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MUSIC X Typed by RON of LAG. Edited by PARASITE. NOTE: If the illustrations look odd, its because this document was full of control codes, so dont blame me! SEQUENCER PAGE OVERVIEW The Sequencer Page can be considered the primary page in Music-X; Music-X's primary job is to be a MIDI sequencer, and the Sequencer Page contains the features that allow it to do that. The basic idea behind a MIDI sequencer is to provide a way for a composer to record instrument parts one by one, edit them to satisfaction, and play them back together on MIDI instruments. This is analogous to a multi-track tape recorder, but it goes far beyond the analogy. There are many different approaches to assembling a piece of music with a sequencer. Some people prefer to record each instrument on its own sequence "top to bottom", that is, for the whole length of the song. Other people like to overdub all the instruments onto a single sequence the length of one section, and then append various sections to make the song. Music-X was written to accommodate everybody. A sequence may be as long as the whole piece (up to 4096 measures), or as short as one measure, and may contain the data for one instrument or all the instruments. A sequence may also contain events that play other sequences. Up to twenty sequences may be playing at any one time, and there are 250 empty sequences to work with. By combining these attributes, any modality for composing music on a sequencer can be emulated. Some of the various modalities are covered in more detail, in the Advanced Users chapter. The rest of this chapter describes, in detail, the functions available in the Sequencer Page, roughly in the order that they are found on the screen, left to right, top to bottom. TITLE BAR The Title Bar is found along the top of all pages in Music-X to remind one where one is. "MUSIC-X" is always written at the left end of the Title Bar. At the right end, the title of the current page is written; in the Sequencer Page, this will be "SEQUENCER". In the Sequencer Page, the name of the current performance will appear written after the abbreviation PERF:, in the middle of the title bar. For example, "Perf:MySong.Perf". This name changes when a new performance is loaded or when the current performance is saved using a new and different name. The Title Bar becomes the Menu Bar whenever the right mouse button is pressed. The Menu Bar contains the titles of menus that can be accessed by moving the mouse pointer to the menu title as you continue to hold the right mouse button down. (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Load Performance) (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Save Performance) MODEMENU The Mode menu is found in each of the four main pages in Music-X. By choosing the four pages listed in the Mode menu, one moves about in Music-X. Additional pages are accessible only from within the main pages, using other menus or screen controls. Below are descriptions of the menu items found in the Mode menu, including short descriptions of the main pages and any ancillary pages accessible. ABOUT MUSIC-X This menu item brings up a window that shows the Author of Music-X, and the author and title of the current performance in memory. If you have previously set your song's title and author, they will appear in this window. Clicking the left mouse button, or pressing any key, closes this window. (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Set Author Name) SUSPEND (RightAmiga-"." from the keyboard) ************************************* * Music-X Operation Suspended. * * Serial Port is now available. * * ************** * * * RESUME * * * ************** * ************************************* Illustration 6.2: Suspend Prompt. MIDI uses serial port. To maintain data integrity, Music-X takes over the serial port and locks out other programmes. If you need to temporarily use the serial port for another application (for instance, a telecommunications programme), you can suspend Music-X by choosing this menu item. As long as this window is showing, Music-X is suspended. When you are finished, click RESUME or press the RETURN key to resume the Music-X session. SEQUENCER (RightAmiga-"S" from the keyboard) Choosing this menu item will get you back to the Sequencer Page from any of the other three main pages where the Mode menu is available (Filters Page, Amiga Samples Page, Librarian Page). The Sequencer Page is used to record, edit, and play musical sequences. The Bar Editor and Event Editor Pages are accessible from this page as well. SET FILTERS (RightAmiga-"F" from the keyboard) This is how you get to the Filters Page, from which you may also access the Keymap Editor Page. These pages are used to reroute or reinterpret incoming MIDI data. AMIGA SAMPLES (RightAmiga-"A" from the keyboard) This is how you get to the Amiga Samples Page, where you load, manipulate, and save sounds for the internal Amiga voices. LIBRARIAN (RightAmiga-"L" from the keyboard) This is how you get to the Librarian Page. From there you can send and receive system-exclusive patch data for any synthesizers or MIDI devices that you have connected to your system. QUIT (RightAmiga-"Q" from the keyboard) Choosing this menu item will quit Misic-X and return to the Amiga Workbench. Be sure to save your music before quitting if needed. (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Save Performance) A safety prompt will appear to prevent you from leaving the programme by accident. If you change your mind, click NO and you will be safely returned to Music-X. If you indeed want to quit, click YES or press RETURN key. Music-X will graciously return the memory to your Amiga's Operating System. ************************************ * Do you really want to * * QUIT Music-X ? * * ******** ******** * * * NO * * YES * * * ******** ******** * ************************************ Illustration 6.3: Quit Safety Prompt FILEMENU A File menu is found in every page in Music-X. Each page can load and save disk files relevant to its particular function. The Sequencer Page is unique, however, in that it can also Load, Save, and Merge Performance files. A single Performance file can contain all the files as would be saved by each page individually. These component files in a Performance file are called "subfiles". A list of the various subfile types is found below under the description of the SAVE PERFORMANCE function. When you boot Music-X by double clicking on its icon in the Workbench, Music-X looks on the Music-X Programme disk for a performance file called "Default.Perf". It then loads this performance file and finishes booting itself. By rewriting the default performance file, you can have Music-X boot in any configuration you want. You can also boot Music-X by double clicking on the icon of one of its performance files. In this case, the chosen performance file is loaded instead of the default performance file. Following are descriptions of the items found in the Sequencer Page / File Menu. MERGE PERFORMANCE Choosing this menu item loads a previously saved performance file into memory from disk, without first erasing the sequences currently in memory. Sequences being merged in from the new performance file will overwrite only those current sequences occupying the list positions that they use. (This is similar to the "Merge to Front" function found commonly in paint programmes). Any old sequences not rewritten by the loading of the new performance file will still be in memory after the merge. Any other subfiles (Libraries, Keymaps, etc) in the new performance file will be loaded during the merge as well. If you need more control over the transporting of sequences between performance files, then Load or Save the sequences individually. (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Load Sequence (below)) (See Bar Editor / File Menu / Load) (See Bar Editor / File Menu / Save_ LOAD PERFORMANCE (RightAmiga-"P" from the keyboard) This menu item is used to Load a previously saved performance file into memory from disk. Any subfiles, loaded with the performance file, overwrite the relevant data in Music-X. That is, if Keymap subfiles are present in the Performance file, they overwrite the current Keymaps in Music-X. Or, if Filter subfiles are present in the Performance file, they overwrite the current Filters in Music-X. Conversly, if a subfile is not present in the performance file, the relevant data remains unaffected. The two exceptions are with Sequence subfiles and Library subfiles. Unlike MERGE PERFORMANCE, LOAD PERFORMANCE erases all the old sequences and libraries in memory before loading the new performance file. Each time you load a new performance file, you should go to Librarian Page and check if any libraries were loaded with the performance, and if so, send them to the synthesizers in your system. (See "Save Performance" below for descriptions of the subfile types). After you chose LOAD PERFORMANCE, the file requester window will appear. Use this requester to locate the performance file you wish to load. (See File Requester chapter) If the Amiga runs out of memory loading a big performance file, Music-X will put up a "Not Enough Memory" prompt. If this happens, close any other programmes currently in the Amiga's memory, and try again. *Note: It is possible to load music written on other music programmes by first converting their files to Music-X performance files. Programmes are provided on the Music-X Utilities disk to do this. (See Advanced Users / File Conversions) SAVE PERFORMANCE (RightAmiga-"V" from the keyboard) A performance file is like a "snapshot" of the status of all the various Music-X pages. SAVE PERFORMANCE lets you save all the parameters in one composite file called a performance file. *Note: If you want to show off multiasking, try saving a performance while it is playing back. Choosing SAVE PERFORMANCE first calls the Subfile window, where you set which subfiles are to be included in the performance file. A list of subfile types is given with a switch for each. The default action is to save everything; all the switches are on and highlighted in light blue. *Note: If a subfile is NOT included in a performance-file save, then it will not be reloaded later and will not overwrite any related parameters at that time. After setting the subfile switches, clikc OK to close and Subfile window and continue to the SAVE PERFORMANCE File Requester, or press "O" for (O)K for "Y" for (Y)es. Or, if you decide against saving the performance file after all, click on CANCEL, or press "C" for (C)ANCEL or "N" for (N)o. Once you reach the File Requester, use it to locate the correct disk and directory. Then type in the name of your new performance file in the FILE: text box, and click OK to save the performance. Music-X will also create and save an icon for the performance file in the same directory as the performance file. Performance file icons look like music cassettes. The Default.perf icon in the Music-X programme disk is an example of a performance icon. (See File Requester chapter) *Note: Remember to back up your data disk at the end of the sequencing session. *********************************** * Save Performance * *********************************** * ((())) Sequences * * ((())) Libraries * * ((())) Filter Settings * * ((())) Keymaps * * ((())) Output Channels * * ((())) Sync Settings * * ((())) Time Parameters * * ((())) Sample Data * *********************************** * (OK) (CANCEL) * *********************************** Illustration 6.4: Subfile switches Following are descriptions of the subfile switches. SEQUENCES Any non-empty sequences are saved with the performance file if this switch is on. YOu could conceivably choose not to save sequences, if you were creating some sort of blank, template-type performance file with all the other parameters set up in a particular way; later, when reloading the template, any sequences in memory would not be erased, but the rest of the parameters would be reset. *Note: Individual Sequence files may be loaded and saved from the Editor Pages. (See Bar Editor / File Menu / Load) (See Bar Editor / File Menu / Save) The current Song Title and Author, as set with the SET AUTHOR NAME option in the File menu, are also saved in the performance file when the SEQUENCES switch is on. (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Set Author Name) LIBRARIES This subfile switch saves all patch libraries currently in memory. (Up to l0 libraries can be resident in memory at once). Later, when you load the performance file, the patches will be available to send to the synths from the Librarian Page. This allows repreduction of the specific external sounds you were using when you first created and saved your performance. *Note: Individual Library files may be loaded and saved from the Librarian Page. (See Librarian Page / File Menu / Load) (See Librarian Page / File Menu / Save) LIBRARIES This subfile switch saves all patch libraries currently in memory. (Up to l0 libraries can be resident in memory at once). Later, when you load the performance file, the patches will be available to send to the synths from the Librarian Page. This allows reproduction of the specific external sounds you were using when you first created and saved your performance. *Note: Individual Library files may be loaded and saved from the Librarian Page. (See Librarian Page / File Menu / Load) (See Librarian Page / File Menu / Save) FILTER SETTINGS This subfile switch causes the current settings for all l6 filters in the Filters Page to be saved with the performance file. Settings include the REMAP and ENABLE switch states, and the continuous slider positions. Keymaps are not included; they have their own switch (see below). *Note: Individual Filter files may be loaded and saved from the Filters Page. (See Filters Page / File Menu / Load) (See Filters Page / File Menu / Save) KEYMAPS This subfile switch causes the four Keymaps, created in the Keymap Editor Page and used by the Filters Page, to be saved with the performance file. *Note: Individual Keymap files may be loaded and saved from the Keymap Editor Page. (See Keymap Editor / File Menu / Load) (See Keymap Editor / File Menu / Save) OUTPUT CHANNELS When this switch is on, all the settings of the Sequencer Page / Sync Menu are saved in your performance file. This is handy if you use a drum machine or are doing film or video scoring. At reload, the old sync settings will be duplicated eliminating the need to manually reconfigure your system. The Audio Filter setting, as set in the Samples Page, is also saved in the performance file when the SYNC SETTINGS switch is on. (See Samples Page / Options Menu / Audio Filter) TIME PARAMETERS This switch saves the current master Tempo setting, the current master Time Signature setting, and the locations stores in the CUE buttons. (See Sequencer Page / Tempo Window) (See Sequencer Page / Time Signature Window) (See Sequencer Page / Tape Transport Window / CUE Buttons) SAMPLE DATA When this switch is on, any samples currently in memory will be saved along with your performance file. Sample data can use lots of disk memory. If you have a standard set of samples that you always use, then there is no need to keep resaving them with your performance files. You may wish instead to create a "sample template" performance file by first loading your favorite samples individually using the Samples Page, and then saving a performance file with all of the subfile switches turned off except SAMPLE DATA. Then you would only need to load that one performance file once, before playing any of the songs that use those samples. *Note: Individual Sample files may be loaded and saved from the Sample Page. (See Samples Page / File Menu / Load) (See Samples Page / File Menu / Save) LOAD SEQUENCE This item in the File menu is used to Load a sequence file from disk into the current sequence (highlighted in the sequence list), overwriting its previous contents. After you choose LOAD SEQUENCE, the File Requester will appear. Use it to locate the file you want and click OK to load the sequence. (See File Requester Chapter) *Note: SAVE SEQUENCE has not been made available from the Sequencer Page / File Menu, to prevent the accidental saving of a single sequence when the intention was to save all sequences in a Performance file. Individual sequences can be Loaded and Saved from within the Bar Editor or Event Editor. (See Bar Editor / File Menu / Load) (See Bar Editor / File Menu / Save) SET AUTHOR NAME Here is where you set the Title and Author of the current performance in memory. These settings will appear in the ABOUT MUSIC-X box, and are automatically saved with any performance file. (See Sequencer Page / Mode Menu / About Music-X) ************************************************************** * (OK) * Song Title: * Peanut Butter Jamboree * * * Author: * Sticky Vicky * ************************************************************** Illustration 6.5: Set Author Name Window. When you choose this menu item, the above window appears showing the current settings. Here is how to change those settings. () Click the SONG TITLE text box, then use the Amiga's keyboard to type in the name. () Click in the AUTHOR text box, then use the Amiga's keyboard to type in the name. () When done, click OK. OPTIONS MENU The Options menu provides extra functions for the Sequencer Page. The Output Channeliser is accessed from here as well as some global sequence editing functions like MERGE and EXTRACT. Following are descriptions of the items available in the Sequencer Page / Options Menu. OUTPUT CHANNELS... This menu item calls the CHANNELISER window. What do you do if you load up a friend's song, in which all the drum parts were recorded on MIDI channel 2, but uh-oh... your drum module ONLY receives on channel l0. You can either go down the list and edit the MIDI channels in all the sequences that contain drum parts, one by one, or, you can redirect your output channels using the Channeliser. The Channeliser globally translates all MIDI channel data during playback only. For each original MIDI channel there is a translated MIDI channel. The original data is left intact. It is safe to experiment. The FROM column shows all the possible original MIDI channels (the channels your data is on). The TO column shows the channels you would like each of these original channels to be translated to. The SET column is clicked on to change the TO column; it is merely a list of the numbers l-l6 provided for speed. Example: To switch those drum channels, click on "02" in the FROM column. Click on "l0" in the SET column. Notice the TO column now shows "10". Now all the drum parts stored in sequences on MIDI channel 2 will actually be played on MIDI channel l0. ****************************** * CHANNELIZER * ****************************** * From To ³ Set * ****************************** * 0l -- > 0l ³ 0l * *(02 -- > l0 ) ³ 02 * * 03 -- > 03 ³ 03 * * 04 -- > 04 ³ 04 * * 05 -- > 05 ³ 05 * * 06 -- > 06 ³ 06 * * 07 -- > 07 ³ 07 * * 08 -- > 08 ³ 08 * * 09 -- > 09 ³ 09 * * l0 -- > l0 ³ ( l0 )* * ll -- > ll ³ ll * * 12 -- > 12 ³ 12 * * 13 -- > 13 ³ 13 * * 14 -- > 14 ³ 14 * * 15 -- > 15 ³ 15 * * 16 -- > 16 ³ 16 * ****************************** * (OK) (CANCEL) * ****************************** Illustration 6.6: Output Channelizer *Note: Try switching the Channelizer while Music-X is playing. This works, and might give you a better indication of what it is doing. What is really going on: All Music-X data is recorded and stored with the MIDI-Channel "nybble" intact. Data is passed through the channelizer on its way out. The channelizer uses the channel nybble to index a lookup table and substitutes the number found there for the original channel. This window allows you to edit the table. *Note: Only notes played back from Music-X sequences are rechannelized. The channelizer does not affect incoming notes played on the mother keyboard. Use the Filters Page to remap incoming MIDI data. *Note: The Channelizer settings can be saved with your performance file. (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Save Performance) SET PUNCH-IN (Function key Fl from the keyboard) Choosing this menu item sets the automatic Punch-In point to whatever the current clock setting is. First set the musical clock to the desired Measure, Beat and Subclock. Then choose this menu item. This can also be done "on the fly" when in PLAY or RECORD mode by tapping the Fl key. Punch- In is explained in more detail in the section on recording. (See Sequencer Page / Transport Window / RECORD) SET PUNCH-OUT (Function F2 from the keyboard) Choosing this menu item sets the automatic Punch-Out point to whatever the current clock setting is. First set the musical clock to the desired Measure, Beat, and Subclock. Then choose this menu item. This can also be done "on the fly" when in PLAY or RECORD mode by tapping the F2 key. COPY SEQUENCE (RightAmiga-"C" from the keyboard) You may wish to keep several versions of a sequence while perfecting it. COPY Sequence can be used to create the extra versions. Choosing this menu item will copy all the data from the current sequence (source) to any other sequence in the list (destination). The source sequence remains unaffected. Anything previously in the destination sequence is, of course, lost. The source sequence is always the one highlighted before you choose COPY SEQUENCE. Choosing COPY SEQUENCE calls the SELECT SEQUENCE TO COPY TO window. Use this window to define the destination sequence by scrolling through the sequence list with the CursorUp and CursorDown keys or by dragging the scroll bar, and clicking on an empty or expendable sequence. Then click OK, or press "O" or "Y" to effect the copy. Or, click CANCEL (or press "C" for (C)ANCEL or "N" for (N)o) to safely exit this function with no changes made. The COPY SEQUENCE option and the next two options in the Options menu, MERGE SEQUENCE and EXTRACT SEQUENCE, use the "Edit Buffer" as a temporary working area. The Edit Buffer is also used to record and edit sequences. If the Edit Buffer is not empty when you choose any of these options, a safety prompt will appear to prevent accidental erasure of sequence data. ***************************************** * WARNING: The Edit Buffer currently * * contains unsaved data. * * ********* ********* ********* * * *CANCEL * *DISCARD* * STORE * * * ********* ********* ********* * ***************************************** Illustration 6.7: Buffer unsaved warning. The prompt has three choices. Clicking CANCEL will abort whichever option you were about to use and return you to the sequencer page. Clicking DISCARD will lose the current contents of the Edit Buffer and continue with the option as intended. Clicking STORE will open a sequence selector window titled STORE TO WHERE?, offering a list of the 250 possible sequences in memory. Use the window to choose a sequence and click OK to store the current contents of the Edit Buffer to that sequence, clearing the Edit Buffer for use. After the Edit Buffer is cleared, you can continue with the originally chosen option. MERGE SEQUENCE (RightAmiga-"M" from the keyboard) Use this menu item to merge the data from the current sequence (source) into any other sequence in the list (destination). The source sequence remains unaffected (unless merging to itself). The destination sequence will contain all its old data plus the data from the source sequence. Merging a sequence to itself will create a MIDI doubling of all the notes in the sequence. The source sequence is always the one highlighted before you choose MERGE SEQUENCE. Choosing MERGE SEQUENCE calls the SELECT SEQUENCE TO MERGE TO window, showing a sequence list. Scroll through the list with the CursorUp and CursorDown keys or by dragging the scroll bar with the mouse. Choose the destination sequence by clicking on an empty or expendable sequence to highlight it. Then click OK to effect the merge. Or click CANCEL (or press "C" for (C)ANCEL or "N" for (N)o) to safely exit this function with no changes made. Once the merge is initiated Music-X will temporarily ignore the mouse, to help speed up the merging process. The amount of time for the merge to complete depends on the sizes of the sequences being merged. When Music-X is done merging, it will put up a prompt saying "Merge Finished". Click OK button to close the prompt and return to the Sequencer Page. EXTRACT SEQUENCE Think of this as "Extract a new sequence from an old sequence". You essentially extract a copy of just the good stuff without affecting the original. What Extract does is selectively copy into the Edit Buffer chosen classes of events from the contents of the current sequence without altering that sequence. You must then manually store the buffer containing the extracted events to a new sequence (using the Sequencer Page / STORE button). The source sequence is the one highlighted before you call EXTRACT SEQUENCE. The destination sequence is actually the Edit Buffer until you store it to a spare sequence. There are three basic event classes that can be Extracted: Channel events, System Exclusive data, and Music-X events. Channel events are thos MIDI events that control instruments on a particular MIDI channel: Notes, Channel After Touch (CAT), Poly- phonic After Touch (PAT), Control Changes (CTL), Programme Changes (PGM), and Pitch Bend (PBEN). System Exclusive data varies with different manufacturers and is only understood by the instrument it is intended for. Music-X events are events that internally control the sequencer in some way: Play Sequence (PSEQ), Mute Sequence (MSEQ), Solo Sequence (SSEQ), Mute Tract (MTRK), Solo Track (STRK), Set Repeats (REPT), Set End (END), Change Keymap (KMAP), Tempo Change (TEMPO), Time Signature Change (TSIG), and Stop Sequencer (STOP). *Note: Event types are described in detail in the Editor chapters. (See Bar Editor / Event types) (See Event Editor / Event types) After you choose EXTRACT SEQUENCE a window appears titled EXTRACT WHICH CHANNELS? All the channels are listed, as well as the two classes of non-Channel events: Music-X events, and Systems Exclusive events. Click on the channel numbers or the other event types (they will appear highlighted in white) to choose which will be copied into the Edit Buffer (clicking them again turns them off again). *************************** * Extract Which Channels? * *************************** * 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 * * 09 l0 ll l2 l3 4l l5 l6 * * SYSX Events * * Music-X Events * *************************** * (OK) (CANCEL) * *************************** Illustration 6.8: Extract Window. If any of the channel numbers are switched on, then Channel events on the chosen channel(s) will be copied into the Edit Buffer. If the SYSX EVENTS switch is on, then any Music-X events present in the source sequence will be copied into the Edit Buffer. How to Extract: Say we had a composite sequence called "Bass and Drums" containing two instruments. The drums are on MIDI channel l and the bass is on MIDI channel 2. Here is how we would separate the instruments into their own sequences: - From the Sequencer Page, find the "Bass and