Astra Blaster/Astra.cdr/sound1/bmstr48.zip/BMASTER.DOC

Text File | 1992-01-28 | 24KB | 463 lines

                        ==============================
                              BLASTER Master v4.8
                             for the Sound Blaster
                               and compatibles
                         Copyright (C) by Gary Maddox
                        ==============================


  BLASTER Master is for serious PC soundcard enthusiasts interested in
  getting the most from their PC audio card. One of the great features
  of the Sound Blaster and other PC audio cards is the ability to sample
  sound and play it back. BLASTER Master is a tool kit for working with
  Sound Blaster type VOC files, .WAV files and .SND files. BLASTER Master
  includes many features available on Digital Audio Workstations costing
  many thousands of dollars. BLASTER Master requires EGA/VGA graphics, a
  mouse, a hard disk and preferably a fast PC. Unregistered versions will
  only process a 25 second sound file. The registered version will process
  any size sound file.


OVERVIEW:
--------
  This program is a very fast EGA/VGA graphic editor to help you tailor your
  sound files. Useless and noisy sample data at the beginning and endings of
  VOC files can be quickly removed. Sections from within the sample can be
  saved as a new sample file. The entire sample is displayed and a grid is
  drawn that divides the sample into seconds to aid in selecting the "cut
  points". A zero-crossing/phase approximation method is used to select the
  bytes that are displayed to help in choosing the "cleanest" points for pro-
  cessing. Where needed, cross-fading is applyed to splice points.
  Function keys F1 - F5 changes the pallettes used to control the colors used
  to display the screen. During playback, a pulsing index line displays the
  position of the file being played. The various digital processes can be sel-
  ected using the mouse or in most cases, ALT+the first letter of the option
  can be used. Example: ALT-P will select to "PLAY" the currently selected sound
  file. (ALT-P means hold down the ALT key and press the "P" key simultaneously)

NOTE: BLASTER Master will function without a soundcard being present, but
      the PLAY, RECORD and SCOPE functions will be disabled.


SELECTING A SOUND FILE:
----------------------
  If a sound file is not specified when starting the editor, a file selection
  dialog box will appear. The current path can be changed by selecting the right
  selection box and selecting a new path. From this dialog box, you can PLAY the
  sound file, RECORD a new sound file, DELETE an unwanted sound file, ACCEPT the
  file to process or CANCEL the program and return to DOS. Choosing the PLAY
  option to Audition a file will also display useful information about the file.
  The various options can be selected using the mouse or in most cases, ALT+the
  first letter of the option can be used. Example: ALT-P will select to "PLAY"
  the currently selected sound file. (ALT-P means hold down the ALT key and press
  the "P" key simultaneously) Files can be selected by double-clicking your mouse.
  If you accept a sound file that is multi-blocked, BLASTER Master will allow
  you the option of removing the blocks and converting to a RAW VOC file.



IMPORTING A SOUND FILE:
----------------------
  Choosing this option from the File Selection Dialog Box will allow
  importing .WAV, .NTI, .8SV and .SND format files into BLASTER Master.
  A .WAV file is the Microsoft Multi-Media format and is supported by the
  Pro Audio Spectrum and the ATI Stereo F/X sound cards and others. SND
  files are completely raw wave data files that do not include any header
  information. NTI files are Amiga sample files as used by Tetra Compositor.
  VOC type files can also be saved in these three formats. 8SV is the
  extension normally used for Amiga IFF sound files. You can import Amiga
  IFF sound files, but you can not save a file in Amiga IFF format currently.

