Conference napalm::commusic_v1

89.0. "DS:3 sampling machine" by DC2V01::WIEGMAN () Sat Apr 27 1985 14:03

Before you all start to buy Mirages: here is a copy of
the specifications of the DS:3 system.

	DS:3 DIGITAL SOUND SAMPLING SEQUENCER

The DS:3 system consist of a single printed circuit board designed for
the Apple II and IIe series; an optional 5-octave keyboard complete with 
interface and interface software; all necessary system and data software,
cabling, leads and an audio connection unit equipped with standard mono
jack sockets and jack-to-RCA Phono adaptors.
A manual of operationg instructions and applications guidance completes 
the system.

Hardware:

0	Requires Apple II+, Europlus or IIe computer with at least
	one floppy disk drive, contoller and TV monitor.
	The system will operate with 48k memory but best sample time
	performance is obtained with 64k.
	(I heard from my music dealer that in the near future
	 it can use the 128k RAM-card!)
	
Sampling:

0	Four-voice polyphonic operation both at the Apple
	keyboard and at the 5-octave keyboard.
	(In the future this will be upgraded to eight-voice polyphonic)
	Sounds recorded into the system by the sampling circuitry
	may be played in forward or reverse mode
0	DS:3 accepts and supplies synchronizing signals suitable
	for the driving of or by such devices as synthesizers, drum
	machines or tape recorders.
	Levels up to 1.0 volt pulse may be used.
	(My dealer told me that a MIDI update will come in a couple 
	of months.)
0	Any sound or audio signal up to a frequency of 15kHz may be
	sampled. 8-bit sampling is employed with software filtering
	of signal decay. Sampling rate is 30kHz with provisions for
	lower rates and smaller bandwidths giving sample times up
	to 2 seconds plus.
0	Waveform editing of the sampled sound is possible in two
	modes. a) Aural "trim" until sampled sound "sounds" right.
	b) TV screen editing to remove recording glitches, noise, 
	unwanted sample silences, sibilants and breathy sounds
	not required.
0	Waveforms may be created at the TV monitor to provide
	any required waveshape unrelated to any real sound.
0	Provision for future keyboard spitting by octave or
	sub-octave steps.
0	Provision for looping of sounds with control of attack
	phase of sound and decay.

Sequencing:

0	Set-up mode: This is the percussionists worksheet on which
	he/she may operate, edit, create, erase or save a sequence.
	A setup may be s very simple sequence of one sound or
	may be highly complex arrangement of many sequences and
	sounds within the limits of the system.
	Facilities: assigning sound file names
		    assigning sequence filenames
 	 	    assigning song filenames (completed setups)
		    recording sequences
		    setting tempo
		    assigning stores for sequences
		    assigning keyboard layouts
0	Sequencer developer mode: allows the retrieval of sequences.
	merging, joining, editing, listing, saving of sequences. 
0	Keyboard set-up mode: Customises the Apple keyboard for
	position and pitch of sounds to the users choice.
0	Song create mode: polishes the final setup and stores
	permanently for subsequent use in:
0	Performance mode: Chains song files into complete gigs
	or demos. All under real time control of the musician allowing
	simple control of highly complex backing music under live
	stage conditions.
0	Synch mode: Allows synchronization of or by drum machines,
	synths, tape recorders etc.

Software:

0	Complete kit of high quality starter sounds on two floppies.
	Includes examples and demonstration setups.


0	Manufacturer:	GREENGATE PRODUCTIONS
			24 MISSDEN DRIVE
			HEMEL HAMPSTEAD
			HERTS, HP3 8QR
			ENGLAND
			TEL: 0442-3496

re;-1

	Price?

		,km

In my experience 8-bit sampling isn't good enough.  I played a Mountain Hardware
8-bit synthesizer into a sound analyzer that gave me a 1/3-octave breakdown
of the energy through the audio spectrum, in order to find out why the sounds
I was getting were so lousy.  Even with a carefully-computed sine wave in
the buffer I was getting a lot of energy more than 1/3 octave from the center
frequency.  I started looking for a better synthesizer when I found that
I could whistle a better sine wave than I could generate from the computer!

Don't buy futures.  The salesman will promise anything to get you to buy
now, but if I were you I wouldn't buy anything until he can demonstrate a
system that does what you want.  For example, if you want MIDI, wait for
it.  If the system doesn't already have MIDI adding it will be expensive:
at least connectors and cables, more likely the whole Passport or Roland
interface.  I don't remember the price of the Passport interface, but the
last quote I saw for the Roland interface was $149.  (From the Cherry Lane
Technologies Spring 1985 Catalog.)
    John Sauter

About $1000.00
greetings
tonnie

    I have been using the Greengate DS:3 in our studio for some time
    now and I think it is one of the most innovative products in this
    field. Ofcourse it's only 8-bit but then againg so is the Fairlight
    II and still people have been taking very creative sounds out from
    it on many recordings. I can assure you that the DS:3 really lets
    you take the best possible performace out from 8-bit s/n ratio. 
    I use it on an Apple II+ an even with it's limited ram size (64K) 
    I can fit a typical set of drum kit sounds in it. I don't use their 
    own keyboard instead I drive it from an Apple //e / MPU-401 running 
    Texture. It has it's own MIDI-interface and it responses to dynamics 
    (128 levels, I think). If someone is interested I can write a more 
    thorough review in here. What I would really like to know is if 
    there are any other DS:3 users out there. If so I would be interested 
    in swopping sounds and corresponding on the matter. 
    
    Timo Lehtinen
    HSK03::LEHTINEN
    Helsinki, FINLAND