| Background Information About the Analog Devices Extended Csound Project
Who is on the project staff?
Mike Haidar is the head of the Software and Systems Technology division
of Analog Devices. Two-and-a-half years ago, he had the vision of
running software synthesis in real-time on a DSP. He is the business
manager of the project, and supervises the directions in which we move.
His technical internal team numbers over a dozen; his external team is
even larger.
Internal team:
Barry Vercoe, professor at the MIT Media Lab, is the original author of
public Csound. As a consultant to Analog Devices, he designed the
structural differences between public Csound and Analog Devices'
Extended Csound. He supervises all modifications to Extended Csound and
maintains its speed while increasing its functionality.
Richard Boulanger, professor of Music Synthesis at the Berklee College
of Music, is a leading computer music educator, composer and performer
with a special expertise in public Csound. As a consultant to Analog
Devices, he advises on software changes, product definitions and general
project direction while focusing his creative energies on beta-testing,
sound design
and instrument modeling.
External team:
John ffitch maintains the public version of Csound and is recognized
worldwide for his contributions to public Csound, including adding
public opcodes and managing the communications of the Csound user
community. He has done extensive consulting for Analog Devices on
Csound to assure that public and Extended Csound work together.
Russell Pinkston, professor at the University of Texas at Austin, has
developed the Patchwork Windows graphical front end and ported it to
Extended Csound. He is a software synthesis expert and Windows
developer. At ADI, he consults relating to driver and API issues.
Jean Piche, professor at the University of Montreal, and student
Alexandre Burton are co-authors of Cecilia, a front-end for Csound which
has been ported to Extended Csound. Piche is also a composer and
award-winning GUI developer.
Omni Digital Systems, consisting of Dustin Barlow and Tim Mielak,
developed the Softsamp and CSounder Windows front-ends. Although they
have also been ported to Extended Csound, public versions are available
at:
http://www.omnids.com/software
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Who are some commercial development partners?
Denon, Pavo and GeneralMusic have all made public announcements
regarding their involvement with Analog Devices' Extended Csound. They
can send you copies of their previous public announcements. Here are
the links to those companies:
http://www.c2i.co.jp/denon/
http://www.pavo.com/
http://www.generalmusic.com/
Who are some Extended Csound evangelists?
Robert Cooper, contributor to KEYBOARD Magazine, University of Missouri
at Kansas City
Dennis Miller, contributor to Sound on Sound and Electronic Musician,
Northeastern University
Where can I read about Analog Devices Extended Csound?
Keyboard, January 1997
Electronic Musician, February 1997
EQ, April 1997
Sound on Sound, April and May, 1997
We have reprints of each of these articles. Let us know if you would
like a copy.
Where is the project headed?
As you may know, Extended Csound is the ultimate sound production tool
with the potential to become an integral force in the world of music
technology. Our goal is to provide this powerful tool not only to
high-end users, but also to people with all levels of musical
experience. From grade school kids getting computerized piano lessons
to college music majors engineering with Csound, Analog Devices will
aggressively pursue commercial initiatives while ensuring that the
educational community has access to this technology.
We plan to lead the project by making available the latest SHARC DSP
chips and development tools, the manufacturing capabilities of our OEMs,
the feedback of our consultants and software developers, and the news of
how the industry reacts from our evangelists and trade publication
editors. We also plan to continue the development team and offer
enhancements. As a result
of our expanding internal development effort, new opcodes will continue
to be developed.
Analog Devices believes that Extended Csound will fulfill the
anticipation of audio software developers, foley artists, sound effects
editors for movies, and other pro-audio professionals in providing the
richest environment for effects, enhancement and versatility. Techno,
rap and pop
artists, in addition to new music composers, will be able to create
unique sounds.
By enabling real-time editing, Extended Csound will enable broadcasters,
concert halls, sports stadiums and live-performance theaters to deliver
a level of live audio comparable to edited films screened in
digitally-equipped movie theaters. With individualized effects,
listeners will be able to compensate for the limitations of their audio
equipment, hearing losses, room acoustics, background noise and personal
preferences. Audio producers and distributors will enjoy new audiences
who will be able to listen to the precise sound which the composer or
software developer intended.
By combining the power of Csound, the performance of dedicated
state-of-the-art hardware and additional opcodes and development tools,
and the support of Analog Devices with a dedicated Csound organization,
we believe Extended Csound will become an important tool in the
electronic music world. It is the uniqueness of this specialized audio
hardware, enhancements and additions to the opcodes found in public
Csound, the unrivaled expertise of Barry Vercoe, and the support and
signal processing experience of Analog Devices which will make Extended
Csound a commercial reality.
We will keep you posted of future developments.
Please send your comments and suggestions to
systems.solutions@analog.com or 617-461-3732.
_____________________________________________
Scotty Vercoe
Extended Csound Project Manager
Analog Devices Software & Systems Technology Division
Tel: (617) 461 - 3569 FAX: (617) 461 - 4291
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