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From: shebanow@ji.Berkeley.EDU (Mike Shebanow)
Newsgroups: rec.music.synth,comp.sys.amiga,comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Need Comparative Info on AMIGA vs. MAC+ for use in a MIDI system
Message-ID: <17012@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Fri, 23-Jan-87 02:49:57 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.17012
Posted: Fri Jan 23 02:49:57 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Jan-87 22:28:49 EST
References: <327@atux01.UUCP>
Sender: usenet@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: shebanow@ji.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Mike Shebanow)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 40
Keywords: MIDI, music software, costs, pros and cons
Xref: mnetor rec.music.synth:201 comp.sys.amiga:1634 comp.sys.mac:920


I think that the Macintosh is definately the better computer for MIDI
applications at this time. There is really very little music software
available for the Amiga at this time. In fact, the only programs for
the Amiga that I know of are Yamaha DX and Casio CZ synth patch editor/
librarians, and a sequencer program.

The Mac, on the other hand, has many different types of MIDI applications:

	Patch Librarians/Editors for many (20 or more) different synths
	Sound Editors for most digital samplers
	Additive Synthesis software for Samplers
	Sequencers (both pattern and track oriented)
	Notational software
	SMPTE support
	"Artifically Intelligent" Music Composition and Improvisation Tools

As you can see, this is a pretty comprehensive list. The amiga doesn't even
come close.

One machine that you may be interested in is the Atari ST. Although I am
not a big fan of the machine, it does have a great deal of potential in
the MIDI area. A great deal of software is available for it already (more
than the Amiga), and more products are being introduced every day. What
makes this a good MIDI box is its low cost, speed, and built in MIDI
interface. There is at least one area in which the ST is way ahead of
the Mac: digital sampling and recording. Hybrid Arts is making a very
interesting hardware device for the ST that turns it into a sophisticated
digital sampler. If you add a hard disk, it can turn the ST into a multi-
track digital recorder that rivals the most expensive Sony PCM units.
Unfortunately, this type of hardware will still cost a relatively large
amount of money, when compared to the price of the computer itself.

Despite all this, I still think the Mac is the best machine on the market.
No other machine has such a broad range of music software available. I
could give you specific product recommendations, but this thing is getting
pretty long....

Andrew G. Shebanow
(Just visiting...)