Greetings to all:

My name is Laurent Coray, I've just joined the Automatic Music Digest
mailing list.

Born and raised in Switzerland, I completed college in Oregon, in
electrical engineering.  I've established myself in the Portland area
for the last 13 years.

Because for my inclinations for music and engineering, I've always been
fascinated by automatic intruments.  When I was a in college in Geneva,
before MIDI existed, I built an electronic music box (which made awful
square wave sounds), controlled by an RS232 serial port.  This device
became the object of numerous student projects.

I've been offering, with two other engineers, consulting services in
electronics and software design for the last four years.  During a
business trip to switzerland last year I met a restaurant-theater owner
who collects automatic organs and pianos.  He is installing a 1800
pipe/percussion theater organ, which he will use for playing silent
movies and other shows.  He hired me to MIDI-ize his setup, so his
instrument can be played live or via a computer.  This is how the
universal MIDI interface product, UM1, is born.  (for more info on UM1,
see:
	  http://www.octetdesign.com/um1.html).

This project has revived my passion for these instruments, and I've
decided to support this field with other needed hardware and software
products.  I dream of intalling on of these instruments in my house
some day.

Thank you Jody for your efforts.   [ Thanks! ]

Laurent.