Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!cmcl2!brl-adm!husc6!m2c!ulowell!masscomp!rad
From: rad@masscomp.UUCP (Bob Doolittle)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: stereo sound (and Dynamic Drums)
Summary: Stereo's great but commonly misused
Keywords: sound channel allocation MIDI
Message-ID: <2793@masscomp.UUCP>
Date: 21 Jan 88 15:55:37 GMT
References: <5899@utcsri.UUCP>
Reply-To: rad@masscomp.UUCP (Bob Doolittle)
Distribution: na
Organization: MASSCOMP - Westford, Ma
Lines: 25

I have a MIDI keyboard controller, piano synth, and PA system that I mix
my Amiga into.  It sounds great.  However (and I'm surprised nobody else
mentioned this), all music packages for the Amiga to which I've had
exposure do a very poor job of utilizing the stereo.  I use the Mimetics
Pro MIDI Studio.  Even if I only lay down 2 tracks (using 2 voices),
when I play it back the tracks jump from right to left between notes.
I've heard the same problem holds for Deluxe Music Construction Set.
This effect can really ruin an otherwise reasonable sounding piece.  I
presume that these packages are simply allocating a free channel on a
note-by-note basis, rather than being intelligent about channel
allocation.

I've never programmed the sound - can anybody think of a good reason why
software is written this way?  Is it really so hard to do right?

While I'm sort of on the subject, I've heard great things about Dynamic
Drums.  I know it can take an external MIDI clock, but can you start/stop
sequences with other MIDI events?  How about simply tying a MIDI channel
to a drum voice and playing it from a MIDI source?  I'd appreciate hearing
from anyone with experience with the package.
-- 
Once in a while
you get shown the light		UUCP Address:
in the strangest of places	 ...!{ihnp4,ulowell,ucbcad,gatech}!masscomp!rad
if you look at it right! -Robert Hunter