Upgrade to Reality Synth Due in August
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At the NAMM Summer Session, Seer Systems of Los Altos, CA announced the updated version 1.5 of Reality, the software that turns a PC into a full-featured, multiple format synthesizer. New features in version 1.5 include greatly expanded voicecard support, a new way to broadcast high quality music via the Internet, and the deletion of cumbersome copy protection hardware.
Reality 1.5 supports Microsoft's Direct Sound. This allows Reality to work on any PC with a soundcard and most laptops. In addition to the Creative Labs Sound Blaster cards that were required for version 1.0, many other soundcards are now supported, including: Terratec EWS64L, Guillemot MAXIsound, the Digital Audio Lab's Card-D series, Turtle Beach, Hoontech Soundtech 97 PCI, and AVM Apex.
"With Reality 1.0 being in the market for over a year, we have received a lot of useful feedback from our customers," explained David Roach, Seer Systems Vice President of Operations. "The need to support many other audio cards was paramount and version 1.5 fills that need."
In addition, SeerMusic capabilities have been added to Reality 1.5. Originally earmarked for version 2.0, SeerMusic's release was moved up due to the proliferation of music on the web and the limitations of other audio delivery systems. Now, using Reality 1.5, a composer will be able to put full compositions on a website that can be played in real time without coloration or compression.
Reality 1.5 is a PC-based synthesizer with 128-note polyphony and very low latency for live performance, sequencing, hard disk recording, and other uses. Reality utilizes many synthesis techniques including analog, samples, physical modeling and FM that can be combined any way the user wishes. At $495 suggested retail price, Reality provides the power of hardware-based samplers and synthesizers ten to twenty times the price.
Reality 1.5 will be available in late August, 1998 at music retail stores throughout the country. Purchasers of Reality 1.0 should contact Seer Systems for upgrade information. To locate the retailer closest to you, call Seer Systems at 888-232-7337 or write Seer Systems, 301 S. San Antonio Rd., Los Altos, CA 94022.
Summary of New Features in Reality 1.5
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No More Dongle You hated it. It's gone. Increased Soundcard Support SeerMusic Authoring New Sounds There will also be some new and improved algorithms. Definitely slated for version 1.5 are DeltaString, a great new plucked string model, and a 1-into-3 topology for FM. Think four-operator FM can't be fat? This is downright obese. There may be more if we can get them in in time. The carrier in FM patches can now be a PCM sound. Ever wonder what a drum loop modulated by a vibes sample might sound like? Now you'll know! (It sounds cool.) SoundFont Support Seer will ship a shareware version of FMJ Software's Awave with Reality 1.5. The full version of this program translates over 140 different sampler formats into SoundFonts, which Reality can then read in directly. Import Kurzweil, Roland, Ensoniq, Yamaha and SampleCell files into Reality, with all synthesis parameters intact. |
MIDI Sequence Player Allows the user to import and play Standard MIDI Files, export SeerMusic files, and to save sequences along with the sounds in one convenient file. New MIDI Page New Audio Capture Modes Audio and CPU Meters "Browser" Buttons Increased Polyphony General MIDI Mode Shareware Folder Other Stuff All effects settings are now saved with the bankset, so banksets that are created for particular sequences will always have your custom settings. |
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