AMPLINEX 002

AMPLINEX issue 002 was published in November 1987. Each AMPLINEX magazine is stored as a 200K single-sided 80-track disk image file (.ssd file type). The image can be used to create disks for a BBC Micro or can be loaded into a BBC emulator. For the disks to run, the BBC (real or emulated) must have an AMPLE Nucleus ROM installed and be running the Hybrid Music System.

AMPLINEX survey

Kevin Doyle

Firstly, many thanks to all who took the time to complete our survey in the September issue of AMPLINEX. We had almost 100% response, and all the comments have been noted and, where possible, taken into account in this issue.

The answers to the multiple choice questions gave us a sketch of the initial AMPLINEX membership. Here are some of the key points.

About two thirds of the members have Music 500 hardware and the original BCE software, and half have the Music 5000 hardware. The overlap is people with both.

About half the membership owns a keyboard (more Hybrid than Symphony) and there was a high degree of interest amongst those who don't yet own one.

When asked about what software products were of interest, everyone highlighted AMPLE music compilations and the Advanced Sound Studio announced by Hybrid in July attracted an 80% response from members.

On the hardware side, the MIDI interface was of interest to two out of every three members, and from other responses it seemed that about a third of those who showed an interest already had access to MIDI equipment.

By contrast, no one expressed any interest in the Hybrid amplifier.

Several people replied to the question on 'which aspect of the AMPLE language they would like to see discussed in AMPLINEX' and we will endeavour to cover as many of these as possible in the near future.

Two particular areas mentioned were instrument design and the use of sub-mixes. These are both areas where I feel sure that members will have experience to share (see, for example, the Hints and Tips contribution from Tim Sketchley).

Comments on the design and contents of AMPLINEX were, in the main, very favourable. Specific requests for change have been incorporated into this issue wherever possible (see 'Update' in the Introduction section for more details).

If you haven't yet sent in your copy of the survey, please try to do so in time for the next issue - your comments are very useful to us.

And please continue to let us know what you think about AMPLINEX, what you want us to do and where we go wrong. We have not included a survey program in this issue so please put your replies in another format (see 'How to make a contribution' in the Introduction section).

Two ideas open for comments -

· Would you like a regular method for providing feedback on each issue? If so, what form should it take? A short comment box as used in the survey? Marks out of 10 for each section? Would you like to see them published in a letters or comments page?

· If you contribute a piece of music would you like member's comments or other feedback on how it was liked or disliked?

Whatever your thoughts, please let us know in time for the next issue (see 'Next issue news' in the Introduction section), and remember - AMPLINEX is whatever we make it, so let us have your ideas.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

AMPLE music discs review

Kevin Doyle

Two new discs of AMPLE music have just been released by Hybrid Technology - 'Notes' by Pilgrim Beart and 'Music City' by Ian Guinan. Pilgrim Beart was the composer/arranger of one of the first two Hybrid music discs 'Cosmix'. Ian Guinan is the man behind the just launched 'Music City' service on Microlink (see elsewhere in the News & Reviews section for details).

'Notes' by Pilgrim Beart

Owners of the 'Cosmix' album will not be disappointed by the 'jukebox' program which controls this album. In place of the 'spacephone' used on 'Cosmix' is something called a 'Filosax' containing a page for each of the pieces of music and which plays an endless 20-bar blues with fluctuating but generally increasing tempo. You are advised to choose something within a minute or so since, after that, the frenetic music drives out any keyboard activity as the BBC struggles to cope.

There are 12 pieces of music on the disc (excluding the 'jukebox' program) and they range in length from four and a half minutes down to a mere 30 seconds, giving a total of 24 minutes listening. The longer pieces are the more satisfying, and the two longest ('Jazuru' and 'Qutor' - both over four minutes) are the high points of the collection. These two pieces have been structured to give some musical light and shade - a feature that some of the other pieces lack.

The shorter pieces are often no more than musical ideas, largely undeveloped, and any melodic interest is lost in an unnecessary rush to overlay competing sounds and noises.

These faults are offset, however, by the wealth of techniques and sounds that are contained throughout the disc. For the AMPLE composer this disc will be a delight to search through, to answer the recurring question 'how did he do that?'.

The album is, thankfully, almost free of the somewhat self-conscious messages of 'Cosmix', and appears to be a mixture of material composed in 1986 and in 1987. The better quality material tends to bear the 1987 mark.

At its best this album surprises and intrigues - at its worst it annoys with its frenzied complication. The best reason for buying it, unless you are a fan of the 'Cosmix' material, is for the help it may give you with your own composition and it is certainly worth it for that alone.

'Music City' by Ian Guinan

Behind the 'Music City' logo and Teletext version of the Liverpool skyline, this disc contains 12 songs together providing over 35 minutes of AMPLE music. Four of the songs are Ian Guinan's own compositions, the other eight being a mixture of, mainly, pop music from the seventies and eighties. Almost everyone will find something familiar on this disc with music made famous by such people as Elvis Presley, Grace Jones and Donna Summer.

The AMPLE versions are not meant to be 'soundalike' reproductions of the original hits, but they often work best when the original material was synthesiser based. The drum sounds (as usual) sound rather weak, especially as most of the music has a disco origin, but the most successful pieces (for example Donna Summer's 'I feel love') transcend this restriction.

One can't help feeling, however, that Ian Guinan's obvious enthusiasm for the original recordings somewhat narrowed his scope for interpretation of the music. The value of creating AMPLE copies of well-known music is questionable, and, despite his notes to the contrary, it sometimes seemed that his interpretations of the music were more a necessity forced by the absence of sheet music than a deliberate decision.

Of his own music, the most successful piece is 'The Ice Breaker' with its driving bass line and sudden shifts in arrangement. In 'Looking at you' he confesses to being an ex-bassist in a punk band, and, listening to the opening bars the thrashing guitar seems imminent - but instead a rather softer string-synth sound whooshes in. Rather a pity that - some AMPLE punk might have been interesting.

The 'info' notes included with nearly every piece are an added bonus, adding insight and information whilst transmitting Ian Guinan's obvious enthusiasm for the music.

In conclusion, everyone should find something in here to interest them and also something they will want to play again and again.

If you want to choose between the two then you must decide between the familiarity and musical variety of 'Music City' and the more technically ambitious but musically narrower 'Notes'.

Both discs cost £4.95 (inclusive of VAT and carriage) and are available from:
Orders Dept, Hybrid Technology Ltd, Unit 3, Robert Davies Court, Nuffield Road, CAMBRIDGE. CB4 1TP

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Highlights from the Micro User Show, London, November 13th-15th

'Music City' the new Micronet service

Kevin Doyle

By the time you read this the new computer music magazine 'Music City' will have been launched on Micronet, the viewdata service for micros. The magazine aims to cover news from the micro music world, with a mixture of hardware and software reviews, articles, a letters/contact section, hints and tips and downloadable music and instrument files.

Initially, the service is to concentrate on the Hybrid Music System and will aim to provide AMPLE music programs of many current hits, paying royalties out of the download fee where appropriate.

AMPLINEX intends to operate a reciprocal arrangement with 'Music City' whereby information from each will be made available to the other. This might mean that selected features are distributed via Micronet at some time after the publication of AMPLINEX. For contributors this could mean the chance to earn some money through royalty payments, if the contribution was considered 'saleable'. Use of any AMPLINEX material by 'Music City' would of course be subject to the author's approval.

