hedger@ada-uts.UUCP (10/08/85)
To all of you music software developers out there: I am a synthesist who is sold on the 520st (as I'm sure many people are). I see many articles from developers asking what kind of music software would musicians like to see available. Well to date we've got multi track midi sequencers, patch librarians, music text programs , etc. and they are all valuable tools to the electronic musician. However, if any of you guys really want to develop something new and (I think) popular, you should consider this. One of the most popular 'new' techonologies beingmade available to synthesists is digital sampling. Until quite recently, you couldn't touch a sampling keyboard for less than $5000.00. In the last year we've seen the advent of the Mirage, a software based keyboard sampling instrument for $1700.00 and Akai has started marketing a rack mounted,midi controlled sampler for $1000.00. Deconnilix (sic) has been marketing a software digital sampler for the Apple ii for the last couple of years, but I feel that it's cost plus the required add ons makes it too expensive. So with the advent of the 520 with it's built in MIDI interface etc. it seems that we lose the requirement for a lot of add ons, making it a greatmachine for the developement of a digital sampling software package. If someone could develop a good sampling package that sells for $150.00-$250.00 I think that they would sell A LOT of them, and would be doing a great service to electronic musicians everywhere. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who might be interested in developing this kind of software, or anyone who knows of any software of this kind currently in developement for the 520st. Also, maybe there are reasons why itis not feasable to write this kind of package for the st, if so , please send me e-mail and let me know. I'll be looking forward to hearing from all you developers out there. keith hedger - intermetrics ihnp4!inmet!ada-uts!hedger
Fischer.pa@XEROX.ARPA (10/11/85)
The ST would make a nice sampler if it had enough resolution. The Emu-lator for instance has 12 bit resolution, the ST only 8 (but, was it the old Atari machines that had a 16 bit playback mode?). Of course the 68000 at 8MHz is pretty powerful; one could imagine a trivial board that would do adequate conversion. Bear in mind that the ST gives you the inexpensive part of a synthesizer, the board with the chips on it. A keyboard instrument usually also has a keyboard. Good ones are expensive. Unless you'd like to play your next piece on a QWERTY? (ron)