Drums" sequence in the sequence list and highlight it. This is our source sequence for the Extract function. - Choose EXTRACT SEQUENCE from the Options menu. The EXTRACT WHICH CHANNELS? window will appear. - When the requester appears, choose to extract data on MIDI channel l by clicking "0l". (It should become highlighted). Make sure no other MIDI channels are highlighted; we only want the drum data. - Click OK to start the extraction. *Note: If the Edit Buffer was no empty when you clicked OK, a safety prompt will appear so you can decide what to do with the data previously in the buffer. Clicking DISCARD in the safety prompt will lose what was in the buffer and let you proceed. - A prompt will appear when the extraction is finished. Click OK to proceed. - We now have a copy of the drums in the Edit Buffer. Choose an empty sequence by highlighting it in the sequence list and click STORE to write the Edit Buffer into the empty sequence. The new sequence now contains the drum part. Title it "Drums alone", or something, by clicking in the SEQUENCE NAME field and typing in the name. We have extracted a copy of just the drums and stored it to a new location. Now we will do the same thing for the bass line: - Select the "Bass and Drums" sequence again and call EXTRACT SEQUENCE. - This time deselect MIDI channel l (drums), by clicking "0l" to turn it back off, and select MIDI channel 2 (bass) by clicking on "02". Then click OK. And again OK at the "Extract Finished" prompt. - We now have the bass in the Edit Buffer. - STORE the Edit Buffer to a new sequence and rename it to something like "Bass alone". Now that we are finished Extracting, we can DELETE the original coposite sequence or keep it as a back-up. If we were really slick, we could have written the Edit Buffer containing the bass part back to the original "Bass and Drums" sequence, effectively doing a DELETE and a STORE in one step. ERASE ALL SEQUENCES Choosing this menu item erases all sequences currently in memory, but nothing else. Cue points, Tempo, Sync settings, and other parameters are all left in their current state. This can be used to clear out sequence space when starting a new piece of music. A safety prompt will then appear to prevent inadvertent loss. Click on YES, or press the RETURN key to erase the sequences. Click NO to safely return to Music-X without erasing the sequences. ************************* * Do you really want to * * ERASE all sequences? * * (NO) (YES) * ************************* Illustration 6.9: Erase Safety Prompt USE ZERO ORIGIN This causes the master clock's measure and beat numbers to start at 0000.00.000 instead of 000l.0l.000, in case you prefer thinking that way or need to do some frame calculations, etc. All pages are affected. This option is active if the menu item is check marked. (See Sequencer Page / Clock Window) WORKBENCH This option is part of a memory saving technique. In the Amiga, all the graphics must be stored in a special memory called chip memory, if they are to be displayed. Different applications (programmes) reserve sections of chip memory to use for their graphic "screens". The Amiga's Workbench uses a screen and takes up some chip memory. If Music-X boots up into a system with little free memory, it may turn off the Workbench screen to free up some of the chip memory. This does not mean that the Workbench is erased or stops running, it just means the screen is not displayed to save chip memory. Music-X does this so it will be able to display its own menus, windows, requesters, and prompts. While checked, this menu item means that the Workbench screen is turned on. One can see and move between the Music-X and Workbench screens by clicking the front-to-back gadgets or by pulling one down to reveal the other. (See Tutorials / Amiga Basics) When this menu item is not checked, it means the Workbench screen has been removed from chip memory and is turned off. The Workbench can be turned back on by selecting this menu item. SYNCMENU The word synchronous comes from the Greek words: sun for "same", and khronos for "time". The Sync menu governs the way Music-X synchronizes with, or operates at the "same time" as, other time keeping devices. Settings mae in this menu can be saved and reloaded with any performance file (including the Default performance), making the reconstruction of sync setups automatic. *Note: If you consistently use the same equipment set up, you might want to resave the "Default.perf" file with your particular Sync menu settings. (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Save Performance) THE NEED FOR SYNCHRONIZATION Music is a time dependent art form. The applications of electronic music often involve the use of several time keeping devices at once (drum machines, sequencers, audio tape recorders, film or video equipment, etc). It is rare that any two unconnected time keepers can agree with each other without eventually drifting apart. Even if they could, it would be difficult to independently start them at exactly the same time. It is therefore necessary to synchronize them somehow. This is usually done by making one device the leader, or master, and using it to transmit start, stop, location, and timing information that the others receive and follow. That way, even if the leader is wrong, they all move together. A common method is to code "messages" into binary numbers and transmit them electronically as very fast two-state voltage fluctuations. MIDI and SMPTE are two examples of this method. *Note: Music-X has the ability to operate in synchrony with a number of external time sources (be a follower). It can also transmit MIDI Clock and Song Position Pointer messages to synchronize drum machines and sequencers (be a leader). In some cases it can be a leader and a follower simultaneously. TWO TYPES OF TIME Synchronization messages can be divided into two types, those that transfer Relative Time information and those that transfer Absolute Time information. Relative Time is described in musical terms like "Measures", and "Beats". When you say "the second measure of the bridge", you are speaking of Relative Time. Two examples of Relative Time synchronization are MIDI Song Position Pointer and MIDI Clocks (more on those later). Absolute Time is described in Hours, Minutes, and Seconds. When you say, "The gig starts at seven thirty", you are speaking of Absolute Time. An example of Absolute Time synchronization is SMPTE Time Code (more on that too). Music-X has two types of sequences, those that are tempo dependent (Relative sequences), and those that move with the clock (Absolute sequences). Music- X also has two internal clocks, one for each type of sequence (Relative and Absolute). The rest of this chapter contains individual descriptions of the items found in the Sync menu. MASTER CLOCK The MASTER CLOCK setting determines which source will be monitored to keep Music-X moving through time. Music-X actually always runs on its own internal clock. As timing messages are received from the current Master Clock source, Music-X's internal clock is reset to match them. This provides as fine an internal resolution as possible by allowing Music-X to play between incoming messages, while making sure that, as messages come in, Music-X keeps in step with them. Two internal and three external time sources are listed in a pop-out menu. The five choices are mutually exclusive. The checked item shows the current MASTER CLOCK setting. The choices are described below. INTERNAL When INTERNAL is selected, Music-X uses one of the Amiga's timer chips as the Master Clock source. The Relative clock is updated in increments of l/l92 quarter note, at a rate dependent on the current tempo. The Absolute clock is updated through a conversion routine. Example: Playing Music-X with no other sync equipment. - Set MASTER CLOCK to INTERNAL - Click PLAY to start Music-X MIDI CLOCKS Read this menu item as "MIDI Clock Messages". When this Master Clock setting is chosen, Music-X synchronizes its internal clock to incoming MIDI Clock messages while in PLAY or RECORD modes. WHAT ARE MIDI CLOCK MESSAGES? MIDI Clocks are MIDI messages transmitted by a drum machine or sequencer that say to the receiver "Advance your musical clock by l/24 quarter note." Each time the trasmitter advances its own internal clock by l/24 quarter notes, it sends out a MIDI Clock message. Each time the receiver gets one of these messages, it advances its clock as well. This means that whatever the tempo of the transmitting device, the receiver will follow it; the transmitting device controls the tempo of the music. MIDI CLOCKS is used as the Master Clock setting in situations where an external drum machine or sequencer will be the time keeper, and you wish Music-X to synchronize with it. *Note: In most situations where a drum machine will be used, it is better to let Music-X be the master, and have the drum machine follow Music-X. This allows Music-X to be in charge of tempo changes, and to play Absolute sequences correctly. (MIDI clocks, being a Relative Time system, cannot transmit Absolute Time information). However, the MIDI CLOCKS menu option has been proided for other situations. (See Sequencer Page / Sync Menu / MIDI Sync Out) ********************************************** Internal Clocks * MIDI Clock * MIDI Clock * * Too fast ********************************************** || Waiting Internal Clocks ********************************************** too slow * MIDI Clock MIDI Clock * ********************************************** | re-synced Internal Clocks ********************************************** in sync * MIDI Clock MIDI Clock * ********************************************** Illustration 6.l0: Improving the resolution of MIDI Clocks. MIDI Clocks have a resolution of l/24 quarter note. Music-X has a resolution of l/l92 quarter note. That means that Music-X has eight times the resolution of MIDI clocks. It seems a shame to waste all that resolution. However, by matching Music-X's tempo changes to the drum machine's, one can effectively increase the resolution and accuracy of MIDI Clocks. Example: Using a drum machine to drive Music-X. - The drum machine's MIDI OUT must be connected to the Amiga's MIDI IN and the drum machine must be able to transmit MIDI Clocks. - Set MASTER CLOCK to MIDI CLOCKS - Set MIDI START & STOP (also found in the sync menu) to RECEIVE. - Manually start the drum machine. - The drum machine sends a MIDI Start message. - Music-X receives the MIDI Start message and locates its musical clock to the beginning of the song. - The drum machine sends the first MIDI Clock message and begins playing. - Music-X receives the first MIDI Clock message and begins playing. - Music-X continues to play the next 8 of its own clocks (the equivalent of l/24 quarter note) at the current Music-X tempo. - If Music-X finishes playing its 8 clocks before receiving the next MIDI Clock message, then it stops playing and waits. - The drum machine, advancing at its own tempo, sends the next MIDI Clock message. - Music-X receives the next MIDI Clock message, advances its musical clock to the next l/24 quarter note, and continues to play. If the MIDI Clock is received before Music-X expected it, then Music-X jumps ahead anyway to keep in step. (See Illustration 6.l0) - Music-X matches the tempo of the drum machine and provides some additional resolution as well. This process continues until the end of the song. (See Sequencer Page / Sync Menu / MIDI Start & Stop) (See Sequencer Page / Tempo Window) *Note: Most the the newer drum machines transmit MIDI Clocks even while stopped. This means that the sequencer can play while syncing to MIDI Clocks, even without the drum machine playing. MIDI Clocks can also provide a way of moving song written on another computer-sequencer over to the Amiga: - The source computer must be able to transmit MIDI Clocks and its MIDI OUT must be connected to the Amiga's MIDI IN. - Set MASTER CLOCK to MIDI CLOCKS - Set the two sequencers' tempo sliders to the same value. - Put Music-X in RECORD - Play the other sequencer. - All the MIDI data played by the source will be recorded by Music-X in time with the MIDI Clock messages. (See Sequencer Page / Transport Window / RECORD) (See Sequencer Page / STORE) VIDEOCLOCK When VIDEO CLOCK is chosen as the MASTER CLOCK setting, Music-X uses the Amiga's internal video clock to drive the Absolute clock. There is a chip in the Amiga that generates the timing frequency used to drive the monitor display's Vertical Blanking Interval (VBI). The VBI is the dark strip between frames in a television signal. The Amiga's VBI frequency is just slightly under 60 frames per second. When using VIDEO CLOCK as the Master Clock, the Absolute clock is updated by l/2 frame at every VBI. Since the video chip frequency is the same as the National Television Systems Committee (NTSC) standard frame rate for television, the VIDEO CLOCK setting can be used to approximate Non-Drop Frame, or Drop Frame SMPTE in cases where you want to test the total elapsed time of the piece for accuracy against the clock. MIDI TimeCode When MIDI Time Code is chosen as the Master Clock setting, Music-X synchronizes its Absolute clock to incoming MIDI Time Code messages. What is MIDI Time Code? MIDI Time Code (MTC) is a type of MIDI message that describes elapsed time in Hours, Minutes, Seconds, and Quarter Frames. This makes it similar to SMPTE Time Code, with the advantage that MTC can be received via normal MIDI cables; SMPTE Reader hardware is not necessary. MTC has four formats: 24 FPS (Frames Per Second), 25 FPS, Non-Drop Frame, and Drop Frame. When synchronizing Music-X to MTC, it is necessary to set Music-X to the same format using the TIME CODE parameter.me Code for American Music-X users. Like Non-Drop Frame, Drop Frame format is also rated at 29.97 frames per second. What is different about Drop Frame is that the accumulated errors in frame numbers, due to the slightly slow frequency, are corrected to match real time by dropping some of the frame numbers periodically. At the end of an hour, the total number of frames will still be l08 frames short, but the frame numbers will be correct. This is the way it works: There is still an orderly progression of frames, one after the other. Each frame has a unique number, and all the frames are numbered in ascending order. However, when numbering each frame, certain frame numbers are skipped. The ones that are left out are the first two frame numbers of every minute except the first minute and every tenth minute after that. That means that a total of l08 frame numbers are left out every hour (just enough to correct the error). For example, experimenting with Music-X's TIME: clock, while in Drop Frame, will show that the frame numbers jump from 00:00:59.29 to 00:00:02 because there is no frame 00, or 0l, at the beginning of minute 0l. TIME CODE OFFSET This option can be used when synchronizing Music-X to incoming SMPTE Time Code or MIDI Time Code messages to shift the beginning of Music-X Time Code against the beginning of external Time Code. TIME CODE OFFSET allows you to start Music-X's clock at any point during the reference Time Code. This can be used, for instance, when recording a short song in the middle of a long film. Choosing this menu opens a window in the Sequencer Page showing the current Time Code Offset number in the form of Hours, Minutes, Seconds, and Frames. The Time Code Offset number may be edited using the arrows next to each number. ******************************************************** * () () || () () || () () || () () || * * HRS || MIN || SEC || FRM || (OK) * ******************************************************** Illustration 6.ll: Time Code Offset Window When done, click OK to close the window. The number that you specify will be subtracted from each incoming Time Code message before being used by Music-X. For example, let us say you are writing some background music to a friend's video. Your friend says the tape is striped with SMPTE and that the music should start 20 minutes into the tape. - The video machine must be sending SMPTE messages to the Amiga's SMPTE Reader or to a SMPTE-to-MTC converter connected to the Amiga. - Set the Master Clock to SMPTE READER, or MIDI TIME CODE depending on which device you are using. - Set the Time Code Offset to 00:20:00.00. Music-X now considers this to be zero (00.00:00.00) - Put Music-X in RECORD, and run the video from somewhere before the 20 minute mark. - As Music-X receives each incoming Time Code message, it subtracts 20 minutes from it and attempts to use it. If a Time Code message appears to be less than zero, it ignores it, and waits for the next one. - When Music-X receives the Time Code message specifying 20 minutes, it subtracts 20 minutes from it, sees a message of zero, and says "aha... I can use this." Music-X then begins recording from that point. - As you see the action on videotape, play along to match it. - When done, STORE your music to a sequence and put Music-X in PLAY. - Rewind the video and play it. Music-X will auto-locate and play back the freshly recorded music along with the video. MIDI SYNC OUT When MIDI SYNC OUT is checked, Music-X will transmit MIDI clock messages at the current tempo, when in PLAY or RECORD. This is done regardless of the current MASTER CLOCK setting. This is handy when using a drum machine as an external sequencer, that is, with musical drum patterns stored in its own internal memory rather than being triggered by note events from Music-X's own sequences. For example, to synchronize a separately programmed MIDI drum machine (or other sequencer) from Music-X: - Connect a MIDI cable from the Amiga's MIDI OUT to the drum machine's MIDI IN. - Set the drum machine to receive MIDI Clocks (most units call this "MIDI sync mode"). - Set Music-X's MASTER CLOCK to INTERNAL. - Turn on MIDI SYNC OUT - Set MIDI START & STOP to TRANSMIT - Turn on SONG POSITION (see below). - Play Music-X from any point in the song. Music-X will send a MIDI Start, or MIDI Song Position Pointer message to locate the drum machine and then begin transmitting MIDI Clock messages at the current tempo. - The drum machine will receive the MIDI Clock messages and follow Music-X. To synchronize a drum machine while Music-X is synchronizing to video: - Set up the drum machine as above, and set up the SMPTE Reader to feed Music-X SMPTE Time Code. - Set the MASTER CLOCK to SMPTE READER - Set the TIME CODE type to DROP FRAME (for color video). - Set the TIME CODE OFFSET if needed to start the song in the middle of the video. - Turn on MIDI SYNC OUT - Set MIDI START & STOP to TRANSMIT - Turn on SONG POSITION (see below) - Put Music-X in PLAY and start the video from any point. - When Music-X receives the first Time Code message, it will auto- locate to the specified point. After auto-locating, Music-X will send a MIDI Start, or MIDI Song Position Pointer message to locate the drum machine and then begin transmitting MIDI Clock messages at the current tempo. - As the video is stopped, fast forwarded or rewound, and played again, Music-X will auto-locate to match it, then send Song Position and MIDI Clock messages to locate and sync the drum machine. SONG POSITION This Sync menu option enables the sending of MIDI Song Position Pointer messages by Music-X. While this menu option is checked, Music-X will send a MIDI Song Position Pointer message whenever it deems a relocation necessary. This would be whenever PLAY is clicked after the current clock setting has been moved (by fast forwarding or rewinding, or by using the CUE buttons). The only time a Song Position Pointer would not be sent is when starting from the beginning of a song. In this case, a MIDI Start message would be sent instead (assuming MIDI START & STOP is set to TRANSMIT). *Note: Music-X can send Song Position Pointer regardless of the MIDI START & STOP setting. WHAT IS A SONG POSITION POINTER MESSAGE? Song Position Pointer is a MIDI message that describes some point in the song based on the number of sixteenth notes that have elapsed since the beginning. The receiver of a Song Position Pointer message stops whatever it is doing and relocates its clock to the specified point. Once the receiver has located, it can be sent MIDI Clock messages. This process allows the sender and receiver to start together from any point in the song without having to play from the beginning. *Note: The receiving of Song Position Pointer messages is always enabled. Music-X always relocates when it receives a Song Position Pointer message. SONG POSITION DELAY Song Position Delay is an option that affects the way the SONG POSITION option works, and may be used in any situation where Song Position messages are sent. If SONG POSITION is not turned on (checked) then the SONG POSITION DELAY setting is ignored. The Song Position Delay feature is an allowance made to older drum machines or sequencers that may not have implemented the MIDI specification correctly. It causes Music-X to temporarily delay the sending of MIDI Clocks after a Song Position message has been sent, so that older devices, that ignore their MIDI IN ports while locating, will not miss a few MIDI Clock messages and start out of sync. This feature is only needed when using one of these older units as an external sequencer, that is, with musical drum patterns stored in its own internal memory. If you are triggering the drum machine with note events from Music-X's sequences, then Song Position is not needed. When a MID device receives a Song Position message, it relocates its clock. This is usually done by playing silently, as fast as possible from the beginning of the song. This takes time. The further into the song it must go, the longer it takes to locate. HERE IS A SCENARIO OF THE PROBLEM: - After fast forwarding or using CUE point, PLAY is clicked. - Music-X notices the new clock time and begins locating silently to the new position, playing through any Time Signature Changes and calculating the number of l6th notes that have elapsed. - Music-X finishes auto-locating and sends a Song Position Pointer message specifying the accumulated l6th notes. - The drum machine receives the Song Position Pointer messages and begins auto locate. - Music-X begins playing and sending MIDI Clock messages. - The drum machine is still locating and misses the first few MIDI clocks (MIDI specs say that it should keep track on incoming MIDI Clocks while locating). - The drum machine finishes auto locating and begins playing from the previously specified point at the rate dictated by the incomeing MIDI Clock messages. - Music-X has meanwhile played ahead. - The two units remain perfectly out of sync until the end of the song! One solution would be to click PAUSE, and then PLAY, and wait for the receivers to catch up before turning PAUSE off to play again. SONG POSITION DELAY essentially does this automatically. HERE IS A SCENARIO OF THE SOLUTION USING SONG POSITION DELAY: - After fast forwarding or using a CUE button, PLAY is clicked. - Music-X notices the new clock time and begins locating silently to the new position; playing through any Time Signature Changes and calculating the number of l6th notes that have elapsed. - Music-X finishes auto-locating and sends a Song Position Pointer message specifying the accumulated l6th notes. - Music-X begins waiting for a period of time based on the magnitude of the Song Position message. - The drum machine receives the Song Position Pointer message and begins to auto locate. - The drum machine finishes auto locating and waits for MIDI Clock messages to advance its clock. - Music-X begins playing and sending MIDI Clock messages. - The drum machine begins playing at the rate dictated by the incoming MIDI Clock messages. - The two units remain in sync until the end of the song. The process described above is what happens when using SONG POSITION DELAY while the MASTER CLOCK setting is set to either INTERNAL or VIDEO CLOCK. While using these MASTER LCOCK sources, Music-X can wait as long as it sees fit before playing, because it is in control. Song Position Delay is implemented slightly differently when using either MIDI TIME CODE, or SMPTE READER as the MASTER CLOCK. When using either of these MASTER CLOCK settings, it is impossible to tell what the first incoming message will be. This is because the timing source can relocate independently of Music-X. Music-X must follow it. When Music-X receives the first incoming Time Code message, it converts it internally to a song location. It then sends a Song Position Pointer message specifying one measure later than the current position, and starts playing. When one measure has passed, Music-X starts sending MIDI Clocks (assuming that MIDI SYNC OUT is switched one). Here is a scenario of the behaviour of Song Position Delay when synchronising to a Time Code. - PLAY is clicked. - The tape recorder or other device is started. - Music-X begins receiving Time Code messages and figures out where in musical time it should be, based on the Absolute time specified in the Time Code message. - Music-X begins silently locating to the new position; playing through any Time Signature Changes and calculating the number of l6th notes that have elapsed. - Music-X finishes locating and sends a Song Position Pointer message specifying one measure greater than the current measure. - Music-X continues playing but does not transmit MIDI Clocks. - The drum machine finishes auto locating and waits for MIDI Clock messages to advance its clock. - After Music-X reaches the next measure, it begins transmitting MIDI Clock messages. - The drum machine begins playing at the rate dictated by the now incoming MIDI Clock messages. - The two units remain in sync until the end of the song. MODULES MENU A Modules menu is found on every page in Music-X (except the Keymap Editor Page and the Protocol Editor Page, which are modules themselves). A module is a small programme loaded into Music-X to execute a particular function. Six modules come with Music-X as relased. More will become available in the future. Following are descriptions of the two modules that appear in the Sequencer Page / Modules Menu. Other modules are described elsewhere in the manual. NEWCLI This module calls the standard Amiga programme "NewCLI" which opens a text window titled "New CLI" in the Workbench screen. CLI stands for "Command Line Interpreter". The CLI window is used to give written commands to the AmigaDOS operating system. This gives you another way to communicate with the Amiga to do things like look at the contents of disks, run programmes, delete files, etc. Move between the Workbench and Music-X screens as needed using the front-to- back gadgets found on most screens and windows. *Note: Learn how to use the CLI by reading an AmigaDOS manual. NEWSHELL This moduel calls the Amiga programme "NewShell" which opens a text window titled "AmigaShell" in the Workbench screen. A Shell is basically an improved CLI. Move between the Workbench and Music-X screens using the front-to-back gadgets. *Note: Learn how to use the NewShell by reading an AmigaDOS Manual. TRANSPORT WINDOW In the top left corner of the Sequencer Page is the Transport window containing a cluster of controls modeled