We test a lot of KTM motorcycles here at Rider, along with those from nearly 20 other manufacturers, and we realize it’s a privilege to get seat time on the latest and greatest bikes. Test rides at dealers are a rarity, so the KTM Ride Orange Demo Tour is a great opportunity to ride KTM’s street-legal range, everything from the 200 Duke up to the 1290 Super Duke R Evo, ADVs ranging from the 390 Adventure to the 1290 Adventure R, the 690 SMC R supermoto, and the 690 Enduro R and 500 EXC-F dual-sports.
There are currently 15 stops scheduled for the demo tour between March and October, with more to be added. Check out the details in KTM’s official announcement below.
MURRIETA,Calif. – The KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour is back for 2023, providing the unique opportunity for U.S. consumers to sample the latest models in the KTM Street range. This year’s tour will commence during Daytona Bike Week in Florida on March 9-11, and will once again be taking place alongside a wide selection of the nation’s premier motorcycle events.
Organized by KTM North America, Inc. in association with participating dealers, this will be your chance to get up close and explore the 2023 lineup together with knowledgeable KTM experts on location before taking to some of the most enjoyable roads in the country. Each ride will take place on pre-planned routes that will be sure to deliver an exceptional experience at this year’s KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour.
Participants at the KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour will also receive a Ride Orange VIP Card voucher (valued up to $500 MSRP), redeemable on KTM PowerParts, KTM PowerWear and/or KTM SpareParts at an authorized KTM dealer with the purchase of a new KTM Street model.
Registrations for each stop of the 2023 KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour open at 9 a.m. on the morning of that event, with riding taking place between 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Demos are first come, first served.
In order to participate, you must be 25 years or older for 690cc and up, and 21 years old or above for 500cc and under. Participants 21-24 years old can Only ride motorcycles 500cc and under. Experienced riders only (no beginners). No passengers are allowed at any time, and KTM staff can revoke riding privileges at any time for any reason deemed necessary.
All riders must show a government issued photo ID with motorcycle endorsement and will be required to complete a signed waiver prior to any demo rides. Proper riding apparel is essential, including but not limited to a DOT-approved helmet, eye protection, gloves, long sleeves, pants, and sturdy footwear.
For a complete list of 2023 KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour locations and to connect with your local participating dealer, please visit KTM’s website or email ktmeventsna@ktm.com. Follow KTM USA on all social media platforms for the most up-to-date information on events.
Friday’s live post-Elimination Chamber edition of WWE SmackDown drew an average of 2.408 million viewers on FOX, according to Nielsen, via Showbuzz Daily.
This final number is up 1.05% from the previous week’s final viewership of 2.383 million viewers for the Elimination Chamber go-home show.
Friday’s SmackDown drew a 0.62 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is up 6.89% from the previous week’s 0.58 rating. This past week’s 0.62 key demo rating represents 813,000 18-49 viewers, which is up 7.54% from the 756,000 18-49 viewers that the previous week’s 0.58 key demo rating drew, according to Wrestlenomics.
SmackDown ranked #1 in ratings for the key 18-49 demographic on network TV, even with the previous week’s #1 ranking. SmackDown ranked #1 in the 18-34 demo this week, up from the previous week’s #2 ranking. SmackDown ranked #1 in the 25-54 demo, even with the previous week’s #1 ranking. SmackDown came in at #6 for the night in viewership on network TV, up from the previous week’s #7 ranking. While SmackDown ranked #1 in the key demographic on broadcast TV for Friday night, SWAT on CBS topped the day on network TV in viewership with an average of 4.689 million viewers, also drawing a 0.33 key demo rating.
SmackDown drew the third-highest total audience of the year so far, and the third-highest key demo rating of the year so far. Friday’s show drew well over the 2022 FOX average in viewership and the key demo rating. Friday’s SmackDown viewership was up 1.05% from the previous week, and the key demo rating was up 6.89% from the previous week.
