1986: MIDI and the MUSICAL MICROS | Micro Live | Retro Tech | BBC Archive

Micro Live's Fred Harris and Lesley Judd test out the latest computer hardware and software packages, which can help you make the most out of MIDI.
At the higher end of the market, Tony Hastings of Steinberg Research demonstrates Pro24 for the Atari ST, while Lesley Judd shows some of the cheaper alternatives available for the humble 8-bit systems. The Commodore 64 has a Music Expansion System, while even the Spectrum can be made to sing with a little help from the Casio CZ101 synth and Cheetah's MIDI Interface and MK5 keyboard.
Finally, there is the Music 5000 Synthesiser box for the BBC Micro, which negates the need for a keyboard altogether, ably demonstrated by Fred Harris.
Originally broadcast 19 December, 1986.
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[@gkeaoyrge]

Imagine the BBC producing something this educational and insightful nowadays.

[@davedogge2280]

The Atari ST, BBC Micro, the C64 and the Spectrum 128K all in one show with Lesley Judd dressed as a character from Blakes 7 and Fred Harris dressed as a Maths teacher. True nostalgia.

[@AndrewIsherwood]

Disappointed to not see an appearance by Synthesiser Patel

[@gallitron7803]

People still use the Atari ST.

[@regenjo]

Nice mullet

[@rodmorrison47]

Lesley Judd in a Blake's 7 outfit is making me feel unusual, and I like it.

[@numberstation]

Lesley Judd. Hair by Vidal Sassoon, make up by Yves Saint Laurent, jump suit by Quality Street.

[@HenritheHorse]

RIP Dave Smith, Father of MIDI

[@TheSpudlyMcgudly]

I had an Atari STE and a relatively cheap Casio keyboard that I used to write tracks on, then would borrow a better synth and Akai sampler to record tracks. Was such a great hobby, and enabled thousands of people with good ideas but little musical training to write great music. This is what led to so many songs entering the charts by people that basically wrote them in their bedroom. The whole electronic dance music scene probably wouldn't have existed without MIDI.

[@unknownfilmmaker777]

Leslie returned from Jupiter and went straight from the spaceship hangar to the studio. Such dedication and focus.

[@nigelcarren]

Steinberg story:

[@jeshkam]

Tony's super-mullet is everything. 😁🤣

[@DomMB]

I'm loving Lesley Judd's jumpsuit!

[@dvdemon187]

Not only is this a brilliant glimpse back to where we've come from, it's also unintentionally hilarious. Love it.

[@NuntiusLegis]

Stunning thumbnail beauty Lesley Judd appears at

[@jfilm7466]

So proud to be there at the beginning. Still got most of my equipment from the day.

[@a.brantschen6912]

I was at the Frankfurt Music Fair in 1982 when MIDI was presented. Most people didn't realize at that time what this interface could be used for. The technical development is simply immense. In my day, an AKG spring reverb for the stage (BX-20) cost around 20,000 Swiss francs, was highly sensitive, and to delay the reverb, we had to connect a Rexov spool tape recorder in front of it.

[@JamesBermingham]

Those humble beginnings ❤️

[@krashd]

What an odd twinkly green her bodysuit is, I've only ever seen that colour used to wrap mint chocolates.

[@Mamotreco]

Quite rare for technology but the MIDI standard for interfacing with musical electronic instruments is very much still the standard and largely unchanged even down to the 5-pin DIN connectors today! Not many other standards have that claim to fame. Steinberg (the makers of the first bit of software) are very much still in business and some of the note editing software paradigms (changing note length graphically etc) are still de rigueur today.