Beatnik Plug-In User's Guide v1.1

Contents

1: An Introduction to Beatnik 2: Beatnik Plug-In Installation and Set Up
3: Getting Started with the Beatnik Plug-In
4: Basic Authoring with Beatnik
5: Frequently Asked Questions

6: Troubleshooting

1: An Introduction to Beatnik

About the Beatnik Web Music System

The Beatnik system consists of three parts-the Beatnik Editor, the Beatnik Plug-in, and the Beatnik Web Site. The Beatnik Editor can import music and sound in a variety of industry-standard file formats and customize it for efficient delivery over the Internet. The Beatnik Plug-in loads into Internet browsers on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms and manages playback. The Beatnik Web Site is a place for musicians and Web content designers to meet, download example source code, and showcase their work .

File formats which can be imported by the Beatnik Editor include WAV, AIFF, au, SDII, and standard MIDI files. The Beatnik Editor outputs music in Headspace's Rich Music Format (RMF). RMF files allow for music to be integrated with digital audio while keeping minimal file size and platform independence. The music can then be heard with consistent fidelity on any Web browser equipped with the Beatnik Plug-in. The Beatnik Editor may also be used to import samples to create unique instruments, freeing the composer from the limitations of the General MIDI instrument bank. The Beatnik editor even allows for "watermarking" of RMF files, enabling a user to embed copyright information (with 40-bit data encryption) without altering the quality or sound of the music.

The Beatnik Plug-in is a driver which manages the playback of RMF and other audio files within Web browsers. The greatest strengths of the Beatnik Plug-in are its high fidelity and its potential for interactivity. The sound quality is comparable to high-end PC wavetable sound cards even though the processing is entirely software-based. The potential for interactivity results from Beatnik's support of a comprehensive set of JavaScript functions, which allow for a richer and more personalized musical experience than other multimedia delivery solutions. Beatnik allows a Web page to play music not only on opening, but also on an event such as a "mouse click" or "mouse over." These events can also trigger individual notes, sampled voices, or sound effects; start or stop music; and change tempo, volume, pitch, or mix. This is revolutionary in that it allows and even encourages direct musical interactions with Web pages, instead of the current use of the Internet as a playback-only system.

Key Features

2: Beatnik Plug-In Installation and Set Up

System Requirements

In order to run the Beatnik Plug-In on a Macintosh you will need:
In order to run the Beatnik Plug-In under Windows 95 you will need:
Please Note: Beatnik will not run correctly with Microsoft Internet Explorer or versions of Netscape Navigator prior to 3.0.

Installing the Beatnik Plug-In on a Windows 95 System

You are ready to use the Beatnik Plug-In! For a quick test, point your browser at http://www.headspace.com/beatnik/?plug-in/?test.html You should hear music as soon as the file is finished downloading. You will also find links to Thomas Dolby's Beatnik Walkthrough and other Beatnik resources. If you do not hear music, please see the troubleshooting section at the end of this file.


Installing the Beatnik Plug-In on a MacOS System

When you downloaded the Beatnik Plug-In an installer was created called "Beatnik Plug-In Installer."

You are ready to use the Beatnik Plug-In! For a quick test, point your browser to http://www.headspace.com/beatnik/?plug-in/?test.html You should hear music as soon as the file is finished downloading. You will also find links to Thomas Dolby's Beatnik Walkthrough and other Beatnik resources. If you do not hear music, please see the troubleshooting section at the end of this file.

What Was Installed on your Macintosh



3: Getting Started with the Beatnik Plug-In

Basic Controls

Once you've completed installation, you're ready to hear some music. Point your browser at a Web page which contains either an RMF file, a MIDI file or a sound file, and you should begin hearing music as soon as the file has finished downloading. Try http://www.headspace.com/beatnik/?plug-in/?test.html

Is music playing? If not, check the troubleshooting section at the end of this document. If you're hearing music, then you're ready to check out some of the Plug-In's other controls:

To quickly mute and un-mute the music, click on the small speaker icon on the top right of the Beatnik Control Panel.

Clicking on the lower portion of the plug-in will toggle between showing the oscilloscope and showing a set of meters.

Pull-Down Menu

Right-clicking (Windows) or click-and-holding (Mac) on the Beatnik logo will pop up a menu with various choices and functions: read copyright information, get more information about Beatnik, get help, change the level of the music, or toggle the Control Panel between System and Song displays.

Types of Display

When the Control Panel is in System Display mode (the default mode, which you can change from the pop-up menu), you can switch between seeing an LED display or an oscilloscope display by clicking on the bottom half of the Control Panel. Both the oscilloscope and the meters monitor the TOTAL AUDIO OUTPUT of the Beatnik synthesizer; if more than one file is playing, the display shows the merged output of all files.

