Message written at 13 Feb 1998 13:03:48 +0000
In-reply-to:  (Allotropa@aol.com)
References:  

>>>>> "Allotropa" == Allotropa   writes:

...
 Allotropa> But I'm wondering why the score files contain info on the sounds, i.e. the GEN
 Allotropa> routines.  It seems like the score file should just have notes as well as
 Allotropa> other info to control the instruments, and the orchestra file should have all
 Allotropa> info about the instruments the score plays, including the sound that
 Allotropa> instrument produces.  Why this inconsistency?  Why is info on the sound of
 Allotropa> instruments spread across both files?

nearly every one asks this question -- surely one for the FAQ!  The
distinction is that the orchestra information is static, compiled at
definition time.  The score is dynamic, and the data comes into
existence "just in time" and can be deleted.  This was very important
on machines without much memory -- I can remember when my university
bought its second megabyte, and it cost about $60,000 -- and so
this was a real consideration.  The latest version of csound have the
ability to place tables in the orchestra with the ftgen opcode, in
part in response to the increasing availability of memory, and in part
so a MIDI-only set of events do not need a score.  This last facility
is an Extended Csound feature -- I think one still needs a score of an
f0 in the standard system.

==John ff