Question: Use of READY with DIM arrays
I am writing an AMPLE program that will allow 'editing' of a
MIDI expander unit. The program uses KEYB so that after MIDI setup information has
been sent, the Music 4000 keyboard is active to play the selected MIDI voice.
I have used the DIM command to define arrays whose elements
are variables used by my MIDI setup messages, but unfortunately, KEYB uses
READY which has the effect of clearing all the memory reserved with DIM. So
after each MIDI setup using KEYB the program 'forgets' where the arrays are located.
As the limit of 125 words prevents me from defining
individual GVAR variables instead of using arrays, can anyone suggest how READY
can be 'replaced' but still allow KEYB to function as intended? I have explored
the AMPLE Nucleus Programmer Guide and so far have found no way to make KEYB work
without READY. If I knew what memory addresses were 'free' could I reserve and
poke the array space directly and not use DIM?
Les Pearce
Answer: 'Too many numbers' error
In response to Steve Hawley's problem in AMPLINEX 008: when
I first obtained my AMPLE Nucleus ROM, I too got this error - always when using
the Staff editor and always after entering 108 items. I returned the ROM and
disc to Hybrid who sent me a replacement which behaved perfectly. So Steve,
send it back to Hybrid.
Paul Nuttall
I too had problems with the Staff editor - it generated the
'Too many numbers' error, but only when the item counter (top right of screen)
showed more than 100.
I contacted Hybrid concerning this problem and a few months
later a replacement system disc arrived in the post, with an updated version of
the Staff editor on it (Stave V3.0), on which this problem seems to have been cured.
My advice, then, is to ring Hybrid and tell them about the problem as a new
system disc could eliminate it.
K Harridence
Question: Long PLAY sequences
When constructing a recent piece of music, there were so
many sections and mixes (not to mention unmixes) that the PLAY sequence carried
on to a second line, followed by the word PLAY. I thought nothing of this until
I came to play it when I found it didn't work.
I tried various permutations and alternatives without
success and was eventually obliged to find ways of reducing the number of
sections to get them into one line. It did not seem to matter if the word PLAY
was put on the second line, and the piece now plays satisfactorily.
On examining more professionally written programs ('Cry' on
Cosmix for instance) I was somewhat astonished to find that the "RUN"
word merely gave the player sequence "123456"PLAY without any section
or mix sequence. How this is achieved completely baffles me. It must be in the
program somewhere, but I can't see anything which gives me any clue. Nor can I
see anything about this in the Studio 5000 User Guide. Can anyone please show
how this is done?
G H Richardson
For some advice about long PLAY strings see Questions and
Answers in AMPLINEX 007. As to your comment about the PLAY structure in several
'Cosmix' pieces, the reason there are no mix numbers or section letters after
the player details is because none are used in the piece. That is, the only parts
are 'part1', 'part2', etcetera up to 'part6', and there is only one 'mix'.
Answer: MIDI instrument selection
I read with particular interest the comments about the
Roland MT-32 (AMPLINEX 008) and Roger Sapolsky's question about whether he
should buy the MT-32 to use with AMPLE (AMPLINEX 007). I use an MT-32 with
AMPLE and currently write more for it than for the Music 5000. It works very
well with the Music 2000 MIDI interface. However, like all gadgets that can be adjusted,
it soon becomes a compulsion to try and improve the voices.
Apart from minor niggles, the MT-32 MIDI implementation is
good. I would like to hear comments from fellow users and I also look forward
to the possibility of MT-32 MIDI programmes being exchanged via AMPLINEX.
David Reed
Question: AMPLE from bulletin boards
Having successfully downloaded much software from Prestel
(initially MusicLink, and then Music City), I have recently moved on to try to download
AMPLE software from various bulletin boards, but with differing levels of
success.
Of the 1200/75 baud Viewdata formats:
AMPLE DCT (& Maestro) - no problems.
'The Firm' (Seahaven BBS) - only 2 out of 8 tunes worked,
but all the menus downloaded worked OK. Those that didn't work gave the 'Bad
program' error.
Of the scrolling formats:
AMPLE DCT2 - all programs had problems or word definitions
missing. (This requires the use of XMODEM, but the program offered on the board
does not guarantee success.)
I am particularly keen to download from 'The Firm' as there
appears to be a wide choice of titles available, but repeating the download
gives an identical file with the same problem.
Has anyone had problems like this, and if so, have you found
any solutions? In case it is relevant, I am using a Pace Nightingale modem and
Commpanion (CommSoft) software.
Tony Walduck
Answer: Aries B32 memory saving
In AMPLINEX 008, Jack Wrigley asks why he ends up with less
memory with an Aries B32 memory board fitted. For a full answer he should refer
to my piece in the 'Hints & Tips' section of AMPLINEX 007. In the meantime,
if he types in
*XON 20 A <RETURN>
before booting the system disc, the missing memory (and
more!) will miraculously appear.
