mxdx .?i)iiy$1$jp - Bombjack.org

MUSIC STUDIO
Beautifully coordinated colors arc used to
indicate notes played by different instruments
using the SID chip in Music Studio ($34.95),
which has been billed more as a C64-intcrnal
music composition program than MIDI. While
not well-documented, it does have a limited
MI Dl-im piemen tat ion; MIDI data is sent over
channel 1 and presets set manually on the
synth itself, which means that everything will
play with one instrument sound. It offers a
music printing option and performs with
Passport and compatible MIDI interfaces.
Music Studio can provide a good introduction
to music notation and is a viable transition to
MIDI, especially if you already have it.
Activision, 2350 Bayshore Frontage Rd., Mtn
View CA 94043 415/960-0410
MIDI MUSIC SEQUENCERS
Generally, MIDI sequencers are for the more
serious musician. They do not use standard
music notation for a couple of reasons. Not
everyone reads it, MIDI data is numeric, and
complex screen displays can interfere with the
accuracy of musical timing in playback.
Realize that sooner or later, you'll end up
working with numbers with a sequencer.
m
DR.T'S SEQUENCER
If functionality without any funny-business
sounds good to you, take a couple of
synthesizers and call Dr.T in the morning. His
C64 Keyboard Controlled Sequencer (Version 2,
$150) lives up to the promise of MIDI and
offers three ways to enter sequences, by
playing notes or chords in real- or step-time
from MIDI-connected synths or by typing data
from the computer keyboard. Once entered,
you're privy to straight-forward displays of
MIDI events (to a maximum of 3550, or 35
sequences, which represent your music) that
can easily and individually be altered with the
64's full-screen editor. Sequences may be
copied or moved in all or part, transposed,
auto-corrected, overdubbed and merged; they
can be played backwards, or inverted in pitch,
duration or velocity. Control sequences are
used to combine sequences into songs in a
variety of ways with examples provided on
disk and in the documentation (which is very
detailed and full of good musical ideas). MIDI
mode changes can be inserted in song files and
things like vamping and echo effects produced
quite easily, once you get the hang of it.
Dr.T offers 100% trade-in allowance for C64
program owners to upgrade to his C128
Keyboard Controlled Sequencer ($225.00). It
can read files saved by the C64 version and
store 128 sequences and almost 12,000 notes.
While the 64 version was recognized as one of
the most professional MIDI sequencers
available for that model, the 128 version offers
all of its power and more. Among other
things, you can hear the music and see the edit
screen concurrently, rescale dynamic ranges,
add randomness with permutations and
transpositions, and sync to any device that
reads SMPTE and sends MIDI song-pointer and
clock data.
Dr.T's sequencers are compatible with
Passport and Sequential Model 64 MIDI
interfaces as well Dr.T's own Model-T ($90).
Patch librarian programs (sec below), and disks
of music ($30 each) that work with cither
sequencer are also available. Dr.Keys provides
prerecorded sequences in styles like blues, rock
& roll, and Latin rhythms that you can use in
songs or play along with live; the Bach
Songbook features 20 of J.S.'s masterpieces.
Contact Dr.T at 66 Louise Rd., Chestnut Hill
MA 02167, 617/244-6954