after the buttons on an analog tape machine. These Transport Controls are activated by clicking on them, and are used to start the clock, stop the clock, and relocate the clock to different portions of the song. Following are descriptions of those buttons. ********************************************************** * (BEGIN) (END) (CUEl) (CUE2) (CUE3) (CUE4) (SET) * * (PAUSE) (<<) (>PLAY) (>>) (O RECORD) (=STOP) * ********************************************************** Illustration 6.l2: Transport Window. (BEGIN) ("B" from the keyborad) This button relocates the clock to the beginning of the song. This button can be used while the clock is stopped or while the clock is running. If used while in RECORD mode, the Record Buffer is erased, the clock is moved to the beginning of the song, the sequencer backs up to play the Count-In measures (see below), and recording starts again. (END) ("E" from the keyboard) This button relocates the clock to the last previously recorded point in the song. The END button is self-adjusting, and automatically recalculates its position each time a longer sequence is recorded. However, it can also be set manually using the SET button (see below). (CUEl) (CUE2) (CUE3) (CUE4) ("l", "2", "3", and "4" from the keyboard) These user-definable CUE buttons are designed to emulate the auto- locate functions of a professional multi-track tape recorder. They can be used instead of Fast Forward or Rewind to quickly relocate the clock to preset points. Those points can be set to the start of song sections or to any point in the song using the SET button (see below). The CUE buttons can be used while the clock is stopped or while the clock is running. If used while in RECORD mode, the Record Buffer is erased, the clock is moved to the CUE point, the sequencer backs up to play the Count-In measures (see below), and recording starts again. The default setting for the CUE buttons is the beginning of the song. CUE button locations can be saved with performance files. (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Save Performance) (SET) ("=" (equals sign) from the keyobard) This button is used to manually set the locations for the CUE buttons (and the END button if you wish). SET can be used while the clock is running or while the clock is stopped. Here is how to set a CUE point using the SET button. - Click SET.SET will appear highlighted; it is now "readied". - Click on one of the CUE buttons (or the END button). The CUE button will be set to the current clock position. SET will return to normal appearance. You can change the cue points at any time by repeating the above steps. (PAUSE) (SPACE BAR from the keyboard) As in a conventional tape recorder, you can temporarily halt the playing or recording of a song with the PAUSE button. Click PAUSE. PAUSE will become highlighted, and the clock will temporarily stop. You can resume playing by clicking PAUSE again. When PAUSE is released, the sequencer does not need to relocate as it would with the series of commands STOP and PLAY. If you click PAUSE while recording, the Record Buffer is not erased. Releasing PAUSE will continue recording from that point. PAUSE does not automatically cut off any currently sounding notes; it holds the clock in its current state. (<<) ("(" (left bracket) from the keyboard) The Rewind Button is marked with two left-pointing arrows. Depending on which clock is currently chosen, clicking this button will move the clock back in increments of l measure, or l minute. Holding the button moves the clock continuously. If you are already at the beginning, then nothing will happen! The Rewind Button cannot be used during PLAY or RECORD modes. *Note: The clocks can also be changed in smaller increments by using the green arrows in the clock window. (See Sequencer Page / Clock Window) (PLAY) ("P" from the keyboard) (ESC (Escape key) = All notes off) (SHIFT-ESC = Super All notes off) This button starts the sequencer from the current clock position. If the clock is not at the beginning, then Music-X auto-locates by playing from the beginning, as fast as possible, until it gets to where the clock is, before playing normally. During auto-locate, Note events are silenced, but all other events are played normally (albeit quickly). This is so that things like Program Changes, Pitch Bend, Control Changes, and other events that might affect the sound will be correctly updated to their most recent values when the clock begins playing normally. If PLAY is clicked while in RECORD mode, recording is stopped and the clock continues running. If at anytime during play, a "MIDI stuck-on note" occurs, remember that pressing the Amiga's escape key (at the upper left corner of the keyboard) sends a MIDI All Notes Off message. Holding the SHIFT key, while pressing the escape key initiates a "Super All Notes Off", which actually sends a MIDI Note-Off message for each of the l28 possible notes on all l6 MIDI channels. This feature is available from all Pages in Music-X. (>>) (")" (right bracket) from the keyboard) The Fast Foward Button is marked with two right-pointing arrows. Depending on which clock is currently chosen, clicking this button will advance the clock in increments of l measure, or l minute. Holding the button moves the clock continuously. The Fast Forward button cannot be used during PLAY modes. *Note: The clocks can also be changed in smaller increments by using the green arrows in the clock window. (See Sequencer Page / Clock Window) (RECORD) ("R" from the keyboard) The basic process in MIDI recording is to capture the incoming data stream from the mother keyboard (or whatever device is hooked up to the computer's MIDI IN port), time-stamping each arriving event with the current clock time. OVERVIEW The Protocol Editor page is accessed from the Edit menu of the Librarian Page, and is used to create or modify the protocols used by the Librarian page when sending or receiving data dumps from other MIDI devices. Think of this page as an extension of the Librarian Page. (see Librarian Page / Edit Menu / Create Protocol) (see Librarian Page / Edit Menu/ Modify Protocol ) Creating new protocols is not easy. Fortunately, you probably won't need to. In most cases you will be using protocols created by other people, while you spend your time creating music instead. Likely as not, you can take full advantage of Music-X without ever reading this chapter. Suppose, however, that you have an instrument for which you cannot obtain a protocol. There are several options open to you: l. Hire a MIDI Guru. 2. Get a MODEM and call a BBS or online information service such as PLINK (People-Link) or PAN (Performing Artists Network) or BIX (Byte Information Exchange) to name just a few. 3. Find a friendly neighbourhood whiz kid. 4. Join a User Group; they often have droves of unsuspecting volunteers. 5. Write your own protocol. If you wish to write protocols yourself, you'll need some knowledge of basic MIDI and computer related concepts. For example, many manufacturers publish the specifications for their instruments using the hexadecimal (base l6) or even binary (base 2) numbering systems. It is beyond the scope of this manual to describe technical background such as numbering systems; however the information is readily available in most computer bookstores or in the library. WHAT IS SYSTEM EXCLUSIVE When the MIDI standard was being written, it was realised that it would be impossible to think of everything that anyone would possibly want to communicate via MIDI. Therefore a loophole or exception was built into the language. A system Exclusive message (often abbreviated to SysEx; pronounced ("sis-ex") can be used to temporarily suspend the rules and let one instrument communicate with another using codes only they understand. This is like a Roland synthesizer saying "Don't listen, you guys - this is Roland talk!". That means that even though MIDI is a way for manufacturers to design their own non-standard communication formats to be used within MIDI. Synth manufacturers have taken advantage of the SysEx loophole to implement data transfers between instruments of the same make and model. The Protocol Editor and Librarian Page are designed to work with the data transfers. All SysEx messages begin with the MIDI "Start of System Exclusive" code (FO). Following that is the manufacturer's ID number, and then a series of bytes, the formatÜjÜof which depends on the manufacturer's ID. Finally, an "End of System Exclusive" (EOX) code is used to terminate the SysEx message. Modern instruments have lots of different kinds of information in them besides sounds. For example, micro tuning data, performance data, voice parameters, sample data, etc. Each protocol is designed to support one kind of date transfer. It is often the case that a different protocol will be required for each type of information stores in the instrument. The designer of a protocol is free to use the parameters specified by the Librarian Page Channel: buttons, PREVIEW button, and Program indicator in whatever manner he or she chooses. They don't necessarily have to be used in the manner in which they are labelled. THE FACE OF THE PROTOCOL EDITOR The Protocol Editor Page has four main areas, each containing a number of text boxes. The topmost area contains general information about the instrument, the name of the protocol, which Patch Editor to use if any, etc. The second area contains message strings used in receiving data from the instrument. The third area contains message strings used in sending data to the instrument, and the fourth area consists of "sub- strings" which are messages that are used inside of other messages. TITLEBAR The title bar is found along the top of all Music-X pages to remind one where one is. In the Protocol Editor, the name of the current protocol being edited appears here as well. FILEMENU Protocol files are kept in the protocols directory on the Music-X program disk. If you write or collect more than can fit on your master disk you may wish to move the directory to another disk. (See Advanced Users / Workbench Tool Types / PROTODIR) Load... (RightAmiga-"L" from the keyboard) This menu item is used to Load a protocol from disk. Choosing Load... calls the file requester titled "Load Protocol". The current protocol name is offered as a default file name by the requester. Loading a protocol from disk overwrites the protocol currently in the editor. (See File Requester chapter) Save (RightAmiga-"S" from the keyboard) This menu item is used to Save a protocol to disk. choosing Save... calls the file requester titled "Save Protocol". The current protocol name is offered as a default file name by the requester. When naming new protocols, the suggested convention is Instrument Name.TransferType. Musix-X also saves an icon for the protocol file in the same directory. Icons for protocol files look like a sheet of l's and 0's. (See File Requester chapter) Exit (RightAmiga-"X" from the keyboard) This menu item is used to leave the Protocol Editor and go back to the librarian. If you have just created a new protocol, be sure to save it first. The Protocol Editor clears the message strings on exit. NAMEPANEL This panel is used to hold protocol information other than the actual message strings. It contains a number of text boxes which are described below. Protocol Name: Here's where you name your protocol. This name is used when saving the protocol to disk. The standard (but not mandatory) format for protocol names is: instrument.datatype. Example: "CZ-l000.Voices" is the file name for the protocol that sends and receives CZ-l000 individual voice dumps. Normal Program: This text box contains one of the substrings substituted for the string variable "PG" in a message string. This substring is used in a message string when the PREVIEW button is turned off in the Librarian Page. PREVIEW PROGRAM; This text box contains the other substring substituted for the string variable "PG" in a message string. This substring is used when the PREVIEW button is turned on. PATCH EDITOR NAME: This is where you attach the appropriate Patch Editor (if there is one) to the current protocol by typing the Editor's pathname. The pathname is stored along with the protocol, imbedded in a library file, when the library file is saved. This allows the Librarian to locate the Patch Editor when the library file is loaded and edited later. If the pathname is wrong, the Librarian will not be able to locate the Patch Editor even if it exists. (See Librarian Page / Edit Menu / Edit Entry) NAME OFFSET: This numeric indicator is used to describe the location of name data within the body of data in a library entry. It is used by the Librarian Page when displaying the names of patches or programs in the individual library entries. This number represents the number of bytes that must be skipped from the beginning of the library data to find the beginning of the name. A name offset of 0000 means the name starts at the beginning of the data. Various synths imbed the name parameter inÜjÜdifferent portions of the bulk data dump. NAME LENGTH The Name Length indicator is used with the Name Offset indicator to describe the location and length of name data imbedded with a library entry. It ranges from 0 to 3l. A name length of zero can be used in cases where there is no name in the bulk data, as when transferring sample dumps etc. CHAR MAP: Read this as "Character Map" Various manufacturers use different numbers to represent the alphanumeric characters that are considered legal in patch names. Not all use the standard ASCII format as used on most computers. This Char Map string gadget can be used to define the set of legal characters for that synth. If the synth uses the ASCII character set, then leave this field blank. The contents of the gadget are used to describe, to Music-X, the character set that the instrument uses. This is done by typing the order of letters that it uses. The ordering of the letters is described by entering a series of letter pairs, separated by commas, each pair representing a range of characters which are in the instrument's character set. For example, if the character "A" is the first character in the instrument's character set, and the "Z" is the twenty-sixth character, then the first entry in the Char Map string will be "AZ", indicating the letters "A" through "Z". If the twenty-seventh character was the letter "a" (lower case), which then proceeded through "z" (lower case), the next entry would be "az". That would make the total string so far "AZ,az". When you describe ranges of characters, you can only connect ranges if they can be expressed contiguously in ASCII. Otherwise, the Amiga, which uses ASCII, will not understand. If the ordering of the letters cannot be expressed as a contiguous ASCII range, then you'll need to define one or more ranges whose widths are one character wide. This is done by delimiting such ranges with the same character (as in "AA"). You can also enter characters with a 2-digit hexadecimal value, by proceeding them with a backslash ("/"). For example, "/20", which is the ASCII value for a space character. This is handy for entering characters like the comma (",") which might be misinterpreted. RECEIVE PANEL The RECEIVE panel is used to define the set of incoming and outgoing message strings that will be used during transfer when the RECEIVE button is clicked in the Librarian Page. It contains four string gadgets that can be edited in the normal fashion. All numbers in the string panels are in hexidecimal. This is the adopted format because most instrument's System Exclusive formats are published in hex. Following are short descriptions of the strings. They are described more fully in the "Music-X Protocol Language" section of this chapter. Initiate: This string describes the request to receive, sent by Music-X. Confirm This string describes the confirmation message sent by the synth to indicate that it is ready to send data. Ack: Read this as "Acknowledge." This string describes the acknowledgement message sent by Music-X that it is ready to receive data. Data This string describes the format of the data that the synth will be sending. SENDPANEL The SEND panel is used to define the set of incoming and outgoing message strings that will be used during transfer when the SEND button is clicked in the Librarian Page. Initiate: This is the request to send, sent by Music-X. Confirm This is the "OK, ready to receive" confirmation that the synth sends (if any). Data: This is the format for the data that Music-X will be sending. Ack: This is the acknowledgement that the synth sends to say that it is ready to receive more data. SUB-STRINGS PANEL Sometimes there are strings that need to be used often in the RECEIVE or SEND panels. These message fragments can be written into the SUB-STRINGS panel, and then be represented in the other message strings as abbreviations. Prefix: The abbreviation for Prefix is "PR". Anytime "PR" appears in a send or receive string, the prefix string is substituted. A Prefix string usually consists of a "Beginning of SysEx" byte (FO), then a manufacturer's ID. Cancel: For those synthesizers which understand such things, this substring is used to hold the Cancel string which is sent when Music-X wants to halt the transfer process, perhaps as a result of a user abort. This string cannot be imbedded in any other message strings; it is used automatically when needed. #l: This is user string number one. Its contents are substituted for the abbreviation "//l" when used in the other panels. #2: This is user string number two. Its abbreviation is "#2". PROTOCOL LANGUAGE Technically speaking, a Music-X protocol is a description of the messages that need to be sent to an instrument to communicate with it. This sub- chapter will explain the construction of those messages using the protocol language built into Music-X. Protocols, Messages and Strings Each protocol consists of a number of "messages". Each message is a string of codes to be either sent to or received from the instrument. You create a protocol by creating the correct message strings for that instrument, and typing them into the Protocol Editor. The message strings are lists of numbers or mathematical expressions, separated by commas. The numbers must be in hexadecimal (since that's the way synthesiser manufacturers print out their code descriptions). Once typed in, Music-X can use this information to communicate with the instrument. Finding out about MIDI formats Most manufacturers of MIDI equipment publish the system exclusive codes needed to communicate with their instruments. Some manufacturers publish these codes in the back of the manual, or in a separate book that comes with the instrument. Others require that you write to them directly to obtain a copy of the system exclusive format. Sending and Receiving Communicating with some synthesisers is very simple. When you want to send them a message, you simply send it, and when you want to receive a message, you send a special message to the synthesiser saying "please send me some data", and the synthesiser sends you the data, which you receive and store away. However, most instruments are more complex than that. Usually there is some sort of "handshaking". Handshaking is like good manners, in that there is a lot of "please and thank-you" going on. Here is an example of handshaking between the computer and a synthesiser: Computer: Please send a message. Synth: Are you ready for the message? Computer: Yes, send the first part. Synth: Here it is. <data> Computer: please send the next part. Synth: Here it is. <data> Computer: Please send the next part. (repeat previous two steps for a while) Synth: Here it is, this is the last part. <data> Computer: Thank you very much. Synth: You're welcome. Now, that was a somewhat anthropomorphised version of the way a protocol is used. In actuality, it would look something like this: Computer: FO 44 l2 l7 l9 F7 Synth: FO 44 l3 l9 00 00 l8 F7 (And so forth. You get the idea). Now, not all instruments go to this extreme. Many of the messages used in the above example are often absent on a particular synth. Other synths have special messages like "I have a problem, stop sending messages for a while," or "Something's wrong, cancel the transfer," or "Eh? I didn't get that last message quite right." The message strings are used to tell the computer how to send and receive messages of this type. Because of handshaking, each transaction between the computer and the synthesiser will often consist of a number of messages travelling in both directions. For example, when sending data to the synthesiser, the computer will actually receive as well as send messages, although the important data will be in the messages that are sent. It will be necessary for you to describe correctly all of the incoming and outgoing messages, for both types of transactions. Music-X protocols are based on a "dialogue model". That is, as in a conversation; each person takes turns talking with the other person. Here is the overall structure of a transaction to RECEIVE data: l. Music-X requests data. 2. Synthesiser Acknowledges Music-X. 3. Music-X indicates that it is ready to accept data. 4. Synth sends some data. (Steps 3 and 4 are repeated until all data is received). These 4 steps are labelled Initiate, Confirm, Ack (Acknowledge), Data. Any one of the messages may be omitted, although omitting the last one is not meaningful. For example, if message number 3 (Confirm) is omitted, then it is assumed that the synthesiser will continue to send data without waiting for a confirmation. If message number 2 (Ack) is omitted, then it is assumed that there is no acknowledgement sent from the syunthesiser; that the first thing it will send will be a data message. If message l is omitted, then it usually means that the synthesiser required "manual MIDI control". That is, you actually have to press a button on its front panel to get it to send the data, and there is no actual message that can be sent from the computer to get it to send data. *Note: There is another way that the four messages can be used. Some synthesisersÜjÜsend their data as two separate messages which are different. This is often the case when an instrument comes out which is an advanced version of an older model - one message is sent which represents the old format information, and the second message is additional information which applies only to the new model. There is a way (explained below), whereby you can use the Ack message as an additional Data message which is different from the regular data message. The overall structure of a transaction to SEND data to the synthesiser is slightly different: l. Music-X indicates that it will send data. 2. Synth responds that it is ready. 3. Music-X sends some data. 4. Synth indicates that it got the data OK. (Steps 3 and 4 are repeated until all data is sent). Like before, messages #l and #3 are outgoing, while messages sends #2 and #4 are incoming, but in this case the bulk of the actual data is in //3 instead of #4. These 4 messages are named "Init", "Confirm", "Data", and "Ack". ("Data" and "Ack" have exchanged places). Like the receive transaction, any of the messages may be omitted. Omitting the first two messages is often done in cases where the synthesiser does not handshake, but simply expects the data to be sent. Omitting the last message is often done in cases where the data is sent as a single message, or when no confirmation of individual data blocks is needed. Limitations of System Exclusive Messages Because of the way MIDI is structured, each system exclusive message must start with the hexadecimal code "FO" meaning "start of system exclusive message". Each code, or byte, in the message following that must consist of a series of eight bits, and the most significant bit must be zero. Any byte sent with a most significant bit that is not zero (except Real-Time messages such as Active Sensing) will automatically terminate the system exclusive mode. Due to this fact, all of the bytes within the body of the message must have values which are between 0 and l27. (There are 7 bits available, and each bit can be on or off, which makes l28 combinations of ons and offs. Since we include zero as one of the numbers, we have to leave out the number l28.So, 0-l27). Unfortunately, many instruments (for example, samplers) have parameters or data values that are larger than l27. These instruments solve the problem by breaking up the large number into two smaller numbers, each of which has less bits than the large one. The way the numbers are broken up differs for different instruments. You'll need to be aware of this to understand some of the explanations that are to follow. The LookOut Utility A programme called "LookOut" has been included on the Music-X Utilities disc. It will help you to develop new protocols. What LookOut does is open up a window which prints out error messages and status messages when a protocol is activated, as well as showing the actual bytes that were sent and received. You can use LookOut as a debugger to correct errors in your protocols. *Note: Don't expect to get a protocol correct on the first try - nobody has yet. FORMING A MESSAGE STRING A message string consists of fields separated by commas. Commas may only be used as separators and may not occur within parenthesised expressions. Spaces between the fields are ignored. Each field is actually a command to Music-X, and can consist of either a hexidecimal number, a mathematical expression, or a special command. Fields consisting of just a hexadecimal number simply mean "Send this number." For example: FO,44,l2,45 This message string simply means that the message consists of the code "FO", followed by the code "44", followed by "l2", followed by "45". If the message was an outgoing one, the computer would send those codes to the synthesiser. If it was an incoming message, then instead of sending those codes, the computer would know to expect them. It is also possible to specify codes that are longer than one byte by placing the codes in parentheses. For example, the field (OFOF.3) means send the hexadecimal number "OFOF" as a three-byte code. The "3" is a "length specifier" - it indicates the length, in bytes, of the field in the message string. All length specifiers must be preceeded by a period and must be part of a field surrounded by parentheses. Length specifiers can range from l to 5. Because of the way the Protocol Language works, all multi-byte messages are broken up into chunks of seven rather than eight bits, except for the first byte, which is sent as a full eight bits. So, the bytes "OFOF", which, in binary, are actually "0000llll0000llll", are sent as: "00000000" (8 bits) "000llll0" (7 bits + leading zero bit) "0000llll" (7 bits + leading zero bit) The reason for this is that all of the byte codes in a system exclusive message, except for the first one, must have the first bit as zero. So that only leaves seven bits. This system of encoding works well with popular synthesiser formats. ASCII Strings You can also put an ASCII string into a field, in which case the string is put into the message, character by character. The string must be separated