TechnologyGoldstein

Los Angeles Times May 30, 1985 "WHEN STATE OF THE ART BECOMES AN ORCHESTRA"

In 1987 he created the score for Sierra-on-line's KING'S QUEST FOUR, the first interactive computer game, and in the process was instrumental in developing the concept of the sound card for the computer.

He was in the office of Ken Williams, President of Sierra (outside Yosemite National Park) discussing the score, when he asked Williams. "So tell me, what's going to produce the sound of the music (at that time two or three note polyphony was the high end) as the computer plays back the MIDI information." Silence.

Goldstein thought a moment and picked up the phone and called Tom Beckman, then President of Roland Corporation US. He asked, "Tom, could you take the MT32 (Roland's stand alone inexpensive consumer sound module) and put its guts on a card that would fit into a PC slot?" "If you do, I think you'll sell tons of them", said Goldstein. Beckman said yes. The rest is history.

(Goldstein speaks about Hard disk recording for Quantum / Maxtor)

He was one of the first serious Beta Testers and supporters of Greg Hendershott's Cakewalk, which has become the leading PC sequencer and audio recording software now known as Sonar. He also became one of the first Betas for the PC version of Finale, the leading notation software worldwide. On the hardware side he Beta'd DigiDesigns first Pro Tools for the PC side Session 8. His relationships over the years with Roland, Quantum and Yamaha led to his becoming instrumental in refining the Yamaha Disklavier piano, a concert instrument with a bi-directional computer interface.

A.O.S. (Advanced Orchestral Synthesis)

In 1985 William Goldstein quickly achieved prominence as an innovator of new technology by creating the very first completely computer sequenced direct to digital (no tape) score for the Guber/ Peters mini series oceanQuest. CBS Masterworks released a CD of the score under the title OCEANSCAPE.

A.O.S.,which Mr. Goldstein pioneered, has evolved thru such scores as oceanQuest, Hello Again and Shocker. His current projects are now benefiting from this highest level of orchestral emulation. A.O.S. allows for a transparency, nuance, and complete fluidity of transitions within a score. This creates an emotional response that previously has only been possible with a live orchestra. While some timbres are identical to what we have come to expect from a "real" orchestra, and some may be perceived with slight colorization, the emotionality and sense of humanity that comes across with a totally live ensemble is retained.

...(New Gold Studios, Los Angeles 1998)

"This is an exceptionally well recorded score, (said the dubbing mixer to Mr. Goldstein) I didn't hear even one chair squeak!" "That's because I didn't record any chairs," replied the composer. Using A.O.S, The Quarrel was awarded the prestigious Dame Judith Anderson Best Feature Film Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Mr. Goldstein's scores including Zoya, Miracle At Midnight, and The Miracle Worker have been created with large orchestras.

Regardless of the technology, the bottom line for Mr. Goldstein is that technology like technique, is a means to a greater end, and never the end itself. "An emotional connection with an audience, elevating the human spirit, that's what it's all about."

Goldstein & Technology

A.O.S. (Advanced Orchestral Synthesis)