Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!aurs01!whitcomb From: whitcomb@aurs01.UUCP (Jonathan Whitcomb) Newsgroups: comp.music Subject: Re: Computer Keywords: computer midi Message-ID: <59770@aurs01.UUCP> Date: 29 Apr 91 19:49:35 GMT References: <1593@babcock.cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu> <1991Apr20.164220.3174@intacc.uucp> <1991Apr27.131320.19767@ifi.uio.no> Sender: news@aurs01.UUCP Reply-To: whitcomb@aurw32.UUCP (Jonathan Whitcomb) Organization: Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh NC Lines: 85 In article <1991Apr27.131320.19767@ifi.uio.no> olag@ifi.uio.no (Ola Fosheim Gr|stad) writes: - +In article <1991Apr20.164220.3174@intacc.uucp>, zerobeat@intacc.uucp (Ferenc Szabo) writes: + +usually is more powerful than Atari stuff. In Europe, the Atari is *the* +computer of choice. The two big software packages (Notator and Cubase) are +made in Germany. Note that Cubase for the Mac does not run quite as good as +Cubase for the Atari. - -Haven't Atari Corp. dropped the ST? Oh my, NO! This is the stuff that holy wars are made of! 8^B In fact, Atari has released 3 new computers in the ST line in the last year. They are the 1040 STE (updated operating system, enhanced color and sound, SIMM upgradable memory), the Mega STE (16 MHz 68000 processor, internal hard drive, new desktop, improved internal and external busses) and the TT (32 MHz 68030 workstation). And all of them have MIDI ports built in. +The Amiga does not have any very powerful sequencer programs available for it. -We Amigians do have a lot of powerful midisoftware. Dr.T's Software do support -and port most of their programs to the Amiga. ...eventually. -I think (and a lot of other musicians too) that KCS beats or equals most -other sequencers. 2 years ago your statement was true enough, but now we -have a lot of different sequencers available. Ranging from exciting programs -like "Bars & Pipes" and "M" to programs like "KCS", "music-X" and some -less known programs. I love KCS, but the Atari ST version (Omega) is newer, has more features and is more powerful than the latest Amiga version (3.5 I think). Emile (Dr.T) does the coding on an ST, and then ports to the Amiga. As noted in the current Electronic Musician, Dr.T's is the only music software company that provides a full line of professional quality products for the Amiga. They go on to point out that the Atari, Mac and PC are all supported by several different music software companies, and that all three are considerably more common amoung musicians (according to their reader's survey). -The Amiga's multitasking capabilities combined with several serialports -make the Amiga a very effective environment for the average musician. -With an Amiga you can download free software and patches from your local -MIDI-BBS, record some nifty tracks, edit patches, play games, edit your -lyrics and write a letter to your mum at the same time. So please don't -tell us that Amiga isn't the number 1 ;->. It's great to be able to multitask while running Midi softare... I do it on my Atari all the time under Dr.T's Multi Program Environment. And in fact, the Amiga is not number 1 in Midi, but rather a distant 4th (again according to this month's EM). -Your objection might be that none of the Amiga sequencers have it all. -All I can say is that Music-X has most of the features a musican wants, -but even if it doesn't, it won't matter because the beauty of a -multitasking environment is that you can select the programs you like -best without worrying about the name of the software company. I disagree. If you have several different programs by different manufacturers you will be less efficient because: 1. The programs will not be able to share data. 2. There will be feature overlap and redundancy. 3. You will have to learn several different types of interfaces. As a result, you will waste memory on redundant features, time on learning different interfaces, and money on more software than you really need. The Amiga is a nice machine for many applications, and you can certainly make great music with it. You will have far more music software to choose from (and many more music stores that carry compatible software) however, if you go with the Atari, Mac or PC. And you will spend less money for a Midi system with power equal to or greater than any of the others if you go with the Atari ST. Of course, if you plan to use your coumputer for other applications as well, you will have many other factors to consider... factors that need not be discussed in comp.music. -Ola Fosheim Groestad (Midi-freak & Amiga programmer??) ********************************************************************** Jonathan Whitcomb UUCP: Alcatel Network Systems, Raleigh, NC Delphi: JBWHIT