ORPHEUS(ID:7950/)

Earlier copmuter music language 

Microtone-capable musical performance language for the SOLIDAC. SOLIDAC was developed for the Computer Science Department at Glasgow University, and when the department didn't want it on finishing (1963), O'Beinre decided to keep it to play music on. This makes the SOLIDAC one of the very first dedicated musical computers.

O'Beirne used it to make the disc "Dice-Composition Music by SOLIDAC Computer" (Glasgow : Barr and Stroud 1967).
References:
  • O'Beirne, T. H. "Music, numbers and computers", Bull. Inst. Math. Applics., Vol. 3, 1967 pp57-66 view details
  • O'Beirne T H "Computer programs which play music with microtones" view details Abstract: ORPHEUS programs for the SOLIDAC computer accept an input of transcribed (solo-voice) musical scores which can then be played with facilities for overall or piecewise modifications.

    Transcription rules, console operations and storage principles are described, to explain implicit and explicit possibilities for making microtone distinctions of tuning.
    DOI
          in The Computer Journal 13(4) 1970 view details
  • O'Beirne, T. H. "From Mozart to the bagpipe with a small computer", Bull. Inst. Math. Applics. 1970 view details
          in The Computer Journal 13(4) 1970 view details
  • Thomas, Paul A.V. "Solidac: An Early Minicomputer for Teaching Purposes" pp79-83 view details Abstract: This is a short note concerning the development of a small computer which was started in 19.58, with construction being completed in 1963. The design was fully described in my PhD thesis? but was unpublished, which was the norm for theses at that time, the thesis itself being considered a publication in its own right. However, there were a number of historically novel features that I thought might be of interest to the readers of this journal. Due to the passage of time, and as I later became distanced from the original project (to be explained later), some of the information and dates given are only approximate. For this reason, I have written this note in a more informal manner, consisting of three parts: A prologue describes what led to the project, the section ?Computer description? reviews the important features of the computer design, and an epilogue describes the outcome of the project, somewhat different from the original project purpose. External link: Online copy Extract: Barr and Stroud
    A second fortuitous effect brought about by the two years? delay concerned the actual construction of the computer. The original plan was to have the computer constructed by the department, which could have been slowed up due to other commitments; nothing could have been done to avoid this, as it was the only method available to me. However, at this time a local company, Barr and Stroud, a long-established firm making optical instruments including binoculars, submarine periscopes, and optical range finders, decided that it was time for them to move forward into developing electrdnic devices, specifically electronic range finders. One of their staff members, T.H. O?Beirne, approached Professor D.C. Gilles of the Department of Computer Science at the university to see if they had some need for special computing equipment that Barr and Stroud could develop for them, so that they could gain expertise in this field. As Gilles knew of my plans, he suggested to O?Beirne that he discuss the matter with me with the hopes that something could come out of this meeting to our mutual benefit. As a result, it was agreed that I would supply the components and Barr and Stroud would essentially carry out the construction of the computer. The final development would be a joint effort between us, based on my original design, with improvements being carried out by joint agreement. The design, which incorporated a number of features to gain the maximum capability for the cost, was finally completed in 1963. Extract: O'Beirne and Solidac and Music
    By the time that the computer was ready to be shipped to the university from Barr and Stroud, the department stated that it had no real need for the computer. (How many university projects have been disbanded due to a change of emphasis within a department!) It was agreed that it should remain with Barr and Stroud, at least for the time being. O?Beirne said that he had a personal interest in using it to carry out some research into using a small digital computer for music composition, not so much as
         ?to take the part of the composer, but [we] here are concerned with computers in the role of the executant.? (O'Beirne 1967)
    In fact, during the next few years, he used Solidac to compose interactively many pieces of music (including Mozart and Haydn dice music) and, because of his Scottish background, finally music for the Highland bagpipe? He also produced an interactive program called Orpheus, about which he said
    "Previous considerations are important in programming work, but understanding of them is not vital to musicians who may be interested in making use of the computer. This applies particularly to the ORPHEUS programs which allow the computer to play music after entry of a data tape which is as near to a straight transcription of a conventional score as can be secured within the conventions of five-hole teletype input. A special feature of these programs is the fact that modifications to pitch and speed - independently of each other - are readily made by simple operations at the computer console." (O'Beirne 1970)
          in Annals of the History of Computing October-December 1993 15(4) view details