Post by kooper on Feb 28, 2014 11:31:21 GMT
I started playing drums with local bands many moons ago. I always had it in the back of my mind to write and produce original tunes. I played in many cover bands over the years, but I could never get my music buddies to get serious about writing and arranging original music. It was more about partying and chasing women for them. Being strictly a drummer back then, I was pretty much stymied by this. A great source of frustration to me! Then one day I stumbled onto a friend using a midi sequencer on his Atari 8-bit. My life forever changed that day! I no longer had to beg people to work on original music. What freedom this format gave me! I soon bought his 8-bit Atari with midi interface and a casio keyboard! That was it! I was hooked! I soon moved up to an Atari ST with Edit Track Platinum, with several external midi modules, and I ran what was called an ADAP unit on a second ST mega 4. If you don't know what this is, it's an early audio sampler. I could record audio and trigger it with my midi sequencer. I also had a fostex A-80 8 channel reel to reel with time code striping so I could sync the reel to reel to the sequencer. I was a mad scientist in my dungeon! There was no stopping me now! I still have all that stuff although it collects dust. That was even before the net, and I ran a BBS with packet system trying to network with like minded.
About the same time I made the jump to PC, the net came on the scene. All of a sudden I had access to the whole world, and found many collaborators! I was no longer at the mercy of strictly locals. Another game changer. What I had learned about midi sequencing on the Atari, was excellent foundation for working on the PC with cakewalk. I have been using Cakewalk ever since, and although I have made the jump to audio tracking, editing, and arranging, and I have done exactly what I had envisioned all those years ago, midi sequencing remains a huge part of my writing and producing my own original songs. It has blossomed into a sort of lifestyle for me, and because of the gift of midi, I have been allowed to live some of my dreams. Drums are my first instrument, but I can do just about any instrument I want. I now host an online music collaboration group, and I am still very actively writing and producing with the world. Such freedom, and I am not at the mercy of anyone's personal politics. Who knew midi would open so many artistic doors for me? I learned the ropes for midi sequencing by finding and disecting good midi seq files. I still love to grab one and work it up with my fav softsynths. Here is a good cross section of recent finished tracks. All evolving from my early exposure to midi on a 8-bit Atari back in the early 80s. www.reverbnation.com/fjamstudios
About the same time I made the jump to PC, the net came on the scene. All of a sudden I had access to the whole world, and found many collaborators! I was no longer at the mercy of strictly locals. Another game changer. What I had learned about midi sequencing on the Atari, was excellent foundation for working on the PC with cakewalk. I have been using Cakewalk ever since, and although I have made the jump to audio tracking, editing, and arranging, and I have done exactly what I had envisioned all those years ago, midi sequencing remains a huge part of my writing and producing my own original songs. It has blossomed into a sort of lifestyle for me, and because of the gift of midi, I have been allowed to live some of my dreams. Drums are my first instrument, but I can do just about any instrument I want. I now host an online music collaboration group, and I am still very actively writing and producing with the world. Such freedom, and I am not at the mercy of anyone's personal politics. Who knew midi would open so many artistic doors for me? I learned the ropes for midi sequencing by finding and disecting good midi seq files. I still love to grab one and work it up with my fav softsynths. Here is a good cross section of recent finished tracks. All evolving from my early exposure to midi on a 8-bit Atari back in the early 80s. www.reverbnation.com/fjamstudios