Table Of Content

Dance eJay Installation

Gettin´ Started

The Samples

The Functions Explained Separately

The Recording Box

Key Commands

Notes For System Configuration

© PXD Media GmbH Stuttgart 1996-1997


Dance eJay Installation
        Installation

Windows 3.1 and higher

Insert the Dance eJay CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. Select File in the Program Manager. Select Execute in Menu Selection. Enter D:\EJAY.EXE (D: names the CD-ROM drive) and press OK button.

Windows ´95

Insert the Dance eJay CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive. When autostart is active, the Dance eJay will start automatically. When starting manually, select EXECUTE from the START menu, enter D:\EJAY.EXE (D: names the CD-ROM drive) and press OK button.

Dance eJay Setup

When starting the Dance eJay for the first time, the setup will show 3 options after the intro.

Quick Start

Quick Start is suitable for all high powered systems. The chosen installation path will only be used for temporary files

Minimal Installation (recommended)

Minimal installation places 55 MB of the data on hard disc. This results in an improved performance of the Dance eJay.

Full Installation

Full installation is recommended for very slow CD-ROM drives. Hard disc space required: 150 MB. The CD-ROM remains in the CD-ROM drive.

In each case a program group called "Dance eJay" with an icon for the Dance eJay and one for the Uninstall will be drawn up. With this program group the setup can also be started manually. Already existing versions must be Uninstalled in advance.


        Gettin´ Started

With the help of the Dance eJay you will create tomorrow´s dance hits with ease. After successful installation start the Dance eJay from the program group "Dance eJay". After the intro you see the Dance eJay´s main screen. From here you can choose any function directly.

When you start the Dance eJay the Start.Mix will be loaded automatically. Before you begin creating your own mixes, click Start and listen. This is the sound of the Dance eJay! By clicking on New you erase the Start.Mix. Now its time for your own first mix.

The loops are a good starting point. Click on the sound group Loop and you will see a part of all loops in the Sample Window. (you can scroll with the arrows on the right ). Choose a sample; by double clicking you can listen to it. If you like it, you can move it by pressing the mouse button while you drag it to one of the 8 tracks in the Play Window. With the right mouse button you can copy it there. Repeat the same procedure with samples from other sound groups and click Play. This is your first mix!

Create your own Dance Vision!


        The Samples

With over 1.000 samples it´s easy to loose track. But every sample has it´s own name, describing the sound. So it should be easy to keep an overview. In addition to the name, some samples are marked with a little star *. The number of the stars shows the tonality of the sample. All in all 4 different patterns were used in the production of the samples. So don´t worry when something sounds kind of strange, check the stars of the samples. A sample with ** usually does not fit to one with ****.Samples without stars are not affected by tonality.

Stereo samples are additionally marked with L for left or R for right. If this type of sample pair (for example: Soft Line **L and Soft Line **R) is put on track 7 and 8 it will be performed in stereo.

Samples on track 7 are played back in the left speaker, samples on track 8 on the right speaker. Crazy stereo effects can be created this way. All other tracks are played back on both speakers.


        The Functions Explained Separately

Listening to single Samples

You can listen to samples in the Sample Window or directly on the tracks by double clicking.

Select several samples

By clicking on several samples while holding down the Shift button or by selecting an area you can choose more than one sample.

Moving samples

With the left mouse button you can move one sample or a selected group of

samples.

Copying samples

With the right mouse button you are able to copy one sample or a selected group of samples. Another way to copy: hold down the Alt button while moving a sample.

Erasing samples

The Erase button turns your cursor into a little eraser. With this tool you are able to erase samples from the tracks. To de-activate the eraser, just press Erase once more. Another way to erase: Drop the sample out of the track area.

Automatic Position Helper

The samples you move from the Sample Window to one of the tracks are automatically placed on the next bar. If you want to place a sample between bars (useful when using imported samples), move them while holding down the Ctrl button (Position sample by 16th notes).

Sound Group Buttons

With the buttons on the left next to the Sample Window you can choose the different sound groups. In the Sample Window you will now see a part of the samples from the chosen sound group. You can scroll using the arrows on the right next to the Sample Window.

Bar Display

The Bar Display shows where in the mix you are currently at. The Play Window shows only part of the song. The numbers to the left and right of the Bar Display show you where you are in the song. The red number and the line which moves over the audio tracks show your current position. If you want to change your position in the song just click on the Bar number that you want; this number then turns red, showing the new song position. By double clicking on any Bar number, that number automatically goes to the left hand side of the bar display. By double clicking on the outside Bar numbers (either left or right) you move the displayed section in the play window 22 bars in either direction.

Loop

Repeats the playback of your mix from beginning to end.

