Making Music with IIGS - What Do I Need?

[Joad]

Hello guys, 16 year old Apple addict here from Turkey. I've ordered a IIGS ROM03 computer from eBay with a meg expansion card which makes 2 megs totally. Also got a floppy drive from my friend (External 3.5" Apple). I am planning to make music with it but I am an absolute beginner. What do I need in order to try? I have a Midi keyboard and a faith in the sound chip of IIGS. Is there a way to find Midi controller for it? Or guitar jack-ish controller? Thank you

 

[commodorejohn]

I believe the IIGS uses Mac-style mini-DIN serial, correct? If it's much like the Mac internally you could probably use a Mac serial-to-MIDI breakout box, since the UARTs there were flexible enough to talk at MIDI rates. No idea what the selection of IIGS MIDI software looks like, though.

 

[raoulduke]

For midi composition I'm not sure you'd need additional hardware - though that may provide some limitation to the sound set - I don't know much about the IIgs's hardware.  However, I can't believe one of these programs wouldn't let you compose - and given the audio output, that would allow you to make music on a IIgs out of the box - http://apple2.callapple.org/software/tribby/midisynth.html.

As for hardware midi, there was apparently the "AE Audio Animator" among others: http://www.verycomputer.com/20_d78ff0f33fb68b42_1.htm.  http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/201502824162 .  I feel like these will be rare and expensive.

I don't know if IIgs midi interfaces are totally compatible with Mac midi interfaces.

 

[Joad]

In Youtube, I saw a guy using a Serial Mac MIDI adapter on a IIGS so it means that I am lucky! Thanks for the link by the way!

 

[Elfen]

Software is the key here. Also you will need 2 3.5in drives and at least 1 5.25in drive. The drives have to have the DB connector to them so you can piggy back them together.

Electronic Arts had Music Construction Set. There were hundreds of software titles for the Apple. The IIgs made it easier for it to work with as it had a synthesizer chip in it (similar to the Commodore 64), at least you were not limited to beeps and tones logic gates can do on the older Apples. But Apple IIgs specific music programs are harder to get; it is compatible to the all the older Apple II software from before.

So Dig Deep and go find!

 

[Bunsen]

Also got a floppy drive from my friend (External 3.5" Apple).

Please make absolutely sure that drive is compatible with a IIGS before you plug it in.

Any Mac serial MIDI interface should work.  There are even DIY designs around if you don't mind building one.

Or guitar jack-ish controller?

Do you mean an audio input, for recording "live" instruments?  You should be able to make or buy a simple plug adapter to go into the IIGS's audio input (mic socket?) - then it is just a case of finding the right software to record audio and edit it.

Not directly music related, but for storage, bigmessofwires here on the forum makes an SD card storage device which works with the IIGS, emulating a floppy drive or a hard drive.  You can find more information about it, and buy it, from his site here.

Another option is to use a cheap Linux computer (like the Raspberry Pi) and run A2Server on it - you can boot from it, and also use it to connect to the internet, download files and store them on the R-Pi's SD card, or if you are using a different computer, on it's hard drive.

you will need 2 3.5in drives and at least 1 5.25in drive.

Why?

it is compatible to the all the older Apple II software from before.

This is true, but none of the older Apple software will access the onboard Ensoniq sound system.

 

[Bunsen]

Here's a copy of The Music Studio 2.0 for IIGS on ebay, US$45.  2 x 3.5" floppies, manuals.

 

[Gorgonops]

Do you mean an audio input, for recording "live" instruments? You should be able to make or buy a simple plug adapter to go into the IIGS's audio input (mic socket?) - then it is just a case of finding the right software to record audio and edit it.

The IIgs has audio input and recording built in? Preeeetty sure you might want to check your sources there.
I suppose you could hook a Keytar up to it via MIDI. The sheer 1980-ness of it would be notable if nothing else.

 

[Elfen]

you will need 2 3.5in drives and at least 1 5.25in drive.

Why?

Electronic Arts Music Construction set comes in 5.25in disks and not 3.5in disks, as did a lot of the programs of the time.