When the Control Panel is in Song Display mode, basic information is displayed about the song currently playing. There are also three standard transport-style buttons which can Stop, Start or Pause the music. All of the information in Song Display mode is specific to a single file; the song information refers to the specific file playing, and the transport buttons will affect only that file.

Now that you're familiar with the basic controls of the Plug-In, you can take a more complete tour of Beatnik's advanced features. Take Thomas Dolby's Beatnik Walkthrough by pointing your Web browser to http://www.headspace.com/beatnik/?doc/authoring/walkthrough/

4: Basic Authoring with Beatnik

Individual files

The simplest kind of authoring for Beatnik is to embed a single MIDI, sound, or RMF file in a Web page.

If you put this html in your page:

<EMBED SRC="your-file.rmf" TYPE="audio/rmf" WIDTH=144 HEIGHT=60 DISPLAY=SYSTEM MODE=METERS AUTOSTART=TRUE LOOP=TRUE>

then as soon as "your-file.rmf" has finished downloading it will begin playing music,

which will loop as long as the user stays on the page. The Beatnik Control Panel will be shown and will have the meters flashing along in time with the music. You can use this same syntax to play a MOD or WAV file by changing TYPE ="audio/rmf" to the appropriate format, e.g. TYPE ="audio/MOD" or TYPE = "audio/WAV".

The default display for the Plug-In is in system mode showing the oscilloscope. You can change this by adding the following statements to the above syntax:

MODE=SCOPE will display the oscilloscope
MODE=METERS will display the meters
DISPLAY=SYSTEM will show the Plug-In in system mode
DISPLAY=SONG will show the Plug-In in song mode

If you prefer to have the Plug-In invisible, then use this html:

<EMBED SRC="your-file.rmf" TYPE="audio/rmf" WIDTH=2 HEIGHT=2 HIDDEN AUTOSTART=TRUE LOOP=TRUE>

and music will play and loop, but the Beatnik Control Panel will not be shown. Be aware that if you choose to have the Plug-In be hidden, the user will have no way to stop, start or mute the music.

GroovoidsTM

The Beatnik Plug-In has a set of 50 short RMF files called GroovoidsTM built in to its memory ready for you to use. These files are appropriate for adding simple user-interface sounds to a Web page, and have the advantage of being able to play instantaneously. No download time at all! Add click sounds to your buttons, cash register sounds to your download page, teletype sounds to your streaming ticker-tapes, or a fanfare to your home page.

Due to an oversight in the way Netscape handles JavaScript, you must have a 'stub' MIDI file embedded in your page for GroovoidsTM to work correctly. You can use any MIDI or RMF file. If there is already an appropriate file embedded in the page, this step is not necessary.

Some simple GroovoidTM examples:

For a horn fanfare when users arrive at your page:

<EMBED SRC="stub.rmf" GROOVOID="Fanfare-Horserace" TYPE="audio/rmf" WIDTH=2 HEIGHT=2 HIDDEN AUTOSTART=TRUE>

To play a click sound when users mouse-click on a graphic called "button.gif":

<EMBED SRC="stub.rmf" TYPE="audio/rmf" NAME=musicPlugin WIDTH=2 HEIGHT=2 HIDDEN AUTOSTART=TRUE LOOP=TRUE>
<A HREF="javascript:document.musicPlugin.play (false,'groovoid://UI-SimpleClick1')"> <IMG SRC="button.gif" WIDTH=80 HEIGHT=15 BORDER=0></A>

To play a chime when a download is finished:

<BODY ONLOAD="document.musicPlugin.play (false,'groovoid://UI-Chimes')"> <EMBED SRC="stub.rmf" TYPE="audio/rmf" NAME=musicPlugin WIDTH=2 HEIGHT=2 HIDDEN AUTOSTART=TRUE LOOP=TRUE>

For a full list of GroovoidsTM and complete specifications for their use, check the full Beatnik Authoring Specifications at http://www.headspace.com/beatnik/doc/?authoring/groovoids.html

Single MIDI Events

You can also trigger MIDI events directly without the need for an embedded file.

For example, a mouse click on an anchor link will play a piano note.....

<A HREF="#anchor-in-this-document" ONCLICK="with (document.musicPlugin) {setProgram (1,0); playNote (1,60,64,2000)}">my anchor</A>

....on MIDI channel 1, at C4, with medium velocity (ie. 64), for 2000
milliseconds (ie. 2 seconds)

For more elaborate Beatnik authoring help, examples, and source code, please see the complete in-depth authoring documentation currently available at http://www.headspace.com/beatnik/doc/


5: Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is Beatnik?

Beatnik is a system for creating and delivering high-quality interactive music and sound on Web pages.

Q. Does Beatnik work with Microsoft Internet Explorer?

In a limited way. IE has yet to fully implement Netscape's JavaScript and HTML extensions, though that is coming.

