Questions and answers

Question: BBC B versus Master memory

How much more memory does the BBC Master have than the BBC B when using AMPLE, especially in the Staff editor?
Also, does anyone know how to use the RAMROM board for extra memory? Is it of any use?
Diccon Maude

Question: Part-bars in Staff editor

The Music 5000 User Guide says (on page 27) that, to avoid the 'Bad bar' message, part-bars can be entered on the Staff editor with rests, to make up the full length, or alternatively, with a second time signature at the start of the bar.
The first solution is no good if the part-bar is at the start or end of a repeating phrase, and the second solution just looks messy. Does anyone have an alternative?
Vincent Fojut

Question: MIDI Implementation Charts

Can anyone describe what a MIDI implementation chart actually means?
Although I've seen several (e.g. the Casio HT700, Yamaha DD10 and Music 2000) I can never be sure that I've interpreted them properly.
Has anyone got an idiot's guide?
Taj Letocha

Answer: Screen graphics

In reply to the question from Karl Harridence in AMPLINEX issue 008, on the subject of loading screen files directly into Shadow RAM, the following might be useful.
I am using the Aries B32 Shadow RAM board, and with this board there is a command to directly load files to screen RAM:
*X*LOAD "file" load_address
In fact, preceding any star command with '*X' will tell the Aries ROM that you intend to use 'normal' video RAM references. For example,
*X*SAVE
*X*LOAD
*X*LDPIC  (for Acorn User compressed screens)
*X*GIMAGE (DumpOut-3 screen-dump)
*X*GDUMP  (Printmaster screen-dump)
Unfortunately, when a file is loaded in this manner, there is a 'battle of the interrupts', between the Nucleus ROM and the DFS ROM, and so the screen, although loaded to the correct address, gets corrupted in the process.
There is a solution, however, as the Aries ROM also contains other commands to move or swap areas of RAM, including program RAM, video RAM and Sideways RAM.
The process is to load the screen to a previously DIMensioned area of program memory, and then move that area to the video RAM.
This does mean, however, that you can only load a screen file which will fit into free program memory. This restricts you to modes 4, 5, 6, and 7.
At this point I am confused by Karl's reference to 16k mode 3 screen files - as mode 3 is text-only, surely it would be easier to write the text to the screen within the program itself?
However, there is nothing to stop you loading a screen file first then chaining a music program afterwards.
I give here a modest example to load a mode 4 screen file called 'grafix' then chain a music program.
"RUN" [
4 MODE
&17FF DIM % screen
          % file-length /2 and -1
#11 &$STR "LOAD grafix " $+ OSCLI
&$STR "XMOVE P." $+
" +2800 V.5800" $12 $+ OSCLI
"""music""LOAD RUN" $+
]
This uses the normal command
*LOAD screen load_address
(where the load_address is given by the DIM statement) followed by the Aries command
*XMOVE P.load_address +2800 V.5800
(here, the load_address was stored on the stack earlier by the #11, and retrieved when needed).
The length of the data area (+2800) and the 'normal' load address for the screen (5800) are for a mode 4 screen and should be changed for other modes. The 'P.' refers to program memory and the 'V.' to video memory - these are part of the Aries syntax.
Before RUNning this 'program' you must ensure that you have sufficient free program memory - this will probably mean QUITting and MDELETEing any editors that have been used.
I hope that this is of some use to Aries users, and that it provides a possible starting point for other Shadow RAM users.
Allan M Gardner

Question: Drum rhythm

Can anyone help on the intricacy of drum rhythm, as used today in modern pop and rock, and as used in the past by the master drummers of the big bands?
Neil Walker

Question: Synchronisation of TR707

I own a Roland TR707 drum machine and would like to synchronise it with the Music 5000. I know this is possible using MIDI, however, the TR707 has a sync input (for use with click tracks) and I feel it should be possible to use the RS423 interface in some way to synchronise the 2 units via software. Can anyone help?
Frank Dudley

Question: Aries B32 problems

Following Pete Christy's advice in AMPLINEX 009, I typed *XON 20 A prior to booting AMPLE and miraculously over 1000 bytes reappeared! Unfortunately, a working Staff editor miraculously disappeared with it - crashing every time I tried it!
This happened with both the Studio 5000 and 5000-4 system discs (both release 2). Booting them as normal restored the Staff editor to its former memory-hungry self.
I use a Watford ZIF socket to change ROMs, rather than an internal ROM board, so the only non-standard ROM present in my BBC B is Disc-aid, a very useful utility, which has worked perfectly with AMPLE up to now. Could this mean an upgraded system disc is required?
Jack Wrigley

