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From: nebula@sftig.UUCP (nebula)
Newsgroups: net.music.synth
Subject: Re: mellotrons are ANALOG
Message-ID: <519@sftig.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Apr-85 10:29:16 EST
Article-I.D.: sftig.519
Posted: Tue Apr 23 10:29:16 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 24-Apr-85 07:24:22 EST
References: <258@cmu-cs-g.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Summit, NJ
Lines: 38

> From: ckk@cmu-cs-g.ARPA (Chris Koenigsberg)
> Subject: mellotrons are ANALOG

>  Digital technology has a long way to go before catching up to analog in the 
> fullness of sound available. Of course, analog has its own limitations and 
> distortion problems, too.

> Chris Koenigsberg
> 1025 Murray Hill Ave.
> Pgh., Pa. 15217
> MORPHIC RESONANCE, a foundation for contemporary music

Come on chris! What sort of myths are being perpetrated at MORPHIC RESONANCE anyway?
Maybe I missed your point a bit, I'm not sure.  In any case, in reference to your 
comment, I do hope that the analog  that you referred  to were referrences to LIVE 
sorts of analog! Digital, or any other sort of technology for that matter, may not be
able to totally compete with live analog from a sound generation point of view.
However, from a reproduction/manipulation point of view, I certainly hope that you 
realize the awesome advantages of digital technology.  Even at that,  there are 
quite a few "enthusiasts" throughout the world working on narrowing the gap between 
"natural" analog generation mechanisms and digital generation methods.  I've heard
quite a sampling of the results of such efforts.  The best results are very close
to "perfect".
     In view of these results, I must disagree with you about your comment that 
"digital technology has a long way to go before catching up to analog in the 
fullness of sound available".  Actually, digital technology has in fact almost 
nearly duplicated the results of analog sound generation methods.  The problems 
with digital technology are not those of inherent limitations in the types results 
of sounds that can be produced, they are UNLIMITED.  The problems with QUALITY
digital sound generation are those problems associated with the relatively high 
price of computational engines, software development time, d/a & a/d conversion
 gear and the cost of educating people in the theories and intricacies associated
 with digital sound generation/composition. 

						Doug Donahue
						AT&T Bell Labs
						attunix!dr_d
						201 522 6175