by Ian L HubbardComposed by: VangelisMusic 5000 version recorded |
Source: AMPLINEX 026 disk, file $.CHARIOT |
Published in AMPLINEX 026, May 1992
Chariots of Fire
Abaddon's Bolero
by Bernie DawsonComposed by: Emerson, Lake & PalmerAbaddon: Hebrew for 'destroyer'.
Bolero: A hypnotic dance. It starts very quietly with the one main tune being repeated several times. It gradually increases in volume and instrumentation. By the end it is supposed to be very wild in character and the dancer is supposed to have danced herself to death! Programming it nearly did me in! BJD |
Source: AMPLINEX 026 disk, file $.ABADDON |
Published in AMPLINEX 026, May 1992
Hints and tips
Compiling large programs
Bo Hanson
A problem I have often come across is the '! No room' error
while using the AMPLE Toolbox compiler with very large programs.
After finishing a tune and adding a title screen and a page
or two of 'info' (blurb, waffle etc), there is sufficient memory for the
program to run but not enough for the compiler to work, even after deleting all
unnecessary modules and words and compacting the program. A full screen title
page takes about 1.1K and the compiler needs about 2.2K workspace to knock this
down to 0.9K. This may not seem a big saving, but 2K or more can be removed
from a large program of 10K or more and this could be enough for the Mixing
Desk module to be used. The method below describes how to get around the '! No
room' problem. It works, although it is a bit messy.
It is necessary to save the complete song to disc (just in
case!), then to split the program into two parts: all the words that are
concerned with the music itself in one part and the fancy bits in the other.
*SPOOL the title page(s), info page(s) and RUN to a separate
file on disc. Any words that are used by these words must also be included.
For example, if you have two 'info' words, a word to wait
for a key press between the 'info' screens, and a title screen word:
"RUN" [ 12#OUT title
"123etc-abc-etc"PLAY ]
"123etc-abc-etc"PLAY ]
"info" [ %blurb...
rtn info2 ]
rtn info2 ]
"info2" [ %more blurb... ]
"title" [ "title information"$OUTNL ]
"rtn" [ REP(#IN13#=)UNTIL()REP ]
These will need to be *SPOOLed to the new file taking care
that words which are used in other words are done first (so that they are found
when read back in). For example,
*SPOOL newfile
"rtn" TYPE
...
"info2" TYPE
...
"info" TYPE
...
"title" TYPE
...
"RUN" TYPE
...
*SPOOL
"rtn" TYPE
...
"info2" TYPE
...
"info" TYPE
...
"title" TYPE
...
"RUN" TYPE
...
*SPOOL
After these words have been *SPOOLed, they should be DELETEd
from the program:
"RUN" DELETE
"title" DELETE
"info" DELETE
"info2" DELETE
"rtn" DELETE
"title" DELETE
"info" DELETE
"info2" DELETE
"rtn" DELETE
leaving just the music score, mix(es) and instruments in
full.
These are then compiled and *SPOOLed to yet another file on
disc:
*SPOOL newfile2
WRITE
...
*SPOOL
WRITE
...
*SPOOL
Type NEW and *EXEC the file with the title, RUN and info
words and then compile these too. Then, the file with the compiled music words
can be *EXECed back to give a complete compiled program.
The reason I use *SPOOL and *EXEC rather than using the
AMPLE Toolbox MERGE facility is that MERGE will duplicate any existing word
names which can create untold hassles when trying to DELETE the unwanted definition
of two. Using *SPOOL and *EXEC does away with this problem. Also, it is the
easiest way to save just part of a program.
Finally, save the compiled program (I prefix my compiled
filenames with a 'C.') and delete the two part files from the disc.
Happy compiling and many saved returns!
Using the Recorder over MIDI
Bernie Dawson
1) The Music 2000 manual does not seem to state that the
Recorder works over MIDI provided you put 9 in front of the section letter you
allocate.
2) When using MIDI instruments and the Recorder you
sometimes want the part you are practising to sound louder than the backing you
may have already built up. A convenient way of doing this is to put xxx VEL on
the instrument line where xxx is a number up to 127.
Published in AMPLINEX 026, May 1992
Music 5000 and a hard disk
Bryan Anslow
Note that although the reason for writing this article was
the need to change Richard Bettis' !MENU program, (Features, AMPLINEX 015) for
a hard disk, it may be of use to anyone with the new '!SYSTEM' type of Hybrid software
release.
Setting up
Prompted by the purchase of a hard drive for my Master 128,
I needed to re-organise the many floppies which had various versions of Music
5000 software with and without the Music 4000, Music 3000 and Music 2000 add-ons,
not to mention the AMPLE Toolbox utilities and vast amounts of Music 5000
programs obtained from various sources.
