Buying A PC For Music: IBM, Part 1

PART 1: Paul Nagle puts the case for the IBM PC as a music computer, but admits that not all is sweetness and light. This is the first article in a two‑part series.

A couple of years ago, when my Atari ST had died on me for the umpteenth time, I decided I ought to get a 'proper' computer with a hard disk and a keyboard that didn't crush the memory chips if you typed too hard! Back then, Atari hard disks were small and hideously expensive and it seemed to me that my choice was either an Apple Mac or an IBM compatible PC. Being basically a tight git, I opted to build a PC from parts — it seemed like a fun idea at the time and the cheapest option too, since many of my friends had spare bits and pieces lying around. Everyone assured me that the PC was going to be the Next Big Thing for music. In this two‑part article I'll try to put the PC into context, with occasional wistful references to my old Atari.

First, some background on the IBM‑compatible Personal Computer and its history, which will help explain a lot of the strange things we have to put up with today. I must stress here that I have no desire (or ability) to replace or emulate the vast amount of PC literature out there, nor to talk about any particular system in detail, since there are so many combinations possible.

...new music software is appearing at an impressive rate and the PC should now be taken very seriously in the world of MIDI

I used my Atari ST for years without knowing, or caring to know, anything at all about how it worked, but with a PC that's a recipe for disaster! IBM's XT Personal Computer was born in 1981 and lived much of its early life in the realms of business, science and education. It had a mysterious operating system called simply DOS — Disk Operating System — and a whole host of obscure keyboard commands to make it tick. It may seem primitive to us now, but the IBM PC has set an enduring standard that has been emulated by many companies keen to get a slice of the action. IBM found it difficult to compete as smaller manufacturers began to specialise in various PC components, and the only really constant factor became the operating system, owned by a fast‑growing company called Microsoft. Nowadays, there are more IBM‑compatible computers kicking around the world than any other machine, and DOS is the operating system with the most users on any platform. Ironically, it is this great success that also limits the progress of the PC. The vast grey host of users out there demanded faster and better machines for their existing programs, yet each new development also looked backwards in fear of incompatibility. Even today, business users strongly resist any improvements in the operating system that might render their old software unusable. This attitude is responsible for much that is archaic and irritating, but nevertheless, new music software is appearing at an impressive rate and the PC should now be taken very seriously in the world of MIDI.

What All The Numbers Mean

There are numerous confusing names and acronyms associated with PCs, so I'll try to clarify the main points without getting too bogged down:

• PCs gradually evolved from lowly XTs to 286, 386, 486 and 586 (Pentium) processors, but for the purposes of music (and most other things), I suggest we forget about the older XTs and 286s and look at the bigger beasties, namely the 386, 486 and above.
• The 386 exists in two distinct flavours: the 386SX and the 386DX. The DX (often referred to as a true 386) is the faster of the two, having true 32‑bit processor addressing. So a 386DX40 machine is simply a 386DX processor with a clock speed of 40Mhz. Faster clock speeds mean the processor does its work quicker — and the faster, the better. Unless you already have a 386, though, I'd not recommend one of these as a wise first buy for MIDI.
• The 486 processor is really just an improved 386 and also exists in SX and DX varieties. But with a 486, SX means simply that the onboard maths co‑processor is disabled; with the DX, it is enabled. The co‑processor is used in some programs to speed calculations — although I am not aware of any music programs that require one.
• The DX processor is also present in DX2 and now DX4 breeds, which are clock‑doubled and clock‑quadrupled (effectively making processor‑bound operations 2x and 4x as fast). There are various arguments about whether a true 486 DX50 machine is actually faster than a 486 DX266 (a clock‑doubled DX33) but PC speed is a complex equation governed by a delicate balance of various factors including hard disk, video, type of motherboard, processor and memory configurations.
• The Pentium is the new chip on the block, and is the next step on from the 486.

Unless you have a specific need for it, I suggest a 486 DX or SX33 is more than adequate for most musical needs — you can get away with less but that rather depends on the software you want to run. PCs are, relatively anyway, pretty cheap. If you're sure you want one, buy the fastest you can afford.

