Answer: Swinging different ways (1)
In AMPLINEX 020 G Adams asks about the use of WIND in
separate parts of an AMPLE piece to give the tune 'swing'. I think that the
easiest method is to use the FOR(...)FOR construction rather than REP(...)REP.
Set the index value to give the same overall length as the playing parts. Each
'part9' will then start and finish synchronised with the corresponding music
section.
If it happens that the sum of the initial rest and an
appropriate multiple of the rest value inside the FOR(..)FOR loop cannot be
made equal to the required total length, just add a rest after the loop to make
things neat and tidy.
Alan Minns
Answer: Swinging different ways (2)
In answer to G Adams problem with the WIND word: due to the
REP(...)REP loop, 'part9a' never finishes. I suggest replacing the REP(...)REP
by a FOR(...)FOR loop with a FOR count number to ensure the correct number of notes
or bars are played. For example,
128 FOR( 12 WIND 48,/ )FOR
'part9b' is not now strictly necessary, as any number of
different FOR(...)FOR loops may be used in 'part9a' to give changes at the correct
point in the music. A browse through some of the AMPLINEX music files will give
examples of what may be done.
Neil Walker
Answer: Real instruments
Robert Charlesworth (AMPLINEX 020) asks about real
instrument sounds on the Hybrid Music System. Many instrument definitions have
appeared in AMPLINEX and more are available in members' tunes and on the
numerous AMPLE albums available from Hybrid, Panda and independent sources such
as J B Software.
But it's worth remembering that you aren't going to get 100%
authenticity across the full range of orchestral instruments from a £150
synthesiser. There are some sounds the system is not very good at, at all
(brass, for example).
If you want super-realism you're looking at a sampler
(typically over £1000 but second-hand ones are available around £300) or a good
synthesiser/expander (typically costing from £350 upwards). But, again, one
instrument (especially a budget one - and £500 is budget in the musical
instrument world) won't sound like every orchestral instrument under the sun.
This begs the question which was raised in AMPLINEX some
time ago about the relevant merits of using the Hybrid Music System for
original music and for transcribing existing pieces.
The problem with doing exact transcriptions and then playing
them with inexact sounds is that they don't sound quite right. Which is one
reason why I maintained (at the time of the discussion) that original
compositions specially written to take advantage of the strengths of the system
were the most successful. After all, that's what the classical composers did - they
wrote to make the most of the strengths of the instruments at their disposal.
Write with what you have, not with what you wish you had.
John Bartlett's 'Symphony' (reviewed in AMPLINEX 020 News
and Reviews section) is a tour de force of programming and arranging and I heartily
agree with the comment that it is well worth adding to your collection. But
however clever the programming may be, the result is not quite the same as the
London Philharmonic, is it?
Well, something to bear in mind - unless members want to
start another discussion...
Ian Waugh
Question: ZROM Library Manager
In AMPLINEX 011, Taj Letocha gave us a powerful utility: the
ZROM Library Manager. But my first attempt to enter a new module belonging to a
new library has been a failure (the blame is probably mine). Here is the complete
story.
After first loading the ZROM file image into a bank of
Sideways RAM, followed by the loading of AMPLE, all of the ZROM commands
responded correctly when used in conjunction with a disc containing the
X-INSLIB file. I then entered in succession:
*zl MIDI
*|=sb
"sb" [#* 0MIDIBEND] % 5000-2 used
*ze
"sb" SAVE
*zmake 10 MIDI
*|=sb
"sb" [#* 0MIDIBEND] % 5000-2 used
*ze
"sb" SAVE
*zmake 10 MIDI
The story ends here, with the error message 'Can't open file
MIDI' displayed.
In fact, *CAT shows that 'sb' is present on the disc, but
not the 'MIDI' library I expected to introduce by means of the '*zl MIDI' instruction.
Will someone be kind enough to tell me what should be done to achieve my aim?
Roger Sapolsky
Answer: Mixing Desk query
Alan Minns (AMPLINEX 020) gives a solution to a question
asking if an AMPLE program can control the Mixing Desk faders, by suggesting
the use of the VOL command. He gives examples of its use such as:
2; 128 VOL 1;
However, like any other sound word, VOL is directed to a
particular voice by VOICE, e.g.
2 VOICE 128 VOL
The music voice setting, e.g. 2;, has no direct effect on
sound words.
Hybrid Technology
Answer: Saving instruments
In AMPLINEX 019 Don Buckley asked how to delete unused
instruments from a program.
One method is given on page 37 of the Music 4000 User Guide
which, put simply, is as follows:
If you have a setup program or an *EXEC file with x number
of instruments on it, you make up a separate *EXEC file containing the names of
the instruments and DELETE after each one.
For example if your file contains three instruments called
arcopiano, binatone and deephorn, your *EXEC file would be:
"arcopiano" DELETE
"binatone" DELETE
"deephorn" DELETE
"binatone" DELETE
"deephorn" DELETE
Save the above using *SPOOL, with a name such as S.insdel.
When you wish to delete any unwanted instruments simple
*EXEC S.insdel into your program. It will not delete any word that is in use.
You can of course use as many words as you wish (memory
permitting) but don't forget to add the delete line to S.insdel if you add
extra instruments to your setup program, or *EXEC file.
