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From: krs@amdahl.UUCP (Kris Stephens)
Newsgroups: net.music.synth
Subject: The synthesizer as arranging tool
Message-ID: <2676@amdahl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 31-Jan-86 16:23:30 EST
Article-I.D.: amdahl.2676
Posted: Fri Jan 31 16:23:30 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Feb-86 20:52:28 EST
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA
Lines: 48
Keywords: MultiTrak, ProCompo, Macintosh, OpCode


   I started with a Mac so I could use Professional Composer to print
my arrangements for brass (was I ever glad to see LaserWriter support
come through in the update!).  At first I chalked up the slowness of
data-entry to my being a tyro at ProCompo, but I quickly realized that,
although the output quality will justify the labor, it's too damn slow
entering a score with a mouse and typewriter keyboard.  (How's this for
a dream:  Slide a pencil-score through an optical scanner and a *real*
smart program breaks it into a ProCompo file!  Pencil-scores are still
my fastest mode to get a complete score.)

   I started looking at synthesizers when I discovered that MIDI was
available for the Mac.  I tried out (and bought) a Sequential MultiTrak
because of its internal sequencer.  It's easy for me to load a six-part
Renaisance vocal piece into the sequencer, and "overdubbing" (editing)
was easy once I got the hang of it.  OpCode in Palo Alto makes a good
MIDI interface for the Mac and was quite willing to spend most of an
afternoon tailoring their Patch Librarian for use with my MultiTrak.
A Patch Librarian doesn't get into ProCompo, though.  Their Bulk Storage
manager, at least, will save/reload anything I can send out from the
MultiTrak, so I've got the damn cassette interface out of the process.
I tried out Performer at Computers and Music (Daly City), with a couple
of disappointments:  It can't record more than one channel at a time;
C&M folks seemed *far* more interested in playing with their gear,
themselves, than in helping me with a synthesizer they hadn't tried
before (I felt like an interloper in their shop!  What a way to treat a
customer).

  The one piece of software I'm missing is a MIDI-ProCompo bridge (I
tell the MultiTrak to play, the program in the Mac traps the events and
then passes the resulting sequence to ProCompo).  Anyone have experience
with such a program?  I'd appreciate hearing the good and bad.  As I
mentioned above, I really want a program that can record up to six
(sixteen?) tracks at once.

  I've updated (mostly) OpCode's Patch Librarian documentation for the
MultiTrak, but I can't provide them with a set of 100 patches to package
with it - my synth-time is arranging, not performing.  I think they'd
announce and market PL for the MultiTrak if they had a set.  If anyone
has some good patches they'd be willing to donate, I'll pass 'em along
to OpCode, with the sources identified.  I'd like to see the MultiTrak
get some supported software out there.

Many thanks.
-- 
Kris Stephens     (408-746-6047)                 {whatever}!amdahl!krs
     [The opinions expressed above are mine, solely, and do not    ]
     [necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Amdahl Corp. ]