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AMCS free versions are live! |
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qUE |
Message #123456, posted by qUE at 14:14, 15/12/2014 |
Posts: 187
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Right I've been threatening to make it available for years, after a brief rebuild I feel a bit more confident to make some free versions available.
It's currently only available for the A3000, but we intend to move the system on to newer architectures like the Cortex-A tablets. And we're still working on the documentation.
"What the hell is AMCS?" you ask. Well it's a music production operating system, yep, it replaces RISC OS, even if it is using RISC OS as a loader. If you've used Tracker in the past, you'll absolutely love this system, it's similar except it's primarily MIDI and does waaay more.
Hopefully it'll work fine on your computer, though it's currently in testing phase so there will no doubt be some bugs we've missed.
Check the website -> amcs.3rdevent.net
Merry Christmas |
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Jon Abbott |
Message #123457, posted by sirbod at 20:08, 15/12/2014, in reply to message #123456 |
Member
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Are there any screenshots of it, or perhaps a YouTube video of it in action?
Sounds intriguing. Interestingly, when I was coding SoundSynth II, I also replaced RISC OS and used it purely as a loader. It was never finished as the Acorn market collapsed....one day perhaps! |
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qUE |
Message #123458, posted by qUE at 15:23, 16/12/2014, in reply to message #123457 |
Posts: 187
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Going to make some clips of the system, ideally was going to do a kind of tutorial video but we haven't had time at the moment and we won't be able to get anything together until after NYE (taking it a little easier, it's been pretty much 2 years solid development to get this far)
Nearest I have to a screenshot atm is > http://amcs.3rdevent.net/visual/screen00.gif
Doesn't really show much but the basic interface layout I'm afraid. |
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qUE |
Message #123553, posted by qUE at 17:15, 17/4/2015, in reply to message #123458 |
Posts: 187
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Acorn A3000 free versions of AMCS (b17042015dt) now live, archive downloads are available on our website - http://amcs.3rdevent.net |
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qUE |
Message #123770, posted by qUE at 01:16, 11/12/2015, in reply to message #123553 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b11122015dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net |
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qUE |
Message #123808, posted by qUE at 22:41, 24/3/2016, in reply to message #123770 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b25032016dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Now includes a Wondermedia 8650 compatible version. |
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qUE |
Message #123964, posted by qUE at 00:51, 14/12/2016, in reply to message #123808 |
Posts: 187
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Sorry for being a bit slack on announcements
New free versions of AMCS (b25112016dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Now includes a Wondermedia 8850 compatible versions. |
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qUE |
Message #124046, posted by qUE at 22:05, 2/3/2017, in reply to message #123964 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b03032017dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Now includes compatibility for the Acorn A3020 computer (with 100Hz capable display).
Also check out music and mixes made with our technologies >>> www.invertedlightsource.com |
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qUE |
Message #124103, posted by qUE at 11:32, 16/6/2017, in reply to message #124046 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b16062017dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Tutorial videos are also available on the official website and social media pages. |
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qUE |
Message #124119, posted by qUE at 11:37, 15/7/2017, in reply to message #124103 |
Posts: 187
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AMCS - the Advanced Music Construction System (amcs.3rdevent.net) prototypes and many classic synthesisers will be shown on Saturday 22nd July, the Synthesized exhibition at the Centre of Computing History, Cambridge CB1 3EW.
http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/41952/Synthesized-22-23-July-2017 |
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qUE |
Message #124194, posted by qUE at 13:43, 20/10/2017, in reply to message #124119 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b20102017dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Prototype systems (Acorn Archimedes A3000 & Wondermedia ARM Netbooks) will be shown @ www.riscoslondonshow.co.uk - Saturday 28th October. #Music #Production #Live #Studio #MIDI #Sequencer #AMCS #ARM #Acorn #RISCOSLondonShow |
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qUE |
Message #124250, posted by qUE at 11:52, 14/2/2018, in reply to message #124194 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b16022018dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Now with multiple USB-MIDI interface routing and, various tweaks and fixes. Also hear this version tested live this month on our invertedlightsource radio show - https://www.facebook.com/events/193624107885326
https://www.facebook.com/AdvancedMusicConstructionSystem
#DEDICATED #EMBEDDED #REALTIME #MULTITASKING #MUSIC #PRODUCTION #MIDI #AUDIO #SYNTH #SEQUENCER #WORKSTATION #OS |
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qUE |
Message #124328, posted by qUE at 16:49, 14/8/2018, in reply to message #124250 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b10082018dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Also hear this version tested live this month on our invertedlightsource radio show - https://www.facebook.com/events/646184709089270
https://www.facebook.com/AdvancedMusicConstructionSystem
#DEDICATED #EMBEDDED #REALTIME #MULTITASKING #MUSIC #PRODUCTION #MIDI #AUDIO #SYNTH #SEQUENCER #WORKSTATION #OS |
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qUE |
Message #124447, posted by qUE at 22:40, 14/2/2019, in reply to message #124328 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b15022019dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Just in time for the RISC OS South-West Show where you can see different AMCS systems working with various MIDI instruments - www.riscos-swshow.co.uk
Native support for the Behringer X-Touch in Mackie Mode added for the USB capable versions, and various improvements and fixes.
