Stories about: Emagic

It's been said that there's a Simpsons episode to cover every possible situation. Recently I've been thinking about the episode where Homer joins the Hullabalooza tour as the side entertainment: a fat guy who can take a cannonball to the gut and live to tell about it. Earlier in that episode, Homer makes reference to the US Festival.

Macs have always been accomplished musical accompanists. Connect a Mac to a synthesizer via MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface), and you can build complex musical arrangements, edit flubbed notes, and even print sheet music. Connect an audio source such as a microphone or mixer to a Mac's audio-input jack, and you can add multiple tracks of acoustic instruments and vocals. Toss in some music-loop CDs-collections of recorded rhythms and riffs-and even an amateur musician can assemble polished tunes. (If you're new to computer music, see "Get to Know MIDI" for some background.)

The last year of the 20th century was, all in all, a great year for the Macintosh. As we head into year 17 of the Macintosh Era, it's time for Macworld's annual look at the products that improve the lives of Mac users -- products that make using your Mac easier, let you do your job more effectively, or simply give you freedom you never had before.