by double quotes. (""). An ASCII character surrounded by single quotes, such as 'A' means to use the numeric value of that ASCII character (just like in the C language). Singly quoted letters may be used in expressions, and may have length specifiers. Examples: FO,44"AAAA",l0 produces the codes: FO 44 4l 4l 4l 4l l0 (The ASCII code for the letter "A" is 4l in hexadecimal). ('A'.3) - means "take the value 4l and insert it into the message for 3 bytes". Expressions Message fields can also contain mathematical expressions (in parentheses). For example, instead of including a "2" in the message, you could include the expression "(l+l)". Expressions can also have a length specifier, as in: "(5+9*3.5)" which means, "Take 5, add 9, multiply by 3, and put the result into the next 5 bytes of the message. All of the terms in an expression must be integers, and evaluation is in left to right order, (except for portions within parentheses, which are evaluated first (parentheses can be nested (to any level))). The operators supported are: + Add - Subtract (or Negative) * Multiply / Divide % Modulus ! Boolean NOT & Boolean AND ^ Boolean Exclusive OR Boolean OR << Logical Bit Shift Left >> Logical Bit Shift Right () Parenthesized expression => Assignment - Variables can be assigned values, as in (A+l=>A) where the value of A + l is assigned to A. Wild Card Character Sometimes you don't care about a particular incoming code from the synthesizer, or don't know what that code will be. There is a wildcard command that you can use instead of a number. The command is "##". You can use it by itself, in which case it causes one byte of the message to be ignored, or in parentheses with a length specifier, in which case the length specifier indicates how many bytes are to be ignored. For example: FO,4l(##.3),42 This tells Music-X to expect two bytes (FO and 4l), then ignore the next three bytes, then expect the byte "42". Wildcards can only be used on incoming messages; otherwise, a protocol error will result. Numeric Variables A numeric variable is a single letter used to represent a numeric value. The value represented by a variable may vary (thus "variable"). Variables can be used within message strings to allow the string to change based on some external circumstance. For example, the message string used by Music-X to initiate a programme dump by a synthesizer could change depending upon which programme you wished to download. Whenever a variable is used in a message string, the current value of that variable is substituted into the message string. For example: l2,33,n,02 In the above example, the third byte of the message will be whatever the variable "n" is currently set to. Variables can also be used with length specifiers, as in "(n.4)". All of these variables have pre-defined meanings. You cannot create your own variables, as you would in a programming language. The meanings of the variables are as follows: "K" or "k" - Checksum Many instruments use checksumming as a way of insuring that the data has been transferred correctly. A checksum is created by taking all or part of a message and adding up those codes numerically to form a sum. This sum is then sent along with the message. When the message is received, the receiver adds up the codes, and checks to see if his sum matches the checksum, in which case the receiver knows that message got through OK. This can be important if the messages are very long, because a slight power fluctuation or static shock to the computer could cause a byte to be received incorrectly. To use checksumming, you need to put braces (the"(" and ")"", or "curly breaker" characters) around the part of the message which is to be summed. Multiple fields may be enclosed in braces and checksummed. Example: l2,34,(02,n.55) This causes the third through fifth byte of the message to be added together and placed into the variable "K". Many synthesizers use a negative checksum, which means that the checksum value sent is the negative sum of the message bytes. This has the advantage that the message bytes and the checksum added together equals zero. To form a checksum like this, use an expression (-K&7f.l) which means "Take the sum "K", negate it, logical AND it with 7F (which turns off the topmost bit, necessary for MIDI system exclusive data), and insert it into the message string for l byte. "J" or "j" - Special Checksum This variable functions the same as "K", except that the checksum is calculated by using boolean XOR rather than addition. "M" or "m" - Total Blocks Sent This variable starts at zero and is increased by l for each block or section of data that is sent to the instrument. "N" or "n" - Channel Number This variable is set to the currently selected channel in the Librarian Page. (Actually, it's one less than that, as channel numbers actually start at zero, but are labelled starting from one). "O" or "o" - Patch offset, only in send This variable is only used in special protocols that work in cooperation with certain patch editors. It is used when a patch editor wants to send a "partial update". This allows a patch editor to change some of the data in a patch, and only send to the instrument the part that was changed. The "O" variable indicates the start of the changed section. For example, if the patch data was 488 bytes long, and the bytes 52 through 69 had been changed, then "O" would be set to 52. "P" or "p" - Program Number This variable is set to one less than the current value of the Programme: indicator in the Librarian Page. It ranges from 000 to l27. If Use Original Program #s is selected, in the Librarian Page / Options menu, and we are sending data, the variable "P" will actually be set to the original programme number that the patch was received from, as shown in the library file. "Q" or "q" - Send Data Size This variable indicates the size of the data block that is to be sent to the instrument. Normally, this will be the full size of the patch, but it could be less for "partial updates". This variable is only used to inform synthesizers that need to be told how much data to receive. "R" or "r" - Total Bytes Received The total number of data bytes received so far in the transaction (after packing if used with "Y" data). "S" or "s" - Total Blocks Received The total number of data bytes sent so far in the transaction (after packing). "U" or "u" - Total Blocks Received This variable starts at zero and is increased by l each time the protocol goes through the Ack-message/Data-message cycle. "V" or "v" - Value Last Received This variable is set to the value of the last data byte received. String Variables Another type of variable that can be used in a protocol specification is a string variable. Each string variable corresponds to one of the substrings in the bottom panel of the Protocol Editor. For example, the string variable "PR" stands for "Prefix". Whenever a message field contains the letters "PR", the contents of the Prefix: message text box will be substituted in its place. Message strings can get very long in some cases, as well as very repetitive, so it's handy to be able to define commonly used parts of messages. There are four string variables. They are as follows: "PG" - Programme string This variable will be substituted with one of two strings, depending upon whether the PREVIEW button in the Librarian Page is set. If the PREVIEW button is set, then the message string labelled Preview Programme: will be used; otherwise, the string labelled Normal Programme: will be used. This will allow the message protocol to vary based on the setting of the PRE-VIEW button. In many instruments, the "temporary area" is accessed by altering the programme number sent to the synthesizer. "PR" - Prefix This variable will be substituted with the contents of the Prefix message string. In almost all synths, the first few bytes of every message that the synth will send or receive are the same as the first few bytes of all of its other messages. So to save typing, you can put those bytes into the prefix string. "#l" - User string l This variable will be substituted with the contents of the #l: message string. "#2" - User string 2 This variable will be substituted with the contents of the #2: message string. String variables can be used by themselves in a field, or as a component of an expression if the resulting string is properly formed. For example, you could use "(PR*6)" if PR was "04" but not if PR was "04,03" (because you can't have a comma within a parenthesized expression). Data Variables Data variables represent data that is to be sent or received. When received, this is the actual data that will be stored in the library entry; all other parts of the system exclusive message (header checksum, Ack, etc) are discarded after being used. When being sent, this data is read from the library entry, and inserted into the transfer at the correct point. Data variables are specified by the letter "X" or "Y". Each variable must be used in an expression followed by a length specifier, and surrounded by prentheses, and indicates how many bytes of data are to be transferred in each block. In addition to a length specifier, the Data variables may have an "offset" specifier, and a "total" specifier. The format for Data Transfer message fields can be as follows (including parentheses): (Data.Length) (Date.Length:Total) (Data.Length.Offset) (Date.Length.Offset:Total) Data There are currently two forms of Data variables. Each can be used for sending or receiving. The "X" command means the data is transferred normally, i.e. not encoded in any way. (This requires that the data is already in normal format with the leading bit zeroed.) The "Y" command means the data is transferred in "nybbleized" form. Each byte of the data is sent or received as two bytes. The first byte contains the rightmost four bits of the original data byte, and the second byte contains the leftmost four bits. So, a command of (Y.l00) will actually cause 200 bytes to be transferred, however these will be packed back into l00 bytes after transfer. Length specifiers, when used with "Y" data, always specify the number of bytes in packed form. Length The Length specifier follows the command field and is separated from it by a period. It indicates the size of the data block to be transferred. If there is only one block then it indicates the total size of the data. A length specifier of zero indicates a special case that causes the Librarian to ignore EOX (F7H, End of System Exclusive) and continue to capture everything until the receive button is turned off. For example: (x.0) Total The Total specifier can be used during receive only. It follows either the Length specifier or the Offset specifier. It must be last in the field and is separated from the previous specified by a colon (":"). It indicates the total number of bytes of all data blocks to be received. If using nybbleized data, it specifies the total number of bytes in packed form. Music-X will continue to spend and receive messages until the total amount of data transferred is equal to or greater than this number. Offset There are some cases when data needs to be sent to an instrument in a different order than it was received. The Offset specifier is a way of implementing that. The Offset specifier is only used when sending data. It must follow the Length specifier and is separated from it by a period. The Offset specifier can be positive or negative, and is used to read data starting from any point in the library file. Normally, Music-X sends out data sections sequentially, starting from the beginning of the library file. For example, if the patch data record was l00 bytes long, and you instructed Music-X to send 25 bytes (say using (X.25)), the first time the message was transmitted Music-X would send bytes l-25 of the data. The second time it would send bytes 26-50, and so on. However, if you specified an offset of l0, as in (X.25.l0), it would send bytes ll- 35 the first time, bytes 36-60 the second time, etc. The way this works is, there is a "counter" that counts the number of bytes of library data sent. This counter is identical to the "S" variable. It starts at zero and increases by one with every byte. This counter is normally also used to point to the next byte of library data that is to be sent. When an Offset specifier is used after a Data Variable, the Offset and the counter are added together to calculate which byte in the library file to send. *Note: Refer to the TX-8lZ.Voices protocol for an example of this. Special Commands In addition to the above, there are a number of miscellaneous special commands: "W" - Wait Tells Music-X to wait for a specified time. The length specifier is used as a delay time, and is in 50ths of a second. For example: (W.50) This field causes Music-X to wait for one second before continuing with the message. "**" - Sentinel Sometimes it is not possible to tell exactly how long an incoming message is going to be, as some instruments send messages of varying length. For this reason, the "sentinel" command has been included. If you know that a particular byte value is always going to be at the end of a message, you can use the sentinel command to inform Music-X that it can use that value to detect when the message ends. To use sentinel, place the "**" immediately before the value to be used. For example: 44,56,73,99,**F7 This example tells Music-X that the first "F7" received will indicate the end of the message. Sentinel values are usually the last byte of a message. "@@" - Special Sentinel This is used to indicate the last data block in the transfer. To use sentinel, place the "@@" immediately before the value to be used. When this value is detected during receive, the protocol breaks out of the Ack- message/Data message cycle. When this value is to be used during send, the value is sent with the last block at the specified point. "FIN" - Send Final Message. Some synthesizers require that when receiving data from the, a final "Ack" message be sent after all data has been received. the FIN command, if included in a message, will enable this behaviour. The "FIN" command can be anywhere in the "Ack" message. PROTOCOL LANGUAGE SUMMARY Field Typesand Literals Literal Values Hexadecimal number = numeric value Singly quoted character(s) (") = literal ASCII value Double quoted character string ("") = literal byte string Expression Operators + = Add - = Subtract (or negative) * = Multiply / = Divide % = Modulus ! = Boolean NOT & = Bollean AND ^ = Boolean Exclusive OR = Boolean OR << = Logical Bit Shift Leaf >> = Logical Bit Shift Right () = Parenthesized expression >= = Assignment Substring Codes PR = Prefix Substring PG = Programme Substring #l = User String #l #2 = User String #2 Variables (upper or lower case allowable) J = Exclusive-OR checksum K = Additive Checksum M = Total Blocks Sent N = MIDI Channel Number 0 = Patch Offset P = Programme Number Q = Number of Bytes to Send R = Total Bytes Received S = Total Bytes Sent U = Total Blocks Received V = Value Last Received Data Type Codes X = Send/Receive Normal Data Y = Send/Receive Nybbleized Data Misc Field Type Codes ** - Sentinel @@ = Special Sentinel FIN = Send Final Acknowledge after transfer complete ## = Wildcard W = Wait Checksum Delimiters ( = Beginning Checksumming un-encoded data ) = End Checksumming un-encoded data (( = Begin Checksumming nybbleized data )) = End Checksumming nybbleized data MessageStringSyntax: The following describes the syntax, or grammar of the message strings. Each description begins with the name of a syntax component, followed by a colon. Below each of these is the symbol or list of symbols which define the legal ways in which the syntax component can be formed. Groups of symbols in brackets ("()") are optional, ellipsis ("...") indicate that more such symbols may follow, and italicized words represent other syntax components. The syntax components misc-field- type-code, substring-code-variable,literal- value and expression are defined in the previous section. Message string: field (,field)... field: literal-value substring-code variable misc-field-type-code (expression) (expression.length) (variable.length) (misc-field-type-code.length) (data-type-code(length(.offset))(:total)) length: expression offset: expression total: expression TransferModels: Receive: Init - Initiate - tell instrument to initiate data transfer. Conf - Confirm - instrument indicates it's ready. Ack - Acknowledge - tell instrument to send next block Data - Receive Data - data sent by instrument. (Ack & Data repeat until end of transfer detected). Send: Init - Initiate - alert instrument to receive data transfer. Conf - Confirm - instrument indicates it's ready. Data - Send Data - data sent to instrument Ack - Acknowledge - instrument ready for next block. (Data & Ack repeat until all data sent). KEYBOARD EQUIVALENTS SYSTEM MESSAGE REQUESTERS | RightAmiga-"L" = (L)ibrarian Page RETURN for rightmost button or OK | RightAmiga-"Q" = (Q)uit Music-X | RightAmiga-"P" = Loan (P)erformance SEQUENCER PAGE | RightAmiga-"V" = Sa(v)e Performance ESC (Escape key) = All notes off | RightAmiga-"O" =(O)utput Channelizer | Function key Fl = Set Punch-In "B" = P(B)EGIN | Function key F2 = Set Punch-Out "E" = (E)ND | RightAmiga-"C" = (C)opy Sequence "1" - CUE(l) | RightAmiga-"X" = E(x)tract Sequence "2" = CUE(2) | RightAmiga-"Z" = Togle (Z)ero Origin "3" = CUE(3 | "4" = CUE(4 | CursorUp = Move up through sequence "=" = SET | list | CursonDown = Move down through list SPACE BAR = PAUSE | SHIFT-CursorUp = Page up through "(" = Rewind | list "P" = (P)LAY | SHIFT-CursonDown = Page down through ")" = Fast Forward | list "R" = (R)ECORD | "S" = (S)TOP | RECORDER REQUESTER | SHIFT-"S" = (S)TORE | "G" = (G)O SHIFT-"E" = (E)DIT | "C" = (C)ANCEL SHIFT-"D" = (D)ELETE | SHIFT-"P" = (P)REVIEW | SEQUENCE SELECTOR SHIFT-"R" = Clock:(R)elative Clock | SHIFT-"A" = Time: (A)bsolute Clock | "O" = (O)K | "C" = (C)ANCEL RightAmiga-"." = Suspend Music-X | CursorUp = Move up through sequence RightAmiga-"S" = (S)equencer Page | list RightAmiga-"F" = (F)ilters Page | CursorDown = Move down through list RightAmiga-"A" = (A)miga Samples Page | SHIFT-CursorUp = Page up through | list | SHIFT-CursorDown = Page down through | list | | SUSPEND WINDOW | | RETURN (Return key) = RESUME OUTPUT CHANNELS | RightAmiga "T" = S(t)ore Sequence | RightAmiga-"R" = (R)ecall Sequence "O" = (O)K | RightAmiga-"X" = E(x)it Editor "C" = (C)ANCEL | RightAmiga-"B" = (B)ar Editor "N" = (N)0, CANCEL | RightAmiga-"E" = (E)vent Editor | RightAmiga-"K" = Cut BAREDITOR | RightAmiga-"C" = (C)opy | RightAmiga-"D" = (D)elete ESC (Escape key) = All notes off | RightAmiga-"P" = (P)aste | RightAmiga-"A" = Select (A)ll "/" = SetSig | "A" = (A)dd | CursorUp = Move current event up in "I" = (I)nsert | score "C" = Move (change) | CursorDown = Move current event down "V" = Remo(v)e | in score SHIFT-"L" = (L)ock | CursorLeft = Move current event "E" = S(e)lect | earlier in score "M" = (M)ark | CursorRight = Move current event "U" = (U)nmark | later in score HELP (Help key) = Restore last | SHIFT-CursorUp = Move note up l deleted event(s) | octave "Z" = (Z)oom+ | SHIFT-CursorDown = Move note down l SHIFT-"Z" = (Z)oom- | octave SHIFT-"S" = (S)nap | "Q" = (Q)uiet | EVENT EDITOR "L" = Scro(l)l | "G" = (G)rid | "/" = SetSig SHIFT-"P" = (P)arams | "D" = (D)up SHIFT-"R" = (R)epeat | "V" = Remo(v)e SPACE BAR = PAUSE | HELP (Help key) = Restore last "P" = (P)LAY | deleted event(s) "R" - (R)ECORD | "M" = Select (think (M)ark) "S" = (S)TOP | "U" = (U)nmark "(" = BACK | "N" = U(n)do | "C" = S(c)roll RightAmiga-"L" = (L)oad Sequence | "G" = (G)rid RightAmiga-"S" = (S)ave Sequence | SHIFT-"P" = (P)arams RightAmiga-"N" = (N)ew Sequence | SHIFT-"R" = (R)epeat RightAmiga-"/" = Select Sequence | "Q" = (Q)ueit | SPACE BAR = PAUSE | "P" = (P)LAY | "R" = (R)ECORD | "S" = (S)TOP | ")" = STEP | "(" = BACK RightAmiga-"L" = (L)oad Sequence | RightAmiga-"L" - (L)oad RightAmiga-"S" = (S)ave Sequence | RightAmiga-"SA" = (S)ave RightAmiga-"N" = (N)ew Sequence | RightAmiga-"X" = E(x)it RightAmiga-"/" = Select Sequence | RightAmiga-"T" = S(t)ore Sequence | AMIGA SAMPLES PAGE RightAmiga-"R" = (R)ecall Sequence | RightAmiga-"X" = E(x)it Editor | ESC (Escape key) = All notes off RightAmiga-"B" = (B)ar Editor | RightAmiga-"E" = (E)vent Editor | RightAmiga=-"I" = Load (I)FF Sample RightAmiga-"K" = Cut (Kut) | RightAmiga "X" = Load Soni(x) Sample RightAmiga-"C" = (C)opy | RightAmiga "V" = Sa(v)e IFF Sample RightAmiga-"D" = (D)elete | RightAmiga-"P" = (P)aste | CusorUp = Move up through sample | list RightAmiga-"A" = Select (A)ll | CursorDown = Move down through | sample list | CursorUp = Move up through event list | LIBRARIAN PAGE CursorDown = Move down through event | list | ESC (Escape key) = All notes off CursorLeft = Move left through current| event | "S" = (S)END CursorRight = Move right through | "R" = (R)ECEIVE current event | "A" = (A)LL SHIFT-CursorUp = Page up through list | "V" = PRE(V)IEW SHIFT-CursorDown = Page down through | "P" = (p)rogramme: list | "E" = (E)dit Entry | QUANTIZER | RightAmiga-"N" = (N)ew | RightAmiga-"O" = L(o)ad "Q" = (Q)UANTIZE | RightAmiga-"V" - Sa(v)e "C" - (C)ANCEL | RightAmiga-"C" = (C)lose | KEYMAP EDITOR | PROTOCOL EDITOR | ESC (escape key) = All notes off | RightAmiga-"L" = (L)oad "U" = (U)NDO | RightAmiga-"S" = (S)ave "C" = (C)ANCEL | RightAmiga-"X" = E(x)it "O" = (O)K | "H" = S(H)OW | "R" = (R)ANGE | "S" = (S)ET | "1" = Keymap (l) | "2" = Keymap (2) | "3" - Keymap (3) | "4" = Keymap (4) | WHAT IS AN EDITOR? An editor provides a way to look into a sequence and manipulate the contents; it lets you "get at the guts" of a sequence. An editor may be used to correct a prerecorded sequence, or to create a new sequence from scratch. WHAT IS A SEQUENCE? A sequence is a list of things-to-do and when-to-do-them. These things- to- do are called "events". Events play notes, send programme changes, change the tempo, etc. When Music-X plays a sequence, it reads through the its and executes each event at the proper time. EVENT PARAMETERS Each event can have multiple attributes or properties. These properties are called "parameters". For example, a single note event has the parameters of start time, pitch, duration, MIDI channel, attack velocity, and release velocity. TWO EDITORS Music-X has two sequence editors, the Bar Editor and the Event Editor. Each editor provides a different way to look at the same events. One can switch between the Bar Editor and the Event Editor freely, using each for its strengths. EDITING SINGLE EVENTS Many events are displayed at once in the editor screens. In order to change the parameters of a single event, you first pick it out of the crowd. That event then becomes the "current event". The controls in each editor are designed to automatically configure themselves to the parameters of the current event. To edit the parameters of a single event, you make it the current event and then tweak the controls. EDITING MULTIPLE EVENTS It is possible to change the parameters of a group of events all at the same time. In order to do this the group must first be defined. There are two main ways to do this. The first way is to "select" the desired events individually until the group is complete. The second way is to "mark" a region of time. These methods are explained in more detail later. Once the group is defined, special editing functions can be called that operate on the group as a whole. THE EDIT BUFFER When you first choose to edit a sequence, by clicking EDIT in the Sequencer Page, a copy of the current sequence is written into the Edit Buffer and you are moved into one of the editors. The editors are then used to make changes to the Edit Buffer without affecting the original sequence. It is safe to experiment. When satisfied with the changes, you store the newly edited version of the sequence back over the original. *Note: The Edit Buffer is the same thing as the Record Buffer. In fact it is possible to edit the Record Buffer immediately after recording, without first storing it to sequence memory. Simply click EDIT from the sequencer page after recording, and when the safety prompt appears, click the EDIT IT option to edit the current contents of the Record Buffer. (See Sequencer Page / EDIT) BAR EDITOR OVERVIEW In the Bar Editor, notes appear as coloured bars - thus the name! (Not to be confused with "bar" meaning "measure".) The Bar Editor displays events graphically, as icons positioned in a two- dimensional time/pitch graph. Events can be added to, removed from, and repositioned in the graph using the mouse. This makes editing a sequence in the Bar Editor rather like using a paint programme; notes can be "painted" onto the score using the mouse as a brush. The rest of the Bar Editor chapter explains all the features of the Bar Editor Page one by one, roughly in the order that they are found on the screen (left to right, top to bottom). TITLEBAR The title bar is displayed along the top of all Music-X pages to show which page is currently being used. In the Bar Editor, the name of the sequence currently being edited appears here as well, following the word Sequencer: The Title Bar becomes the Menu Bar, containing menu titles, when the right mouse button is pushed. To access any menu on any page, press the right mouse button and point to the desired menu title in the Menu Bar. The chosen menu will "pull down", listing the available menu items. To chose a menu item, point to it, and release the right mouse button while the item is highlighted. FILEMENU The File Menu is used to move whole sequences in and out of the Edit Buffer. Sequences can be moved to and from disk using save and select. This menu is available from both editors and function identically in both cases. Following are descriptions of the items available in the File menu, and the functions that they initiate. Load... (RightAmiga-"L" from the keyboard) This function loads a previously saved sequence file into the Edit Buffer from disk so that it may be edited. The previous contents of the Edit Buffer are lost. Choosing Load... calls the File Requester. Use the File Requester to locate the sequence file on disk, then click OK to load the file. Otherwise, click CANCEL to return to the editors without loading. (See File Requester chapter). Save... (RightAmiga-"S" from keyboard) This item saves the contents of the Edit Buffer to disk in a sequence file. Choosing Save... calls the File Requester. Use the File Requester to locate the drawer to save your file in. Then use the File Requester to name your new file. The recommended file extension for sequence files is ".Seq". Click OK to save the file, or click CANCEL to return to the editors without saving. (See File Requester chapter) Saving a sequence file also creates an icon for that file in the same drawer. When seen from the Workbench, the icons for sequence files look the same as performance file icons - like little audio cassettes. *Note: A sequence file contains one sequence only. Multiple sequences may be saved in a performance file. (See Sequencer Page / File Menu / Save Performance) New (RightAmiga-"N" from the keyboard) This function erases the current contents of the Edit Buffer leaving a new blank sequence containing only