MMA Summary News Archives
Manufacturers Endorse "3dDxp" Audio Acceleration API (7/97)
A "Who's Who" group of 11 leading PC multimedia technology companies have endorsed "3Dxp", a means for extending Microsoft's DirectX 3.0 API to enable hardware acceleration of 3D audio in PC games. The 3Dxp DirectSound 3.0 API Extension is an open, royalty-free specification developed by members of the 3D Audio Working Group of the IASIG. The IASIG is comprised of 250 hardware and software developers as well as music composers and sound designers with a common interest in improving the quality of sound for interactive media, and is a project of the MIDI Manufacturers Association.
Without hardware acceleration, applications must use the host processor for 3D calculations via DirectSound 3D. The resulting high workload placed on the CPU is likely to result in lower quality audio processing or reduced visual frame rates. The solution is to use dedicated hardware to accelerate the 3D functions, yet each of the current 3D hardware implementations has its own interface. "It seemed to us that the largest obstacle developers faced in using 3D sound was picking between all the incompatible and competing technology suppliers", said Tom White of the Interactive Audio Special Interest Group (IASIG) which released the specification. "What 3Dxp intends to do is level the playing field so that software developers will jump in and start using 3D audio in games."
The 3Dxp specification has been made available to the public on the IASIG web site ( http://www.iasig.org). Reference source code is available for developers from DiamondWare (at http://www.dw.com/DEV3D).
Downloadable Sounds Specification Approved (4/97)
The MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) announced a delay in releasing the Downloadable Sounds Level 1 (DLS-1) Specification approved by the MMA membership in January and previously expected to be available in April. "During our normal 60 day comment period we received requests for some modifications which would improve performance on existing products, and we felt a short delay was warranted" said MMA president Tom White.
The DLS Level 1 specification has been eagerly anticipated by music and game software developers for achieving consistent and predictable playback of interactive sound tracks. Originally proposed by the MMA's Interactive Audio Special Interest Group (IA-SIG), DLS-1 allows composers to deliver customized instrument sounds and sound effects to accompany MIDI data which can be played on DLS-compatible sound cards or software synthesizers.
DLS-1 was approved for adoption by the MMA membership in January 1997 during the MMA's annual meeting held in conjunction with the NAMM International Music Products Industry trade show. The specification is now expected to be published on June 1. The MMA will also make available software developer kits which will include a tool for authoring DLS-1 files called "DLS Synth/Author".
Downloadable Sounds Specification Established (5/96)
The MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) today announced the creation of a new advanced audio standard for multimedia hardware. Targeted for CD-ROM and Internet entertainment applications, the new specification will result in higher quality audio from wavetable synthesizers, without any incremental memory costs. The new industry standard Downloadable Sounds (DLS) format was developed in cooperation with members of the Interactive Audio Special Interest Group (IA-SIG) and by leading multimedia companies.
The Downloadable Sounds specification extends General MIDI by providing a means for game developers and composers to add their own sounds to the PC sound card, rather than relying on the fixed GM sound set. General MIDI is used in PC games for generating music scores, and is also very popular with musicians and hobbyists who use MIDI for composing or learning about music. With DLS, custom sounds can be created and existing instrument sounds can be augmented with special effects by simply downloading a new sample bank.
"Inconsistent and proprietary designs have stalled the widespread adoption of wavetable synthesis." said Tom White, President, MIDI Manufacturers Association. " DLS 1.0 is the industry standard that will make wavetable and MIDI ubiquitous on mainstream consumer PCs. Consumers will experience enhanced interactive sounds beyond anything available today on the PC, and the title composers can rest assured that the consumer will hear exactly what was intended."
According to composer and recording artist Thomas Dolby, now President and CEO of Headspace, "Downloadable Sounds will give composers a universal delivery system for great-sounding music in computer games... I'm done apologizing for a string section that sounds like a squished bug!"
"We are excited about the MMA DLS 1.0 format," said Eric Engstrom, DirectX Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation. "In our effort to provide the industry with a suite of high performance standards and compliant APIs for gaming and Internet applications, we intend to support DLS 1.0 in the DirectMusic API."
Initial sound developer tools will be provided by Sonic Foundry, best known for "Sound Forge" sound editing software. Monty Schmidt, CEO, Sonic Foundry, said "We have been instrumental in driving this standard with the MMA. With our tools the incorporation of MIDI with DLS will be seamless and above all easy to use by developers."
