Conference napalm::commusic_v1

  Hi,
  
  I'm very interested in the MIDI capacities of the ST. Before
  I decide to buy one I first like to be informed about software
  available for the ST, quality of that software and functions
  of that software. You are talking 'bout a package for - as I
  assume - for writing music. 
  
  Is it possible to play back your recorded music and how good
  is it's quality (in comparison to a synthesizer like, shall
  we say KORG POLY 800??
  
  Do you have information about interfaces that can be used for
  using the atari as a synthesizer (with only an additional keybord,
  not a synthesizer), sound-qualities of those interfaces and so
  on??
  
  Every information about the ST's qualities are welcome!!
  
  thanks in advance, Frans

    There is only one package I know about for the Atari ST that will
    let you use the internal sounds of the ST. It is called Music Studio
    and is by Activision. I have it but it is not quite what you want
    if you think of recording music. It can also send the data over
    the MIDI bus, but it can not record in real time. You can use the
    synth to enter pitch info via midi in step mode. It can only be
    used with the colour monitor. It is a nice program if you look at
    the price and if you consider it as a "game" or a toy, but not more.
    
    I guess if you want to use the comuter as your sound source you
    should rater look at the Yamaha one.
    
    I will try to put together a list of the midi software I have come
    across for the Atari ST in a new reply.
    
    Svein.

Future Music advertizes MIDITRACK ST by Hybrid Arts as a "full professional
sequencer and sync interface" listing at $574.74, but it looks like it may
not be available yet.  They advertise Music Studio for $44.95.  They have a
CZ editor from DRT for $89.95, a 20 track sequencer for $59.95 (Hybrid Arts
EZ Track ST) and DX Droid for $204.95 (also by Hybrid Arts).  I haven't ordered
anything from them.  Some of their prices seem a little high, but in the 
ballpark.  But, they have been pretty helpful and not too pushy over the
phone. (800) 367-6434

    Svein,
    I'm really interested to have the address of Steinberg. Do you have
    experience, informations, advises etc about PRO 24 ? I need a software
    to compose music, and I think (I'm really new in this domain) that
    Steinberg on Atari is a good one (best price/quality). 
    Thanks for your answer.
    
    Vincent (Geneva)

    Good choice. Tangerine Dream made it for their new effort (Tyger).
    				- HBM

    I am sorry but I can not give you any review on the Twenty Four,
    since I dont have one. However all review I have read say that
    it is one of the best sequencer programs around. I got as close
    to buying it that I had put the money on the counter, but one last
    question  gave the answer that version 2 need min. 1 Mb of memory
    to run. So no deal for me with my 520 ST.
    
    Address is : STEINBERG, TSI GMBH, Neustr. 12, 5481 Waldorf, Germany.
    No telephone number given in add.
    
    Good luck with your choise.
    
    Regards,
    
    Svein.
    

    The version I saw didn't run on a color system.  (Alright, it ran,
    but but you couldn't read the  displays well, since all the forms
    overlapped each other (it expected 400 lines on the screen)).
    This was V1, however.
    
    Steph.
    

    I have V2.0 of the Pro-24. True it requires a I meg ST and mono
    monitor. 
    
    In short it must be one of the best (if not the best) sequencer
    packages for any machine. It practically has all features you can
    think of. Especially the two editing pages called Grid-Edit and
    Score-Edit have to be seen to be believed. 
    
    At first it even seemed bugless. But as we all know there is no
    such thing as a bugfree program, so since then I've come across
    some memory handling peculiarities. A pattern might get moved to
    a strange place etc. It is quite rare, though. 
    
    Apart from that it's an exellent system which I highly recommended.
    
    Timo
                                                     

    Hello Everybody,
    
    Thanks a lot for your answers and advises ! I will no more wait
    to decide: my choice is an ATARI 1040 with Steinberg. I'm looking
    forward to test it and work with it.
    
    I'll give you first impressions in few days...
    
    Vincent

    Well I got tired of waiting for the Beam Team to come up with 
    the Xtrack and Xnotes programes, so I went out and got a 1040ST
    with Steinberg software. I have not had to much time to try it
    out yet, but as far as I can see it will do whatever I would like
    a sequencer to do. I bought a version 2, and sendt in the floppy
    for version 2.1. (Upgrades comes fast). New features is logical
    editing (for changing velocity data to pitch bend etc.) and group
    muting and more. It only took a little more than one week from I
    sendt it off till I got the new version back. The upgrade is free
    for owners of version 2.
    
    Svein.

    I've been playing with V2.1 for some time now. Unfortunately
    most of the memory-handling bugs are still around. 
    I'm going to write a letter to them. Still I can't believe
    that they were not aware of the bugs, since you come across them
    pretty easily. 
    
    Pro-24 V2 is so "perfect" in all the features it has that 
    I just wish they'd put a little more effort in making it 
    more reliable. 
    
