AmigaOS 4.1 Update 3 Released

Karlos said:
Well, I don't think the limitation (if it exists) is a shortcoming of the OS, more likely just AHI itself.
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Well, either way, it's a limitation of the system that I don't think there is any way around.

I used to think I would always have an amiga at the centre of my studio but little things like this make it a non-starter. It was quite difficult to admit it to myself as I still have an irattional emotional attachment to all things amiga. :-)
 
There is not a bitcrusher, non-linear filter or any other contrivance that can reproduce that sweet, grainy, bass-laden sound you get from Paula. Consequently, nothing will replace my A1200 for getting that sound.
 
Karlos said:
There is not a bitcrusher, non-linear filter or any other contrivance that can reproduce that sweet, grainy, bass-laden sound you get from Paula. Consequently, nothing will replace my A1200 for getting that sound.
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Very true and one of the reasons I will always keep at least one amiga around to use as an instrument.

However, it used to be the brains of the operation. These days it's a seldom used drone.
 
I actually use 2 A1200's at times. One modest wedge running OctaMED SS as a pure MIDI tracker and the tower running MIDI In as a sampler (using Paula for output), chained with the tone gen. That way I get to use big 16-bit samples without the constraints that OctaMED SS has when using them.
 
redrumloa said:
So far it seems most of OS4 users are having major problems, so I'd be curious how it works for you.
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I'll keep you posted, but it won't be tonight as I worked late and have a dinner invite.
 
Karlos said:
I actually use 2 A1200's at times. One modest wedge running OctaMED SS as a pure MIDI tracker and the tower running MIDI In as a sampler (using Paula for output), chained with the tone gen. That way I get to use big 16-bit samples without the constraints that OctaMED SS has when using them.
Click to expand...

Excellent. If I'm ever roon' your neck of the woods, you'll need to show me that in action.
 
Robert said:
Excellent. If I'm ever roon' your neck of the woods, you'll need to show me that in action.
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You should go for curry. You're not more than 3 inches from Manchester by the map I'm looking at.
 
Robert said:
Excellent. If I'm ever roon' your neck of the woods, you'll need to show me that in action.
Click to expand...

Well, here's a slightly old shot of "the pit" (big image, so linked instead):
http://www.amiga.org/gallery/images/810/1_2941.jpg

The big AT tower on the right hand side is the A1200T; you can just about make out the C= sticker that was transferred from the original wedge on the front. On top is an old Frankenstein PC that I used to use for audio capture but is now sitting defunct in the next room. The A1 (which now sits in place of it) is the curved grey machine under the desk. The tone gen you can see just above the desktop A1200 is a Yamaha MU100R into which Paula output (from the 1200T) is fed. The keyboard in front is a basic 4 octave controller, next to that is a trigger finger control pad (actually that's long term loan from a friend). Hiding behind the desk you can make out my very old Yamaha PSS680 keyboard, which I occasionally use as a source for FM (which can be surprisingly good in glitch) or those distinctly 80's lofi PCM drum sounds, also controlled via MIDI. It's been de-beaked (as in I took out the speakers) so that it doesn't interfere with the old CRT ;)

The usual configuration I use is illustrated here (in a diagram made for a thread about OctaMED no less):
http://www.amiga.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=538

(sorry, direct linking doesn't seem to work)

The 2-Amiga configuration is here:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=539

If you've never seen or used it, MIDI In is basically a MIDI controlled multitimbral sampler that replays in glorious non-linear Paula 14-bit stereo at up to 56kHz if you are using a scandoubled mode (or RTG). Samples are limited only by the amount of installed FastRAM. It handles basic note velocity, pan, pitchbend and supports the usual split-range keyboard and so on. It's also astonishingly low latency. There's no real perceptible delay in it receiving a note on event and playback. Here's a basic screenshot of it running on 3.9 on the 1200T:
http://www.amiga.org/gallery/images/810/1_midiin.png

The above was playing back a good old mellotron choir multi-sample set (you can see the loaded banks). You probably know the one, famously nicknamed the "choir of the undead". That's 8 channels of 16-bit 48kHz audio right there on a 25MHz 68040 and I've subsequently tested it with more channels than that without problems.
 
FluffyMcDeath said:
Pshaw. In Canada 3 inches is two days drive on a dirt road.
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Which is one of the reasons Vancouver has yet to be crossed off the list.

Been to Canada half a dozen times but never made it further West than Windsor, Ontario.
 
Karlos said:
Well, here's a slightly old shot of "the pit" (big image, so linked instead):
http://www.amiga.org/gallery/images/810/1_2941.jpg

The big AT tower on the right hand side is the A1200T; you can just about make out the C= sticker that was transferred from the original wedge on the front.
Click to expand...

