| After a long wait I finally received the MIDI software I ordered
from Hybrid Arts. That is "EZ-TRACK ST" and "CZ-Android". The
EZ-TRACK is a 20 track polyphonic MIDI recorder, and the CZ-Android
is the patch librarian/editor and sound generator for the Casio CZ
synths.
First THIS SOFTWARE ONLY WORKS WITH TOS IN ROM, so for me who went
out to buy my 520 ST too quick, I have to order upgade and wait again
before I can try and use it.
However along with the software came the catalog from Hybrid Arts, and
I will reprint what is or will be available of MIDI software for the
Atari ST.
MIDI RECORDERS.
---------------
EZ-Track ST
Retail price $65.00
The 20 track polyphonic MIDI Recorder for the ATARI ST Computers.
Make multi-track recording in real time or step time, save them to
disk, and play them back in perfect sync.
Features include:
. Fully mouse controllable
. Real Time solo and muting of tracks
. Quantizing (auto correction) of timing
. Instant transposition of entire song
. Memory capacity is over 27000 notes on the 520ST
and over 63000 notes on the 1040ST
MidiTrack ST
Retail price $375.00
The 60 track MIDI recorder, syncronizer, and MIDI
remote controller that works on the ATARI ST.
This system has all of the features of the EZ-Track ST with
a lot of additional editing functions. It is a re-written
enhancement of Hybrid Arts famous MidiTrack III. This
system includes a hardware box for sync to tape
connections and external drum sync.
MidiTrack ST PROFESSIONAL
Retail price $575.00
The 60 track Professional MIDI recorder for the ATARI ST.
This system has all features of MidiTrack ST with
some additional editing functions, plus SMPTE time code
read/write capabilities and film click. This program is
designed for film and broadcast professionals.
SCORING.
--------
EZ-Score ST
Retail price $99.95
The Sheet Music Scoring Program for the ATARI ST.
Allows EZ-Track, MidiTrack ST and MidiTrack ST Professional
song files to be translated into sheet music. On-screen
editing such as adding lyrics and chord symbols as well as
defining the chart format. Most of the popular printers are
supported.
MidiScore ST PROFESSIONAL
Retail price $ CALL
The Orchestration Scoring Program for the ATARI ST.
A very enhanced EZ-Score. Capable of multiple staff
score for orchestral charts. Editing such as cut, paste,
copy, move, adding and deliting notes and more. Works with
EZ-Track, MidiTrack ST and MidiTrack ST Professional song
files. The whole program takes full advantage of the mouse.
DROIDS.
-------
DX-Droid ST
Retail price $244.44
The droid(programmer) Editing/Librarian program made
for the ATARI ST and a DX7 or TX-tone rack module.
DX-Droid is the first in a series of professional MIDI
software. It includes Artificial Intelligence that allows
you to program the YAMAHA DX7/TX series. DX-Droid is 5
programs in one:
(1) Numeric Editor. Values of all parameters are displayed.
Edit from the keyboard or the mouse. Envelopes or entire
sets of parameters can be copied or exchanged. Create patch
sheets with any ST-compatible printer.
(2) Graphic Editor. Graph envelopes are displayed on six screens.
envelopes are drawn accurately to the nearest millisecond.
Keyboard scaling curves are graphed accurately across the full
128-note MIDI keyboard. Output levels and velocity controllers
are displayed by overlapping vertical bar graphs. DX-Droid is
fully interactive. Any editing on the computer can be heard to
the DX7/TX simultaniously.
(3) Patch Librarian. DX-Droid stores 1608 voices per disk (1032
individual voice files or 18 banks of 32 voices.) Voices can
be named, copied and rearranged within or between banks. There
are 10 different cataloging methods and built-in database to
help you organize your patches.
(4) Automated Patch Loader. DX-Droid can send up to 16 banks (512 patches)
over any combination of the 16 MIDI channels with a single keystroke.
A DX7 can access patches in the ST's RAM almost as fast as it can access
its own RAM.
