![]() Compare this to even a fairly modest stand‑alone sampler like the Akai S900, which can play back eight different sounds simultaneously, and you see the limitations. ![]() There are a number of reasons why this is difficult for the average soundcard, the most problematic being that soundcards are normally monophonic - so each time you trigger a new sound, any playing sound will be cut off. One of the most common misconceptions about the digital audio aspect of Windows MPC soundcards is the extent to which you can practically use your soundcard as a replacement for a music sampler. It'd be nice to think I'm wrong, as competition would undoubtedly improve the 'breed' of personal computers. If Apple can break out of their 'proprietary' rut, and release their operating system as a stand‑alone product (like Windows), they could then be in the running to become the next personal computing standard.īut despite Apple's recent commitment to do just this (with IBM and the PowerPC), this action is so out of character that I think the company will get cold feet. At least the Seattle‑based software house has ensured that their operating system will run on the 'standard' PC, and have no temptation to include features that will require the purchase of more hardware. Since Apple are extremely proprietorial about their hardware and operating system, they would have a stranglehold on the entire market place, far more so than Microsoft. Imagine if the Macintosh was in the number one slot. The software side is not such a free market, with Microsoft ruling the roost in terms of the Windows operating system.Ĭonsider the alternative, though. There's plenty of competition, which keeps prices low, and ensures a wide range of choice. On the hardware side, it is, since the PC has an open architecture. This widening out of the PC's role may explain why the PC is virtually taking over the personal computer market, but whether this is a good thing is another matter. This is an ever‑expanding task, as the PC is rapidly becoming more of a multimedia‑based platform, and is joining the list of other media players, alongside the traditional TV, video machine, and radio. This column is a bit of strange animal, in that it has to cover the musical applications of the PC, as well as all the other possible uses a musician might have for a PC. ![]() This month, Brian Heywood takes a look at the evolving role of the PC, and considers the parts CD‑ROMs and the Internet have to play in the future of music and shopping.
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