RECORDING A SOUND FILE:
----------------------
  Selecting RECORD from the File Selection Dialog Box displays the Record
  Dialog Box. Enter the name of the VOC file you wish to record. NOTE: If
  you specify a VOC file that already exists, it will be OVER WRITTEN. Using
  a mouse, select the sample rate to use when recording (13,000-4000 if
  using a Sound Blaster, 22,000-4000 if you are using a Sound Blaster Pro).
  The higher the sample rate, the better the file will sound. When using the
  various digital processes, a higher sample rate will also produce a much
  better sounding file. The SCOPE selection button will display a graphic
  scope that is very useful for setting the volume of the device you are
  recording directly from. Select the RECORD button to begin recording.
  Press the ESC key to stop recording. Your file will be displayed on the
  Editor screen for modifying.

  NOTE: Users of the ATI Stereo F/X card should start BLASTER Master with a
        command line switch: /SFX . This tells BLASTER Master to set the
        maximum sample rate to 35,000 MONO.

EDITING A SOUND FILE:
--------------------
  To select a section of the sound file to be removed, saved, heard or
  zoomed, position the mouse cursor over the graph at the first desired cut
  point and press the LEFT mouse button. Position the mouse cursor again
  over the second cut point and press the LEFT button. Once a section has
  been marked with the blue box, you can HEAR that section, CUT it from the
  sample or SAVE it as a new file. The ZOOM option will display the marked
  section across the screen and allow you to select a new block from the
  zoomed area. You can zoom the file until the resolution reaches 1:1. The
  current resolution is displayed just above the options selection box. By
  using the ZOOM feature, you should be able to edit sound files with
  surgical precision. The MOVE option allows the selected block to moved
  to a new section of the same file.

SETTING A MARKER:
----------------
  Sometimes it is desirable to pre-select a point in the soundfile. Using
  the right mouse button will place a white arrow on the blue bar just below
  the sound file grid.


TOOLS:
-----
  There are special process that operate on a block of data. Selecting the
  TOOLS button pops up a selection menu for special block functions:
    LOOP:
    ----
    This allows the block to be repeated upto 10 times. This can be used to
    add a Max Headroom type stutter to the file.
    MUTE:
    ----
    This replaces the block with silence bytes. Very usefull for removing
    glitches and other un-desirable noises without effecting the playback
    time.
    REVERSE:
    -------
    This reverses the block to playback backwards.
    PITCH:
    -----
    This changes the pitch of the block. The Pitch can be either lowered or
    raised. This function effects the playback time.
    ECHO:
    ----
    This adds echo to the block. The parameters are the same as the Echo
    function for whole files.
    VOLUME:
    ------
    This adjusts the playback volume of the block. The parameters are the
    same as the Volume function for whole files.

NOTE: The editor program should work on all single block compressed data.
      This does not include silence encoding. The graphic representation
      of the sound data will not be accurate. The time display should be
      very close.


SPECIAL PROCESSES:
-----------------
  BLASTER Master includes several special digital processes to modify your
  sound files. The special processes supported are: SCOPE, ECHO, REVERSE,
  INSERT, FAST, SLOW, RATE, VOLUME, PITCH, PACK, FADE and MIXER. All of the
  processes are not displayed at the same time on the Wave Edit screen. Sel-
  ecting the MORE button will display the next set of options. The various
  options can be selected using the mouse or in most cases, ALT+the first
  letter of the option can be used. EXAMPLE: ALT-E will select to "ECHO" the
  currently selected sound file. (ALT-E means hold down the ALT key and press
  the "E" key simultaneously) The NEW button can be used to select a new file
  when in the Editor screen or to un-mark a block when in the Cut/Save/Zoom
  screen. The EXIT button will return to DOS immediately.
  A list of the special processes are described in detail below:

SCOPE:
-----
  This process graphically displays sample input real-time. Speak into a
  microphone and see what your voice looks like or play music directly into
  the Sound Blaster. This program works particularly well on faster machines.
  This is also an excellent way to check the quality of your system. With
  no sound input, you should see a straight, flat line that is exactly even
  with the white line on the sound file grid. Any spikes you see are noise.
  Any key will cancel the scope and return you back to the editor.




