Atari 1040ST & Notator Sequencer | The Perfect Combo | Tutorial & Workflow |

[@oriomenoni7651]

That was my setup as well. Younger guys have a look: everything is laid out so beautifully. The Arranger sequence on the left, to compose the song in parts; the Patterns in the middle, if you had the post expansions you could have up to 64 different midi channels. There were advanced functions like the per-track pattern-based loops, a function that is missing from most DAWs nowadays. Why the DAW designers couldn't have a look at this software and be inspired by it's brilliant semplicity? That is beyond me. They have made complicated and redundant something that used to be so simple and productive.

[@EspenKraft]

Made so much music with this setup. ;-)

[@oriomenoni7651]

@@EspenKraft Still to this day I have to find a modern DAW that is even remotely efficient as Notator in Atari. Unfortunately my Ataris stopped working. I still have some Notator tools though, like a MIDI expansion port, the original Notator Manual with hard cover, and some Atari cables.

[@EspenKraft]

My Ataris still work great luckily, they're getting more expensive to buy as well. :|

[@nameofpersonnumber8390]

Youngish guy here. I agree. My frustration with DAWs has lead me to using a Qy 70 for most stuff. These old trackers and sequencers are so elegant!

[@tomkecskemeti3062]

Exactly my sentiments as well! I was very prolific in how much music I composed using Notator in the 80's and 90's. After trying out most of the succeeding (Windows and Mac based) DAWs, I was very disappointed that non of them used the simple yet flexible pattern/arrange workflow of Notator, and so grudgingly gave up writing music. This situation with DAWs still continues today. I have expressed this disappointment in various music forums, and it seems many just don't comprehend the differences or understand what the advantages are - to me it becomes quite obvious if you have actually worked with something like Notator for a long time. Sure, many DAWS now include an arranger track - but these are always referencing delineated regions within one single "project" window, which to me is not optimal or efficient as it can unnecessarily clutter the project screen. They also only allow a single arranger track/lane to play at any one time, where in Notator four lanes could play concurrently. I recently purchased a working Atari 1080STE and will start to incorporate it into my home studio. As I would like to access VSTis that run on DAWs (Cubase and Studio One), I would like to have my Atari running Notator as my master and syncing to it with SMPTE or MTC. Anyone try doing this - if so, have you encountered any problems?

[@RobertDemetz]

My combo in the early 90s. Great memories. ❤

[@gcoudert]

My first sequencer was Dr T's 8-track MRS sequencer on the Amiga 500 in the late 80s. I then upgraded to the Atari 1040STF (with French keyboard) and Cubase. I think I made my best music with that set-up in the 90s, combined with a Yamaha P150 digital piano and controller, a Hammond XM1 module, a Roland D50 & U110, a Korg Wavestation SR and a Roland R8. I now do all my sequencing in the Korg Kronos although I do own a WinXP PC with Cubase SX3. My very first experience of sequencing was with the Roland JX3P, then with the Roland TR505, on which MIDI notes can be changed for every pad.

[@modalities]

My favorite DAW and Atari. Thank you for bringing back great. memories.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@infour44]

Amazingly robust platform and software . I did a live concert at a major UK concert hall with loads of MIDI stuff whizzing through it. On the edge of peril I know but it performed faultlessly. Still got my set up and it's still such an efficient recording system. Loved some off the more esoteric stuff ; mapping keyboards sysex stuff etc. Brilliant.

[@henson2k]

Retro equipment has a lot of charm!

[@DonaldDingerson]

This was a trip down memory lane. I haven't seen my 1040ST for decades, lost it in one of my several moves over the years.

[@justinrichards9625]

Loved this program. The set up we had at my school back in the day was a Roland D110, Yamaha DX21 and the Atari ST that was in 2 parts like a IBM. Found it so easy to lay down tracks, arrange in to patterns and then songs.

[@manny_f]

Goose bumps-the underlying technology is still the same. Awesome.

[@dwightddddd]

Thanks, man, brings back some memories of how I used to record in 1987. Atari had rock solid midi timing:))))

[@fantasyproduct1042]

I bought one with this software recently 😊

[@dwightddddd]

Hope you have fun making music:)) More is less and I know you will love it.@@fantasyproduct1042

[@dussie920]

It still has rock solid timing ;-)

[@dwightddddd]

@@dussie920 Wish I still one:))

[@InterplainMusic]

About when i started Recording. Wish i had all those demo disks i did.

