djg@well.UUCP (David Julian Gray) (12/11/85)
I became interested in the musical applications of small
computers four years ago; I was looking for tools to enhance my
work as a performer, musicologist and arranger. I became
infatuated not only with the meager tools then available, but by
the possibilities of the future. I was seduced by the machinery!
Music technology from computing technology is a centuries old
tradition; the affinity of the musical and mathematical mind has
long been recognized. Programmed punch cards were used to
control music automatons as far back as the seventeenth century.
As we approach 1986, computer music technology is exploding,
with new consumer and professional level products of great power
and usefulness appearing with increasing frequency.
Of the new powerful tools that are currently available
I believe the most useful is Jim Miller's sequencer/transcriber
"Personal Composer". "Personal Composer" provides a professional
programming environment for the composer, with high resolution
standard notation (with both screen and printer drivers)
communication with MIDI instruments and, in the forthcoming
release 2.0, an extensible AI style (object oriented) language.
Another potential winner is the "Professional Composer/
Professional Performer" combination from Mark of the Unicorn.
"P. Performer just shipped this week and it looks like the best
package for the Macintosh. "Composer" files converted flawlessly
to Performer files. This is a serious package; Mark of The
Unicorn ceasely debugs and improves their products.
There are many other products available for music
processing for the IBM, Apple ][ series, Macintosh, and comming
for the Amiga and Atari ST computers. At Computers & Music we
maintain contact with most developers of both music hardware and
software as well as develop music software in house.
We are always interested in working and useful music
programs. We also publish a newsletter, if you'd like it:
Computers & Music
1989 Junipero Serra Blvd.
Daly City, CA 94014
(415) 994-2909
or E-mail via this maze:
{apple,dual,ptsfa,hplabs,netisun}!well!djg.
I will gladly E-mail an annotated listing of available software to
any request.
--David Julian Gray (djg)