CPU Bach: a review by ChrisC4622

Review by ChrisC4622 <chrisc4622@aol.com>

This message is for all those that haven't purchased CPU Bach yet.

Introduction:

I decided to pick up a copy of cpu Bach because I love bach and I thought this would be a lovley addition to my 3DO collection (which isn't very big its still missing Road Rash, Way of the Warrior, and every other cool game that I still waiting for). I know this title has been out for a while but like me, there is a lot of people who have looked at it and said nah! because you are looking for cool blast em up games and not interactive software. But music lovers don't let this title pass you by! It was developed by the same guy/people who did civilizations and sim city and a few other music experts.

I know some of you are thinking "Yeah I know it composes music in the style of Bach but what else does it do?" Well you can customize the instruments it plays to suit your tastes, you can choose between chorus, piano, violen, oboe, strings, woodwinds, horns, synthesizers, ect. and it will compose music using the instruments you choose and you can also choose the amount each intrument is played when it composes the music. You can even save the programs on how the music is played plus you can save the music itself if you think what it is playing good enough that you want to hear the same thing later. Whats cool about it is that some of the programs are named after times of day or atmosphere so you can program it to play a certain style in the morning program or more of an upbeat style for the party program.

Graphics:

Whats more versitil about the program is its graphics modes that you can switch between. There's the kalaidescope mode that shows colors and designs that react to the music ( just like the audio cd player does but I think the colors react better in CPU bach). And a mode that shows you each note that it is playing along with detailed descriptions of harmony, melody ect. its very informative for those that don't have a clue on the details of classical music (like myself). there's a mode where you see good old John Sebastian himself playing the intrument that is prominent in the music that the cpu is playing. What's great about this is not only the great graphics but that you can see that he is playing the actual notes of the music.

Then there is a mode where it pans and scrolls through a gallery of pictures it has on the cd, these are beautiful pictures of churches, forests, sunsets, birds, trees, flowers, insects, that are simply breath taking. I don't know how many pictures there were but I know in the time that I played it It was rare that I saw the same picture twice.

CPU Bach plays preludes, allegros, fugues, dances, and many other styles, it is a great program for the person is somewhat interested in classical music and wants to learn more and also for a person who already knows most everthing about classical music and wants to experience something that is truly different. No you can't compose your own music with it, but a doubt that most people could do as good as a job of creating music as cpu does. CPU creates music thats different every time you turn it on, the music is not as original or stands out like toccatta fugue but it is still good none the less and the instruments sound pretty good and realistic. I think the programmers did a great job with this and that it is really under rated. Everyone who is into music should run out and buy this.

The only thing I didn't like was that it did not come in a handy jewel box that I could fit with the rest of my cds.

Oh well!

P.S since cpu Bach makes new music every time you run it and every one that has this title will hear different music. what to keep people from stealing the music and claim it as their own? Will computers be able to make better music than people in the near future? Is this philosophy class?

Just my opions.

**Chris C.**

P.S.S.This is the longest post I am ever going to write

michel.buffa@cmu.edu