Roland V-MT Visual Music Tutor Software
July 11, 1997
As music educators increase their use of personal computers as instructional tools, Roland Corporation has researched and developed the ideal PC-based software application for learning music. Modeled after its popular MT-Series of Music Tutor hardware and widely accepted Intelligent System of Music concepts, Roland is pleased to announce the introduction of the new V-MT Visual Music Tutor CD-ROM software.
The V-MT software is based on a "Visual TM" concept of making music and MIDI technology understandable for all levels of music learners. The highly-visual software comes with a score notation window, a rehearsal window, easy re-sizing and many other visual ways to demonstrate piano touch and technique.
As such, it provides music instructors with an invaluable teaching tool that both supports and enhances conventional music instruction. With the V-MT1 package - which consists of V-MT CD-ROM application software, a GS Software Synthesizer, a serial MIDI driver, a computer cable and an instruction manual - Roland digital pianos with a built-in computer interface can be connected directly to a sound multimedia PC running Windows® 95.
Once connected, V-MT provides music students with easy PC-based conversion, recording and playback of standard MIDI files (SMFs), real-time recording of GS MIDI data, display of complex music scores, easy track selection and track muting, metronome functions, tempo controls, key transpose and basic synthesizer controls like tone selection, effects selection, etc. - all via a simple graphic version of the familiar MT-Series hardware interface. Synthesizer playback is made possible through the V-MT's Virtual Sound CanvasTM software synthesizer, which comes with instant access to hundreds of high-quality Roland sounds.
The software sounds - from grand pianos to electric guitars - are the same Roland Sound CanvasTM sounds that were recently licensed by software giant Microsoft® Corporation for a variety of desktop and Internet-related applications. A growing number of print music publishers writing Standard MIDI File software in the GS Format has increased the demand for an inexpensive, software-based music learning and playback tool, hence the creation of the V-MT. The combination of GS Format music publishers and Microsoft's sound licensing ensures that music created with Roland's V-MT software will be compatible with the widest variety of other music applications in the future.
Taking its music instruction and creation capabilities even further, the V-MT also incorporates basic music sequencing functions like cut, copy and paste, providing students with a basic understanding of such functions for the future. The proven effectiveness of the MT-Series and the Intelligent System of Music concept in learning music will be expanded to an even larger new music audience through V-MT. For more information, visit their web site at www.rolandus.com. | 