Ken Hughes
Answer: Auto Menu listing (1)
In AMPLINEX 020, W T Hyde raises a query concerning his
inability to get Ian Waugh's 'Auto Menu' program in Acorn User (September 1990)
to *EXEC.
It is another black mark to Acorn User! I must admit that I
had not looked at this program until the query arose, otherwise it would have
been included in my hint in AMPLINEX 020. Fortunately the error, a superfluous Return,
is easy to correct.
The long string in the word 'lr' must be entered as one line
and not two as shown. Type the program (not in Notepad) with that long line
spilling over the screen width to a second line without any carriage return. In
the disc copy, edit 'lr' with a word processor to replace the carriage return
after 'CODE#2' with a space. The program then works.
Alan Minns
Answer: Auto Menu listing (2)
I think Acorn User has been putting text files on disc
rather than files correctly *SPOOLed from AMPLE. For some reason they
apparently don't seem to like to include raw AMPLE programs on the disc. I'll
see if I can sort this out for future issues.
If W T Hyde has been having problems then I would have
thought the first and most obvious step would be to contact the magazine. They
are generally very good at passing on readers' letters and I've received none
on this subject so far.
The Auto Menu listing seems to be correct (but I'm not going
to type it in to find out!). Perhaps the tilde (~) character in the 'lr' word
is causing problems. Other things to check are the quotes (") - there are
a lot of them in 'lr'.
Well done to Alan Minns for offering a solution to Dice
Program problem.
Ian Waugh
Question: Software updates
I was most surprised to read (AMPLINEX 020, Update section)
that it is now possible to obtain free Hybrid Music System software updates
from Hybrid Technology - as reported by Allan Gardner. Why surprised? Because I
had previously found that by being a good customer, ordering quickly and
waiting weeks for delivery of the Music 4000 keyboard, meant that I would have
to pay for later software updates/upgrades (e.g. Staff printing) although they
would be free to later purchasers.
I can understand Hybrid's position but given this situation
I naturally assumed that any subsequent software updates that I was lucky
enough to hear about, would also not be provided free of charge. Is it not possible,
with the support of other members, to ask Hybrid to provide a history of software
updates in order to at least identify any bugs and how they were cured with
each new release of software. I would welcome comments and information from
other AMPLE users, regarding these changes, to enable all of us to avoid any
potential problems and to develop programs compatible with all releases of
software.
At present I am using the following system discs and have no
idea as to what limitations may exist:
Studio 5000 Release 2
(Music 5000)
Studio 5000-4 Release 1 (Music 4000)
Studio 5000-2 Release 2 (Music 2000)
Studio 5000-4 Release 1 (Music 4000)
Studio 5000-2 Release 2 (Music 2000)
Les Pearce
Answer: Toolbox editors (1)
Tony Walduck (AMPLINEX 020) says, 'I am getting tired of
having to MLOAD the desired new editor (sometimes after having to MDELETE the
Main Menu editor), then enter the new editor, and finally MDELETE it after use,
as well as having to swap between the System and Toolbox discs.'
Some comments:
MDELETEing the Main Menu editor is never necessary, since
'Run program' does it for you.
The MLOAD and MDELETE of Toolbox editors can be conveniently
placed on function keys.
Swapping between System and Toolbox discs is unnecessary if
the Toolbox editors are copied on to the System disc, or if the Sidemod utility
is used.
Hybrid Technology
Answer: Toolbox editors (2)
In reply to Tony Walduck's query about module loading, I
find it useful to define function keys to do the calling up. Most of my work is
done without the Main menu, having chosen from a menu on booting which editors
are needed.
The following method will still work if the Main menu is
included, and is probably quicker. *COPY the Toolbox Modules you use on to the
System disc (I found no problems here), and have a set of key definitions which
are *LOADed in as needed. Any set of keys may be saved by
*SAVE Key1 B00 C00
on the BBC Model B (sorry, I know nothing about the Master)
and *LOADed quickly, e.g.
*LOAD Key1
For example, to swap between a mode 0 TEDIT and Staff set up
two keys:
*K.9QU."TEDIT"MD."STAFF"ML.ST.|M
*K.8QU."STAFF"MD.0MO."TEDIT"ML.TED.|M
Those flip over function key strips are a handy way to keep
track of the keys in use, though once you have a useful combination you tend to
stay with it.
As an alternative to all this, AMPLE itself can provide an
answer: words may be made to do the swap, and kept in your program during
development. For example:
"s" [% Staff from TEDIT
"Q.""TEDIT""MD.""STAFF""ML.ST."
$+]
"Q.""TEDIT""MD.""STAFF""ML.ST."
$+]
"t" [% TEDIT from Staff
"Q.""STAFF""MD.0MO.""TEDIT""ML.TE."
$+]
"Q.""STAFF""MD.0MO.""TEDIT""ML.TE."
$+]
Neil Walker
Answer: MIDI drum kit problem
IN AMPLINEX 020 Mike Dobson comments: 'Using the VEL command
to set the volume of any of the MIDI voices doesn't work from the mix word or
from within an individual part.'
You can do this, but since VEL is to express =L, your
setting will be overridden when you play a note or hit. To prevent this, use
"novel" [30 ACT( OFF 3 FVAR #! ACT )ACT]
SCORE novel CDE...
Hybrid Technology
Published in AMPLINEX 021, March 1991
