From tjt Sat Jan 2 19:47:52 1993 Return-Path: Received: from wink.blink.att.uucp by blink.att.com (4.1/SMI-3.2) id AA22117; Sat, 2 Jan 93 19:47:50 EST Date: Sat, 2 Jan 93 19:47:50 EST From: tjt (Tim Thompson) Message-Id: <9301030047.AA22117@blink.att.com> To: tjt Status: R Xref: cbnewsh rec.music.makers.synth:797 rec.music.synth:41646 comp.sys.mac.apps:28139 Path: cbnewsh!att-out!rutgers!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!uunet!pipex!bnr.co.uk!uknet!edcastle!ngse18 From: ngse18@castle.ed.ac.uk (J R Evans) Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.synth,rec.music.synth,comp.sys.mac.apps Subject: Review: Inexpensive MIDI resources for the Macintosh Message-ID: <29871@castle.ed.ac.uk> Date: 2 Jan 93 16:28:35 GMT Expires: 31 Jan 93 00:00:00 GMT Distribution: rec Organization: Edinburgh University Lines: 231 Some weeks back, I bought a new Mac with the intention of using it for music related activities (amongst other things!). I have been poking around relevant ftp sites to see what I can find. Here is a list of what I have been able to obtain, with brief reviews. The current rec.music.[makers.]synth FAQ contains no entry on Mac software, and these resources are very much spread around. Unless anyone has objections, I propose to propagate copies of relevant items to the umich mac archive. This has become the principal site for those with interests in Mac software, and is mirrored by a number of sites worldwide. [Note: I do not propose to propagate non-working items such as the CMU utilities, or those with existing distribution points within the Internet i.e. CSound or Lime] If you have more up-to-date versions of these programs, additions or corrections, please let me know, and we can coordinate contributions. I will submit this for inclusion either as part of or alongside Craig Latta's FAQ in due course. Russ Evans British Geological Survey, Edinburgh e_gs18@ub.nmh.ac.uk ... ngse18@castle.ed.ac.uk ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Inexpensive MIDI resources for the Mac -------------------------------------- Russ Evans, BGS Edinburgh, e_gs18@ub.nmh.ac.uk Edition of 1 January 1993 Copyright notice at the end! Bulk Sysex Utility Source: louie.udel.edu /pub/midi/software/mac/sysex_util.hqx Status: Free [demonstration of Altech Systems' MIDI library] Description: A very nice sysex tool -- can handle dumps of up to 128k. Includes MIDI through and basic play-from-keyboard capabilities. A 'must have'! CMIDI Source: ics.uci.edu /mac/think-c/classes/cmidi.hqx Status: Free Description: Class library for Think C which provides support for Apple's MIDI Manager. Only of interest to programmers! CMU Midi Toolkit Source: sony.com /pub/mac/CMU_MIDI.sit.hqx Status: Apparently free; not fully functional Description: Beta release (1988) of a fairly complex suite of MIDI drivers, dump, analysis and sequencing programs around a Unix/DOS style interface. Ported from IBM-PC code. The drivers would not work reliably on my Mac running 7.1, but there is a lot of useful stuff here for programmers. Think C version 3 projects and source code as well as the applications. Csound Source: media-lab.media.mit.edu Status: Free Description: Port of major ongoing project for description and genesis of sounds, which operates on a number of platforms. Encompasses sampling and signal processing capabilities as well as MIDI interfacing; will require application to master, but the effort will be well worthwhile! CZ Librarian Source: louie.udel.edu /pub/midi/software/mac/cz_librarian.hqx Status: Unknown Description: Apparently a patch librarian for Casio CZ synths. The application wouldn't even start on my Macs (IIvi & SE, 7.1)! D110 Rhythm Source: sony.com /pub/mac/D110R.sit.hqx Status: "Beta software, not to be released" !! Description: Basic Hypercard based editor for D110 rhythm parts. ESQ-1 Source: louie.udel.edu /pub/midi/software/mac/esq1_librarian.hqx Status: Free (Demo for Altech Systems' MIDIBASIC) Description: I couldn't get this to run on my system, either! HyperMIDI Source: louie.udel.edu /pub/midi/software/mac/HyperMIDI.sit.hqx Status: Shareware $30 Description: A well written, extensible Hypercard stack providing a bit of everything - dumps, recording, analysis, play-keyboard and programmable patch editor [DX7 version included]. Version 1.0 is dated 1988, but I know that there are more recent versions available (1.1 at least). Lime Source: novamail.cerl.uiuc.edu /pub/lime/... Status: Free demo; inexpensive license Description: A very capable score writing program with some MIDI sequencing capabilities. The demo is almost completely functional (it is limited to scores of up to three pages) and the cost of the full version is nominal ($100, I think). Lime can do things no fully commercial program I've seen can handle. I have just two reservations about it: a) it is very, very slow. Response is leisurely on my IIvi (16MHz '030); on my SE, Lime is all but unusable; b) it can't export or import standard MIDI files. In all other respects, an amazing piece of work! Comes with copy of MIDI Manager, Patchbay, and notational fonts. KAMIKAZE DX Source: louie.udel.edu /pub/midi/software/mac/kamikaze_dx.hqx Status: Unknown Description: Wouldn't even start on my systems running 7.1. Megalomania Source: sony.com /pub/mac/Megalomania1.0.sit.hqx Status: Shareware $22 Description: This looks like a really imaginative idea. A MIDI-based effects processor with a graphical patch interface. Without time to explore, it's impossible to assess its value, but it comes with a promising looking manual and a heap of example patches. Worth investigating? MidiControl Source: Joe Ciarcia (joec@fourd.com) Status: Shareware $35 Description: A promising general purpose patch editor. I had it driving my VFX in a matter of minutes without reading the manual. Plenty of examples for DX7's and relations. I preferred it to HyperMIDI, which is its most obvious competitor. MIDIDriver Source: Craig Ruff & myself (mail to e_gs18@ub.nmh.ac.uk) Status: Free Description: After posting a request to the net for a MIDI driver, Craig Ruff sent me two simple drivers he had written some time ago, one in assembler, one in C, for the Aztec compiler. I have rewritten them both for Think C, and the assembler version works (at least to the extent I've been able to test it). Unless Craig has any objections, I'm willing to share this code; it is very basic, but at least demonstrates the way in which the Zilog SCC has to be prodded in order to transmit and receive MIDI bytes. MidiScope 1.5 Source: umich /sound/midi/midiscope1.5.sit.hqx.Z Status: Free (PD, advertising Kurzweil) Description: Allows you to monitor MIDI traffic in great detail. Definitely a 'must have' in anything but the simplest setup. Note that version 1.1 (present at some ftp sites) is buggy! MiniTrax 1.54 Source: louie.udel.edu /pub/midi/software/mac/minitrax154.hqx Note also: umich has /sound/midi/minitrax1.55.cpt.hqx Status: Free (PD demo for Altech Systems MIDIBASIC) Description: As it's the only free (or even cheap!) sequencer that I've seen for the Mac, I have to say this is a good deal! Compared against equivalent offerings for the Atari ST, it's very commendable. Tidy interface, simple to use, but limited editing capabilities. Music Fun Source: louie.udel.edu /pub/midi/software/mac/MusicFun.hqx Status: Shareware Description: Only tangentially a MIDI application. Provides ear-training exercises (identifying intervals, chord qualities, inversions) -- a useful tool. wuarchive.wustl.edu offers what is probably an updated version in /mirrors2/info-mac/Old/demo/music-fun-20.hqx.Z SY77 Voice Librarian Source: umich sound/midi/sy77voicelibrarian.cpt.hqx Status: ?? Description: ?? Miscellaneous documents MAC-midi Source: louie.udel.edu /pub/midi/software/mac/MAC-midi Description: How to build a MIDI interface for a Mac mac-to-midi-interface Source: Description: Another way to build a MIDI interface for a Mac Apple MIDI note [pollproc] Source: ftp.apple.com Description: Apple's technical note describing the official assessment of the infamous Powerbook problem, and a procedure which developers can embed in their applications to work around it. Of interest to Powerbook programmers only. Other sources of Mac MIDI software ---------------------------------- I haven't yet had time to investigate the following items turned up by a recent archie search: wuarchive.wustl.edu /mirrors2/info-mac/Old/sound/program/small-midi-interface.hqx /mirrors2/info-mac/Old/demo/dr-t-beyond-midi-206.hqx The UK magazine Sound On Sound distributes PD, shareware and demo disks for MIDI and related applications. They list the following items which I've not been able to locate on the networks: MIDIStix -- shareware drum pattern sequencer MIDIMagic -- 32k bulk dump librarian M1 MIDI Concrete -- shareware editor/librarian for Korg M1 and demos for the following products: Turbosynth -- waveform synthesiser Steinberg Cubase 1.0 -- sequencer Intelligent Music M -- composition aid (?) Opcode Vision -- sequencer Opcode Cue -- sync to picture tool Passport Trax -- sequencer Passport Pro -- sequencer Hyperstudio -- studio management aid Coda Finale -- scoring/notation program Passport Notewriter -- notation Passport Encore -- notation with MIDI sequencing Soho Soundhouse kindly provided me with demos of Steinberg Cubase 1.8 (the current version is 1.8.3), and of Passport Encore. These demos will not save or restore files, although in all other respects are fully functional. Useful to anyone considering a purchase. Copyright J R Evans (e_gs18@ub.nmh.ac.uk) Permission to copy is hereby granted subject to the following conditions: 1. This document is copied only in full and without alteration 2. No charge is made other than reasonable costs of materials or connection services.