https://www.facebook.com/AdvancedMusicConstructionSystem
#DEDICATED #EMBEDDED #REALTIME #MULTITASKING #MUSIC #PRODUCTION #MIDI #AUDIO #SYNTH #SEQUENCER #WORKSTATION #OS |
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qUE |
Message #124596, posted by qUE at 12:36, 11/10/2019, in reply to message #124447 |
Posts: 187
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It's that time again when we announce an update release;
New free versions of AMCS (b11102019dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Added dual display support for HDMI on the Wondermedia 8850.
Improved support with USB mice for devices that have USB.
Various very small tweaks and fixes.
We'll be at the RISC OS London Show with all the usual prototypes (including the Archimedes), bits of our music studio kit and a new full product (which the next post will explain) - www.riscoslondonshow.co.uk
And if you can't make the show but you're in Bristol, you're welcome to come and chat to the core developer (me) of AMCS about the vertical mountain of work it's taken to get from a RISC OS BASIC program on the A3000 to a full OS for newer ARM hardware, still compiled in BBC BASIC assembler on RISC OS 3, at the BRU user group - www.riscository.com/calendar
#DEDICATED #EMBEDDED #REALTIME #MULTITASKING #MUSIC #PRODUCTION #MIDI #AUDIO #SYNTH #SEQUENCER #WORKSTATION #OS |
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qUE |
Message #124597, posted by qUE at 12:37, 11/10/2019, in reply to message #124596 |
Posts: 187
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This isn't directly Acorn related, but definitely ARM related. And I'm putting this here incase anyone makes music with Tracker or any step sequencer and/or will like to own a full AMCS system (please spread the word as we're not some huge corporation with pots of cash and a dedicated marketing dept.).
The specifications of AMCS are still extreme even compared to the offerings of much more established manufacturers. The new devices are based on the VIA APC8750 with absolutely no support of VIA, AMCS is not running on any existing OSes or using any existing drivers, it is a complete development from the ground up, hence why it's pretty bulletproof.
But, unfortunately we can only offer our latest product to the UK, bad experiences with various couriers have made us cautious with such a small production run.
Anyway, our cheesy promo follows 
*
AMCS - the Advanced Music Construction System - WW7 workstation
3rd Event Technologies are proud to announce;
The new Advanced Music Construction System - WW7 workstation.
AMCS is a dedicated music production system targeted at live performance.
It is unique and features;
256 poly-loop tracks with up to 256 steps of MIDI and CD-quality audio.
Mixing with 256 customisable presets mapped to tactile controllers.
Instrument routing and stacking with extensive control of the MIDI architecture.
Everything can be used during live performances.
And much more.
The system is tough and lightweight, has a quick power up, no cooling requirement and is suitable for touring.
Supplied with a touchpad keyboard, MIDI interface and 4 gigabytes of removable storage.
Limited stock available at a reasonable price.
Please check the official website for more details and how to purchase; http://amcs.3rdevent.net/upgrade.htm
Any queries, please contact us via e-mail at contact@3rdevent.net |
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Andrew Rawnsley |
Message #124598, posted by arawnsley at 14:29, 11/10/2019, in reply to message #124597 |
R-Comp chap
Posts: 600
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At the risk (risc?) of stirring up a hornet's nest, is there a reason you're not using this with RISC OS on something like a Pi-zero, given that RISC OS is free/open-source and USB Midi etc is available, and the software exists for the Arc?
Or is it a case that AMCS has evolved to the point where it is its own OS, and that's a core part of its effectiveness/power? |
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qUE |
Message #124599, posted by qUE at 13:17, 12/10/2019, in reply to message #124598 |
Posts: 187
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Hah, if you think a simple question will make me explode in a response rage you really don't know me. I'm normally the one upsetting people 
Way way back AMCS (and as it was called QMS - Que's Music Sequencer before that) used to run on top of RISC OS on the Archimedes A3000, but when I starting scaling up the system with things like 256 tracks instead of 32, RISC OS started to crumble in performance and was hindering improvement.
And that I wanted the system to be bootable like firmware, some of my research into rolling bootable code into the RISC OS 3 ROM has been posted either here or stardot.
