In a message dated 96-06-12 00:16:31 EDT, you write: >I have a 486/33 IBM clone with 4meg ram and windows 3.1. I would like to buy >a "general midi" sound card and software to use for sequencing, simple >composition, (at least 6 staves) notation, and playback in conjunction with >two general midi keyboards (Kurzweil PC88mx and also for PianoDisc PDS >128plus which is general midi) . Since I'm not set up for cd-rom either so >any suggestions about that would also be appreciated. Most of the multi media >add on kits that can be purchased are not general midi, but have only 32 >voice sound cards with them. > Thanks in advance for your help. The 32 voice figure that you see refers to the wave samples used to create the voices, not if they are or are not general midi compatible. IF they have any midi capability, they will be gen midi capable. If you are not computer literate, a full upgrade kit (Sound Card, CD-ROM, speakers, etc.) is definitely the way to go. Let them figure out how to get it to work, and spend the time it would have taken you to tune several extra pianos to pay for your next computer. The only thing these kits do not have is a midi adapter for the joystick port on the back of the sound card. They are sold separately, often with some useless software for $50 - $80. I have seen them sold alone in music stores for $27 or so. Software: depends on what you want to do. Sequencing software is different than notation software. The software I used for a while to get started was MusicTime from Passport. It is a notation program with rudimentary sequencing capabilities. Sells for $50 to $60 at Egghead. It will do as much as you are asking, and they offer reduced price upgrades to more sophisticated packages. BTW, notation on a computer is way cooooool. Dave Stocker, RPT firtree@aol.com Tumwater, WA PS Memory is relatively cheap right now. Upgrade to at least 8 MB of RAM. Windows will thank you for it.
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