Answer: MIDI possibilities

In AMPLINEX 009 Jack Wrigley mused on the possibilities of using a Yamaha DD10 drum bank in conjunction with a Music 5000 plus the Music 2000 MIDI interface.
I actually have a Yamaha DD10 connected up to my Music 5000/2000 combination as well as a Casio HT700 electronic synthesiser/home keyboard.
Should Jack buy a Music 2000 he'll find that he isn't restricted to just 8 MIDI voices (as his query indicates) but that he can use up to 32 - these being in addition to the normal 8 Music 5000 voices. I have written short pieces with up to 7 MIDI voices and 4 Music 5000 voices and, although my Beeb happily coped with the load, I noticed considerable delay when typing at the keyboard.
Unfortunately the Mixing Desk simply doesn't show the MIDI voices and provides no control whatsoever over one's MIDI instruments (apart from tempo changes and fast/pause which affect the whole piece).
A piece written for a Music 5000/4000/2000 with a DD10 would in fact be useable by someone with a different MIDI drum instrument. All that they would have to do would be to change the piece's mixes to allocate the MIDI voices, channels and lines to reflect their own setup.
Just a word on the DD10 to Jack and others who are interested: it has 2 MIDI modes of operation. The first is MIDI mode 00 in which you press the buttons and have 26 different percussion instruments available - all velocity sensitive. You can create quite an impressive drum kit with this lot!
Second is MIDI mode 99 in which the DD10 behaves as a sequencer - i.e. it plays its own rhythms. In this mode there are 97 pre-programmed rhythms available.
In either mode, you can use AMPLE and the Music 2000 to fully control what the DD10 plays. It's really quite impressive.
I hope this provides an answer to Jack and also encourages him to save up for a Music 2000 - the hardware coupled with the extensions to AMPLE make it a really powerful add-on.
Taj Letocha

Question: Drum sounds

Is there anyone out there who has got a good, realistic drum sound that has pitch sensitivity rather than a) an 'electom' variation or b) a one pitch thud?
The Music 5000 must be able to make a good drum sound somehow.
Diccon Maude

Question: Delete file

On and off over the last six months or so I have been trying to create a 'delete file' for getting rid of unwanted instruments (as indicated on page 37 of the Music 4000 Keyboard User Guide).
I've created the 'wlist' text file, but I just cannot get it to load into my View word processor or my BBC Master text editor so that I can modify it as required. Nor do I really understand the modifications if I could load it.
Someone must have succeeded in creating this very useful tool. If that person would please spell out how, step-by-step, starting with the creation of 'wlist' and proceeding through all the stages to completion, he/she would earn my undying gratitude.
G H Richardson

Question: Music 500 and Music 5000

Can anyone tell me the differences between the Music 500, Music 5000 and Music 87 hardware?
I have a BBC Master 128 and so does a friend of mine. He has the original Acorn Music 500 box which he purchased at great cost many years ago. I purchased the Music 87 from Peartree (unfortunately).
I am asking because there is a marked difference in the sound from our two boxes, especially when using the ON SYNC command in AMPLE BCE. I remember reading that some versions of the Music 500 box were incompatible with the BBC Master. Can anyone tell me why and/or whether I have the upgraded version or not?
We have examined the chip numbers inside the two boxes and some seem to be different. My friend checked them out and said that some components inside my Music 500 were RAM chips while his were ROMs.
If there is a difference, does anyone know how to make the upgrade?
Patrick Cain

Answer: Query about 'New Choros'

In reply to Roger Sapolsky's query about 'New Choros' in AMPLINEX 008: 'rep' is a variable (GVAR) used to flag whether or not the section in question is being repeated. Using FIND, look at the occurrences of 'rep' and you will see that initially it has the value OFF (set via #!) so that the first time it is interrogated with #? the IF()IF structure is bypassed. Later, it is set to ON so the second time round #? IF()IF unleashes the rallentando.
Roger Cawkwell

Question: Tuning systems in AMPLE

Following Ian Waugh's letter in AMPLINEX 006, has anyone solved the problem of how to write in AMPLE using one of the alternative scales available on the Music 4000 - a quarter-tone scale, for instance?
Jim Redfarn

Question: Chord data in AMPLE

I am interested to know whether anyone has considered, or even created, a facility in AMPLE to construct chord sequences (anything from simple triads to more complex chords involving 5ths, 7ths, 9ths). I would want the chords played in a variety of ways from block chords to arpeggios, not forgetting inversions. This could be a major programming tool.
I have been thinking about this, and contemplating using look-up tables and AMPLE words called from within a user program to define the chord required. Can AMPLE cope with anything similar to DATA tables as used in BASIC? Such a system would bring exciting possibilities to creative composition since an interesting chord sequence is often the basis of most imaginative works.
Roy Atkins