We will have more details of the 'Music City'/AMPLINEX arrangement in the next issue and would welcome your comments (including reviews of the 'Music City' service).

'Music City' can be found on Micronet (*800989 - *MUSIC CITY) and more details of the service can be obtained from Micronet on 01-278-3143.

Peartree Music 87

Roy Follett

At the Micro User Show in November, as at the Acorn User Show in July, Peartree were playing Music 500 tunes whilst advertising their Music 87. Any members who have made enquiries about the availability of the Music 87 must have had similar answers to me. That is, "they will be shipped out at the end of the week" or "at the end of the month, we're waiting for the user guides". The answer given at the show to my wife Jackie in response to the question "can I buy one now" was "No, the manuals are not quite ready".

However, at my request, a representative gave a brief demonstration of the Music 87. This consisted of a series of screens and certainly sounds were produced, but no music was heard under the Music 87 banner. Indeed, I had the impression that the demonstration was curtailed in order that music could be played to the visitors. This was done using AMPLE BCE.

Whilst the demo of the Music 87 was in progress, a co-processor was being used as was a hard disc unit. It is true that they could have been showing that the software would work across the Tube, and the hard disc may have been in use to provide quick access in a very busy situation, but I was most unimpressed. A moments thought should indicate that using high resolution screens does not leave a great deal of memory left for programming use.

AMPLINEX by its title is a group for AMPLE users and our initial interest in the Music 87 was because - it was being advertised it might have been pertinent to our group it might have used AMPLE.

It still is. It isn't. It doesn't.

Although it must appear an attractive option to purchasers of the Music 500/BCE setup at what seems to be a much lower price, it seems we have a classic case of 'vapourware'. I have rung on many occasions since its original announcement at the May Micro User Show this year and, despite all the assurances, nothing has appeared.

If I am talking to any potential Music 500 upgraders I can only say "come and join us". Wait for a while, save up the difference. The Hybrid upgrade will cost you £69.00; the Music 87, if and when it ever becomes available, will cost you £39.95 plus £2.50 postage and packing, plus VAT - a total of £48.82. The difference of £20.18 will get you the AMPLE Nucleus system which is tried and tested, together with an ever-increasing user base. And if you like - AMPLINEX.

Hybrid Technology products

Kevin Doyle

Increased sales and a move to larger premises have caused some delays to new Hybrid products announced at the July Acorn User Show. The AMPLE Nucleus Programmer's Guide expected in September is now due to ship within the next few days according to Chris Jordan of Hybrid Technology. Customer requests for a change in the design of the Music 2000 MIDI interface mean that this is now expected at the beginning of January.

The Music 2000 has been redesigned to provide a MIDI input channel in place of one of the three outputs in the original design. The MIDI input and clock/tape synchronisation functions will, however, require additional system software.

Two new AMPLE music discs were available at the Micro User Show, 'Notes' by Pilgrim Beart and 'Music City' by Ian Guinan (see reviews elsewhere in this section).

The Advanced Sound Studio announced by Hybrid in July has been dropped for the time being. However, at the Micro User Show a contact address was being advertised for a 'Hybrid approved' independent supplier of a waveform designer.

The author, Mr J Stockdale, developed the waveform design software as part of his PhD and after contact with Chris Jordan of Hybrid Technology is developing the product to interface with the Studio 5000 system.

The software is in the form of a toolkit with about 20 utilities and will operate outside of AMPLE using high-resolution Mode 0 screens.

The development work should be complete around January and the software plus 100 page manual is expected to sell for around £27.50p.

Brief details of the system can be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:

Mr J Stockdale, 59 Old Lansdowne Road, West Didsbury, MANCHESTER M20 8WY

but we will have a full review of the system in the January issue of AMPLINEX.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Pavane

by David Reed

Composed by: Gabriel Faure

From the album 'AMPLE Bites Back'

Courtesy of Hybrid Technology

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.PAVANE

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Yes, I Hate to Leave You

by Tim Sketchley

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.YES

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Whale

by Jim Redfarn

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.WHALE

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

The Terra-Cotta Army

by Michael Mellor

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.TERRACB

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Dream Storm

by Jim Redfarn

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.STORM

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Sky

by David Westbrook

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.SKY

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Qwerty

by J R Ward

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.QWERTY

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Trawling the Night

by Doctor Yof (R J Bettis)

Parts 1, 2 & 3 form the background. Part 4 is the hunter, at first simply 'cruising', then spotting its prey, closing in and finally swooping for the kill. Part 5 is the hapless victim, startled into a run by the hunter, but eventually caught.

(C) R.J.Bettis 1987

<"|"> A Yoftunes
- Project

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.NITRAWL

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Fyer, Fyer - an English madrigal

by Roy Atkins

Composed by: Thomas Morley

My name is Roy Atkins and I live in Holland. I am the chairman of the British Choir in The Hague, and I use the Music 5000 system as a means for learning choral parts. I enter the various parts and set the voices such that I can play back the piece with any particular part highlighted. In this way the singer can hear his part in its proper context, against the other parts.

Fyer, Fyer is a good example of a popular English madrigal from the late 16th century. The madrigal was a very popular form of polyphonic music of its time. Usually written for from 4 to 8 voices, the parts are all musically complete in their own right, making singing fun for all concerned. These pieces were very popular with singers of the period, and are still popular today with amateur choirs.

This example has been programmed in 5 parts and one by one the top 4 parts, cantus, quintus, altus and tenor are heard in turn in a distinctive voice on the left of the stage. It indicates the way in which the system can be put to use.

Roy Atkins

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.FYER

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Elite Syncopations

by Ted Royffe

Composed by: Scott Joplin

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.ELITE

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Sinfonia to Cantata No 29

by Graham F Firth

Composed by: J S Bach

Source: AMPLINEX 002 disk, file $.CANTATA

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

AMPLE Screen Designer – User Guide

Kevin Doyle

The AMPLE Screen Designer is a utility to allow the creation of Mode 7 screens for inclusion in AMPLE programs. It is written in AMPLE and incorporates a comprehensive MODE 7 screen designer, screen filing system and conversion facility to create AMPLE words which will display all or part of a MODE 7 screen.

Note

If you are not familiar with the use of MODE 7 (Teletext) control codes it would be advisable to read the relevant chapter in your BBC Micro User Guide.

To follow the examples in this guide you should also have on the same disc as the ASD program, the example file ASDdemo.

Getting started

To use the utility go into AMPLE in the usual way, LOAD the file ASD and then RUN. As ASD uses only AMPLE Nucleus words it can be run without any Modules present (i.e. from the *AMPLE command).

After the title has come and gone you will be presented with a blank screen and the cursor in the top left corner.

Moving around the screen

If you try the cursor keys you will find that these move the cursor in the usual way except that the screen is 'wrapped' in all directions so that cursor movement is continuous but the screen is static. You may also notice that the cursor will not move to the bottom right hand corner of the screen. This last position is protected to avoid the screen scrolling hardware being activated. All other positions on the screen are available.

By pressing the SHIFT key at the same time as a cursor key you can move the cursor to the edge of the screen in the direction you select. This can often save time when moving about the screen.

Writing to the screen

If you use the standard typewriter keys they will write to the screen in the usual way. Pressing RETURN will move to the beginning of the next line. The use of screen 'wrapping' means that attempting to write beyond the bottom of the screen will return you to the top.

