MasterTracks Pro (software)
Encyclopedia
Master Tracks Pro is music-sequencer
software for Windows or Mac OS
, to author and/or edit MIDI data. David Kusek et. al. at Passport Designs originally created it, and it is now marketed and continued in development by GVOX
.
application, it uses a hierarchy of windows as shown in the screen cut here (right-click the image to open in a new window, for a higher-resolution view):
and Apple II
machines, and when the Atari ST
implemented its MIDI support. It has continued to be one of the more popular proprietary sequencers, but hasn't seen any major updates since 2003 other than 6.8.4 for Windows, which is reputed to have compatibility issues of its own. However, MTP’s user-friendly interface and ease of use long made it one of the better packages for managing MIDI. See the Passport Designs Wiki for more details.
A child window is not limited within a parent, but can be placed anywhere on the screen. The user can save this layout by invoking Setup | Save preferences, which creates a new PREFER683.MTP with this information.
MTP’s Anastasia font is used for rendering the Notation window’s two-stave piano score, and also provides symbols for guitar-tablature display of chording.
Its fixed-size Conductor window at bottom center left in the screen shot allows flexing of tempo, offsetting in real time, by dragging the slider thumb.
The also fixed-size Transport strip-window to its right provides controls analogous to those of a tape deck, to start-stop, index, etc.; displays measure | beat | clock information for the sequence currently being played; and shows the file name on its title bar.
MTP’s windows can display continuous data either as a linear curve or filled below, and one can thin MIDI data according to need. It can handle as many as 16 MIDI interfaces, and supports the MCI on Windows, has remote capabilities, a “big counter” mode for visibility at a distance during performance or recording, and also punch-in and -out capabilities.
MTP can insert and manage markers, information about which can be imported into its Notepad along with track information, as well as handle quite complex meter layouts, as long as beats per measure is less than 17.
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
software for Windows or Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
, to author and/or edit MIDI data. David Kusek et. al. at Passport Designs originally created it, and it is now marketed and continued in development by GVOX
GVOX
Gvox is a music-software company best known for notation software. During its long and turbulent history, it developed and acquired ground-breaking products. Typically, these programs are designed by musicians for musicians.- History:...
.
Appearance and functionality
Being a GUIGui
Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
application, it uses a hierarchy of windows as shown in the screen cut here (right-click the image to open in a new window, for a higher-resolution view):
- A master, non-closeable, but resizable/positionable stripe-window at the top in the screen shot at right, which supervises the application’s overall user interface via a standard menu with drop-down functions:
- File, for standard handling functions, which include saving to its own native .MTS file format (which appears to conflict with other multimedia formats), and also saves to generic .MID, or .RMI (RIFF), of either types 0 & 1. This menu also provides notation-print capabilities.
- Edit, for context-sensitive MIDI-editing functions
- Change, for changing parameters within track data, such as filtering, quantizing/humanizing, etc.
- The Windows menu provides access to such for each main MIDI data type (all of which the user can position and size within reasonable limits, which values are stored in its configuration file, PREFER683.MTP, found in MTP’s installation directory):
- A Track Editor that can manage up to 64 tracks. Its hideable left half displays global data for each track such as flags, and the right displays track measures as horizontal rows of rectangles (dark-blue if a measure is non-empty, else white) by default numbered in multiples of four, which increment can be changed.
- The Notation window displays a track’s MIDI in a WYSIWYGWYSIWYGWYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
notation format on a two-stave piano tablature using code derived from GVOX’s notation application EncoreEncore (software)Encore is a scorewriter program for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh, originally created in the 1990s by the US company Passport. Presently Encore is distributed and developed by GVOX.MusicTime Deluxe is the 'essentials' version of Encore.- Ease of use :...
(which requires the font Anastasia, provided in True Type and Type 1Type 1Type 1 or Type I may refer to:*US F1 Type 1, 2010 F1 Car*Bugatti Type 1, an automobile*Diabetes mellitus type 1 , insulin-dependent diabetes*Type 1 37 mm Anti-Tank Gun*Type 1 47 mm Anti-Tank Gun...
formats). The inter-staff split point for notes can be reset, to adjust ledger-line behavior. The user can click on and edit notes in this mode, such as flatting or sharping on a note-by-note basis. - The Piano Roll window displays a track’s MIDI note and program-change data in a window that resembles a player pianoPlayer pianoA player piano is a self-playing piano, containing a pneumatic or electro-mechanical mechanism that operates the piano action via pre-programmed music perforated paper, or in rare instances, metallic rolls. The rise of the player piano grew with the rise of the mass-produced piano for the home in...
roll: It shows notes as multi-pixel-thick, dark-blue line segments. The user can edit data using many useful mechanisms, such as being able to turn on note-velocity display, which is then shown as a thin vertical line at the left of note segments, click-dragging entire notes, or their ends for length, etc. - The Event Editor presents all a track’s data as a raw vertical alphanumeric, filterable list, which permits direct entry of data or editing it piecemeal, or by selected region.
