The Palette
How to use this applet:
First get the code and sound files.
(You can customize it with your own sound files if you don't like these.)
Then view this document's source to see an example of use. You can make the applet any size
you want. Even 1 x 1 if you want it to be nearly invisible.
Finally, look at the overviews below to see what the parameters do.
Mandatory Param Overview:
Each "Inst#File" must be accompanied by a "Inst#NumFiles",
"Inst#LowNote", and "Inst#MaxLen". There must be a "Inst0File", which
will be used as default. # must start at 0, and may increase up to 127.
Inst#File: String. Header for this instrument's sound files.
ie. use "str" if you have files named "str0.au", "str1.au",
"str2.au", etc. Note if this is an URL on a different server, Java
won't let you have it. Also Netscape won't be happy if you're using
the "file:" protocol.
Inst#NumFiles: 1 to 128. How many files for this instrument are there?
Inst#LowNote: 0 to 127. What MIDI note the first sound file
(ie. "str0.au") represents.
Inst#MaxLen: Positive integer. Length (in milliseconds) of the maximum
time these files should be played. If this is longer than the
length of the audio file, it will be looped.
Optional Param Overview:
Each "event#" must be accompanied by a "event#Arg" where, # starts at 0
and increments by 1 for each new event. These events are applied
consecutively. [If you skip a #, then events after that are ignored.]
Summary of what the event values do:
event# event#Arg
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
0 0 to 127. 127 is maximum repetition. 0 is maximum variation.
1 0 to 11. Transposition. Change the key.
2 10,30,50,70,90, or 110. One of 6 scales.
3 0 to 127. 127 is slowest tempo. 0 is quickest.
4 0 to 127. 127 is most regular rhythm.
5 0 to 127. 127 is densest rhythm.
6 0 to 127. 127 is longest line (longest rhythm).
17 0 to 127. 127 is maximum automatic parameter mutation. 0 means
no automatic parameter change.
-1 -1 to any positive number. Decides which layer is being
controlled. -1 controls all layers. 0 controls the 1st layer,
1 the 2nd, etc. If this is >= the number of layers, then a
new (inactive) layer is added.
10 0 or 1. 1 turns the current layer active. 0 makes it inactive.
7 0 to 127. 0 gives the current layer maximum dissonance.
14 0 to 127. 127 puts the current layer's pitch center as high
as possible. 0 puts it as low as possible.
8 0 to 127. 0 makes the current layer's pitch fall as fast as
possible. 127 makes it rise as fast as possible.
11 0 to 3. Transforms current layer's rhythm:
0: a steady beat
1: beats fall between the normal beats of current rhythm
2: a rhythm of a different period
3: no transformation
12 o to 127. Argument to the rhythm transformation, depending on
what was previously entered for 11:
0: 0 gives a fast steady beat. 127 gives a slow steady beat.
1: 64 means beats fall exactly halfway between. 32 is quarter
way. 127 means it's delayed to following beat.
2: 0 gives a short period. 127 a long period.
3: not used
9 0 to 127. Changes the instrument of the current layer to the
one matching this number.
Back to author's page.
Try the more extensive Windows version or get some MIDI files.
Great stuff from Eric M.
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