crum@finearts.utah.edu (Gary Crum) (04/08/91)
I'd like to point out that the MIDI files for the Mozart Sonata No. 1 and Handel Messiah Overture from the Introductory Nautilus CD-ROM work nicely with the Ensemble program distributed with NeXT System Software starting with release 2.0. I had a friend copy those MIDI files (one file for each of the three movements of the Mozart, and one for the Handel) to a NeXT CAP AUFS volume (using AppleShare), and the resulting Macintosh data fork files loaded successfully into Ensemble using the Open entry in the Score menu. After some initial learning of Ensemble (such as selecting the "Pluck" DSP SynthInstrument instead of the "Flute", or changing the "additional parameters" of "Flute") the playback of those pieces sounded great, and after further experimentation using external MIDI synthesizers and keyboards, I am quite pleased with the Ensemble program. I am especially pleased by the fact that source code to Ensemble is included with NeXT System Software (Extended). Kudos to NeXT and Michael McNabb. The source code is a great help in my effort towards the integration of sound into real-time graphical applications (including three-dimensional modeling, but using primarily SiliconGraphics GL and PHIGS on machines other than NeXTs at the moment). Ensemble was able to play those MIDI files continuously even while I ran other CPU and disk intensive NeXT applications, on an '030 NeXTcube. In case you are interested in the MIDI files I mentioned but aren't familiar with the "Nautilus CD ROM based multimedia information source", note that Nautilus CD-ROMs are for Macintosh, and the voice telephone numbers for Nautilus are (800)365-1639 and (614)761-4111. I'm not sure how often Nautilus CD-ROM issues are published, but the charter subscription rate is $9.95 per issue (12 issues for $119.40). I haven't subscribed yet; If anyone out there is subscribing, please let me know how you like it. Are there MIDI files and 24-bit images in the regular issues as were on the Introductory CD that Nautilus apparently mailed out to advertise? Gary