Composers On-Line--
a new project

The following articles serve to introduce a new service sponsored by SCI.

The Ohio State University Sound Synthesis Studios will sponsor an on-demand, streaming-audio archive of SCI members' works to be known as Composerver: http://composerver.sss.arts.ohio-state.edu

Thomas Wells, former SCI Region V co-chair and host of the 1984 SCI (ASUC) National Conference, will be the submissions coordinator and system administrator for Composerver. Composerver will reside on a dedicated SUN Sparcstation with 9 gigabytes of disk storage at Ohio State's Sound Synthesis Studios.

Members will be able to post up to ten minutes of music that can be auditioned on-demand, without the necessity of downloading soundfiles to the listenerŐs personal computer. Program notes and biographical material can also be published on the site.

The site will use the Progressive Networks RealAudio server software, a client-server based streaming media delivery system for the Internet. Software required to listen to the files can be downloaded for free from Progressive Networks as plug-ins for IBM- and Macintosh-based browsers from Progressive Networks.

The audio fidelity, while not digital-mastering-quality, is about that of high-quality FM broadcast, and improvements continue to be made on the system. Fidelity, of course, improves with increased bit rate. Initially, Composerver will support both 14.4 and 28.8 kbps users, with higher bit rates to come as standards and hardware availability change.

Listening to a file involves simply clicking on an icon on the Composerver web page. The RealAudio server and player do the rest. Detailed instructions on how to use Composerver, as well as information on listener hardware requirements will be posted as .html documents on the site, along with links to technical and other helpful information regarding streaming audio.

Help in using Composerver, obtaining RealAudio plug-ins, submitting works, and other related matters, will be available as links on the Composerver webpage.

SCI-members submissions to Composerver will be made via DAT or cassette tape, or on ZIP cartridges, through the mail, or to an ftp site to be announced. Detailed instructions on submissions will be posted on the Composerver site. Members may submit excerpts, complete pieces, or any presentation they like, within the ten-minute maximum limit.

Program/biographical notes should be submitted in HTML format, and mailed on ZIP cartridges, or high-density IBM/Mac formatted floppy disks - or ftp'd directly to the site.

Tom Wells, Composerver
School of Music
The Ohio State University
1866 College Road
Columbus, Ohio 43210
twells@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu