Music Masters Series


Music Masters Series
by Tom Hensley
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In the tradition of the Music Minus One records, which long ago provided an accompanying ensemble for musicians practicing at home, the new Music Masters Series gives students a chance to play Mozart, Beethoven or Bach pieces along with a group. A group of two, that is, since the first three releases in the series are violin/piano sonatas by the aforementioned composers. Upcoming releases are promised for larger chamber ensembles.

The Music Masters series' main lure is its simplicity. No MIDI hookup is required...all of its sounds come from digital audio recordings rather than MIDI instruments. But there's no real fiddler either...just a sampler, so don't expect a lot of expressiveness or a very convincing violin sound.

It's easy for the at-home player to mute the appropriate part and play along with the other track. The score is displayed on your computer screen concurrently with the performance and a metronome is available to keep things from coming totally unglued. In "practice mode", you can select individual sections or even certain measures, looping them until you get it right. The current crop of disks might be more enjoyable for those muting the violin part since the piano sound is listenable, while hearing the violin soloed highlights its warts.

The Music Masters Series is compatible with Mac OS (System 7 or later) and Windows 95, 98 and NT operating systems. Each volume is priced at $49.95 MSRP with a $5 discount given on orders before the end of the year 2000. The Music Masters Series is from Digital Music Design, PO Box 870, North Hollywood CA 91603. Website: www.digitalmusicdesign.com

Tom Hensley, an LA session stalwart in the 1970s, spent the last 25 years playing keyboards in the Neil Diamond band. He composes and records multimedia music in his cluttered garage retreat, piled high with Macs and "gear of all ages."

Edited by: Barry Rudolph

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