The DELETE key has its usual function of backspacing and deleting the previous character.

Pause now to fill a few lines with text - it doesn't matter what. This will help in demonstrating the next section.

Teletext control codes

The special control codes used in MODE 7 screens are accessible using the function keys. You should have received a function key card for this program which shows the keys used to produce these codes. Try pressing SHIFT key with some of the functions keys (f0-f9) amongst the text you have written to create coloured, flashing and double height text.

The double/normal height key is different from the others in that it can produce either the code for double height or the code for normal height. Which of these two codes it produces depends on which option (double or normal height) is currently in use. If double height is the current option it produces a normal height code and vice versa. If there are no previous height control codes on the line a double height code is produced.

Graphics control codes can be produced using the function keys (CTRL f0-f6). The subsequent characters will then be displayed as graphics where appropriate. Most of the graphics characters are produced using lower case letters - see the BBC Micro User Guide Appendix for the full table.

To make things easier when designing graphics symbols, you can use the function keys (f0-f5) which allow you to switch the individual graphics blocks within a character on and off. Try using these keys on an existing graphics character or on a blank space following a graphics control code.

As an alternative you can use CTRL and the keys Q,W,A,S,Z,X. These keys reflect the position of the blocks they alter.

If the character you wish alter is not already a graphics one, you can set it to a graphics blank by pressing CTRL and the SPACE bar.

A full block character can be obtained by using SHIFT and the SPACE bar.

Identifying characters

As you may have noticed, the cursor on the screen is sometimes a line, sometimes a block. The block cursor indicates that it is on a control character. The line cursor is used when it on any other character. Its main purpose is to distinguish positions containing control codes from those containing spaces.

To identify the character at the cursor you can press the TAB key. This displays, at the top of the screen, the character's code and either the character itself (in both its alpha or graphics form) or its description.

The display stays on the screen for one second - to remove it more quickly, press a key.

Menu options

The AMPLE Screen Designer has several functions which are accessible through its menu system. To access the menu press the ESCAPE key. The choices are then displayed at the top of the screen. Each menu has a title which is displayed on the left (in white) - in this case it is "Main". The menu options are then displayed (in magenta) with the first option highlighted (in yellow).

An option can be selected by pressing the RETURN key when it is highlighted. You can highlight the different options by using the left and right cursor keys.

Pressing the ESCAPE key takes you out of the menu and back to the editing screen no matter which menu you are in.

Try using the cursor keys now, and then select the option "Screen" by pressing RETURN when it is highlighted.

Some menu options lead to further menus. In the case of the "Screen" option there is a second menu giving the options "Memory, "Disc", "Convert" and "New". In this case we will select the option "Disc" but using the alternate selection method available. This is to press the key which corresponds to the first letter of the option you require. So, in this case, you should press the 'D' key. It doesn't matter whether the key is set to produce upper or lower case. Pressing a key which does not correspond to a menu option will produce a lower pitch beep.

Loading a screen from disc

The "Disc" menu has the options "Save", "Load", "Catalogue" and "Drive". Make sure you have the disc containing the sample file ASDdemo in the currently selected disc drive. (If you need to change your drive selection then choose the "Drive" menu option and select the drive number which contains the ASDdemo file. Then retrace your steps back to the "Disc" menu.)

You should now choose the "Load" option. At the "filename:" prompt type in "ASDdemo" and press RETURN. The screen should now start to change as ASDdemo is read in from disc. When it is loaded a message will appear at the top of the screen - this can be removed by pressing RETURN.

The procedure for saving a screen is very similar, except that the 'Save' option is selected from the 'Disc' menu. Before you try saving a screen you should read the notes in the section 'Some cautions on disc filing' below.

The sample screen you have just loaded can now be used to demonstrate some of the screen editing facilities.

Screen editing

Several screen editing facilities are provided to allow you to manipulate information on the screen.

Using the CTRL key in conjunction with the left cursor key removes the character at the cursor. To demonstrate this, position the cursor in the middle of a full line of text and press CTRL and the left cursor key. Notice that the rest of the line moves to the left leaving a blank character at the end of the line.

Using the CTRL key in conjunction with the right cursor key inserts a blank character at the cursor. To demonstrate this, position the cursor in the middle of a full line of text and press CTRL and the right cursor key. Notice that the rest of the line moves to the right losing the character at the end of the line.

Using the CTRL key in conjunction with the down cursor key inserts a blank line at the cursor. To demonstrate this, position the cursor in the middle of the page and press CTRL and the down cursor key. Notice that the rest of page, below the cursor, moves down losing the bottom line.

Using the CTRL key in conjunction with the up cursor key removes the line at the cursor. To demonstrate this, position the cursor in the middle of the page and press CTRL and the up cursor key. Notice that the rest of page, below the cursor, moves up leaving a blank line at the bottom.

As mentioned earlier, the DELETE key performs its usual function of backspace to, and deletion of, the previous character. In combination with the SHIFT key, however, it has the effect of deleting all characters from the cursor to the end of the line.

Copying

The copy facility in the AMPLE Screen Designer allows the copying of blocks of the screen. This is essential in graphics work. To copy a block you need first to define the area to be copied and then the place to copy to.

To mark the area to be copied, simply position the cursor over the first character and press COPY. Then move to the last character and press SHIFT and COPY. The area could be just a group of consecutive characters on the same line or a large block in the centre of the screen. If you are marking an area spanning several lines, it does not matter which corners of the block you mark - top-left and bottom-right or top-right and bottom left.

Now move the cursor to where you want the copy to be put. If you are copying a multi-line block of characters, the cursor should be where the top left of the block is to be copied. Then press CTRL and COPY and the block you defined will be copied.

The positions of the markers you defined using COPY and SHIFT COPY are stored so that the same block can be copied again using only CTRL and COPY.

Some cautions about copying

The copy function is not 'wrapped' and so any part of the marked area which cannot be copied within the boundaries of the screen is lost.

The markers are stored as absolute screen references - that is, they are not affected by screen editing activities such as line insertion or removal. Care should therefore be taken when screen editing has taken place since the copy area was marked.

If when CTRL and COPY are pressed, both markers are found to be in the same position, it is assumed that they have not been correctly set and the message 'No copy area defined' is shown.

The copying is performed starting at the top left of the copy area, and proceeds left to right, top to bottom. Placing the cursor within the copy area before copying will thus lead to part of the copy area being overwritten before it can be copied.

To help with the copying process there is a facility to enable you to keep track of the two copy area markers. Pressing SHIFT and TAB will display the current positions of these markers at the top of the screen. If you press the COPY or SHIFT and COPY keys while the positions are being displayed, the block cursor will move to the relevant position on the screen. If another key is pressed or if no key is pressed for one second the display is removed.

Use of screen memory

The AMPLE Screen Designer provides for two screens in memory at any one time. This allows the copying of elements in one screen to another. By careful use of the two screens a new screen can be constructed from many existing ones.

To illustrate this, we can firstly store the current screen in memory. To do this call up the menu by pressing ESCAPE. Then select "Screen" followed by "Memory" followed by "Store". After a few seconds a message will appear at the top of the screen to inform you that the screen has been stored. Press RETURN to remove this message. Now alter the screen by, for example, deleting some lines or adding new text. You can then restore the screen from memory by selecting "Screen", "Memory" and "Restore" from the menu.

