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My Tandy 1000SX running Sequencer Plus Mark III with Roland MPU-401 Interface at WBRA Television Studios - December 1987
My Tandy 1000SX running Voyetra Sequencer Plus Mark III with Roland MPU-401 Interface at WBRA Television Studios - December 1987

Voyetra Technologies

Sequencer Plus - Conversion Plus - Patch Master Plus - Sideman DTX - OP-4000/1

1987 Product Catalog


In the late 1980s, I became aware of MIDI and the burgeoning use of personal computers for music composition and production. The premier product at that time for the IBM-compatible platform was Sequencer Plus, offered by Voyetra Technologies.

Voyetra started out in 1975 as Octave Electronics, manufacturers of the CAT series of analog synthesizers. In 1979 the company merged with Plateau Electronics to become Octave-plateau Electronics, then in June 1986 renamed itself Voyetra Technologies to better identify the company with its flagship product, the ground-breaking Voyetra Eight polyphonic analog synthesizer. Voyetra also showed a MIDI guitar at the 1985 NAMM show that was never seen again.

I jumped into the new world of MIDI sequencing and with my Radio Shack IBM-compatible Tandy 1000SX computer and Voyetra software, starting on my career as a 'Computer Composer' which continues to this day. In the 1980s, this was such a novelty that a local newspaper wrote an article about me entitled 'Computer Composer', and thanks to the help of Maureen Eiger, I was incredibly fortunate to be the subject of several music videos produced by the local PBS television station, WBRA.

I was teaching a class on recording technology at Virginia Western Community College when Voyetra rolled out Sequencer Plus Mark III. I was so impressed with the latest version of their software that I wrote a letter to the company, and was included as a 'User Endorsement' in the 1987 catalog, reproduced below.

Ultimately I used Sequencer Plus Mark III as the primary production tool of my first album, "Picture This." After moving to Los Angeles in the early 1990s I jumped on the Apple bandwagon, but to this day I believe that the original Sequencer Plus Mark III is the fastest music sequencing software ever made. Almost everything could be done with keyboard shortcuts, so no "mousing around" was required. For me, the platform was very creative, and I felt no limitations.

One of my personal highlights was giving a presentation at Talmadge Hall at Hollins University (then Hollins College) on computer music production, on October 18, 1989, entitled "The Impact of Music Technology on Composition: selections from the album Picture This", with my piano teacher, Elma Swain, in attendance. Sadly Elma Swain passed away in 2017, but I will be forever indebted to her for her immense patience with me. Every day I am blessed by the gift of music that she gave to me.

Links to more information:
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WBRA-TV Television: 'Festival Fillers' Featuring Wayne Joness - December 1987