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For those who are interested, here is a run down on the equipment I used to create the music on this site.
Computers
My desk computer is a pieced-together P-200 with two hard drives, CD, 96M Ram, and, of course, a Sound Blaster AWE-64 sound card. It's a little slow but adequate for Midi work. (It's a little too slow, however for digital audio.) It's probably too slow for the Software Synthesizers too but with the AWE card, they are not necessary.
I use the Midi port on the AWE card to control the external synths. The audio from the AWE and synths go to a powered mixer (center on the shelf below the laptop in the picture).
I do some editing on a Compaq 4130 laptop 133MHz. This has only an FM sound system so I either hook up the Roland PMA-5 for a sound source or use one of the SoftSynths described on the File Info page.
Synthesizers
My main keyboard is a mid 80's Korg DW8000. It's not GM compatible so voicing has to be specially configured for it. Also it's not multi-timbral so it will play only one voice at a time (up to 8 notes). It does at least have a velocity sensitive keyboard with key aftertouch so it makes a good controller.
Then there's a Yamaha EMT-10 sound module. This has only twelve selectable sounds, most of which suck. The strings and brass are terrible, the harpsichord is okay but so quiet you can't hear it. But it has a very realistic grand piano and vocal chorus. (The piano heard on the Real media files is the EMT-10).
I also use a Roland PMA-5. It's a little portable unit with a 300+ voice GM/GS synth, sequencer and arranger. It sitting on top of the smaller keyboard in the picture. It has an LCD touch screen to control it and is a very handy unit. I often use it with my laptop when I editing music away from my main setup.
The top keyboard in the pictures is a Yamaha PSS-480 which I rarely use for midi. (I sometimes play bass parts on it with the band Bytch Fysh.) It's one of those cheap discount store keyboards with FM synthesis so the voicing isn't that good, nor is it GM compatible. It does, however, have twelve voice polyphany and is multi-timbral with external midi input. It was used when writing some of the songs on this site but is not used in the recordings posted here.
Software
Earlier versions of some of these songs were sequenced with Voyetra's Sequencer Plus and Midisoft's Recording Session sequencers. Lately I have been using Voyetra's Midi Orchestrator Plus. I have also tried demo versions of several other sequencers. Some of the better ones include Prismer, Digital Studio, and Jazz. You can try them yourself at Shareware.com.
All of the Real Media files were digitally recorded on the laptop computer using CoolEdit96. I also use it for audio processing.
If you have any questions or comments, please send me email with the button below.
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