richard Dobson wrote:
>
> > Well, yes, WAVE files are inherently multi-channel too, it's is
> only the driver
> > software for the output hardware that is the sticking point. I
> have Sound Forge,
> > and, I am sorry to say, it does not load anything other than
> mono or stereo
> > files. This may change in a future upgrade, but I have no
> information, inside or
> > otherwise, about that.
> >
> > >
> > > PPS. I believe Sound Forge for Win plays multichannel files
> with DirectX
> > > installed.
> > > I have also heard it's possible to play > 16 STEREO tracks on
> Win95 with
> > > an Ultra Wide SCSI disk (err...using a custom app).
> > > Ross Bencina's AudioMulch for WIn 95 does at least 8 tracks.
> >
>
>