Fortunately, help was at hand from the !MENU program and
!BOOT files which appeared in AMPLINEX 015. Now, as I recently obtained a
software upgrade from Hybrid, and have a BBC Master, things are not quite as
they were when that previous article appeared.
The 'M' directory contains only one file called !SYSTEM and
the 'C' directory contains everything else: ROM image, loader etc.
Even when the Music 2000 and Music 3000 code is installed,
it is just absorbed into the existing files and is not visible externally, only
the sizes of the files change.
I decided, therefore, to create a directory for each system:
M50 for the old Music 5000-1 (which I still use sometimes), M54 for the Studio
5000-4, M53 for the Studio 5000-4 plus Music 3000, M52 for the Studio 5000-4
plus Music 2000 and M51 for the Studio 5000-4 plus Music 2000 plus Music 3000,
each with their own 'C' and 'M' sub-directories. Note that the short directory
names are required as the MPREFIX command will only accept a maximum of 9
characters.
I have even set up a directory for good old AMPLE BCE,
having renamed the AMPLE file to 'BAMPLE' to prevent conflicts with the AMPLE
ROM.
Then, having copied all of my music and instrument files
(obtained from AMPLINEX, Hybrid, Telesoftware, etc.) all to the same disk,
things really seemed to be more manageable.
Using the !MENU program as a basis, I wrote a new version
which would display an endless number of menu selections. When a menu item is selected,
a directory 'path' which is associated with it is switched to, and a !BOOT file
in that directory is *EXECed. The menu names and directory paths are held as
DATA statements within the program, making it extremely easy to add, delete or
move entries within the menu.
This can obviously be extended to almost any software, as
most software arrives with a !BOOT file, or one can easily be written to run a
particular package. If a package does not have an *EXECable !BOOT but, for
example, a *RUNable !BOOT, then it is a simple matter to rename the supplied
!BOOT to !RBOOT and write an *EXECable !BOOT to *RUN !RBOOT.
In operation
Loading of system software and music programs is now
extremely quick and almost silent. Just as though everything was resident and
ready for use.
Switching between, for instance, AMPLE Nucleus and AMPLE BCE
is a breeze. Before it was a case of searching for the disc in an enormous
pile.
The ribbon cable of the hard disk fits into the 1Mhz Bus,
ahead of the Hybrid boxes. However, it seems to cause little problem to the
Music 5000/3000/2000 hardware, even while doing a directory change for
instance. Commands like *FREE and *MAP seem to blow AMPLE away though,
requiring a re-boot to sort things out.
Sometimes, doing a *MOUNT4 to access a floppy, especially
when the Wordwise Plus and Printmaster ROMs are present, causes AMPLE to switch
to the Edit ROM, even when it is 'unplugged'.
AMPLE BCE programs, especially those which use 'Preset1'
(which I have always found to be a bit sensitive), do slow down a bit, or
sometimes a lot, when any access of the hard drive is done.
Otherwise, everything seems to be running fine at the
moment, although now I have received AMPLINEX 024, I am investigating the
possibility of using the program to separate out the various parts of the
!SYSTEM module, and re-vamp some of the !BOOT files.
With the capability to store so much data on a hard disk, it
is essential to organise the directories so that a logical structure is formed.
I even, periodically, run the Welcome disc 'EXALL' program and direct the
output to a floppy disk. This was extremely useful a couple of weeks ago when
the archive utility overwrote the first &70 sectors of the disk, corrupting
the root directory and making all of the data inaccessible.
I had to use a disc sector editor to rebuild it from the
disk addresses in the 'EXALL' listing. In this way I managed to copy about 90%
of the data to floppies using the Welcome disc 'COPYDIR' utility, then
re-format the hard disk and copy it all back, again with 'COPYDIR'. All I need
now is enough floppy discs to archive it without corrupting anything again.
Some files
The !BOOT file which is in the root directory and which is
*EXECed at switch on is:
*MOUNT0
*DIR $
CHAIN"!MENU"
*DIR $
CHAIN"!MENU"
The boot file in the M5000-1 directory is:
*BASIC
*/C.PREPARE R S K
*FX 202,48
*FX 118
*AMPLE
% Release 1
"$.M50.M." MPREFIX
"INT" INSTALL
"M5" INSTALL
"EW" INSTALL
"MENU" INSTALL
"FX1A" INSTALL
"INS1" INSTALL
*DIR $.MSAMP
MAIN
*/C.PREPARE R S K
*FX 202,48
*FX 118
*AMPLE
% Release 1
"$.M50.M." MPREFIX
"INT" INSTALL
"M5" INSTALL
"EW" INSTALL
"MENU" INSTALL
"FX1A" INSTALL
"INS1" INSTALL
*DIR $.MSAMP
MAIN
The !BOOT file in the 5000-4 directory (which is similar to
those in the other 'Studio' directories) is:
*BASIC
*/C.PREPARE R S K
*AMPLE
% Studio 5000-4M Release 2
"$.M54.M." MPREFIX
*/C.INSTALL
MAIN
*DIR $.MSAMP
*/C.PREPARE R S K
*AMPLE
% Studio 5000-4M Release 2
"$.M54.M." MPREFIX
*/C.INSTALL
MAIN
*DIR $.MSAMP
Related file on this disc:
Published in AMPLINEX 026, May 1992
Questions and answers
Question: Transposition
Occasionally, I come across songs I would like to sing, but
they are in too high a key and are not published in a lower key. If I were to
enter the music as written, using the Staff editor, is there any way to get the
music printed out correctly in a different key? Would the new Music Publisher
allow me to do this?