[@russellsteel2346]

thanks for reminding me of my ATARI ST FM, its exactly the same as yours, with the floppy drive built in. brings back fond memories of when i first bought it back in the 80'S, i did not know it had all those features and capabilities. nice video,

[@ECHQ]

For me the most important point of this workflow in those days was: you spend more time with the synth PLAYING than staring at the screen. And look: every information you need fits in this little space at a glance! Only the post editing of the notes and controller events needed to open a new window.

[@otisobl]

Granted, we also had a lot of more stuff outboard that is now running within the DAW. So technically, we just spent more times staring at smaller screens on more devices.

[@erstbesteiger]

@@otisobl No

[@nameofpersonnumber8390]

I recently made some sort of thread about this on a synth reddit, and it seems like not a lot of people get it... I suppose wrangling a midi controller into your DAW after however many hours is fine... But I think from a musical perspective, there's just advantages to software that works this way. I think you hit the nail on the head with the playtime thing. I like "hardware" for this same reason. It's just sad to me that no one sees the value in software that would accomplish pretty much the same thing. Elegance is extremely underated these days. I love these old trackers very much.

[@BboySalamon]

1993 Cubase. That was very cool year, my most favorite computer games, movie "Only The Strong", and Real McCoy's Another Night was released that time👍

[@otisobl]

I am the surreal McCoy, and I approve this message.

[@BboySalamon]

@@otisobl Cool. Then check out my "Another Night" rebuild:-)

[@justaname1862]

Ah...glad you did this one...i used to sell the Atari/Notator package back in the day

[@AndrewAHayes]

I loved pattern and song based sequencing and also used it with the Alesis HR16 drum machine for live sets

[@earthelder2065]

I love this old tech! I used Dr T's and an Amiga 1000 and loved it. Thanks for sharing!

[@Gatopanzon_1976]

I used one of those back in the 90's, Thanks for the memories!

[@KimboH55]

Love it! Miss my 1040STe and Notator! I still use Logic today. What a beautiful, combination. Well done!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@steamtuankstudios9008]

You made me remember the old days. I still have my Atari ST1040FM and my first Cubase manual, although I also worked a lot with Creator/Notator.Thank you!

[@EspenKraft]

Cool man ;-)

[@philbartlett6918]

Thanks so much for this vid. I started using Notator in 1990. It was an amazingly simple program. The Atari computer was an absolute dog. I went to logic on Windows in the late 90’s and now Cubase on Mac. Notator was THE BEST way to get into sequencing and composition. This vid brought back so many memories. Thanks so much. 👍

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@BABACHOPS]

Thank you from Japan. Watching the video you uploaded made me feel very nostalgic.I had been used ATARI ST with TwentyFour and Notator. Now I use LOGIC, a descendant of Notator.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@markfennah4322]

Great video, wonderful nostalgia, showing how good and usable the equipment was. ❤

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@melkeronia3139]

Great! Especially the drum programming and the Crumar Bit 01 pad!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! That Bit01 is very special indeed :)

[@melkeronia3139]

@@EspenKraft The reason why I like this demo so much is because it reminds me of Mike and the Mechanics' "Silent Running", one of my favourite songs of the 80s.

[@OriginalRaveParty]

Wow, I love that analog pad. I could play that all day.

[@SurfingBoulder]

Great video to wake up to this morning. Thanks ESPEN!

[@EspenKraft]

Awesome, thanks! :)

[@bubuAudio]

came here after watching "A Song Is Born - episode 2" . I love this sequencer !!!

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@aanon2550]

Great video. LOVE the pattern and arrange being displayed on one screen. Wish more sequencers could do this!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! It's the best ;-)

[@simonlegrec]

My first tracks with ST 1040..love it.... with cubase 1.0 ...nice tube Espen

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks man! Just having fun with the decade I love ;-)

[@MentalS6k]

Ah takes me back ☺️

[@bitley]

Great little movie here Espen, this one goes right into my Atari memories playlist. As you said in the end, I felt the same way - Notator / Creator was a quite smart layout in its own right. As music got more dense with audio etc the Cubase layout comes out as the winner as we can see today, when even Logic - the one with the Creator/Notator heritage - has that as well. But there is that But and that's where these old ideas can find new usage again. Earlier today I hooked my own ST up again, always wondering whether it's pure nostalgia or actually worthwhile for new production but I've come to the conclusion that it can be fun - and one should never underestimate the fun factor when it comes to creative endeavours.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks man! Yes, I feel the same. After 20 years with Cubase and linear sequencing it felt very cozy, familiar and like a reunion to go back to Notator again. All the feelings of being part of the cutting edge scene came back and I instantly got 4-5 new ideas for music I probably wouldn't have gotten otherwise. Mix things up once in a while and good things will come! ;-)

[@deniskiss-kiss1126]

Just got my 1040ST, thanx for tutorial - very useful for a newbie like me!

[@EspenKraft]

Excellent, thanks! :)

[@deniskiss-kiss1126]

@@EspenKraft does Notator have kind of piano roll for composing patterns like Cubase 2? Still looking for a midi sequencing software for ST with stock 1mb memory.

[@EspenKraft]

Cubase isn't pattern based, it's strictly linear. But in edit mode, both sequencers has a piano roll edit window as well as other edit windows.

[@deniskiss-kiss1126]

@@EspenKraft thank you for your answer!

[@bobsky3100]

Incredible equipment. My older brother worked with the Atari ST. Great report.👍

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! :)

[@T.H.W.O.T.H]

I had a little pang when I saw the splash screen. Happy days 👍

[@pianokeyjoe]

wow, rom based GUI OS, no latency midi recorder software and actually STABLE computer! Wow! What a concept! Microsoft I am yelling at YOU!

[@dennisp.andrimusic5083]

This is so COOL! Thankful for the much much easier workflow on the contemporary DAWs tho!

[@OriginalRaveParty]

If you want that old tracker / pattern based DAW operation, but with modern VST and effects plugins, I can recommend Renoise.

[@EspenKraft]

I don't want it myself, but thanks for the advice, I'm sure there's someone out there that'll check it out :)

[@OriginalRaveParty]

@@EspenKraft No worries. I use Cubase professionally, but some times I want to go back to that Octamed, Fast Tracker, Scream Tracker style program which I started with in the 90s :)

[@ringtangting]

Wow, that arranging workflow is fantastic!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! :)

[@ringtangting]

@@EspenKraft Loved the video, great to get an insight in this!

[@bgimusic]

this video is gold ❤️

[@jbognap]

Brings back so many memories. I wish you would have displayed the notation editor - it was such an innovation!!!

[@EspenKraft]

Since I hardly ever used the notation editor I didn't find it very interesting to show that off today. ;-)

[@eduardomujica4729]

Well done Espen!!!!

[@PaulSpades]

This is way more full featured of a sequencer than I was expecting. I don't hate the arranger, it's logical even if not obvious visually. It's interesting how tracker software and midi sequencers were converging to basically the same workflow and ui around this time, but coming from two different technologies.

[@szaman6204]

kocham retro sprzęt.

[@jamestaffae5178]

That is way cool Espen .Thanks

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks James! :)

[@J._Campbell]

Espen, it's really fantastic sound and music! Great!!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks again! :)

[@mariusmitrea5462]

AWESOME TUTORIAL...GREAT TOOLS....GREAT SOUNDS ..!! I took samples from bd and snare ( Atari)....GREAT JOB !!!!!

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks Marius! :)

[@bamiteam]

my first midi sequencer! miss this stuff..

[@DarkSideofSynth]

Ah the good old days of the bee icon to signal waiting ;)

[@larsbergen6126]

Same setup I used to work with in the early 90s!

[@pragmatic6576]

Very cool !

[@RW-ob4en]

Hey, I don’t wanna brag here but I even laid out for the additional available 2 (3?) MB of RAM…😅 But yeah, nothing Apple had out came close. Neat to see the interface again, like an old friend.

[@summerWTFE]

Nice vid. Back then poor me only had protracker. But it was also pattern based. There is something about pattern based music that gets stuff done.

[@ruhrpott7436]

Yeahhh, good old times, when you have to think about, how to get the most of 16 Midi-Channels and max. 3 synths! Sometimes it was quite hard and sooo sad, when you've reached the end of your polyphony :))) BUT it were much more fun and much more creative than today with a room full of modern equipment and tons of plugins in your DAW... often I can't decide, which of them I want to use... i think that it's a loss of creativity, because of having everything and much more... the total equipment overkill :(((

[@mb2776]

I use an atari with a midi interface so 5 times 16 midi channel ;)

[@texacomann]

Atari is still in use, limitations makes you creative, that's why it is still in my house!

