issue14

EMUSIC-L Digest                                      Volume 59, Issue 14

This issue's topics:
	
	AMBRA Computers--A Follow-Up Report (3 messages)
	BEAST Rumours series in Birmingham
	CALL FOR PAPERS
	GRAHAME DIGITAL
	GRAHAME DIGITAL UPDATE
	Hasta la Vista
	In memoriam Frank Zappa
	Pieds-noirs
	where the jobs are

Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon .
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date:         Tue, 7 Dec 1993 14:47:01 -0600
From:         Kenneth Wayne Goodson 
Subject:      AMBRA Computers--A Follow-Up Report

I would be less than honest if I didn't post this followup
to last week's "AMBRA Computers" message. The next day
following that message, I not only got all the parts that
had been promised, I got an entirely new system including
the multimedia kit that was part of the original order. The
new machine seems to be working like a champ. I have really
put it through its paces since I got it with no apparent
problems whatsoever. I would still be a little leary of this
company but maybe they are starting to get their act
together.

************************************************************
*Kenneth Goodson                   *Atlanta High School    *
*Band Director/UIL Computer Science*705 Rabbit Blvd        *
*kgoodson@tenet.edu                *Atlanta, TX  75551     *
*(903) 796-4636 (home)             *(903) 796-7213 (office)*
************************************************************
 "Up, up and away, in my beautiful balloon"-Fifth Dimension

------------------------------
Date:         Tue, 7 Dec 1993 17:42:17 -0400
From:         "ANDREW G. YOUNGER" 
Subject:      Re: AMBRA Computers--A Follow-Up Report

Hi, I am glad to hear that your problems with Ambra computers have more or
less worked themselves out. But again I agree that one should be leary of
any company which gives you the run around, even if only at the beginning.

On another topic, does anyone know anything about MIDI guitar interfaces.
I have a twelve string acoustic and a six string electric and am desperately
in need of any information someone might have on this topic. I know of only
the Roland GK-2 pickup ($350) and the nessesary GR-1 Guitar Synth ($1995) ehich
 is required to run the GK-2. What is the quality like on this system and
are there any other systems out there. Even with those list prices what is a
reasonable amount to pay. I hear that I may have to buy a six string
acoustic if I want to run this system with acoustic guitar rather than
 electric.Anyone know if this is the case? I have also heard that instead of the
 GR-1
you can use the Roland SOund Canvas. Any thoughts?

Anything at all that anyone may know about guitar synthesis would be
most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Andrew Younger

AYOUNGER@ac.dal.ca

"The more I see the more I find the more I find fewer answers."
Marillion (1987)

------------------------------
Date:         Wed, 8 Dec 1993 08:07:43 -0500
From:         Philip Nelson 
Subject:      Re: AMBRA Computers--A Follow-Up Report

> On another topic, does anyone know anything about MIDI guitar interfaces.
> I have a twelve string acoustic and a six string electric and am desperately
> in need of any information someone might have on this topic. I know of only
> the Roland GK-2 pickup ($350) and the nessesary GR-1 Guitar Synth ($1995)
 ehich
>  is required to run the GK-2. What is the quality like on this system and
> are there any other systems out there. Even with those list prices what is a
> reasonable amount to pay. I hear that I may have to buy a six string
> acoustic if I want to run this system with acoustic guitar rather than
>  electric.Anyone know if this is the case?

I use the GK-2 with the Roland GR-50.  The pickup is mounted on a strat
so I don't know how well it would work on an acoustic guitar.  On the strat
it tracks fairly well though you must play the guitar a certain way to get
attacks where you'd expect them and usually I mix guitar and synth sounds
for live performance.  I picked this setup used for $500.00 used.


>I have also heard that instead of the
>  GR-1
> you can use the Roland SOund Canvas. Any thoughts?

You would still need the GR-1.  The GK-2 is a proprietary controller and
I think the Sound Canvas would only have a MIDI input not a GK-2 input.
One other caution is that track of a keyboard oriented synth will have to
be modified extensively because when you hammer on a string you get a bend
controller message rather than a note on, note off, note on combination.
When I first started using my TX81Z I was very frustrated by this and still
don't have have all the patches modified to bend notes in tune.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Philip Nelson                               (414)465-2309
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay           Internet:  nelsonp@uwgb.edu
Computing and Information Technology        AOL:       PhilipN3
------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------
Date:         Mon, 6 Dec 1993 11:18:25 GMT
From:         Netnews Server 
Subject:      BEAST Rumours series in Birmingham

BEAST at the Mac         Rumours...

