Master Tracks Pro

Last updated
MTPro
Developer(s) Passport Music Software, LLC
Stable release
6.8.4 / August 3, 2005
Operating system Microsoft Windows (Atari ST / Amiga until 3.6) (Apple IIGS until 1.04)
Type Music sequencer
License Proprietary
Website http://www.passportmusic.com/products/master-tracks-pro/

Master Tracks Pro (MTP) is music-sequencer software for Windows, to author and/or edit MIDI data. David Kusek and Don Williams et al. at Passport Designs originally created it, continuation of marketing and development by GVOX, and, as of Aug. 8, 2013, by Passport Music Software, LLC. [1]

Contents

History

MTP originated in the middle ’80s for the Commodore 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 (after having been acquired by GVOX) 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. GVOX sold the Passport software to Passport Music Software, LLC, in the second half of 2013.

Future

Passport Music Software, LLC, had announced plans to show MasterTracks Pro 7 at the 2015 NAMM Show, but as of January 2019, the latest version offered on its website was Version 6.8.4 for Windows.

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.

Appearance and functionality

A GUI application, it uses a hierarchy of windows as listed here:

See also

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References

  1. "MasterTracks Pro". www.passportmusic.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-03.