AMPLINEX 022

AMPLINEX issue 022 was published in July 1991. 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.

News and reviews

In this issue we have a review of a new music disc from John Bartlett, and some views and news on music on the Archimedes, and the future of AMPLE.

Another Landscape by John Bartlett

G H Richardson

John Bartlett does it again. His latest disc 'Another Landscape' paints in realistic sound colours the scenes and feelings of a lone rider battling through a storm to reach more familiar fields and eventually the peace and security of home.

He achieves this in nine small musical sketches which he lists on a pamphlet accompanying the disc. The first, 'The Rider', bursts upon you with the crash of thunder and the hiss of lightning through which one hears the horse's galloping feet. This is then taken over by musical sound of a similar rhythm and other appropriate atmosphere music until he finds refuge in a cave.

You have only to print out the program for this item alone to realise what a superb mastery of AMPLE technique John Bartlett has. Frankly, the program frightened the life out of me - but it is there in all its technicality for those willing to decipher and learn. One small criticism on this item - I thought the galloping feet could have been made a little longer and louder as they approached before being taken over by the musical rhythm. On the other hand I shall study his 'thunder' with great interest. I've been trying to produce decent 'thunder' for years (see this issue's Music section for one attempt) - mine sounds like an artillery bombardment.

Lack of space prohibits comment on all the items, but 'The Dawn' struck me as worthy of special mention - again for its technical and innovative presentation. The early morning breeze rustles the leaves; the birds begin twittering; the sun appears and suddenly bursts forth with the full, lush sound of the organ and strings. A pity though that it 'chops off' so suddenly.

Again 'The Valley' with its descending walking bass chords and slow fruity treble main theme create a vision of never-ending distance which is very attractive. All in all this is a typically inventive work by John Bartlett which in addition to providing pleasant listening gives one a golden opportunity to see 'how it is done'. At £3.95 inclusive, he is almost giving them away.

See the Advertisements section of this issue for details of how to obtain this disc.

Music on the Archimedes

Jim Redfarn

In the News and Reviews section of AMPLINEX 021, Jack Wrigley writes that he has just bought an Archimedes A3000, mainly for graphics. I'm sure he realises by now, but other readers thinking of buying an A3000 may not, that you need to double, if not quadruple, the A3000's standard 1Mb memory, otherwise you will find using graphics-based programs, such as Impression 2, very, very tedious!

My experience with the Arc's music program 'Rhapsody' has been far less positive than Jack's. Not only are polyrhythms impossible, but my version of the Rhapsody software even hiccoughs when you combine, say, a triplet on one stave with quavers on another. Unconventional spacing of notes helps, but doesn't solve this problem. The supposed strength of Rhapsody is the printing of conventional notation. In fact there are no other ways of putting music into Rhapsody.

However, even with conventional notation I find Rhapsody unsatisfactory. Inserting notes is a very slow process compared with the method used on the Hybrid System. Furthermore, bar lines on different staves on my version of the software do not line-up automatically. You can spend a long, long, time fiddling with this. In addition, the spacing of notes on the stave will not satisfy academically-trained musicians and they are the very people who might want to use this stave-based program.

The leapfrogging scrolling of pieces is also most disconcerting. Actually, I personally find scrolling musical staves of any sort unsatisfactory. Computer screens aren't the right shape for staves. If I have to use conventional notation, I much prefer to combine small segments of music as on the Hybrid Music System.

Incidentally, I have also tried EMR's Studio 24 Plus, using an Archimedes 310 fitted with a MIDI card. It had infuriating synchronisation problems. I'm not sure of the cause - possibly the O/S, or simply insufficient memory (1Mb again). Perhaps it's OK on say an Arc 440, but Studio 24 Plus still cannot produce polyrhythms - I've asked!

The other music system on the Arc which received much pre-production publicity was 'Inspiration'. I haven't tried it yet, but reviews say that it is full of bugs.

I go along with Jack's desire for AMPLE on the Arc. This is surely justifiable now that Arcs are selling in such large numbers, often to BBC Model B and Master users. I feel confident that if Hybrid took aboard the Arc, they could sweep the music market for this computer, and probably challenge the Atari ST's hold on the wider music market.

In the meantime let us hope that Super AMPLE won't be too long coming and hang on to our BBC Masters (it is said that the new AMPLE system will not work on the Model 'B').

A surprise from Hybrid Technology

Roy Follett

A recent press release from Hybrid Technology brings to our notice a sound sampling and software package for the Archimedes.

