Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!comp.vuw.ac.nz!dsiramd!actrix!basso!dgold
From: dgold@basso.actrix.co.nz (Dale Gold)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: amigas in the music world.
Message-ID: <2458.tnews@basso.actrix.co.nz>
Date: 11 Jun 90 05:18:56 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.amiga
Organization: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
Lines: 82

I read your lengthy discussion of computers & music with great
interest, and it was refreshing to see a more objective view of the
situation than some of the others that I've read. In the early
days of MIDI, I decided to buy a computer to have access to the
tremendous potential that seemed to be developing.

A few years ago, I visited a shop in Vancouver (Data Sound??) and spent
a lot of time talking to the very helpful staff about my desire for a
system to do mostly music DTP, and hopefully a bit of film music. They
suggested a Mac, which I couldn't afford. (If you think they're
expensive in the US, you would faint at the prices down here!) The 2nd
choice was am Amiga, which suited me fine, as I had friends thinking of
buying them, & I figured I'd have a bit of local support. I bought
Soundscape & Deluxe Music from the shop & got an Amiga when I returned
home. (those were just about the only programs available back in the
days of 1.1)

Soundscape proved to be the most frustrating, bug-ridden thing I've ever
used, although I really liked the basic idea of a modular system which
you could (theoretically) upgrade on your own. Deluxe Music is nice for
what it is, but NOT in the DTP category by any means, although I've used
it professionally to print scores & parts on occasion. 

Music software for the Amiga has improved bit by bit since then, but
nowhere near the rate of growth for the other computers. It's VERY
frustrating to read Keyboard magazine, etc, and see the wonderful things
that have come out for machines I'd rather not have to own. 

> The Amiga music software market, as it currently exists, will never
> win over people who are trying to decide on a music system AND WHO
> DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT COMPUTERS. Video compatibility? Animation?
> Multitasking? Who cares... 

History will probably prove you to be right, but I have to differ. If
the software existed for the Ami, it would leave the others in the cold
for music applications due to the built-in multi-tasking. Now that I've
got Dr. T's KCS & an editor/librarian for my MT32, I can have my
sequencer playing and tweak the synth voices on the fly. I wouldn't
trade this one aspect for my friend's nice Mac setup which requires him
to exit the sequencer in order to play with the synth voices.

> Adding to the problem, the hardware is REALLY primitive; only one OUT
> port, and (the kiss of death) no SMPTE sync capability. 

Well, my MIDI interface is primitive! I built it myself for a few bucks
with minimal technical skill. It's got 3 OUTs, and has worked fine with
DX7/MT32/RX11 & lots of Amiga sound samples. Granted, the Ami samples
are not pro quality, but they can be very useful on a low budget, and
it's a snap to take the computer to a studio & play channel 15 through
one of their nice synths.

> If the Amiga won't follow SMPTE, no one in the music industry will
> take it seriously, because SMPTE is simply vital for all major music
> applications-- 

Doesn't Dr T offer some SMPTE compat software? I think Music-X does,
too.  

> well! Nobody will install a computer that can't chase-lock to a tape
> recorder; it'd be useless. So there aren't many studios that are
> willing to give the Amiga a second glance.

Can't you buy a little black box to take care of sync-to-tape? Yamaha
makes one, anyway, and I thought an SMPTE system would do that, too.

) But there are going to have to be some  major changes on a fundamental
> level before the Amiga's already excellent software can claim its place
> among the best of the best. 
Yup. Mostly in the marketing area, I believe.

> there isn't enough novice appeal. 
In the REAL novice area, the Amiga exels. Any kid who can find PD
sources can have lots of fun with things like Soundtracker, MED, etc &
the multitude of sound samples floating around. In the Expert-Musician/
Novice-Computer-User category, I'm afraid you're right. The Amiga needs
more software & better marketing to become established in a field where
it should be able to surpass all the competition.

Cheers, Dale
--

Dale Gold	dgold@basso.actrix.co.nz
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