Initially I just replaced all the SWIs I used with my own routines and customised the floppy drive handling, which is basically the small leap to having an OS. But as I realised A3000 motherboards were not a viable thing to package as a hardware product, so I researched other avenues of how to run the system.
I chucked together a base emulator because PC hardware is prevalent. But ultimately the performance on low footprint PCs just wasn't real-time enough for me. At that time all the lovely new ARM embedded stuff was coming around and I manage to pick up an ARM based VIA Wondermedia 8505 netbook and thought it was ideal to package as a product, since it was portable, light, totally self-contained and low cost (they were under 50 quid at the time).
So a complete recode later, totally unteathering the system from any platform (which was an issue with the A3000), I'm now able to move with the ARM embedded board market as it rapidly sinks and surfaces new products. Although I'm still getting burnt by manufacturers pulling out of certain markets.
I've been asked before why not use an existing OS (Linux) and truth is, performance. On low footprint architectures neither Linux or RISC OS posses the ability to churn through the shear weight of information to do something as seemingly simple as music, without introducing a noticeable amount of latency. The Linux side is getting worse with most devices only offering Android as an OS, and that is barely usable itself imo. Also the power on/boot time of AMCS is quicker than RISC OS 2, which is actually quite important with live music performance. Nothing more stressful than turning up to a gig hoping something is going to work and having to wait for powering on to just check that, or even just power cycling if something goes wrong. The quicker everything is, the less hassle.
Developing products with open source has issues, poor code quality from peripheral manufacturers, performance hits from multi-layer abstraction and last but not least licencing.
I'm in the throws of adding compatibility with the Zero to shrink the device size down further, maybe eventually to a watch, can then tout as the smallest powerful music production system
In short, the Pros eventually really do out weight the Cons in having your own OS. Even if it is a huge huge amount of work.
[Edited by qUE at 14:24, 12/10/2019] |
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Rob Kendrick |
Message #124600, posted by nunfetishist at 18:51, 12/10/2019, in reply to message #124599 |
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Posts: 524
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Hardware that runs Android also runs Linux, because Android is Linux (with a single patch). Even very old Linux is quite happy to do real-time mixing of hundreds of channels and spit them back out again with <5ms latency, and with tuning, <1ms, be that via ALSA or AVB.
Plus you get lots of other hardware support for free. |
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qUE |
Message #124601, posted by qUE at 12:57, 13/10/2019, in reply to message #124600 |
Posts: 187
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To say Android is Linux is an insult to Linux imo.
I hear you on what is specified by the open source audio stacks, but practically it's nonsense. You only have to look at the specifications and capability of existing Linux Audio and MIDI sequencing software to see it's not possible on <1GHz.
Bitwig, Renoise, Reaper, MIDI Box, all are targeted for music making, certainly some of these have gone the extra mile to get latency down. But they either require supercomputers or just don't have the same capability.
Even successfully commercial software is getting mobile renditions and they're basically toy versions of their PC versions. |
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Rob Kendrick |
Message #124604, posted by nunfetishist at 09:16, 15/10/2019, in reply to message #124601 |
Today's phish is trout a la creme.
Posts: 524
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Android is Linux. It's userland is different from Ubuntu, sure, but Android is Linux.
Have you looked at MOD Devices? They do an awful lot in a very modest ARM.
I work on something that needs to receive, mix, process, and relay over a *network* audio data with <1ms latency for echo cancellation. It's quite doable without dedicating GHz of CPU. |
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qUE |
Message #124605, posted by qUE at 20:05, 15/10/2019, in reply to message #124604 |
Posts: 187
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MOD devices stuff looks very similar to the Axoloti board, so I assume Max/MSP is ported and used by different manufacturers. The Axoloti is the basis for a few Synthesizer manufacturers which obviously did the sane thing and opted for an off the shelf solution But tbf, Axoloti is one of the few things to not go straight for the pie-in-the-sky terms such as endless, unlimited, limitless, etc. It does recognise it's limitations and I find that respectable.
The Max/MSP stuff has been around for a long time, I remember back in the early 2000s Arts Audio projects appearing here using it and unfortunately even though computers back then aren't what they are now, it started to fall apart very quickly in performance as you stacked more. Of course the more processing power you throw at it, the more that'll become less of a problem, but I've been absolute on not relying on moore's law being true, because it is ultimately unrealistic as we're slowly finding out.
We're starting to see even the latest incarnations of the Pi requiring cooling and it'd be a nightmare in the nightclub environments my system has to operate in, it would literally overheat in no time and fail.
I've also got the factor of cost, the most expensive component is the embedded board if I can't get that for a reasonable cost I can't compete in price with competing products, where manufacturers have way way more clout in being able to do massive production runs with factories able to replicate perfect finishes at a fraction of my costs.