Called ArcRecorder the hardware allows the supplied microphone (or a line input) to be plugged into the printer port and sounds sampled for inclusion in any Desktop-legal music program.

The device is described as fully compatible with all dongles currently on the market and with Hybrid's AccessLink standard for the Archimedes. This last statement I find interesting - does this indicate future musical developments on the Archimedes using this AccessLink?

The package bears a marked resemblance to another on the market advertised by Oak Solutions. On comparing the advert by Oak with Hybrid's press release, it would seem that the latter's is a more useful device inasmuch it has a 'pass-on' socket so both the printer and the sampler can be attached. At the time of writing I was unable to make contact with Hybrid Technology to clarify various points, but we hope to bring you further details in a future issue of AMPLINEX.

ArcRecorder costs £37.89 including postage, packing and VAT from:

Music Information Technology Ltd
88 Butt Lane
Milton
Cambridge
CB4 6DG

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Watermark

by Paul Theobald

Composed by: Enya

To enhance the soporific effect of the music, Enya uses 'rubato'. That is, the speeding up of the music at the start of the bar and slowing down in the middle. This is programmed in AMPLE by the use of a conductor part (part9), with the appropriate tempo changes affecting all parts. This is briefly documented in the User Guide on p121.

I have developed my own piano instrument which is less harsh than the preset supplied, which together with the 'act' definition produce a gentle and smooth piano part.

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.WATERM3

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Watermark

by Aiden Black

Composed by: Enya

Dedicated to Castlerigg Manor Chapel

There is a reason for the dedication. Nearly everyone I know loves this album and when my Youth Group went to Castlerigg Manor in Keswick (north Lake District), we went into the chapel at about half past ten one night for an evening prayer session and played this album. The only problem is, this music tends to send people to sleep! At the end of evening prayer, we left the chapel one by one, except for one. We didn't see him again until about one in the morning!

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.WATERM2

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Watermark

by Tim Holgate

Composed by: Enya

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.WATERM1

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Tropical Seascape

by G H Richardson

This piece was inspired by Philip Wormall's 'Ocean' (AMPLINEX 004). The scene, a tropical island with the surf breaking gently on the hot sand while seagulls whirl above. The native guitar group play '"Aloha'".

A storm approaches - the waves become breakers - thunder claps are heard and the storm breaks. Just as suddenly the storm passes, the breakers subside, the guitar group reappear and peace returns with the seagulls and surf taking over once more. Finally, the gulls disappear leaving only the gentle sound of the surf.

When constructing 'Sea' I had a problem with noise volume control.

'waves' is a single note noise (whatever note one plays the noise is the same- no pitch) and +L or -L have no effect on its volume. I found however that by giving the noise actual note values and sequential names (abcdedede etc.), +L and -L worked. 'waves2' is the 'crump' noise when a wave breaks and was given the same treatment.

'thunder' was also given the same treatment, but it really sounds more like gunfire. Any suggestions for more realistic thunder would be appreciated.

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.TROPSEA

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

The Sand Dance

by Bernie Dawson

Composed by: Traditional

Arranged by Jill Townsend

M5000 version recorded

M5000 only version played

It seems to me there are lots of ways to have MIDI and Music 5000 in one file. This is one way I've thought of.

If you have the Music 2000 MIDI interface, remove the '%' signs from 'mix9', 'm', and 'vol', and reMAKE the words.

The MIDI version was done for a Roland D10, and will sound the same on a D20 or D110. The choice of sounds needs altering and that's up to you!

Players 1 2 3 4 are for the Music 5000.
Players 5 6 7 8 are for MIDI.

Since the same notes need to go to player 5's voices as well as player 1's I have the MIDI parts just refer to the Music 5000 ones. For example,

"part5a" [part1a]

This seemed a memory-efficient way of doubling up to produce this file.

Memory is also saved in parts b and c where the key changes are achieved by transposing part a (e.g. '2@ part1a' and '4@ part1a') rather than by entering all the notes.

When using the Music 5000 and MIDI together, do not use the Mixing Desk as well. You are near the limit of the Beeb's processing power and it hiccups towards the end.

Bernie Dawson

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.SAND

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Rondo Alla Turca

by Peter Hodson

Composed by: Mozart

Piano version recorded

From '59 Piano Solos' by Chappell & Co. Ltd., London, and G.Schirmer, Inc., New York, 1960. Menu selection code was taken from Domine Deus in AMPLINEX M06.