ECHO:
----
  This process adds echo or delay to a VOC file to give it a richer,
  fuller sound. It is also great for adding special effects. Two para-
  meters are used to determine the type of echo desired. The number of
  milliseconds before the echo starts sets the "size" of the effect.
  Delays of 60-100 sound like a large room. Larger delays, upto 200
  milliseconds, will sound like a cavern or canyon. The second parameter
  is the mixture, i.e., how loud should the echo be mixed in. This also
  has an effect on the type of echo desired. A 30-60% mixture will sound
  more realistic than using a higher volume for the delayed sounds.

REVERSE:
-------
  This process reverses the playback of a VOC file. It is effectively
  the same as playing a tape backwards. See for yourself if "number 9"
  says "turn me on, dead man" backwards. (for older Beatles fans) This
  is a great tool for televangelists to search for those pesky satanic
  references in rock & roll songs! Did you know that the famous Tarzan
  yell sounds the same backwards as forwards? Try it.

INSERT:
------
  This process will allow a another sound file to be inserted into the
  sound file being edited. Selecting INSERT will once again bring up the
  File Select Dialog Box. From here, you can select a VOC file, RECORD a
  new sound file or CANCEL the INSERT process and return to the Edit screen.
  Once a VOC file for insertion is selected, use the mouse to select the
  point in the original sound file to INSERT the new sound file. If the
  sample rate of the new sound file does not match the original file, the
  sample rate will be adjusted to blend in correctly. Care should be used to
  select a new sound file that is not packed, contains silence compression
  or is a multi-block file. The resulting sound file will not be usable.

SLOW:
----
  This process extends the time domain without effecting the frequency
  domain... in plain english, you can re-sample a VOC file that will
  play back at approximately 1/2 speed without effecting the pitch.
  This function will double the size of the original sound file.
  Imagine you are a guitar player and want to learn the latest white
  hot guitar licks from Joe Satriani or Eric Johnson... SLOW makes
  listening and learning MUCH easier! It is also very useful for
  muti-media presentations. Sound files with sample rates above 12khz
  produce a more natural sound.

FAST:
----
  I couldn't have a "slow down" process without a "speed up" one too.
  Unlike SLOW, FAST includes a "slider" for selecting how much of a speed
  increase is desired. This function will decrease the size of the original
  sound file accordingly. Like SLOW, sound files with higher sample rates
  produce better results.



RATE:
----
  This process allows a VOC file created with a high sample rate to be
  "down" sampled to a lower sample rate. Some PC's have problems playing
  VOC files with the higher sample rates, this is a way to change the
  sample rate to something more compatible with your PC. It is also a
  good way to make files smaller without the degradation associated with
  compression. A VOC file recorded at 12,000Hz+ down-sampled to 8000Hz
  will probably sound better than if it had been originally recorded at
  the slower rate. Sound files originally sampled on the MAC at 22,000Hz
  can be down-sampled to 12,000Hz  or less with almost no loss in clarity.
  This process is also capable of "up" sampling, although you WILL NOT
  gain any noticable resolution. Approximating the "missing" byte is just
  not the same as having the original bytes in all cases.

VOLUME:
------
  This process can either increase or decrease the amplitude of VOC files.
  One way to get a very clean sample is to make your sample at a fairly low
  volume and then re-sample up to a higher volume. The Sound Blaster has a
  tendency to introduce distortion as you increase the volume used for
  sampling. This works very well for sampling directly from a CD or tape
  deck. Enter either "I" to Increase the volume or "D" to Decrease the
  volume. The numeric value entered next will determine the amount of change
  in the resulting file.
  When increasing the volume, values of 10-50 will have a subtle effect on
  the resulting sound file. Values of 50-200+ will have a more dramatic
  effect.
  When decreasing the volume, values of 1-99 will cause the resulting file
  to have volume of approximately the percent of the number entered. Entering
  "50" will produce a sound file that is only 50% as loud as the original.
  If a value greater than 100 is entered, the effect will be to INCREASE the
  volume, even though DECREASE was selected.