[@mbilca]

Hear hear! This was my beginning: 1040ST, with Creator (Notator was waaaay above my budget :), the Kawai 88 note midi controller M8000 and ONLY a Korg P3 module. Two piano sounds: one grand, one upright. Then, a card for it!!! I had a bass and a guitar sample now! That was the peak of my creativity. The limitation *is* what spurred on the creativity. Then more modules came, the noodling increased, and the writing decreased. It's worth repeating: limitation is the source of creativity.

[@dietmarschlichtherle7061]

Yes

[@jonathananderson32]

I am still using an Atari ST with Unitor 2. It's just intuitive for me. Syncing with a DAW for recording audio is trickier however.

[@aanon2550]

Strongly agree. Good MIDI sync with a DAW is way harder than it should be -- at least if you care about timing. I went to Expert Sleepers hardware to get good MIDI clock from DAW. But still I tend to lean towards hardware multitracks because everything just works without any head scratching. :-) Note: I'm not talking about syncing the Atari in particular, just sequencers in general

[@djdiscodeluxe]

I was looking forward to this episode Atari.. very nice video/tutorial ! I still have Notator with the midiinterface Unitor. I like it maybe more so gonna use it also! Thanks Espen.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! :)

[@cnfuzz]

Unitor with the 3 extra midi busses and smpte read write yes , still have it along with a mega st and 3 spare 1040s , i just like the atari , it doesnt detract from the idea you put to tape and no endless upgrade shit

[@pablocohen]

Oh amazing!

[@HuntersMoon78]

Atari ST is my all-time favourite computer - I have a 1040STe. 520STfm and another 520STfm with a 286 PC slapped over the Motorola 68K. I paid less that £40 for all 3.

[@atranimecs]

it has a decent interface for the 80s, pretty shocking....the fact Atari Teenage Riot sequenced all their early stuff on this shows its power.

[@MentalS6k]

Oh here’s a fun fact. If you run Notator through an RSC editor program, you will see some screen pages of a very early version of Notator Logic. Not as it became the Notator Logic that did come out, but Notator SL Logic. Principally keeping the above structure but with audio capability. Back in the day I posted this to a forum to run an RSC editor & see the treasure troves they left behind. The reaction to that community was priceless ☺️

[@SaifSameer]

When music production process was hard & real :D great video EK thanks

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks man! :)

[@RU-HDD-4-HVN]

If you go to my channel you'll see a video called "What About Maybe". It's a live performance where we use a 1040ST running Passports "Mastertracks Pro" to run all the loads of background sequences........ bass included. Tons of synths, both rack-mounted and keyboards. MIDI triggered drums with live parts included. Oh! What fun!!

[@MercuryK52]

Another cool video! What a marvelous piece of hardware (alongside all of the cool stuff you used to create the tune!). Now I also have a better understanding of the term "sequencing". :) Pedagogical as always!

[@BWilks]

nice. My 1040 ran Master Tracks Pro, then Mark of the One Horned Beast (Performer) + an editor/librarian for those Sequential synths (six~trak,max,etc.) i wrote in C. never found the elusive Stacy :(

[@SynthpoploverbyJohnOrie]

Love it.

[@EspenKraft]

Cheers!

[@TheSpiritOfLight]

thats how i have learned to make music when my dad bought me a 1040st with notator sl and some synth! amazing. im sure if someone codes such a daw /clone of Notator SL, people will use it

[@EspenKraft]

It does exist, but I don't think it's 100% stable.

[@tomkecskemeti3062]

Oh, that's interesting! I would like to follow it up - got any info you'd like to share?@@EspenKraft

[@toslinked]

we hammered out track after track with this. it´s so much better than linear. I am back on the trackersoftware these days but I wish there was a notator version for mac.

[@krupkaj]

Nice introduction to pattern edit, thanks

[@isoldeisobelle552]

I am still running Cubase Score on my 1040 STE. 16 MIDI Channels from the MIDI out port and another 16 from a MIDI adapter in the Modem port to my synths and samplers and four channels of CV/Gate to my Eurorack Modular via the CVOCD MIDI to CV interface.. I also use the Studio Module and other editors/librarians and Algorithmic composers through MROS to manage patches and create ''random'' evolving soundscapes, etc. I have a SCSI2SD hooked up to the HDD port and a Gotek in the FDD bay. A USB mouse and a 32'' HDMI monitor both running from modern day adapters. I record audio in to a modern PC running either Presonus Studio One or Sound Forge... the reason being that, the MIDI timing is tight and on the button from the Atari. It is the first eight tracks that are given priority in Cubase, so best put your drums/bass or sequences there and put your pads, etc on the other tracks. If you sync some thing like Ableton from the Atari you will see that Ableton can not keep proper time and this is the problem with modern machines - unless you have a pro level studio clock source to sync from you may find using an Atari will still, in this day and age, give you a better experience. Great video, btw... thank you very much for uploading. ;)

[@YandI-u2h]

thanks, great info!

[@isoldeisobelle552]

Thank you!

Nice video featuring the Atari ST! I used Cubase, but I really want to give a go to Notator! Is it possible to set up CC0, CC32 and Program Change to MIDI channels to set the instruments being used on a multitimbre device? Thanks for the video! :)

[@EspenKraft]

Program Change is no problem, that's how I used it back in the day.

[@PhilippedeBersuder]

Got Notator in the 80's with Unitor box synched with a Teac 3340S 4 tracks recorder. Works perfectly, but was incredibly expensive !

[@EspenKraft]

Used the Unitor myself to sync up tape. ;-)

[@ProSimex84]

As someone who's just gotten into synths in the past year, and midi in the past two months, the idea of syncing anything with my 3340s is just mind blowing, I have so much to learn.

[@grossteilfahrer]

Good stuff, detailed and clear information, lovely music and that magic narration. This channel rocks! Um.. rather "pops"

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks Ronny! :)

[@grossteilfahrer]

@@EspenKraft did you convert that marble trackball to use on the atari? The ST mice are hard to find in good condition these days

[@EspenKraft]

No, I have a couple of Atari mice laying around for this. The Trackball is for other duties ;-)

[@krupkaj]

@@grossteilfahrer I use Tavvva mouse interface with Marble trackball together with Atari ST. It is simple interface with ATTINY and It works really nice.

[@grossteilfahrer]

@@krupkaj I have the original atari big black trackball but it is becoming slippery and hard to move in diagonals.. So a better mouse solution is on my list.

[@VicenteRubino]

Thanks for nice video. I have the Ste and Notator, lost in some box at my garage. Your video makes me wanting to find then and make some pattern tracks like before.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks Vicente, go get them and make something! :)

[@tonypacke6954]

I thought Notator was just awesome on the Atari, especially the page for routing cables, well ahead of it's time. Unfortunately they decided to go the Apple route and I went the PC. Ended up using Cubase and still do, although mine is only version 4, more than enough features to keep me confused though!

[@fernandoleonelcontino2526]

So interesting and exciting to! I like it!🎹🎧🎶

[@EspenKraft]

Sweet, thanks! :)

[@sagantiworrior5284]

Love your work. Please where can I get the Notator software and dongle? I want my Atari 1040 at to work with my Korg M1 please help.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! The Notator software is freely downloadable, but you need the dongle. Only available if someone wants to sell you one. ;-)

[@genx1144]

Now I want an Atari ST. I used to create Amiga mods and this is very similar. Who needs Logic or Cubase anymore. Lol. Thanks Espen. I loved this video too.

[@EspenKraft]

Get one! Thanks! :)

[@genx1144]

I’ve been searching for one. Seem hard to come by in general. The Atari Falcon or 520 seem easier. Crazy money either way.

[@XHALE303]

lol I still have it, with 100ths of games including all Sega cracks & ofcourse all versions of Cubase, the floppy drive died tho But we used it for years on stage without ever causing a problem, Moby still used it in '98, fun video

[@mu_zines]

Happy days! I was so productive with Creator SL back in the day...

[@mu_zines]

Also, not many people know that the devs were experimenting with hard disk recording in Notator - there is a hard disk recording page in the resource files, but the Atari never really had the power to do this so it was abandoned...

[@keinpodcast4053]

1040ST + Notator SL has been my first sequencer too. Wonderful times when you didnt have to think about firewalls, online activation and all this crap. You just sat down, switched the computer and the synths on and thats it. I stayed with Notator/Logic until they stopped building it for windows. Maybe I should try a pattern-based sequencer again, because of its own way of inspiration. Or I should buy one of these grooveboxes :) Thanks for the journey back into the good old Atari times.

