Adding an ST to my home studio, some questions...

[JayArgonaut]

Hi everyone,

 

Have to say this is a great forum with a massive amount of information and support. I think I'm going to like it here

 

I've got some music related queries and I'd really appreciate any advice and suggestions you can provide. Browsing this forum has convinced me to add an ST to my home studio and someone has very kindly offered to donate their machine to me! Right now I've got no idea of the spec/config, so I'll post the details (and photos) when I pick it up.

 

For my sequencing and arrangements I use an Akai MPC 3000 drum machine. So the ST wouldn't be utilised in a "Cubase capacity". Instead, my plan is to put it to use reading and editing the samples on HD/DD disks (or via midi sample dump) from my Roland S330, Akai S950 and MPC 3000 samplers. Right now I'm cash strapped, so this would work better than laying out £££ on a USB floppy, midi interface and software for my G4 if the Atari can do the same task and for free

 

Which packages would you recommend for my goal and what would be the hardware requirements for the ST? Thanks and hope I didn't ramble too much!

 

Jay

 

P.S: after visiting this forum I well and truly regret not buying the Falcon I saw a couple of years ago in an old computer sale for £5

Edited May 18, 2008 by JayArgonaut

[Christos]

I can't really answer any of your questions. So here's a link...

 

Tims Atari Midi World

[superatarian]

Hello,

 

I have used Tiger Cub, Tiger and Sweet 16 with my Atari systems (Hades, Falcon, STe). They seem to do the job nicely. Sweet is the only one of the 3, that I now of, that is still being supported. For hardware, I have an old MT-32 MIDI module from Roland that still works and sounds great.

 

 

 

 

Hi everyone,

 

Have to say this is a great forum with a massive amount of information and support. I think I'm going to like it here

 

I've got some music related queries and I'd really appreciate any advice and suggestions you can provide. Browsing this forum has convinced me to add an ST to my home studio and someone has very kindly offered to donate their machine to me! Right now I've got no idea of the spec/config, so I'll post the details (and photos) when I pick it up.

 

For my sequencing and arrangements I use an Akai MPC 3000 drum machine. So the ST wouldn't be utilised in a "Cubase capacity". Instead, my plan is to put it to use reading and editing the samples on HD/DD disks (or via midi sample dump) from my Roland S330, Akai S950 and MPC 3000 samplers. Right now I'm cash strapped, so this would work better than laying out £££ on a USB floppy, midi interface and software for my G4 if the Atari can do the same task and for free

 

Which packages would you recommend for my goal and what would be the hardware requirements for the ST? Thanks and hope I didn't ramble too much!

 

Jay

 

P.S: after visiting this forum I well and truly regret not buying the Falcon I saw a couple of years ago in an old computer sale for £5

[JayArgonaut]

Thanks for the replies and information

 

The sequencers look quite interesting, but as I already stated all programming and arranging is done on my hardware sequencer/sampling drum machine, the MPC 3000. I'd be using the Atari to edit sounds via floppy (and midi sample dump) from my samplers so I'm looking for a suitable sample editor really.

 

I will check out the link for Tim's site and post an update once the ST arrives, thanks again.

 

Jay

[JayArgonaut]

Ok, update time!

 

Yesterday I picked up the ST gear - the computer is a 1040 STE with 4 meg. All it needs is just some minor cleaning. The mouse is in good condition and works fine. There are 100 or so floppies including the obligatory cover disks, several "dubious" copies of Cubase and a selection of utilities. One of notable interest is a synth library program that enables me to edit parameters on my Roland sampler. I was only expecting to receive the computer but to my surprise, the monitor was also included: an SM124 - in very good condition and no signs of burn-in or display problems.

 

Plus I managed to find a sample editing package that fits my needs perfectly, "Squash it!" - by Electronic Cow, who have now made the program freeware and available for download

 

So what do you think of my find? Everything works 100% and I'm in business. All it cost me was a short trip across South London with my Oyster card!

 

Jay

[puppetmark]

Ok, update time!

 

Yesterday I picked up the ST gear - the computer is a 1040 STE with 4 meg. All it needs is just some minor cleaning. The mouse is in good condition and works fine. There are 100 or so floppies including the obligatory cover disks, several "dubious" copies of Cubase and a selection of utilities. One of notable interest is a synth library program that enables me to edit parameters on my Roland sampler. I was only expecting to receive the computer but to my surprise, the monitor was also included: an SM124 - in very good condition and no signs of burn-in or display problems.

