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Thursday, June 5, 2014

Terratec EWS64; Making Waves; Musicians' Union


PC Notes

Technique : PC Notes


BRIAN HEYWOOD discusses the powerful new soundcard from Terratec, plugs a couple of musical web sites, and entreats software developers to stop trying to reinvent the wheel...



A couple of months ago I mentioned the Maestro soundcard from Terratec in this column, and last month's 'Shape of Things to Come' featured brief details of Terratec's new card, the EWS64. I've now had a chance to study some advance details about the latter card, sent to me by Terratec's UK distributors Digital Media. As you may already have guessed from the card's name, it has a 64-note polyphonic PCM-based wavetable synth, plus an additional feature that should make it very attractive to serious musical users: it will be able to use Akai S1000 samples and programs. I gather that the librarian software bundled with the card will be able to read Akai-format disks using the PC's floppy disk drive. The card comes with 5Mb of RAM fitted as standard, but can be expanded to 64Mb using standard SIMMs. This access to the extensive back catalogue of Akai samples will make it easy to use the EWS64 card in music production.



The new card also has a digital effects processor that offers chorus, reverb, multi-band EQ, room simulation, and a 3D sound positioning effect. There will be a standard 'WaveBlaster'-type daughter board connector, and two MPU401-compatible MIDI ports -- presumably one of these will be used by a daughter board (if fitted). The card will have full duplex audio, which means that users will be able to record and play back digital audio simultaneously (see part two of the 'Card Times' series, starting on page 184 of this issue for details on the significance of this) and supports sample rates up to 48kHz.



On the hardware front, the card also looks very interesting. It has three stereo analogue inputs (two line, one mic) with one of the line inputs having 18-bit resolution, plus two stereo line-level outputs. The jewel in the EWS64's crown is that it will have one S/PDIF digital input and two S/PDIF digital outputs, allowing you to transfer audio data to and from your PC in the digital domain. As the card supports both 44.1kHz and 48kHz sample rates, it is suitable for use with both consumer and professional DAT machines. The EWS64 will also come with a 'breakout' box that will allow you to connect to the MIDI and digital signals without having to bother with flying leads.



The projected price of the new card is less than £600, which will make it a low-cost way of adding a digital I/O capability to an MPC-based audio system. A bonus for buyers will be the bundled Steinberg software for Windows 3.1 and Windows95, which may well have features specific to the new card, since Steinberg and Terratec apparently have a close working relationship. For more details about the new card, contact Digital Media on 0171 607 2727.

REINVENTING THE WHEEL



One thing that occurred to me while reviewing the TripleDAT system from Creamware recently (the review can be found in this issue of SOS, starting on page 196) is a tendency that some companies -- especially German ones, it would seem -- have for 'improving' on the user interface provided by Windows. One of the strengths of the Windows operating system is that the keys, menus and mouse operations are fairly constant across different applications. So I can switch between Cakewalk, SADiE, Band In A Box and Word for Windows without having to remember how the right mouse button behaves, or searching for the 'cut' function in an unfamiliar menu structure.



This rather simple fact doesn't appear to have occurred to software authors when they set out to 'improve' on Windows. For example, some of Creamware's innovations are very sensible -- for instance, using the right mouse button to move an audio clip and the left mouse button to edit the end points ensures that you don't accidentally move a clip while you're trying to alter its length. However, this method is different from both the Windows and Windows 95 convention, which is that you use the left mouse buttons to perform operations (select, move, and so on) and the right mouse button to find out things (properties, etc). If TripleDAT was the only system you were using, this wouldn't be an issue, but the PC's strength is that it is a general-purpose tool, and I think that software authors should keep this in mind when mucking about with the user interface.



There is scope for improving on the Windows interface: the re-sizeable scroll bars in the TripleDAT software, which allow you to both select the location and the 'magnification' within the Cutter and the Arrange windows, are a very neat idea. This kind of innovation -- one that doesn't alter the function of the screen furniture -- is great, but please don't throw the conventions overboard. My message to any software authors reading this column is to think twice before changing the basic user interface of your software. Sometimes 'compatible' is preferred to 'better'.

ON-LINE NEWS



I've commented before on how difficult it is for musicians to get help and advice, partly because of the isolated nature of modern studio music making. Perhaps the internet, despite all its drawbacks, can help out. I've come across two web sites which are examples of how the 'net may be of assistance to 'wired' musicians.



The first is run by Molly-Ann Leikin (http://websites.earthlink.net/~songmd/), who is a songwriting consultant in Los Angeles and is making her experience available -- for a consultation fee, naturally -- to help good songwriters become hit songwriters. Molly-Ann has spent 20 years in the music business as a professional, award-winning songwriter and really knows the business of music, as well as every aspect of its creative side. She helps musicians polish and market their songs, using email to work with songwriters who have the talent to make it to the Top 40, but just haven't got there yet. Molly says "many bands out there have awesome musicians and stage presence, but don't quite have the hit songs yet, which is usually why they don't have deals. But I can change all that. One of my clients has a Grammy nomination, another won an Emmy, and in the past 31 months, 84 of my clients have made deals with music publishers and record labels." Without the internet this service would have been totally out of reach of UK-based songwriters.



The second page I want to mention this month is from the Musicians' Union and -- although the site is still 'under construction' -- shows just how far awareness of the internet has penetrated into the musical community. The MU provides a range of services to its members, including advice on contracts, and cheap instrument and Public Liability insurance. Visit the site, at http://musiciansunion.org.uk/ for more details.



PC NEWS IN BRIEF



• SAMPLES IN SEQUENCE

PC users looking for an affordable sample sequencer for 16-bit soundcards may be interested in Perceptive Solutions' Making Waves. Costing just £49.95, Making Waves uses "unique mixing algorithms" to allow a large number of different samples to be used (layered) simultaneously. Songs and sample loops created in this way can be played back from the PC or stored in .WAV format for use with MIDI sequencers or samplers. The software can be used with any .WAV samples, and a collection of over 400 is supplied alongside the program on CD-ROM. A demo version of Making Waves can be downloaded from Perceptive's web site, at http://www.pslnet.demon.co.uk



You can also call Perceptive Solutions on 01773 821120, or fax them on 01773 825278.



• PASSPORT TO THE INTERNET

Arbiter distribution have passed on some news about an intriguing new program called music@passport, which seems to be a sequencer, running under Windows 95, linked directly to a web site dedicated to support and information for users of the program. music@passport allows the creation of sequences with lyrics, guitar chords and text on up to 16 staves; notes can be entered with the mouse, via an on-screen keyboard, with a MIDI keyboard, or through the 'PitchWrite' feature. This latter function appears to utilise some kind of pitch-to-MIDI conversion process, so that the user can sing or play a guitar or other instrument (a microphone is provided) into their sound card; the pitched input is then converted to MIDI data. music@passport also includes drum and melodic auto-accompaniment files, for easy song construction in a range of styles, and more files are available on the associated music@passport web site. Internet-connected users of the program will have one-click access to the web site, where music made with it may also be published (Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 is supplied with the package). music@passport costs £99.95, available through leading music retailers and PC World superstores -- more info from Arbiter on 0181 202 1199. Derek Johnson  

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