The piece is quite difficult to play and my wife who is a pianist thinks the computer handles the fiddly trills and arpeggios well!

The eight lines of piano score were each allocated a separate voice, each voice being strictly reserved for that line throughout. This method makes it easier to successfully substitute alternative instruments as in <A>.

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.RONDO

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Lord Have Mercy

by Philip Wells

Composed by: Graham Kendrick

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.MERCY

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Lagrima

by Bo Hanson

Composed by: Francisco Tarrega

This is my second 'major' piece of work since I got my Music 5000 in November '89.

The music itself was transcribed straight from a score my wife bought for 5p at the local flea market, the rest I put down, (so should I, I hear you mutter) to 'artistic licence'.

All in all, it's nothing grandiose or spectacular, but it puts over my idea of a nice tune (AARRGGHH!!!) which is the point of the whole thing, and I like it anyway.

I would like to thank G H Richardson for his Hints and Tips, (AMPLINEX 009), regarding unwanted gaps 'twixt mixes.

The instruments are purloined from anywhere and everywhere. I don't care 'cos they sound good! Some have been altered and some have been re-written so steal them back by all means if you like any.

The leaping Pan controls (dance) were taken from the AMPLE Nucleus obstruction manual and amended to dance between -2 and 2 only.

The piccie was drawn on the IEDIT module on the Toolbox utilities disc, an excellent package, highly praised. The only snag is the 'SideMod' module converter for Master only and not for expanded Beeb's, not even the B+128. Huh!! Mutter, moan...

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.LAGRIMA

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

I Don't Want Your Love

by Obernell

This track is a favourite of mine due to the bass tracks and stop start motion of the rhythm. Being a bass guitarist, I appreciate a good rhythm, especially when it is rather groovy. I feel that this kind of music is the Music 5000's forte.

This piece is featured in various formats on several different albums, including the first Children In Need disc, and my recent compilation, 'The Legend Of Obernell'.

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.IDWYL

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Gigue

by Leslie Gardener

Composed by: Richard Jones

From figures bass manuscript by Henry Geehl

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.GIGUE

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Funny Valentine

by Neil Walker

Composed by: Rogers & Hart

This program redefines the Metal and Syncer waveforms in the Music 5000 synthesiser. There will be slight delay as this is carried out. To stop the program please press the CTRL key and this will reset the original waveforms. Typing 'reset' with the program in memory will also do this!

The redefinition is carried out by words from Richard Bettis' waveform editing utility (AMPLINEX 014), using values obtained with Bob Ord's Fast Fourier analysis program (AMPLINEX 015). These two utilities have made this program possible. The program contains a suggestion for a trumpet sound which uses one of the redefined waveforms. Many thanks to Richard Bettis and Bob Ord.

Neil Walker Aug.1990.

You may need to turn up the wick - just a bit.

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.FUNNYVA

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

A Far Eastern Sunset

by F Chaplin

This was my very first composition on the Music 5000. It was done really as an exercise in getting familiar with the basic ins and outs of the system.

Still, it's quite catchy all the same.

This is a polished version of the original effort of September '88.

F Chaplin
September 17th 1989

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.SUNSET

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Family Tree Takeover

by Paul Hibbert

A first attempt at something a little bit livelier than I normally do. I think that this could be quite good if some extra punch could be added to make it have some of the sound delivered by "concert" on the Pilgrim Beart disc. I am still struggling with the listing of that piece to discover how it was done but I'll get it... eventually.

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.TREE

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Every Breath You Take

by Diccon Maude

Composed by: Sting

The music took just one night to put in but it took ages to get the sound as best as I can get it. I still need a good guitar sound other than the Elguit type. Ho hum. That's all folks!

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.BREATH

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

DropOut

by Frank Dudley & Jim Roden

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.DROPOUT

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

by Jeff Bennett

Composed by: Tchaikovsky

From the Nutcracker Suite

My first foray into the expanded world of the Music 3000 and discovering the difficulties of fitting sixteen instruments into only 9 parts. This certainly taught me a lot about using chord programming to control multiple voices.

Many thanks to Alan Minns for the Celeste voice which underpins the whole piece. I am now working on the march which is a much longer piece and this time it's touch and go if I can fit it into the memory.

Jeff Bennett Sept 90 (081-204-0745)

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.SPFAIRY

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

All Electric Raga

by Bill Buckley

Hipgnosis < 2 min

This music is written so that it plays forever and so this recording is just a sample of the music that it could produce.

