|
|
Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| Mike Knudsen has always liked music. He plays the guitar and keyboard and in college wanted to start a computer music group, but mini computers were all
| | |
| that was available then -quite large and expensive.
| |
| In 1971 there were a few interesting interfaces being developed, and Mike tried some digital synthesis while mentoring some grad students. In 1977 Mike
| |
| bought a KIM I kit and used some ideas he read about in Byte magazine to write software that allowed the playback of four-part harmony using a digital
| |
| to analog converter.
| |
| In 1982 Mike found the CoCo. "The 6809 was like a 6502 with the brain damage repaired," he said. He wanted to do graphics, and so he wrote a Basic
| |
| compiler to transfer information from the KIM to the CoCo. He actually managed a six-voice music program on the CoCo.
| |
| When OS-9 arrived for the CoCo, he snapped it up. In fact, he knows he got the first copy of OS-9 Level II in the entire Chicago area. Along came Lyra
| |
| which really fascinated him, even though it was under Disk BASIC. He continued working on UltiMusE, realizing that he liked his own graphics much better.
| |
| Finally he rolled UltiMusE out of the hangar and showed it to one of the country's most active OS-9 user groups in Chicago. It was well-received. In March
| |
| of 1988 Mike uploaded the original shareware version of UltiMusE to Delphi and other BBSs. When Spectrum Projects went out of business,and Ed Hathaway and
| |
| Dave Barnes bought all the stock, Mike went to Ed and discussed UltiMusE. Not long after, at the Chicago RAINBOW fest, UltiMusE Ill made its official
| |
| debut and achieved unbelievable popularity.
| |
| (from: Rainbow Article "Play it again, Coco" Dec, 89)
| |