Peter Drake wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:04 am
Atari 1040ste was a path to Scope for me. I used to run a Digidesign program called Turbosynth that was one of the earliest things I saw that allowed one to use basic synth and effect modules and connect them arbitrarily.
... I still have the original boxed Turbosynth,- Sounddesigner Universal and Sounddesigner II as well.
Peter Drake wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:04 am
Alas, I was limited to <4MB of memory and would have to transfer the sound over midi to a hardware sampler. The direct sound out of the Atari had a nice digital grit that I used as a lo-fi effect sometimes.
Yes, it was all somewhat cumbersome ... OTOH, all the limitations were very creative.
Some worked around better, others didn´t.
Most of todays software applications support almost everyone because the main target is selling as much copies as possible which needs the masses, not the serious producer/musician only. (but what´s serious at all in times of digital theft ?)
OTOH, in the past, most companies serving the pros went bancrupt,- which also ruled for the hardware (synth etc.) manufacturers like Oberheim, Sequential Circuits,- even MOOG.
Peter Drake wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:04 am
When I first saw Pulsar back in 1998 I understood it as a much better version of what I had been doing.
I miss the precise midi timing and what a straightforward program C-Lab Notator was.
Notator was my prefered sequencer software because of it´s features, but Cubase ATARI w/ the red MIDEX(+) was still a bit tighter than Notator w/ Unitor (2).
I owned both setups and the Digidesign stuff.
That´s why I own several ATARIs still ...
I have a lot of vintage hardware in stock which is continuously maintained even I don´t use it since some years now,- and IMO, Steinberg Synthworks ATARI were the best editor applications ever even there existed Opcode Galaxy (+) and Emagic Sounddiver later for the Macs.
I have also these and stock 2 Mac G3 (beige) and G3, G4 Powerbooks as well as a G4 dual Gigabyte Ethernet.
The occasions became rarer, but sometimes I need that gear because of files I have in that format or others come and want conversions,- and pay for.
I had a customer, owning a modern online/download record company represented in 90+ portals by
https://kontorrecords.de/.
He had lots of 5 1/4" MOD media full of Emu EIII samples and song backups done w/ AKAI DD1000.
I have a AKAI DD1000 in working condition and Plextor SCSI CD burner, old Mac and SCSI Director and was able building up a chain of drives,- and at least converted the stuff for NI Kontakt.
That was cool,- and I myself, now had the samples too (not the songs though).
I love owning the old gear when it still works.
What do you get when selling ?
You use it on occasion and earn more.
Peter Drake wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:04 am
I use Logic on a mac for the same kind of things now. I'm probably romanticizing the past a bit, of I had to use my old setup now I would be irritated at how slow and clunky it would be next to modern stuff.
Well, I´m surprised how fast and perfect it was working w/ ATARI MIDI even it was a 8/16MHz machine !
Todays machines and applications do AMAZING things, but ignore "old school" MIDI too much.
Loops, slices and audio files are great, but don´t replace the power of MIDI for arrangers and others being able to work w/ notation, IF the MIDI application supports notation.
But Logic and Cubase do !
I´d say Logic is the best in that department, except you use dedicated applications like Sibelius or such.
Peter Drake wrote: ↑Sun Oct 20, 2019 10:04 am
Just remembered that my external hard drive for the Atari was irritatingly loud.
replace fan !
I remember the old 20MB (yes,- megabytes !!!) HDX-20 for the Oberheim DPX-1 sample player which was loud like a jet !
Well, at that time, the music was still louder !!!
Bud