Viewership for Friday’s SmackDown episode was up 13.91% from the same week in 2022, while Friday’s 18-49 key demo rating was up 8.77% from the same week in 2022. The 2022 show was also the post-Elimination Chamber episode.
The NBA game between the Suns and the Thunder on ESPN topped the day on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.40 key demo rating, also drawing 1.127 million viewers. The Five on FOX News topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.012 million viewers, also drawing a 0.14 key demo rating.
Friday’s post-Elimination Chamber edition of SmackDown aired live from Ford Center in Evansville, IN, with the following line-up advertised ahead of time – fallout from Elimination Chamber, Karrion Kross vs. Rey Mysterio, Bray Wyatt hosting The Firefly Funhouse, a face-off with Rhea Ripley and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, plus Imperium vs. Braun Strowman, Ricochet and Madcap Moss. The show-closing segment featured Sami Zayn and Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos.
Below is our 2023 SmackDown Viewership Tracker, along with the Top 10 moments from Friday’s show:
January 6 Episode: 2.257 million viewers with a 0.53 rating in the 18-49 demographic January 13 Episode: 2.326 million viewers with a 0.55 rating in the 18-49 demographic January 20 Episode: 2.257 million viewers with a 0.55 rating in the 18-49 demographic January 27 Episode: 2.544 million viewers with a 0.67 rating in the 18-49 demographic February 3 Episode: 2.384 million viewers with a 0.61 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Royal Rumble episode) February 10 Episode: 2.468 million viewers with a 0.64 rating in the 18-49 demographic February 17 Episode: 2.383 million viewers with a 0.58 rating in the 18-49 demographic February 24 Episode: 2.408 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Elimination Chamber episode) March 3 Episode:
2022 Viewership Average: 2.123 million viewers per episode over 52 episodes 2022 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.51 rating per episode over 52 episodes
2022 FOX Viewership Average: 2.173 million viewers per episode over 50 episodes 2022 FOX 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.53 rating per episode over 50 episodes
2021 Viewership Average: 2.050 million viewers per episode over 52 episodes (2,082,154 without Best Of episode) 2021 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.54 rating per episode over 52 episodes (0.55 without Best Of episode)
2021 FOX Viewership Average: 2.127 million viewers per episode over 50 episodes 2021 FOX 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.56 rating per episode over 50 episodes
2021 FS1 Viewership Average: 758,667 viewers per episode (includes Best Of episode; 949,000 without it) 2021 FS1 18-49 Key Demo Rating Average: 0.20 rating per episode (includes Best Of episode; 0.27 without it)
2020 Viewership Average: 2.180 million viewers per episode (2 FS1 airings)
2019 Viewership Average: 2.164 million viewers per episode (1 FS1 airing)
2018 Viewership Average: 2.352 million viewers per episode
2017 Viewership Average: 2.546 million viewers per episode
"Demo" - Google News
February 28, 2023 at 08:11AM
https://ift.tt/geX2L67
WWE SmackDown Viewership and Key Demo Rating for the Post-Elimination Chamber Episode - Wrestling Headlines
"Demo" - Google News
https://ift.tt/h4KsIkQ
https://ift.tt/pZ2dO0g
Over the weekend Tim Lambesis shared that he is about to start the demo process for what will be the eighth As I Lay Dying studio full length with Ryan Neff, bassist and clean vocals for Miss May I.
Neff was confirmed by Lambesis to be filling in for now ex-member Josh Gilbert on bass for the group's live performances, which as of now the band only has their Hellfest appearance booked. It is not yet confirmed what Neff's future role in the band will be.
