Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!watmath!att!cbnewsj!drv
From: drv@cbnewsj.ATT.COM (dennis.r.vogel)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: AdLib Board
Keywords: Music AdLib Synthesizer
Message-ID: <759@cbnewsj.ATT.COM>
Date: 21 Sep 89 16:59:36 GMT
References: <340@pwa-b.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 44

In article <340@pwa-b.UUCP>, marks@pwa-b.UUCP (Evan R. Marks) writes:
> Does anyone have any information on the AdLib board.  I have heard that this
> board makes the PC sound very close to the Amiga's sound.
> I have seen ads that show it being used with games, but can you create your own
> music?
> 
> Evan R. Marks  			   	 Pratt & Whitney Aircraft

I have an AdLib board in my XT clone.  I don't know about the
Amiga but I think the AdLib sounds pretty good for what it is.
From a discussion with someone on the Net a while back, I
learned that it's synthesis techniques are somewhat limited (I'd 
say the professional synthesizers and music software have nothing
to be worried about) but it's still fun for an amateur to play around with.

I don't know how to make it work with games but you can, indeed, compose
your own music.  And you can create your own sounds, too.  It comes
with several songs and instruments already and a jukebox program to
access the songs.  You can add your own songs to the jukebox.

Mine also has a music game included and some manuals with basic
music composition and theory.  I've since received another composition
book.

My biggesst complaints are the method for entering musical compositions
is awkward.  You don't enter notes as letter--rather you use the mouse
to draw a bar adjacent to a representation of a piano keyboard.  (I think
you can use the keyboard--maybe I should try that to see if its less tedious).
The length of the bar is the length of the note.  Also, no way to tie notes
together; each successive note is stressed (not staccatto but definitely
not a smooth transition from the previous note).

There's no way to enter triplets in the composition program either.

Pluses are the reasonably good sound and the ability to modify the
preset instrument sounds to create your own.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy.

Dennis R. Vogel
AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lincroft, NJ