- A Master Fader allows the user to control overall volume from one place.
- The Pitch Bend window displays such data graphically, and allows it to be entered and edited that way in an interactive manner, with the mouse.
- The Channel Pressure window functions similarly for that data type.
- The Key Pressure window functions similarly for that data type.
- The Modulation window functions similarly for that data type.
- The Controllers window functions similarly for data of that type for each MIDI specified controller — e.g., dynamic contours as controlled via #7 volume, L-R pan via #10.
- The Velocity window separates and displays notes’ velocity data in a graphical format without distracting note data, to permit easier visualization of velocity-related dynamics.
- The Tempo MapTempo mapA tempo map is a part of a MIDI file. Musical events occur as a succession of events in time, whose speed is tempo. Music also organizes these according to a framework called meter, by partitioning time into patterns of "strong" and "weak" beats. MIDI's tempo map specifies the speed at which a...
window allows fine-scale WYSIWYGWYSIWYGWYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
graphical editing of this MIDI-file data track, for controlling rubatoTempo rubatoTempo rubato is a musical term referring to expressive and rhythmic freedom by a slight speeding up and then slowing down of the tempo of a piece at the discretion of the soloist or the conductor...
, accel-AccelerandoAccelerando may refer to:* Accelerando , a 2005 science fiction novel by Charles Stross* Accelerando, an increase in musical tempo*Accelerando, an album by Kappa...
and ritardando, etc. — as opposed to the coarse, basic control provided by the Conductor function on the Info drop-down menu (q.v., below).
- Songs, for managing multiple open files, playing them as program sets, opening and saving such, re-ordering them, etc.
- Layout, for controlling options for display of data.
- Options, for controlling program operational functionality.
- Setup, for controlling program parameters like
- Sysex (system-Exclusive, for sending/receiving such data to/from an external device, and saving to a file)
- Remote (which music-keyboard keys control what program features, remotely)
- MIDI setup (driver channels, etc.)
- Sync (internal or external)
- Click (which notes/channels to use for this)
- Thru (for behavior & channels for this)
- Chase Controllers (which to chase, etc.)
- Record filter (block data from being recorded, etc.)
- Punch (in/out points)
- Time Base (240 [default], 480, or 960, plus conversion options)
- Save Preferences (.MTP file)
- Info, for displaying system and sequence parameters, including an editable notepad for the sequence.
- Help, which invokes a compiled help file.
History
MTP originated in the middle ’80 for the CommodoreCommodore International
Commodore is the commonly used name for Commodore Business Machines , the U.S.-based home computer manufacturer and electronics manufacturer headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, which also housed Commodore's corporate parent company, Commodore International Limited...
and Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
machines, and when the Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
implemented its MIDI support. It has continued to be one of the more popular proprietary sequencers, but hasn't seen any major updates since 2003 other than 6.8.4 for Windows, which is reputed to have compatibility issues of its own. However, MTP’s user-friendly interface and ease of use long made it one of the better packages for managing MIDI. See the Passport Designs Wiki for more details.
Capabilities
MTP’s default data rate is 240 ppqn (time base, pulses per quarter note), or can use 480|960, for higher resolution.A child window is not limited within a parent, but can be placed anywhere on the screen. The user can save this layout by invoking Setup | Save preferences, which creates a new PREFER683.MTP with this information.
MTP’s Anastasia font is used for rendering the Notation window’s two-stave piano score, and also provides symbols for guitar-tablature display of chording.
Its fixed-size Conductor window at bottom center left in the screen shot allows flexing of tempo, offsetting in real time, by dragging the slider thumb.
The also fixed-size Transport strip-window to its right provides controls analogous to those of a tape deck, to start-stop, index, etc.; displays measure | beat | clock information for the sequence currently being played; and shows the file name on its title bar.
MTP’s windows can display continuous data either as a linear curve or filled below, and one can thin MIDI data according to need. It can handle as many as 16 MIDI interfaces, and supports the MCI on Windows, has remote capabilities, a “big counter” mode for visibility at a distance during performance or recording, and also punch-in and -out capabilities.
MTP can insert and manage markers, information about which can be imported into its Notepad along with track information, as well as handle quite complex meter layouts, as long as beats per measure is less than 17.