"Demo" - Google News
February 28, 2023 at 12:03AM
https://ift.tt/JeoqLAu
AS I LAY DYING to begin demo process of new album with MISS MAY I's Ryan Neff - Lambgoat
"Demo" - Google News
https://ift.tt/h4KsIkQ
https://ift.tt/pZ2dO0g
We test a lot of KTM motorcycles here at Rider, along with those from nearly 20 other manufacturers, and we realize it’s a privilege to get seat time on the latest and greatest bikes. Test rides at dealers are a rarity, so the KTM Ride Orange Demo Tour is a great opportunity to ride KTM’s street-legal range, everything from the 200 Duke up to the 1290 Super Duke R Evo, ADVs ranging from the 390 Adventure to the 1290 Adventure R, the 690 SMC R supermoto, and the 690 Enduro R and 500 EXC-F dual-sports.
There are currently 15 stops scheduled for the demo tour between March and October, with more to be added. Check out the details in KTM’s official announcement below.
MURRIETA,Calif. – The KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour is back for 2023, providing the unique opportunity for U.S. consumers to sample the latest models in the KTM Street range. This year’s tour will commence during Daytona Bike Week in Florida on March 9-11, and will once again be taking place alongside a wide selection of the nation’s premier motorcycle events.
Organized by KTM North America, Inc. in association with participating dealers, this will be your chance to get up close and explore the 2023 lineup together with knowledgeable KTM experts on location before taking to some of the most enjoyable roads in the country. Each ride will take place on pre-planned routes that will be sure to deliver an exceptional experience at this year’s KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour.
Participants at the KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour will also receive a Ride Orange VIP Card voucher (valued up to $500 MSRP), redeemable on KTM PowerParts, KTM PowerWear and/or KTM SpareParts at an authorized KTM dealer with the purchase of a new KTM Street model.
Registrations for each stop of the 2023 KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour open at 9 a.m. on the morning of that event, with riding taking place between 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Demos are first come, first served.
In order to participate, you must be 25 years or older for 690cc and up, and 21 years old or above for 500cc and under. Participants 21-24 years old can Only ride motorcycles 500cc and under. Experienced riders only (no beginners). No passengers are allowed at any time, and KTM staff can revoke riding privileges at any time for any reason deemed necessary.
All riders must show a government issued photo ID with motorcycle endorsement and will be required to complete a signed waiver prior to any demo rides. Proper riding apparel is essential, including but not limited to a DOT-approved helmet, eye protection, gloves, long sleeves, pants, and sturdy footwear.
For a complete list of 2023 KTM Ride Orange Street Demo Tour locations and to connect with your local participating dealer, please visit KTM’s website or email ktmeventsna@ktm.com. Follow KTM USA on all social media platforms for the most up-to-date information on events.
Team Ninja has launched the last demo for Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, the studio's follow-up to the Nioh series. Like Nioh, Wo Long is a challenging action RPG with layered mechanics and a fantastical take on Late Han Dynasty China, as opposed to Nioh's Japan.
One final trailer to go along with the final demo!
Wo Long's final demo is live on PC through Steam/the Windows Store, as well as PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. You have until Monday, March 27 at 12am PT, 3am ET, 8am UK to play it. You won't be able to access the demo, or download it, after this date.
Those who played the first demo will be happy to know that the final demo features new content. Players will have access to the Village of Calamity mission from Chapter One, as well as Two Chivalrous Heroes from Chapter Two.
If you manage to beat both missions, you can earn the Crouching Dragon Helmet in the full game, if you buy it on the same platform. The demo requires an internet connection to play, but you won't need a PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live Gold membership.
The demo supports multiplayer, too, so you'll be able to team up with other players - but only on the same family of platforms. This also goes for the full game, which does not support cross-network play.
Hi PlayStation Blog readers. I’m Edvin Edsö, Promotion Producer of Resident Evil 4. We just released the latest trailer for Resident Evil 4 during today’s State of Play show. If you haven’t seen it yet, please check it out below!
In this trailer, you see Leon in various situations throughout his fight for survival. For those of you who played the original game, you might recognize some of the scenes. Drama! Action! New gameplay! Let us know what secrets you found hidden within the new footage.
What difficulties await Leon in this remake of Resident Evil 4?
