czei@osupyr.UUCP (09/11/87)
I recently posted a message saying that small timing errors in MIDI
sequencers could reak havok on the feel of the recorded music. Looking
back in my magazine collect, after several hours, I found a couple of
articles which mention the Amiga specifically. The second is probably
where I got the ideas which prompted the aforementioned posting.
Here's a partial list of the Amiga MIDI rumors; I don't know if quoting
the article is against the copywrite. (It probably is under the banner of 'Fair Use')
Magazine: Keyboard, July 1987
Address:20085 Stevens Creek
Cupertino, CA 95014
Author: Peter Gotcher
President, Digidesign Inc.
920 Commercial
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(415) 494-8811
Title: "Choosing a Computer for Music Part II"
"I have heard reliable reports that the Amiga does not have a
consistent high-speed timing chip. Software developers are
working on various ways around this problem, but if you expect
good timing resolution from a sequencer, I'd recommend
asking exactly what timing reference is being used before
you buy the software."
Magazine: Keyboard, April 1987
Author: Peter Gotcher
Title: "Groovular and Non-groovular Clock Resolutions"
"Some Computers even have inherent timing problems. Take,
for example, the Commodore Amiga. I have spoken to several
developers writing software for the amiga who have been
unable to use the amiga's high-speed clock to time-stamp
incoming MIDI events (the clock starts and stops
unpredictably when it is interrupted by other processing
tasks). The only alternative is to use the Amiga's 60hz
video retrace to time events, resulting in a timing
accuracy of 16ms. This produces some pretty spastic
playback unless you quantize everything. Perhaps
the solution of the Amiga's timing problems is the
use of an intelligent interface (such as the Roland
MPU-401) that can time-stamp incoming MIDI data
with greater precision."
He goes on to list the accuracy of several other computers:
Most Mac Programs: ~1/480
QX5: 1/384
Hybrid Arts MIDI ST: 1/192
Michael S. Czeiszperger | Disclaimer: "Sorry, I'm all out of pith"
Sound Synthesis Studios | Snail: Room 406 Baker Phone: (614)
College of the Arts Computer Lab | 1971 Neil Avenue 292-
The Ohio State University | Columbus, OH 43210 0895
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