Today's PC-compatibles are capable of an
astonishing variety of audio innovations, from
playing simple sound effects and CD audio to
recording and composing elaborate MIDI
compositions. Enabling those capabilities, though,
can sometimes mean sorting through a tangled web of
software and hardware interrupts, IRQs, MIDI
mappings, and INF, INI, or CFG file settings.
  
Where better to sort through the myriad of hardware
and software options than in your favorite
IBM-compatible computing RoundTable? In the
Bulletin Boards, you'll find topics where
experienced GEnie members and sysops discuss
various sound cards, CD-ROM drives, and other
multimedia equipment. Get friendly help and advice
on ironing out problems and finding favored
utilities in the those RoundTable's Software
Libraries.
  
Windows RoundTable
  
"With the coming release of Chicago or Windows 4.0
and its built-in Video for Windows and other
multimedia extensions," says Windows RoundTable
co-sysop Rick Ruhl, "there will be an even greater
focus on audio and other multimedia enhancements."
Rick points to the Windows 4.0 News Topic (Category
2, Topic 8) in the Windows RoundTable Bulletin
Board as the best place for up-to-date news on the
much-talked about upcoming release. Other topics of
particular interest to audio fans are Category 3,
Topic 21, Windows Sound Questions, and Category 11,
Topic 7, Sound Boards.
  
To help keep track of all of those sound files
you've been collecting, try File 1881 JUKER25.ZIP
in the Windows RoundTable Software Library. In
addition to playing your WAV and MIDI files, Juker
lets you organize them into albums for easy
retrieval.
  
You can dress up your Windows desktop, giving it a
musical motif, with the BMP files contained in File
2474 WMUSIC.ZIP, or try a humorous approach with
File 2472 TERROR.ZIP. This horrific icon screams
when touched, argues and breaks when picked up, and
occasionally fires bullets. Be careful. While
sitting on the desktop, it throws insults and
one-liners at you, and occasionally belches. Terror
is freeware and lots of fun.
  
GEnie's Windows RoundTable is at Page 1335, keyword
Windows. While there, drop by one of the Windows
Real-Time Conference Help Desks for live
assistance. They're open Mondays and Thursdays from
Midnight to 3:00 AM and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and
Fridays from 9:00 PM til Midnight. All listed times
are Eastern.
  
IBM RoundTable
  
Whether your tastes lean toward the latest from
Smashing Pumpkins or the gentler strains of Bach,
playing audio CDs on your computer's CD-ROM drive
is a great accompaniment for work, play or just
hanging out in a Real-Time Conference.
  
The IBM RoundTable has a couple of terrific CD
audio players and organizers in its Software
Library. File 36016 CDPLA34B.ZIP (CDPlayer v3.4b)
is an audio CD Player from Jupiter Software for
both Windows and DOS. It provides all the functions
associated with a normal CD player plus the ability
to catalogue and search your CD collection.
Features include custom, single, shuffle, and
repeat program play, fit tracks to time, track
skip, music search, replay track and pause.
  
Audio Master 2.1, available in File 35370
AUDMST21.ZIP is a complete VHS cataloging system to
help you keep track of all your music. Album, CD,
or tape titles can be categorized by type of music
and media. Each entry can have an unlimited number
of song titles associated with it. Cassette labels
can be printed with or without song titles, and
extensive use of lookup tables makes it easy to
use. Audio Master is truly unique because it
simplifies keeping track of your music while being
flexible enough to be used the way that's best for
you.
  
The IBM PC RoundTable is at Page 615. You can type
the IBMPC at any GEnie prompt to get there.
  
OS/2 RoundTable
  
ACCU Music System for OS/2 includes everything you
need to create music on your computer. It's
available in the OS/2 RoundTable Software Library
as File 2178 AC35MUSO.ZIP. It has a text-based
editor that allows you to enter notes and includes
a transposer that will let you change the key
signature of your music as well as raise/lower your
music by half steps. It also allows you to print
your music in traditional sheet music format, and
will play your compositions on the PC speaker or a
sound card. Finally, you can convert songs to the
ROL format for distribution. Songs can range from
simple one-voice files to complex multiple-voice
arrangements with multiple instruments and effects.
  
File 1935 CDAUDI.ZIP is a Presentation Manager CD
player that doesn't require MMPM/2. It offers a
visually attractive interface and operates well if
MMPM/2 is installed. To convert a variety of sound
files for use as OS/2 WAVs, try File 3001
PMSND081.ZIP, a Presentation Manager sound
conversion and editing utility.
  
The OS/2 RoundTable is the focal point for OS/2
users and developers on GEnie. You'll find by
typing M1400 or the keyword OS/2. Regularly
scheduled Real-Time Conferences, where you can meet
and chat with the sysops and fellow OS/2 users, are
on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, starting at 9:30 PM
Eastern time.
  
  
Multimedia RoundTable
  
If you want the latest in music technology, look no
further than the Multimedia RoundTable on Page
2000. There, in the Library, you'll find the latest
rage: Multimedia GIFs, a combination of toe-tapping
music and colorful graphics in one compact package.
The Windows Multimedia-GIF player in File 1196
MM-GIF.ZIP plays special multimedia MM-GIF slide
shows in up to 256-color graphics with WAV and MIDI
background music -- which comes right in the file
with the images. You'll find MM-GIFs to get you
started in Files 1197 EAGLE1.GIF, 1198 GSPIRIT.GIF,
1199 MARS.GIF (my favorite), and 1200 MMTPOT.GIF.
Locate others easily by searching the Library using
the term MM-GIF.
  
And if you're looking for music to build on, check
out File 362 ROLIBCAT.ZIP while you're there. This
text file lists the names of over 1500 music files
in Adlib ROL format contained in 26 ROLLIB_x.ZIP
files (where x is the first letter of the song
titles in that file.) Musical styles include rap,
inspirational, patriotic, barbershop, rock,
lullabye, country, torch, romantic, boogie,
Christmas, holiday, show tunes, pops, mood music,
theme songs, folk, classical, dance, blues, jazz,
Gregorian chant, sacred - - everything you can
think of.
  
AdLib ROL music files can easily be converted to
other formats. Search the Multimedia Library (or
the Computing RoundTable Library of your choice) on
the term CONVERT to locate a conversion utility for
the format you need.
  
  
No matter which operating system or environment you
work in, you'll find friendly support and cool
software in GEnie's IBM-compatible RoundTables.
Visit your favorite today and put a song in your
PC's heart.
