Not weird in any way, the answer in both cases is software, Cubase and Notator on Atari were miles ahead of anything else and people are still using them as Yamaha Cubase and Apple Logic (Notator).
Really better than anything else available at the time? Better than Bars & Pipes for the Amiga (the flat-out best MIDI only sequencer I have ever used)? I have never used Cubase or Notator, but I judging by these screen shots they seem relatively primitive compared to Bars & Pipes.
Cubase (Atari ST):
Notator (Atari ST):
Bars & Pipes (Amiga):
