The personal computer is now ubiquitous in the music-making process; music made without a computer is now remarkable for that absence, but not long ago the opposite was true. Here are some glimpses back to the era 1985-1990, when the tide was first beginning to shift.
Musicdata (1984): a service that provided programming to musicians who owned computerized instruments, but did not want to engage with them on a technical level. Where are these guys today? anyone?
Apple Mac Plus advert c. 1988. Now here’s a bold advertising claim that actually turned out to be true.
Decillionix of Sunnyvale CA made this $349 audio sample/playback kit for the Mac II in 1984. Pretty advanced stuff for the price. Any users out there?
The Atari STACY ‘laptop’ circa 1990. Remember when ATARI was a viable third-party contender?
Passport music transcription software c. 1985