Sunday 12 December - with Stephen Cottrell (soprano saxophone)

Notable for its use of recordings of a boy's voice alongside
electronically produced sources,  Karlheinz Stockhausen's Gesang
der Junglinge has acquired the status of a 'classic' in the
electroacoustic medium. Firmly in the Parisian tradition, Couleurs
de la nuit shows the refinement so characteristic of its composer,
Francois Bayle, head of the GRM and a champion of acousmatic
music. Between these two pillars are ranged three pieces with
Birmingham connections: an electroacoustic/minimalist work by
Dan Rodger and two works for soprano saxophone and tape which won
prizes in the Mixed Category of the Bourges Awards, Jonty
Harrison's EQ and Mike Vaughan's Ensphered, commissioned by
Stephen Cottrell and BEAST.


Further information:   mac
   Canon Hill Park
   Edgbaston
   Birmingham B12 9QH

   Tel: 021-440 3838
or mooreaj@ibm3090.bham.ac.uk    ..... tel 44 21 414 5786

------------------------------
Date:         Wed, 8 Dec 1993 21:23:38 CST
From:         C356HUM 
Subject:      Re: CALL FOR PAPERS

In article <199311190445.XAA26123@autarch.acsu.buffalo.edu> Chunming Kenneth
Kwan  writes:
>       Festival of Music by Contemporary Chinese Composers
>             State University of New York at Buffalo
>                        16-17 April 1994
>
>
>                         CALL FOR PAPERS
>
>
>The Festival of Music by Contemporary Chinese Composers is taking place 16-17
>April 1994 at the State University of New York at Buffalo.  Sponsored by the
>Music Department and various other university offices and student groups, this
>festival will feature concerts of music by contemporary Chinese composers from
>different countries.  There will also be paper sessions on contemporary
Chinese
>music and theorists and historians interested in this subject are invited to
>submit papers.  300-word final abstracts of presentation are due 20 January
>1994 and questions should be directed to:
>
>Kenneth Kwan
>222 Baird Hall
>Music Department
>SUNY Buffalo
>Buffalo, NY 14260
>Tel: (716)862-0548
>Internet: ckkwan@acsu.buffalo.edu
>Bitnet: V537UE8Y@ubvms.BITNET
>.
>.

------------------------------
Date:         Fri, 3 Dec 1993 21:53:23 PST
From:         metlay 
Subject:      Re: GRAHAME DIGITAL

>          Well, still no  word  from James Graham about the analog sampling
>          CD,  for  which some of  us have already sent  our money. Someone
>          suggested to  me that perhaps his game was to collect the samples
>          submitted by well-meaning musicians and  sell  them commercially.
>          For this kind of scam  he  is better off  not cashing checks that
>          are sent  to  him since that would involve larceny and  not  just
>          fraud.  Is  this  an over-reaction? If  his motives were  sincere
>          you'd think  that at least he'd  get  in touch and  let  us  know
>          what's  happening.  I'm   thinking   about   legal  options...any
>          comments?

Well, normally my first comment would be 'lighten up, there could be any
number of reasons for the delay', but I just got off the phone with someone
in St. Louis who confirmed that the nice honest respectable chap to whom
I sold my Amiga and who never paid me for it has skipped town with several
thousand dollars' worth of computer gear, leaving his wife and young
children in a house with no phone or electricity. Ergo i am feeling less
than charitable. I would, however, suspect sudden ill health or other
accident before malice in this case; too many people know where the fellow
lives for him to get away with it scot-free.

--
mike metlay * atomic city * box 81175 pgh pa 15217-0675 * metlay@netcom.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I incorporated the sound into my dreams...but I didn't wake up." (suzanne)

------------------------------
Date:         Tue, 14 Dec 1993 09:57:09 GMT
From:         JOEL STERN 
Subject:      GRAHAME DIGITAL UPDATE

          An interesting bit  of news...I happened to find the phone number
          of James Grahame among some old messages I had printed out, so  I
          called and spoke to  him  last Sunday. He  is alive and  has  not
          cashed anybody's check. Apparantly  he encountered some  problems
          in production of the CDs and "hopes" to send them out by  the end
          of  the month, but  is  not optimistic about that. James said  he
          doesn't have access to e-mail now  and that explains his lack  of
          communication. He described the  contents  of  the  CD  as  being
          varied in quality. He also asked that I  post his phone number in
          case anyone wishes to contact him (I believe it's in Canada):

           306-536-3342

           I'm glad my alarmism was premature, if not inappropriate :


          Joel Stern
          Library Of Congress
          stern@mail.loc.gov
          tel:301-588-8061  fax:301-585-7642

------------------------------
Date:         Mon, 20 Dec 1993 20:33:19 +0000
From:         Nick Rothwell 
Subject:      Hasta la Vista

I'm outta here for a couple of weeks, flying to Ibiza for Christmas and the
New Year, where I'm probably going to spend most of the time up in the
hills, far away from the nearest TV, phone or radio, wiling away the long
sunny days by learning to play the tabla.

