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From: mark@giza.cis.ohio-state.edu (Mark Jansen)
Newsgroups: comp.music
Subject: Re: Mac Music Software and Hardware
Keywords: Music software
Message-ID: <85360@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 29 Oct 90 16:43:34 GMT
References: <1990Oct24.021851.21656@athena.mit.edu> <1990Oct25.153513.7648@arc.ab.ca> <1990Oct26.145546.25998@athena.mit.edu>
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Organization: Ohio State Computer Science
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	I see that comp.graphics has a weekly posting designed to take
	the net traffic off the usual questions such as places for
	beginners to learn, image formats and so forth.  Maybe we should
	do the same.

	Which is the best MIDI computer is a typical such question.  
	
	Here's my quick answer.  

	There is no best machine.  

	Atari computers
		the least expensive machines with built in midi port
		and a good set of basic software.  Probably best for
		most beginners at home.  

	Commodore Amiga
		another cheap solution, especially important if you
		want to do color graphics as well or multi-media stuff
		not as much software choices as Atari machines.  

	IBM and clone computers
		because the market for these machines is so large you
		can get very good prices for hardware and boards but the
		user interface is in general quite inferior and the
		software choices are limited.  Can get some fine low
		cost deals if you have your eyes open.

	Macintosh computers
		probably the best MIDI and music computer but quite 
		expensive.  Groundbreaking software ideas with superior
		ease of use usually are found on the Macintosh first.
		Studio musicians usually use Macintosh's.  If you have
		the money the Macintosh buy it.


and by the ways what are the other weekly questions that get asked?

- where to get FTP code and data files and formats
- what are the lowest price synthesizers
- what are the details of the MIDI format
- introductory textbooks on MIDI and computer music
- what are the schools in computer music
- what are the magazines for computer music

other thoughts on this?

--
Mark Jansen, Department of Computer and Information Science
The Ohio State University; 2036 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH USA 43210-1277
mark@cis.ohio-state.edu