Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!bellcore!att!cbnewsm!nsw From: nsw@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (Neil Weinstock) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: MUSIC-X comments [long] Summary: There is an update available Keywords: MUSIC-X Amiga MIDI Message-ID: <3366@cbnewsm.ATT.COM> Date: 29 Aug 89 14:21:49 GMT References: <2382@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> Reply-To: nsw@cbnewsm.ATT.COM (Neil Weinstock) Distribution: na Organization: The Flying Squid Patrol Lines: 158 In article <2382@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> barrett@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Dan Barrett) writes a ton of stuff regarding Music-X. I'll comment on a few of his comments and answer a few of his questions. Item 1: There is an update to Music-X available from MicroIllusions right now. I think it is version 1.03, or something like that. It fixes the serial port problem, and I think it fixes the limitation on the file requester path length. In order to get the update, send in your master program disk and utilities disk (one of the conversion utilities has been fixed.) Obviously, make sure you have backups before you send them in. (Note: I have not yet gotten my update, so I can't comment first hand on it.) Item 2: I agree that overall, Music-X is a wonderful package, but it is not without some problems. I find it sorely lacking in certain flavors of recording modes, which I have discussed at length with MicroIllusions. Some of the problems are scheduled for fixing in release 2.0, which will be a while, so don't hold your breath. Now, on to Dan's comments: > I have composed the following letter to the author, David Joiner, >full of suggestions, criticisms and compliments. If anybody has any >feedback on my letter, please let me know! I am posting to the net because I think some of this might be of general interest. I assume Dan will see it... [ ... ] > Releasing The Serial Port > I think MUSIC-X does not release the serial port properly Known, and fixed in the update. > ERR messages > I've been getting a lot of ``ERR [xxx]'' messages to the > right of the free memory gauge. I suppose these should happen > rarely, right? I get these too. I ignore them, but would like to know what's going on... > File Requestor > The File Requestor cannot access files in deeply nested > directories! It allows only 30 characters for the entire Known, fixed in the update (I think). [ ... ] >2. Suggestions > > The Amiga Interface > I want to type ``MUSIC-X myFile.perf'' from the CLI to have > MUSIC-X load a performance file when it boots. The Workbench > tooltype options are very nice, but please don't neglect your > CLI friends. I have also complained about the lack of good CLI support. I want my default directories to be used when I invoke from the CLI... then again, I've had Music-X running continuously for about three weeks now, so it's probably moot... ;-) [ ... ] > The File Requestor > Your file requestor is great, but it is missing one > important thing: a quick way to move to the parent directory. > Please add a ``parent'' gadget. They're aware of this. I was told it'd be fixed in 2.0; maybe if enough people complain it'll get done sooner... [ ... ] > The most important suggestion: I'd like a more powerful > way to SELECT groups of similar MIDI notes. For example, I [ ... ] Forget something like this before 2.0 (IMHO). However, it is a very good idea for a module, assuming a module can do something like this (I believe it can.) > The Bar Editor > If you accidentally click your mouse several times on the > graphic display, the display refreshes itself multiple times There is presently no algorithm for determining when to refresh the display. It is completely refreshed with almost every mouse click. I find this extremely annoying. > Please allow an easy way for a PSEQ event to take on its > ``true'' duration. That is, set its duration exactly equal to > the time between the start of its first event, and its END [ ... ] That's a nice idea. [ ... ] >3. Compliments > Enough complaining... let me tell you what you did RIGHT. >Your ``sequence'' model is wonderful! Finally, a sequencer where >you can have a hierarchy of sequences and a ``multi-track tape >recorder'' simultaneously. Your model is beautifully general. On the whole, I agree. > The manual is just short of perfect. Matt Nathan's use of >mnemonics is very clever: `Read this as "Output Bank"' and `Think >"C" for "Control"' are little gems. Here's where I disagree big time. I think the manual is rather poor. To be fair, it's very complete, but as a reference manual it is impossible. The typesetting doesn't take advantage of any neat DTP things that would make it easier to spot stuff. The sections aren't numbered. The manual is, on the whole, written at the level of someone who barely knows what the return key is. That wouldn't be so bad if there were a section where I could go for reference and avoid all that, but there isn't. Use of figures and diagrams is grossly inadequate. However, every safety requester is shown in its entirety, when those are about the least important thing to see a picture of. Each page is first described by listing off every menu item. I, the user, at first glance could care less about what's in the menus. I want to see a description of everything that's on the screen. I've got to wade 40 pages into some chapters just to see what a particular screen feature is. Where you really able to conveniently learn to use the program from this manual? On the plus side, the index seems pretty complete. >Questions [ ... ] >2. How do I write my own modules, such as patch editors and >quantizers, so they can share data with MUSIC-X while it is >running? I cannot find any mention of this in the manual. David is redoing the modules programming interface somewhat, so no programmer interface specs will be available for a little while yet. You should definitely let them know that you're interested in writing modules, though. I was told they are planning to compile a disk of user-written modules and distribute that. If there is a particular module you want to write, let them know and claim dibs on it. Patch editors will be done using the patch editor construction set, that will either be a separate product or an update. It'll be a while yet, I think. I can't wait for it; the patch editors included with Music-X, which were built using preliminary versions of the PECS, look really nice to me. Hope some of this info is useful. I have found other bugs, and have other comments, but I'll save those for another time. ________________ __________________ ____________________________ // \\// \\// \\ \\ Neil Weinstock //\\ att!cord!nsw or //\\ "Oh dear, now I shall have // // AT&T Bell Labs \\// nsw@cord.att.com \\// to create more Martians." \\ \\________________//\\__________________//\\____________________________//