Pete Christy
Question: MIDI possibilities
All this Music 2000 MIDI interface discussion has set me
wondering: I've got a Yamaha DD-10 drum machine that I use at the moment purely
as backing when playing my Symphony keyboard live. This has 24 PCM percussion voices,
which sound much better than any 2-channel Music 500(0) equivalents.
Now, given a Music 2000 (please!), presumably any 8 of those
voices could could be used in addition to the 8 Music 500(0) ones. The only MIDI
socket it has is "MIDI in", would this be sufficient?
Also, when using the 500(0) alongside a MIDI instrument,
what happens in the Mixing Desk? Is there a modified version supplied with the
2000 software that displays 16 voices?
One last question, would a program designed to play from a
combination of hardware such as I've described above be accessible by other
AMPLINEX members with a Music 2000, but using a different MIDI instrument?
Jack Wrigley
Answer: Acoustic instruments
In AMPLINEX 005, Jeff Parton requested information on the
harmonic spectra of acoustic instruments. One potential starting point is an
article by Hal Chamberlin (I'm afraid I don't have the title) in the April 1980
issue of Byte magazine. This featured harmonic graphs for half-a-dozen or so
acoustic and 'invented' instruments.
The footnotes mention a series entitled 'Lexicon of Analysed
Tones' which featured in an American magazine, Computer Music Journal, around
1977/78. I don't know if the magazine is still in publication some 11 years on,
but its address is/was:
Computer Music Journal,
People's Computer Company,
Box E, 1263 El Camino Real,
Menlo Park,
California 94025, USA
People's Computer Company,
Box E, 1263 El Camino Real,
Menlo Park,
California 94025, USA
Vincent Fojut
For anyone interested in the spectra of classical organ
pipes the following book is recommended. It gives a graphical presentation of
the harmonic analyses of 27 different types of pipe.
'Organ Registration - in theory and practice', E Harold
Geer, J Fischer & Bro (New Jersey), 1957
Another relevant book is
'Dictionary of Pipe Organ Stops', Stevens Irwin, Schirmer
Books, 1965
Although no data is given on spectra the general shape of
the harmonic series is discussed for a large number of different pipes.
Dr Mike Mellors
Answer: Synchronising music and lyrics
Michael Harbour (AMPLINEX 007) asked how to output the
lyrics of a song to the screen at the right moments. The AMPLE Nucleus
Programmer Guide suggests using the AMPLE command QTIME to do this.
Set up the following word:
"wait" [REP(QTIME 0#<)UNTIL(IDLE)REP]
and then use a 'dummy' player (normally part9) to handle the
text output.
For example, if each section of the piece (introduction,
verses and chorus) is 4 bars (of length 192) long, and text needs to be printed
at the start of each section (except the introduction) then
"part9" [
192,^^^^ wait "verse 1 text" $OUT
192,^^^^ wait "verse 2 text" $OUT
192,^^^^ wait "chorus text " $OUT
192,^^^^ wait "verse 3 text" $OUT
% etc.
]
192,^^^^ wait "verse 1 text" $OUT
192,^^^^ wait "verse 2 text" $OUT
192,^^^^ wait "chorus text " $OUT
192,^^^^ wait "verse 3 text" $OUT
% etc.
]
will output text after the introductory 4 bars have been
played.
This example would output the entire text of each verse or
chorus to the screen at once. If output is required line by line, word by word
or even note by note, this can be done by replacing the 4 bar durations in
part9 by the gap duration needed.
Ivor Abiks
Question: New lines in Notepad
I discovered recently, after much gnashing of dentures, that
pressing the RETURN key to get to a new line in Notepad is of no use. You have
to use the arrow key to move to a new line. If you use 'RETURN' you just get
told 'Mistake' - and a fat lot of use that is!
Jim Brook
The only way I can reproduce the problem you describe is by
putting an invalid command in the TRY string. For example, entering
"0: ABCDEFGH" TRY
at the command prompt and then pressing RETURN whilst in
panel mode (with a flashing block cursor) will generate the 'Mistake' error
message.
If this is not the problem, please let us have a copy of a
program where this occurs and details of what commands you perform.
Question: AMPLE Nucleus vocabulary
Does anyone know if there is an AMPLE Nucleus vocabulary
list word, the equivalent of FORTH's VLIST? It can be useful to have an
on-screen dump of words for quick reference. I know there isn't one defined in
the AMPLE Nucleus Programmer Guide.
Dr Mike Mellors
As far as I know there is no such word. It would be fairly
simple, however, to make such a facility available as part of the AMPLE Nucleus
Help Facility ROM which was included in AMPLINEX 008. If other members are interested,
or if anyone has any other ideas on uses for the ROM, please let us know.
Editor's note:
The comments following some of the questions above are only
my opinions on the subject and should not be taken as definitive answers.
Your comments are most welcome on any of the questions
posed, whether they supplement, confirm or correct any I have expressed.
Published in AMPLINEX 009, January 1989