    I still highly recommend this software regardless of its bugs.
    
    Timo
    
                                                                    

Hi,

I recently purchased Steinberg Pro-24 V2.1 as a sequencer for a small MIDI
network.  I am wondering if I have incorrectly setup Pro24 or have found
a feature of the software?  Any help would be appreciated.

The configuration is:

      +---------+ 
      |       out-                          +---------------+
      | FB01 thru->----------------------->-in              |
      |        in-<-------+                 | Yamaha CLP-50 |
      +---------+         |       +-------<-out  Elect Piano|
                          |       |         +---------------+
                          |       v   
                          o       |   
                       +--u-------i--+
                       |  t       n  |
                       |  Atari-St   |
                       |   Pro-24    |
                       +-------------+

Here is the problem:

    When I started using the Atari-ST and PRO-24, I noticed that when
    I struck a note and did not release the key - the note's sound
    decayed in about 1/3 of the time for the same note struck on the
    piano.

    I have tried the following cases -

    1) A midi-thru box in place of the Atari - The notes stay on for
       the correct length (in fact, I have been using the FB01 and CLP-50
       for about 1 year and have not had trouble.)
    2) A simple basic program in the Atari - to act as a midi-thru
       and all is well. (I believe the atari/cables are ok).

    I have been able to use all of the functions of PRO-24 and they
    all work fine.  The two songs that I have recorded sound strange
    due to the clipping of the notes.

    The PRO-24 package seems to record the note-on and note-off events
    correctly.

    At this point, I suspect I have not configured PRO-24 correctly or
    have uncovered a problem with the software?  or another MIDI problem?

    Any suggestions?  or similar experience?

Regards,
Bruce McNaughton

    
    Bruce !
    
    good to see your moving up in the midi world ! 
    
    It looks like the problem you have relates to the feeding back of
    some of your note information to the CLP. Your circuit would work
    the same as just plugging the CLP back into itself. In to Out. Which
    would reduce your polyphony somewhat. DO you have the problem only
    on the CLP sounds, or on the FB as well. 
    
    I have also recently aquired an atari and have used Pro-24. There
    is a midi set up page which allows you to play with the midi-echo.
    But knowing you, you already tried the options. 
    
    You could always ring me on 7845-2288 and we could talk it through.
    
    						Paul.
    
    
    

    I would like to announce the availability of a handy/dandy MIDI
    utility for the Atari ST.  It's not going to change your life, but
    it is quite useful for evaluating master controllers.
    
    It can be found in May14::Public:MidiMax.Prg.
    
    Take a copy to the music store and see how various controllers stack
    up.
    
    Note that this program should only be distributed to DEC employees.
    
    Below is explanatory text.
    
    ----------------------
From:    Stephen Bailey--Microsystems AD <steph>
Subject: Midimax.Prg


  This version is much niftier.  Specifically, it tracks five
parameters now:

   1) Attack Velocity
   2) Release Velocity
   3) Channel pressure
   4) Poly pressure
   5) Modulation wheel.

  For each of those parameters, the program calculates the minimum and
maximum values, and now it also tells you how many different values it
saw for each parameter, so you can figure out the resolution of a
parameter, as well as its range.

  The new version doesn't print anything out until you strike a key,
so the idea is that you play around with the keyboard for a while, and
then you hit a key and the program dumps the statistics on the screen.

  The program also implements a MIDI THRU (from IN to OUT) so you can
figure out what kind of velocity response you usually get when you're
playing, as well as the limits of the controller itself.

   Steph
    

     
    I'm new in the music business. (In the computer aspect)  I have 
    two keyboard that I Midi together but I don't fully understand
    exactly what they can do.
    Also I am looking to buy an Atari system but I need some basic
    ideas on what it actually can do for me and what equipment I
    would need to buy with it.  Any help would be appreciated..
     

    There are lots of topics in here that can help you out.  Try the
    following: 

	DIR /KEY=GETTING_STARTED
	DIR /KEY=ATARI
	DIR /TITLE=ATARI

    Some Atari sequencers that are discussed in here include:

	Creator/Notator
	MasterTracks Pro (MTP)
	Steinberg PRO-24

    Remember - when looking for keywords or titles, hypens have been
    deleted for consistency's sake (see notes 1.*).

-b

I've just finished a program that some of you should find helpfull. It is a 
point and grunt DX7/TX7 patch librarian. It's located at:

PRNSYS::USER2:[LOMICKAJ.HOBBY.ST]dx7lib10.arc 

It allows you to save and restore your DX7 patch banks to your Atari ST. It
also allows you to create new banks by moving the voices around with the mouse.
It does NOT do any voice editing. And best of all, it was made to work with all
the patch banks in the MIDILIB area. Try it out and let me know what you
think!!

For those interested, there are similar versions for the DX-100 and the 
Kawai K1 about 80% completed. I can release those soon.

Thanks,
Jim