Save

Saves the current mix on hard disc. With Load you can load it again any time.

Load

Loads a mix from hard disc or CD-ROM.

Name of the mix

The name of the current mix is shown in the window above the sound group buttons.

New

Erases the current mix from the Play Window. There are no samples left on the tracks now and you can start your next mix.

Import

With the import function you are able to import your own samples. Press the Import button and the Windows File Selector opens up. Select a Wave sample (with the extension .wav) and press OK for confirmation. The imported sample is now shown in the sound group WAVE.

Filing of Import Samples (Waves)

Imported Samples can be filed into the Sound Groups by your choice. Therefore you drag the Import Sample to one of the ten Sound Group Buttons on the left. (For example: an imported Loop from the Sound Group WAVE can be moved to the Sound Group LOOP.)

Export

With the export function you are able to save your Dance eJay mix as an audio file, it can be played back with all standard sound programs. Press the Export button and the Windows File Selector opens up. Enter the file name and confirm with OK. The Dance eJay now saves your mix as a stereo file in Wave format.

Sorting of the Samples in the Sample Window

The samples in the Sample Window can be sorted after different criterions. A click on the right mouse button show the options:

Sorting: none

Sorting: Alphabetical Order (sample names)

Sorting: Harmonies ( Number of *)

Sorting: Length (Length of the sample)


The Recording Box
        Recording Box

With the Recording Box you are able to make your own recordings with ease. Because most sound cards are not able to record and play back at one time, you will not hear your mix while recording. To make sure that you sing or rap in time you will hear a click like a metronome from your system speakers.

By clicking on REC (next to Volume) the Recording Box opens up in the Sample Window.

Before recording with the Recording Box, a microphone must first be connected to the sound card. The recording button starts the recording. The optical and acoustic metronome counts in 4 beats (1 bar), the recording starts with the 5th beat.

Stop, ends the recording. To listen to your first attempt click Play. When you are satisfied with a recording, save it on hard disc in Wave format. You now find the recording in the Sound Group WAVE. From there you are able to integrate the sample into your mix. If you don´t like the recording, just click the recording button once more and try a second take. The first recording will be erased.


        Key Commands

Ctrl+O	Load Mix

Ctrl+S	Save Mix

Ctrl+N	New Mix

Ctrl+D	Eraser

Ctrl+I	Wave Import

Ctrl+E	Wave Export

Ctrl+Z	Undo

Ctrl+C	Copy Samples

Ctrl+V	Insert samples

Ctrl+X	Cut samples

Ctrl+A	Mark all samples

Shift+Mouse	Select samples

Ctrl+Mouse	Position sample by 16th notes

Alt+Mouse	Copy sample

Del	Delete marked samples

Space	Play/Stop

Arrow left	Rewind

Arrow right	Fast forward


        Notes for system configuration

Installation

If you have a single/double-speed CD-ROM drive, a Full Installation is recommended.

For faster CD-ROM drives a Minimal Installation is usually sufficient.

Quick Start saves samples on hard disc while playing. This way the transfer of the files happens gradually, while the Minimal Installation saves the files on hard disc at once.

Screen resolution

The Dance eJay runs in 640x480, 800x600 and 1024x768 in full screen (there are screen filling graphics for each resolution). You can work with 256 color mode, High Color or True Color.

If your PC only has 8 MB-RAM memory, the resolution 640x480 with 256 colors is recommended.

Especially for Windows 3.1/3.11 256 color mode is recommended.

Import of Wave files

The Dance eJay is also able to play back Wave files. You can import standard Waves with 11/22/44 kHz, 8Bit/16Bit, mono. From stereo files only the left channel will be played back.

Trouble shooting

The Dance eJay was successfully tested on a lot of systems. Errors were not found on Win NT 4.0, Win NT 3.51, OS2/Warp (Win/OS2) and Win3.1 in standard mode. But problems may occur on disadvantageous system configurations and on PCs with 8 MB RAM because of the low memory.(Especially Win 3.1/3.11). Here a good result is usually attained by lowering the screen resolution to 640/480 and using only 256 colors.

Error Note: Sound Start Error

The note Sound Start Error means that either there is no sound card in the PC or that the sound card has not been installed in Windows correctly. Check if your sound card is available under Windows and if necessary, install the sound card once again.

Error Note: Memory Error

Memory Error means that the memory of your PC is too low. Check if there is enough capacity for the virtual memory of Windows or if the virtual memory has been de-activated.

Quit all other programs.

Reduce the screen resolution and the color depth of your graphic card.

Error Note: Play Error

Play Error means that the performance of your PC does not allow the play back of all 8 tracks. Please call up Setup from the program group "Dance eJay once more for a Minimal or Full Installation.