Of all the things people do with their computers, most probably spend the bulk of their keyboarding time writing reports, playing games, surfing the Internet or working with finances.
But what about music? After all, with today's sound cards and the power of processors, the marriage of a piano keyboard and the computer can't be far behind.Midisoft Corp. is trying to urge the relationship to the altar with a collection of utilities and products to teach people to play piano and keep them interested for years.
The centerpiece is a new CD-ROM product for Windows called "Midisoft Play Piano" that takes a shortcut around traditional lessons.
Instead of playing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" over and over again, your first song can be an Elton John-Bernie Taupin standard. The CD includes 40 songs and users can download any of the thousands of MIDI files on the Internet and use them instead.
Using the program's "Magic Hands," users watch the screen's animated hands which show correct hand and finger placement on the piano keyboard. (You do need a MIDI-compatible digital piano to use the program. That includes many brands, including the popular Miracle Piano).
Is this $79 program a replacement for traditional lessons? For people who just want want to learn the basics and play a few songs, sure. It's also a nice introduction to the piano to determine whether lessons are for you. But don't expect any software to replace a skilled teacher drilling you in the basics over and over.
You also need the proper MIDI cabling to connect the piano to your computer; Midisoft offers a Midi Kit with a cable and software that allows users to record, edit and mix music they perform. It lists for $79.
A far more sophisticated software package, Midisoft Studio 4.0, lets higher-level users create, annotate and edit their music, or anyone else's music in MIDI and WAV formats. It lists for $199 and requires Windows 95.
For information, call Midisoft at (800)-776-6434 or visit it at http://www.midisoft.com.
CALL OF THE WEEK: The Internet's browser wars are heating up, with both Netscape and Microsoft releasing pre-release versions of their popular Navigator and Explorer products. Versions for Windows 95 are out now; those for Windows 3.1, Mac OS and Windows NT are to follow.
I prefer Microsoft Explorer 3.0 now that Java applets are enabled. The seamless way Microsoft adds such patches and improvements is appreciated. (Double click on the icon on Microsoft's Web page and select "OPEN" and your software is updated.)
NEWSGROUP PICK: "alt.comp.shareware" for discussions of the newest applications available on a "try before you buy" basis.