[@EspenKraft]

Sweet! :)

[@bitley]

Until you'd changed a couple of sysex banks here and there and that's when today's total recall takes of and surpasses the old technology by a zillion miles :)

[@EspenKraft]

Making music on modern computers/DAW is inferior in almost every way except for the recall business. Recording audio might be easier, but the creative COMPOSING side sure lacks the fun of working old school. Chart music is proof of that. Everything is stale, pale and almost totally melody and chord-free today. Only side-chaining remain. I the "self-serving" modern tech of today and I will fight it for the rest of my life.. ;-)

[@seoulfilm47]

Brings back memories! Might be time to resurrect mine from the basement. Can the Atari be used to trigger VST instruments on a Windows PC? In other words, can the sequencer also integrate (playback) sounds stored on a PC?

[@EspenKraft]

What comes out a midi port can be routed to a midi in on whatever hardware.

[@GavinMulhallSilinder]

great video Espen, thanks :)

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks yourself! :)

[@xnonsuchx]

I only ever really used Dr. T's KCS and KCS Omega and started w/ a 520 STm (later upgraded to 1MB) w/ SF314 floppy, then a 1040STe and then a Falcon030 4MB. I still have the Falcon030 (needs a little fixing up and recently got 14MB upgrade for), plus a 520ST(m?) and 1040STfm in unknown working order I got off eBay several years ago and just kinda stored away.

[@diond1333]

Excellent video. I still have my Creator Notator dongle and floppy, but not too sure if they both work any longer. I would love to find out.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! :)

[@dietmarschlichtherle7061]

Atari and CLab_Notator were and are the best skills to worke on

[@michaelmilano4457]

magic bro

[@raidernationfullmoonrecord9516]

Awesome!!!!!!!!

[@synthoelectro]

What is astounding is Hall & Oates used The Atari ST and Cubase to compose their first albums.

[@mudsh4rk]

They'd been releasing albums for about 15 years before Notator even came out.

[@shriowang5466]

thanks awesome

[@rjbush7955]

Great track! I didn't realise that Notator was pattern based. Just goes to show Ableton weren't the first with their Session view in Live. May be Notator was their inspiration.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! :)

[@bubuAudio]

yamaha qy700 ( hardware seq ) was pattern based as well, if I well remember

[@awkwardtom]

Another really great and informative video thanks Espen . Do you know how to enable the metronome (beep) not midi click? Thanks

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! I'm not sure actually, can it have something to do with internal sound ouput? I never used that and never though much of it.

[@awkwardtom]

@@EspenKraft found click in play, and plugged homemade phono to tiny buzzer to atari audio out (1040ste) now bleeps without needing to setup midi click all the time ;)

[@adamkarolwizzard]

I've just realized that i'm waiting for weekend for 2 reasons. New episode Game of Thrones and Espen's Music World of the 80's. First one will ends soon, but i heard that second one will have new great episodes. Suspence, thrill, drama ... drama? yes, because Espen reminded me, that i sold my ST in 1993. d:^( no, i'm kidding :^) great episode ( i was Steinberg user)

[@EspenKraft]

Cool man, thanks! :)

[@gameon2000]

I had bought it for peanuts back then in the 90s. And sold it. What a fool I was.

[@JohnLozo]

man it would be so cool if you did more vids with the Atari!! If only computers had midi ports nowadays!

[@EspenKraft]

I hope to do more soon!

[@InterplainMusic]

Can you Remember Sequencer one, it was the best Sequencer Software for the Atari STE. I loved it, wish i could use it again.

[@EspenKraft]

Can't say I do. As soon as I got the Atari back then I was in need for SMPTE sync and only Cubase and Creator/Notator offered the hardware necessary so I had to go for that.

[@InterplainMusic]

@@EspenKraft It was very basic, but that's what it was.. It had like bars in the form of Dots. I think if my memory serves me. That it was either Twelve tone or something that then became Cakewalk. I maybe wrong? But it had when you double clicked on the dot a music notation. That you could edit the notes. I wrote loads of music with it, i guess some of my best early tracks. I was going to send them to Future Music Magazine in UK, But never did.. I then changed to a Amiga AGA 1200. Worst thing i did, It was absolute shite. Bars and Pipes and Trackers that's all it was any good at.. And i dreamed of Software synths back then knowing the day would come when a PC could emulate things i couldn't buy.