Q. What platforms does it run on?

The Beatnik Plug-in works with Netscape Navigator 3.0 and Netscape Communicator, on both Windows 95/NT and Macintosh PowerPC platforms. We do not do Windows 3.1 or 68k Macs.

The Beatnik Editor is PowerMac only. There is no date available for a Windows editor.

Q. What file formats does Beatnik support?

MIDI, WAV, AIFF, au, Sound Designer II, MOD, and RMF (Rich Music Format.)

Q. What is RMF?

RMF (Rich Music Format) is a hybrid file type that encapsulates MIDI and audio samples along with some interactive performance settings plus encrypted copyright data.

Q. How do you make an RMF file?

With the beatnik Editor.

Q. Is RMF an open standard?

Not at this time.

Q. What copyright protection does RMF offer?

You can encode 40-bit encrypted copyright and licensing information into a file, and it can be easily displayed anywhere an RMF file plays. It will help a publisher or composer keep track of who is using their music.

Q. Will Headspace support DLS (the proposed MIDI Manufacturers Assn. standard for downloadable samples)?

Once it is approved, we intend to support it. RMF is an umbrella for common standard file types. As new ones become popular, we will add support for them.

Q. How much of the CPU overhead does the Plug-in take?

Around 1% per voice on a Pentium 100. Typically, it takes 25-30% total. You can keep this figure down through the judicious use of reverb, polyphony, and realtime controllers.

Q. What is this--MIDI?

Beatnik can play Standard MIDI files (SMF), and includes a General MIDI (GM) software synthesizer. The Editor imports SMF's from any MIDI sequencer that can export them. You can also trigger individual MIDI notes or events from a simple HTML tag right in your Web page. But while Beatnik leverages the economy of MIDI, you can extend its power by using custom sounds, and are not limited to the GM sound set. Also, you are guaranteed the playback fidelity across any of the 5 platforms we support through any 16-bit audio card or DAC, unlike MIDI which has unpredictable results on different systems.

Q. Is this streaming audio?

Beatnik can stream a linear audio file. However, we have no advantage over Real Audio in that area, and we tend to appeal to people who want more musical control and better sound quality than one would get with streamed audio.

Q. What's the difference between Beatnik and Real Audio?

Beatnik is to streaming audio what Hypertext is to a scanned page of text. RMF (beatnik) data is more compact, more malleable, more scalable, and more interactive. Streaming audio is great for playing low-resolution linear files on the Net in a simple start-and-stop manner. But Beatnik allows you to do true sound design for Web sites, with as much finesse as you would apply when you post-produce a video or TV clip. Also, Real Audio requires expensive server-side software, and many ISP's do not support it; whereas Beatnik can be hosted from any server without additional cost.

NB: With good authoring, Beatnik can do CD-quality (16 bit stereo 44.1k) audio over a regular phone line. This is because its standard samples are already on the client side.

Q. Why is Beatnik better than LiveAudio/LiveUpdate Crescendo?

These other technologies just play notes, not sounds. Because they rely on each individual PC's sound card, GM sound set or QuickTime Musical Instrument set, their sound generation capabilities are not consistent. Beatnik, on the other hand, sounds exactly the same on each platform we support (Windows 95 and NT, Macintosh PowerPC) so the musician has the assurance his music will sound 'right' every time. Author once, play anywhere.

Q. What's the difference between Beatnik and Yamaha MIDPLUG/SoftSynth?

They are both software wavetable synthesizers. Both feature reverb and chorus effects. Beatnik, however, has roughly half the footprint and double the performance of MIDPLUG. In addition, both Beatnik and MIDPLUG include a GM sound bank plus custom sounds, but the Beatnik Editor allows the composer to add his/her own custom samples in standard WAV or AIFF formats. This allows a greater degree of control over the sound of a song, which could even include human voices (impossible with MIDPLUG ). In fact, whole songs can be created in Beatnik using only unique custom samples. It is this ability that has made the MOD format popular, especially in Europe, but MODs are very hard to author, and are limited to four voices.

In addition, the Beatnik Plug-in, with its 44 callable JavaScript methods, can respond to a user's activities while listening. In this way, a complex musical experience can be designed using any graphical front-end, such as a Java applet or Shockwave movie. Beatnik is therefore an environment for all sorts of musical application development.

Q. What are 'Groovoids'TM?

GroovoidsTM are tiny files which play useful sound effects, fanfares, bumpers, flurries, and 'music on hold' loops. (50 GroovoidsTM ship within the Beatnik Plug-in.) This means that any Web client can trigger any GroovoidTM with a simple line of HTML code, without initiating a slow download over a phone line. Beatnik can therefore instantly respond to clicks, mouseovers, links, and 'submit' buttons.