Looks similar to my A1200T, one of the Eyetech EZTowers.

On top is an old Frankenstein PC that I used to use for audio capture but is now sitting defunct in the next room. The A1 (which now sits in place of it) is the curved grey machine under the desk. The tone gen you can see just above the desktop A1200 is a Yamaha MU100R into which Paula output (from the 1200T) is fed.
Click to expand...

So what do you do to the Paula output once it gets to the MU100R?

The keyboard in front is a basic 4 octave controller, next to that is a trigger finger control pad (actually that's long term loan from a friend). Hiding behind the desk you can make out my very old Yamaha PSS680 keyboard, which I occasionally use as a source for FM (which can be surprisingly good in glitch) or those distinctly 80's lofi PCM drum sounds, also controlled via MIDI. It's been de-beaked (as in I took out the speakers) so that it doesn't interfere with the old CRT ;)
Click to expand...

Good idea. Those old Yamaha PS speakers were awful anyway, if I remember right.

The usual configuration I use is illustrated here (in a diagram made for a thread about OctaMED no less):
http://www.amiga.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=538

The 2-Amiga configuration is here:
http://www.amiga.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=24&pictureid=539
Click to expand...

Might be this old Macbook but neither of those two pics are opening here.

If you've never seen or used it, MIDI In is basically a MIDI controlled multitimbral sampler that replays in glorious non-linear Paula 14-bit stereo at up to 56kHz if you are using a scandoubled mode (or RTG). Samples are limited only by the amount of installed FastRAM. It handles basic note velocity, pan, pitchbend and supports the usual split-range keyboard and so on. It's also astonishingly low latency. There's no real perceptible delay in it receiving a note on event and playback. Here's a basic screenshot of it running on 3.9 on the 1200T:
http://www.amiga.org/gallery/images/810/1_midiin.png
Click to expand...

That picture opened OK. No, never used it or seen it in action.

I did once (about 15 years ago) hook up two A1200s to get more OctaMED channels via null modem cable.

I also used to control OSS from digital Multitrackers via MIDI, which was cool for synchronisation. As soon as you hit 'record' on the multitracker, OSS would start and, in turn, autostart the outboard gear. That consisted of various keyboards, synthesisers, sound modules and drum machines, most of which I've since sold.

Pity I never took any photos of that old set up, it was pretty mad looking, with MIDI and audio leads running everywhere.

When I first got my Pegasos going, Alfred Faust made me a lovely MIDI interface (which also works perfectly on my A1). I initially used it with Bars and Pipes. Audio was recorded in Pro station Audio.

When I got my A1, I tried Audio Evolution but found it a little limited. No MIDI being the main issue.

Not long after this, Thilo got HD-rec to a stage where it surpassed all the other Amiga audio software I had, in terms of an all-in-one, Digital Audio Workstation. The only limitation on his demos were track counts and recording time limited to 45 minutes per track (plenty for most purposes).

I helped him bug check it for OS4 and MorphOS for awhile and was constantly pestering him to let me buy a full copy.
However, he was one programmer, working on an immense piece of software and he never released in commercially.
I started drifting towards Logic on the Mac.
HD-rec is now open source and would probably run beautifully on your set up. you should check it out:
http://www.hd-rec.de/HD-Rec/pics//screenshots/hdrec_full.png

You can control all your MIDI gear with it, and it has a couple of built in software instruments, some effects (stonking tunnel reverb:thumbs up:) as well as allowing you to record audio. I think you can even set OctaMED, via Maestrix, to output it's audio to an HD-Rec audio track.

8 channels of 16-bit 48kHz audio right there on a 25MHz 68040 and I've subsequently tested it with more channels than that without problems.
Click to expand...

Impressive.

Having said that, on the occassions that I do switch on the A1200T, it's the 8-bit sound I'm after.
 
Robert said:
Looks similar to my A1200T, one of the Eyetech EZTowers.
Click to expand...
It is, I think. One of their early DIY conversion kits.
So what do you do to the Paula output once it gets to the MU100R?
Click to expand...
Well, the MU100R's AD inputs allow the sound to be mixed with everything else and have the same effects processing as the internal patches. You can also assign MIDI control channels to them so that all the effects operating on them are completely under MIDI control.

The output from the MU100R goes straight into my cans :) Or, if I am actually producing something, is captured by another machine, eg the A1 or PC or whatever. Right now, nothing is capturing, but I haven't composed anything for a while.

Good idea. Those old Yamaha PS speakers were awful anyway, if I remember right.
Click to expand...

They weren't so bad when it was new, but I was like 13 then :D. The main reason I removed them though was the magnetic distortion to the CRT as for a time it was placed where the controller keyboard is now.