Jim Brook
Question: SoundSculptures?
Does anyone know where a version of the 'SoundSculptures'
package may be obtained? Having read the notes and reviews in AMPLINEX 002,
004, 006 and 012 I wrote to Mr J Stockdale some months ago, at the address
given in AMPLINEX 006, to ask if it was still available, even enclosing a first
class stamp for a reply, but, as yet, nothing has been received.
Bryan Anslow
Question: AMPLE Toolbox
Being thick as a brick, I inadvertently deleted some music files.
I got out the 'AREC' program recoverer (part of the AMPLE Toolbox disc), which
worked fine - for a while. Unfortunately, I use ADFS and have in excess of 80
music files on the disc in question. AREC only recovers programs to the limit
of the destination directory, some 47 files. I can't figure out how to get it
to continue on a new directory with the rest.
Is there a way to achieve this? I only deleted about 5
programs, none of them included in the 47 that were recovered. As it happens,
all the lost programs were in one particular directory; if I could just get the
recovery to work on that particular directory, the problem would be solved, but
AREC only asks for a source drive and doesn't accept a directory as well.
Jim Brook
Published in AMPLINEX 026, May 1992
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 026, May 1992
Next issue news
The next issue of AMPLINEX will be for July 1992. We plan to
publish at the end of July or the beginning of August.
All applications for a FREE copy (i.e. those with discs
containing contributions) must be received by MONDAY 6TH JULY. Anyone paying
the £2.00 fee should apply by Friday 24th July.
More than ever the content depends on your contributions
between now and then - so please let us have an example of your music, or that question,
answer, hint, or comment which might spring to mind when reading this issue.
You can record your thoughts right now using our Feedback utility, or copy your
latest piece of music on to another disc ready for contribution.
We look forward to reading and hearing your contributions.
Published in AMPLINEX 026, May 1992
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 and the arrangement (if applicable). Please do not include lyrics as
it is not feasible for us to obtain separate copyright clearance for these.
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
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 026, May 1992
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.
G H Richardson tribute discs
In AMPLINEX 024 we reported the death of one our regular
contributors, George (G H) Richardson. Jack Wrigley has now written to us with
details of a tribute to George.
AMPLINEX members who have enjoyed the musical contributions
of the late George Richardson over the years may want to acquire two tribute
discs to George and help Cancer Research at the same time. The first disc contains
all of George's original compositions, while the second is a selection of
classical and dance pieces. Some have already been published in AMPLINEX, but
George's family and myself think it would be a fitting tribute to release his
entire AMPLE work as a collection.
Just send (AMPLINEX-style) two 80-track or three 40-track
formatted discs in a re-usable carrier with stamped return address label to:
Jack Wrigley
187 Bramhall Lane
South Bramhall
Stockport
Cheshire
SK7 2NG
187 Bramhall Lane
South Bramhall
Stockport
Cheshire
SK7 2NG
All we ask is that you enclose a cheque for £3 (or more if
you can afford it) made payable to: "Christie Hospital & Holt Radium
Institute". This is the Manchester hospital that treated George. Please
give generously to help combat a disease that claims far too many people every year.
It seems more than 4 years ago since I first struggled to
get to grips with AMPLE and in desperation made contact with George via
AMPLINEX. Needless to say, George soon put me on the straight and narrow until
I blundered into the next problem, usually the day after. As John Bartlett has
already said, George put a lot of his time into AMPLINEX and it was part of a
long and happy retirement.
In putting these discs together I have been reminded of the
great love George had for music and the helpful nature of the man himself.
Quite simply these discs contain music that one can listen to many times over. I'm
sure you'll enjoy what George has left us to remember him by.
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 026, May 1992
Welcome to AMPLINEX 026
Kevin Doyle and Roy Follett
In this issue we have our regular sections of Questions and
Answers and Hints and Tips as well a feature on running the Hybrid Music System
from a hard disk.
We also have a large selection of AMPLE music (18 pieces), a
staff printing utility, and a review of Hybrid's new Music Publisher package.
We look forward to receiving your contributions to the next
issue of AMPLINEX - details of our deadlines are in the Next Issue News
section.
Published in AMPLINEX 026, May 1992
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