Extras

• A local bus motherboard allows speedier data transfer to and from peripherals — in most cases, the practical benefit is faster graphics, so go for it if you can. If you want to be really future‑proof, the PCI standard for local bus looks favourite.
• There is a great variety of graphics cards to choose from. Remember that having lots of memory on the card doesn't speed up your graphics — it's just there to allow you to display more colours. For a machine with a local bus motherboard, there are some great, cheap local bus graphics cards which really steam along.
• At least 8Mb of RAM is advisable to keep Windows running smoothly. Remember that with PCs, both DOS and Windows use up some of your precious memory before you even get to run a program.
• If you can afford it, go for a 15‑inch (or larger) Super VGA low‑radation monitor. Big displays are great to work with for music and allow you to see so much more of your song at once.
• When choosing a monitor, remember that you'll be spending many hours looking at it, so don't skimp. Always go for a monitor that's non‑interlaced — it means you'll get less flicker at higher resolutions. I don't want to upset anyone here, but I've yet to see any monitor that's as clear and easy to look at as the dear old (cheap) Atari SM124!
• The choice of hard disk is driven by the uses to which you will put it. In most cases, it's a simple rule of "buy the biggest and fastest you can afford" but of course — you guessed it — there are many different types of hard disk, and if you later wish to add a second one — well, it can get complicated. SCSI drives are the simplest solution to most problems, since they are fast and simple, and it's easy to add additional SCSI devices on the same controller. Naturally, they are more expensive, and many lower priced systems feature IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) drives, which are fine for most uses, although they may be too slow for hard disk recording without some form of caching on the disk controller card. If hard disk recording is your thing, check out the hardware requirements of the program first! A local bus hard disk controller won't help you much either, since it will still be restricted by the transfer rate of your hard disk. Personally, I'm more in favour of having two smaller hard disks rather than one big 'un so I can make quick and easy backups, although most experienced PC types would probably recommend a tape streamer or DAT system.
• I've never been keen on floppies but I recognise that to trust all my songs, sounds and samples to a single copy on hard disk is courting disaster. Since experimenting with disk compression software some time ago and wiping my hard disk in the process, I'm now manic about saving multiple copies of stuff I'm working on. Two hard disks and an extra line in your AUTOEXEC.BAT and this can all be accomplished automatically.
• I didn't mention AUTOEXEC.BAT, did I? Well, this is something that DOS creates to enter various commands when the PC is switched on and which you can tailor yourself when you get confident.

Boxing Clever

• PCs live in boxes of various shapes and sizes (although not colours, alas). Unless you really need one, I'd advise against a full tower case. Although they have loads of space for expansion, they typically have drive bays at one end and the motherboard at the other. Sadly, most cables are designed to be just about the right length for a mini tower or desktop and they don't stretch terribly well. Towers do look rather butch though, I admit.
• Before you buy.... I know there are some tempting mail order adverts out there but the old adage about buying from reputable dealers really comes into its own in this case. Many PCs with no actual brand names are assembled from a series of parts. Your Frankenstein's monster might have been created with a retarded brain but without opening it up, checking each component, or running some clever diagnostics, you might never know (until you compare it to another machine). After all, one grey box looks very much like another. Don't simply choose the best price — after‑sales service is very important with something as complex and expensive as a PC.

Buying from a local or established dealer is sensible. If you're new to the PC, check out some of the dealers who specialise in music and provide machines set up and ready to rock. If you simply must go for that mail‑order bargain, use a credit card. Then if your friendly suppliers vanish mysteriously to a tropical paradise, the credit card company takes on liability for the guarantee — check out your local Trading Standards office for details. I know this because it happened to me!

• Finally, make sure that your reasons for going the PC route are sound. If you already have one, adding MIDI won't break the bank, but if you want something mainly for music then it is a pretty substantial investment. I'm not trying to convince anyone either way, merely to relate some of the things I have come across. My own current machine cost me over £1000 (the one I built wasn't fast enough) and has caused more complications than my little £250 ST ever did. PCs are temperamental animals and need to be understood to a far greater extent than an Atari. True, I now use the beast for word‑processing, graphics, teleworking, sampling, sequencing and, of course, Doom — actually, Doom is a far better reason to buy a PC than any MIDI program; if you've not played it, you've not lived!

I still think that maybe life was simpler when all I had to complain about was the price of Atari hard disks! Having disrupted my life, bought Cubase and finally got a stable system, though, I'm damned if I'll change again!

We've now discussed the hardware and the software that makes the PC tick, looked at a setup suitable for music and moaned about some of the things that usually make PC boffins very embarassed. Next month, we'll look at the interesting stuff — adding MIDI.