[rec.music.misc] Responses to Query on MACINTOSH+ Music Software

jlc@atux01.UUCP (J. Collymore) (12/17/86)

A week or so ago I requested information on Software for the MACINTOSH+
computer that would help me in my electronic (i.e. synthesizer) music
composition and editing.  I thought that some of you would like to see the
reponses.

For those of you who responded to my query:  Thanks again.


						Jim Collymore
==============================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.music.synth,comp.sys.mac,rec.music.makers,rec.music.misc
In-Reply-To: <275@atux01.UUCP>

Personal ratings of some music programs:
MusicWorks: works well with video works, one of the first on the market.
Small and simple
ConcertWare: interesting synthesizer style instrument maker.
printed scores are unacceptably ugly.
Deluxe Music Construction Set: Cheap, Great printed scores, can handle a
bit of midi. a bit buggy.
Studio Session: 6 simultaneous voices, uses sampled sound. As many
different instruments as memory allows, but only 6 at a time. SS is about
$60. The audio digitizer to make the instruments is called Sound Cap,
about $100.00 printed scroes are nothing special.
best sound of any purely mac music program. The audio digitizer requires a
ThunderScan serial port power converter to work on the +.
SS comes with 100 instruments.

unfortunately, all these have incompatible, and unpublished, data file formats

Check out back issues of MacUser, macWorld, and Electronic Musician for
more information.
===============================================================================
Subject: Re: Info needed on MACINTOSH+ and music software
Newsgroups: rec.music.synth,comp.sys.mac,rec.music.makers,rec.music.misc
In-Reply-To: <275@atux01.UUCP>

In article <275@atux01.UUCP> you write:
>
>I am interested in buying a MACINTOSH+ for use in music composition, specific-
>ally with synthesizers.  I have a number of questions about this, though.
>
>1)  What's the best price around I can get on a MAC+ and an ImageWriter II
>    printer?

$1800 is a fair price for the Mac+, and $450 for the imagewriter.

>2)  How much is the MIDI interface for the MAC+?  Are there any good mail
>    order places to get one?

The best MIDI interface is OpCode's midi-mac, or studio professional
midi (I probably have the names slightly wrong).  Pricing is like
$175 and $250 respectively (list).  

>3)  What are the BEST music software packages for recording, editing scores,
>    sequencing, and playing back your work through your synths (not just the
>    oscillators in the MAC+ (I have heard of Delux Music Construction Set,
>    Professional Composer and Performer)?

Pro Composer is for editing.  Performer is for sequencing.  OpCode has
some software now in versio 2.5 (sorry, the name escapes me) that is
supposedly file compatible with Pro Composer (not quite the de facto
standard in score composition), and is also a damn good sequencer.

>4)  Will these packages also allow multi-voice playback through a YAMAHA FB-01
>    and a KORG DW-8000?

Both Performer and OpCode's will.

>5)  Are there any of you out there using this type of set-up?  What are your
>    opinions?

I've played with the stuff I ordered for our store, and was pretty happy
with both Performer and Pro Composer.  I haven't had a chance to use
OpCode's software yet (things have just recently gotten way to busy
for me to have time to breath, let alone play), though the docs looked
real nice.  

===========================================================================
Newsgroups: rec.music.synth,comp.sys.mac,rec.music.makers,rec.music.misc
Subject: Re: Info needed on MACINTOSH+ and music software
References: <275@atux01.UUCP>
Keywords: MACINTOSH+, music software, MIDI, composition, playback


      Probably the best way for you to find out about the various MacIntosh
music software packages is to read the two lengthy articles by Christopher
Yavelow in the COMPUTER MUSIC JOURNAL.  The most recent installment is in
the latest issue, and the first was about a year ago.  They provide analyses
of the avantages and shortcomings of each, mainly from a professional 
musician's point of view.


==============================================================================
Message-Id: <8612152210.AA21334@wrs.UUCP>
Subject: mega-midi
Status: R

Jim -

    Answers to some of your midi questions.


1)  What's the best price around I can get on a MAC+ and an ImageWriter II
    printer?

    I don't know, since we get developer's prices on these things.


2)  How much is the MIDI interface for the MAC+?  Are there any good mail
    order places to get one?

    I have a cheapy that I got from "Computers and Music" (415-994-2909)
    in South San Francisco, CA for about $70, I think.  It has one input
    and one output, which is fine for me since I have a switcher/through box
    anyway.  It seems to work just fine.  However, if you plan on using
    Southworth's software, you MUST use their Midi interface, which is
    coinsiderably more expensive.


