EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 68, Issue 12 This issue's topics: M and Ovaltune M (7 messages) Ovaltune M (6 messages) Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon . You may subscribe to EMUSIC-L by sending mail to listserv@american.edu with the line "SUB EMUSIC-L your name" as the text. The EMUSIC-L archive is a service of SunSite (sunsite.unc.edu) at the University of North Carolina. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 08:31:43 -0600 From: Joe Grossman Subject: M Has anyone out there had any experience with the program M? If so, what do you think of it? Would you recommend it? Curious in Colorado aka Joe G. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 10:50:37 -0400 From: Bill Matthews Subject: Re: M > > Has anyone out there had any experience with the program M? If so, what > do you think of it? Would you recommend it? > Curious in Colorado aka Joe G. > It's the most fun music software I've ever used, and surprisingly powerful once you're into it. Bill Matthews wmatthew@bates.edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 12:19:28 EDT From: Scott Lehman Subject: Re: M Whatis program M? I've never heard of it. scott ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 16:56:10 U From: John Lamar Subject: Re: M Reply to: RE>>M >Dr. T. deals it now, and I >>*think* it can be gotten for Windows. Of course, I run it on a Mac. Dr. T no longer has any copies of the program left. I just called them about it this week. It's out of print. They are selling Jam Factory, a similar program also by David Zicarelli for about $30. This is great deal! It was about $200 when it was first released over 6 years ago. We still use both programs here at Berklee. Dr. T's also have copies of OvalTune , a Mac MIDI and graphics program (yet another Zicarelli program) for $30 but don't have any manuals left for it so they call it an upgrade and only sell to folks who aready have it. However I have the feeling that they might be talked into selling a copy even if you didn't already own it. John Lamar Computer Systems Coordinator Music Synthesis Department Berklee College of Music 617-266-1400 ext 484 jlamar@it.berklee.edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 15:45:29 -0400 From: Bill Matthews Subject: Re: M > > Whatis program M? I've never heard of it. > Written by David Zicarelli, M reflects some of the compositional thinking worked out by Joel Chadabe (SUNY Albany) and others. Using MIDI, one inputs a number of pitch patterns. Then one specifies rhythmic patterns, patterns of accent, etc. There are many, many variables to play with, including randomizing note order, note density, scale of dynamics, program and channel changes to output, etc., etc. It all happens in real time, so the user responds as a performer, mostly with the mouse. There's a grand 'conductor' function which enables the user to link together most of the parameter specs. It is easy to make great-sounding music with, and endlessly seductive. One can sit down, launch it, and suddently it's two hours later. Output can be saved as MIDI files, and sets of parameter settings can be saved as 'snapshots.' It's a real algorithmic performance program, with a nifty graphic interface. Dr. T. deals it now, and I *think* it can be gotten for Windows. Of course, I run it on a Mac. Highly recommended, and not all that expensive, as I remember. Bill Matthews wmatthew@bates.edu ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 14:10:20 -0600 From: Joe Grossman Subject: Re: M On Fri, 16 Sep 1994, Bill Matthews wrote: > > > > Has anyone out there had any experience with the program M? If so, what > > do you think of it? Would you recommend it? > > Curious in Colorado aka Joe G. > > > > It's the most fun music software I've ever used, and surprisingly powerful > once you're into it. > > Bill Matthews > > wmatthew@bates.edu > Could you tell me a little more? What do you mostly use it for? What are it's strengths and weaknesses? What do you wish it could do that it doesn't? (All this may be academic, since I've heard that it is no longer being produced for the Atari, but I'm still interested in hear- ing about it from someone who has actually used it). Thanks Joe G. