Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!snorkelwacker!usc!ucsd!ucbvax!TOPS20.RADC.AF.MIL!MIKEL
From: MIKEL@TOPS20.RADC.AF.MIL
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple
Subject: Music
Message-ID: <12535139747.16.MIKEL@TOPS20.RADC.AF.MIL>
Date: 18 Oct 89 18:19:11 GMT
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Network Comment: to #5699 by todd0ro-abyss.cts.com

> wondering, what is exactly neg{ded for complete MIDI connection? 

Just a few personal comments to supplement the response by Stephen Brown...
Passport has always been outstandingly supportive of my queries and
concerns before I even bought anything from them.  Feel free to ask their
folks ANY questions you might have.  They've released MasterTracks Pro for
the IIGS at long last.  It's a remarkable package if you think you might
get heavily into playing around with music (due to its correspondingly
high pricetag - look at mail order companies).  When I talked to Passport
about ordering it, though, it came out that the MIDI card I had (a very
good one from Passport) wasn't enough to support MT Pro.  Seems that
something about the II GS didn't support all of the features MT Pro used.
[Note: This happened a while ago.  Sorry I can't remember the details, but
I wanted to get a response out to todd asap.]  In the ensuing discussion,
the Passport person mentioned that many of the newer MIDI interfaces were
using the serial port.  As a result, any external interface built for the
(ready?) Mac could be used by the II GS.  Without commenting on the
relative merits of the Mac, suffice it to say that at the time there
was a greater selection of interfaces for the Mac than for the II GS.
After confirming compatibility, I purchased a wonderful box from OpCode at
slightly only slightly more than a much less capable II GS box.  In
summary, an internal interface may be less clutter, but it does tend to
tie you to the particular computer (for better or worse).  For cable
compatability, get a box for the Mac SE (I think that's right).  Hope this
helps and good luck!
==========================================================================
Russell Mikel          "And you will never know, my son,
                        on how little real knowledge the world is run."
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