an End event. A blank sequence is a good starting place when building a sequence from scratch. Events can then be added one by one using the editor as a compositional tool. Choosing New first calls a safety prompt to prevent accidental loss. Click No to back out safely. Otherwise, click Yes to proceed. The Edit Buffer is then erased. PROGRAMME CHANGE When this item is checked, Programme Change events will be displayed. Programme Change events appear as text written in the score, coloured according to their MIDI channel. The abbreviation "PGM:" is followed by the programme number. Example: PGM:090. CHANNEL A.T. Read this menu items as "Channel Aftertouch". When this item is checked, Channel Aftertouch events are displayed. Aftertouch events look rather like pins; they are displayed as dots supported by lines connected to the bottom of the score window, coloured according to their MIDI channel. The height of each dot shows the relative aftertouch pressure. Polyphonic A.T. Read this menu item as "Polyphonic Aftertouch". When this item is checked, Polyphonic Aftertouch events will be displayed. Both types of aftertouch, as well as Control Change events, look the same. When PLYPHONIC A.T. is turned on, the other two are turned off. CONTROL CHANGE When this item is checked, Control Change events will be displayed. Control Change events are displayed the same way as the two Aftertouch types. When any of the three are turned on, the other two are automatically turned off. Pitch Bend When this item is checked, Pitch Bend events will be displayed. Pitch Bend events appear as small diamonds coloured according to their MIDI channel. System Exclusive When this item is checked, System Exclusive events will be displayed. System Exclusive events appear as small black vertical dashes spanning the height of about two pitch lines. Modules Menu The MODULES menu is where access is given to externally loaded editing modules. These modules are small programmes that operate on the data in the Edit Buffer in specialways. They can be called and used from either editor. Three editing modules are included with Music-X as released. The menu items that call them are: QUANTIZE..... SCALE VELOCITY..... SCALE AFTERTOUCH..... The following three subchapters describe these Modules. Quantizer Module To call this module from within either editor, chose QUANTIZE... from the modules menu. The Quantizer is used to alter (correct) the timing of events in a sequence. The Quantizer is so named because it deals with quantities of time. Most music assumes an underlying regular pulse on which the music is placed. This is represented in Music-X by the "Grid". The Quantizer is used to make sure the timed execution of notes is nice and close to this ideal Grid. A quantized sequence will sound very even and regular. The spacing between Grid points is called the "Grid Size". By using different Grid sizes, you can get triplets, etc. The Grid Size is set using the GRID tool found in the Tool List on the right edge of the Bar Editor Page. This should be done before calling the Quantizer, to set up the appropriate Grid and Duration. The currently selected Grid Size gives an idealized timing reference used as a target by the Quantizer when moving the start times of events. Duration can be explained as the length of time between the start and the end of a note (between the MIDI Note On and NOte Off). The currently selected duration is used by the Quantizer as an idealized reference when quantizing durations. (see Bar Editor / Grid) The Error Spectrum Let us say we have set up a Grid of quarter notes. Each Grid point is l92 clocks away from the next. (A clock is the smallest amount of time possible in a Relative 192. Durations l 2 3 4 Count Grid -95 +96 { Error Spectrum Illustration 7.5: Error Spectrum These are out ideal "downbeats". Now imagine the area of time surrounding each Grid point and extending halfway to the next Grid point in both directions (earlier and later). This area of time creates a margin around each Grid point that can be called the "error spectrum". Any notes within the error spectrum are considered by the Quantizer to be deviations from the ideal Grid point in the centre of the spectrum. The further away from the centre that a note starts, the greater the timing error. So, for instance, with our Grid of quarter notes, which is l92 clocks wide, a note may start as early as 95 clocks before the beat or as late as 96 clocks after the beat and still be quantized correctly. After you have recorded a live performance, changes are that there will be minor (or major) differences in timing between the way you played it and the way you wish you had played it. The Quantizer will "comb" through all the notes you played and move them to the closest Grid point. Say you played a four-note arpeggio, approximately in quarter notes. And let us assume that we have previously set a Grid of quarter notes (l92 clocks) by using the Grid requester. Here are the times before and after quantization (shown as measures.beats.clocks). Note Played Time Quantized Time C4 000l.0l.0l0 000l.0l.000 E4 000l.02.004 000l.02.000 G4 000l.02.l90 000l.03.000 C5 000l.03.l65 000l.04.000 Knowing that each quarter note contains l92 clocks, you can see here that the first note was played late by l0 clocks, the second was late by 4 clocks, the third note was early by 2 clocks and the fourth note was early by 27 clocks. The Quantizer moved each one to the closest nearby Grid point. In the right half of the Quantizer Module's window is a column of buttons for the various quantizing options. Following are descriptions of those options. QUANTIZE EVENTS Quantization Size: 0l92 Min Threshold: ( ) Start Only 00 Max Threshold: ( ) Duration Only 96 ( ) Stop Only Effect %: l00 ( ) Start + Duration (((((() Selected Events ( ) All ( ) Start + Stop QUANTIZE CANCEL (((((() Start w/Duration Illustration 7.6 START ONLY will move only the Note On portion of Note events to the nearest Grid point and leave the Note Offs where they were. The durations may be arbitarily changed. DURATION ONLY will leave the NOte Ons where they are and move each Note Off earlier or later in time to cause the duration of the note to resolve to the nearest multiple of the chosen duration. Example: If you have chosen eighth notes as your duration, and the original duration of a note to be quantized is somewhere between a true quarter note (two eights) and a true dotted quarter note (three eighths), then the Quantizer will move the Note Off earlier or later to whichever value is closer; the note will end up being exactly a quarter note or exactly a dotted note in duration. STOP ONLY will move Note Offs to the closest Grid point. Note Ons are not moved. Durations may be arbitarily changed. START + DURATION will move the Note Ons towards the nearest Grid point and adjust the Note Offs so that the duration is moved towards the nearest multiple of the chosen duration. In most cases this identical to START + STOP (see below). It would be different in cases where the Grid Size and the chosen Duration are different. Suppose you set your Grid to sixteenth notes and your Duration to whole notes. The Note Ons would be moved to the closest Grid point but instead of adjusting the end points to the nearest sixteenth note Grid, the Quantizer would adjust the end points to make the overall duration of the note some multiple of whole notes. This is a versatile feature. Experiment with different settings. START + STOP will move both Note Ons and Note Offs towards the nearest Grid point (even in opposite directions). Durations may be altered arbitarily, but will end up as some multiple of the Grid Size (not necessarily some multiple of the current Duration setting). START w/DURATION means "start with same duration". In other words, Quantize the start time but leave the duration the same". This will move the Note Ons to the nearest Grid point and move the related Note Off in the same direction by the same amount, leaving the overall duration of the note the same as it was originally played. This is good for correcting the timing of a phrase while staying close to the original articulation. The gaps between notes retain most of their original feel; legato or staccato sections will still sound legato or staccato. In the left half of the Quantizer Module's window are three virtual sliders that limit the overall effect of quantization. Minimum Threshold: This slider tells the Quantizer at what point along the error spectrum to start quantizing. You can choose NOT to quantize rhythms that are within a certain number of clocks from the Grid centre, early or late. This is like saying, "If it is close enough already, let us leave it alone so it does not sound too robotic!" You can set the threshold from 000 clocks to l/2 the current Grid Size or Duration, whichever is bigger. Example: 000 to 96 clocks are available when quantizing quarter notes (a quarter note is l92 clocks). Setting a minimum threshold of 5 will only quantize notes occurring at 5 clocks or further from the Grid centre. Maximum Threshold: This slider tells the Quantizer at what point along the error spectrum to stop quantizing. You can choose to leave rhythms as they are if they are beyond a certain number of clocks from the Grid, early or late. This is like saying, "If it is THAT far off, I must have meant it!". Possible settings range from 000 clocks to l/2 the current duration or current Grid Size whichever is bigger. Example: 000 to 24 clocks are available when quantizing sixteenth notes (a sixteenth note is 48 clocks). Setting a maximum threshold of l0 would only quantize notes occurring at l0 clocks or closer from the Grid centre. Effect %: Read this slider as "Effect Percent". This slider lets you tell the Quantizer to only partially quantize the notes; to just move the notes part of the way towards the nearest Grid or Duration. If your note is l0 clicks away from the Grid and you choose a 50 percent effect, the note will be moved to 5 clicks away from the Grid. If you still want it closer, run the Quantizer again, the note will be moved a little closer each time. It is like saying "The track is pretty close as it is. I just want it a little tighter without making it sound stiff". If you are quantizing Durations, then the effect percent slider will partially quantize them as well. Below the sliders are two switches that determine which overall group of events will be considered for quantization. Selected Events When this switch is on, only those events currently Selected in the sequence, or those events within a Marked region of time will be quantized according to the parameters set above. If no events are currently Selected, or Marked, and this switch is on, then no effect will be herd. When the SELECTED EVENTS switch is on, the ALL switch (see below) is automatically turned off. (See Bar Editor / Select) (See Bar Editor / Mark) ALL When this switch is on, all the events in the current sequence will be quantized according to the parameters set above. Actually, only Note events and certain Music-X events will be affected. Everything else is left along automatically. It is assumed, for instance, that nobody wants to quantize pitch bend information. (See Bar Editor / Event Types) QUANTIZE. This button, when clicked, causes the Quantizer to go ahead and quantize according to the parameters set up in the other controls. When done setting up the parameters, click CANCEL or press the "C" key to safely exit the Quantizer. Velocity Scaling Module This Module can be called and used from either editor by shoosing SCALE VELOCITY... from the Modules menu. The Volocity Scaling module is used to alter the attack and release velocities of notes in a sequence. It can operate on the whole sequence or on any set of two or more notes within the sequence. WHAT IS VELOCITY? Attack velocity and release velocity are two of the parameters associated with a Note event and are sent in MIDI NOte On and Note Off messages respectively. The attack velocity of a note relates to how fast the key was pressed on the mother keyboard. (This does not mean a faster musical tempo, but rather how fast the key travels from full up to full down position. Most performers think of this as how "hard" they hit the keys.) Various synths use this parameter to control either the timbre of the sound, the volume of the sound, or both. Some synths use it to control the attack rate or other portions of their envelope generators as well. The theory is that if you play faster, you want the sound louder, brighter, and quicker in responding. And if you play slower, you want it softer, darker, and slower in responding. The release velocity of a note relates to how fast you release the key from the depressed position. Like attack velocity, this is used by various synths to control the timbre, volume, or articulation of the sound. Unfortunately, it is less widely supported by synth manufacturers than attack velocity is. In the hardware of an electronic keyboard, velocity is actually measured by cuasing a key to close or open two separate switches, one near the beginning of travel and one near the end, and noting the amount of time between the closings. It really has nothing to do with how hard you play the key but rather, how fast. VELOCITY SCALING Initial Level: l00 Final Level: l00 Ramdom Factor: 000 ((((() Attack Velocity ( ) Release Velocity ((((() Marked Events ( ) Entire Sequence (SCALE) (CANCEL) Illustration 7.7 Choosing SCALE VELOCITY... from the Modules menu opens the VELOCITY SCALING widow. The scaling module affects the intensity of attack and release velocities of Note events according to parameters set up in the window by you. It is generally used to create crescendos (loud at the beginning, soft at the end), or to raise or lower the velocity of a range of notes all together. Following are descriptions of the parameters in the VELOCITY SCALING window. Initial Level: The Initial Level slider sets the desired percentage of current velocity for the first (initial) note in a range. This parameter together with the FINAL LEVEL parameter creates a ramp of percentages over time from the initial event to the final event. The slider ranges from 000 percent of current velocity to 300 percent of current velocity. As each event is processed, its velocity will be changed by the percentage dictated by the level of the ramp at that point in time. Final Level: The Final Level slider sets the desired percentage of current velocity for the last (final) note in a range. If the Final level is set higher than the Initial level, then a crescendo-type effect will be imparted. If the Final level is set lower than the Initial level, then a decrescendo-type effect will be imparted. If the Final Level is the same as the Initial Level, then the ramp will be flat. The effect will be one of an overall increase or decrease in dynamics. If both the Initial Level and the Final Level are set at l00 percent, then no ramp is set up and no changes will be made to velocities by these parameters. (However, the Random Factor parameter may still be live.) Random Factor: You can choose to have the velocities of Note events changed by adding a random offset to each. This is a simple addition and has nothing to do with percentages. The slider sets the width of the range of possible offsets. A width of l00 defines a range from -50 to +50 to be added to the current velocity. Example: If a velocity is l00, and the slider is at l00, then the possible new velocities are 50 through l50. Try this on a constant-velocity high-hat part to hear what happens. Or do it to keyboard parts entered with a non-velocity-transmitting other keyboard to add some life (your sound module must support velocity sensitivity for you to hear the effect). Attack Velocity Then this switch is on (highlighted), the attack velocities of affected Note events will be scaled. Release Velocity When this switch is on, the release velocities of affected Note events will be scaled. If this switch is off and the ATTACK VELOCITY switch is off as well, then of course nothing will happen. Marked Events When this switch is highlighted, only Note events that are currently Selected, or are within a Marked time region, will be affected by the scaling operation. When this is on, the ENTIRE SEQUENCE option (see below) is turned off. (see Bar Editor / Select) (see Bar Editor / Mark) Entire Sequence When this is highlighted, all the Note events in the sequence will be affected by the scale operation (including any events after the end line). When this is on, the MARKED EVENTS option is turned off. Scale Clicking the SCALE button tells the software to go ahead and do the scaling operation using the parameters that have been set in this window. Interesting effects can be accomplished by changing the ramp and running the scaler again over the same section of a sequence. Complex dynamic shapes can also be created by giving different sections individual crescendos and decrescendos. *Note: The possible complexity of combined scale operations means scaling cannot be done by simple offset during playback; therefore, the original data must be altered. Make sure you like the result before leaving the editor and saving your changes. Cancel Clicking CANCEL will Scale nothing, close the Velocity Scaling window, and return to the editor. AFTER TOUCH SCALING MODULE This Module can be called and used from either editor by shoosing SCALE AFTERTOUCH from the MODULES menu. The Aftertough Scaling module is used to alter the pressure values of Aftertouch events in a sequence. It can operate on all the events in a sequence or on any set of two or more Aftertouch events within the sequence. What is Aftertouch? Aftertouch messages relate to how hard a key is pressed on the mother keyboard after initially reaching the bottom of travel. Aftertouch provides an extra means of expression after the note has been initially struck. Some wind controllers send Aftertouch messages when breath pressure is increased during a note. Various synths and sound modules use Aftertouch to affect the timbre, volume, or pitch of the sound. Generally, the harder you press, the "brighter" the sound gets, and possibly the louder. Not all keyboards send or respond to Aftertouch events. To hear the effects of the Aftertouch Scaling module, your sound source must support Aftertouch. There are two kinds of Aftertouch events, one that affects an entire MIDI channel, and one that affects individual notes. The first is called "Channel Aftertouch", and the second, "Polyphonic Aftertouch". Mother keyboards that send Channel Aftertouch messages send messages containing a value that represents the overall pressure being exerted across their keyboard. Mother keyboard that support Polyphonic Aftertouch cn sense pressures being applied to individual keys. Owners of mother keyboards that support Channel Aftertouch will find that varying pressures applied to a single note in the right hand will also affect the notes of a chord being held with the left hand. Owners of mother keyboards that support Polyphonic Aftertouch will find that each note in a chord can be affected separately. Choosing SCALE AFTERTOUCH... from the Modules menu opens the AFTERTOUCH SCALING window. This window is used to set the parameters that shape the way the module will alter the pressure values of Aftertouch events over time. The parameters in the AFTERTOUCH SCALING window are similar to the parameters in the VELOCITY SCALING window. Following are descriptions of those parameters. AFTERTOUCH SCALING Initial Level: l00 Final Level: l00 Random Level: 000 ((((() Channel Aftertouch ( ) Polyphonic Aftertouch ((((() Marked Events ( ) Entire Sequence Illustration 7.8 INITIAL LEVEL The Initial Level slider sets the desired percentage of current pressure for the first (initial) Aftertouch event in a range. This parameter together with the FINAL LEVEL parameter creates a ramp of percentages over time from the initial event to the final event. The slider ranges from 000 percent of current pressure to 300 percent of current pressure. As each Aftertouch event is processed, its pressure will be changed by the percentage dictated by the level of the ramp at that point in time. Final Level: The Final Level slider sets the desired percentage of current Aftertouch for the last (final) Aftertouch event in a range. If the Final level is set higher than the Initial level, then a crescendo-type effect will be imparted. If the Final level is set lower than the Initial level, then a decrescendo-type effect will be imparted. If the Final Level is the same as the Initial Level, then the ramp will be Flat. The effect will be one of overall increase or decrease in dynamics. If both the Initial Level and the Final Level are set at l00 percent, then no changes will be made to pressures by the ramp parameters. (However, the Random Factor parameter may still be live.) Random Factor: This slider sets the width of a random offset to be added to the pressure values of Aftertouch events. The slider ranges from 0 to l00 A width of l00 defines a range from -50 to +50 to be added to the current Aftertouch. Example: If the pressure of an Aftertouch event is at l00, and the slider is at l00, then the possible new velocities are 50 through l50. Channel Aftertouch When this switch is on (highlighted in purple), Channel Aftertouch events will be affected by the scaling operation. Polyphonic Aftertouch When this switch is on (highlighted in purple), Polyphonic Aftertouch events will be affected by the scaling operation. *Note: The CHANNEL AFTERTOUCH and POLYPHONIC AFTERTOUCH switches are independent and may be turned on or off separately. If both are on, then both types of events will be affected by the scaling operation. If both are off then the Aftertouch Scaling module can have no effect. Scale Clicking the SCALE button closes the window and initiates the scaling operation using the parameters you have set up. CANCEL Clicking CANCEL will close window without scaling anything, and return you to the editor. Graphic Score Window The graphic score window is the most prominent feature of the Bar Editor, found just below the title bar and occupying most of the screen. This is the work area, where the sequence is displayed and edited. The graphic score window is basically a two dimentional time/pitch graph. Time moves horizontally, left to right; pitch is vertical, with low notes at the bottom and high notes at the top. The graphic score window scrolls to reveal the changing portions of the sequence being played. New events enter from the right and are seen and then heard as the sequence plays. *Note: Auto-scrolling can be turned off and on by clicking SCROLL along the right edge of the Bar Editor Page. (see Bar Editor / Scroll) Following are descriptions of the features of the graphic score window. Keyboard Along the left edge of the window is a miniture graphic of a piano keyboard. This is used to show the correspondence between note events in the score window and normal keyboard notes. Measure Lines Vertical blue lines are used as a background in the score window to show how musical time is mapped in the sequence. A dark line marks the beginning of each measure, and lighter lines mark the beats within that measure. The number of beats within a measure will depend on the current time signature. As Time Signature Change events are played, the measure and beat lines are redrawn to match the new time signature. (see Bar Editor / Event Types / Time Signature Change) When editing Absolute sequences, the measure lines are used to show clock time instead of musical time. Light blue lines are spaced at one second intervals. Measure Numbers Measure and beat numbers are written in white along the bottom of the graphic display window. They correspond to the measure and beat lines described above. Measure numbers always have four digits with no decimal point. Beat numbers always start with a decimal point and are two digits long. When editing Absolute sequences, the measure numbers are replaced by a single clock number written in the same format as the real time clock in the Page. This number indicates the starting time for the current portion of the sequence, starting at the left edge of the score window. Pitch Lines Horizontal pitch lines are drawn on the background of the score window to show the possible positions for note events. The higher the position, the higher the MIDI key number of that note, and the higher the pitch. The pitch lines extend from the left edge of the score window and can be matched against the mini keyboard. The lines correspond to the cracks between the white keys of the keyboard. The spaces between the lines correspond to the white keys. The line below middle C is drawn in a darker blue for reference. Time Line When you click PLAY or RECORD in the Bar Editor, you will see a moving vertical dotted green line cross the screen. This is the Time line. The Time line shows where musical time is, in relation to the events in the graphic display. You will hear the events as this line passes over them. The line starts from the left edge of the screen and moves to the right. When the line reaches the centre, the score starts moving under it (assuming SCROLL has not been turned off). When you click PAUSE or STOP, the time line will stay in its last position, making it useful for locating mistakes by ear and eye. (See Bar Editor / Scroll) Octave Scroll Bar Use this scroll bar, found at the bottom edge of the graphic score window, to relocate the window to different parts of the sequence. The scroll bar may be used at any time, except when SCROLL is on and the sequence is playing. In that case the window scrolls automatically. (See Bar Editor / Scroll) Octave Scroll Bar MIDI supports l28 possible key numbers. That's over ten octaves. Five octaves (60 keys) can be shown in the graphic score window at one time. Use the scroll bar on the right side of the graphic score window to scroll the window vertically, bringing the outlying octaves into screen view. Time Scroll Bar Use this scroll bar, found at the bottom edge of the graphic score window, to relocate the window to different parts of the sequence. The scroll bar may be used at any time, except when SCROLL is on and the sequence is playing. In that case the window scrolls automatically. (See Bar Editor / Scroll) End Line Every sequence has an End line. The End line appears as a stationary vertical dotted yellow line and marks the last measure at the end of a sequence. The End line is actually an event and can be dragged like any other event. The length of a sequence is changed by moving the end line. When the Time line reached the End line during playback, the sequence stops or repeats. Events crossing the end line are allowed to play for their full duration, rather than being artificially clipped, even while the sequence repeats. Any events starting after the End line are ignored. Relative sequences always end on a measure boundary. If the End line event is placed in the middle of a measure, then the sequence will finish playing that measure before stopping or repeating. Absolute sequences may end at any point. Current Event In the Bar Editor, the current event is chosen by clicking