"The Byte Book of Computer Music"
Edited by Christopher P. Morgan
Copyright 1979
ISBN: 0-931718-11-2

Review, "Computers and the Humanities," 1980, pg. 72-73.
Reviewed By Michael J. Manthey


The "Byte Book of Computer Music" is a collection of articles which have 
appeared in Byte Magazine since 1977 on the topic of using a computer to 
generate sound.  Since the readership of the magazine is mainly computer 
hobbyists, the computers in question are microcomputers, and simplicity and 
economy are important considerations in all the articles.  Given as well the 
broad range of interests of home computer experimenters, it is not surprising 
to find evidence of great ingenuity and inventiveness on the part of many of 
the authors.

Topics treated include transcription of scores to machine readable form, 
interfacing of pipe-organs and player pianos, construction of sound generation 
hardware (varying from the absolute minimum - single-bit toggling - to open-
ended), and requisite theory (Fast Fourier Transform, basic acoustic 
principles, etc.).  Although the authors' approaches and interests vary widely, 
all the articles are very approachable, and usually contain sufficient detailed 
information (e.g., listings, circuit diagrams) for the reader to repeat the 
idea.  There are numerous color photos, the diagrams are well drawn, and the 
editor and staff are to be commended on a nice job.

If I may single out some of the contributions for comment, Hal Chamberlin's 
survey article on basic techniques is lucidity itself, and Jef Raskin's 
description of pipe-organ internals is highly recommended to manufacturers of 
same, as well as the merely curious.  The prize for pure inventiveness, 
although closely contested, is awarded to Richard Gold for the combination of 
terrain maps and Lissajou figures to generate stage music (mime accompaniment).  
Finally, I was most gratified by Bill Struve's advocacy of pure intervals and 
scales as a central capability made suddenly and easily accessible with (micro-
) computer generated sound; if any criticism is to be leveled at the other 
authors, it is that of their uncritical acceptance of twelve-tone and 
(especially!) of equally-tempered scales.

No matter what your interest in computers and music is, I am sure you will find 
this collection worth its price.  The book is available from Byte Publications 
Inc., 70 Main St., Peterborough, NY 03458.