Kate Bellingham explores the exciting possibilities afforded to electronic music fans by MIDI – Musical Instrument Digital Interface – which can connect together a whole host of electronic instruments and audio devices through a computer.
MIDI enables a single person to play, record and edit entire musical compositions. Composer Clive Williamson is an avid user of the technology, and demonstrates his setup – a synthesiser hooked up to an Atari ST computer running the Notator sequencing software. With a bit of arm-twisting, Chris is able to convince Kate and Techno co-presenter Mat Irvine to pick up an oboe and guitar and accompany him for a live performance.
Clip taken from Techno, originally broadcast on BBC Two, Monday 5 March, 1990.
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35 comments
An Atari 1024 ST(E) with an unofficial copy of Cubase and a Roland D-10 was my starter equipment as well back then. OMG, am I really that old? 😉
This guy's temperament (not look) really reminds me of Alan Wilder's explanations.
But the flute and oboe weren't connected by midi to the computer, so that was a bit misleading. And the guitar which was connected by midi – well he didn't really play anything. The recording of midi notes from the synth and/or guitar wasn't shown very well at all.
That late 80s – early 90s big teased hair.
Ah, an era when where you learned your craft and not some rich kid ponce today on instagram with loads of followers because they post trout pout pictures every day and pay ghost producers to create the perception they have an ounce of talent but in reality have the intelligence of a cornflake.
Argh! Notator! Cubase ended up being way better..
What a dreadfully awkward jamming session that was
Now midi 2 and cv gate everywhere
Roland D-20, which of course has its own built-in 8 track plus a drum track sequencer. Much easier to program via the Atari, mind.
He said he has a sequencer on his Atari and the camera zooms in on C-Labs Notator – boy that brought me back in time. Today I'm using Logic 11 which is the grandchild of Notator.
Love that they created 'ponderous music from a low budget detective show', rather than say, banging techno 😉 🕵🏻♂
Midi is often still the most reliable too, ive seen people ditch USB connections many times and hook up the midi connections again
Rim shot he wishes
Good old Atari ST, with built in MIDI interface, it was a revolution at the time
For me in the old time, one Atari 1040 STE + Cubase +¨Yamaha DX7 the good time 🙂
Fantastic time capsule!
Had this setup at school and later at home – spent a lot of time with the D10 and Notator – fun times.. and an occasional escape from math class.
I say, isn't MIDI jolly good! I'll stick to Rock School or Thomas Dolby's kids demo's.
And this one time.. At band camp.
The guitarist was really something, he didn't play a single note!
It would have been around 1990 when I started using Steinberg Pro24 on an Atari 520ST, MIDI’d to a DX7, DX100, ESQ1, TQ5, K1 and K1m, and a few basic MIDI drum machines (TR505, DR550)
I don’t like MIDI, or computer music or Autotune. I only like music made by beating sticks on hollow logs and rocks.
back in the days when people spoke properly
I can vaguely remember this programme. I think it went out in the same time slot as Corners did back in the day
wtf that jam at the end is incredible.
That Casio sax is actually a completely rad MIDI controller.
Mike Hunter anyone? 😂
uh memories! I must still have my 1040ste somewhere…
Absolutely awesome! Thank you so much for the video!
She looks just like my mom did in the 80s!
5:26 the face says it all 🤣
MIDI is alive and well today. Nothing replaced it yet. Synthesizers can be software now days though and even effects pedals are software too. All this means, I can have a recording studio with 100s of synths inside a small box room.
Shameless plug -> Check out my new synthpop album! "26,000 years" ❤and ✌
He’s going to play with his digital horn…….fnar fnar
Atari st in the back !
I love the reverb on the flute that was very atmospheric 😮
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