Source: AMPLINEX 022 disk, file $.RAGA

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Yamaha TX81Z expander - voice editor

Ken Hughes

Before using the program make sure that the TX81Z is switched on and connect OUT3 on the Music 2000 to MIDI IN on the expander. Set the Basic Receive Channel to 1.

The reason I use OUT3 rather than OUT1 is because the memory address of MIDI IN on the Music 2000 is the same as OUT3, and I use both. If you wish to use OUT1 instead you will need to delete the reference to '3 MIDILINE' in the 's' and 'u' words.

The values in the program are the standard ones in the TX81Z initial voice data. Before using the program it is best to select the voice that you wish to edit and use the INIT VCE option. You then only need to alter the values that differ from the initial voice data.

The program consists of four parts, named 'one', 'two', 'three' and 'name'.

To use it, call up Notepad and GET 'one'. You may then change the values in text mode or change to panel mode (f2) and use the Shift, plus the arrow and pound sign, keys. Pressing f1 (play) at any point will send all the values to the TX81Z.

The same procedure applies to parts 'two' and 'three'.

To send the name of the altered instrument, GET 'name', alter the name in text mode, and MAKE it. Enter command mode and type

name <Return>

to send it to the expander.

If you wish to keep the new instrument on disc for re-loading into the TX81Z, then MAKE all four parts after editing them and save the program to disc with a name of your choice. The data can then be re-loaded and sent to the expander using the words 'one', 'two', 'three' and 'name' in command mode. The TX81Z will not take the data from all four parts in one go.

Please note that the program does not use some of the infrequently used data values. If you require these you can make up another panel to send them or enter them directly on the front panel of the expander. I have given the range of the data values on the panels. There is no data error check in the program, but the TX81Z appears to ignore wrong data.

How the program works

To change the LFO speed on the TX81Z requires the following system exclusive message to be sent:

&F0 - Start exclusive message
&43 - I.D. (Yamaha)
&10 - Basic Receive Channel (1)
&12 - Group Number
54 - Parameter
0-99 - Data
&F7 - End of exclusive message

The first four bytes are in the 's' word. The last byte is in the 't' word. The parameter is in the 'LFO Speed' word which also calls the 's' word. The data byte is the number on the screen. The '|' word calls the 't' word.

Thus the line 'LFO Speed 35 |' sends:

1     VOICES MIDIV
3     MIDILINE
&43F0 MIDIWOUT
&1210 MIDIWOUT
54    MIDIOUT
35    MIDIOUT
&F7   MIDIOUT

Some items such as the Algorithm need a data number 1 less than the required value to be sent out - thus Algorithm 1 needs 0 to be sent. This is done by using the word ':' or '-|' instead of '|'. 'name' uses the '_' word to convert the letters typed in to their ASCII numbers.

This program works in a similar way to Ian's Waugh's TX81Z performance editor program (published in Micro User, August 1990) except that it will only send a complete Notepad page. As it is a voice editor program it could be put with Ian's performance editor to make a complete editor program for the TX81Z. The programming methods in these programs could also be used by owners of other types of expander to control their own equipment by making up their own panels.

Related file on this disc:

U.TX81Zve - Voice editor for the Yamaha TX81Z expander. Note: this program can be loaded only if you are using a Music 2000 system disc.

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Hints and tips

Saving space with VOL, VOICE and X

Alan Minns

At one point in reading through AMPLINEX 021, my face assumed a somewhat rosy hue! The error in the use of ';' instead of 'VOICE' in the note on Mixing Desk faders was an unfortunate slip and I am grateful to Hybrid Technology for correcting my mistake.

It so happens that AMPLINEX 020 included both that note and my arrangement of the Widor Toccata in which this same idea was used as part of a memory-saving technique. It is of use with any pattern of repeated chords and, in the case of the Widor, reduced the program length by more than 1000 bytes.

As an example, take the fragment:

B(+fdc) B(+fdc) ^(^^^)
B(+fdc) g(db^) g(db)

We can define the two words:

"q" [ ^(^^^) ]

"x" [ ON; X 1; ]

where 'q' is a chord rest and 'x' re-strikes every note.

Then the example becomes:

B(+fdc) x q
x g(db^) x

But, if this is tried out, there is an obvious discord. It is an unfortunate feature of AMPLE that 'X' re-strikes the last note on that voice, and a rest is not a note! What happens is that on the last chord in the example, the notes which sound are the required 'g', 'd' and 'b' plus the 'c' from the last 4-note chord.

