Step Record Support In A Sequencer Or Scoring Soft, easing my transition from Windows to Mac Options

[derFunkenstein]

Hi! First of all, I'm new to the website, and it's been an awesome pile of knowledge I need to soak in, and thankfully I'm about to go on vacation from work for two weeks, though I'm not travelling...I'll have a chance.

Anyway, I'm also new to music on the Mac in general. Some background: I work for a software company that trains and supports users of our student database software in schools, and several schools I've been to recently are using the web-based version of our gradebook on Macs. I got a huge case of Mac envy, so I scoured ebay for the best deal I could find. I ended up with an AGP/Gig-E G4 400 with 128MB of memory, Rage128 graphics, and a 20GB hard drive, which I've upgraded to 1.2GHz G4 (100MHz bus), 640MB of memory (stolen from an old PIII machine here at home), a GeForce3 Ti (which was in the same PC, which I flashed a Mac ROM to), and a 40GB hard drive (stolen from the same PIII machine) and bought a copy of OSX 10.3.5, so now I'm dual-booting OS9.2.2 and X.3.5. So now I'm thinking "what on earth do I do with this thing now that I've got it, in order to get the whole Mac experience?" and I realize...both my GenieSoft ScoreWriter 2 CD and my Propellerhead Reason 2.5 CDs were dual-format, Mac and Windows. I'm 2/3 of the way to having all my scoring software and music software on my Mac! I'm using a Yamaha PSG-290 as my sole MIDI device (aside from the synths in Reason; the whole point of the software) connected by a Yamaha UX-16 MIDI controller (USB, drivers are available though I've not played with it yet) All I'm missing (if you've made it this far, I'm grateful) is something with an excellent step-record feature that's pressure-sensitive like I have in Cakewalk Home Studio 9 on Windows.

Now my problem is this: I'm not a good keyboard player, so pressure-sensitive step recording is an absolute MUST (ScoreWriter has step record, but it's not pressure sensitive and it's not very friendly) and it really needs ot be able to display it on a staff so I can proofread it. What is the best Mac MIDI sequencer/editor that can do BOTH of these things at an economical price? The sheer amount of audio software available for the platform is mind-numbing, and I feel like I've died and gone to audio heaven...I just need a guide. I appreciate any response, and thank you in advance.

[kaboombahchuck]

I'm not really clear on what it is you are looking for, but... I think the Metro line of software may be a good start. In the score writing area of the programming I have had some luck with writing FFF or ppp and actually having it work in the midi playback. Also the editing of midi (velocity controll ect) is straight forward (to me). Untill recently I have been using Metro exclusivley for step type midi / audio sequencing. At any rate there are demo's available, they are fully functional, exept the part about being able to save the final works.

[derFunkenstein]

That's basically what I'm looking for: something I can look at in Notation view (since Piano rolls look somewhat foreign and I have to translate in my head; notation view is automatic) and it will read velocity as well as the notes. I'll download the Metro demo and see what I come up with. Thanks!

[Drifta]

heya,

you might want to look at Mark of the Unicorn's Digital Performer as well.. it's a full featured midi sequencer as well as audio recording tool. cubase is also something like this and there is a windows version in case you don't stay on the mac side.

Opcode's Studio Vision Pro (although discontinued) is also a great midi sequencer. they were giving SVP away for awhile there, i'm sure you could find a copy of that for free!

just goggled it and it looks like gibson has got that program locked down so you'll you have to check some other avenues.

g'luck,
D

[derFunkenstein]

hmm...I've got a Windows version of Cubase that came with my Sound Blaster Audigy2...I never really did anything with it because everything I need I already had covered...I should install it and check it out...