Kevin Doyle
As anticipated in the previous issue of AMPLINEX, the Music
5000 waveform designer software is now available. The Wave Designer (written by
Mr Jonty Stockdale and sold under the name 'Soundsculptures') is a package consisting
of a ROM, a floppy disc and a 140-page manual.
The software was originally written to work with AMPLE BCE
but has been altered to integrate with the Studio 5000 software.
The Wave Designer is a collection of waveform design
utilities linked to a mode 0 editing screen and with access to 13 waveforms in
memory in addition to the one in the editor. Single waveforms or sets of 13
('presets') can be saved to disc and additional software allows the waveforms
to be loading into the Studio 5000 environment in place of the default waveforms
supplied.
Installation
After following the ROM installation instructions the first
activity is to revise the Studio 5000 system disc. This adds an extra line to
the !BOOT file and copies four files to the Studio 5000 system disc.
It is worth warning those who have altered their !BOOT files
that this process writes a completely new one - so you may wish to copy your
existing file first in order to reconstruct it later.
You should also ensure that you have space for the four
additional files on your Studio 5000 disc since the installation routine will
simply start again if it encounters a 'disc full' error.
The Wave Designer normally operates using two discs: the
System disc which, when !BOOTed, loads and runs the Wave Designer software and
a Waveform disc which holds the finished waveforms and linking software for using
the waveforms in the Studio 5000 environment.
A program is provided to create empty Waveform discs (for
your own work) and a number of sample waveforms are stored on the disc
supplied.
The manual
The manual begins with an excellent 12 page introduction to
the principles of sound synthesis, explaining terms such as waveform, frequency
and timbre and how the Music 500/0 synthesiser generates sound from waveform
data. It also outlines the principles of waveform design, a subject which is expanded
on in a later, lengthier appendix. The manual then explains each of the
functions in turn with many sample screens illustrated.
With no waveforms loaded, reading the manual is rather an
academic exercise and I would advise anyone beginning to use the product to
turn to the chapter on loading waveforms and to load in one of the presets
provided to use whilst reading the manual.
The editing screen
The Wave Designer operates via a mode 0 editing screen which
consists of a display area allowing 128 individual points on a waveform to be
moved on a scale from -127 to +127. Below the graphics area is a grid showing
the 20 different functions associated with the f0-f9 keys.
The 128 points are manipulated with the cursor keys and a
small arrow indicates which of the points is being edited. Information about
the point number and its value is also displayed at the the top of the screen
as it is being edited.
Sine waves and additive synthesis
An alternative method of waveform creation is provided using
sine wave addition. Up to 64 harmonics can be assigned a strength (0-100%) and
a phase (0-100%) and the program will then calculate the resulting waveform. Another
means of creating waveforms is provided through the 'Pre-Vu+' feature which
allows two waveforms to be combined.
The function keys
The function keys (f0-f9) are used to invoke the various
utilities available. As well as performing the waveform and 'preset' filing
functions - transferring between memory and screen or memory and disc - these allow
the current waveform to be displayed in a continuous line (oscilloscope) format
or as a filled solid about the horizontal zero axis. The current waveform or
any of those in memory can be also be shown as a table of values.
Other functions allow the current waveform to be inverted (+
to -) or reversed (left to right). A utility is also provided to print out of
any of the screens within the Wave Designer.
For those with a joystick there is the additional facility
to create a waveform using this device.
Playing the current waveform
The Wave Designer provides a gateway into the Studio 5000
environment which allows the current waveform to be played through the Music
500(0) synthesiser. After selecting 'Play' from within the Wave Designer and inserting
the Studio 5000 System disc, Studio 5000 is installed and a test program called
'Panel' is loaded and run.
The program provides a sample instrument definition in
Notepad which plays using the Wave Designer's current waveform. The current
waveform from the Wave Designer replaces the 'Hollow' waveform.
However, the transfer between the Wave Designer and the
Studio 5000 only works for the current waveform - the waveforms stored in
memory are lost. Waveforms in memory must be saved to disc before control is
transferred to the Studio 5000.
Playing waveforms from disc
To use the saved waveforms in the Studio 5000 the 'Panel'
program is used. When loaded the program provides a menu which allows individual
waveforms (or complete 'presets') to be loaded in place of the default waveforms.
To play a loaded waveform you need to know which of the
preset waveforms it replaced. Then the name of the preset waveform ('Bright',
Broad' etc.) is used in the instrument definition to play the new waveform.
Another menu option in the 'Panel' program keeps track of
the waveforms currently in use but a list of the defaults names and their
corresponding 'bank' number provided in the manual soon becomes necessary if more
than a couple of waveforms are loaded.
If the current waveform was transferred from the Wave
Designer to the Studio 5000 for testing it is possible to transfer back into
the Wave Designer to continue the design process. In this way the waveform design
can be amended until the desired sound is achieved.
Conclusion
The Wave Designer is an intelligent and well-presented piece
of software. The screen displays are clear and uncluttered and its many options
allow a degree of control and flexibility beyond anything offered by AMPLE BCE.
The manual provides a good deal of advice on the use of the product and my only
criticism is its failure to give working examples of the functions as they are
described.
My few minor criticisms of the software are mainly due to
its 'closed' design. For example, the inability to access any other drive but 0
caused a lot of unnecessary disc swapping and I am sure most other users will
have dual-sided if not dual disc drives. There was also no access to the
operating system from within the Wave Designer which could be rather
restricting.
Similarly, it would have seemed more logical (if only one
option was to be included) to make the freehand design facility work via the
cursor keys rather than only via a joystick. I also found that the print
routine wouldn't work with my Star printer due to its not-quite-Epson
compatibility - but there was no apparent means of altering the print routine.
The main disappointment with the package is in its level of
integration with the Studio 5000 software. The switching between discs (Wave
Designer System disc, Studio 5000 System disc, Waveform disc) to play waveforms
became irritating - especially since hearing the waveform is the only real test
of a new design.
I am sure that a higher level of integration is possible but
I suspect that this would require the opening of some of the secrets of the
Studio 5000 system, and that Hybrid Technology were unwilling to go that far.
The other effect of this low level of integration is, of
course, that any waveforms created are only usable by others with the Wave
Designer software.
The 'Advanced Sound Studio' software (which was to include
waveform and envelope design) which Hybrid announced in July 1987 has yet to be
given a delivery date or price.
I would, therefore, recommend this software to anyone who
has an interest in extending their use of the Studio 5000 system and who is
willing to invest a small amount of time in getting to know its features.
It corrects a glaring deficiency in the Studio 5000 system
and is educative as well as effective in filling this gap.
The Wave Designer is available from:
Mr J Stockdale, 7 Newhey Road, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 2AQ
priced £29.00 including postage and packing. Cheques should
be made payable to 'J Stockdale'.
Please note this is a new address, different from that given
in AMPLINEX 002.
Published in AMPLINEX 004, March 1988