(5) DROID A.I. The automated programmer in the DX-Droid is the first
A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) program in MIDI. The DX-Droid can
create new, usable sounds instantaneously. The Voice Glide function
of the DX-Droide combines any two patches and creates a third sound
in between the two.
THIS PROGRAM WORKS ONLY FOR DX7 AND TX7.
CZ-Android ST
Retail price $99.95
CZ-Android is a patch librarian/editor and sound generator
for the Casio CZ synthesizer series and the ATARI ST.
CZ-Android is 4 programs in one:
(1) NUMERIC EDITOR. Values of all parameters are displayed
numerically and are accompanied by graphic equivalents.
Edit from the keyboard or the mouse. Any 2 envelopes or
lines can be copied or exchanged. Create patch sheet in
Casio format with any ST-compatible printer.
(2) GRAPHIC EDITOR. Graph the six envelopes on separate windows.
Draw envelopes directly with the mouse, or change parameter
values. CZ-Android will draw the envelopes corresponding to
the new values. Scroll mode provides a highly magnified displayed
for fine tuning envelopes.
(3) PATCH LIBRARIAN. CZ-Android stores 16 patches per bank, 112
banks per single-sided disk, or 224 banks per double-sided disk.
(3584 patches per disk). Voices can be named, copied or rearranged
within or between banks. Banks can be transferred to/from disk and
to/from the synthesizer. There are no commands to learn. Use the
mouse to move patches between the synthesizer, computer and disk,
or to rearrange the order of patches within a bank.
(4) THE DROID FUNCTION. CZ-Andriod uses an improved version of the
artificial intelligence introduced in DX-Droid. CZ-Android can
create up to 16 CZ patches instantly. The distort function creates
variations on an existing patch.
PATCH EDITORS & LIBRARIANS.
---------------------------
DX Editor ST.
Retail price $167.67
All of the same editing features of the Hybrid Arts DX-Droid
minus the Droid function.
GenPatch ST.
Retail price $149.49
A GENERIC patch librarian system for all MIDI keyboards that work
on the ATARI ST computers.
GenPatch ST works with all MIDI synthesizers, keyboards and drum machines
that offer system exclusive patch information. Press a command key to
register which instrument you want to use. For older or less common instruments
there is a configuration editor that allows you to custom program GenPatch
to communicate with your MIDI machine.
GenPatch ST stores up to 5000 sounds to one disk side. This will vary
depending on the synthesizer you use.
UTILITIES.
----------
MidiUtilities.
Retail price $49.49
A MIDI hackers dream. This program monitors MIDI data to and from the ST.
It provides a very readable display of note ON/OFF, system exclusive and
other MIDI information. Colors indicate the kinds of information. HEX and
ASCII are displayed with addresses.
In addition, MidiUtilities allows you to make changes to the file similar
to changing MidiPatch data to MIDI volum, velocity, etc. This can also be
used as a general purpose TOS file display and editor.
This software was designed for both MIDI and non-MIDI software developers
and musicians to touch up their files.
DIGITAL RECORDER/SAMPLER.
-------------------------
ADAP I (HARDWARE & SOFTWARE)
Retail price $1995.00
16 BIT Recorder/Sampler for the Atari 1040ST or an upgraded 520ST with
at least 1 MEG of RAM. Hybrid Arts and Nilford Laboratories have produced
the DIGITAL RECORDER/SAMPLER machine of the future. It samples at the same
rate as a compact disk player (44.1 kHz), with 16 BIT linear resolution, and
samples at this rate for a total of 20 seconds. The sampling rate is adjustable
to 65 kHz.
It uses MIDI to produce up to 64 sampled split across the keyboard with a
6 voice polyphony. This will work on ANY MIDI keyboard. It will record any
sound (analog or digital) and reproduce it digitally with compact disk quality.
Because the recorded information is stored digitally in the computer, the
only factor limiting the sampling time is the amount of memory in your computer.
The ADAP system has been hooked up to a 4 MEG RAM allowing a total sampling
time of 1 minute. A very extensive catalog of ADAP software & hardware
products is in developement.