Your original screen should now be displayed.

You can now re-load the sample screen from disc (which should look quite different from the current screen if you have been trying out the editing and copy functions). Select "Screen", "Disc", "Load" as before and then enter the filename "ASDdemo".

When the screen has loaded, select "Screen", "Memory", "Exchange" from the menu. This swaps the screen in memory with the one displayed. Thus, the screen you saved earlier will gradually be displayed and the screen you have just loaded will be transferred to memory.

If you select "Restore" or "Exchange" when no screen is in memory the message "No screen has been stored" will be displayed. You can check whether a screen is in memory by selecting "Screen", "Memory", "Check" from the menu.

Copying from screen memory

The copy markers which were used earlier to copy areas within a screen can also be used to copy from memory to the screen. To demonstrate this, mark an area on the screen displayed now. You can check the results by pressing SHIFT and TAB.

Then select "Screen", "Memory", "Exchange" as before. As well as swapping the screen in memory with the screen displayed it also swaps the copy markers into memory.

If you press SHIFT and TAB now, you will see that the copy markers are shown as 'Memory' rather than 'Screen'. The display option using the SHIFT and COPY keys is not available.

Now position the cursor in a suitable place on the screen to copy to. Then press CTRL and COPY and the area marked on the previous screen will be copied.

Once either of the markers are reset, the positions are assumed to refer to the displayed screen rather than memory.

Converting to AMPLE

Once you have created a screen (or part of a screen) which you wish to use in an AMPLE program, you are ready to use the AMPLE conversion facility.

If you wish to use only part of the screen, you must mark the area you wish to convert using the copy markers (COPY, SHIFT and COPY) before starting the conversion process. Do this now if you wish.

To start the conversion process, select 'Convert' from the Main menu. You will then be given two choices - 'Full screen' or 'Copy area'. After choosing the appropriate one you will be prompted for an AMPLE word in which to store the AMPLE definition generated. This can be up to 15 characters long. Your will then be prompted for the filename in which the AMPLE definition is to be stored.

Once this has been entered the conversion process will begin. To show how it is progressing, a block cursor is displayed at the character being converted. When the conversion is complete a message will be displayed which can be removed by pressing RETURN.

To use the AMPLE word in your programs, load your existing program as usual, and then type "*EXEC filename" where filename is the name you gave to the file during the conversion process. The definition will then be loaded and stored in the word which you specified at the start of the conversion.

For flexibility, the definition does not include any command to switch to MODE 7. You should therefore ensure that this mode is selected before the word is used (the AMPLE command is 7MODE). If you type the word at the "%" prompt when in MODE 7 the screen (or part screen) should be displayed exactly as it was within the AMPLE Screen Designer.

If you convert part of a screen and find the AMPLE word does not produce the expected results, this may be because you have not included some of necessary control codes within your copy area. If this happens, return to the AMPLE Screen Designer and check for control codes to the left of the area which you specified.

Disc facilities

Apart from the ability to load and save screens, other options in the 'Disc' menu allow the current disc to be catalogued and for another drive to be selected.

When the disc catalogue option is selected the program checks whether any information has been written to the screen which needs to be stored.

The top line is always stored and restored by the menu, but any other characters written below the top line will cause the screen to be stored before the disc catalogue is displayed. Similarly, if a screen has been loaded or restored form memory, this will cause the screen to be stored.

Once the screen has been stored (if necessary) the disc catalogue is displayed.

The 'paged' mode of screen display is used so that each screenful of information is held waiting for the SHIFT key to be pressed.

Once the disc catalogue is complete, a message appears at the top of the screen which can be removed by pressing RETURN. The screen is then restored to its previous state.

Operating system commands

Commands can be passed to the operating system using the 'OS Command' option in the Main menu. With this option you can either use a single line or the full screen to display any system response. This allows you to avoid delay due to saving of the screen where this is unnecessary.

If the full screen option is selected, the 'paged' mode of screen display is used (see previous section).

Some cautions on disc and OS commands

Because AMPLE does not provide any operating system error trapping routine, some errors are 'fatal'. That is, the program will stop and screen information will be lost. To guard against this, the following points should be noted.

Ensure that all filenames entered during screen saving and loading to disc or operating system commands are valid. Illegal filenames will generate the error message "! Bad filename in ...".

Ensure that the disc to which you are saving has enough room to accommodate the file. Be particularly careful when using 'Convert' to replace an existing file - if the new file is longer than the old one, and you have saved another file in the meantime, you may get the message "! Can't extend in ...". Other disc capacity errors may generate the messages "! Disc full" or "Catalogue full".

Similarly, invalid operating system commands will generate the error message "! Bad command".

If you have any doubt about a disc command working, store the current screen to memory first. It can then be recovered in case of a 'fatal' error (see 'Leaving the AMPLE Screen Designer' below).

Help

In the Main menu the 'Help' option displays a list of the special keys used in the AMPLE Screen Designer. If necessary the contents of the screen are stored before this is displayed.

The help screen can also be accessed by pressing CTRL and TAB.

Clearing the screen

To clear the screen to start on a new design, select "Screen", "New" from the menu. You will be asked to confirm this action before the screen is cleared. Any screen in memory is unaffected.

Leaving the AMPLE Screen Designer

To leave the AMPLE Screen Designer and return to AMPLE, select 'Exit' from the Main menu. You will be asked to confirm your choice before the screen information is lost. The title will then be redisplayed and the message "AMPLE Screen Designer - session ended" displayed. If you ran the program from the Studio 5000 Main Menu you will be returned to it. If not you will return the AMPLE "%" prompt.

In case of errors, a facility is provided to enable the screen in memory to be preserved after the AMPLE Screen Designer session has been ended. If you wish to retain the screen memory on start-up of a new session, you should press down the CTRL key as the title screen is displayed and release it once the blank screen appears.

The screen memory will not be correctly preserved if any actions are taken which alter memory. These include the addition, deletion or change of words, programs or modules or use of the COMPACT command.

Function keys

Because the AMPLE Screen Designer redefines the function keys f0-f9 for its own use, there is a facility included which resets the key definitions at the end of the program. The key definitions are those which are provided as standard in the Studio 5000 software. If you have changed these for your own use, you should alter the program to match.

To do this, you need to change the word 'keyreset'. Using 'Notepad' change the key definitions as required, then MAKE the word and re-save the ASD program.

Technical notes

The AMPLE Screen Designer uses only 'legal' operating system calls to address the screen. This results in a slower execution speed when reading from and writing to the screen but ensures that the program will work on any BBC micro whether or not 'shadow' memory is in use.

The AMPLE conversion part of the program is fairly simple and does not necessarily result in the most compact AMPLE definition. The conversion does remove all trailing spaces from each line, except where a line is empty when one space remains to force the ALIGN function to move down a line.

The last character on the screen (at the bottom right) is not converted and the last line converted does not have an ALIGN command appended. This ensures that screen scrolling is not activated if the last line on the screen is used in 'paged' mode.

If you wish to display a series of screens you can create a word which calls up series of screens and waits for a keypress to move from one screen to the next.

For example, if you had created 3 full screen display words - screen1, screen2 and screen3:

"screenshow" [ 7 MODE
screen1 #IN #2
screen2 #IN #2
screen3 #IN #2
]

would do this. (#IN waits for and gets a key code, #2 discards it).

