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Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!atoy
From: atoy@watnot.UUCP (Andy Toy)
Newsgroups: net.micro.cbm
Subject: Re: Review: Music Construction Set
Message-ID: <11392@watnot.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 12-Jan-86 15:06:42 EST
Article-I.D.: watnot.11392
Posted: Sun Jan 12 15:06:42 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 13-Jan-86 01:06:35 EST
References: <962@terak.UUCP>
Reply-To: atoy@watdcsu.UUCP (Andy Toy)
Followup-To: net.micro.cbm
Distribution: net
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 44
Keywords: Music Contruction Set, review
Summary: Music Construction Set is a toy. It's too limited.

In article <962@terak.UUCP> doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee) writes:
>Music Construction Set  (Electronic Arts)
>Commodore 64, 1 disk, 1 joystick
>List: $24   Discount: $16
>Description: Plays sheet music
>Overall grade: C
>
>A hard decision.  If the other programs from Electronic Arts didn't
>exist, this program would be above average.  But by EA standards, it's
>well below average.
>
>There are too many things that Music Construction Set (MCS) can't do.
>I'm not talking about expected limitations like being able to sound
>only three notes at once (that's all the C-64 can do).  No, I'm talking
>about more basic capabilities.

I concur with what Doug has written.  I've found it extremely time
consuming and awkward to enter music with MCS.  On some pieces, I can't
even enter the sheet music unless I re-interpret the music because MCS
can't handle all the stuff that's in the music (ie. triplets, changing
time signatures and key signatures, dynamics, etc...).  This is too bad
since I like to fiddle with computer music and enter classical pieces,
like Bach's fugues and Pachelbel's Canon.  MCS is just too limited.

>The problem that I have in recommending it is trying to think of a
>need that it fills.  In the end, I think that the quirks will prove to
>be too troublesome to allow MCS to be used as a serious tool by
>anyone.  But as a toy... yes, I think so, provided that you either
>understand music or are willing to learn about it on your own.

Yes, I agree again.  I recommend it only to those who want it as a toy
or a beginners' musical learning tool.  It's not good enough (in my
opinion) for musicians or those wanting to have the 64 to play their
sheet music.
-- 
Andy Toy, Mapping Analysis and Design Group (MAD), 
Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo,
Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA N2L 3G1   (519) 885-1211 x6563

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