In addition to a glimpse at the confrontation between Leon and Krauser, the trailer also officially announced the return of The Mercenaries! The popular extra game mode that appears throughout the Resident Evil series will also appear in RE4. The team is hard at work on The Mercenaries, which will be available as free post-launch DLC.
Download the image
Finally, we announced an upcoming demo for Resident Evil 4. This demo will be available on both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in the near future. Get ready to take on the demo, as “survival is just the beginning”.
Download the image
Resident Evil 4 preserves the essence of the original game while introducing modern gameplay and visuals. The March 24 release date draws ever closer, so don’t forget to pre-order.
The mysterious population puzzle game Humanity has been shrouded in mystery since it was first announced in 2018, but today’s State of Play presentation revealed it’s coming this summer. Best of all, you can play a demo today.
The game comes from the creators of Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite and centers on controlling a dog to herd thousands of people across bizarre platforming challenges. The trailer also revealed tools to create your own levels and share them with other players.
Humanity launches this May for PlayStation consoles, PlayStation VR and VR2, and PC via Steam. The demo is available now until March 6.
"Demo" - Google News
February 24, 2023 at 04:26AM
https://ift.tt/1GXrbA0
Bizarre Puzzle Game Humanity Resurfaces And Gets A Demo And Release Window - Game Informer
"Demo" - Google News
https://ift.tt/js56SNg
https://ift.tt/TecACRB
In a world where humanity is lost – without soul, without intellect, without a will of their own – the fate of all mankind rests upon the wits and determination of a lone savior: you.
…Oh, did I mention you’re a Shiba Inu?
“One day, I woke up as a dog…”
Shiba Inus are the most popular small dog breed in Japan. Their innocent appearance and loyal personality have captured the heart of the Japanese nation since time immemorial, and people can be seen walking their Shiba Inu in towns and parks all over Japan.
In this world, however, the relationship between human and dog is turned on its head – this is the world of Humanity.
Gameplay
Stranded at the end of the world, people have lost their sense of purpose. You awake as a dog, and join the people in a series of “Trials” (i.e. stages), attempting to guide them towards pillars of light.
With one simple “woof”, you issue commands to your followers – commands they will follow blindly, no matter the sacrifices involved in doing so. You can tell them which direction to walk, make them jump, have them float in midair and more – even have them fight against their enemies.
Each Trial features a variety of tricks, traps, and obstacles, including water and wind, mountains and valleys, switches and moveable objects. Each of these will affect or restrict what the people can do, and they combine together to form a series of fiendish puzzles.
Overcoming Trials and successfully leading the people can require deep thought, or sharp reflexes, or often a combination of both. Plus, things can get very crowded by the time you finally reach the goal, as the stage teems with swarms of people. Dealing with these giant crowds organically, in real-time, is one of the most interesting and satisfying parts of playing Humanity.
Story
What awaits you at the end of the Trials is…out of the ordinary, to say the least. We’d really like you to play the game for yourself to see how the story unfolds, but we’ll introduce one element here to whet your appetite.
These are the Others.
While similar to the people in appearance, they live according to entirely different principles.
The Others and the people do have some things in common, though – which is what puts the two groups in competition, and ultimately in conflict, with each other…
Do you try to avoid conflict with the Others, or do you seek to confront them head-on?
In the game’s early stages, Humanity appears to be a rather peaceful action puzzler, but as you proceed through the story, it will transform into battles on a massive scale. This evolution in gameplay is just one of the things we hope you enjoy.
Stage Creator / User Stages
Humanity’s in-game Stage Creator allows you to create your own original stages and share them with the community, allowing them to be enjoyed by players all over the world.
The Stage Creator is easy to use but provides a great deal of creative freedom – it essentially allows you to have the same experience that we, the development team, had when creating stages!
Be sure to share your unique creations with the world. We’re really looking forward to seeing what you come up with, and to being surprised by your skill and creativity!
