Adlib Music Synthesizer Card Supports Sierra Games
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Sierra was the first company to successfully exploit enhanced graphics in entertainment products. Sierra again leads the pack by introducing enhanced soundtracks to its games. Beginning with the new King's Quest IV, Sierra will support the most popular music cards. Now, PC users will not only have better graphics, but also tremendous sound. In this issue, we're reviewing the most affordable and widely known music card supported by Sierra: The Adlib Music Synthesizer Card.

It's amazing to hear the great sound produced by this half-sized card when it plays the King's Quest IV soundtrack with up to 11 different instruments at the same time. With this card, Adlib, Inc. offers a surprisingly inexpensive music synthesizer based on FM technology, the same as you can find on many popular keyboards. One familiar with the sound of this technology will be amazed to hear such percussive sounds as bass drum, tom-tom, cymbals and hi-hat. This is because the card is cleverly designed to combine the use of white noise generation with FM synthesis.

The Adlib card package includes the Juke Box playback program and a selection of 20 songs. These demo songs are written in various musical styles and are great to listen to. The Juke Box is fun and easy to use; its turntable spins as the music plays away.

Another nice thing about this card is that there's a comprehensive line of music software available. This line includes such varied titles as: Visual Composer, a spreadsheet-like music editor; Visual Composer/MIDI Suppliment, an extensive MIDI sequencing option; Instrument Maker, a patch editor; Pop-Tunes, a memory resident playback program, and Music Championship #1, a game that is both fun and highly educational. As a matter of fact, the user interface of these software packages is one of the best we've seen so far.

Also, programmers will be delighted to see the extensive technical information available in the Programmer's Manual. Adlib, Inc. has chosen to provide their file formats so that song and instrument files created with third party software can be compatible. This is a good move and Adlib, Inc. is to be congratulated for this decision.

Answering to questions on what's new from Adlib, Inc., Martin Prevel, the president of the company said, "We're working on a powerful staff notation printing program to be released by the end of the year. We're also planning a national composition contest for the Adlib card as well as a user BBS for the exchange of song and instrument files."

The Adlib Music Synthesizer Card is a half-size card that will fit into any expansion slot on the PC motherboard. On the back of it, there is a volume control and an audio jack to which you can attach headphones, external speakers, or even your home stereo system.

If you are interested in increasing your enjoyment of new entertainment software as well as putting an 11-voice multi-timbral music synthesizer in your own PC, we strongly recommend the Adlib Music Synthesizer card; the new industry standard for sound enhancement on IBM PCs and compatibles.

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