PianoSim II 1.0 is a major upgrade of the popular shareware program PianoSim 1.2.
PianoSim II is a powerful music instrument simulation program, with full music input/edit ability and easy-to-use user interface. With PianoSim II, one can play music on a Macintosh simulating unlimited kinds of ``music instruments'' with extremely realistic sound quality. One can record performance real-time; input and archive favorite music record; edit, compose, test and export one's own creativity. PianoSim II provides Macintosh users with entertainment, education as well as serious music practicing environment. The major features of PianoSim II include:
(* marks PianoSim II's new enhancements to PianoSim 1.2)
* Realistic Instrument Simulation:
Use computer keyboard (or mouse) to play music, as if playing music on a real instrument. Extremely realistic sound quality. Twelve build-in music instruments are provided, including piano, bell, flute, violin, power chord, sax, electric piano, horn, clarinet, marimba, drum.
* Performance practice and Recording:
Allow one to practice and record one's performance real time (accurate up to 1/60 sec). Music record can be saved for further editing and future playback.
* Music Input, Composing and Editing:
Full featured music editor allows one to input favorite music or performance for entertainment and construct one's own music archive. The program will provide an easy environment for one to compose and test one's own piece of music with very little effort. The time duration of each note is accurate up to one tick (1/60 sec), the note symbol shown doesn't change the exact time duration embedded.
* Music Export Ability:*
PianoSim II will allow one to export music as a double-clickable system 7 sound (or sound resource under system 6.0.x). A 10 minute music with realistic sound quality may only occupy as little as 30K. This opens many new possibilities of using sound resource on a Macintosh. One can listen to a piece of music at system startup, play special tune as alert sound or use music as sound annotation.
* Load Sound Resource as a Music Instrument:*
PianoSim II will load any sound resource (recorded sound, sound from other programs like games) as a music instrument. This provides great flexibility and expandability to the program.
* Multi-channel Music Playback Ability:*
PianoSim II makes use of the latest system 7 sound manager enhancement, it will allow three sampled sound channels being opened at the same time, and play three different pieces of music concurrently using three different instruments. This makes it possible to play chord on a Macintosh. Although the current system 7's implementation of sound-mixing is not ideal and requires big CPU power, the performance will suffer when used on slow macintosh models.
* Flexible Custom Controls:
The program provides dials to allow easy controls of pitch, play back speed (tempo) and sound volume. Computer-key to piano-key correspondence can be customized and saved to fit users personal preference.
* Elegant User Interface, On Line Help:
The complicated functions and features of the program are completely controlled by animated buttons, very easy and intuitive to use. On-line helps are provided for all the control buttons on either main control panel or in the music editor.
* Very Little System Requirement:
The program runs on all Macintoshes, from Mac Plus to Quadra. Two kinds of panel layouts are designed for 9'' B/W monitor and 13'' color monitor, to make the program available for all Macs while make full use of color on available systems (for best interface, use 256 color/gray). The program will run under system 6.0.4 and up.
* Sample Music Included:
Several of my favorite music samples are provided, including Fur Elise, love story, and a few Christmas carols. The exported music samples (double-clickable under system 7) are also provided. If you enter your favorite music, I'd love to have a copy if you are willing to offer (if you don't like the record to be included in future updates, please say so, I will honor your request). The software can be fun for adults as well as for children. I'd be very happy to know if you like it and have a good time with it.
PianoSim is tested on MacSE, Classic, II, IIcx, IIx, IIsi, IIci, IIfx, Quadra, under system 7 and 6.0.4 up. Any bug reports, suggestions, comments, ... are all welcome.
PianoSim II is distributed as shareware, and ask for $40 shareware fee. But if you REALLY couldn't afford it, send me any amount you prefer. By sending me your donation, you are helping me to obtain enough resource and encouragement to write better software for the Macintosh. Your help will be very appreciated. Registered user will receive a Thank You letter together with registration code to personalize your copy, and receive any future updates free. Please only distribute unregistered copies.
Thank you for your time and hope you have fun with PianoSim II.
**** Version History ****
PianoSim II 1.2 July. 30, 1995
Fix compatibility problem with new Apple Sound Manager 3.1 (or system 7.5.1).
PianoSim II 1.1 June. 10, 1995
PianoSim II 1.1 is a minor upgrade of the popular shareware program PianoSim II 1.0
minor bug fixes, address update.
PianoSim II 1.0 Jan. 10, 1995
This is a majoy upgrade of my PianoSim program, many new features are provided.
I wish to express my sincere thanks to all the registered users around the world,
the encouragement I get from them is what make this upgrade possible.
For unregistered users, please support shareware concepts and register your copy.
These days, companies pay more attention and resource on advertising than on the
products' value, which make consumers and users the ultimate loser. Shareware
is a good concept in eliminating the unnecessary cost and reward the products with
real good value, we should all try to keep it alive.
I sincerely appreciate $40 shareware fee if you use PainoSim II 1.0.
Oct. 22 1992
PianoSim 1.2:
The current version fixes some minor bugs. For UNREGISTERED copy, makes it
more clear that music save feature is DISABLED in the greeting dialog, to
avoid confusion.
Oct. 16 1992
PianoSim 1.1:
Due to many people's request, I rewrite the interface in the current version1.1,
for the macs with 9" B/W monitor, without the requirement of color QuickDraw (version 1.0 requires that to run). I also fix a major bug in this release.
The version 1.1 use new icons for the application, please rebuilt desktop
(hold down Option+Command while restart your mac) to use the new icons.
Oct. 10 1992
PianoSim 1.0:
This is the first release of my program PianoSim, a music instrument simulation program, with full music input/edit ability.
**** About the Author ****
Besides PianoSim II, my other Macintosh programs include SpaceInvader! (video
game), and Talk&Mail (AppleTalk peer-to-peer communication program).
My programs are available on CompuServe, American On-line, and carried by
several shareware distribution companies. They are also available on Internet
via anonymous FTP from: sumex-aim.stanford.edu, or mac.archive.umich.edu.