on it in the score window. The event will change in appearance to show that it's selected, and the Virtual Sliders and Channel Square will configure themselves to the event's parameters. (See Bar Editor / Virtual Sliders) (See Bar Editor / Channel Square) Dragging Events One of the main ways to edit events in the Bar Editor is by dragging them. Most events can be dragged horizontally and vertically with the mouse. Dragging an event horizontally will change its location in time. Dragging it vertically will change some parameter based on the type of event. (For instance: Notes would be transposed in half steps, while Aftertouch events would be increased or decreased by one pressure unit.) When you drag a Note event, you will hear the note play at each new position (unless QUIET is on). This is called "feedback", and is provided to help the ear when editing a sequence. (See Bar Editor / Options Menu / Feedback) Dragging the current event beyond the left or right edge of the graphic score window causes the window to scroll through time in the direction of the event. Dragging the current event beyond the upper or lower edge of the graphic score window causes the window to scroll by octaves in the direction of the event. For events with durations (Notes, Play Sequence, etc.), holding the SHIFT key while dragging the event's tail will change the event's duration. Cursor Keys The cursor keys can be used in the Bar Editor as an alternative to dragging the current event. This can sometimes give you more control when making small precise movements. Once the current event has been chosen, the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys will move the event horizontally through time. The CursorUp and CursorDown keys will move the current event vertically in whatever increments are applicable to that event type. For events with durations, the key combinations: (SHIFT-CursorLeft), and (SHIFT-CursorRight) will alter the current event's duration as if its tail was being dragged. For Note events, the key combinations: (SHIFT-CursorUp) and (SHIFT- CursorDown) will transpose the events by octaves. *Note: When SNAP is on, events will be moved through time, and durations may be changed in increments of the current Grid Size. When SNAP is off, events can be moved through time and durations can be adjusted by increments of one clock. Depending on the current ZOOM setting, this may be too slight a movement to see. Watch the T= and D= indicators below the score window to see exactly what you are doing. (See Bar Editor / Snap) (See Bar Editor / Grid) (See Bar Editor / Zoom+ and Zoom-) (See Bar Editor / T=) (See Bar Editor / D=) EVENT TYPES The event types are like an alphabet from which a sequence is built. Becoming familiar with all the event types, their effect, and how to manipulate them is essential to an effective editing style. This subchapter will lay out the event types in an orderly fashion so that there is no doubt as to what they do. As you read this, please have the software running, and feel free to experiment with each event type as it is explained, by Adding it to the score, and then dragging the sliders etc. (See Bar Editor / Add) There are three classes of events in Music-X. First, Channel Events that send standard MIDI messages as described in the MIDI specification. These are: Name mnemonic Note (NOTE) Channel Aftertouch (CAT) Polyphonic Aftertouch (PAT) Control Change (CTL) Programme Change (PGM) Pitch Bend (PBEN) Second, System Exclusive Events that send MIDI messages understood only by the particular instruments they were intended for. System Exclusive message formats are designed and specified by the instrument manufacturers. All System Exclusive messages fall under the event type: System Exclusive (SYSX) Third, Music-X Events that control the sequencer is some way. These are: End (END) Splice (SPLI) Set Repeats (REPT) Stop (STOP) Tempo Change (TEMPO) Time Signature Change (TSIG) Change Keymap (KMAP) Play Sequence (PSEQ) Mute Sequence (MSEQ) Solo Sequence (SSEQ) Mute Track (MTRK) Solo Track (STRK) The following is a series of paragraphs explaining what each event does, how it looks in the graphic score window, what parameters it has, and how to edit it in the Bar Editor. Note (mnemonic = NOTE) Note events are Channel events that send MIDI Note On and Note Off messages to MIDI synthesizers. Note events can also be redirected internally to play Amiga samples. Note events appear in the Bar Editor as coloured horizontal bars. When selected or grabbed, they appear hollow. Note events have six parameters: Start Time, MIDI channel, MIDI key number (pitch), Attack Velocity, Release Velocity, and Duration. All of these parameters may be edited in the Bar Editor. The virtual sliders take on these parameters: MIDI key number, Attack Velocity and Release Velocity. They are titled NT: (for "note"), ATV:, and RVL: respectively. StartTime: To change the starting time of a single note, drag it to the left or right. The T= field will take on the start time of the current event and change as the event is dragged. You can also move the current Note event or a group of selected Note events through time with the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys. The SNAP tool, when on, limits the movements of Note events to increments of the current Grid Size. The start times of groups of Note events may also be changed with the Quantizer module. (See Bar Editor / Snap) (See Bar Editor / Quantizer Module) MIDIChannel: The Channel number of the current Note event is indicated by the Channel Square and by the colour of the event. To change the channel of the current Note event or of a group of selected Note events, click on the numbers in the Channel Square. The colour of a Note event changes as its MIDI channel number changes. (See Bar Editor / Channel Square) *Note: All the screens in Music-X use eight colours. Two of those colours (light blue and dark blue) are used for the background in the graphic score window. That means there are six colours left over to represent l6 MIDI channels. Higher channels use the same colours as lower channels. When editing a sequence containing events on different channels using the same colour, remember the Channel Square always shows the channel number of the current event and that any channel(s) can be temporarily locked out of the display using the LOCK tool. (See Bar Editor / Lock) MIDIKeyNumber: The MIDI key number of a Note event is represented by its relative height in the score window. The higher the bar on the screen, the higher the MIDI key number and, most likely, the musical pitch (unless your synth is returned backwards). Possible key numbers range from 000 to l27 (middle C is key number 60). The exact key number is indicated by the virtual slider titled NT: To change the key number of a Note event, drag it higher or lower in the score, or move the virtual slider. You may also change the key numbers of the current Note or a group of selected Notes with the CursorUp and CursorDown keys. Holding SHIFT while using the CursorUp and CursorDown keys will transpose the current event, or group of selected events, by octaves. You may also move the current Note event to a particular key number by playing that key on the mother keyboard. This last method can be used while in play. Attach Velocity and Release Velocity:. Both of these parameters are displayed in the same way and only one may be shown at a time. They are switched using the DISPLAY menu. Velocities are displayed on the screen as dark blue rectangles extending upwards from the bottom of the score. The higher the rectangle, the faster the attack velocity. Each velocity is displayed directly below or behind its related Note event. Two of the virtual sliders configure to attack and release velocities and are titled AVL:, and RVL:. The attach and release velocities of the current Note event may be changed by moving these sliders. The velocities of a group of Notes may be changed with the VELOCITY SCALING module. Attack Velocities can range from 000 to l27. True Release Velocities can range from 000 to l27. The slider also allows a release velocity of l28 to mark a special case (see note below). (See Bar Editor / Display Menu / Attack Velocity) (See Bar Editor / Display Menu / Release Velocity) (See Bar Editor / Velocity Scaling Module) DURATION: A single Music-X Note event actually sends two MIDI messages: a Note On message and a Note Off message. The duration of the Note event is the length of time between the sending of these two messages. The duration of Note events is represented by their size; the longer the bar, the longer the note. The duration of the current Note event (when grabbed) is shown in the D= field underneath the score window. Change duration by holding the SHIFT key while dragging the note tail. The durations of the current Note event or of a group of selected Note events may be changed by holding the SHIFT key and using the Cursor-Left and Cursor-Right keys. The SNAP tool limits the changing of durations of Note events in increments of the current Duration, as set in the Grid requester. The Durations of Note events may also be changed with the Quantizer Module. *Note: Many synthesizers send Note Off messages as Note On messages with attack velocities of zero. This is a standard technique that makes the MIDI data stream more efficient by eliminating the need to change the "running status". Music-X records Note Offs in whichever form it receives them. A Music-X Note event will show a Release Velocity of l28 if the Note Off was received as a Note On with zero velocity. This value of l28 would be illegal in MIDI, and is only used as a "flag" by Music-X so it knows to send the Note Off as a Note On during playback. Any other release velocity would cause the Note Off to be sent normally. This parameter is fully editable the same as any other; a Note Off recorded in one form may be changed and played back in the other form. Channel Aftertouch (mnemonic = CAT) Channel Aftertouch events send Channel Aftertouch messages to MINI instruments. Channel Aftertouch events appear as coloured dots connected by vertical lines to the bottom of the score window. When grabbed or selected, the dots appear hollow. Channel Aftertouch events have three parameters: Start Time, MIDI Channel, and Pressure. One virtual slider takes on the Pressure parameter and is titled PRS: The other sliders are ignored. START TIME: To change the start time of a Channel Aftertouch event, grab its head (the dot) and drag it horizontally. After a Channel Aftertouch event has been grabbed, its start time will be indicated in the T= field below the score window. The start time of the current Channel Aftertouch event or of a group of selected Channel Aftertouch events may also be changed with the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys. (The movements of Channel Aftertouch events are not affected by SNAP.) MINI CHANNEL: The channel number of the current Channel Aftertouch event is indicated by the Channel Square and by the colour of the event. To change the MIDI channel number of the current Channel Aftertouch event or of a group of selected Channel Aftertouch events, click on any number in the Channel Square. The colour of a Channel Aftertouch event will change as its MIDI channel number changes. PRESSURE: This parameter relates to how hard the key is being pressed after reaching the bottom of travel. It can range from 000 to l27. This value is indicated by the relative height of the Channel Aftertouch event in the score window and by the virtual slider. To change the Pressure value of a Channel Aftertouch event, drag the event vertically, or move the virtual slider titled PRS:, or press the CursorUp and CursorDown keys. The pressure parameter of Channel Aftertouch events may also be manipulated using the Aftertouch Scaling Module. (See Bar Editor / Aftertouch Scaling Module) POLYPHONIC AFTERTOUCH (mnemonic = PAT) Polyphonic Aftertouch events send Polyphonic Aftertouch messages to MIDI instruments. Polyphonic Aftertouch events are like Channel Aftertouch events except that different keys may have different pressure values. Therefore, they have an extra parameter for MIDI key number. Polyphonic Aftertouch events look the same as Channel Aftertouch events; coloured dots connected by vertical lines to the bottom of the score window that become hollow when grabbed or selected. Only one form of Aftertouch event (Channel or Polyphonic) may be shown in the graphic score window at a time. The DISPLAY menu is used to control which event type is to be shown. Polyphonic Aftertouch events have four parameters: Start Time, MIDI Channel, MIDI key number, and Pressure. Two virtual sliders take on the parameters of MIDI key number, and Pressure. They are titled NT:, and PRS:, respectively. The last slider is ignored. START TIME: The start time of the current Polyphonic Aftertouch event is indicated in the T= field. To change the start time of a polyphonic Aftertouch event, grab its head and drag it horizontally. The start time of the current Polyphonic Aftertouch event or of a group of selected Polyphonic Aftertouch events may also be changed with the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys. (The movements of Polyphonic Aftertouch events are not affected by SNAP.) MIDI CHANNEL: As with all channel events, the channel number of the current Polyphonic Aftertouch event is indicated both by the Channel Square, and by the colour of the event. To change the MIDI channel number of the current Polyphonic Aftertouch event or of a group of selected Polyphonic Aftertouch events, click on the numbers in the Channel Square. The colour of a Polyphonic Aftertouch event will change as its MIDI channel number changes. MIDI KEY NUMBER: The MIDI key number of the current Polyphonic Aftertouch event is indicated by the virtual slider titled NT:. To change the MIDI key number, move the slider. Possible key numbers range from 000 to l27. PRESSURE: The pressure value is indicated by the relative height of the Polyphonic Aftertouch event in the score window, and by the virtual slider. Possible pressure values range from 000 to l27. To change the pressure value of a Polyphonic Aftertouch event, drag the event vertically or move the virtual slider titled PRS:. You may also change the pressure value with the CursorUp and CursorDown keys. The pressure values of a group of Polyphonic Aftertouch events may be manipulated with the Aftertouch Scaling Module. (See Bar Editor / Aftertouch Scaling Module). CONTROL CHANGE (mnemonic = CTL) Control Change events send Control Change messages to MIDI instruments. A Control Change message causes the sound of an instrument to change as if one of the controllers were moved on the instrument itself. Controllers are things like the modulation wheel, breath controller, sustain pedal, etc. Each controller is identified by a number. This family of controllers does not include the front panel switches used to modify synthesizer parameters making up a programme (VCF cutoff, envelope levels, etc.). Synthesizer parameters can be controlled via System Exclusive messages. Control Change events appear as coloured dots connected by vertical lines to the bottom of the score window, and become hollow when grabbed or selected. Control Change events are displayed using the same graphic icons as Channel Aftertouch and Polyphonic Aftertouch events. To avoid confusion, only one of these three event types may be displayed and edited at a time. The Display menu is used to control which type is shown. (See Bar Editor / Display menu) Control Change events have four parameters: Start Time, MIDI Channel, Controller Number and Value. Two virtual sliders take on the parameters of Controller Number, and Value. They are titled CTL:, and VAL: respectively. The last slider is ignored. START TIME: The start time of a Control Change event can be changed by dragging the event horizontally. The CursorLeft and CursorRight keys will move the current event through time as well. The start time of the current Control Change event is indicated in the T= field below the score window, and changes as the event is dragged. (The movements of Control Change events are not affected by SNAP.) CONTROLLER NUMBER: Each controller is identified by a number. This number specifies the particular controller you wish to change with this message. The controller number for the current Control Change event is indicated by the virtual slider titled CTL:. To change this parameter, move the slider. The range of the slider is from 000 to l27. VALUE: The Value parameter represents different things depending on the controller number, but iin white lettering. Second, the virtual slider titled SEQ: shows the sequence number for the current event. Third, the event's vertical position in the score window gives some indication as to which sequence will be played. There are not enough vertical screen positions to represent all 250 possible sequences. Therefore, Solo Sequence events have been limited to the first l6 vertical positions. To change the sequence number of the current event, move the virtual slider or press the CursorUp key or the CursorDown key. DURATION: The duration of the Solo Sequence event determines the length of time that the sequence will stay soloed. As with Note events, the Duration of a Solo Sequence event is indicated by the length of its tail. The duration of the current Solo Sequence event (when grabbed) is also indicated by the D= field underneath the score window. To change the duration of a Solo Sequence event, hold the SHIFT key while dragging its tail. You may also change the durations of the current Solo Sequence event or of a group of selected Solo Sequence events by holding the SHIFT key and using the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys. The SNAP tool limits the changing of durations of Solo Sequence events to increments of the current Duration, as set in the Grid Requester. The Quantizer module may also be used to alter the durations of Solo Sequence events. MUTE TRACK (mnemonic = MTRK) As explained in the Sequencer Page chapter, a track is something that plays a sequence. Music-X has 20 tracks. As a sequence is initiated during play or record mode, that sequence is assigned to the next available track and is played by that track. A Mute Track event causes Music-X to temporarily mute a particular track, and consequently the sequence being played by that track, during play or record modes. Like Mute Sequence events, Mute Track events appear as yellow horizontal bars (yellow represents "mute"). When grabbed, or selected, Mute Track events appear black with yellow borders. Mute Track events have three parameters: Start Time, Track, and Duration. One of the virtual sliders takes on the Track parameter, and is titled TRK:. The other sliders are ignored. START TIME: To change the start time of a Mute Track event, drag it horizontally, or, for the current Mute Track event or group of selected Mute Track events, press the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys. The start time of the current Mute Track event (when grabbed) will also be indicated by the T= field below the score window. The SNAP tool, when on, limits the movements of Mute Track events to increments of the current Grid Size. The Quantizer Module can also be used to alter the start times of Mute Track events. TRACK: This parameter determines which of the 20 tracks in Music-X will be muted by the current Mute Track event. This parameter is indicated in a few ways. Firs, the track number is written on the event itself, in red lettering. The text "TRACK = #" is followed by the track number. For example, "TRACK = #6". Second, the virtual slider titled TRK: shows the track number for the current event. Third, by the event's vertical position in the score window. Mute Track events have 20 vertical positions, one for each track. To change the sequence number of the current event, drag the event vertically, move the virtual slider, or press the CursorUp and CursorDown keys. DURATION: The duration of the Mute Track event determines the length of time that the track will stay muted. As with Note events, the Duration of a Mute Track event is indicated by the length of its tail. The duration of the current Mute Track event (When grabbed) is also indicated by the D= field underneath the score window. To change the duration of a Mute Track event, hold the SHIFT key while dragging its tail. You may also change the durations of the current Mute Track event or of a group of selected Mute Track events by holding the SHIFT key and using the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys. The SNAP tool limits the changing of durations of Mute Track events to increments of the current Duration, as set in the Grid requester. The Quantizer module may also be used to alter the durations of Mute Track events. SOLO TRACK (mnemonic = STRK) A Solo Track event causes Music-X to temporarily mute all 20 tracks except one, during play or record modes. Like Solo Sequence events, Solo Track events appear as red horizontal bars (red represents "solo"). When grabbed, or selected, Solo Track events appear black with red borders. Solo Track events have three parameters: Start Time, Track, and Duration. One of the virtual sliders takes on the Track parameter, and is titled TRK:. The other sliders are ignored. START TIME: To change the start time of a Solo Track event, drag it horizontally, or, for the current Solo Track event or group of selected Solo Track events, press the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys. The start time of the current Solo Track event (when grabbed) will also be indicated by the T= field below the score window. The SNAP tool, when on, limits the movements of Solo Track events to increments of the current Grid Size. The Quantizer Module can also be used to alter the start times of Solo Track events. TRACK: This parameter determines which of the 20 tracks in Music-X will be soloed by the current Solo Track event. This parameter is indicated in a few ways. Firs, the track number is written on the event itself, in white lettering. The text "TRACK =#" is followed by the track number. For example "TRACK =#7". Second, the virtual slider titled TRK: shows the track number for the current event. Third, the event's vertical position in the score window indicates which track is to be soloed. Solo Track events have 20 vertical positions, one for each track. To change the sequence number of the current event, drag the event vertically, move the virtual slider, or press the CursorUp and CursorDown keys. DURATION: The duration of the Solo Track event determines the length of time that the track will stay soloed. As with Note events, the Duration of a Solo Track event is indicated by the length of its tail. The duration of the current Solo Track event (when grabbed) is also indicated by the D= field underneath the score window. To change the duration of a Solo Track event, hold the SHIFT key while dragging its tail. You may also change the durations of the current Solo Track event or of a group of selected Solo Track events by holding the SHIFT key and using the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys. The SNAP tool limits the changing of durations of Solo Track events to increments of the current Duration, as set in the Grid requester. The Quantizer module may also be used to alter the durations of Solo Track events. TOOL LIST Along the right edge of the Bar Editor Page (shown in Figure 7.l at the beginning of this chapter) is a list of words used during editing. Some are mode switches, some open windows where parameters can be tweaked, and some are direct commands to Music-X that cause things to happen instantly. They offer the most often used functions in the Bar Editor and are provided next to the score window for easy access. We will call these words "tool words" and the list, the "tool list". In general, tool words are active when highlighted in white, and inactive when written in blue. Tool words are activated, deactivated, or used by clicking them. The following l7 subchapters give an explanation of each tool word and any windows or parameters associated with that word. SETSIG ("/" from the keyboard) Read this tool word as "Set Signature". SetSig is used when editing sequences containing Time Signature Change events to resize the measure and beat lines to the current time signature. Normally, measure and beat lines are resized automatically while the sequence plays to confirm with Time Signature Change events as they are encountered. When the sequence is stopped, the measure and beat lines stay sized to the last valid time signature. If you then manually scroll to a portion of the sequence with a different time signature, the measure and beat lines may appear incorrect. Playing from that point would resize the lines, but if you do not want to play the sequence, you can use SetSig to resize the measure and beat lines to the new time signature. If there are multiple Time Signature Change events currently in the window, then SetSig uses the last Time Signature Change event before the middle of the window as the current time signature when resizing measure and beat lines. (See Bar Editor / Graphic Score Window / Measure Lines) (See Bar Editor / Event Types / Time Signature Change) Time Signature Display Under the SetSig tool is a display showing the current time signature. This display is automatically updated as Time Signature Change events are encountered in a sequence. If there are no Time Signature Change events in the sequence, then the display shows the global time signature. (See Bar Editor / Event Types / Time Signature Change) This display is an indicator only and cannot be edited directly. *Note: The global time signature can be changed from the Sequencer Page, or from the Prams window in the Bar Editor, or by inserting a Time Signature Change event into the sequence. (See Sequencer Page / Time Signature Window) (See Bar Editor / Params / Time Signature). Add ("A" from the keyboard) Clicking on ADD puts the Bar Editor into "Add mode". Add mode makes it possible to put new events into the sequence using the mouse. While in Add mode, the word ADD stays highlighted in white. While you are in Add mode, you can also grab, drag, and edit pre-existing events of any type. When you first click ADD, a requester appears whose title asks WHAT TYPE OF EVENT?, and offers a list of the possible event types that can be added to the score using the mouse. Choose an event type by clicking on its name in the list. The chosen event type will appear highlighted in white. After you choose an event type, click on the OK button (or press the "O" key) to close the window and return to the editor. While in Add mode, you can add any number of events of the chosen type to the sequence by clicking the mouse in an empty area of the graphic score window. Each time you add a new event, that event becomes the current event, and the virtual sliders or other applicable controls may be used to edit it before adding another event. Here is how to make sure the event goes where you want it to go: Each time you click the left mouse button, a new event will appear attached