PlayStation VR2 compatible
Humanity is also compatible with PS VR2. The game really provides a unique sensation when experienced in VR, and simply feels great to play. It’s as though you’re a giant peering down at a world of tiny people, one where every nook and cranny has been delicately crafted. Indeed, when we experienced Humanity in VR, we realized what an incredible visual experience technology like this could provide. We really hope you all give it a try.
A demo of Humanity is available on PlayStation Store starting today and is open to play for a limited time*. It includes a handful of Story Mode stages for you to try, User Stages for you to play creations from other players around the globe, and our Stage Creator. Hop in, try out some stages or create your own. We hope you’ll check it out, and we’ll see you in the Trials!
*Note: User Stages profile progress, stages created, favorited, or shared during the demo period will not carry over to the full version of the game.
"Demo" - Google News
February 24, 2023 at 04:21AM
https://ift.tt/Y3vWSTJ
Humanity: intriguing puzzler gets new gameplay details and demo release today as part of State of Play - PlayStation
"Demo" - Google News
https://ift.tt/js56SNg
https://ift.tt/TecACRB
A demo tape believed to have launched the solo career of Sir Rod Stewart has sold at auction for £3,400 - three times its estimate.
The recording was made in 1964 in a basement studio in London and used as an audition tape before the singer signed to Decca Records.
It was sold by Jonathan Rowlands, Stewart's manager at the time, at Cheffin's in Cambridge.
"We knew Rod was something special from the word go," Mr Rowlands said.
Director at Cheffin's, Martin Millard, said the tape was "an opportunity for someone to own the seminal recording which would go on to propel his career skywards".
"He is one of the most loved artists of the past century," he said.
Reuters
Cheffin's, Cambridge
According to auction provenance, the recording was made on 18 June 1964 in the basement studio of engineer Pepe Rush in Berwick Street, London.
Some of the tracks on the 15ips reel-to-reel tape include Bright Lights Big City, Don't Tell Nobody, Ain't That Loving You Baby, and Worksong.
Cheffin's, Cambridge
Mr Rowlands said the recording helped Stewart secure his first solo recording contract - and the sale included a 1964 appointment book, detailing his meetings with Stewart.
Mr Rowlands, now 83, said: "The tape was used as audition material for a future recording contract for Rod with Decca Records.
"We had got lucky finding out about Pepe Rush's studio that was hidden in the basement of a shop in Berwick Street, Soho.
"With my then partner, Geoff Wright, we then sent the tape to Decca Records as an audition recording in June 1964 and the result was we obtained Rod's first recording contract.
Mr Rowlands said he had to get Stewart's parents' signature, as artists were not allowed to sign recording contracts until the age of 21.
Stewart was 19 at the time.
"He had that absolute star quality which he shares with the likes of Tom Jones and Elton John, which has allowed them to stay relevant in the music industry even after all of these years," he said.
Stewart, 78, who lives near Harlow, Essex, has enjoyed a successful 60-year career in music.
Monday’s live post-Elimination Chamber edition of WWE RAW drew an average of 2.006 million viewers on the USA Network, according to Nielsen via Showbuzz Daily.
This is up 10.71% from last week’s 1.812 million viewers for the Elimination Chamber go-home show.
For this week’s show, the first hour drew 2.186 million viewers (last week’s hour 1 – 1.818 million), the second hour drew 2.065 million viewers (last week’s hour 2 – 1.924 million) and the final hour drew 1.768 million viewers (last week’s hour 3 – 1.695 million viewers).
Monday’s RAW drew a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 key demographic. This is up 19.14% from last week’s 0.47 key demo rating. The 0.56 key demo rating represents 731,000 18-49 viewers, which is up 19.25% from the 613,000 18-49 viewers that last week’s 0.47 key demo rating represented, according to Wrestlenomics.
RAW ranked #1 for the night on the Cable Top 150 with the 0.56 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. This is even with last week’s #1 ranking.