Program use

If you find the program useful, and would like to suggest enhancements or changes, please contact me through AMPLINEX.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

drip

"drip" [2 CHANS
1 CHAN
Burst         1 POS
2 CHAN
Burst        -1 POS
    1 SHIFT
EVERY CHAN
High       Wow
128 AMP   -386 SHIFT

% Sound of a dripping tap
% by Graeme Shaw
]

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November1987

oboe

"oboe" [2CHANS
1 CHAN
Puff
ON SYNC ON INVERT
30 PITCH 8 SHIFT OFF PSENS
2 CHAN
Soft
110 AMP
EVERY CHAN
Watery

% Feeble oboe by Roger Cawkwell
% Suggested pitch range 0:G to 1:A
% Try 2CHAN Tailed for resonant release
]

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November1987

Hints and tips

1) Studio 5000 waveforms

Tim Sketchley

The Studio 5000 offers 14 predefined waveforms which can be used as part of an instrument definition. When defining an instrument, it can be largely a matter of trial and error to find the ones you need for that instrument until of course you know them.

Details about the sound and purpose of each waveform are given at the back of the Studio 5000 User Guide (pp 127-129). However, I have some tips which I will now explain.

I find it convenient to divide the waveforms into three 'tone groups' thus:

Low tone: Pure Round

Mid tone: Bright Hollow Watery Hard Clear

High tone: Pipes Sharp Reedy Broad Metal High

The effect of these groups is similar (broadly speaking) to the effect of the tone controls of a radio set. You should easily notice that the two low-tone waveforms sound, so to speak, as if the tone is turned down; the waveforms in the mid-tone group as if the tone is half way up; and the high-tone group contain a fair amount of treble, as if the tone is turned up.

To put it another way, they are grouped according to the brightness of the sound, with the high-tone group being the brightest. I am missing out Syncer, which is a silent waveform.

We can now set up a simple instrument whose tone is easily adjusted.

"toneins" [ 2 CHANS
1 CHAN
Pure 128 AMP
2 CHAN
Broad 100 AMP
EVERY CHAN
ON PHSET Flat Long]

Note that channel 1 plays a low-tone wave and channel 2 plays a high-tone wave. The tone of the instrument is adjusted by varying the two numbers; for instance, in our example, changing '100 AMP' to '128 AMP' will make the instrument a lot brighter.

2) Ignored natural signs

Roger Sapolsky

If the first note entered in Notepad following SCORE, normal settings and the signature word (e.g. 'sig') happens to be preceded by the natural sign ('='), the effect of 'sig' will not be cancelled as it should. To play the expected natural note, simply enter 'sig' AFTER this note, the natural symbol being then unnecessary. All notes going after 'sig' will now play correctly when preceded by '='.

3) Three little words

Roger Calkwell

In the last issue of AMPLINEX both QUIT and 7 MODE were suggested as ways of clearing PAD off the screen to make way for disc cataloguing and the like.

QUIT has the disadvantage of switching PAD off, requiring PAD and "word"GET before it reappears.

To return after 7 MODE, "word" GET (or "word" NAME) suffices.

A screen-clearing utility word will speed up your programming. I use "q" to remind me of QUIT, thus

"q" [7MODE]

This may be prefixed to a variety of commands;

qSHOW

q"word"TYPE

q*CAT

If you wish to switch to other modes, omit the 7 from the definition. The q will now take a number prefix;

7qSHOW

1qdisplayword

Another approach is;

"q" [26#OUT 12#OUT]

#OUT is the equivalent of BASIC's VDU - it treats the preceding number as an ASCII code and sends it to the screen. In this case 26 is the control code for 'default windows' and 12 is 'clear screen' - the effect is the same as VDU26, 12 in BASIC.

If you're in a hurry and don't want to take the time to define a word you can send some control codes directly with the CTRL key. Pressing Z followed by L whilst holding CTRL down throughout is equivalent to the #OUT version of q.

Two more one-letter utility words;

"s" ["*SPOOL "$+]

"x" ["*EXEC "$+]

Both *SPOOL and *EXEC like to have a space between them and the filename, so this is built into the word. The result is that

xpiano = *EXEC piano

P.S. Why did I use "x" instead of "e"?

4) AMPLE abbreviations

Robin Johnson

One small tip, not mentioned anywhere that I have seen - AMPLE accepts abbreviations like BBC BASIC does.

So, you can enter, for example, 'TY.' instead of 'TYPE'. It works for Instruments and other words too. But beware of confusing the system as the abbreviation for 'VOICES' will give 'VOICE' - which may not help much!

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

The ACT command

Andy Thomas

The AMPLE Nucleus ROM does not contain a music specific language, but a general multi-tasking operating environment. The computer knows how to play a note from a command called ACT. This command is called every time a note or rest is played, and has seven pieces of information passed to it. These pieces of information correspond to the pitch, volume and duration of the note, and which voice the note is being played on.

The ACT command normally has the following format:

ON ACT(
1 FVAR #? VOICE
2 FVAR #? PITCH
3 FVAR #? VOICE
4 FVAR #? VEL
5 FVAR #? VOICE
6 FVAR #? GATE
7 FVAR #? DURATION
)ACT

The 1 FVAR #? just references which piece of data is being accessed. The command after this takes this piece of data and uses it. Most are self-explanatory. For instance, the first piece of data sent contains which voice the note is being played on. The fourth piece of data is used by VEL (velocity) and controls the volume of the note. The sixth item is used by GATE, and controls whether the note is on or off.

As hinted earlier, these commands do not all appear in the Nucleus ROM. Some are contained in the modules loaded when the system disc is booted. For example GATE, PITCH and VEL are contained in the 'M5' module. To catalogue all of the modules present type:

MCAT

To display the contents of a module type:

"modulename" MSHOW

Notepad, Mix and Staff are all written as modules, and I would be interested to hear if anyone has managed to list or write a module.

Well that's probably lost half of you, so what is the use of knowing all this? The answer is that a number of special effects can be achieved by altering the ACT command. I have included a couple of rewritten ACT commands in the file 'ACTdemo' (included on this AMPLINEX disc).

The first, 'newact1', enables sixteen part music to be played. All I have done is to change the VOICEs to CHANs. This means that every note is played on one channel rather than a VOICE, a couple of channels.

So to hear sixteen part chords, you need to set up a sixteen part instrument. I have already done this (with 'instrum16') so you just need to type:

newvoices

This turns on the new ACT command, sets up the sixteen part instrument, and then plays a sixteen part chord.

You could also play two lots of eight part music for instance, by setting up two eight channel instruments.

The second ACT command makes each note play twice, by taking the note length of the original note, halving it, and playing it twice (by placing an ACT command inside the new ACT command). You can try this by typing:

ON newact2

and playing some notes.

Finally please note that SCORE and READY perform a SIMPLEACT command which resets the ACT command to its original format, cancelling out any changes made. So put any new ACT command after the SCORE statement in your programs.

The program 'ACTdemo' can be LOADed into AMPLE in the usual way or selected from the menu in the Features section. Brief instructions are given in the word 'info'. These are displayed automatically (via RUN) if the program is loaded via the AMPLINEX menu.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

History of AMPLINEX

Roy Follett

Exchange versus User Group

Now that the first issue of AMPLINEX is out I would like to pen a few words why I felt, together with Kevin Doyle, that there was a need to 'talk' to other owners of Music 500/5000's. I have spent many hours sat in front my monitor struggling with a particular aspect of AMPLE and thought - someone out there must have been down this path already, and found a satisfactory answer. If only I could get together with other users.

