[net.music.synth] MIDI and Computer Based Music News

mjn@teddy.UUCP (Mark J. Norton) (03/28/85)

Readers of this newsgroup will want to buy or borrow a copy of INFOWORLD,
March 25, 1985.  "Electronic Orchestrs in Your Living Room" contains an
overview of the current state of MIDI, and how it relates to personal
computing.

Products mentioned in the article include the casio CZ101 synth, the
Atari 130ST (Jackintosh), and Yamaha CX5M, a $469 MSX computer containing
a DX7.

The article discusses using MIDI to control drum, rhythm, and bass
machines.  It also goes into some of the problems MIDI has with trying
to control too many instruments at once, etc.  An explaination is made
of digital sampling techniques and what it means to sound quality.
Finally, several music programs are presented and some of their features
analysed.

The article is accompaignied by three side bars:
	Where to Get MIDI Muscle:  Not in Computer Stores
		This is a presentation of what products are available.  Yamaha,
		Sequential Circuits, Roland, Casio, and Passport Designs are
		some of the manufacturers mentioned.

	Music Education Takes to the Personal Computer
		MIDI based instruments are used to teach music theory.

	Sheet Music Turns to Song with Serious Software
		Examines some of the music editing and creation software
		currently available.  Musicworks, Concertware, and Polywriter
		among others are mentioned.

Well worth reading, so go out and do it!

	Mark J. Norton
	decvax!genrad!panda!mjn