RAW ranked #7 for the day in viewership on cable this week, behind The Five, Tucker Carlson Tonight, Jesse Watters Primetime, Rachel Maddow Show, Special Report with Bret Baier, and Hannity. This is up from last week’s #14 ranking for the night in viewership on cable.
Monday’s RAW drew the third-highest total audience of the year so far, and the third-highest key demo rating of the year. The numbers were well above the 2022 average. Sports competition from Monday night on cable included two College Basketball games on ESPN, one College Basketball game on ESPN2, one College Basketball game on Big Ten Network, one Women’s College Basketball game on FS1, and one Women’s College Basketball game on ESPN2. This week’s RAW viewership was up 10.71% from last week’s episode, while this week’s key demo rating was up 19.14% from last week.
Monday’s RAW viewership was up 9.92% from the same week in 2022, while the 18-49 key demo rating was up 9.80% from the same week in 2022. The 2022 show was also the post-Elimination Chamber episode.
Bachelor In Paradise on ABC drew an average of 2.789 million viewers on broadcast TV at 8pm, while The Neighborhood drew 4.086 million viewers on CBS, AGT All-Stars drew 5.085 million viewers on NBC, Fantasy Island drew 1.937 million viewers on FOX, CW’s All American drew 671,000 viewers, Telemundo’s Casa De Famosos drew 1.284 million viewers, and Univision’s Vencer La Ausencia drew 1.705 million viewers, all in the 8pm hour on broadcast TV. AGT All-Stars drew the top key demo rating of the night with a 0.54, while AGT All-Stars also drew the top viewership of the night with 5.085 million.
Monday’s post-Elimination Chamber edition of WWE RAW aired live from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, with the following line-up advertised ahead of time – fallout from Elimination Chamber, Mustafa Ali vs. Dolph Ziggler, The Miz vs. Seth Rollins, and WWE United States Champion Austin Theory defending against WWE Hall of Famer Edge, which was the main event.
Below is our 2023 RAW Viewership Tracker, along with the RAW Top 10 video for this week:
January 2 Episode: 1.605 million viewers with a 0.41 rating in the 18-49 demographic January 9 Episode: 1.693 million viewers with a 0.50 rating in the 18-49 demographic January 16 Episode: 1.489 million viewers with a 0.42 rating in the 18-49 demographic January 23 Episode: 2.344 million viewers with a 0.70 rating in the 18-49 demographic (RAW 30th Anniversary episode) January 30 Episode: 2.114 million viewers with a 0.64 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Royal Rumble episode) February 6 Episode: 1.866 million viewers with a 0.55 rating in the 18-49 demographic February 13 Episode: 1.812 million viewers with a 0.47 rating in the 18-49 demographic February 20 Episode: 2.006 million viewers with a 0.56 rating in the 18-49 demographic (Post-Elimination Chamber episode) February 27 Episode:
2022 Viewership Average: 1.735 million viewers per episode 2022 18-49 Key Demographic Rating Average: 0.46 per episode
2021 Viewership Average: 1.756 million viewers per episode 2021 18-49 Key Demographic Rating Average: 0.50 per episode
2020 Viewership Average: 1.880 million viewers per episode
2019 Viewership Average: 2.418 million viewers per episode
2018 Viewership Average: 2.823 million viewers per episode
2017 Viewership Average: 3.018 million viewers per episode
"Demo" - Google News
February 23, 2023 at 06:08AM
https://ift.tt/IzjoNDQ
WWE RAW Viewership and Key Demo Rating for the Post-Elimination Chamber Show - Wrestling Headlines
"Demo" - Google News
https://ift.tt/l9DRYnF
https://ift.tt/lVQpPHN
Per Wrestlenomics, 2.06 million viewers watched the show on Monday, which is up from last week, when 1.812 million viewers tuned in. In the 18 to 49 demographic, RAW scored a 0.56 rating, which is also up from last week (0.47 rating in the same demographic).