[@InterplainMusic]

Just did a search it was Gajits Sequencer One Plus www.muzines.co.uk/articles/gajits-sequencer-one-plus/1021 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZPLfpZ4btSCsNE

[@EspenKraft]

Your dreams have come true now then? ;-) And your dreams are my nightmares he-he.

[@InterplainMusic]

@@EspenKraft Well, not really. I still have old gear and will use again. My Alpha Juno 2 i will not part with i have been offered good money for it.. And Roland JV1080 i am keeping that. i bought a Prophet Rev 2 plan on using that. and a Roland D50

[@josephpaice9224]

Wow Espen your tracks are amazing! They remind me of so much of my childhood. Do you have a full version of the track you made between 3:02 to 5:05? I love it! It's one of my favourites.

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks man! This was just something I stirred up quick and dirty for this tutorial/demo, but I'm sort of fond of it myself so I might expand it into something more finished sometimes. ;-)

[@josephpaice9224]

Please do Espen! Your tracks are truly amazing and I've enjoyed listening to them all. What website do you sell your tracks? I'd like to download a few and buy that is too.🙂

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks again Joseph! I have my music on most digital platforms, but Bandcamp is the place if you want the best quality for your downloads, you can find me here: espenkraft.bandcamp.com/ Or you can find it on iTunes here: itunes.apple.com/mz/artist/espen-kraft/434486241 Or just search me up on your digital platform of choice! :)

[@BillyBatsonMarvel]

Espen Kraft, do you know what "fatal error memory panic! (3)" on the Atari means?

[@EspenKraft]

Never heard of it.

[@BillyBatsonMarvel]

@@EspenKraft oh.wow! Thanks you for replying. :-(

[@douglascarmichael4582]

Very well-done. Personally, I hope Logic Pro X adds pattern-based sequencing someday. (Considering Dr. Lengeling now works for Apple, I wouldn't be surprised if that has been discussed.)

[@EspenKraft]

Thanks! It might happen, I don't know ;-)

[@mu_zines]

When you import a Creator/Notator song into Logic, you'll see each pattern comes up as a folder. Logic has been able to do this pattern-based sequencing since Notator Logic 1.x.

[@12opsynths]

Did you ever run across C-lab's "X-alyzer?" I believe they made it for DX7 and Kawai K4. I believe it could convert DX sounds to samples over SDS Midi. C-lab seems to always use that cartridge dongle which makes emulation a challenge- if not impossible!

[@EspenKraft]

Never used it no. I almost always worked directly on the machines themselves and very rarely used computers to aid the process.

[@12opsynths]

Same here. We also had an ibm pc at the time so very limited midi software anyway.

[@hejhejsson3233]

I bought the old Notator instructional video (really good) some 10 years ago. If there is of any interest I can upload it to youtube.

[@hejhejsson3233]

I saw it was already uploaded, haha.

[@dosgos]

Timing on Atari computers was incredible; groove is so obvious. I can't get close with modern computers even with top-tier interfaces. Maybe we should all be using Ataris today.

[@mu_zines]

Timing with Logic and a MIDI interface that properly supports OSX time stamping is good - the jitter performance is essentially the same as the Atari...

[@dosgos]

​@@mu_zines Thanks Ben. I've never seen a timing & jitter shootout. But for some reason these Atari systems "subjectively" feel and sound rock solid from the first bar of music, something I don't notice with my own work or modern production systems. Maybe one factor is that old systems required very compact samples so sounds start artificially early.

[@mu_zines]

@@dosgos There's a long thread on GS going into the details if you're interested. And while the ST's timing was good, the same could not be said about many of the 80s/90s synths/modules, many of which had pretty poor latency (response to incoming MIDI), particularly in multitimbral modes. Also, a lot of us were really pushing the limit of how many parts could be shoved down a MIDI cable, all quantised, without starting to make things mushy... So it's not all rosy in the vintage timing department - there was no such thing as sample accurate, back then! ;)

[@dosgos]

@@mu_zines Thanks Ben! I will check out the GS forums now.

[@bitley]

Yeah this is actually purely a myth; if you want timing alone nothing beats a modern daw with software instruments as that gives you a sample accurate playback miles and eons ahead of the Atari but I love both methods.

[@brianmorton4127]

I had a 1040 ST at the time and used Master Tracks Pro. Creator/Notator would have driven me nuts.