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Date: Sun 08-Nov-1990 18:42:08 From: cerberus@caen.engin.umich.edu (R Eric Bennett) Subject: The Ultimate Synth This really only applies to a small group of people since it involves NeXT and sound synthesis. Most know that the NeXT computer has an onboard DSP. It also supports MIDI (not as well as I would like, but we'll see in Sys2.0). The idea I have is this: The problem with most synths today is that they typically have company-specific hard-coded synthesis (or lack thereof) techniques. What is needed is a TRULY programmable synth. One that allows you to set up your own synthesis algorithms. Throuh in mappable controller support and you've got the start of (warning, cliche ahead) the ULTIMATE SYNTH. One that allows you not only to control every aspect of your sound, but one that allows you to do WYSIWYG document layout, play your favorite games and read newsgroups. To an extent this can be done on the NeXT. The limit is only the hardware such as the DSP and it's on-board memory, which will grow or the company will go out of business in which case this idea means nothing. Throw on the front of this a GUI that allows you to drag around oscillators, mappable controllers, and connect them all together. Let's you design your own waveforms, periodic and non-periodic. So, it's a wonderful idea in my opinion but does anybody else want this? If so email, 'cause if no-one is interested then I have better things to do with my time. Eric Bennett cerberus@caen.engin.umich.edu (Unix mail) cerberus@itl.itd.umich.edu (NeXT mail)
These are the contents of the former NiCE NeXT User Group NeXTSTEP/OpenStep software archive, currently hosted by Marcel Waldvogel and Netfuture.ch.