The solution is to define two further words:

"n" [ 4 VOICE 128 VOL ]

"o" [ 4 VOICE 0 VOL ]

where 'n' (on) and 'o' (off) are used to switch the 4th voice so that it makes no audible effect. Thus:

B(+fdc) x q
x g(db^) o x
n % ready for next 4-note chord

Changing volume – correction

Ted Kirk

Many thanks to Neil Walker for 'fade' and 'swell' (AMPLINEX 021 Hints and Tips): I have always wanted these and wondered why they were not system words, but am much too stupid to have written them myself. Unfortunately, there seems to be a mistake in 'fade': it drops the level once and then holds it. I think the #+ must be a misprint for #*, giving:

"fade" [
FOR( #11 COUNT #* 128 #12 #-
v1 / )FOR #2
]

As these words fade and swell the note 'stepwise', to get a smooth fade or swell you have to use a short hold value and small increments. E.g.

0: 48, C E 6, G 2 48 fade

fades from 128 to 32 over 6 crotchets.

MIDI volume

G Adams

On the subject of MIDI volume control, on page 53 of the Music 2000 User Guide the 'levcont' word reads the '=L' dynamic level from parts and converts the values to controller 1 MIDICONTROL (modulation). It can be made to control MIDI volume thus:

"mvol" [
30 ACT( 3 FVAR #? VOICE
4 FVAR #? 2#* 1#-
% gives 127 from 64=L
7 MIDICONTROL % MIDI volume
ACT )ACT
]

To use, put after SCORE in each part and set '=L' as normal:

"part1a" [ SCORE mvol 30=L music ]

This does not take into account the AMPLE VOL command. Someone more adept may be able to give a more comprehensive solution.

The PAGE, OSHWM distinction

Alan Minns

I was interested to read Allan Gardner's comments (AMPLINEX 021 Hints and Tips) on the background to his work on the C.PREPARE modification and accept his comments on the equivalence of PAGE and OSHWM in that context. He points out that BASIC is in command when */C.PREPARE is invoked although, of course, when PREPARE is running it is the DFS which is in charge! This is ensured by having *BASIC as the first line in the standard Music 5000 !BOOT file.

But that first line is superfluous - it may be removed or it may be replaced by *AMPLE or even *ARIES if the Aries board is present. In such a case the system will start up and run quite happily even if the BASIC ROM is removed from the machine.

However, let me remain pedantic and point out the difference between the two and how that difference can be put to good use in certain cases.

System initialisation on switch-on or following a Break involves a large number of operations amongst which is the setting of OSHWM to &E00 plus the amount of static, and of private, workspace requested by the paged ROMs. In the case of the humble BBC Model B with DFS only, there are 9 pages of static, and a further 2 pages of private, workspace allocated to the filing system! OSHWM is thus raised to &1900.

At the end of the initialisation, the final task is to enter the BASIC ROM, if present, or the highest priority ROM which has a language entry. Note, however, that in the case of a soft Break the language entered is that which was active before the Break.

If the BASIC ROM is entered, it performs its own initialisation and sets PAGE equal to OSHWM.

Thereafter, these values may be altered quite independently and will only be changed by a Break, or a *BASIC command (since this command initialises the BASIC ROM, PAGE is therefore set to the current value of OSHWM).

We are warned in the manuals that operations such as *COPY, *BACKUP or *COMPACT will corrupt the program stored in memory. True - but if we are careful, damage to a program can be avoided.

The DFS is language-independent and, for operations such as *COMPACT, uses the value of OSHWM as the start of its buffer space. A BASIC program resides between the values of PAGE and TOP. So if we set OSHWM to the page boundary above TOP using *FX 180, disc operations may be carried out with impunity (although, for example, a *BACKUP will take a little longer and require more passes due to the reduced size of memory which it is allowed to use).

On the BBC Model B, ?&244=<x> (where <x> is the required page value) is the illegal equivalent of the *FX 180 call. In either case, *FX 20 restores the original value unless the font is exploded (as is the case with the Staff editor characters) in which case *FX20,2 works instead.

Within the Music 5000 environment, in my system at least, the AMPLE command:

&4D7 #? &NOUT

will print the hex value of the module requirement list at the end of a program. Since this is within a few bytes of the true end of the program, setting OSHWM to the next higher page value plus one is safe.