3)  What are the BEST music software packages for recording, editing scores,
    sequencing, and playing back your work through your synths (not just the
    oscillators in the MAC+ (I have heard of Delux Music Construction Set,
    Professional Composer and Performer)?

    This, of course, is a question frought with subjectivity.  I use several
    pieces of software, which I have chosen pretty much without regard
    to price, to wit:

    A) Professional Composer (Mark of the Unicorn) -
	This is unquestionably the best "standard notation" program.  While
	far from perfect (it doesn't do slanted beams, it sometimes 
	puts measure numbers on top of notes, etc.) it is currently the best
	such program available on any PC.

	I usually work by first entering my score as notes, using the mouse
	and keyboard.  This is very fast, once you get used to it.  One
	major objection is that the "undo" function does not necessarily
	undo the most recent change.  On top of that, if you try to "undo"
	the "undo" it screws things up even worse.  My advice is to just
	forget it exists.

    B) Professional Performer (Mark of the Unicorn) -
	A very powerful sequencer package.  It reads and writes Professional
	Composer files.  This program will allow you to do pretty much
	anything you like, though it doesn't always do it in a very intuitive
	fashion.  Except for some user-interface quibbles,  this is an
	incredible sequencer.

    C) Midimac Sequencer (Opcode) -
	Not as powerful as (B), but much stronger for real-time performance
	use.  It is very easy to set up loops, connect sequences to keys
	on the computer or synth keyboard, do arpeggiation, transpose
	sequences, do very simple random things, etc.  Of course, it 
	also works as a simple record/playback sequencer.  Much more
	fun to use than (B).  The new version, 2.5, reads and writes
	Professional Composer files, as well as Delux Music Construction Set
	files.  I really like this sequencer, although for most of my
	work I still use (B).  It's mostly a question of how you work,
	and what you want to do.

    D) DX7 Patch Editor/Librarian (Opcode) -
	This wonderful program allows me to graphically set up voices and
	put together libraries of voices for the DX7.  My version also
	works with TX7 and -816.  I think a new version works with the
	FB-01, and maybe some of the other 4-operator Yamaha synths.
	No reservations - this is a great program.

    E) M (I don't remember the company, but Joel Chadabe is one of the people) -
	This is very new, and all I have is a demo version without some
	of the features.  This is a composer's program.  It allows you to
	create incredibly complex musical universes which are controlled
	by a "baton", controlled by the mouse.  It has very powerful
	stochastic features, and really requires a very different
	approach to thinking about music/composition.  I think I love it,
	but I haven't spent very much time with it yet, and I don't nearly
	understand it fully yet.  However, this is a program that is not
	for everyone.

4)  Will these packages also allow multi-voice playback through a YAMAHA FB-01
    and a KORG DW-8000?

    Any computer sequencer worthy of the name will allow that.

5)  Are there any of you out there using this type of set-up?  What are your
    opinions?

    Sounds like a reasonable combination.  I have a DX7, and Oberheim Expander,
    a CZ-101, and an Rx-11 drum machine.  At this point, I would probably
    buyu a sampler rather than the Expander, but that's a matter of taste.
    I think the FB-01 sounds like a great instrument.  I don't know enough
    about the Korg to say anything intelligent (as if anything else in this
    letter was intelligent).



Some random comments:
    1. The people at Computers and Music (phone # above) are very knowledgable
       and willing to help.  Their mail order prices are not the cheapest,
       but their advice and follow-up is probably worht the slight premium.
       They will bargain, as well.

    2. The Southworth package (Total Music) sounds good, but everyone I
       know who has used it has complained of bugs.  Also, it requires
       Southworth's own interface, which is expensive.  That bugs me, just on
       general principles.

    3. Think about how you are going to work.  Personally, I enter most of
       my music first under Professional Composer, then transfer it to
       Professional Performer.  That's because I am primarily a composer,
       and a lousy keyboard player (I need a guitar midi controller, but that's
       another story).  In Performer, I tune all the performance parameters
       to get the sound I want.  If people were performing the piece, instead
       of a computer, they would do all this without thinking about it.

       The problem with working like this is that you wind up with two files
       with different information.  The Composer file has lots of info
       about "beaming", dynamic notations, rehearsal marks, lyrics, etc.
       The Performer contains things like midi program changes, slightly
       altered note on-off times (for "gesture"), etc.  Keeping the two
       in synch is truly a pain.  Of course, this might not matter if you
       work differently.  Anyway, its something to think about.