Might be this old Macbook but neither of those two pics are opening here.
Click to expand...
It's in my personal amiga.org user gallery as opposed to the general gallery. I strongly suspect you might have to have a session (and hence need to log in) there to see them.

That picture opened OK. No, never used it or seen it in action.
Click to expand...
It's surprisingly good, but as far as I know, hasn't been developed for a good long while.

I did once (about 15 years ago) hook up two A1200s to get more OctaMED channels via null modem cable.

I also used to control OSS from digital Multitrackers via MIDI, which was cool for synchronisation. As soon as you hit 'record' on the multitracker, OSS would start and, in turn, autostart the outboard gear. That consisted of various keyboards, synthesisers, sound modules and drum machines, most of which I've since sold.

Pity I never took any photos of that old set up, it was pretty mad looking, with MIDI and audio leads running everywhere.

When I first got my Pegasos going, Alfred Faust made me a lovely MIDI interface (which also works perfectly on my A1). I initially used it with Bars and Pipes. Audio was recorded in Pro station Audio.

When I got my A1, I tried Audio Evolution but found it a little limited. No MIDI being the main issue.

Not long after this, Thilo got HD-rec to a stage where it surpassed all the other Amiga audio software I had, in terms of an all-in-one, Digital Audio Workstation. The only limitation on his demos were track counts and recording time limited to 45 minutes per track (plenty for most purposes).

I helped him bug check it for OS4 and MorphOS for awhile and was constantly pestering him to let me buy a full copy.
However, he was one programmer, working on an immense piece of software and he never released in commercially.
I started drifting towards Logic on the Mac.
HD-rec is now open source and would probably run beautifully on your set up. you should check it out:
http://www.hd-rec.de/HD-Rec/pics//screenshots/hdrec_full.png

You can control all your MIDI gear with it, and it has a couple of built in software instruments, some effects (stonking tunnel reverb:thumbs up:) as well as allowing you to record audio. I think you can even set OctaMED, via Maestrix, to output it's audio to an HD-Rec audio track.
Click to expand...

Will give that a go actually. Would be nice to use the A1 for capture and then I can say all my stuff is produced on Amiga again :D

Impressive.

Having said that, on the occassions that I do switch on the A1200T, it's the 8-bit sound I'm after.
Click to expand...

Well that's the rub. You can still get that lovely sound. Even at 14-bit the response curve is about as linear as the letter S is angular. It's not using AHI as I recall, that was one of the proposed updates) and hence doesn't use any 14-bit calibration you may have from the old CyberSound tool. Also you still get the same aliasing effects, but can better control where the cutoff is by simply selecting a different mixing frequency. It's just that you get finer tuned control over the sound in terms of pitch and volume and less of the not-quite-as-useful quantization noise.

I have a test mashup somewhere that was composed using MIDI In for sample replay, controlled by OctaMED and (to a limited extent since it was on the whole mix) effect wettened with the MU100R. I'll see if I can find it and post a link.
 
Karlos said:
I have a test mashup somewhere that was composed using MIDI In for sample replay, controlled by OctaMED and (to a limited extent since it was on the whole mix) effect wettened with the MU100R. I'll see if I can find it and post a link.
Click to expand...

http://extropia.co.uk/_temp/mashup.mp3

Behold the Paula goodness...

Shame the tune it self is naff, but it was my first experiment with this configuration.
 
Don't be so hard on yourself - I like it anyway.
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Cheers. Some big-ass samples were used by Amiga standards. About 30MB in total IIRC. The sound is unmistakably Paula-tainted IMNSO.

Where did you get the main vocal?
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It's Mike Doughty, singing on Brian Transeau's "Never gonna come back down"...

-edit-

Bonus points if you can identify the rest without looking at the ID3 tag comments
 
Robert said:
Of course, you could go through a mixer first, as I used to, but that kills the possibility to edit the tracks individually.
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Not if you have a 16x16 firewire mixer :D

I record everything via MIDI first and then record it dry to Logic when I happy with it (unless I'm recording multiple tracks from the same synth).

When I'm done I can play 16 channels back to the mixer to add effects and analogue EQ then record them all back in. After that I do the final mix. This intermediate step sounds like a pain but by having dry and wet recordings I can redo a mix without having to remember all the EQ settings.

I've not done anything with the Amiga yet but it's on the list. I don't want to do any of this 14 bit mixed stuff though. To me the sound of the Amiga is the early mods with 4 channels of low sample rate, low-fi 8 bit with masses of quantization noise that moves with the notes (interesting side-effect of the way Paula works.).

I'm still learning but if you want to hear what I've done so far:
http://soundcloud.com/mefistophelees
 
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