Question: Controlling MIDI instruments

I own a Music 5000 (upgraded from a 500) with Music 2000 and 4000 extensions. I also have a Casio HT700 MIDI keyboard/synthesiser and a Yamaha DD10 drum machine.
I have had no problems at all in controlling either of these instruments using the Music 2000 and the AMPLE extensions except in one area: triggering the drum part fill-ins.
I've tried virtually every possible combination using MIDICONTROL, but to no avail. The Casio has some rather good-sounding drum parts and fill-ins, but I can't get at them from an AMPLE piece. Neither can I get at those provided by the DD10.
Does anyone have any bright ideas?
Taj Letocha

Question: Clogged up Music 5000

Just lately my Music 5000 has been clogging up while playing the music. What happens is while a song is playing some of the players just stop for a while and eventually catch up by going very fast. Can anyone help me as this is very frustrating and has already caused me to delete a couple of my songs through frustration?
Colin Homer
If the problems are related to mix changes you may like to look at the comments in 'Speed restrictions in AMPLE' part of the Question and Answers section of AMPLINEX issue 004.

Answer: Chaining Files

Just to add to the answer (in AMPLINEX 008) to Alan Mothersole's query on chaining files - the A&B Computing article (November 1988 issue) includes a routine to *SPOOL the words in the chaining sequence to disc so that they can be used in your own programs. The article explains how to use them.
There is, however, a snag. The routine uses IDLE and QTIME, and locks up screen output; so you can't call the CHAIN word whilst using the Mixing Desk and I guess there would be problems with synchronised music & lyrics.
Allan Gardner (who wrote the A&B Computing piece) has put a modified version of the CHAIN sequence on AMPLE DCT, as a downloadable worksheet.
Patrick Black

Question: Entering magazine listings

Would it be possible to explain, for newcomers to AMPLE like myself, how to enter programs from magazines (e.g. the one in A&B Computing November 1988)? I've had a try at entering this one using the Notepad editor but keep getting '! Mistake' when trying to MAKE some of the words. Do you have to enter all the words in quotes and all the [] brackets? Is the Notepad Editor the right part to use to enter magazine programs?
D Brehaut
I have typed the A&B Computing 'Jukebox' program (November 1988 issue) into View, but now I can't load or run it. Where am I going wrong?
Ken Pitts
Most magazine listings are merely a printed version of the word definitions displayed by the WRITE command. This command is designed to create a text file which can be *EXECed back into AMPLE and it therefore starts by displaying all the user words in the program as empty definitions. For example,
"word1" [] "word2" []
"word3" [] "word4" []
The reason for this is that an AMPLE word definition can only contain other valid AMPLE words - either those that are part of the system or other user words. Because in most programs many of the user words will contain other user words, it would be very difficult to ensure that the right words were defined first. The empty definitions overcome this problem by ensuring that all the user words are defined (as empty) - and then the real definitions can follow in any sequence.
This means that if you are entering the program from such a magazine listing, you need to set up all the empty word definitions before you start on the program proper. If you are using Notepad this just means leaving the editing area blank and NAMEing and MAKEing each of the words in turn.
When using Notepad, you do not need to include the opening and closing brackets [...]. These are provided when you MAKE the word.
The layout of the main part of the A&B Computing program seems to have caused some further confusion. The program has been printed in two columns, side by side. To enter the listing, therefore, you should work down the left-hand column until the bottom of the page and then start again at the top of the right-hand column. At the end of that column, turn the page and start at the top of the next left-hand column and so on.
A word processor such as View can be used to enter AMPLE listings, but you need to keep a careful eye open for errors as you try to *EXEC it into AMPLE.

Question: AMPLE and Education

Can anyone furnish me with details about the Government's 'IT' Education Support Grant for the use of the Hybrid Music System in Primary schools?
Jim Redfarn

Question: AMPLE User Group

Having started out with a Music 500 and AMPLE BCE User Guide I enquired with Hybrid about User Groups and was sent a note about the AMPLE User Group. This sounded like the next best thing to sliced 1MHz buses, so I sent off for it. Issue 2 arrived plus a note about Issue 1 being packed with goodies and being on its way to all subscribers who had not yet received it. However, all I got after that were a couple of 'excuses' notes.
Since then I have of course seen the light and joined AMPLINEX, but does anyone know if there were items worth having from Notepad Issue 1?
Pete White
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 010, March 1989
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