1986: MIDI and the MUSICAL MICROS | Micro Live | Retro Tech | BBC Archive

Micro Live's Fred Harris and Lesley Judd test out the latest computer hardware and software packages, which can help you make the most out of MIDI.

At the higher end of the market, Tony Hastings of Steinberg Research demonstrates Pro24 for the Atari ST, while Lesley Judd shows some of the cheaper alternatives available for the humble 8-bit systems. The Commodore 64 has a Music Expansion System, while even the Spectrum can be made to sing with a little help from the Casio CZ101 synth and Cheetah's MIDI Interface and MK5 keyboard.

Finally, there is the Music 5000 Synthesiser box for the BBC Micro, which negates the need for a keyboard altogether, ably demonstrated by Fred Harris.

Originally broadcast 19 December, 1986.

You have now entered the BBC Archive, a time machine that will transport you back to the golden age of TV to educate, entertain and enlighten you with classic clips from the BBC vaults.

[numberstation]

Lesley Judd. Hair by Vidal Sassoon, make up by Yves Saint Laurent, jump suit by Quality Street.

[davedogge]

The Atari ST, BBC Micro, the C64 and the Spectrum 128K all in one show with Lesley Judd dressed as a character from Blakes 7 and Fred Harris dressed as a Maths teacher. True nostalgia.

[nigelcarren]

Steinberg story:
Long after it was forgotten, I started using Steinberg PRO-16 on a Commodore 64 (1992).
After a year the floppy disk became corrupt, so I wrote to Steinberg (no internet).
Two weeks later a motorcycle courier knocked on my door with a huge box. Inside was a new Floppy Disk along with a letter from Steinberg explaining how this is a gift as they couldn't believe I was still using this system! What wonderful people.
I went on to write sketches for The Pet Shop Boys and Sting with this very system.
I stayed loyal to Steinberg and then bought Cubase which was not so user-friendly in my opinion.
However, the 21st century versions looks perfectly logical now I have been accustomed to the standard DAW interface.
Stay creative people. 🌞🇬🇧🎹

[NuntiusLegis]

Stunning thumbnail beauty Lesley Judd appears at 4:19.

[DomMB]

I'm loving Lesley Judd's jumpsuit!

[dvdemon]

Not only is this a brilliant glimpse back to where we've come from, it's also unintentionally hilarious. Love it.

[jeshkam]

Tony's super-mullet is everything. 😁🤣

[unknownfilmmaker]

Leslie returned from Jupiter and went straight from the spaceship hangar to the studio. Such dedication and focus.

[TheSpudlyMcgudly]

I had an Atari STE and a relatively cheap Casio keyboard that I used to write tracks on, then would borrow a better synth and Akai sampler to record tracks. Was such a great hobby, and enabled thousands of people with good ideas but little musical training to write great music. This is what led to so many songs entering the charts by people that basically wrote them in their bedroom. The whole electronic dance music scene probably wouldn't have existed without MIDI.

[ianstrange]

What an extraordinary getup Lesley Judd is wearing!😁

[jfilm]

So proud to be there at the beginning. Still got most of my equipment from the day.

[gaoeykreg]

Imagine the BBC producing something this educational and insightful nowadays.

[JamesBermingham]

Those humble beginnings ❤️
How far we’ve come.
Great time to a musician in 2022

[LittleRichard]

I bought a Casio CZ-101 in July this year. Even though the CZ-01 has very limited polyphony it can recieve midi
from multiple channels and out of the box it has 32 preset sounds with some fairly respectable instruments
including violin, trumpet, xylophone, vibraphone, flute and e piano. The CZ-101 is also programmable so you
can easily synthesize any sort of instrument you want.

[a.brantschen]

I was at the Frankfurt Music Fair in 1982 when MIDI was presented. Most people didn't realize at that time what this interface could be used for. The technical development is simply immense. In my day, an AKG spring reverb for the stage (BX-20) cost around 20, 000 Swiss francs, was highly sensitive, and to delay the reverb, we had to connect a Rexov spool tape recorder in front of it.
And yes, MIDI has totally changed our musical life.
Thank you for this great Video !
musical greetings from Lucerne in Switzerland

[issiewizzie]

Goodness me !!! This my childhood flashed before my eyes. Remember watching this and picking up an Commodore Amiga. It feels like yesterday. Quite depressing ..lol

[kildogery]

I appreciate the fact Fred calls them sythths instead of synthesisers.

[christianokami]

Sitting in front of my macpro rig, this video makes me appreciate the progress in music tech that accelerated during my early childhood.

[krashd]

What an odd twinkly green her bodysuit is, I've only ever seen that colour used to wrap mint chocolates.

[MrDDawson]

Thank you guys so much for sharing this! Born and raised in canada so I never got to enjoy these programs. I had an Atari ST because of the MIDI ports and it was life changing. SMPTE tracks, Cubase with an 8 track reel to reel and an Alesis keyboard made me feel like I was king of the musical world.