Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!uwvax!rutgers!gatech!purdue!decwrl!ucbvax!hplabs!hpl-opus!hpccc!wright
From: wright@hpccc.HP.COM (Jeff Wright)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Specific ST MIDI quest. (info neede
Message-ID: <5330010@hpccc.HP.COM>
Date: 27 Dec 88 21:11:03 GMT
References: <45700009@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu>
Organization: HP Corporate Computing Center
Lines: 50

> 	1) Keyboard used is a Ensonic ESQ-1.  Is software generic enough
> 	to be used with it, or is it specific to only certain keyboards?

MIDI is standardized enough that he shouldn't have to worry about this.

> 	2) Needs a sequencer which allows what he calles transcribing.
> 	This means that the sequencer allows the MIDI keyboard input to
> 	be printed out as notes (on a scale). Are most packages sequencers?
> 	And do they allow what my friend describes??? He has seen it on
> 	other MIDI setups, do the ST (or Amiga) allow this?????
> 
> 	3) He wants to be able to edit in patches to his compositions that
> 	were input from the MIDI keyboard. Do most MIDI applicatons do this
> 	or allow it???? If not all, which ones allow this (as well as
> 	the requirements of item # 2 above)????
> 
> 	4) What are the prices of applications which meet the requirements
> 	above??? (see items below)

Typically these features are not both included in the same software.  Most
vendors sell sequencing packages that allow music entry from the keyboard,
and scoring packages for creating a score in standard musical notation.

The exceptions seem to occur on the low and high end.  Dr. T's KEYS software
is an inexpensive (<$100) "sequencer" that works with standard musical notation.
Steinberg and C-Lab sell full-featured professional sequencers that do the
same for $200-300.

Hybrid Arts sells both an inexpensive sequencer and an inexpensive scoring
package, which I believe are called EZ Track and EZ Score and are both about
$90.

I don't have any experience with any of the above software -- I just know the
features and prices.  A lot of music stores are starting to sell software,
so you might be able to find one that can help your friend.  Otherwise, read
magazines like START and Keyboard.

> 	5) Costs are a big question. My friend has a total maximum budget
> 	of $1000 for purchase of the computer, monitor, and needed MIDI
> 	software. Can this be done with the ST???? 

I bought my 1040ST and color monitor (used) about 6 months ago specifically
for MIDI.  I bought the Sonus SST sequencer and Hybrid Arts CZ Android 
patch editor/librarian.  With the word processor and drawing package that
came with the ST, I feel like I have a pretty respectable set-up, and my
cost was under $1000.  I have been happy with everything, but I don't
recommend SST.

--Jeff Wright
  (My views are my own.  Music is not a concern of my employer.)