According to Showbuzz Daily, RAW ranked #1 in the demographic on Monday, across cable originals and broadcast primetime.
The hourly breakdown, courtesy of Showbuzz Daily, is as follows:
First hour: 2.186 million viewers, 0.60 in the 18 to 49 demographic
Second hour: 2.065 million viewers, 0.58 in the 18 to 49 demographic
Third hour: 1.768 million viewers, 0.50 in the 18 to 49 demographic
This week’s episode opened with a promo from Sami Zayn asking Kevin Owens to help him take down The Bloodline. In the main event, Austin Theory defeated Edge to retain his United States Championship due to outside interference from Finn Balor, who proceeded to attack Edge after the bell.
What did you think of this week’s episode of WWE RAW? What was your favorite match or segment from the show? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
In 1977, the marriage of motion pictures and telephones somehow birthed Hal Alles’ Bell Labs Digital Synthesizer – an experimental additive synth that imagined new directions for both music and vocal communication. This 1977 demo has the creator show off that vision, and Laurie Spiegel is on-hand to explore the device compositionally.
Music tech comes in cycles, and telephony and music often traverses those cycles hand in hand. Those paths did have a tendency to pass through Bell Labs, with different generations of inventors. The original Homer Dudley Vocoder got going at Bell in 1928, as a means of encoding vocal information (as the name tells you). Then there was Max Mathews and team and the evolution of the first real digital synthesis language MUSIC-N, and along with John Larry Kelly, Jr.., the first singing machine, performing “Daisy Bell.”
There was enough going on at Bell Labs that the journal Nature (in its physics review) last year published an article musing whether it would every be possible to create a place like that again:
The telephony – music connection is back these days with machine learning – much of the work that applies to DSP and generative sound is related to models developed for text and voice communication. And just as in the 1970s (or 1960s, 50s, or 30s), music may find ways of transcending obvious communication and diving into the realm of expression.
But let’s zoom in on this particular instrument, as it’s fascinating – and plays an unexpected role in the history of 1980s Italian synths and… Atari?! Here’s a rough timeline:
The Alles instrument lives on at Oberlin in Ohio, as evidenced by a trip there by Audulus’ Mark Boyd, documented by Matrixsynth.
1970s Bell Labs Digital Synthesizer – created by Hal Alles
16-bit digital synth, 30k samples/sec, 32 FM sinewave oscillators for additive synthesis
Two 61-key keyboard manuals
4 3-axis joysticks
72 sliders
Two 8-inch floppy drives
Color video terminal
1400 integrated circuits
4 16-bit output terminals
136 kg / 300 lbs
Wikipedia has a good breakdown. (I do not imagine machine learning will be able to create cross-referenced text quite like humans.)
Laurie Spiegel on the instrument:
I realize I may have seen bits of this thing at a brief stay in Oberlin in the 90s, where its components wound up. Apparently, Laurie’s composition was the only creation for this unusual instrument. nd it was massively unwieldy and the interface was a bit – let’s say maximalist, charitable. But you’ll see a number of features (multiple FM oscillators, digital architecture) that make some sense today. Alles’ deeper vision transcends any of those specs, and explains why it was an influential creation. (Someone in YouTube comments describes having their mind blown when they saw this presentation back in 1977.)
Here’s how Alles describes the project’s birth:
“As a research organization (Bell labs), we had no product responsibility. As a technology research organization, our research product had a very short shelf life. To have impact, we had to create “demonstrations”. We were selling digital design within a company with a 100 year history of analog design. I got pretty good at 30 minute demonstrations of the real time capabilities of the digital hardware I was designing and building. I was typically doing several demonstrations a week to Bell Labs people responsible for product development. I had developed one of the first programmable digital filters that could be dynamically reconfigured to do all of the end telephone office filtering and tone generation. It could also be configured to play digitally synthesized music in real time. I developed a demo of the telephone applications (technically impressive but boring to most people), and ended the demo with synthesized music. The music application was almost universally appreciated, and eventually a lot of people came to just hear the music.”
