nivek@cmu-ri-rover.ARPA (Kevin Dowling) (02/26/85)
The latest issue of Keyboard Magazine had an advertisment for Mac-MIDI
interface units so I called for information and received a flyer in the mail
a couple of days later describing the following:
MMU 501/502 Mac/MIDI Master Units
MMU 501:
Connects any MIDI equipment (keyboards, drum machines) to you Mac.
Allows simultaneous transmission and reception on up to 16 MIDI
channels.
MMU 502:
Contains two complete MMU 501 interfaces plus drum box sync and
tape sync.
Allows simultaneous transmission and recception of up to 32 MIDI
channels OR 16 MIDI channels plus drum sync in/out plus
FSK tape in/out
Typical application: Receive drum sync from a drum box and record
FSK to tape while recording to or playing back on up to 16
MIDI channels and recording all the available audio outputs
to tape, all controlled from one MIDI keyboard and the Mac.
Multiprocessor MIDI network capability [?]
Complete self-contained interface between Mac and MIDI-compatible
instruments.
Supports all MIDI message formats.
Full-duplex operation. Input and output are completely independent,
and can operate simultaneously.
Complete electrical isolation between devices.
They also have a MegaTrack product:
N-track multifunction MIDI recorder
Looks and works like standard multi-track deck with many
user definable options.
Unlimited independent overdubs - each overdub creates a new track.
Each track can have a descriptive name.
Accepts all MIDI data inccluding velocity, aftertouch, pitch bend,
system excl., etc.
Allows flexible filtering and redirection of MIDI data.
Records up to 36,000 MIDI note events with 512K Mac (6,000 w/ 128K)
Compose and edit from synth keyboard or Mac keyboard/mouse
Graphical editing of individual MIDI note events.
Functions:
Record/Playback/Overdub/Punch In-Out
Erase track/ Merge Track/ Cut & Paste/ Step Entry
Interactive graphical editing of musical scores.
Real-time looping. Labeled pointers.
Chaining commands corresponding to traditional musical
pointers.
Timing autocorrection.
Click track/metronome
Time scaling of individual sequences to
predetermined references.
Timing Indicators.
Sync to analog or digital tape recorders w/ the MMU-502
MusicLand:
Four integrated music game/tools by Dr. Martin Lamb of
the University of Toronto. They allow
music keyboard input.
Music Doodles:
Use the mouse to draw pictures or melody patterns
on a five line staff.
Timbre Painting:
Play painted doodlings and here the sound of
pictures you've drawn.
Music Blocks:
String doodles together as a composition.
Sound Factory:
Tools to make different tone colors.
This is all from:
MusicWorks
18 Haviland
Boston MA 02115
(617) 266-2886
As an aside I highly recommend Keyboard Magazine for it's informative
articles and editorials. J.C. Cooper, Bob Moog are regular contributors.
It's a good mix of music information with the technical stuff too.
Some of them however still need some education on the electronic issues
involved. e.g. "RS-232 is a common parallel interface for home computers."
SoundSheets (records) are included in each issue with this month's having
this too-cheery but hilarious ad for Sequential Circuits Max Synthesizer
and a recording of a synthesizer made in the late 40's that sounds really
good! "Now for a new peak in lowdown-ness..."
nivek
Arpanet: nivek@cmu-ri-rover
Bell: (412) 578-8830
USmail: Robotics Institute CMU
Schenley Park
Pgh, PA 15213
nivek@cmu-ri-rover.ARPA (Kevin Dowling) (02/26/85)
I forgot to include prices!
MMU 501 $150
MMU 502 $250
MegaTrack $150
(I didn't make this clear, but this is a software program
for the Mac and not hardware)
MusicLand $150
They also sell
DX-7 Librarian
which allows you to organize and regroup voices using
the mouse and interactive graphics. You can
rename voices and cartridges. Instant aural review and
selection from a disk of voices. Comes with a virtual
cartridge of new useful voices.
display printout of voice patch parameters.
DX-7 VoicePatch Disk
One Mac disk containing 40 virtual cartridges of
patches for the DX-7. Developed by Dave Marsh,
Director of Performance Synthesis at the Berklee College
of Music.
nivek
Arpanet: nivek@cmu-ri-rover
Bell: (412) 578-8830
USmail: Robotics Institute CMU
Schenley Park
Pgh, PA 15213
nivek@cmu-ri-rover.ARPA (Kevin Dowling) (05/31/85)
The latest issue of the IMA bulletin (International MIDI association newsletter) has an article on MIDI for the Macintosh. Reprinted without premission: "Digidesign, the folks who make alternative drum sounds for digital drum machines and more recently the Sound Designer Macintosh software for the Emulator II, in conjunction with Assimulation, producers of many Apple peripherals, are producing the MIDI conductor, a Macintosh/MIDI interface. The interface consists of a cable with a small 1x1x3 inch box that connects to the serial port on the back of the Mac. A "replacement" serial port is provided on the side of the box and traditional MIDI In/Out connectors are found on the front. MIDI conductor comes fully documented with a list price of $79. Digidesign indicates the design will be mass-produced and sold at your local computer store. For more information contact DigiDesign, Inc. at 920 Commercial St., Palo Alto, CA 94303. Phone (415) 853-0436 This is the third or so Mac MIDI device I've heard about. According to some salesmen in NYC I talked to several more Mac/MIDI devices are coming out early in the summer. I posted on another Mac/MIDI device about a month ago. Also in the issue it mentions that Apple will have their own display at the June NAMM show (National Association of Music Merchants) in New Orleans. Apple plans to have very large displays of IIe and Macintosh music software. Steve Jobs is supposedly behind this push... ---- not mac related but interesting: Intercomp in Rochester (716) 247-8056 is offering a Co-Co MIDI interface at $98. They're also developing software for the interface. Also an interesting letter on the proposed Roland MPU file format for exchanging song files between programs or devices using the Roland MPU-401. The letter argues that the format does not go far enough and has problems in that, the conductor track is not specified, click rate is not specified, no way to change time signature within a track, and no way to assign different tracks to different ports. Also a report on what's going to be happening at Digicon '85 if people are interested I'll post more info to net.music.synth nivek Aka : Kevin Dowling Bell: (412) 578-8830 Arpa: nivek@cmu-ri-rover Mail: Robotics Institute Schenley Park Pgh, PA 15213