MIDI help!!!










From: Jason Kraley (ai100)

Date: 10/22/89-06:52:41 PM Z









From: ai100 (Jason Kraley)
Subject: MIDI help!!!
Date: Sun Oct 22 18:52:41 1989


Could someone tell me if there is a MIDI program available for an
Atari 800XL... I own a Yamaha PSS-480 keyboard, and I wish to in-
dulge in it's MIDI capabilities...
 
Thank you for any information....

10-13Trkr(c1989
Jason Kraley
ai100 (Trekker)
##


******Answered by Len Stys (aa399)******
MIDIMATE and MIDITRACK II was developed
by Hybrid Arts.

MIDIMATE is the only MIDI interface
currently available for the Atari
8-bit computers that I am aware of.
The MIDIMATE interface is nothing more
than a small metal box with a cable
that plugs into the free serial I/O
port on your Atari and jacks for MIDI
in, MIDI out, sync in, and sync out.
It comes with a two six-foot DIN cables
that connect its MIDI jacks to the
MIDI-compatible instruments, getting
all the power it needs through the
serial cable.

MIDIMATE has MIDITRACK II software
supporting it.  I do not know if Hybrid
Arts released any more software for it
but was supposely working on it a few
years ago with a modem.  MIDITRACK II
is similar to a computerized version of
a professional sixteen track tape
recorder except that it has far more
featurs and records how an instrument
is played rather than the sound of the
instrument itself.  The storage
capacity is said to be over 3000 notes.
MIDITRACK II allows you to only enter
notes through the music keyboard not
the computer keyboard.  It is not
recommended for a beginner in music but
for a professional only.  For
musicians, MIDITRACK II's capabilities
are extensive with well over 100
commands available.  Some of the
commands are listed under these
categories:

    Editing

       transpose a track
       quantize a track
       punch in or punch out
       set note duration
       set velocity
       change relative velocity
       copy, delete, combine tracks
       perform real time editing or
        step by step
       choose whether to play or record         program changes and pitch wheel
       mod wheel and start/stop info
       specify which chanels MIDI
        should listen to

   Track

       select, turn on or off or solo
        any of MIDITRACK II's sixteen
        tracks
       name tracks
       protect and unprotech tracks
       save and restore info on track
        settings

   Channel

       specify which MIDI channel to
        use for each track

   Sync

       select one or five sync modes:
        internal, external I,
        external II, MIDI, and single
        step
       determine how an external clock
        will be used

   Tempo

       allows you to set, save or
        recall current tempo
       choose visual and/or audio
        metronome to help you keep time

   MIDI

       set synthesizer patch number
       set current MIDI mode
       send local on/off command

   Disk

       save sequences to and from disk
       get a list of sequences stored
       format a new disk
       make a backup copy of a sequence
        disk or MIDITRACK II itself


     MIDITRACK II is hard to use and
the manual gives quite a bit of
information but is poorly written. 
MIDITRACK II is again not recommended
for a beginner but does the job for
professionals.

     The MIDIMATE interface has a list
price of $200.00 and the MIDITRACK II
software has a list price of $150.00.
It is very expensive and it just might
make more sense to buy an Atari ST.
However, a few months ago, Antic was
selling MIDIMATE and MIDITRACK II for
half that.  Also, Antic has been
reportedly "going out of business" so
you may want to give them a call and
see if they have any left over that
they might want to get rid of for a
cheap price.

     Thanks for asking!

     Len Stys (aa399)
     Atari SIGOp
-- 









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