This is when the idea of an 'exchange' first emerged. Quite by chance I was put in contact with Kevin who had had almost parallel thoughts, and we pooled our ideas on how to make it work.

I would like to try and explain what I feel is the difference between a 'User Group' and an 'Exchange'. I am, like many others, a member of Beebug, and I feel that this organisation is run (commercial considerations apart) by a group of very knowledgeable people who have a greater awareness of computing than I. Therefore, I have nothing to offer; I can only take from them. In other words I am 'using' them.

AMPLINEX, in contrast, is run by three people whose understanding of AMPLE has been learnt in exactly the same way as has its members': by struggling through the User Guide and cribbing programming techniques from other's music pieces. So, unless we have personally encountered your problem, you will not get 'expert' answers from us - only from other members who have had the same problem and have, by hard work, sorted it out for themselves. With the advent of AMPLINEX, this information can now be passed on to others in the exchange.

So don't feel that anything that you may have to offer is too trivial or that your compositions might not be up to some sort of standard. Let's have them - if only one member finds your contribution useful then THERE HAS BEEN AN EXCHANGE OF IDEAS!

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Structures in AMPLE – part 2

Kevin Doyle

There are three main types of structure available in AMPLE:

a) Loops;
b) Conditionals;
c) Conditional loops.

I will examine each of these in turn over the next few issues of AMPLINEX and give examples of their use. In this issue I will look at conditionals.

Conditionals in AMPLE

One of the facilities available to the AMPLE programmer, which is absent from many non-language based computer music packages, is the ability to interact with the listener by passing him or her a degree of control as the music is playing. Another is the ability to introduce random elements into the music which can generate a different result each time it is played.

To develop either of these techniques fully the use of conditional structures will become necessary.

Many people will be familiar with the conditional structure in BASIC of -

IF test THEN action1 ELSE action2

where 'test' is normally an expression (e.g. X=2 or A$="Y") which is evaluated to be TRUE or FALSE. IF it is TRUE then 'action1' is performed; if FALSE then 'action2' is performed.

In AMPLE the equivalent form is -

test IF( action1 )ELSE( action2 )IF

so that the result of evaluating the expression 'test' is either ON (true) or OFF (false). If the result is ON then 'action1' is performed; if OFF then 'action2' is performed.

So, using the AMPLE expression #= which tests the equivalence of two numbers, the following trivial example can be constructed:

"equal" [
#= IF( "Yes" )ELSE( "No" )IF $OUT
]

which takes two numbers and reports whether they are equal. Thus, entering '3 4 equal' gives the result 'No' and entering '5 5 equal' gives the result 'Yes'.

Using more complex conditions it is possible to construct an interactive music program. Suppose you have written four different melody lines for a particular player in a piece. Normally you may decide on a suitable sequence for these and then construct a word to play them in that order. So, if the melody lines were stored as mdy1, mdy2, mdy3 and mdy4, and were to be assigned to player 1 you might create:

"part1" [ mdy1 mdy3 mdy4
mdy2 mdy1 mdy3 ]

to play the melodies in the sequence you wanted.

To allow the listener (or yourself) to control the order of the melody lines as the piece is playing, you could construct the following word:

"part1" [
6 FOR(
"Choose a melody (1-4) " $OUT
#IN
#11 49 #= IF( mdy1 )ELSE(
#11 50 #= IF( mdy2 )ELSE(
#11 51 #= IF( mdy3 )ELSE(
#11 52 #= IF( mdy4 )IF)IF)IF)IF
#2
)FOR
]

This word uses 'nested' conditional structures to test for four possibilities. When the message "Choose a melody (1-4)" is displayed the AMPLE word #IN is used to wait for a keypress and to return its ASCII number. The AMPLE word #11 is then used to duplicate this number. This is because the following test (#=) 'uses' the two numbers supplied to produce the ON or OFF flag and the keypress number may be needed for further tests if the result of the first test is OFF.

The first test takes the keypress number and compares it to 49 (the ASCII code for "1"). If they are equal this will leave the ON flag and the action between the IF( and the )ELSE( statements will be performed - in this case the word 'mdy1'.

If the keypress number is not equal to 49 then the action after the )ELSE( statement will be performed - in this case this is another IF()ELSE()IF structure.

Again the keypress number is first duplicated for further use and then a test is performed to see if it is equal to 50 (the ASCII code for "2"). If it is then 'mdy2' is performed, otherwise another IF()ELSE()IF begins.

This happens two more times and at the end each of the four conditional structures is terminated by its )IF statement. In this case all four occur together.

Finally, there will be a redundant keypress number left over from one of the conditional structures and this must be discarded using the AMPLE word #2.

In this example the keypress tests are performed six times to generate a sequence of six melody lines.

There are, however, two problems with this example as it stands. Firstly, if another key is pressed other than 1-4 then nothing will happen. To get round this problem we could change the structure so that a default melody is chosen, for example:

"part1" [
6 FOR(
"Choose a melody (1-4) " $OUT
#IN
#11 49 #= IF( mdy1 )ELSE(
#11 50 #= IF( mdy2 )ELSE(
#11 51 #= IF( mdy3 )ELSE(
mdy4 )IF)IF)IF
#2
)FOR
]

which would select 'mdy4' if neither 1, 2 nor 3 were selected.

Alternatively, we could construct a loop which would repeat the question until an answer within the range 1-4 was returned. I will look at this type of conditional loop in the next issue.

The second problem with these examples is that of timing. The word 'part1' waits for a keypress in order to select a melody line - but this might mean that the melody begins at the wrong point in the piece or that no melody is played at all.

It might be easier in this case to let the system select the melody lines as it requires them but still allow for variation in the melody lines played.

To achieve this we can use the random number generating facilities of AMPLE.

In the above example we could replace the keypress number with a random number generated by AMPLE. To do this we can use the AMPLE word RANDL.

This takes the form:

n RANDL

where n is a number in the range -32768 to 32767 and which produces a number in the range 0 to n inclusive.

The four melody example above might then become:

"part1" [
6 FOR(
3 RANDL
#11 0 #= IF( mdy1 )ELSE(
#11 1 #= IF( mdy2 )ELSE(
#11 2 #= IF( mdy3 )ELSE(
#11 3 #= IF( mdy4 )IF)IF)IF)IF
#2
)FOR
]

Here the random number range is 0 to 3 giving the four options required. Using RANDL means there is no need to consider the possibility of a number outside this range as there was with the first keypress example.

There are two other AMPLE words related to random numbers. The first, RAND, generates a random number in the range -32768 to 32767. The second, RAND!, allows a 'seed' number to be set for random number generation so that the same sequence is produced by the use of RAND or RANDL. So in the example above we could allow the listener to enter a number and thereby generate a 'random' but repeatable sequence of melody lines. Thus:

"Enter a number :"$OUT #IN RAND!

could be inserted at the start of the piece, perhaps in the 'RUN' word before the players begin.

By careful setting of random number limits and use of conditional structures complex randomly generated pieces can be created. The tests used in these conditional structures may themselves be complex and there are several logical operators in AMPLE to enable such tests to be performed.

