Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

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Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by UncleBilical »

Hello all,

As may be guessed from the title, I used to use Music 2000 back when it was releases on the Playstation. (Apparently it was called MTV Music Generator in the US).

I'm looking (and failing so far) to find a piece of software for Windows that is as close to Music 2000 in its simplicity and ease of use. I don't mean for slotting in pre-made samples, as there are loads of programmes like that. I'm looking to create my own pieces from scratch, using a simple 'keyboard' as found in Music 2000.

The closest piece of software I have found across any platform is Bandpass on Android, which is very similar to Music 2000 on having a keyboard allowing for note placement etc, but it isn't on Windows.

I'd be super-grateful for some ideas on extremely easy to use software to create my own pieces, as close to Music 2000 as possible.

I'm amazed in the 21 years since it was released that nothing close to it has appeared.

Thanks!!
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Re: Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by rockydennis »

Jester Interactive also made Music 2000 and Music 2002 for the PC - people still run it apparently, but there's some hoops to jump through to run it on more current versions of Windows.

I've never used it, but Caustic might be what you're looking for. It has a similar keyboard implementation to Music 2000 I think. A demo video -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q86OrU-E7RU

The PC version is free, and is supported up to Windows 10.
https://singlecellsoftware.com/caustic
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Re: Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by UncleBilical »

Thanks.

Sorry, I should have said I've tried and excluded the PC version of both Music 2000 and MTV Music Generator.

Music 2000 I had on CD and tried on various desktops and laptops over the years and cannot get it to run. I've recently had MTV install and open on my laptop, but then it refuses to work at all. It is indeed very problematic, I've given up trying as I'm seriously tearing my hair out.

I'll have Caustic a try, thank you very much.

I do incidentally have a perfectly functioning version of Music 2000 on an original Playstation, but with it being 2021 I want tk be able to export the files to drop into my mixer, but that ain't happening with a Playstation!
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Re: Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by blakedirksen »

The playstation is exporting an audio stream so in theory you could certainly grab the sounds you make there and import them via an interface into Audacity on a windows machine.
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Re: Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by t-sun »

https://www.retroarch.com/

PSX emulation is pretty mature at this point, you can run the original on your PC or any number of other devices with a USB controller (or an emulated PSX mouse even). The sound quality should be very close, and I think it should be possible to route the sound directly out to something like Audacity but I haven't ever experimented with it.
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Re: Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by UncleBilical »

t-sun wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 1:22 amhttps://www.retroarch.com/

PSX emulation is pretty mature at this point, you can run the original on your PC or any number of other devices with a USB controller (or an emulated PSX mouse even). The sound quality should be very close, and I think it should be possible to route the sound directly out to something like Audacity but I haven't ever experimented with it.

Thank you. I tried some emulation recently and seemingly got the US version (MTV booted up, but it then flat refused to respond to any controls. The lack of a USB controller may have been to explain, so thanks for that info, I hadn't even considered that as possible.

I am going to try again with emulation when I get a little more time, as it is my preference over dusting off the Playstation again.
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Re: Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by t-sun »

There's a bit of a learning curve but it's not too tough to get it working in my experience. I use a Logitech controller shaped like a PS controller with Retroarch for playing PSX and PS2 games sometimes, works very well. I've even booted Music 2000 (europe edition) in it before to play around with it, but I didn't grow up with it so it was more of a novelty. It has worked for me though.
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Re: Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by UncleBilical »

Update on my situation is I already had an iso file from years ago when I first had the CD ROM to try on a desktop computer, and have managed to successfully mount the iso and run the programme using Windows Compatability mode.

This haa previously ended in disaster but now works, perhaps a combination of my current (4 month old) decent-spec laptop, and/or updating to Windows 11 a few weeks back.

The one issue I have is that certain instrument samples when loaded in the highest quality (44k :lol: ) will click while they are playing, but at 22k they work fine. I'm therefore going to stick to 22k for everything, in case I spend weeks/months working on a backing track and end up hearing clicks later.

Very happy though. I primarily use music packages for drum backing tracks, sometimes augmented with keys or effects, so Music 2000 is perfect for me as the live drum samples remain decent enough, and it is such an easy package to use. I'm also pleased you can export a track as a .wav, something not possible on Playstation of course, and be able to email tracks to fellow collaborators.

Thanks for the replies everyone.
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Re: Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by peteT30 »

Hoping you can help me, I’m using Music 2000 on PC via compatibility settings. The program seems to work great apart from recording audio samples from CD’s it literally saves a file with nothing on it.

It will record via microphone no problem but not from audio cd.

This worked no problem on my earlier more basic PC. Any ideas or advice would be appreciated :-)
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Re: Music 2000/MTV Music Generator - closest software on Windows?

Post by Cypher_Xero »

I've been running my music generator on my windows 10 PC for months. It's easier if you have the original disc, but you can get a .ROM file or .7zip file and burn it to a disc to play it, I have both the original disc and a .7zip file I run instead of my original so I don't scratch it on accident. In order for it to run you have to set the compatibility. Install as normal from disc, Right click installed program icon, select compatibility from the drop down menu, select "run under windows 98/ windows me compatibility, save and close the window. Now run mtv generator (with the disc still in the PC) and it should load. Note: if any applications are open that draw over top of the open window are running, do not allow them to run, example: mouse without boarders crashes the game.
Here's a link to my YouTube channel and the video I posted of me playing it: https://youtu.be/IuO5mlTj5Cs
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