Product ReviewsMultimedia software
QuickTime Musical Instruments is the software synthesizer that's bundled with all new Macs. It enables MIDI keyboards and songs to be played directly through the Mac, without an external synthesizer. As the instruments conform to the General MIDI (GM) standard, they are limited in range and scope. For the serious professional or amateur musician, it's a lacklustre selection. In the past, the only solution was to buy a hardware synthesizer, hook it up to your Mac, and connect external speakers and an amplifier. Now Roland, the manufacturer of electronic keyboards, has come up with a software solution. Virtual Sound Canvas (VSC) is a collection of advanced, realistic sounds that can replace QuickTime Musical Instruments to provide a rich and varied source of sampled sounds. Strings attached The instrument range is impressive. The collection includes 39 keyboards (including pianos, harpsichords and clavichords), 23 percussive instruments (tubular bells, zithers, vibraphones and so on), 49 organs (from church organs to 1960s Hammonds to accordions), 56 guitars and 76 bass guitars. There are 20 orchestral instruments (violins, cellos, harps and timpani), 63 'ensemble' instruments (strings and choirs), 51 brass instruments (tubas, french horns, trumpets), 20 reed instruments (saxophones, clarinets, bassoons, oboes) and 22 'pipe' instruments (flutes, recorders). For those who want to reproduce a classic synthesizer sound, there are also 70 Synth Lead sounds, 43 Synth Pads (multiple-instrument
Ethnic music is represented by 37 sounds (fiddle, banjo, oud, koto and so on), and there are 47 percussive sounds (from tom-toms and finger snaps, woodblocks to castanets and tambourines). Percussion is also well represented, with 26 separate drum sets (room, hiphop, jungle, techno and electronic through to jazz, orchestra and ethnic). There are also 74 'sound effect' noises, including such sounds as cats, dogs and horses, helicopters and gunshots, rain and wind, door creaks, and crowd sounds. The list is impressive in itself, but the sounds really need to be heard to be believed. Such tricky instruments as saxophones and solo violins are reproduced with incredible realism; the ensemble instruments are rich and warm. Making music Roland VSC supports both General MIDI and General MIDI 2, as well as Roland's own GS format (which stores the largest number of voices). This means you can either play MIDI songs directly through VSC, or hook up a MIDI keyboard and play through your Mac. VSC is fully compatible with OMS, FreeMIDI and MIDI Manager, enabling it to be used as a sound module within sequencing programs such as Cubase. A pair of external speakers is recommended; failing that, headphones will give a good idea of the range and quality of the sounds included. Playback is via a neat, multi-pane interface that allows each instrument to be changed and adapted with simple sliders: each fader can be set to control the volume, pan, expression, chorus, reverb and delay of the chosen instrument. When playing back MIDI files, a simulated tape transport gives access to standard play functions. Whether you're composing music or playing back songs in MIDI format from the Internet, Roland VSC provides a variety and quality of sound not seen before in software form. A hardware synthesizer offering this range of voices will set you back hundreds of pounds; the VSC solution costs a fraction of that, encapsulated within a far more navigable interface. NEEDS System 7.6 or later, 10Mb RAM HELP Unlimited Web By Steve Caplin |
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