🚀 go-pugleaf

Thanks to those of you who have already responded to my questions about
the ST, and MIDI applications on the ST.

In particular letter told me of a person who has an Amiga 1000 and 2000,
as well as a 1040 ST, who prefers the ST for MIDI work. I have sent email
asking more about why, but I am curious. Are there any of you other ST
users on the net who are into MIDI who have Amigas or use them also who
find reasons for choosing the ST over Amiga. I like both machines and
don't intend to start flame wars again. I really honestly want to know 
which would be best for my friend to purchase. If one or the other is
significantly better I would like to know why, or if they are about the
same that info would be helpful. I want my friend to purchase what is
best for him, so knowing how each performs (good points and bad ones) 
is essential to an informed purchase.

Below I want to list the specific things my friend wants to do with 
MIDI on the computer he chooses. I would like to know if most software
or any software on specifically the ST can do what is required. In
additions I have some questions about the price to purchase computer and
software which does what my friend requires (he has a limited budget to
work with).

	MIDI requirements:

	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?

	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)

	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???? The local dealer
	thought he could not get by with a 520 ST, but would need the
	miniumum of 1 MEG of ram that the 1040 requires. Unfortunately
	the dealers cost of this machine which is in hard to get supply
	is a little steep (at or slightly over $1000-which puts us over
	budget already just for the computer-nothing left for hardware)
	Is a 1040 really needed for what my friend wants to do or would
	a 520 suffice????

Any info you could provide to answer these more specific questions would be
most appreciated. I don't know much about MIDI on the Amiga I use, and am
even less informed about it on the ST. But I would like to provide the 
information which is balanced and tells my friend whether he can do what
he wants with either the ST or Amiga, for what he can afford to spend.

Happy Holiday to you All!
M680XX machines for ever!

Russ Jacobson
Illinois Geological Survey
615 E. Peabody Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
217 244-2425