The operators are shown below with truth tables for their results and examples of their use.

AND        | OFF | ON |
      –––––––––––––––––
      OFF | OFF | OFF |
      –––––––––––––––––
      ON | OFF | ON |
      –––––––––––––––––

E.g. to test if a number n is in the range 3 to 7:

n #11 2 #> #12 8 #< AND

(#12 swaps two numbers - in this case it swaps the result of the first test with the second copy of the number n.)

OR         | OFF | ON |
      –––––––––––––––––
      OFF | OFF | ON |
      –––––––––––––––––
      ON | ON | ON |
      –––––––––––––––––

E.g. to test if a number n is either greater than 10 or less than 5:

n #11 10 #> #12 5 #< OR

XOR        | OFF | ON |
      –––––––––––––––––
      OFF | OFF | ON |
      –––––––––––––––––
      ON | ON | OFF |
      –––––––––––––––––

E.g. to test whether either, but not both, of two numbers n1 and n2 are equal to 3:

n1 n2 3 #= #12 3 #= XOR

NOT        |     |
      –––––––––––
      OFF | ON |
      –––––––––––
      ON | OFF |
      –––––––––––

E.g. to test whether a number n is not equal to 12:

n 12 #= NOT

In the next I will be looking at conditional loops using the AMPLE expression REP( )UNTIL( )REP.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November1987

Questions and answers

Answer: Use of Slide

The answer to R.Allen's question can be found in the word "solo", part of the tune "feet" contained in 'COSMIX'. By comparison, it shows that the command definition on page 125 of the User Manual is incomplete and erroneous.

It should read:

12=L ON Slide
48, 12 8 -L % down by 3 semitones
0: c/////// % = 12 eighth tones
...
OFF Slide

The missing statement 12=L makes the descending slide (see the minus sign that follows) start 3 semitones above 0:c. Entering -12=L...+L would make an ascending slide going from 0:a to 0:c.

As to the length setting, I suspect '48,' to be an error. Going down 3 semitones over 8 crotchets has little practical utility! Perhaps '6,' should have been printed, yielding 48 as the total slide duration.

Here is an example of two slide instructions:

"twoslides"[
1: 2,
ON Slide
-48=L 48 48 +L
C 47 holds
192,/
OFF Slide
3, ON Slide
20=L 20 24 –L
g 23 holds
OFF Slide
96,/^
]

The first slide goes from 0:C to 1:C with a duration of 48x2=96. The second starts 20/8=2.5 tones above g, and thus goes down from 1:C to g, over 24 beats with a duration of 24x3=72. The smoothness of a slide varies with the instrument. The result obtained with "clarin" (from September's AMPLINEX) is particularly good.

Note that the word 'holds' (used above and in 'COSMIX') is simply 'FOR(/)FOR'. It avoids an abundance of ///////.

Roger Sapolsky

"slidemo" [ % demo of sound effect using slide
ON Slide
3, 120 144 –L
2: C/// //// //// //// //// ////
5FOR( //// //// ////
//// //// //// )FOR
OFF Slide
0,^
]

B J Dawson

Answer: Oboe sound

An oboe sound has been sent in by Roger Calkwell and is included in the Instruments section. He makes the following points:

Winds are notoriously difficult to synthesise! This is more like an organ 'oboe' stop. The waveform is close(ish) but the general effect is wooden. Try adding vibrato if you like but I think EW pitch envelopes are too drastic. Try 2CHAN Tailed for resonant release. Play around with PITCH. Best range - 0:G to 1:A.

Set up the following TRY line with the oboe definition in Notepad and press RETURN:

"24, 0: G/C/D-Ed-Ec/G///^"TRY

Roger Calkwell

Question: Loading BCE from disc

After upgrading my Music 500 and buying a Watford, Acorn compatible, disc drive, I have transferred the BCE tape content onto disc, as described on page 8 of the Music 500 User Manual. For some reason, the disc won't load. The leaflet supplied with the upgrade kit says that the commands *BASIC and */AMPLE should be used. I only get the error message: 'bad command'.

However, after loading BCE from cassette, the example programs, preset1, etc. load correctly from disc, a proof that it is OK. Has anyone met (and solved) a similar problem?

Roger Sapolsky

Question: Sync track for tape

Can anyone help with synchronizing the Music 5000 to a 4-track tape recorder for multi-tracking for those without the MUSIC 2000 or MIDI?

I believe it is possible by feeding a "clicktrack" signal from a tape into the User Port of the Beeb and then using a spare player, for example player9, as the timing controller.

This player reads the User Port and advances the time by an amount corresponding to the time frame of the "clicktrack" - 24 pps for example. Does anyone have the code for AMPLE Nucleus and info on connection to the User Port?

S Wilkie

AMPLINEX

Finally, two questions from Tim Sketchley with answers from Kevin Doyle.

Question: How do you pronounce "Amplinex"? Is it Am-plin-ex, Ampleenex or Am-ply-nex?

Answer: Roy Follett, the inventor of the name, pronounces it Am-plin-ex - so I think that must make it the 'received' pronunciation.

Question: How many copies of Amplinex are sent out?

Answer: About 50 copies of the first issue have been sent out so far. We are currently trying to increase membership via publicity in the micro magazines. Existing members can help in the membership drive by spreading the word and, if they enjoy AMPLINEX, writing to the micro press and telling them. A larger membership should be good news for all of us.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Next issue news

The next issue is planned for release mid-January 1988. This means that all applications for a FREE copy (i.e. those containing contributions) must be received by WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 16TH. Anyone paying the £2.00 fee has until the 12th of January to apply.

Already planned for the January issue is a feature on the use of 'conditional loops' in AMPLE and some notes on translating AMPLE BCE programs into AMPLE Nucleus.

We are also planning a feature on 'customising' the Studio 5000. This will cover the redefining of function keys, altering !boot files and organising disc files. We already have contributions from Roger Calkwell and Frances Wymans but would like additional material on these and similar subjects. So, if you have made some time-saving or frustration- avoiding change to your system - let us know.

We hope to provide another interesting mixture of music and text and to maintain the high standard provided by member's contributions to this issue.

So send us your words or your music and let other members have the benefit of your particular experience or expertise.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Printing out AMPLINEX information

There are three ways to print out information seen within AMPLINEX.

You can print out an AMPLINEX file as it is displayed on the screen from within AMPLINEX; you can print the files themselves as you would any other text file; or you can load the files into your own word processor and reformat them as required before printing.

1) To print a file from within AMPLINEX choose the 'SET PRINT ON/OFF' option from the Introduction menu. This allows you to toggle a software 'print switch' on or off. If the switch is set ON then any AMPLINEX file which is displayed on the screen will be sent to the printer. This will continue until you set the switch off again using the same Introduction option. An asterisk is displayed at the top of the screen next to the issue number when the print option is ON and the print status is shown at the bottom right of the screen as text is displayed within AMPLINEX.

2) If you prefer to print the parts you require outside of AMPLINEX - all the data is held in files on the AMPLINEX disc. The files are in directory 'A.' and named according to the sections in which they appear - e.g. A.intro1 is the first option in the Introduction section. The file names can be seen at the foot of the screen as they are displayed in AMPLINEX so you can make a note of the ones you require.