Manufacturers Unite to Promote Licensing of MIDI Files (1/96)
The MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) has announced an industry initiative to promote the licensing of commercial music in Standard MIDI file (SMF) format. The "SMF Copyright and Licensing Committee" was formed -- with the assistance of charter members Roland and Yamaha -- to communicate the interests of the music products industry and its customers to music publishers, artists, and copyright holders in hopes of developing a strong market for commercial MIDI files.
This effort is designed to replicate the market which exists in Japan and Europe, where floppy disks of music are treated just like audio CDs and cassettes, and are sold shrink-wrapped off store shelves for prices similar to CDs. In these markets there is also substantial secondary revenue from related services such as magazines and even on-line services devoted to hobbyists and casual listeners.
"To a great extent, the problem in the US and North America is that there is no standard set of laws and practices governing MIDI recordings (SMFs)", said Tom White, MMA President and CEO. "This has severely hampered the development of several MIDI-related markets, including the sale of MIDI scores and instruments for rehearsal, live performance, karaoke, computer hobbyists, and end-user entertainment".
Japan and parts of Europe enjoy healthy markets in the areas of MIDI music data sales, where a single mail order outlet can sell up to 10,000 disks a month. Desktop Music (DTM) sales in Japan hit $35 million in 1994 and were projected to reach $50 million in 1995. What's more, 70% of the business is currently going to first-time buyers, and home computer sales are just starting to explode in Japan.
The MMA initiative will include lobbying for MIDI recordings to enjoy the same status as audio recordings for licensing and copyright protections. MMA Special Counsel for Intellectual Property, Brian Ward, is leading this effort. Equally important is an educational effort, aimed at record labels, music publishers, online content providers, and recording artists, to help them understand the growing interest in MIDI files and how this can be good for business. "The current confusion surrounding the application of MIDI in these markets is blocking its use, and in some cases, the licensing fees requested just don't support a viable business model for these markets", said Ward. "At the same time, the MMA must understand and address the legitimate concerns of rights-holders and develop recommended practices and new MIDI protocols if necessary to protect those rights".
MMA publishes GM Survey and Developer Guidelines
The MMA Executive Board has completed a comprehensive survey of existing GM hardware and software in order to determine what level of consistency exists in current GM implementations. This data clarifies what is required to be GM compatible based on what products exist today.
"The GM specification wasn't written as an instruction manual ... it's more like a road map" said Tom White, MMA President. "So we have a situation where companies don't understand how to implement certain features, which aren't detailed in the specification. We are responding by making specific recommendations which will help developers be compatible with the majority of products in use today."
The survey covers synthesizers (receivers), sequencers (players), and scores(content). The data is compiled and reported along with objective and subjective evaluations, designed to identify potential problem areas and recommended actions for best compatibility. The GM Developer Guidelines and survey is available to MMA members and other interested parties.
NAMM & MMA agree to develop MIDI Education Program
NAMM has agreed to co-sponsor a program to be developed by the MMA, which will help grow the market for MIDI through dealer training and better understading of end-user needs. The program intends to create new customers for MIDI products, by demonstrating the benefits of MIDI without requiring the user to learn the technology. The dealer certification program will be aimed squarely at the millions of PC/multimedia system owners, who are looking for more to do with their computers, and will focus the salesperson to demonstrate how MIDI technology can be applied to meet a customers musical interests. Training will include topics such as General MIDI, home recording, song writing, education and entertainment. Retailers will receive certificates identifying each graduate of the course on their staff as MMA Certified Instructors, and will be eligible to teach a similar course to their customers if desired.
MMA PARTNERS WITH THE IMA FOR EXPO '96
The MIDI Manufacturers Association (MMA) will join with the Interactive Multimedia Association as a major participant in IMA Expo '96, to be held in New York City's Javits Convention Center, September 17-19, 1996. The Expo will provide a comprehensive forum for the diverse and rapidly growing $18 billion multimedia industry, which includes the CD-ROM, Internet delivery, on-line, broadband, and enterprise network systems markets.
"Computer and multimedia applications have become extremely important to a major segment of our membership," said MMA President Tom White. "
"We see a strong synergy between our organizations and major opportunity to combine forces for the benefit of both memberships," said IMA President Philip V. W. Dodds. "The MMA's participation in IMA Expo '96 will significantly enhance our show. Music and audio are major elements in the multimedia equation, and the MMA, with its roots in the music industry, is rapidly becoming a key player within the multimedia industry."
As part of the MMA's participation, Tom White will join IMA Expo's conference committee, working closely with the IMA to provide input on conference program content related to audio. White said "Together, our organizations will work to develop a program track which will educate and inform developers and producers on the tools available for audio production, as well as on new technologies and directions which promise to change how content is made and distributed."