of Microprocessors

Preface
The period encompassing the mid-1970s until now has seen an explosive
growth in the application of digital logic, especially programmed logic and
microcomputers. The key to this growth is the fantastic reduction in the cost
of logic and memory and the development of the microprocessor. In
particular, microprocessors and microcomputer systems built around them
make it possible, practical, and even advisable to perform many functions
using computer techniques that would have been done with conventional
logic or analog circuits a very few years ago.
Although many computer music techniques were developed over a
decade earlier, their widespread use in the broader area of electronic music
has not yet materialized. Now, however, the increasing power of microprocessors
and their fantastic low cost make such widespread use inevitable.
Many of' these existing techniques cannot or should not be used directly,
however. Although a microprocessor bears considerable resemblance
to the large-scale machines on which these techniques were developed, there
are important differences. Additionally, there are numerous new techniques
that lend themselves well to microprocessor implementation but that are
completely impractical using a large-scale mainframe or even minicomputer.
In the pages to follow, the application of all important electronic and
computer music performance techniques to microprocessors will be covered.
In addition, some new, not generally known, techniques that are only
practical with microprocessors will be discussed. Finally, some of the
extremely powerful big computer signal-processing techniques will be
presented in nonmathematical language and applied to the more powerful
16-bit microprocessors that are becoming commonplace.
The text is divided into four major sections. Chapters 1 to 5 cover
important background material, the understanding ofwhich is necessary for
full appreciation ofthe sections to follow. Chapters on analog music synthesis
principles, digital music synthesis principles, and microprocessors should