Music Software Express

Another part of the Starland Music company is a division called Music Software Express.  At the forefront of music technology in the 1980's, MSE pioneered many of the early links between keyboard instruments and computers.  This included software programs for Atari, Archimedes and the early PC computers, interfaces and computer systems such as Yamaha's CX5, software programs such as Notator and the early Cubase sequencers, and a myriad selection of MIDIfile albums.

Not content with being the UK's largest retailer of MIDI software, the team at MSE created a range of software programs for educational use.  As one of a handful of international developers for the Roland corporation, MSE became a major supplier of Roland GS software, and the UK's sole distributor of SoundSource software for pro synth players, Turbo software for electone enthusiasts, and SoundTrack software for young beginners.

SoundTrack software, developed by Dr Simon Foxall, pioneered interactive testing for music students, with a series of titles for early personal computers, called Keyboard Trainer, Rhythm Trainer, Theory Trainer and Music Trainer. 

This experience in the 1990's provided the MSE team with the expertise and understanding of how students, amateur enthusiasts and professional musicians use software to transmit their musical ideas through technology.

Although Music Software Express does not promote itself separately from Starland Music, the trading division, logo and distribution arrangements are still owned and run by Starland.  As so few retail companies had the technical support team that we have had, software manufacturers such as Sibelius, Steinberg, Cakewalk now have their own tech support departments, which has helped to bring software prices down to a fraction of the price in the 1980's. 

Many of our "We Think" reviews on software products have been written by Claire Dunford, Rob Whitehead and Mark Waterfield, with help from Richard Patt and others.  Team members such as Alex Byrd and Simon Young now run their own companies, and Kevin MacManus works for the R & D department for Yamaha, Japan.  Nick Kilby and Mark Waterfield who have been part of the team since 1989 still provide most of the advice for music teachers considering software network installations in school.