[P1] MIDI & iBook

[Roberto]

Hi Dale,


> we need software that'll take MIDI in & out and be able to print sheet
> music. (Must be compatible w/ PDF writer, too, since we're hoping to sell
> the curriculum & music after we use it.)

Using a 300MHz iBook for MIDI myself, I can try to give you some hints...
although I must say that actually with that iBook I'm using exactly those
costly packages you would like to stay away from! (Cubase 5 VST, Steinberg
Midex 3,... :-)

Assuming that you use Mac OS 9 (or 8) with your iBook, in order to contain
costs my advice would be getting some second hand software like MicroLogic
Fun or Steinberg Cubasis VST. The former was even free with an English
magazine I've subscribed to (MacFormat, issue 86, January 2000).

Another option is Metro SE, which should cost you less than $70, and which
is both Mac OS 9 and X compatible (just do a search at
www.versiontracker.com), although I'm not sure whether it features score
editing or not. A shareware option I remember of is Virtual Composer, which
relies heavily on QuickTime - I don't remember if it can be used with an
external MIDI interface, though. A further but very basic shareware option
is MIDIGraphy ($20).

An awesome but discontinued Opcode pro MIDI/audio package, Studio Vision
Pro, is available for purchasing here:
<http://www.opcode.com/HowToGetSW.shtml>. For just $99.95, it's truly a
bargain... although it lacks score editing, if I remember well.

Finally, I heard beautiful things about the ease of use of the oddly named
sequencer MbooM, which that alone would cost you around $100 though. By the
way, I've just tried to reach its home page (www.mboom.com), but it's
currently down... which is not a good sign.

Then you could pick some second hand USB MIDI interface like the Steinberg
USB 2 MIDI - as far as USB MIDI interfaces are concerned, there are several
choices, and frankly, for your purposes, any USB MIDI interface would
suffice. Just search eBay, you'll find plenty of offers.

By the way, several small keyboards and synthesizers come with a "to host"
port for plugging them directly to USB ports (and thus becaming themselves
an external MIDI interface for your Mac), so if you happen to own one of
these (or plan to get one), you don't need any other external MIDI
interface.

This said, I have to add that I'm definitely not an expert about "cheap"
MIDI packages, so if anyone else has other suggestions, please post your
contributions :-)



Roberto Giannotta
Trieste, Italy