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Instrumentation

In reply to a question about obtaining 'real' instrument sounds from the Music 5000 (AMPLINEX 021 Questions and Answers), Ian Waugh made the following comments:

The problem with doing exact transcriptions and then playing them with inexact sounds is that they don't sound quite right . . . Original compositions specially written to take advantage of the strengths of the system (are) the most successful . . . Write with what you have, not with what you wish you had.

He continued:

John Bartlett's 'Symphony' is a tour de force of programming and arranging and I heartily agree with the comment that it is well worth adding to your collection. But however clever the programming may be, the result is not quite the same as the London Philharmonic, is it?

In this feature, John Bartlett presents an alternative view.

Instrumentation - a reply

John Bartlett

Whilst totally concurring with the view that the most successful results come from writing original music tailored to the Hybrid system, this does little to promote understanding of the nuts and bolts of 'real' music.

If users wish to expand their overall abilities, the restrictions imposed by the system could prove to be counter-productive. I sincerely believe that attempting to replicate 'real' music is one of the most self-expanding exercises possible. Agreed, the final result will never be entirely convincing, but the practical lessons to be learned are priceless.

For example, before undertaking the task of writing 'Symphony' I thought that I had a reasonable understanding and awareness of the instrumentation and harmonic structures of the music to be used, having loved the pieces for many years.

The inherent richness which I discovered as a result of trying to transcribe the works was a revelation. So much of the composer's sheer genius goes largely undetected by simply listening to his work. My respect and admiration for Beethoven in particular, grew by leaps and bounds.

I feel that my own understanding of music, in the widest sense, was dramatically increased by the exercise. It was an extremely difficult disc to write, even though the music and arrangements did not have to be conceived.

Rewriting full orchestral scores for eight voices of limited scope was without doubt the most difficult part, but this very difficulty led to deeper understanding of the system itself (let alone the music).

My view is that provided the user is aware that there are limits, but is prepared to push them as far as possible, the exercise is very worthwhile.

The experience gained can then be incorporated in dedicated music for the system.

One note of caution to those who believe that the solution to their problems is the acquisition of MIDI based sample players:

It ain't that easy!

Wonderful things can be achieved via MIDI, but it will NOT replace musical ability and understanding. If you wish to replicate the current output of popular music you will probably have a lot of success, but if your aspirations are more wide-ranging, then be ready for a few problems, regardless of how good the specification of the equipment is.

Finally, over the years there has been a lot of criticism of MIDI for various reasons. Whilst agreeing that it is possible to improve anything, I think that if handled properly it is an answer to the thinking musician's prayers. In combination with AMPLE quite stunning results can be achieved - with a little (or a lot) of thought.

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Questions and answers

Answer: Mixing Desk query

In answer to Don Buckley's question in AMPLINEX 019 about the way to move the Mixing Desk faders, Alan Minns (AMPLINEX 020) suggests using VOL commands instead of =L.

However, using VOL in the middle of sections is not, I believe, what it is intended for and there are disadvantages.

The =L command is intended for use in the middle of words for setting the volume relative to other volume levels in that part. The VOL command is intended to set the level for a whole section relative to the other parts playing.

If you use several VOL commands in a part and then decide you want the whole part louder, you have to change all the VOL commands; and if you change the volume in a mix, you will also have to change all the others.

There is also no built-in way to move a fader gradually, like +L and -L do for the =L level.

Michael Lefevre

Question: Static PAN

Like most AMPLE users, I include in my program mixes a number of 'PAN' instructions. Recently, I decided to prick up my ears in an effort to evaluate more precisely the effect of such instructions.

For this purpose, the Autopan instruction is quite convenient as the number of beats can be large enough so the 'position' will vary slowly, giving a listener facing the speakers ample time to check where the sound is coming from.

Well, although the Mixing Desk does monitor the changes of position from R to L, I can't hear any displacement of the sound in the room. 'Pan' has apparently no effect. Should I blame my system? The 'balance' knob on the hi-fi set does correctly what the software fails to do.

The MIDI instruction using 10 MIDICONTROL has also no effect. Perhaps a member will know what should be done to make my system really 'panoramic'.

Roger Sapolsky

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Printing out AMPLINEX information

There are three ways to print out the information seen in 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 re-format 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.