to the mouse pointer. Before releasing the mouse button, drag the event into place. When you release the button, the event is entered into the sequence. If you make a mistake, just grab the event again and drag it to the right spot. If the type of event being added is one that can have a duration (Note, Play Sequence, tempo Change etc), then its default duration will be one clock less than that of the current duration value, as set in the Grid requester. The reason for this one-clock difference is to assure that the MIDI Note Off of a previous event is sent before the Note On of the next event. This assures the efficient use of voices when playing sequences on multi-timbral sound modules. WHAT TYPE OF EVENT? NOTES PROGRAMME CHANGE CONTROL CHANGE POLY AFTERTOUCH CHAN. AFTERTOUCH PITCH BEND PLAY SEQUENCE TIME SIG. CHANGE TEMPO CHANGE SET REPEATS CHANGE KEYMAP MUTE TRACK SOLO TRACK MUTE SEQUENCE SOLO SEQUENCE OK Illustration 7.9: Event Type Requester. *Note: If you wish, you can override this feature, when setting the current Duration in the Grid requester, by increasing the chosen duration by one clock before closing the requested. ADD will then subtract the extra clock, leaving the intended duration. (See Bar Editor / Grid) *Note: Adding an event type to the score turns on the display of that event type if it had been previously turned off in the display menu. (See Bar Editor / Display Menu) INSERT ("I" from the keyboard) Clicking on INSERT puts the Bar Editor into "Insert mode". Insert mode is similar to Add mode; it makes it possible to put new events into the sequence using the mouse. The difference is that an amount of time equal to the current Duration, as set in the Grid requester, is inserted into the sequence along with each new event. The tool word INSERT stays highlighted in white while the editor is in Insert mode. While you are in Insert mode, you can also grab, drag, and edit pre-existing events of any type. When INSERT is first clicked, the WHAT TYPE OF EVENT? requester is called. This window has been described above under ADD. Use this requester to choose the type of event to be inserted. After you choose an event type, and exit the requester, you are in Insert mode. Each time you click the left mouse button in an empty portion of the graphic score window, you will cause a new event of that type to appear attached to the mouse pointer. Before you release the button, you may move the mouse to drag the event to where you want it. The event will be inserted into the score when the mouse button is released. When you are in Insert mode, any events entered with the mouse will push all following events back in time (later) to make room for the new event. The amount of time inserted is equal to the current Duration, as set in the Grid requester. No time is inserted for events with no duration (as with Pitch Bend). As with Add mode, the durations of new inserted events are actually one clock less than the current Duration setting, for voice efficiency when using MIDI sound modules. (See Bar Editor / Grid) MOVE ("C" from the keyboard) Clicking on MOVE puts the Bar Editor into "Move mode". Move mode is used to drag, or edit pre-existing events in the score. Normally, if you are in ADD or INSERT mode, you can drag events too. However, MOVE is used when you want to avoid the possibility of accidentally entering a new event by clicking on a blank area of the score. While in Move mode the word MOVE stays highlighted in white. To drag an event, click on it an hold the left mouse button. The event will become the current event and appear hollow or reversed. As long as you hold the mouse button, the event will be attached to the mouse pointer. Moving the mouse pointer moves the event as well. Once an event becomes the current event, the virtual sliders and other controls can be used to edit its parameters. REMOVE ("V" from the keyboard) Clicking on REMOVE puts the Bar Editor into "remove mode". Remove mode is used to remove or erase pre-existing events from the sequence one by one. The tool word REMOVE stays highlighted in white as long as remove mode is on. While in Remove mode, clicking on any event in the graphic score window will remove it from the score. If you remove an event accidentally, you can restore it by pressing the HELP key on the Amiga keyboard. Repeatedly pressing the HELP key will restore up to l6 events previously removed from the sequence. *Note: Changing between editors resets the HELP key. You must restore accidentally removed events before switching editors. LOCK (SHIFT-"L" from the keyboard) Clicking on LOCK puts the Bar Editor into "Lock mode". Lock mode is used in conjunction with the Channel Square to hide some of the events in a sequence so you can more easily edit the events you are interested in. This is handy when working with composite sequences, containing data on many MIDI channels. The tool word LOCK stays highlighted in white while the editor is in Lock mode. While you are in Lock mode, you can also grab, drag, and edit pre- existing events of any type. While LOCK is on (highlighted), one can click on various channels in the channel square (any except the current channel) to lock them out of the bar graphic display. When a channel is locked, its number is shown in red in the Channel Square. Any events on a locked-out channel are heard but not seen. Clicking again on a locked channel unlocks it and lets any events on that channel be displayed again. (See Bar Editor / Channel Square) Example: Locking out all but one channel. Pick LOCK to enter Lock mode. LOCK will appear highlighted. Pick on an event in the score whose channel you wish to see along. The Channel Square will show that channel in white. Pick on all the other channels in the Channel Square to lock them out. (They will turn red). Now only events on the current channel will be displayed and can be edited. To restore all the channels, click all the reddened channels in the Channel Square. A quick trick that restores all locked channels is to choose BAR from the edit menu. Since we are already in the Bar Editor, this function will simply reinitialize the screen. Part of the reinitializing process is to unlock all channels. *Note: Various event types can also be temporarily hidden using the Display menu. (See Bar Editor / Display Menu) SELECT ("E" from the keyboard) Clicking SELECT puts the Bar Editor into "Select mode". The mouse then becomes a tool for drawing boxes around events or groups of events to "select" them for future group operations. To select an event or group of events, simply click and hold the left mouse button anywhere in the score window to define one corner of the box. Now drag the pointer until you see the outline of a box appear and expand. When you release the mouse button, any events within the box will become selected, and the box will disappear. Selected events will change in appearance to show that they have been selected. Some, like Note events, appear hollow when selected. Others use reversed colours. It is possible to draw boxes bigger than can be displayed on the screen at one time. Simply move the mouse off the edge of the graphic score window while dragging the corner of the box and the screen will auto- scroll to follow you. You will find it quicker work to zoom out before selecting events in large sections of time. Selected events are cumulative. Selecting anew event does not de-Select other events. This is handy when selecting individual notes out of a cluster, as when picking out the inner voice of a trio where the three parts overlap in range. One can move through the score, selecting a few notes here and a few notes there until all the desired notes are selected. (Since selection is cumulative, it is a good idea to use UNMARK before selecting so that no previously selected events are included in the group accidentally.) See Bar Editor / Unmark) *Note: It is not necessary to box a complete Note event to Select it. But you must box at least the head of the note. This will come in handy when Selecting notes with long duration. After a group of events has been selected, many other editing functions can be used to edit them collectively. For instance, clicking on the MIDI Channel Square will change their MIDI channel assignments. Pressing the CursorUp and CursorDown keys will transpose all selected (and transposable) events by halfsteps. Pressing the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys will move all the selected events through time in increments of the current Grid Size when SNAP is on, and in increments of one clock when SNAP is off. The cut and paste operations available in the Options menu are all used in reference to a group of selected events. The Quantizer, Velocity Scaler, and Aftertouch Scaler modules can all be used to operate on selected events. (See Bar Editor / MIDI Channel Square) (See Bar Editor / Grid) (See Bar Editor / Snap) (See Bar Editor / Options Menu) (See Bar Editor / Modules Menu) MARK ("M" from the keyborad) Clicking MARK puts the Bar Editor into "Mark mode". Mark mode is similar to Select mode in that it defines a group of events for use in group operations. The difference is that Mark mode deals with regions of time and the events within that time, while Select mode only deals with the events. This means that MARK can be used in conjunction with cut and paste operations to splice sections of musical time together, as when changing the order of measures in a sequence. The tool word MARK stays highlighted in white while the editor is in Mark mode. Here is how to Mark a region of time: Move the mouse pointer to the beginning of the section you wish to mark. Pick and hold the left mouse button. A vertical magenta line will appear, marking the beginning of the region. The T= field, below the score window, will indicate the start time for the beginning of the region. Hold the mouse button and drag the pointer to stretch the magenta region to the end of the section to be marked. If the region to be marked is larger than the portion of the sequence shown on the screen, simply move the mouse pointer off the edge of the graphic score window while dragging, and the score window will auto-scroll to bring the needed portions of the sequence into view. The D= field, below the score window, will indicate the total duration of the marked area as it grows. When the pointer is positioned over the end of the region, release the mouse button. The region is now marked. If you make a mistake in marking a region, click UNMARK (see below) and start over. An alternative method for marking large portions of time is to click once at the beginning point, then scroll forward or play the sequence to find the end of the section. Once the end is found, position the pointer over the end point, hold the SHIFT key, and click to mark the entire region between the two points. *Note: When using MARK to move measures around, you will probably find it handy to set the Grid Size to as large a value as practical and use SNAP. Also when marking large portions of time, you will find it quicker work if you zoom out (ZOOM-) first, so a larger portion of the sequence can be seen in the window at once. UNMARK ("U" from the keyboard) The UNMARK tool word is a command that causes all currently selected events to become deselected, or a currently marked region of time to become unmarked. UNMARK is used to "clean the slate" before using either SELECT or MARK, or after making a mistake while using either of these. The word UNMARK only stays highlighted while the events are being unmarked. Once they are unmarked, UNMARK returns to normal. UNMARK can be used while in any mode. ZOOM + ANDZOOM- (SHIFT-"Z" from the keyboard) Read these as "Zoom increase" and "Zoom decrease," or "Zoom in" and "Zoom out". Use these tool words to change the time scale of the graphic window display. This works similarly to a zoom lens on a camera; a higher zoom gives a closer look at the subject, a lower zoom gives a wider look at the surroundings. There are 7 levels of Zoom; each level shows half or twice the time scope of the neighboring Zoom level. Each time you click on ZOOM+ or ZOOM-, the time scale displayed in the graphic score window is halved or doubled. These tool words are direct commands and may be used in any mode. They stay highlighted temporarily, while the window is readjusted, then return to normal. Increasing zoom (ZOOM+) shows less actual time on the screen. This allows mouse manipulations of data in resolutions as small as one or two clocks. (Movements of exactly one clock can also be effected upon the current event, or selected events, by using the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys, while SNAP is off.) Decreasing zoom (ZOOM-) shows more time on the screen. This allows macro-scaled manipulations (as when cutting and pasting song sections) by showing many measures on the screen at once. (See Snap (below)) *Note: The pitch scale does not zoom. It always stays in scale with the miniature keyboard graphic to the left of the graphic score window. SNAP (SHIFT-"S" from the keyboard) SNAP is an optional mode switch, and may be used with any other mode. SNAP was inspired by a similar function in CAD (Computer Aided Design) programmes. It limits the placement of events in the score window to the modes of an invisible "Grid". SNAP is turned off and on by clicking it. When on, it appears written in white. (See Bar Editor / Grid (below)) SNAP affects various editing procedures differently. The procedures that SNAP affects are: Adding or Inserting new events into the score. Pasting the Clip into the score. Changing the start times of pre-existing events in the score (moving them). Changing the durations of pre-existing events in the score. Marking a region of time. When Adding or Inserting new events, SNAP restricts them to being placed on Grid points only, rather than being placed freely. When SNAP is off, new events can be placed anywhere in time, down to a resolution of one clock (l/l92 quarter note). When pasting the Edit Clip into the score using PASTE, the start time of the first event in the Clip is limited to Grid points only. All following events in the Clip stay in their original relationship with the first event. For example, when pasting a Clip containing two events an eighth note apart while SNAP is on, the first event will be restricted to Grid points and the second note will always be one eighth note later than the first, regardless of what the Grid size is. (See Bar Editor / Options Menu / Paste) When pre-existing events are moved about in the score, SNAP allows them to be moved in increments of the current Grid Size (rather than being moved to Grid points specifically). That means that if the event was not "right on the beat" before being moved, it will still have the same error after being moved. This is good because events retain their original rhythmic feel, as far as being a little early or late, while being moved around in the score. This applies whether events are being dragged with the mouse or moved with the cursor keys. When SNAP is off, the start times of pre-existing events can be nicely adjusted down to a resolution of one clock. *Note: You can get some interesting rhythmic-offset effects with SNAP by temporarily changing to an unusual Grid Size and moving a group of selected notes with the CursorLeft and CursorRight keys while SNAP is on. Example: Select a group of 6 quarter-note triplets in a drum sequence. Change the Grid Size to eighth notes and turn SNAP on. Use the CursorLeft key to move the selected triplet notes l eighth note earlier in the score. Off beat triplets can give you that Latin timbale-solo sound. (See Advanced Users / Editing Tricks / Rhythmic Offsets) When changing the durations of pre-existing events, SNAP allows them to be changed in increments of the current duration. Example: If the current Duration is set to quarter notes, then an eighth note in your sequence could be stretched to become a dotted quarter note (l eighth plus l quarter), but not a quarter note. As you dragged its tail with the mouse, you would see it change suddenly (that is the "snap") from an eighth note to a dotted quarter note. That is because SNAP prevented it from changing by any less than a quarter note's duration. This applies as well when using the cursor keys to change the durations of the current event or group of selected events. When SNAP is off, the durations of pre-existing events can be nicely adjusted down to a resolution of one clock. *Note: The current Duration is also set in the Grid requester. When marking a region of time using MARK, SNAP restricts the edges of the region to Grid points. As the region is dragged and expanded, it will appear to increase in size in jumps. Setting the Grid Size to maximum and turning SNAP on before cutting a song section will keep the section's length to multiples of a measure and assure that when the section is pasted back into the score, events moved aside to make room for the new section will retain their original rhythmic identity. When SNAP is turned off, regions of any size can be marked with one-clock accuracy. QUIET ("Q" from the keyboard) QUIET is an optional mode switch, and may be used with any other mode. QUIET turns off the audible feedback heard when Note events are dragged in the graphic score window. While QUIET is on (highlighted), feedback is turned off. Click QUIET to turn it on and off. QUIET does not affect the playback of events when the editor is in play or record. (See Bar Editor / Options Menu / Feedback) An extra editing trick is possible when QUIET is turned on and Feedback is defeated. While the sequence is playing, a new event may be added or a pre-existing event may be grabbed without stopping the clock. As long as you hold the left mouse button the event may be dragged to different positions. Instead of Feedback playing the event each time it is moved (as when QUIET is off) the event will be played each time the green Time line passes over it. If the sequence is short and repeating, different positions for the event can be tried and listened to as the sequence repeats. As soon as you release the event, by releasing the mouse button, the clock will stop and the event will be entered into the score at the current position. SCROLL ("L" from the keyboard) SCROLL is an optional mode switch, and may be used with any other mode. SCROLL controls the auto-scroll function of the graphic score window. Click SCROLL to turn it on and off. If SCROLL is on (highlighted), then when the editor is in play or record, the graphic score window will automatically scroll along through the score in musical time, showing new events approaching from the right and passing through the time line as they are played. If SCROLL is off, the score window will not automatically scroll as the sequence is played, but may still be manually scrolled. When you first click PLAY, the Time Line travels from the left edge of the screen and continues off the right edge of the window and disappears. Events being played off screen would be heard but not seen as the Time Line passes through them. You might prefer to turn SCROLL off when working in high zoom (closeup) since the screen would otherwise rapidly scroll away from the area you want to see. (See Bar Editor / Zoom+ and Zoom-) GRID ("G" from the keyboard) This tool word is used to call the Grid requester where the current GRID SIZE and DURATION parameters may be altered. The two parameters Grid Size and Duration are used by many other functions in the Editors. Grid Size and Duration are used by SNAP. Grid Size and Duration are both used by the Quantizer Module. Grid Size is used by the STEP button when recording in step mode. Duration is used by ADD and INSERT to set the durations of new notes being entered into the score. WHAT IS THE GRID? The Grid is an invisible structure of time points mapped over a sequence and used for reference when editing. The Grid works differently in Relative and Absolute sequences. When editing a Relative sequence, Grid points are separated by a set number of clocks called the "Grid Size". Clocks are the smallest unit of resolution in Relative sequences and represent l/l92 quarter note. When editing Absolute sequences, the smallest unit of resolution is l/4 frame. The number of frames per second depends on the Time Code you are using. Time Code is set in the Sync menu. The graphic score window can only show a resolution of single frames visually, but the actual musical data is recorded and stored in quarter frames. (Example: With SNAP off, move the current event with the CursorRight key. You will notice that for every four key presses, the frame number in the T= field will increase by one). (See Sequencer Page / Sync Menu / Time Code) (See Bar Editor / Snap) (See Bar Editor / T=) WHAT IS THE DURATION PARAMETER? The Duration parameter sets up an arbitrary duration that can be used as a model by other functions in Music-X. For instance, when adding new note events to a sequence in the Bar Editor, the ADD function uses the current Duration parameter as the model duration for each new note. Also when changing the durations of pre-existing events in the sequence, while SNAP is on, the current Duration parameter is used as model for the amount of change that can be applied to the durations of the pre-existing notes. Clicking GRID opens the SET GRID SIZES window in the Bar Editor. Depending on the type of sequence currently being edited, one of two similar windows will appear. Take a look at the Grid requester window for Absolute sequences below. ******************************************* * SET GRID SIZES * ******************************************* * GRID SIZE: *************************** * * * 0060 * * * *************************** * ******************************************* * DURATION: *************************** * * * 0l20 * * * *************************** * ******************************************* * ******** * * * OK * * * ******** * ******************************************* Illustration 7.l0: Grid Requester (Absolute) In this requester, you will see two identical sliders titled GRID SIZE: and DURATION:. The sliders range from l to 3600. The sliders are used to adjust the number of quarter frames for each parameter. Once the parameters are set correctly, the window may be closed by clicking the OK button or pressing the "O" key. (See Bar Editor / Modules Menu / Quantizer Module) (See Bar Editor / Edit Menu / Auto-Step) The Grid requester used when editing Relative sequences contains slightly expanded controls. Besides the two sliders, there are displays of musical note values including a "dot", and some tuplet numbers. The sliders represent the number of clocks in the current GRID SIZE: and DURATION: parameters. They range from l clock to the number of clocks in one measure. Example: When the Time Signature is 4/4, the sliders range from l to 768 clocks. The maximum slider range is l to 3072 clocks with a Time Signature of l6/4. As you drag either slider, the number written on the slider itself will change to show ************************************* * SET GRID SIZES * ************************************* ***************** ***** ************* * * * * * 3 5 7 * ***************** ***** ************* * GRID SIZE:************************* * * l92 * * ************************* ************************************* ***************** ***** ************* * * * * * * ***************** ***** ************* ************************************* * DURATION:************************** * * l92 * * ************************** ************************************* * ******** * * * OK * * * ******** * ************************************* Illustration 7.ll: Grid Requester (Relative) the number of clocks in the parameter. As the number of clocks increases or decreases, the closest musical note value will be highlighted in purple. If the clocks are exactly the correct number for a musical note value, that note graphic is highlighted in white instead of purple. You can also click directly on the note values, the dot, and the tuplet numbers themselves. When you do, the slider moves to the correct number of clocks in that note value. The tuplet numbers are mutually exclusive. Clicking on any one of them turns the others off. If you do not want any tuplets, clicking on the currently highlighted tuplet number turns it off. The dot is turned on and off by clicking on it as well. The dot and tuplet numbers work as in normal music theory. Adding a dot to a note increases its duration to 3/2 of normal. It adds half of the original value. (Example: A quarter note contains l92 clocks; a dotted quarter note contains half again as many, 288 clocks.) Triplets (noted by the number 3) are worth 2/3 normal value. (Example: A quarter note contains l92 clocks; a quarter note triplet contains l28 clocks.) Quintuplets (noted by the number 5) are worth 4/5 normal value. Septuplets (noted by the number 7) are worth 4/7 normal value. If you want to use other polyrhythms, besides the ones shown in the requester, you can do so by figuring out how many clocks are in one of your beats and set it up using the slider. Example: To set up a custom Grid Size of ll notes per measure of 4/4, for quantizing or editing: A whole note (768 clocks) divided by ll notes is 69.82 clocks per note. Round off 69.82 to 70 clocks. From within the Bar Editor, click GRID to open the Grid requester. Set the GRID SIZE: slider to 70 clocks (slightly less than a dotted l6th). Close the Grid requester by clicking OK. Turn SNAP on (click it so it is highlighted). Turn ADD on (click it so it is highlighted), and add a measure of llth notes in the score window with the mouse to see that the Grid is working. The Grid can now be used to Quantize as well. A bit about accumulated errors and error correction: ll notes of 70 clocks each total 770 clocks. Our measure of 4/4 is only 768 clocks. The next (l2th) Grid point would be 770-768=2 clocks too late. However, the Grid automatically resets to the beginning of each measure so that accumulated errors are corrected. The Grid starts again at 768 clocks; our polyrhythm stays synchronized. *Note: Polyrhythms that divide evenly into the number of clocks per measure have no accumulated errors and need no error correction. PARAMS ("SHIFT-"P" from the keyboard) This tool word is used to open the PLAY PARAMETERS window where various parameters governing the way teh sequence is played may be altered. Some of these parametes are also found in the Sequencer Page but have been made available here for convenience. Descriptions of the various parameters available from this window are listed below. TEMPO: At the top of the window is a tempo slider. This slider works exactly like the tempo slider in the Sequencer page and affects the global tempo setting used by the sequencer and editors during playback. This slider can be used to audition a sequence at various tempos during editing. If you click PLAY before calling the Params window, the sequence will continue to play while the window is open. You will be able to adjust the tempo and hear the changes while the sequence is playing, even though the background screen will temporarily appear frozen during window access. *Note: If there are any imbedded tempo events in your sequence they will take precedence over the global tempo setting shown here. MEMORY: To the right of the tempo slider is the MEMORY: readout. This is an indicator of available free memory. It shows an estimation of the number of Note events (not bytes) that could still be added to memory before running out of room. The average Note event uses l0 bytes: 3 to store the start time, 3 to store the MIDI data for a Note On, 3 to store the stop time, and l for the release velocity. This readout is the same as the one found in the Sequencer Page. (See Sequencer Page / Tempo Window / Memory:) *Note: This indicator may show a slightly different number than the one in the Sequencer Page. This is because different amounts of memory overhead are required by the different pages. The available free memory actually changes slightly from page to page. ENABLE SYNC The ENABLE SYNC switch is used to allow the editors to play along with a drum machine in the same manner as the Sequencer Page would. This can be useful for hearing a sequence "in context" using a separately programmed drum machine with the sequencer. Playing a sequence from within the editors normally uses the Internal clock if a Relative sequence (one based on measures, beats, and Clocks) is being edited, and Video Clock if an Absolute sequence (based on Hours, Minutes, Seconds, and Frames) is being edited. The ENABLE SYNC switch in the Params window overides the default setting and enables the use of MIDI Clocks, MINI Start, MIDI Stop, MIDI Continue, and Song Position Pointer messages as indicated by the current settings in the Sync menu. This basically enables the drum machine. (See Sequencer Page / Sync Menu) PLAY IN CONTEXT The PLAY IN CONTEXT switch is used to hear the currently edited sequence as it will ultimately sound with the rest of the performace. This is good for listening to see if the edits being made are musically compatible with the other sequences in memory. When the PLAY IN CONTEXT button is turned on, the Editor Pages will Play in Context whenever the PLAY button is clicked. PLAY IN CONTEXT cannot be used when Step recording. When playing in context, the entire performance will play as though playing from the Sequencer Page. The current sequence being edited will only be heard if self starting (if not turned off in the Sequencer Page) or if triggered by another sequence using a Play Sequence event. Each time the current sequence is triggered, or starts by itself, the sequence will be heard and (if SCROLL is on) the Editor will scroll to show the portion of the sequence being played. (See Sequencer Page / Sequence List / <<>> (Offset Arrows)) *Note: If you are using a drum machine as a virtual sequencer (you have patterns programmed into the drum machine rather than triggering it from the sequencer) you will also want to use ENABLE SYNC (see above). START: Read this as "Start Offset" The START: slider is used in conjunction with the PLAY IN CONTEXT switch to let the performance start from different positions. This is similar to changing the clock positions in the Sequencer Page before clicking PLAY. If the PLAY IN CONTEXT switch is not on, the START: slider is ignored. Normally, when playing in context, the performance starts from the biginning of the song and continues to the end. This is good for hearing the whole piece as it will ultimately sound with the currently edited sequence. However, when editing, you may wish to listen to only a certain portion of the performance to see how the edits are coming along. This slider can be used to set the number of measures that will be skipped past the beginning of the song before starting to play the performance. The slider ranges from 000 to 500 measures. When the slider is set at 000 measures this means that no measures will be skipped and the song will start from the beginning each time PLAY is clicked. Setting the slider at 00l measures means that one measure will be skipped before playing the song; the song will start on the second measure. For example, suppose you are editing a piano sequence containing a solo that is supposed to occur at the 32nd measure of the song, and you want to hear what it will sound like with the other sequences. Turn on PLAY IN CONTEXT, and set the START: slider to 3l measures. When PLAY button is clicked in the Editor, the song will start playing from the 32nd measure and the current sequence will play along with it. REMAP T/S Read this as "Remap Time Signature". This switch is used in conjunction with the Time Siganture control (see below) to change the metric structure of a sequence. There are two approaches to changing the Time Signature of a prerecorded sequence. The first approach is to expand or contract the measure lengths by adding or subtracting beats from the end of each measure. This is the default method in Music-X. The advantage to this is that measure integrity is maintained. In other words, the same notes still occur within the same measures after the Time Signature change. The disadvantage to this is that when changing to a smaller measure size, notes at the end of each measure would seem to clump together. The second approach is to leave the music alone and simply map a new Time Signature over the top of it. The music sounds the same but is structured differently. The REMAP T/S switch allows you to use the second approach. To remap the current sequence into a new time signature, turn the REMAP T/S switch on, then change the Time Signature control (see below) to the desired Time Signature, then close the Params window by clicking OK. *Note: When remapping a sequence containing Time Signature Change events, the REMAP T/S function takes into account the way the music sounded with the Time Signature Changes in it. After remapping, those Time Signature Change events are unneeded and sould be manually removed from the sequence. TIME SIGNATURE CONTROL You can change the global time signature with this control, as you would in the main Sequencer Page. Click on the green arrows to increase or decrease the numerator or denominator of the Time Signature. This globally affects all sequences. *Note: Any TSIG events in the currently playing sequence(s) will overide the global Time Signature. (See Sequencer Page / Time Signature Window) OK Click here when done, to close the PLAY PARAMETERS window and continue editing. REPEAT (SHIFT-"R" from the keyboard) The last of the tool words in the Tool List is REPEAT, found directly below the word PARAMS. REPEAT is an option mode switch, and may be used with any other mode. REPEAT controls the auto-repeat function of the graphic score window. Click REPEAT to turn it on and off. This word is normally turned on (highlighted in white) by default. When on, it causes the sequence to auto-repeat WHEN IN THE EDITOR ONLY. When the green Time line reaches the yellow End line during play, the clock returns to the beginning of the sequence and starts to play it again. This is usually handy when editing, especially when working on small looping sections, as when writing drum parts. Conversely, if you are working near the end of a long sequence, you may wish to turn this off to prevent the score window from jumping to the beginning when it reaches the end of the sequence. *Note: When Playing In Context, the auto-repeat function is defeated to give true playback. (See Bar Editor / Params / Play In Context) *Note: If you want the sequence to repeat when played from the Sequencer Page, you must Add a Set Repeats event. (See Bar Editor / Add) (See Bar Editor / Event Types / Set Repeats) SEQ: Reat this as "current sequence number". This indicator is found just above the PAUSE button, against the lower left edge of the Bar Editor Page. When you first enter the Bar Editor by clicking EDIT in the Sequencer Page, the number of the sequence to be edited is written to this field. The current sequence number is the sequence that will be overwritten when you exit the editor and STORE the edit buffer to sequence memory. (See Bar Editor / File Menu / Exit) The current sequence can be changed in two ways. Firs, by brining a new sequence into the editor using SELECT..., in the File menu. Second, by storing the current sequence to other than the original location using STORE..., in the FILE menu. (See Bar Editor / File Menu / Select...) (See Bar Editor / File Menu / Store...) T= This indicator is found just above the transport controls. Think of it as the "Time equals" indicator. The T= indicator has five uses. First, it shows the starting time of the current event when grabbed or dragged. Second, during a paste operation, when pasting a clip of previously selected events, it shows the starting time of the first event in the clip as it is being placed in the score. Third, during a paste operation, when pasting a region of previously marked time, it shows the point at which the clip will be inserted into the score while it is being positioned. Fourth, when the sequence is playing it shows the current clock time. Fifth, when there is no current event, it shows the time under the mouse pointer. (See Bar Editor / Options Menu / Paste) (See Bar Editor / Select) (See Bar Editor / Mark) For Relative sequences, this indicator reads out in measures, beats, and clocks. For Absolute sequences, it reads in hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. D= This indicator, found just above the transport controls and to the right of the T= indicator, can be thought of as the "Duration equals" indicator. It is used to display the durations of various things during editing. In certain cases, it is also used as a transposition indicator. This indicator has three uses as a duration indicator. First, it shows the duration of the current event. Second, while in Mark mode, it shows the duration of a region of time being marked. Third, while in Select mode, it shows the time inside the Select box as the box is extended. When being used as a duration indicator, this indicator reads out in measures, beats, and clocks for Relative sequences, and hours, minutes, seconds, and frames for Absolute sequences. During paste operations, this indicator is temporarily used to show the transposition of the clip when it is being positioned in the score. In this case it reads out in the number of halfsteps away from the original key. (See Bar Editor / Mark) (See Bar Editor / Select) (See Bar Editor / Options Menu / Paste) TRANSPORT CONTROLS The transport controls in the Bar Editor work similarly to the transport controls in the Sequencer Page. However, there are no fast forward or or rewind buttons in the Bar Editor. Instead, the score window itself is repositioned using a scroll bar. Following are descriptions of the Transport Controls in the Bar Editor. ***************** ***************** ***************** ************* * PAUSE * * > PLAY * * 0 RECORD * * [] STOP * ***************** ***************** ***************** ************* Illustration 7.l3: Transport Controls. PAUSE (SPACE BARfrom the keyboard) PAUSE is used during playback, currently playing notes are temporarily held, and finish naturally when PAUSE is released. If PAUSE is used while recording, the clock stops but the recording process does not. This feature is used with the STEP button to implement step recording. (See Bar Editor / Recording Modes (below)). PLAY ("P" from the keyboard) (ESC (Escape key) = All notes off) (SHIFT-ESC = Super All notes off) In the Bar Editor, clicking PLAY will locate the clock to the beginning of the portion of the sequence currently shown in the window and begin playing from there. In other words, the clock will start at (and the green Time Line will scroll from) the left edge of the window. If at anytime during play, a "MIDI stuck-on note" happens, remember that pressing the Amiga's Escape key (at the upper left corner of the keyboard) sends a MIDI "All Notes Off" message. Holding the SHIFT key while pressing the escape key initiates "Super All Notes Off", which actually sends a MIDI Note Off message for each of the l28 possible notes on all l6 MIDI channels. RECORD ("R" from the keyboard) There are three methods for recording in the Bar Editor: Live Recording, Step Recording, and Step Recording with Auto-Step. These methods are discussed in the next subchapter. *********************************************************** * OK TO ERASE * * WORK BUFFER? * * ************ ************* * * * NO * * YES * * * ************ ************* * *********************************************************** Illustration 7.l4: Record Safety Prompt If the Edit Buffer is not empty when you click the RECORD button, a safety prompt will come up to prevent accidental erasure. Click NO to back out safely. Otherwise click YES, or press the RETURN key to begin recording. STOP ("S" from the keyboard) Clicking the STOP button halts the clock and stops any currently playing notes. Clicking STOP while in record, adds an End event into the sequence at the current clock position. RECORDING MODES There are three ways to record in the Bar Editor: Live recording, Step recording, and Step recording with Auto-Step. Each method has its strengths. The three methods are discussed below. LIVE RECORDING Live recording in the Bar Editor is basically the same as the recording process in the Sequencer Page. However, the options have been scaled down. You cannot Punch-In, there are no Count-In Bars, etc. You essentially click RECORD and begin playing the mother keyboard. The snazzy thing about recording live in the Bar Editor is that you can see the notes appear as they are recorded. Example: Recording in drum fill sequence from within the editor. Click PARAMS. Then from within the PLAY PARAMETERS window, turn on the PLAY IN CONTEXT switch, and drag the START: slider to zero. Click OK to close the window. (See Bar Editor / Params / Play in Context) Turn on SCROLL in the Tool List. Manually scross the Graphic Score Window to the beginning of the sequence. Click RECORD. If the sequence is not currently empty, a safety prompt will appear to prevent accidental loss. Click NO to back out safely. Otherwise, click YES, or press the RETURN key to proceed. The Record Buffer will be emptied, and the editor will begin recording. Other sequences in memory can be heard playing along since we are using PLAY IN CONTEXT. As the parts of the song come up that need drum fills, play the part on the mother keyboard or MIDI drum pad. As each note is received, it will appear in the graphic score window. (Attack and Release velocities are not displayed during recording, to speed up the display). When done, click STOP. The sequence may now be edited and eventually stored. STEP RECORDING Step recording allows you to manually control the movement of the clock during record using the STEP and BACK buttons. That means you can take as much time as you need while deciding what notes to play next. It also means you can back up if you make a mistake, and correct it right away before going on. This can be handy for non-keyboard players. It can also be handy for recording difficult or impossible parts. For instance, a moving horn section, with spread voicings in l6th notes. Step recording is implemented with the help of the PAUSE button, and the STEP and BACK buttons. The idea is, if PAUSE is clicked before RECORD, the editor begins recording but the clock does not move. This is the beginning of manual control of the clock. Once the clock is stopped, you can take your time about placing your fingers on all the right notes. The STEP button then comes into the picture to move the clock ahead in controlled increments. Each time STEP is clicked, the clock moves ahead by the amount of clocks in the current Grid Size parameter. In other words, you are stepping along the Grid points, one at a time. By pressing keys at your leisure, and then advancing the clock, you can put together music of difficulty beyond your own ability to play. (See Bar Editor / Grid) WORKING WITH DURATIONS Each time a note is pressed or released, that action gets recorded at the current clock position. If you press and release the same keys at the same clock position, the new notes will have no duration. The way to do it is; press and hold a key, advance the clock, then release the key. The more times you advance the clock while the key is held, the longer the resulting duration will be. The BACK button is used if you make a mistake, to erase the last note played. Each time you click the BACK key, the most recent note is erased. Clicking BACK repeatedly continues to erase notes. As notes are erased, the clock is also rewound to the point at which the last erased note was before it was erased. *Note: If your mother keyboard is set up away from the Amiga, or you just find it awkward to use the mouse while recording, a Keymap can be used to set up one or more notes on the mother keyboard (the bottom or top notes are usually the andiest) to trigger the Music-X command TIME STEP which is the equivalent of clicking the STEP button in the Editor Pages. (See Keymap Editor / Action List / Music-X Command / Time Step) Example: Using Step Mode to record a walking bass part. Use the SET GRID SIZES window to set the Grid Size to quarter notes. Manually scroll the sequence to the beginning. Click PAUSE to freeze the clock. Click RECORD. If the sequence is not currently empty, a safety prompt will appear to prevent accidental loss. Click NO to back out safely. Otherwise, click YES or press the RETURN key to proceed. The Record Buffer will be emptied, and the editor will begin recording. The clock will not move however, since PAUSE is on. Click STEP, or press the ")" (right bracket) key, to step the clock forward by one quarter note. The note now has some duration, and will appear in the score window. Release the note on the mother keyboard. We have just recorded a Note Off on beat two of the sequence, creating a full Note event with a duration of one quarter note. Repeat the last three steps for each note in the bass line. (Press the note, advance the clock, release the note) To record a rest, advance the clock by clicking STEP, or pressing the ")" (right bracket) key, without pressing a note. To record a note with a longer duration than the current Grid Size, press the note, advance the clock more than once, and release the note. To record a note of shorter duration than the current Grid Size, open the SET GRID SIZES window while in record, and set the Grid Size to the desired duration, then continue recording. STEP RECORDING WITH AUTO-STEP Auto-Step mode is enabled by choosing AUTO-STEP from the Edit menu of the Bar Editor. When the menu item appears checked, Auto-Step mode is enabled. (See Bar Editor / Edit Menu / Auto Step) Auto-Step mode makes it een easier to enter notes when Step recording. Auto-Step causes the clock to advance forward in increments of the current Grid Size each time a note is released on the mother keyboard. This means it is not necessary to click the STEP button each time you want the clock to move ahead. Durations are determined in Auto-Step mode using the current Duration parameter setting, as set in the Grid requester. What happens is, when you first press a key on the mother keyboard, the beginning of that note is recorded at the current clock position. When you release the key, that note is assigned the same duration as the current Duration parameter set in the Grid requester, and the clock is stepped forward by the amount of time in the current Grid Size parameter, also set in the Grid requester. The current Grid and Duration sizes may be different. By changing the Grid or Duration size while in record mode, one can build a melody with many complex rhythms. Example: Using Auto-Step to record a difficult melody: Make sure Auto-Step is enabled in the Edit menu (the menu item should appear checked). Click the tool word GRID to open the Grid requester, and set the Grid Size and Duration to the value of the first note in the melody. (If you are going to play sixteenth note, then set both parameters to sixteenth notes.) Click the PAUSE button to freeze the clock. It will appear highlighted. Click RECORD. It will appear highlighted. If the Edit Buffer is not currently empty, a safety prompt will appear to prevent accidental loss. Click NO to back out safely. Otherwise, click YES to proceed. Press and release the first note in the melody. The note will appear in the editor, and the clock will move forward. Open the Grid requester again and set the Grid Size and Duration to the value of the second note in the melody. (If it is the same value then you do not need to reset it). Press and release the second note in the melody. If you make a mistake, click BACK and play the note again. Repeat the previous two steps until the melody is finished. Then click the STOP button to stop recording. Chords can also be recorded in Auto-Step mode, as long as all the keys of a chord are depressed before any one of them is released. Example: Using Auto-Step to record a difficult chord passage. Make sure Auto-Step is enabled in the EDIT menu (the menu item should appear checked). Click the tool word GRID to open the Grid requester, and set the Grid Size and Duration to sixteenth notes. Click the PAUSE button to freeze the clock. It will appear highlighted. Click RECORD. It will appear highlighted. If the Edit Buffer is not currently empty, a safety prompt will appear to prevent accidental loss. Click NO to back out safely. Otherwise, click YES to proceed. Press and hold all the notes of the first chord, one by one, until all the chord is complete. Do not release any notes until the chord is complete, or the clock will move forward and all the notes will be terminated. Release the notes of the first chord. The chord will appear in the editor, and the clock will move forward. Use the Grid requester to change the current Grid Size and Duration if needed. Press and hold all the notes of the second chord, one by one, until all the chord is complete. Release the notes of the second chord. The chord will appear in the editor, and the clock will move forward. Repeat the previous three steps until all the chord passage is finished. Then click the STOP button to stop recording. CHANNEL SQUARE At the bottom of the Bar Editor Page is a small matrix consisting of the numbers l through l6. This is the MIDI Channel Square. It has three basic functions. ********************* * 01 * 02 * 03 * 04 * * 05 * 06 * 07 * 08 * * 09 * 10 * 11 * 12 * * 13 * 14 * 15 * 16 * ********************* Illustration 7.l5: Channel Square The first function is to indicate and change the MIDI channel number of the current event. When a new event is grabbed, the channel square will highlight the channel number that event is on in white. Choosing other MIDI channels, by clicking on the Channel Square, will change the channel number for that event. The second function is to change the MIDI channel numbers of a group of selected notes. After selecting one or more events with the SELECT function, click on a channel number in the MIDI channel square. All the selected events will take on the new MIDI channel assignment. (See Bar Editor / Select) The third function of the Channel Square is as a selection tool when using the LOCK function. When LOCK is highlighted, the channel square is used to set which channels will be locked out of the display. This can be handy when editing composite sequences containing events on many MIDI channels. Locked channels are shown in red in the Channel Square. Events on a locked channel are heard but not seen. Clicking on a locked channel in the Channel Square unlocks it. (See Bar Editor / Select) STEPANDBACK (")" from the keyboard) ("(" from the keyboard) Just to the right of the Channel Square are two buttons labeled STEP and BACK. These are used during Step recording to advance or rewind the clock. The editor must be in record mode, with the PAUSE button on. STEP and BACK are designed to be used during Record only and have no audible effect during Play or when the clock is stopped. When STEP is clicked during Step record, the clock will move forward in increments of the current Grid Size, as set in the GRID requester. For example if the current Grid Size is set to a sixteenth note the STEP button will advance the clock by one sixteenth note (48 clocks) each time it is clicked. When BACK is clicked during Step record, the last note recorded will be erased, and the clock will be moved back to the beginning of that note. If the last note erased is one of multiple Notes with the same start times, the clock will not be moved back until all of them have been erased by clicking the BACK button repeatedly. This can be handy during Step record when adding in the notes of a chord one by one. If you make a mistake, click BACK to erase only the most recently played note, and try it again. Use the Grid requested to set the Grid Size and determine how much the clock will move each time STEP is clicked. (See Bar Editor / Grid) *Note: Using a Keymap, one or more keys on the mother keyboard can be set up to trigger the Music-X command TIME STEP which is equivalent to clicking the STEP button. The clock can also be automatically advanced in response to notes played on the mother keyboard during record, using AUTO-STEP mode. (See Keymap Editor / Action List / Music-X Command / Time Step) (See Bar Editor / Edit Menu / Auto-Step) (See Bar Editor / Recording Modes / with Auto-Step) VIRTUALSLIDERS ********************** NT * 064 * ********************** AVL * 064 * ********************** RVL * 064 * ********************** Illustration 7.l6: Virtual Sliders In the bottom right corner of the Bar Editor Page are three virtual sliders. These sliders have a number bar where most sliders have a drag bar. This means they can be used to both indicate a value, and change that value. In the Bar Editor, these sliders are provided to give quick access to some of the parameters in the current event. Each time a new event is grabbed, the sliders reconfigure themselves to the parameters of that kind of event. Their names and ranges change automatically. The basic process when editing events is to first click on an event, then adjust the sliders. (See Bar Editor / Event Types) Coarse changes in a slider's value are made by grabbing and dragging the number bar. Fine changes are made by clicking on either side of the number bar (within the slider's field of travel) to increase or decrease its value. *Note: When first entering the Bar Editor, the virtual sliders will appear dormant (having no associated parameters or names). This is because they auto-configure to the current event, and since no current event is chosen, they have nothing to configure to. When there is no current event, the sliders should be ignored. GRID:ANDDUR: These two indicators, found just underneath the virtual sliders, show the current Grid Size and Duration in clocks (l/92 quarter note), as set in the Grid Requester. Since these numbers are used constantly by the software when Adding or Inserting new events or when Quantizing or when SNAP is on, it is handy to be able to see what they are. These indicators cannot be changed directly, you must change their values from within the Grid requester. (See Bar Editor / Grid) End.