dlc@lanl.UUCP (07/20/86)
Subject: MIDI recording, Ensoniq Mirage MASOS Newsgroups: net.micro.mac Distribution: net I have a Macintosh, an Ensoniq Mirage keyboard, an Opcode MIDI interface, an Assimilation Process MIDI interface, ConcertWare+MIDI, and the MASOS system (Mirage Analog Sampling OS) from Ensoniq. I looked at reviews of other programs from MusicWorks in Mass., MusicWorks from Hayden, the Mark of the Unicorn programs, Assimilation Process, Electronic Arts Deluxe Music Construction Set, and the one with Total in the name and South in the company's name. Concertware seems to me to have good features and good value. Some people have told me only Professional Composer from MOTU is worth having, but it is so much more expensive than Concertware that my blind guess is that Concertware is a better value. Concertware is a little slow at scrolling a score, but you can make marks in the score and jump directly to them. However, Concertware does not do something I would find desirable. It does not do polyphonic recording. It will record 8 tracks, but each track is single-voiced (a sequence of single notes, no chords.) It also does its metronome recording such that I consistently lead the metronome by about 30 milliseconds, and there is no adjustment for timing. I'd be interested in finding a program with polyphonic multi-track recording, but the reviews I've seen of the other programs don't mention either the presence or absence of that feature. In other words, I want a program that extends the sequence feature of the Mirage itself by imitating the sequencer with a larger memory. Perhaps the developers of Concertware will read this and add it to their program, along with a lead/lag timing adjustment for the metronome. I also want a program for the Macintosh that gives me access to MASOS, so I can edit sampled waveforms. The ability to manipulate keyboard parameters "on-the-fly" while using either MASOS or the normal Mirage system is another feature I want. Does anyone know if any of these four features are available currently?
bruce@wucfua.UUCP (07/23/86)
Hey, line eater! You talkin' to me? Oh yeah? Well, suck on this!
The two best sequencer programs I've seen for the Mac are Total Music,
from Southworth Music Systems, and Performer, from Mark of the Unicorn.
Both programs are excellent. But they approach the problem slightly
differently. Performer is strictly a sequencer/recorder/editor - it
depends on the companion package Professional Composer for transcription.
Total Music performs all four functions. You'll have to decide for
yourself which approach you prefer. Total Music doesn't so some things
as well as the team of Performer/Pro Composer, but then again it doesn't
cost as much (Pro Composer lists at $495, Performer at $295, Total Music
at $295).
As far as sound editors for sampling machines (including the Mirage),
the best stuff going right now is Sound Designer, from Digidesign. This
program is *hot.* It allows you to do visual waveform editing, digital
mixing, EQ, FFT's, and even limited additive synthesis on the Mac, then
load the sounds back into your sampler. It can also be used to swap
sounds between different machines - if you have Sound Designer for the
Mirage, and your pal has it for the Prophet 2000, you can exchange
samples, since both programs store sample data in "Sound Designer format."
But each version of the program only knows how to talk to its flavor
of synth, so you need two versions to really swap sounds. Sound
Designer for the Mirage lists for $395 ($495 for the Prophet, $995
for the Emulator II). There are currently demo copies of the Mirage
and Prophet versions on Delphi in Music City. You can probably
get a demo disk from Digidesign as well.
Bruce McDiffett
..!{ihnp4,seismo}!wucs!bruce
"You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Fred!"
Disclaimer: Who needs a disclaimer? These are *facts*! :-)