It is now also possible to print out part of a file from within AMPLINEX. There are two ways to do this:

a) To print a single page of an AMPLINEX file, make sure the 'print switch' is OFF and then select the menu option which displays the file. When the page you wish to print is displayed, and the 'Press RETURN to continue' prompt is showing at the bottom of the screen, press the letter 'P' on the keyboard. The page being displayed will then be sent to the printer. Pressing RETURN will then continue to display the file without printing.

b) To start printing part-way through a file, you can turn on the 'print switch' by pressing the CTRL and 'P' keys together when the 'Press RETURN to continue' prompt is displayed. Subsequent pages which are displayed will then be sent to the printer. The 'print switch' can be turned off again in the same way.

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 directories named according to the sections in which they appear and 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 file directories allocated to each section of AMPLINEX are as follows:

$. for Music

A. for the Introduction and Adverts

F. for Features

H. for Hints and Tips

I. for Instruments

N. for News and Reviews

Q. for Questions and Answers

U. for Utilities

In addition to the text files, the AMPLE instrument definitions can also 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 re-format the text before printing you should load the files into your word processor. The files contain unjustified text restricted to 38 columns width. 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.

Two utilities have been published in AMPLINEX to aid with the re-formatting of text files:

In AMPLINEX 003 'Hints and Tips' (H.ints003) there were instructions for a Wordwise segment program to automatically format AMPLINEX text files. The segment itself was included in AMPLINEX 004 (H.WWconv).

In AMPLINEX 005 there was a utility to print formatted 80-column text direct from an AMPLINEX text file. The instructions (U.print/i) and the BASIC program (U.print80) are both within the 'Utilities' section. A modification to this program (to provide a wider margin) was included in the 'Hints and Tips' section of AMPLINEX 006. See also the Update section of AMPLINEX 008 for a note concerning BASIC 1 users.

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Next issue news

I'm afraid the timing of the next AMPLINEX issue is a little uncertain. Please bear with us if your copy does not arrive when expected. The next issue should be available by the end of October.

All applications for a FREE copy (i.e. those with discs containing contributions) must be received by MONDAY 7TH OCTOBER. Anyone paying the £2.00 fee should apply by Friday 25th October.

Most of the content depends on your contributions between now and then - so please let us have your words or music as soon as possible. In fact, why not type that question, answer, hint, or comment right now using our Feedback utility? Or copy your latest piece of music on to another disc ready for AMPLINEX?

We look forward to reading and hearing your contributions.

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

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, a question or 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 member's question.

Under copyright law we cannot publish programs or music unless we have the permission of the copyright owners or their licensing 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.

As part of an exchange arrangement, we may wish to pass on your address if any of your contributions are of interest to other software publishers.

If you do NOT wish your contributions to be considered for publication elsewhere (and thus your address not to be passed to anyone else) please indicate this on the request form in the place provided.

You can also use your return 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 or to make contact with other members. Just put the details of your advertisement on to the return disc and we will try to include it in the next issue.

The 'Feedback' section of AMPLINEX contains a utility to allow a note to be written on the screen which can then be saved to disc. This 'note' file can then be included on your disc sent for the next issue of AMPLINEX.

'Feedback' notes can be used to make contributions to any of the text-based sections of AMPLINEX as well as to make comments or suggestions on AMPLINEX itself.

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

It is not necessary to send printed copies of your contributions - any copies required are printed locally to minimize postage costs.

40-track disc users please note:

The AMPLINEX magazine is designed to fit on to one side of an 80-track disc. If you use 40-track discs you should send one double-sided or two single-sided discs.

Suggested file formats are:

a) AMPLE music programs - save these in normal Studio 5000 format (e.g. by selecting 'Save program' from the Studio 5000 Main menu). Since many members do not have the Music 4000 keyboard please ensure that your program has no M.M4 or M.KFX module words present. To make sure, try loading the program using your Studio 5000 system disc.

Please include some comments about the music - how or why it was written, how it could be changed - and put them into a word as comments following a DISPLAY statement. Use of the word 'info' to contain such text is common practice and we would suggest that it is NOT displayed automatically every time the music is played.

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

Some description of the sound itself and hints on its use (e.g. which parameters could be changed, which are the most suitable octave settings) would make it more useful. This can be done using comments within the instrument definition itself (by preceding them with a '%').

c) Text (hints, questions etc.) - use the 'Feedback' note facility for short contributions. For longer pieces use View, Wordwise or other word processor (without embedded format codes or commands). Do not right justify the text.

