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So why use Modular IV to emulate an old 8-bit computer? Firstly, in order to recreate the music of that 8-bit computer when it is no longer available, and secondly as a learning exercise to get to grips with some of the basics of Scope Modular patching. In 1978, Exidy released the Sorcerer Computer and in 1979 I purchased a Mark II model with 16K of RAM and expanded it to 48K. The Sorcerer came without any on-board sound generating capabilities, but in 1980 I purchased a small DAC board with some four-part notation software. The soundboard was about the size of a matchbox and generated a sine wave or organ-like tone. It was four note polyphonic, and the tone was very distinctive due to 8-bit quantization noise that added a sort of raspiness to the basic tone. The music generated was combined with vocals and guitar, often played in time with a tape recording of other parts, played back at twice speed to give octave higher parts. Many of the tracks ended up as promo tracks for the local FM radio station, and in 2008 these tracks were combined into an album called 'Sorcerers Apprentice' in honor of my computer mentor 'S' Kenn Stokes. | ||||||||||
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