I don't doubt dedicated ADC>SoC>DAC or even multiple ADCs and DACs can churn through audio quickly, but I do doubt that you don't have a buffer and that buffer is greater than 1ms which is the true latency, if you required effects to be manipulated on that buffer whilst someone adjusted something manually to change a setting you will soon hear latency, of course 40ms is regarded as acceptable. Anything abstracting that process will introduce more processing and before you know it that 40ms buffer isn't enough.
I've experimented with MIDI triggering virtual synthesis on a lot of software now (Windows, Android and Lubuntu), and only a handful actually achieve decent performance on computers I wouldn't even dream of using where AMCS goes. On computers which are "portable" or likely comparable to their embedded versions in processing capability just don't even cut it.
For instance we ran Caustic with Android on a Quad-Core Cortex Tablet 1GHz driven by AMCS through a USB-MIDI cable and it couldn't do more than two simultaneous riffs without eventually struggling, playing several seconds behind and dropping notes. This is not a dig at Caustic, it's a great bit of software, but it does highlight how a powerful consumer ARM device with Android is not useful as a virtual synthesizer or even as a real-time sequencer, and obviously I can't run any other types of Linux because no official support exists which is increasingly the case. I've yet to try ZynAddSubFX as I've had better success with that on my laptop, but then again my laptop isn't a consumer ARM device.
[Edited by qUE at 21:09, 15/10/2019] |
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qUE |
Message #124658, posted by qUE at 12:36, 13/12/2019, in reply to message #124597 |
Posts: 187
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AMCS - the Advanced Music Construction System - WW7 workstation
This year 3rd Event Technologies launched the WW7 workstation, the first product to be released by the company to supply an area in media production technologies that give hardware reliability with software capability. The product is a dedicated desktop box for making music with the unique AMCS operating system. The robust case contains a VIA Technologies APC8750 board featuring an ARM processor, 512 megabytes of memory, a micro SD slot, four USB ports, 3.5mm stereo audio jacks, VGA and HDMI video output. With dimensions of 22cm wide by 11cm deep by 4.4cm high, makes it one of the smaller and lighter devices of its kind on the market.
AMCS is an embedded step sequencer with a "Tracker-like" interface which sole purpose is for music production. Roughly two decades ago the creation of the system began due to its creator wanting to produce studio grade sound and being stuck with a Tracker software only able to use short low-fidelity sound samples and no MIDI support. Historically Tracker had been hugely popular with music making on many computer platforms and presented in many variations, but by design has always been aimed at low computer resources, which led to limitations in capability.
The concept of making music through a top-down grid interface is still popular with music producers using newer sequencers, often remakes of classic Tracker software removing previous limitations and enabling full music production.
AMCS differs from Tracker in an ability to create music live, a user can compose and tweak whilst playing. Also instead of set length patterns, there are 256 variable loops that can contain up to 256 cues of notes or functions. These are then blended with a mixer which has 256 arrangements able to be stored and recalled in different ways.
However like Tracker, the system is light on computer processing, making it capable of operating on energy efficient technology and tolerate warm environments without failure.
The live performance aspect of AMCS allows for the system to be used like a DJ would mixing music, except that all the parts can be changed on the fly, leading to an ability to take the performance in any direction the artist likes.
Opposed to other music sequencers there is no requirement to pre-own or set up a computer, it has a clear graphical interface and is ready to use for anyone wanting to make music.
Launch price tag is 249 GBP, limited stock available to the UK;
http://amcs.3rdevent.net/upgrade.htm |
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qUE |
Message #125079, posted by qUE at 14:35, 8/2/2021, in reply to message #123456 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b05022021dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net
Now on two new platforms - the Raspberry Pi 1 and Pi Zero. |
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qUE |
Message #125142, posted by qUE at 10:41, 11/6/2021, in reply to message #125079 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b11062021dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net |
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qUE |
Message #125162, posted by qUE at 11:35, 21/7/2021, in reply to message #125142 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b23072021dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net |
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qUE |
Message #125214, posted by qUE at 23:18, 5/10/2021, in reply to message #125162 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b01102021dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net |
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qUE |
Message #125263, posted by qUE at 12:49, 6/12/2021, in reply to message #125214 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b03122021dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net |
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qUE |
Message #125299, posted by qUE at 15:50, 6/5/2022, in reply to message #125263 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b06052022dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net |
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qUE |
Message #125406, posted by qUE at 12:51, 29/3/2023, in reply to message #125299 |
Posts: 187
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New free versions of AMCS (b31032023dt) MIDI/audio sequencer, now available for download from the official website >>> amcs.3rdevent.net |
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