Editing Music sequencer (section)

==== In Japan ====
In 1978, Japanese [[personal computer]]s such as the <!-- [[Sharp MZ]] and --> [[Hitachi]] [[:ja:ベーシックマスター|Basic Master]] equipped the low-bit D/A converter to generate sound which can be sequenced using [[Music Macro Language]] (MML).<ref name="BASIC MASTER">
{{cite web | last1=Kunihiko | first1=Nagai | last2=Teruhiro | first2=Takezawa | last3=Kazuma | first3=Yoshimura | last4=KaTsutoshi | first4=Tajima | date=April 1979 | title=Micro computer Basic Master (MB-6880) | url=https://www.hitachihyoron.com/jp/pdf/1979/04/1979_04_26.pdf | language=ja | quote='''''{{nowrap|2.特長}}''' ... (4) スピーカーを内蔵しており、プログラムによる音楽の自動演奏が可能である。 / '''表 I''' 「ベーシックマスター」の主な仕様一覧 ... 音楽発生機能: 5ビットD/A変換のスピーカー再生 / '''{{nowrap|4.3 音楽発生機能}}''' ...'' | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915071518/http://www.hitachihyoron.com/jp/pdf/1979/04/1979_04_26.pdf | archive-date=2017-09-15 }}<br />Published on: {{cite journal | title= Special Features: Micro computer and its application<!-- A micro-computer, the application method --> | url = https://www.hitachihyoron.com/jp/archive/1970s/1979/04.html | journal= Hitachi Hyoron | issue= April 1979 | location=Japan | publisher=[[Hitachi]] | access-date=15 September 2017 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170915071500/http://www.hitachihyoron.com/jp/archive/1970s/1979/04.html | archive-date=15 September 2017 }}</ref> This was used to produce [[chiptune]] [[video game music]].<ref name="shimazu104"/>

It was not until the advent of [[MIDI]], introduced to the public in 1983, that [[general-purpose computer]]s really started to play a role as software sequencers.<ref name="russ2012"/> [[NEC]]'s personal computers, the [[PC-88]] and [[PC-98]], added support for [[MIDI]] sequencing with MML programming in 1982.<ref name="shimazu104"/> In 1983, [[Yamaha CX5M|Yamaha modules]] for the [[MSX]] featured music production capabilities,<ref>Martin Russ, [https://books.google.com/books?id=X9h5AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA84 ''Sound Synthesis and Sampling'', page 84], [[CRC Press]]</ref><ref name="ellis"/> real-time [[FM synthesis]] with sequencing, MIDI sequencing,<ref>{{cite book   | title     = Yamaha Music Computer CX5M Owner's Manual   | url     = https://download.yamaha.com/api/asset/file/?language=hu&site=hu.yamaha.com&asset_id=4605   | publisher     = Yamaha   | ref     = {{sfnref|CX5M Owner's Manual}}   | url-status     = dead   | archive-url     = https://web.archive.org/web/20151022170650/http://download.yamaha.com/api/asset/file/?language=hu&site=hu.yamaha.com&asset_id=4605   | archive-date     = 2015-10-22   | access-date     = 2018-12-26   }}</ref><ref name="ellis">David Ellis, [http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/yamaha-cx5m/1481 Yamaha CX5M] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026002632/http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/yamaha-cx5m/1481 |date=2017-10-26 }}, ''Electronics & Music Maker'', October 1984</ref> and a [[graphical user interface]] for the software sequencer.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/CX5MFlyer|title=Yamaha CX5M Music Computer Flyer (GB)|last=Yamaha|date=5 May 1984|access-date=5 May 2018|via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref name="ellis"/> Also in 1983, [[Roland Corporation]]'s CMU-800 [[sound module]] introduced music synthesis and sequencing to the PC, [[Apple II]],<ref>[http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/cmu800.php Roland CMU-800] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170604041554/http://www.vintagesynth.com/roland/cmu800.php |date=2017-06-04 }}, Vintage Synth Explorer</ref> and [[Commodore 64]].<ref>[https://www.theregister.co.uk/Print/2013/08/26/part_two_midi_spec_1_is_30_happy_birthday_musical_instrument_digital_interface/ Happy birthday MIDI 1.0: Slave to the rhythm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171026002557/http://www.theregister.co.uk/Print/2013/08/26/part_two_midi_spec_1_is_30_happy_birthday_musical_instrument_digital_interface/ |date=2017-10-26 }}, ''[[The Register]]''</ref>

The spread of MIDI on personal computers was facilitated by Roland's [[MPU-401]], released in 1984. It was the first MIDI-equipped PC [[sound card]], capable of MIDI sound processing<ref name="emusician-mpu"/> and sequencing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.piclist.com/techref/io/serial/midi/mpu.html|title=Programming the MPU-401|website=www.piclist.com|access-date=5 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506080336/http://www.piclist.com/techref/io/serial/midi/mpu.html|archive-date=6 May 2017}}</ref><ref>[ftp://ftp.oldskool.org/pub/drivers/Roland/MPU-401%20technical%20reference%20manual.pdf MIDI PROCESSING UNIT MPU-401 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL], [[Roland Corporation]]</ref> After Roland sold MPU [[sound chip]]s to other sound card manufacturers,<ref name="emusician-mpu">[http://www.textfiles.com/music/midi-em.txt MIDI INTERFACES FOR THE IBM PC] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151021050032/http://textfiles.com/music/midi-em.txt |date=2015-10-21 }}, ''[[Electronic Musician]]'', September 1990</ref> it established a universal standard MIDI-to-PC interface.<ref>Peter Manning (2013), [https://books.google.com/books?id=ryet1i-8OlYC ''Electronic and Computer Music''], page 319, [[Oxford University Press]]</ref> Following the widespread adoption of MIDI, computer-based [[Comparison of MIDI editors and sequencers|MIDI software sequencers]] were developed.<ref name="russ2012"/>