Computer / Software

Brian Heywood concludes his look at PC soundcards by considering some of the issues involved in using them to record and play back digital audio.

Derek Johnson brings you more news from the platform that wouldn't die... the ST.

AARRGGH! Just as you were about to save your computer crashes, destroying the only record of your latest musical opus. What should be your next step? Before you douse your PC in aviation fuel and set it ablaze, calm down, and hearken unto the soothing advice of Crashmeister Janet Harniman-Cook...

Many people have trouble adding new software cards to a PC. If your slots are full to overflowing, and every card is fighting for its own resources, you will almost certainly encounter problems. Fortunately, Martin Walker is here to lead you through the minefield.

Astonished by the speed of software development, Martin Russ wonders where it's all leading... MOTU Digital Performer.

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...

There are now more options on the market than ever before for anyone wishing to indulge in hard disk recording and editing. Paul D. Lehrman previews the latest update for the popular Pro Tools system, designed to keep Digidesign on top amidst increasing competition.

One of the PC's plus points is its adaptability to a variety of tasks depending on the extra hardware installed in it — and the soundcard used can make or break it as a musical tool. In this two-part series, Brian Heywood takes a look at the various types of soundcard available.

Ofir Gal and Derek Johnson round up more Atari software and hardware news, and discover a new online Atari magazine.

When your PC soundcard ceases to function, the newly connected external controller very often gets the blame — wrongly. Brian Heywood identifies some possible alternative causes.

Janet Harniman-Cook quite literally takes the lid off the PC, and explains why she thinks it's the best bet for the future of music.

Paul White looks at the components of a PC-based desktop music system, and suggests some helpful ways of using such setups in conjunction with more 'traditional' studio equipment.

The PC-owning community now seems to be split into two camps — those who already record onto hard disk, and those who would like to, but have not yet worked out what equipment they really need. Martin Walker guides you past the pitfalls and perils.

Martin Russ gets to grips with Quick Time 2.5, explains how Weird Blinking Lights work, and gives his regular roundup of Mac news and useful 'net addresses.

Most of the major music software manufacturers now recognise the PC as a serious music platform and are ensuring that the PC versions of the software don't miss out on any important features. Paul White gives an overview of the latest Logic Audio for Windows '95 and compares it with the Mac version.

When Martin Walker decided it was time to buy a removable SCSI hard drive for his sampler, he fondly imagined that it would be a centralised storage solution for both samples and MIDI data from his PC, streamlining song organisation and making sample management easier. Enter reality...

Martin Russ investigates OMS and FreeMIDI compatibility, explains how you can protect yourself from copy protection, and rounds up more Mac news and useful 'net addresses...

Cubase Audio for the Falcon gets an upgrade, there's a new shareware editor for Sound Canvas users just out, and controversy rages on the net about the place of the Atari ST. Ofir Gal presides.

This month, Brian Heywood explores the delights of 'generative' music with Koan Pro, and checks out a new, easy-to-use soundcard.

One of the Mac world's sequencing front-runners, Vision has been ported to the PC, where it faces some stiff competition from the established packages. Paul Nagle goes all visionary...

Ofir Gal reflects on the history of the Falcon with mixed feelings, and revisits the current C-lab MkX.