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From: sansom@trwrb.UUCP
Newsgroups: rec.music.synth,comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Mastertracks Pro experiences on the Atari ST ?
Message-ID: <3996@trwrb.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 7-Dec-87 11:27:53 EST
Article-I.D.: trwrb.3996
Posted: Mon Dec  7 11:27:53 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 12-Dec-87 16:26:46 EST
References: <7842@prls.UUCP>
Reply-To: sansom@trwrb.dsd.trw.com.UUCP (Richard Sansom)
Organization: TRW SDS, Redondo Beach, CA
Lines: 69
Keywords: PASSPORT MasterTracks Pro Atari ST MidiFile
Xref: utgpu rec.music.synth:1887 comp.sys.atari.st:6232

In article <7842@prls.UUCP> gert@prls.UUCP (Gert Slavenburg) writes:
>I understand that Passport is shipping Mastertracks pro for the
>Atari ST, a multitrack Midi sequencer with graphic score editing
>capabilities.
>
>I'm very interested in it, especially since it can work with
>the standard 'MidiFile' format, according to what I heard.
>
>Has anybody used it yet, and if so :
>
>  o Is it reliable and more or less bugfree ?

I've had it for  a couple  of days  now.   It's _easily_  the best sequencer
available for the ST.  From what I can tell so far, it is  very reliable and
only has minor bugs (if you even want to  call them  that -  for example, if
while in step-edit mode you add a note which  crosses into  the next measure
and then delete the note, the next measure still  shows up  in the song-edit
window).

>  o Is it copy protected ?

Yes.  Passport will send a free  backup copy  to you  when you  send in your
registration, and more backups are available for a small fee.   As an aside,
I was able to make a backup copy using one of the available  copiers for the
ST.

>  o Can I use it with files on a harddisk ?
>  o Can I put the program itself on my harddisk ?

Yes.  When you're booting up,  you'll need  to have  the original  in one of
your floppy drives, though.

>  o Does it support format 0 and 1 MidiFiles (single track
>    resp. multiple track) ?

Yup.

>  o How much did you pay for it (the store here tries to get
>    $ 345 a piece) ?

I paid $280 at Guitar Center in Torrance, CA.

>  o And, most of all, HOW IS IT ? 

Even though I've only had it for a couple of days now, I can state without a
doubt (in  my mind,  at least)  that Master  Tracks Pro  is by  far the most
professional sequencer available for the ST right now.  Passport  is said to
be working on a file compatible score editing  program to  accompany MTP and
which will be available some time next year.

I highly recommend this product.

-Rich

p.s.  I read a review in one of the Macintosh magazines (MacUser?)  which
stated (incorrectly) that the Mac version is superior to versions available
for "other" compters (the ST, funny how the Mac mags still can't even say
the word).  Well, after going over both versions in the store, I found no
differences between the Mac and ST versions (aside from the obvious cosmetic
differences).

p.s.s  I've both monochrome and color monitors - use monochrome with MTP!



-- 
Richard E. Sansom
TRW Space & Defense, Redondo Beach, CA
{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!trwrb!sansom