Q. What does the Beatnik Editor do?

It manages Beatnik sound banks and imports user samples; it edits instruments settings such as LFO's for vibrato, ADSR for volume shaping, and filters to adjust the tone; it imports and manages Standard MIDI Files; it allows the addition of tamper-proof Copyright and Licensing info; and you can save out your work as a Beatnik Session or as an RMF file with several compression and playback options.

Q. What's a Standalone?

You can create a self-executing Beatnik Standalone that includes just the MIDI notes plus the required samples. The result is a double-clickable Macintosh file that pops open a neat control panel (such as the Beatnik Preview). You can distribute this on a floppy disk, attach it to an email, or put it on your Web page for download.

Q. How is Beatnik 'interactive'?

Any piece of music can respond to user input and change its tempo, key, instrumentation, mix, or song structure. Multiple themes can be layered. Individual notes, events and sound effects can be triggered from user input. Scripts can be written to randomize or step through multiple pieces of music, keeping the user experience fresh every time.

Q. How does one create these interactions?

It is largely a function of good authoring. There are some shortcuts, which you can learn through our documentation. Headspace also supplies example source code which you can borrow. Basically, the HTML in a Web page can issue a JavaScript statement, and Beatnik has a set of 44+ musical functions that can respond to these JavaScript commands.

Q. Who creates interactions, the composer or the Websmith?

Either. Ideally, the musician creates not only linear music files, but also a range of alternatives, variations, and interchangeable short themes. He supplies these to the Websmith, who then writes HTML code to integrate them into the Web page. Please note, however, that with virtually no programming at all, you can simply embed a music file in a Web page and use it as a great-sounding background track.

Q. Can you talk to Beatnik from another Netscape plug-in such as Shockwave?

Any Netscape plug-in that is LiveConnect enabled-meaning one which can issue JavaScript statements-can talk to the Beatnik Plug-in. So, for example, you could build a Shockwave mixer panel with sliders and knobs, and use Beatnik to play the music.

Q. How does Beatnik relate to Java?

You can use a Java applet as a graphical 'front end' for Beatnik. We would like companies programming in Java (whose core competence lies outside of sound) to promote Beatnik as a recommended way to do sound. Beatnik is the ideal audio resource to use as a compliment to other technologies.

Q. Does Beatnik do algorithmic variations, like Koan? Does it make stylistic choices like auto-accompaniment keyboards?

No. With Beatnik, the composer is always responsible for the musical form.


6: Troubleshooting

General Beatnik Plug-In Troubleshooting

For the most up-to-date troubleshooting information, check http://www.headspace.com/beatnik/?plug-in/?troubleshooting.html

If you have installed the Plug-In and linked to a page that has a supported file type (e.g. http://www.headspace.com/beatnik/plug-in/test.html), and are not hearing music
Do you see the Beatnik Plug-In display? If not, you probably have a Netscape installation problem. Try quitting and re-launching Netscape. Then check that the mime types are set correctly in the Options/General Preferences/Helpers dialogue box. See the "Installation" section at the beginning of this document for detailed help on setting mime types.

If you see the plug-in display, click on it. Are the meters moving? Is the oscilloscope display moving around? If so, then the problem is probably with your hardware. Make sure your speakers are turned on and any necessary cables are connected. Make sure your system volume level is turned up. Make sure you are running the required version of Netscape Navigator (3.0). Does your computer meet the minimum system requirements?

If you are experiencing JavaScript error messages
Try reloading the document. If this does not work, try doing a 'power' reload by pressing the shift key (option key on Macs) while clicking the reload button.

If you are experiencing audio glitches
Try quitting other applications that use your system's sound and/or applications that are particularly CPU intensive. Glitches can also occur when using multiple windows with music played by Beatnik, or more than four simultaneous instances of Beatnik.

Macintosh Beatnik Plug-In Troubleshooting

Make sure you are using SoundManager 3.1 or later

If you are experiencing "Out of Memory" or similar messages in Netscape
Try increasing Navigator's RAM partition by 1.5 Mb. If you are playing a large number of files simultaneously the RAM requirements of Navigator can increase by as much as 1.5Mb, but this is not the case under normal conditions.

Turn off RAM Doubler and Virtual Memory

Windows 95 Beatnik Plug-In Troubleshooting

If the Plug-In fails to initialize at all
Check if you have any other apps running in the background which might be using Windows' WAV output device. To be safe, we recommend that you don't run audio/sound apps in the background.

To avoid possible cross over, you may want to remove your LiveAudio plug-in.
This is not necessary, but will ensure that the browser does not get confused if you install more audio plug-ins in the future. Note that every feature of LiveAudio is matched in Beatnik, so it will be backwards-compatible with content built for LiveAudio.