Additional ADAP systems (ADAP II & ADAP III) are being developed and will
be available in '87. Digital Recording and Mastering will soon be made
possible for a price you can afford.
NOTE. This is reprinted from the Hybrid Arts catalog with prices valid
from September 1. 1986.
I thought you all might be interrested in the software available.
When I get the software running I may come back with some inputs on
EZ-TRACK and CZ-Android. The CZ-Android by the way, can be used with all
CZ synths CZ101,CZ1000,CZ230S,CZ3000,CZ5000 and CZ1. There is a special
screen to enter velocity parameters for the CZ1.
Svein.
|
| I have now used the CZ-Android (patch librarian/editor/generator) from
Hybrid Arts for a while. I first had the bad surprise that it would only
run with TOS (operating system for the Atari ST) in ROM, mine was in RAM
so I had to upgrade my ST. But after it have been a joy ride.
After loading the program you get up a screen with five items, the menu
line at the top and then Workbank A, Workbank B, Patchbank and Workspace.
The workbanks are used as a buffer to load/save the patches to disk or
rearrange the patches in the files. The patchbank is the actual memory
in your CZ synth. You use it to load one patch to a specified location in
the CZ or you can load a whole bank of 16 patches at once. It works both
way (to/from CZ). The workspace is where you edit the patch and it uses
the edit buffer in the CZ, so for every change you do to a param the CZ
is instantly updated.
So to the editing. You start by moving the mouse cursor to the workspace
and click the button. In fact the only thing I use the keyboard for is
entering names for files or patches. After clicking on the menu option
"start editing" you get in to the edit screen. This has almost the same
layout as the Casio CZ patch worksheet. You get all the values for the
patch on the screen and you can change the values by pointing at them with
the mouse and then click right/left buttom to increase/decrease the value.
If shift key is pressed value changes with 10. You can also click on the
graph box for each DCO, DCW or DCA, and get a graphic display of the envelope.
In this display you can draw the envelope with the mouse. Sustain and end point
are set by clicking the mouse button at the appropriat line.
So far YOU have been doing all the work, so what do you need a computer
for ? Well here comes the name CZ-android into the picture, two commands
in the "options" menu Android and Distort do the work for you. You use them
in the edit screen. Android will in less than one second make you a brand
new patch, you listen to it by pressing a key on the CZ, like it and save it
or modify it a bit and save it or dont like it and throw it away. Useing the
android command feels like sitting in front of a CZ with an indefinate number
of presets some you like, others not. The android function makes a brand new
patch, but the Distort command only changes some random params to random
values, so that the new patch is simular to the original patch. If you dont
like what you have done you can "unedit" and get back to the starting point.
When you have your final patch you click the exit box in the edit screen, and
are asked if you want to keep or discard. If you keep you can give your patch
a name, and then drag the workspace box to one of the slots in the workbanks.
Each workbank have 16 slots each. When you have filled up a workbank you can
save it to disk. The name you enter for the patch will on a CZ-1 be shown in
the synth display when you select it, on other CZ's not. Also for the CZ-1
there is a display to set up the velocity params for each patch.
One single sided floppy can hold 112 files * 16 = 1792 patches.
Other housekeeping commands are also available.
So in the end I like this program a lot, it makes me think that choosing the
Atari ST was a correct choise (at least for me). The program is easy to use,
all commands are executed by mouse click. Specially the android function is
nice when you are not an experienced patch programmer.
Svein.
|
| The manual does not say anything about which params it plays with,
but till date I have not seen any patches it creates where the DCO
envelopes are changed, so they may have found the same as you Edd.
They say they use some AI algorithms to change the values, but I'm
not the right person to tell how intelligent they are.
As for how many generated patches I save, well maybe 1 out of 30.
But as you say the actual figure is hard to say. Sometimes a nice
patch comes out everytime you click the mouse, and then it can be
a lot of crap.
I still feel the android function is nice sometimes for a lazy
guy.(like me)
Svein
|