The exceptions are the AMPLE instruments, utilities and music - these are held under their own names (as shown in the AMPLINEX menu choices) within the default '$.' directory. All the AMPLE instruments can be printed directly from within AMPLINEX. Music and utility programs written in AMPLE can only be printed by LOADing the programs into the Studio 5000 and using the WRITE command (see Studio 5000 User Guide page 100).

3) If you wish to reformat the text before printing you should load the files into your word processor. The files are all justified to 38 columns width. To re-justify the text change all multiple spaces to single spaces and then use the justification option in your word processor. The files contain only printable ASCII characters except for a control code (ASCII 11) which marks the screen page breaks. View treats these as left margin tabs and if necessary they can be removed with a C/^L// command.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

How to contribute to AMPLINEX

To receive your next issue of AMPLINEX free of charge you must send a contribution of your own. This could be an AMPLE music program, an instrument definition, an article about some aspect of the AMPLE language or Hybrid Music System hardware or software, an AMPLE utility, a useful hint about AMPLE or an answer to another user's question.

Under copyright law we cannot publish programs or music unless we have the permission of the copyright owners or their licencing agent. It is important to realise that in the case of an AMPLE music program, copyright exists in both the program itself and the music it represents. There may even be a separate copyright in the arrangement. If you wish to contribute transcriptions into AMPLE of someone else's music you must credit the copyright owner(s) of the music, the arrangement (if applicable) and lyrics (if included). We can then try to obtain permission to publish.

To protect ourselves from copyright actions we must ask you to sign the copyright declaration on the 'NEXT ISSUE' request form which was sent to you with this issue of AMPLINEX. All submissions made to AMPLINEX will be regarded as permission to publish within the AMPLINEX membership. Beyond this, the submission remains the property of the author.

You can also use your returned disc to pass on questions which you would like answered on any issue relating to the Hybrid Music System or AMPLE language. We will do our best to answer them (or will pass them over to the other members for help) and publish the results in the Questions and Answers section of AMPLINEX.

You can also use AMPLINEX to advertise any (un)wanted items. Just put the details of your advertisement onto the return disc and we will try and include it in the next issue.

Send all contributions, on a standard DFS format disc (40 or 80 track).

Suggested file formats are:

a) AMPLE Music programs - save these in normal Studio 5000 format.

b) AMPLE instruments - save these in text form via *SPOOL using the AMPLE 'TYPE' command to save the word(s) you want.

c) Text (hints, questions etc.) - use View or Wordwise and save it (without embedded commands). If you have not got access to one of these products you can use the Studio 5000 Notepad to create some text-only words by putting a '%' at the start of each line. After MAKEing the word(s) you should use *SPOOL and the AMPLE word 'TYPE' to save the word(s) you want to your return disc.

In all cases please put your name somewhere in the file. In the case of AMPLE music programs use the DISPLAY facility in the 'RUN' word. For instrument definitions put a '%' comment line at the start of the word.

In the case of instrument definitions some description of the sound itself and hints on its use (e.g. which parameters could be changed) would make it more useful.

Ensure that your discs are well packed as we will be using the same packaging to return it to you.

Make sure you enclose a return address label and postage and that both the packaging and the disc are marked with your name and address.

Send it to:

AMPLINEX
26 Arbor Lane
Winnersh
Berks
RG11 5JD

to arrive by the date specified in the 'NEXT ISSUE' request form.

We look forward to reading and hearing your contributions.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987

Update – changes/corrections/comments

This section is a focus for news about the workings of AMPLINEX, corrections to items in previous issues, and other small items of information which might otherwise be missed amongst the details of each issue.

Copyright and AMPLINEX

Several members have asked for clarification of the copyright rules outlined in the first issue. We have sought advice from several sources and have now written to the Mechanical Copyright Protection Society to advise us on the legal position. Although some bulletin boards have taken the view that where no fee is being charged for downloading a program, no royalty obligation exists, this seems to be more an assumption on their part than an established fact.

Copyright law is complex and one aggrieved author could put AMPLINEX out of business, so we are being deliberately careful.

If you have AMPLE music programs of which you are not the full copyright owner you can still send these in to AMPLINEX. We will simply hold on to these programs until the copyright issue is resolved.

AMPLINEX protection

We had a couple of complaints about the protection present in the first issue of AMPLINEX. This was present mainly as a safeguard since copies were being made available to the press and others outside of the membership.

This protection has now been removed and members are welcome to examine the AMPLINEX environment program. If there is interest in the workings of particular features, these can be documented and discussed in future issues.

File display in AMPLINEX

One member used the survey to request a means of escape from the file display screen without having to read through to the end of a file. Such a mechanism does exist - but we forgot to mention it in the instructions for the September issue. If you press the ESCAPE key whilst the file is being read, the "Press RETURN to continue" prompt will be displayed, and pressing RETURN will take you back to the menu.

This technique only works whilst the file is being read - pressing ESCAPE once the "Press RETURN to continue" message has been displayed will have no effect.

Another request was for the ability to step back a page during file display. Since the file is read in a byte at a time (using OSBGET) this would require some complex file control programming and is unlikely to be tackled at present. If any members can suggest alternatives to the current method we would be only too glad to consider them.

Starting up AMPLINEX

In a couple of survey responses members asked for a method of bypassing the title screen to speed up access to AMPLINEX. Such a method has been incorporated into this issue - just press the CTRL key as the AMPLINEX display appears and this will speed up the display process.

Another request was for the ability to boot the AMPLINEX disc directly as opposed to using "AMPLINX"LOAD and RUN. We did originally plan to use this method, but during tests discovered that the Studio 5000 waveform information was being corrupted giving unexpected results when music was played.

Index for AMPLINEX

A suggestion was made in one of the survey responses that we should have an index of the AMPLINEX contents. We do not feel that this would be possible for each issue given the short timescales in which we are working, but we might try to create an index after several issues, of the main topics covered.

KBgate utility

An omission from the instructions which accompanied the KBgate utility in the September issue caused some confusion and disappointment. What was not mentioned was the need to have set up the instrument on a voice before using KBgate within Notepad. In this respect, KBgate is the same as any other command used in a TRY line (including the default "RETGATE"). Typing 1 VOICES at the "%" prompt and then pressing the f1 (play) key will do this (see Studio 5000 User Guide page 58). Sorry for the confusion.

Miscellaneous corrections

Chris Jordan of Hybrid Technology has written to point out that the reference to a 'CZ505' drum machine in September's 'Acorn User Show Report' is incorrect and should have read 'TR505'.

He also points out that the instrument template discussed in the Hints and Tips section does not need the FM, RM or SYNC instructions on channel 2 as these are redundant.

Commenting on the feature on Modules in the first issue, and the reference to the module 'M5' as a 'sub-mix utility' Chris Jordan writes:

"A classic human anatomist believed that the function of the largest organ in the head was the secretion of nasal fluids, on the grounds of its proximity to the nose and the large quantity of fluid secreted during a common cold."

A quick look at the results of the command "M5"MSHOW confirms that the role of this module is rather different to that implied in the feature, as it contains the words used in instrument definition.

Comments

Your comments are always welcome on any aspect of AMPLINEX - suggestions for improvement, problems with the contents, etc. Please remember, each article expresses the opinions of its author and we cannot guarantee its validity or completeness. So if you think something is wrong - let us know.

Published in AMPLINEX 002, November 1987