You can help us operate AMPLINEX more efficiently by careful naming of the files which you send us. Receiving several files called 'hint' or 'quest' can cause us problems in trying to keep track of which contribution came from which member.

Wherever possible, please try and make the filenames of your contributions unique especially where they are for a regular section of the magazine.

Putting a combination of your name or initials and the section for which the contribution is destined is one way of doing this. So if your name is Fred Bloggs you could use FBquest or BlogH&T for contributions to the Questions and Answers or Hints and Tips sections.

Whatever filenames you use, please remember to include your name somewhere in the contribution - this can save us many hours annotating lists and cross-referencing filenames with contributors.

Ensure that your disc is 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' section.

We look forward to reading and hearing your contributions.

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

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.

Software updates

Our correspondence on obtaining free software upgrades from Hybrid Technology continues. Following his comments in AMPLINEX 020, and Ian Waugh's reply in AMPLINEX 021, we have received the following contribution from Allan Gardner:

I would like to clarify my point of view on updating Hybrid Technology (or any other) software free or otherwise, as (from Ian Waugh's comments in AMPLINEX 021) I don't seem to have made myself quite clear.

I did not mean to suggest that users should not upgrade their software to later releases but rather that it was not necessarily a simple matter to do so.

Firstly you have to ascertain whether or not there are any problems with your current system and also you have to discover that there exists a later version which corrects that problem.

Perhaps Hybrid Technology could publicize a software history (via AMPLINEX), listing the latest version numbers of each of the modules and Nucleus ROM - and also what enhancements have been made along the way.

To set the ball rolling here is a list of the contents of my system:

M.EW     0.1      M.FX1A   1.1
M.IEDIT 1.5      M.INS1   0.4
M.INT    1.1      M.M4     2.1
M.M5     3.3      M.MENU   1.5
M.TEDIT 1.4      M.UTILS 1.5

Nucleus ROM V1.00

Is this the latest standard in each case? I wonder.

Contacting other members

Leslie Gardener has written asking about the possibility of a contact list of AMPLINEX members:

AMPLINEX exists only because members are willing to share their knowledge by contributing to the discs.

It might be useful if members were able to get in direct touch with other members. Perhaps some live in the same town or village.

I suggest a list be started with those ordering the next disc. The order form could offer the opportunity for those members, and only those members, who would like to be, to be included.

To keep the list up to date it could be a rule that if the last two consecutive discs have not been ordered it would be assumed that he/she is no longer actively interested and his/her name would be dropped from future lists.

The list need only take one line per member with just the name and a phone number (the exchange name as well as number). If the list of members takes too much space, it could be in alternate issues.

This is a subject that has been raised before and it certainly seems like a good idea. However, it inevitably demands some regular effort in checking forms and maintaining lists and, sadly, we just do not have any more spare time to devote to a further administrative task like this.

We suggest, instead, that any members who would like to contact others should use our advertisement section. Here they can put as many of their personal details as they wish to divulge to enable other members to contact them. This should achieve the same result, but avoid any additional administration.

We always welcome suggestions for improvements in the workings or contents of AMPLINEX - most of the changes made to date have originated from members' suggestions. So, if you have an idea to improve AMPLINEX, let us know.

Also, please let us know if you spot an error or omission in the content of AMPLINEX - you may be the first one who has noticed.

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991

Welcome to AMPLINEX 022

Kevin Doyle and Roy Follett

In this issue, in addition to the regular sections of Questions and Answers and Hints and Tips, we have the second of Tim Sketchley's series of programs which demonstrate the fundamentals of AMPLE, a utility to allow voice editing on a Yamaha TX81Z expander from within AMPLE, and a feature on the merits of attempting AMPLE versions of 'real' instruments and the limitations of sampling and MIDI.

We have seventeen pieces of AMPLE music on this disc and, since we received three versions of one piece of music each of which had its own merits, we have taken the unusual step of including all three versions in this issue so that you can decide which you prefer.

Editor's note:

My apologies for the late arrival of this issue. I am still working on the final part of my further education course and this has meant a direct conflict between AMPLINEX and my studies, both of which are spare-time activities. It was for this reason that there was no May issue of AMPLINEX. My studies should be coming to a close around the end of September, and I will begin work on the next issue of AMPLINEX then.

This means that the September issue will probably be produced a little late, but then we should return to our normal schedule for December.

May I offer my apologies to all members for these alterations to our schedule, and thank you for your patience over this period.

Published in AMPLINEX 022, July 1991