I'll deal with any MAX list administrivia when I get back. Mail to me will
generate delivery-waiting messages after a week, but I'll see to it when I
get back.

                        Nick Rothwell   |   cassiel@cassiel.demon.co.uk
     CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance   |   cassiel@cix.compulink.co.uk

------------------------------
Date:         Wed, 8 Dec 1993 09:41:54 -0500
From:         Mark G Simon 
Subject:      In memoriam Frank Zappa


Frank Zappa died a few days ago. Pretty hard to believe! The composer of
"Why does it hurt when I pee" died of cancer of the prostate.

I am reminded of a lot of things, such as the numerous times I and some
friends who were big Zappa-heads went to see 200 Motels, which was so
much unlike any movie I had seen before or since. This was in 1972. I'm
sure if I saw the movie today I'd find it totally sophomoric, but the
album continues to get an ocasional spin on my turntable.

I am reminded of the incredible influence Zappa had on a lot of kids at
that time. I was only on the perimeter of the circle of Zappa-heads but I
was close enough to observe at first hand how their concepts of music
were totally revolutionized by contact with Zappas records. I'm sure
"Nasal retentive Caliope Music" and "The Chrome Plated Megaphone of
Destiny" were their first (mine too) contacts with electronic music of
the "musique concrete" variety. And I know some of these same Zappa-heads
broadened their interests into Bartok, Stravinsky and Messiaen by way of
Zappa. and of course Varese never had a better publicist. I came to Zappa
from the other direction. It was his resemblance to Varese that led me to
him. Zappa's music could be brilliant and banal, often in the same
breath. His sense of humor remained that of a 13 year old, but there was
always the feeling that behind the nonsense was a brilliant mind that was
just on the verge of developing into something seriously big. He may have
had "no commercial potential" but he did have potential, his works reeked
of potential greatness. I think the saddest thing about his death is that
he never fully realized that potential, not anywhere close.

Mark Simon
mgs2@cornell.edu

------------------------------
Date:         Thu, 2 Dec 1993 18:21:30 GMT
From:         Vincent Pagel 
Subject:      Pieds-noirs

On me demande de vous demander si n'yaurait pas quelque pied-noir connecte' au
reseau ( c'est politiquement correct ca, un pied noir ??? ) qui se souviendrait
avec emotion de la version du Cid par la famille Hernandes ou d'une autre de
leur
creation ....


Tout pointeur vers un disque (ca serait super ) , un livre , photo , etc ...
tous les temoignages sont les bienvenus.


        Merci , vincent Pagel ( pagel@loria.fr )

------------------------------
Date:         Tue, 21 Dec 1993 14:55:46 -0600
From:         hinkle-turner elizabeth 
Subject:      where the jobs are

To anyone with this info:


        After 4 miserable years of academic job searching and being a
"visiting" faculty member (hey, I'm one of the LUCKY ones!), I've decided
"Enough is Enough!"  Perhaps there are other related career areas for me.
        So, I have been going through the job listings on Gopher et el in
search of private sector opportunities for folks like me with LOTS of
music, video, "multimedia" computer chops.  I keep reading about how this
field is booming (esp. in advertising and publishing) but don't seem to
find computer jobs in these areas listed.  I must simply be looking in the
wrong place!
        Is there some sort of job-listing bulletin board online or (gasp!)
on PAPER that would contain national advertisements for jobs in areas like
CD-ROM development, advertising, publication, desktop audio/video in the
private sector?  Seeing as how the majority of the folks I graduated with
are in the same boat (the academic "gravy train" has stopped running), I
think we would all be grateful for an answer!
        If no one can help me, perhaps some of you know how I can acquire
stock in UHaul, seeing as how they've made a MINT off my yearly moving
experiences back-and-forth across this great country of ours!

        Thanks!

        Dr. Elizabeth Hinkle-Turner, visiting (groan!) director
        The Experimental Music Studios
        The University of Iowa

        ehturner@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu


. . . . . "Where the JOBS are,  that's the place for me . . . . . "

. . . . . "Heigh ho, heigh ho, it's off to work we go!. . . . . . ."

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End of the EMUSIC-L Digest
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