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 16:18:40 -0400 From: Jon Crystal Subject: Re: M >Highly recommended, and not all that expensive, as I remember. > >Bill Matthews >wmatthew@bates.edu I'd second everything Bill says about "M" and add the thought that Zicarelli's related program, "Ovaltune" is also worth looking at. Very similar in most regards to M, somewhat less control in some parameters, more in others, BUT the added dimension is visual. As you move the mouse you alter screen images and colors while changing the music output. You can come up with some very interesting results - often mandala like since you have adjustable symmetry settings for mirror images. The Music & Sound Bible has a good write-up on it. Unfortunately, it may be out of distribution. . . .worth looking for an old copy someone is willing to part with, though. Jon ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Sep 1994 16:58:59 -0400 From: Bill Matthews Subject: Re: Ovaltune > > >Highly recommended, and not all that expensive, as I remember. > > > >Bill Matthews > >wmatthew@bates.edu > > I'd second everything Bill says about "M" and add the thought that > Zicarelli's related program, "Ovaltune" is also worth looking at. Very > Unfortunately, it may be out of distribution. . . .worth looking for an old > copy someone is willing to part with, though. > > > Jon > Well, this is interesting. Attracted by that 'Bible' citation, I acquired Ovaltune, and have never gotten it to run. It locks up and crashes my system (7.1) on both the Quadra 700 and 840av we have. I might have overlooked the tech number or something, but never got around to pursuing getting it right. Any hints, Jon? Bill Matthews wmatthew@bates.edu ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 17 Sep 1994 10:59:46 +0100 From: Nick Rothwell Subject: Re: M >It's the most fun music software I've ever used, and surprisingly powerful >once you're into it. No idea if it's still supported or available. Zicarelli went on to work on MAX, of course. Nick Rothwell CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance nick@cassiel.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Sep 1994 12:52:11 PDT From: Casey Dunn Subject: Re: M M "out of print"? what a shame. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Sep 1994 12:26:32 U From: John Lamar Subject: Re: M Reply to: RE>>M >>just thinking...... if M is truly no longer available, and thereby no one is >>any longer making profits by distributing this software, would it be >>ethical... No because Dr. T's or whoever still owns the software. Just because it is no longer sold, has it become public domain software. You could still be sued for posting the software. Now one might ask them or whomever owns the rights if this is OK but would suspect that they would say no. Why?, because they could still sell the program to some else to distribute. If they release it, it has no value. You may argue if anyone could really make any money selling to the very limited market for the program, but still I doubt they'll release it. John Lamar Computer Systems Coordinator Music Synthesis Department Berklee College of Music 617-266-1400 ext 484 jlamar@it.berklee.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Sep 1994 07:54:05 PST From: steven Subject: Re: M just thinking...... if M is truly no longer available, and thereby no one is any longer making profits by distributing this software, would it be ethical and would anyone be willing to post it to an anonymous ftp server? s. steven l. cantor steven@dynasty.cc.pdx.edu _________________________________________________________________________ the wild geese do not intend to cast their shadow the water has no mind to receive their image ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Sep 1994 11:27:23 -0500 From: Joe McMahon Subject: Re: M >just thinking...... if M is truly no longer available, and thereby no one is >any >longer making profits by distributing this software, would it be ethical and > would >anyone be willing to post it to an anonymous ftp server? It unfortunately would not be ethical or legal to do so. I'd love a copy too, but I can't advocate breaking the law to do it... Perhaps the copyright holders might want to consider releasing it as unsupported shareware? --- Joe M. -- "This trumpet is flatlining!" (MST3K, "Mr. B. Natural") ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 21 Sep 1994 20:37:23 -0500 From: Arne Claassen ISE Subject: Re: M > >>just thinking...... if M is truly no longer available, and thereby no one > is >>any longer making profits by distributing this software, would it be > >>ethical... > No because Dr. T's or whoever still owns the software. > Just because it is no longer sold, has it become public domain software. > You could still be sued for posting the software. > Now one might ask them or whomever owns the rights if this is OK but would > suspect that they would say no. Why?, because they could still sell the > program to some else to distribute. If they release it, it has no value. > You may argue if anyone could really make any money selling to the very > limited market for the program, but still I doubt they'll release it. A similar situation happened with Alchemy. Passport stopped selling it, but after continual requests from people has now decided to sell it again. I think that the best way to get M is to bug Dr. T abou it. -- Arne F. Claassen On the Web: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Somebody's got his finger on a DX7!" ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************