Ludography
Music Construction Set cover

1984 · Will Harvey · Rhythm

Music Construction Set

Compose and play a musical score using an easy graphical interface and toolkit. Use a pointer to drag notes, sharps, and other music nomenclature directly onto a staff, then play your creation. You can cut, copy, and paste entire sections of music, as well as print your masterpiece.

Released
1984
Platforms
Apple IIApple IIGSAtari 8-bitCommodore C64/128/MAXMS-DOS
Genres
Rhythm
Developers
Will Harvey
Publishers
Electronic Arts
Themes
Educational

About

Will Harvey's Music Construction Set (MCS) is a music composition notation program designed by Will Harvey for the Apple II and published by Electronic Arts in 1983. Harvey wrote the original Apple II version in assembly language when he was 15 and in high school. MCS was conceived as a tool to add music to his previously published game, an abstract shooter called Lancaster for the Apple II.

Music Construction Set was ported to the Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, IBM PC compatibles (as a self-booting disk), and the Atari ST. Two years later, in 1986, Will Harvey released a port for the 16-bit Apple IIGS, using its advanced sound. Also that year, a redesigned version for the Amiga and Macintosh was released as Deluxe Music Construction Set.

Keywords

  • user generated content
  • music and rhythm

Media

Music Construction Set screenshot 1

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Development

Harvey described Music Construction Set as an accident. While working on video game Lancaster for the Apple II, the teenager wanted to add music to it. After learning the basics of music theory from others on his high school choir, Harvey asked professional musicians what they wanted in music-composition software.

Reception

II Computing listed Music Construction Set third on the magazine's list of top Apple II education software as of late 1985, based on sales and market-share data. Music Construction Set sold over a million units.

Ahoy! stated that despite some limitations, Music Construction Set for the Commodore 64 "will aid both experienced songwriters and dedicated novices alike. It's a powerful music processor and a joy to use". InfoWorld's Essential Guide to Atari Computers recommended the game among educational software for the Atari 8-bit.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
MS-DOS31 December 1983Worldwide
Commodore C64/128/MAX31 December 1983Worldwide
Apple II31 December 1983Worldwide
Atari 8-bit31 December 1983Worldwide
Apple IIGS31 December 1986Worldwide

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Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.