intel iMac QT problems with MIDI playback

Hopefully, the WWDC will lead to better software for the Mac, not only from 3rd parties but from Apple itself. The announcement of new computers with faster chips would help but after all these years it is astounding that QuickTime still can't playback MIDI files that are above a certain level of complexity - mainly with pedal, sustain and rapid note events that pile up in the QT synthesizer and overload it until it just stops. This has been endlessly discussed here, at Mac Music and elsewhere. But, Apple has still not made QT a better product in this regard. Or is the problem that the processing power of the Mac still is not up to the PC?
The only way to make pro music on a Mac is with an intel Mac Pro that has a pro soundcard and sufficient memory and shell out the cash for a high-end software program like Finale, Sibelius or Logic Pro or to use a lower end intel Mac with external USB playback hardware. Sad, but true, that Windows software and low-end and lower cost PC's give the user the capacity to create and playback pro music and do it much better than low-end Macs. I know, I tried it. A G4 PPC eMac or G5 iMac (and the laptops) are good for lightweight MIDI and it handles MP3 fine - the same is true for low-end intel Macs. I just wish I'd known all this about Macs and music before I shelled out for one of the first intel iMacs - live and learn.

But download these .zip MIDI files (virus scanned OK but please always scan downloaded files if you need to) and try to play them with your Mac and truthfully post your results here. Preferably, if you use both Mac and PCs - give it a try and see what happens. They playback fine on any PC with a reasonable amount of processor power, most sound synths (including QT that has been set in preferences to General MIDI and to the PC sound card or other synth instead of Quick Time synth) a good soundcard, or even onboard audio that has enough processor and memory to handle it. At the CSMA archives, the last time this was posted, every user had a different story - those who were honest said the files stopped playing with QT on Macs.

This is not a free ad for my non-commercial website. But, since it is a free site, if I just put up the remote links to the files, you will get directed to an ad page for the server. So go to the home page

http://lamplightmus.topcities.com/

and page down to the downloads listed under Jazz and Blues MIDI files

left click on the links to

Pennies from Heaven (piano solo)
Stomp (Live Piano Improvisation)

or page down further to classical music MIDI

Echoes Return, Symphony No. 1 (orchestra), 2nd movement


Any of these files will demonstrate the problem.



I've been to Apple stores and resellers and tried these files out on all the Macs and without a pro sound card you get the same results - QT was not made for MIDI, at least not pro MIDI. It appears that QT is designed for the average user and more for video and MP3/4 than advanced MIDI. So, since I found some new software that I'd like to try that only runs on PC, I'm back on my PC laptop at least for part of the time. In Apple's favor, the new intel Macs are great improvements in processing power and speed over older PPC machines and there is no doubt that many, myself included, prefer Mac for video, photos and graphics work. It does all the basic productivity software fine as well - my big beef with Apple and Macs is the lack of low-end support for high-end MIDI and music work. You have to pay the bucks for Mac Pro and a lot of new hardware and software if you want to get it right. Unfortunately, for the time being, with Windows and PC you can do it a lot cheaper.