Fellas,
I don't think we have to imagine this as being a big and complicated as
Cubase or Logic or even Digital Performer. I think a project like this would
benefit from looking into how very early pre-PowerMac MIDI sequencers (80's
and early 90's) functioned. I'll try to find info or screenshots of early
sequencers like Vision, and others.
Just a basic MIDI sequencer that allowed a few MIDI tracks. With record,
play etc., buttons. The ability to save of course these songs as exportable
(X-Portable?) files, you know, .mid files. Which really are not large at
all. They only hold basic info for "triggering" the on and off notes, etc.
General MIDI sounds reside inside General MIDI instruments.
Then if that works and with the ATA drivers finalized, then maybe digital
audio. But I think that feature really is more suited for a desktop
environment.
The purpose of making a Newton MP2x00 a Personal Music Assistant would
simply be to just allow for a less cumbersome, FAST access and FAST jotting
of ideas down. But, without a big laptop.
Another thing that could be developed aside or as an extra feature would be
perhaps a package that held General MIDI sounds similar to QuickTime Musical
Instruments, which uses Roland GM digitized sounds so you can use a small
portable keyboard MIDI controller (which would be small and with not
internal General MDI sounds).
Yes, you can use QTMusical Instruments as a sound generator on a Mac without
a huge keyboard or sound module! The purpose here of course is to set aside
a huge PowerBook and breathe new life to the Newton Platform and satisfy a
market that was really not satisfied when there was active Newton
development.
I'm telling you it can be done and with the assistance of a musicians and
MIDI enthusiasts, it shouldn't be too big an undertaking. Why I feel like
this is because if you try the Newton app NewtonWidget NR404 it basically is
a sequencer with drum sounds but un-savable.
Take a look at that and it really does serve as an example =of what could be
a NewtSequencer!
Sorry for this being so long!
Hope it brought some ideas to developers and you, the Newton Musician!
- Gary-z
> I agree that such an undertaking would be quite a... well, undertaking.
> I did a little web browsing last night and wasn't having much luck
> coming up with a PCMCIA card that would fit the solution. Anyone?
> Ideally, it would have headphone output as well.
>
> John
>
>> Music apps would be great.
>>
>> The idea of the Newton as a portable studio tool or even a live tool is an
>> intriguing one. I don't know if other PDA's have gone down this route but
>> it does make sense. I would think the 2x00 series have enough processing
>> power to handle working with MIDI.
>>
>> I'm not a programmer but I imagine undertaking such a project would be no
>> mean feat and while I personally would love to see it, I can't
>> honestly see
>> it coming.
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