Re: [microsound] csound vs software synthesizer

[Ed Hall <edhall@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Csound is a direct descendent of various punch card-driven computer
music system from the 1960's.  It's also accreted over the years an
enormously powerful set of "opcodes" for every kind of synthesis
imaginable. Because it is text-based it allows you to interconnect
those opcodes in complex ways that would be unmanageable in a more
graphically-oriented system like MAX.  So it is both the epitome of
flexibility and power, and of user UNfriendliness.  It takes a lot of
painstaking work to get into it.  Only you can decide if it's worth
it to you.

A programming background may help, but because Csound uses a weird
assembler-like syntax and lacks all the niceties of a modern programming
language, such a background might make it all the more irritating to
you.  Still, It's well worth checking out if you are serious about
investing some time into it.  There is a mailing list, several web sites,
a growing user community, and a bunch of versions enhanced for various
platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux, VST plugin, etc).  Start at:

    http://www.csounds.com

and surf from there.

		-Ed