🚀 go-pugleaf

I tried to E-mail this, but it bounced.  So I'm posting it.

In article <4620@druwa.ATT.COM> dvac@druwa.ATT.COM (Daniel Vachon) writes:

  >Our band is wanting to get into some Midi now that we have a Yamaha PTX8 
  >Electronic Drumkit, Yamaha TX16W Sampler, and a Kawai keyboard, all Midi..

  >My question is directed to those Midi Mongers out there who play with midi
  >all the time.... Is the Atari the best computer for Midi for the price?! 

For the price, probably yes.  It is one of the leading computers for
running midi software because of the price (i.e. because it's the only
one that has a built in Midi port so you don't have to buy nor hassle
with that).  Many big name musicians use Atari's.

  >Is the midi software good?!

Yes.  Since it is widely used (again, because of the built in midi
interface), software developers have created a lot of midi software
for it.

  >I would like to get open-minded comments...So please give good and
  >bad points about Midi on the Atari-ST.

The only serious downside that I can think of is that Atari support is
dwindling in this country (not many dealers, etc.).  Other (non-midi)
software availablility might be a problem, depending on what you are
looking for.

  >Also, does most of the good
  >Midi software work on both the 1040 and the 520?!

No!  You would be making a serious mistake to buy a 520 (rather than a
1040) for midi use.  I originally had a 520 and ended up having to
upgrade.  For example, the newer editions of Hybird Art's Miditrack
sequencer (one of the decent Atari sequencer packages) will not run on
a 520.

I recently conducted a poll on user groups rec.music.makers,
rec.music.synth, and comp.music asking what computers/sequencers were
used by the readers.  The Mac was the most widely used and the Atari
ST was second most widely used.  You can see additional results of
that poll if you read the postings on one of those newsgroups (look
for "the Great Sequencer Poll").  I will also be posting an update to
it this weekend.

BTW, I would seriously look at getting a laptop if you're going to use
it in performances.  Ordinary PC's are a pain to set-up, tear-down,
etc. to gigs.
--

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Al Polivka                            arpa: apolivka@x102a.harris-atd.com
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