usic changes from locations adding   
   more atmospheres to the game.   
      
   It goes without saying the text needs careful reading as it will hold the   
   clue to solving or moving to other locations within the game.  Talk to   
   everyone, admit to nothing, and wear dark glasses to blend in with the   
   background.   
      
   I found a YouTube Sceneworld review of the game narrated by Andrew Fisher   
   here   
      
   www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PnrwWOPaXQ   
      
   Watch the game being played here, in a number of episodes!   
      
   www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmXpKiOfRYc   
      
   Although it is as River from Doctor Who would say, "SPOILERS" although it   
   is in German.   
      
   SCORES   
      
   Music: 9/10   
     wow   
   Graphics: 8/10   
   Gameplay: 8/10   
   Production: 10/10   
   Overall: 8.5/10   
      
   SUMMARY   
      
   Absorbing, easy to pick up, but difficult to put down.  As usual the   
   Protovision production packaging makes an ultimate release.  I am sure it   
   is already a collector's item, as the metal tin versions are already sold   
   out.   
      
      
      
   *************************************   
               MICROSOUND 64   
       Commodore 64 Add-On Keyboard   
   *************************************   
      
   Looking online I found this website with some retro scanned sound-related   
   magazines.  The link is to the Microsound 64 information; it's not much and   
   clicking at the top of the page gives more pages and scans to other   
   magazines.  I note the keyboard picture also shows a plastic modelled   
   version!  (More about this later)   
      
   Some of this review was written for commodorescene.org.uk   
      
   However, after being asked about it from a friend, then pestered to sell   
   the unit and told it was mega rare, I thought a little re-write and   
   re-print into Commodore Free was required.   
      
   www.paulbarrett101.webspace.virginmedia.com/z74.html   
      
   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
      
   I think I first saw this keyboard advertised in "Sound on Sound" magazine.   
   My unit seems to be manufactured from some sort of plastic coated   
   chipboard, and not plastic like the advert.  I know I bought one as soon as   
   they came out and it was "ordered" and had to wait for a unit to be made so   
   I presume mine was very early.  Later they produced the plastic moulded   
   versions to keep costs down.   
      
   My unit is dated 1983 and my manual says "Autographics Ltd" the software   
   itself says "microsound Ltd"   
      
   The keyboard is well-made with very responsive springy keys over a 4 octave   
   range.  The keyboard has two connectors that plug into the joystick ports   
   on the Commodore 64.  I have only ever seen one other unit (in the wild)   
   and this was also manufactured in plastic, so clearly my version must have   
   been an early version.  It's rumoured that there was to be a sound sampler   
   that would somehow connect to the unit so you could play samples (the   
   magazine review mentions this).  I do not have this and haven't ever seen   
   one.  The keyboard also has two analogue sliders that are assignable (more   
   on this later).   
      
   The software I have came on cassette.  It's two programs, the first loading   
   up the second.  However, if you load the 1st program then save it to disk   
   (without running) then load the second program and save this to disk   
   (without saving) you can run the software from disk!  When you load the   
   software from disk it asks where it's loading from, disk or tape.  The   
   first part is loaded as msound64 and is run with sys2973.  This loads the   
   second part of the software RTL-64.   
      
   Sadly the software runs REALLY slowly with painful screen updates, feeling   
   like a non-compiled BASIC application.  The accompanying manual on my   
   version says it's version 2.3 and states that on the keyboards back is a 25   
   pin D way connector (I presume the sampler would connect here).  However,   
   on inspection, my keyboard version doesn't have this connector!  Nor is the   
   wiring in place on the inside for adding one!   
      
   The keyboard is merely a fancy way of triggering the software so you have   
   three-note polyphonic keyboard (you can play three notes at once).  This is   
   because you are playing or manipulating the SID sound chip.  The keyboard   
   itself can't produce any sounds, the sliders can be user-assigned, for   
   example to vca cut off etc.  The keyboard doesn't need any external power   
   and the manual says it draws the 5 volts it needs from the joystick ports.   
      
   CONTROL PROGRAM   
      
   This is the main opening screen after the credits and is a real-time sound   
   manipulation program.  Here you can change the characteristics of the sound   
   by manipulating the ADSR (attack Decay Sustain and Release).  You can also   
   apply Ring modulation and filter can be set as low, middle, or high.  You   
   can also set the keyboard to play mono or three-note polyphony, and the   
   sound can further be tweaked by selecting the wave form Triangle, Sawtooth,   
   pulse and noise.  Pressing T lets you fine-tune the sound to mix with other   
   instruments.  Pressing P lets you configure the sliders:  they can control   
   filter cut off, frequency, pulse width or low frequency oscillator.  Once   
   you're happy your sound preset can be saved for later use.   
      
   Of course it goes without saying that the SID chip can produce some very   
   unique sounds.  These are the same sounds that people are trying to   
   emulate, but nothing beats the real thing!   
      
   The three-note polyphony was another real down point for this keyboard, and   
   although at the time three notes was better than one, it's a real   
   limitation.  I tend to play a phrase and sample it!   
      
   The software also has a very helpful HELP screen with the keys and what   
   they do!  Just in case you get lost and can't be bothered with the manual.   
      
   SEQUENCER 1   
      
   I haven't used this function very much, but ...   
      
   This is a real-time or step-time sequencer, i.e.  it will playback what you   
   record on it.  Once the sequence is recorded it can later be edited.  This   
   is useful for playing those IMPOSSIBLE sequences where it sounds like   
   you're a better player than you really are, or for creating some arpeggios   
   that have to be played so fast they are impossible!  Limitations are that   
   only 200 notes per channel can be recorded, but there is a command   
   programming language which looks like this:   
      
   LO4 FN5 LN20 GRO SP5   
      
   This would turn off the screen for clearer playback,   
      
   Play 4 times the sequence from note 5 to 20   
      
   With a playback speed of 5   
      
   My manual has numerous spelling errors and even corrections with liquid   
   paper.  Mentioned in the manual is something called SEQUENCER 2.  Nothing   
   further is mentioned -- only that it existed, so if you're reading and can   
   send a D64 I would appreciate it as well as a PDF of the manual!   
      
   One thing I remember was my original tape failed to load.  After contacting   
   the company I received a working replacement tape then next day!   
      
   There seems to be very little information on the internet about this   
   keyboard or the company that made the device.  I also wonder why mine is   
   made of wood and the others I have seen are made of plastic moulds.  I   
   would also like a wiring diagram as mine is faulty (some of the internal   
   wiring is loose).  Although the cables are colour coded there is no way to   
   know where these loose cable were once connected too.   
      
   =====================================   
      
      
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