A bit later than I was hoping, but nevertheless it's now time for Building the Dream 2. This time I'll be looking at the RISC OS sound system - everything from the terminology used, to what makes a sound, how the RISC OS sound system works, and how you can write your own sample player.
 
 

In this article we look at some of the programs and projects - some obvious, others less so - that influenced the history of the RISC OS platform and its users. These are our suggestions, not a top ten and certainly not in any particular order. What other applications would you add to the list?
 

Back in the days when I owned an Acorn Electron, Acornsoft View and a dot matrix printer I often believed, during lengthy and hypnotic printing sessions, that my clunky old printer could - with a little ingenious programming - be used as a drum machine. Perhaps it could even make beautiful music. I was wrong.
 
Nearly twenty years later (last summer, actually), Epistaxis Time tried it for real in a Resonance FM broadcast by building an "instrument of punishment" called the Dot Matrix Guitar. Host Dan Wilson said "It's a raspy, nasty noise. I hope it agitates you." It does.
 
You can listen to it online here, download the MP3, or subscribe to the podcast.
 
Resonance FM is ace. One recent show was 8-Bit Adventures - 30 minutes of bleeps from the world's best 8-bit musicians. The radio station is based in London but you can listen to it in streaming MP3 format from anywhere in the world by the power of Greyskullthe Internet. Unfortunately they're fairly strapped for cash, so join in the fundraising if you can. Even if the shows I've mentioned aren't your fancy, it's brilliant to find a radio station with the freedom to commission and broadcast stuff like this.
 

Gaming musician and soundsmith Richard Joseph died yesterday aged 53. He was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year. The BAFTA award winner worked on the music and sound effects for many games which were later ported to the Archimedes, including Cannon Fodder, Sensible Soccer, The Chaos Engine, Magic Pockets, and Gods.
 
Joseph was one of the pioneers of games audio, with his compositions noted for featuring contemporary pop artists (such as Betty Boo in Magic Pockets) and using interactive music (The Chaos Engine) that adapted according to the gameplay.
 
Source: gamesindustry.biz
Wikipedia article
 

Whatever Your Favourite Platform™ is, it might be an idea to listen to Boing Boing and take part in this questionnaire about the future of the BBC's on-demand services.
 
When one of the questions is "How important is it that the proposed seven-day catch-up service over the internet is available to consumers who are not using Microsoft software?", I think it's important to let them know "very". Even if you personally use Windows, the BBC shouldn't lock down its services to one vendor.
 

Recently the BPI and Sir Cliff Richard have campaigned to extend the copyright period for music recordings from 50 years to 95 years. The UK government commissioned an independent review that is now recommending that the terms should not be extended.
 
If the government accepts the review, then in 2008 Mr Richard's earliest songs will come out of copyright, and in 2013 early Beatles records will be royalty free.
 
However, bad news for Sir Cliff means good news for the older generation of music fans.
 

Like music? Like old computers? Hey, me too.
 
Avante-garde musician and composer, Johann Johannson, has recently released his new album. IBM 1401, A User's Manual is based upon the work his father, Johann Gunnarsson, did back in 1964 as chief maintenance engineer of one of Iceland's first computers.
 
The album is performed by a sixty piece string orchestra with electronic sounds and vintage recordings found in his father's attic falling neatly in-between. The IBM 1401 mainframe was programmed to "sing" by placing a radio receiver next to it and controlling the strong electromagnetic waves emitted, producing a thoughtful, engaging and breathtaking experience.
 
There's an interesting article about the making of the album on the official web site, linked below.
 
More info:
IBM 1401, A User's Manual
4AD Records
IBM 1401, A User's Manual on iTunes
 

In this roundup: !AVerMedia; CJE stock; APDL world domination; RISCOS Ltd's latest offer; BeebIt 0.59; other new releases.

For those of you with USB capabilities on your RISC OS machines, and a need for software to control USB radios, Dave Higton brings you !AVerMedia hot on the heels of !DRU-R100. !AVerMedia is free, the code is GPL, you can use it with other apps (e.g. !Alarm) and it works on both the Castle and Simtec USB stacks. So how about throwing Dave a couple of quid so he can actually buy his own unit instead of borrowing one, for when you lot start wanting support? As for where you'd actually buy an AVerMedia USB radio, I dunno, surely even CJE Micros don't... oh, they do? In stock too? Should have known.
Link: !AVerMedia

Speaking as we were of CJE Micros and their legendary stock levels, they have a few other new tricks up their sleeves. First up is the Sharp 172GW 17" LCD monitor, which has those handy dual inputs y'all apparently seem to like: one's a DVI, but with a handy converter you can plug in two regular VGA connectors and switch between them. 225 GBP (inc VAT, ex-delivery) for the monitor, 14 GBP (inc VAT) for the converter, say about a tenner for delivery.
Next up are two Iyonix-compatible external USB hard drives, in 40GB and 80GB flavours - 125 and 140 earth pounds respectively, fully inclusive. They've also reduced prices on Virtal RiscPC-equipped Windows laptops. There's a lot of other new stuff - USB seems to be in this month - but the shocking news is a "What's Not In Stock" page! It mostly seems to be old hardware (video stuff like Viewfinder 8, 32 or 128MB, Irlam VideoDesk, 24i16 or i16 and Eagle M2 podules), computers (working BBC Masters, A4s in any condition) and other bits (A540 PSU, Risc PC Econet, and unused 80 track floppy media), so if you're sitting on any of this stuff (VIGAY!) now might be the time to make a little cash...
Link: CJE Micros

David Bradforth has announced that the Alligata line of books are going digital via self-publish website lulu.com. Basic V: A Dabhand Guide by Mike Williams can currently be downloaded for $6 (what, only three and a half quid?) or bought printed for $12.45. Those prices are set to change RSN though. APDL are also looking for testers for 32-bit neutral WimpBasic and an Excel loader/exporter for Schema2! Email info(at)apdl.co.uk, but make sure you have the latest versions, returned your registration card etc.
Link: APDL

RISCOS Ltd. celebrates the "7th Anniversary of signing Agreement with Element 14" by offering RISC OS 4.39 "Adjust" ROMs for 69 quid (63 + p&p); you've only got from Wednesday 1st March to Friday 17th March for this one though.
Link: RISCOS Ltd.

Michael Foot, one of my favourite Kiwis (after Peter Jackson and my Uncle Bob of course), has released v0.59 of 8-bit Acorn emulator BeebIt. A lot of work appears to have been done to the memory handling, which has the not inconsequencial effect of allowing Level 9 adventures to run in BBC Master and B+ modes.
Link: BeebIt

Other releases

• Free books!
• Bazound RISC OS sound system configuration and diagnostic utility
• Routines v1.19 BASIC programming library
• Avalanche VNC client v0.11
• TechWriter v8.54
• FreeMem updated