 

Plus I managed to find a sample editing package that fits my needs perfectly, "Squash it!" - by Electronic Cow, who have now made the program freeware and available for download

 

So what do you think of my find? Everything works 100% and I'm in business. All it cost me was a short trip across South London with my Oyster card!

 

Jay

 

That's a great find. 1040STEs are hard to find in the states. Sounds like you got a good software bundle too. I don't know if you have electronic skills, but you can make the SM124 full screen, in other words, the border can be eliminated and the image will go edge to edge. If you are interested, I have the instructions around here somewhere.

[Minardi]

I also used my ST for sample editing. I started with the Replay 16 hardware and the in the package included editor.prg, which worked very well with midi sample transfer. Nowadays I use my Falcon with zero-x to do the job, also with midi sample transfer, but I believe Zero-X also works on the ST. With the replay 16 it was possible to play the sample after editing, before sending It back to the sampler, I even used replay 16 to sample, than edit, and than send them to the sampler. With an STE with no extra hardware, I wonder If it’s possible to hear the sounds in 16-bit, or do you convert them to be played to the STE stereo output ?

[JayArgonaut]

That's a great find. 1040STEs are hard to find in the states. Sounds like you got a good software bundle too. I don't know if you have electronic skills, but you can make the SM124 full screen, in other words, the border can be eliminated and the image will go edge to edge. If you are interested, I have the instructions around here somewhere.

 

Yes thanks, that would be great! That's one of the first things I noticed with SM124 - just how "underscanned" the display is. I wonder why Atari and the CRT manufacturer did that... My electronic skills are "modest", but I know a few engineers who'll be on hand to check over my handiwork, so please post a link or details of the info and I'll have a go.

 

I also used my ST for sample editing. I started with the Replay 16 hardware and the in the package included editor.prg, which worked very well with midi sample transfer. Nowadays I use my Falcon with zero-x to do the job, also with midi sample transfer, but I believe Zero-X also works on the ST. With the replay 16 it was possible to play the sample after editing, before sending It back to the sampler, I even used replay 16 to sample, than edit, and than send them to the sampler. With an STE with no extra hardware, I wonder If it’s possible to hear the sounds in 16-bit, or do you convert them to be played to the STE stereo output ?

 

Zero-X does work on the ST. I've heard good things about this software - It can send sample dumps over SCSI between the sampler and computer. However I can only find the demo version, unfortunately and the people involved in the project seem to have totally vanished without a trace. Avalon was highly recommended but my "dodgy" copy locks up after booting lol. I do have Replay 16 amongst my collection, I'll have a look. From my experiments with the demo of Zero-X, It is possible to play back 16bit Wav's on the STE's sound chip without the need for any manual conversion process.

 

Update: Avalon works but you have to use the keyboard to the control the pointer and access menus as the mouse is inoperable for some reason...

Edited May 31, 2008 by JayArgonaut

[Minardi]

You have PM!

[puppetmark]

Yes thanks, that would be great! That's one of the first things I noticed with SM124 - just how "underscanned" the display is. I wonder why Atari and the CRT manufacturer did that... My electronic skills are "modest", but I know a few engineers who'll be on hand to check over my handiwork, so please post a link or details of the info and I'll have a go.

 

Here you go. I also included the schematics just for reference. The doc about fixing a dead Sm124 explains how to change the 2uf capacitor which is a weak point on the monitor. I would suggest doing this before making the edge to edge adjustment. BE CAREFULL if you open up your monitor The high voltages are very very dangerous.

 

bigmono.zip

dead_mon.zip

sm124_sschematics.zip

[JayArgonaut]

Here you go. I also included the schematics just for reference. The doc about fixing a dead Sm124 explains how to change the 2uf capacitor which is a weak point on the monitor. I would suggest doing this before making the edge to edge adjustment. BE CAREFULL if you open up your monitor The high voltages are very very dangerous.

 

Thanks and rest assured, I'll take the correct health and saftey precautions.

[callaghan]

"unfortunately and the people involved in the project seem to have totally vanished without a trace."

 

i am here , i am not part of zero x but i can program stuff similar to zero x , i been wanting a computer buddy for years , you're right , there are no more characters in this field .....partily due to the fact the monies not there....it will take time too to write a program like zero-x and nobody wishes to dedicate

themselves any more.

 

charles