Hal Alles
Check it out at the wonderful 120 years reference:
Bell Labs Hal Alles Synthesiser, Hall Alles, USA, 1976.
It’s also great to read Max talking about controllers – as this seems relevant today (and to a lot of approaches to modular synthesis or the design of the Nonlinear Labs instruments).
“The goal was to have recording studio sound quality and mixing/processing capabilities, orchestra versatility, and a multitude of proportional human controls such as position sensitive keyboard, slides, knobs, joysticks, etc. It also needed a general purpose computer to configure, control and record everything. The goal included making it self-contained and “portable”. I proposed this project to my boss while walking back from lunch. He approved it before we got to our offices. ““The goal was to have recording studio sound quality and mixing/processing capabilities, orchestra versatility, and a multitude of proportional human controls such as position sensitive keyboard, slides, knobs, joysticks, etc. It also needed a general purpose computer to configure, control and record everything. The goal included making it self-contained and “portable”. I proposed this project to my boss while walking back from lunch. He approved it before we got to our offices. “
Max Mathews
Crumar GDS
The Alles device didn’t get far – figuratively or literally – so the one rare but actually-used descendant we get is the Crumar GSD. That instrument, co-created by Crumar and the USA’s Digital Keyboards, Inc., adapted the digital capabilities of the original Alles synth onto a Z-80 microcomputer and single-board design.
Digital synthesis today is something a lot of people care about, but maybe part of the reason the Alles and Crumar instruments tend to be relevant to footnotes in history is the way that history was written. Digital sampling was considered the major breakthrough, at least until the debut of the Yamaha DX7, so Fairlight and Synclavier are household names, and Alles is not.
But wow, even the GDS was too expensive and too heavy for anyone to own – apart from Klaus Schulze and Wendy Carlos, who got one – it sure looks ahead of its time. 16-part polyphony, 8-part multi-timbral, more faders and a joystick, 32 envelopes with up to 16 stages, 32 oscillators, distortion and phase distortion in addition to additive synthesis – 128 filters? You could show this at Superbooth 2023 and blow some minds. And this was 1980.
Oh yeah, and for everyone wondering why it’s tough to replicate the sounds of Wendy Carlos’ Tron soundtrack? That’s because this is a Crumar GDS on the lead.
Okay, sure, this may have sunk the storied Crumar company, but plenty of ground-breaking synth companies sort of, erm, failed while innovating.
Speaking of Bell and digital synthesis history, that is Max Mathews in this pic, who worked on the software and conceptualization of the GDS:
Max on GDS.Klaus on GDS. Black is over; white jumpsuits will return!
At the end of the video of this 1989 interview with BBC Two, Wendy Carlos shows off her GDS and her precise approach to percussion sound design – impressive, as this sounds almost like physical modeling but isn’t:
In German but with lots of pictures, the excellent Amazona.de picks up the story from there. The successors to the GDS, the Synergy I and Synergy II+, made these instruments more manageable, improved the design, and added MIDI:
I’m posting this partly in the hopes that we get some folks checking on this generation of instruments. And it’s inspiring to me to watch Wendy Carlos designing sounds – even without some rare hardware around, this approach can now be replicated in a lot of software. It’s the craft of sound creation that ultimately matters, much as I admire the old gear. (Hmm – might also have to think about how to map faders and a joystick, even.)
So, look forward to some feedback. I might also have to get back to Italy to check in on some of the instruments still here in Europe.
"Demo" - Google News
February 21, 2023 at 06:24PM
https://ift.tt/tH05n1h
1977's Bell Labs Alles synth demo came pre-Crumar, features Laurie Spiegel cameo - CDM Create Digital Music - Create Digital Music
"Demo" - Google News
https://ift.tt/NRVyXTn
https://ift.tt/D24Ndsc
.jpg/BROK/thumbnail/1200x630/wo-long-fallen-dynasty-(19).jpg)
