Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    This software is easy to come by on personal computers, using the
    MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard, but so far
    the only VAX implementations have been home-brew.  This conference
    has many many notes devoted to this software. Look for notes on
    "Sequencers", "Composer", and other such words.
    
    	- Rick
    

    DMCS (Deluxe Music Construction Set) by Electronic Arts is available
    for many PCs.  It does what you've asked for, but the reality is
    quite a bit different.  I have DMCS for my Amiga, and gave up on
    it to return to my MC500 and handwritten "scores" on graph paper
    in my own personal notation.
    
    len.
    

    re: .0
    
      Do a DIR /TITLE=CONCERT (which is how I found out where to write
    the review of ConcertWare for the MAC), since I cannot tell you
    exactly which note that was, but it's there!! Look for reply .4,
    and/or .5.
    
    re: .2 
    
    what is it about the Amiga and DMCS that makes you prefer pen and
    pencil?? I have a MAC and wanted DMCS (but had to settle for
    ConcertWare due to hardware (DMCS V2.0 won't run on a MAC II) )...
    I would like to hear your tibulations, since I'll lay odds I'll
    encounter them too!
    
    re: .0 again:
    
    On the MAC, look at ConcertWare, ConcertWare+MIDI, DMCS, or
    Professional Composer (series), and OpCode Systems packages (sequencer,
    librarian, etc)
    
    On the IBM: (sigh... lack of knowledge... are there any??!!)
    
    On the Amiga: sounds like DMCS, but are there more??
    
    

    
    No problems with the Amiga, it's all DMCS's fault.
    
    DMCS won't accept input from a MIDI source; actually, it will, but
    not in any useful way.  You set a *time interval* that defines the
    clock; it ignores the MIDI clocks in the data stream, and assigns
    note lengths based on the time value you have set.  Obviously, unless
    you've got things set up rather precisely, the time values it stores
    may bear only the faintest resemblance to the ones you intended.
    I can't imagine why they thought this was a good idea.
    
    Drafting a score with DMCS is a terribly tedious process, involving
    "billions and billions" of mouse operations.  I've found it far
    easier to sketch things with paper and pencil and then just step
    time program it into the MC500.  In addition, I found DMCS's way
    of expressing various editing operations utterly counterintuitive,
    though that may just be my problem.  I would try things that seemed
    reasonable, get totally unexpected results, then have to fix the
    mess up and look up in the manual how to do it.
    
    DMCS also does some pretty stupid things.  For example, if you want
    a legato playing style, what it does is extend the release time
    of the internal sounds, rather than lengthen the note itself.  This
    provides a pretty poor version of legato, and doesn't help at all
    when you're driving a MIDI device rather than the Amiga's sounds.
                                             
    Etc.
    
    len.
    

    Here's the generic names for the software you're looking for:
    
    MIDI Sequencer - a program that functions like a multi-track recorder
    	except it records MIDI data instead of analog data (sound).
        You play a keyboard and it sends data (MIDI) over a line to
    	the Sequencer which records it.  In play mode, the sequencer
    	sends the MIDI data back to the keyboard which causes it
    	to play exactly what you played.  
    
    	Most of these programs allow you to "edit" the MIDI data.  You
    	can remove bum notes, add in missed notes, have it automatically
    	correct timing errors, transpose, etc.
    
    Transcriber - takes MIDI data and turns it into music scores
    
    Composition aids - generally allows you to "input" music in score
    	form using the mouse and such.  The program then converts the
    	score into MIDI data which can either be sent to the sequencer
    	or played directly from the composition program.
    
    This is not a complete description obviously.  These things do all
    sorts of wonderful things that you'll wonder how you ever managed
    without.  You just won't believe how wonderful all this stuff is
    until you start to use it.
    
    Enjoy and I hope this has helped.
    
    	db

    re .4
    
    <DMCS, and setting a time value, also, billions of mouse clicks.>
    
    gads... sorry to hear that... it sounds just like what I went thru
    with ConcertWare version #1 !!  AAAgggghhhh! I was just at my friends
    house last sunday where I learned how very nice it is to have the
    ability to enter the notes from the keyboard, and have the program
    (you guessed it... CW+MIDI) spray it up on the screen. I'll have
    to learn more before I can try the legato trick - or perhaps I can
    twist my friends arm enough to get him to show me how to do it...
    
    I find it interesting to note that I've been hearing around that
    DMCS v2.0 and Opcode Sequencer v2.5 on the MAC is real nice (read
    that Real Nice!) - funny how a different system will cause a complete
    personality change in a product.

    For your reference, here is a list of Macintosh based music editing 
    systems that I have heard of:
    
    Deluxe Music Construction Set - Available from a number of
    distributors. "If a real package is worth $800, then this one is worth
    the $80 they charge for it", Anon. 
    
    Professional Composer - Available from several sources.
    
    HB Music Engraver - $395 from HB Imaging, Orem Utah (801)225-7222
    This package was just released in January 1988.
    
    Finale - $795 from Coda Music Software, Bloomington MN (612)854-1288
    Scheduled to ship in May 1988. It has been demonstrated at several
    shows recently including MACworld (SF January 88).
    

    I have not personally used any of these systems, but I hope to remedy
    that very soon. I have just ordered a copy of Engraver. They sounded
    very good on the phone and emphasized their desire to get input
    from the user base. I'll see how it goes.
    
    Greg

    Someone from the BCS Computers and Music group went to the last NAMM
    show. He couldn't stop raving about Finale. Also, Jim Romeo was there,
    and he wrote the manual for it. The guy who wrote the software has been
    working on it for close to a decade. Most of that time was spent writing
    a powerful library of general-purpose music transcription software. It
    supposedly makes no assumptions or restrictions about what your music
    should look like. If you want 11-line staffs, no problem. If you want
    your staffs to spiral around on the page, no problem. At the same time,
    it can be taught complicated rules about note spacing and whatever. The
    author would like to release this library as a developer's tool.

    Finale is also claimed to be very smart about quantizing real-time
    input from a MIDI keyboard. In one mode, you beat time with a foot
    controller. You can speed up for easy parts and slow down for hard parts
    and the timing comes out right on the printed page.
    
    Finale for the Mac is the first product built on this library. They
    expect to have products for other systems in the future. It sounds hot.
    Expect to see much more about this product in the future.
    
    -Mark

    Finale will be demoed by Jim Romeo at the next BCS Computers and Music
    subgroup meeting. These are held on the first Tuesday of every month.
    See my other note on the BCS for more details. (dir/key=bcs)
    
    	- Rick