MIXER:
-----
  This process blends two VOC files into a single sample. There is also a
  volume mix parameter that controls how loud the mixed in sample will be.
  The volume mix can be a number between 1 and 100. 50 to 60 is often a very
  good mixing level. The Mixer is a great way to add special effects to your
  sound files. This process does not try to adjust the sample rates if the
  two files are different.

PACK/UNPACK:
-----------
  These processes will either pack or unpack a sound file, depending on its
  current state. The previous functions only work on unpacked files and a
  great many of the available file come packed. Once unpacked, all of the
  special BLASTER Master features can be applied.

PITCH:
-----
  This process alters the sample rate value contained within the VOC file.
  Raising or lower the pitch can be accomplished by selecting the slider.
  Altering the pitch will also effect the playback time, but not the size
  of the file.




FADE:
----
  This process allows the begining and ending of a sound file to fade in or
  fade out in volume. When choosing this function, you can choose the amount
  of time to fade in and fade out. Either times can not exceed 1/2 of the
  total time of the sound file. If for instance, you wish to only fade out a
  sound file, use zero as the fade in time. When combining multiple files, a
  little fading can make the switch between sounds less abrupt. This can be
  especially effective when one sound file has alot of background noise and
  the joining sound file does not.

---
NOTE: Some PC's have peripheral cards that could conflict with the way
      BLASTER Master scans for the Base Address. If when you try to run
      BLASTER Master and you get the message "Scanning for Base Address"
      and then it locks up, try setting this ENVIRONMENT parameter:
                           SET BMPORT=XXX
      Where XXX is the Base Address of your Soundcard, i.e., SET BMPORT=220.
      This should help in most cases when this problem occurs.

NOTE: It is possible that BLASTER Master might not correctly identify your
      graphics interface. If BLASTER Master tells you you don't have EGA/VGA
      graphics, and you know you do, try using the command line switch "/G".
      This switch will force graphics mode and by-pass the interface check.



REPORTING TROUBLE:
-----------------
If you find a bug, please report it in as much detail as possible so that
I can fix it in the next version. I need to know which specific function you
were using, where the VOC file originated from and the sample rate. If the
problem is hardware related, such as the video display or mouse functions,
please include information about the system you are using. Support beyond
that will only be given to registered users.

COMMON PROBLEMS:
---------------
  ERROR 5 - This is a DOS error that means Illegal Function Call, which
  could mean just about anything. The most common occurance of this
  happens when you try to run BLASTER Master on a PC with a graphics
  card that does not properly support 640x350x16 HI-RES EGA graphics
  mode. If you get this error immediately after typing BMASTER, then
  it is probably your graphics card. The only fix is to change your
  graphics card.
  MOUSE CURSOR ERASE SYNDROME - I have recently heard of 3 or 4 instances
  of the mouse cursor seeming to erase the screen when it is moved. This
  is a problem with your mouse driver. I only make calls to the Mouse API,
  I don't re-paint the screen. Switching mouse drivers has fixed this in
  every case so far.



PERFORMANCE TIPS:
----------------
  BLASTER Master works best on a very fast PC. That means a fast processor,
  fast graphics and fast hard drive. I use mostly floating point operations
  for accuracy. A Math Co-Processor speeds up most of the functions by as
  much as 40%. Mixing two 50K files requires over 1,000,000 calculations
  for example. A slow graphics card can cause wait states on your processor.
  That bargain price VGA system may not be such a bargain if you saved $50
  and slowed your PC down by 40-60% in graphics mode. BLASTER Master is
  based on using "virtual memory", i.e., using your hard drive where ever
  possible. This is slower but much more reliable and supports a wider
  system base. It also easily supports HUGE file sizes. If you are lucky
  enough to have several megabytes of RAM, try running from a RAM Disk or
  at least use an extended/expanded memory Disk Cache. It makes a big
  difference in performance. Disk fragmentation can also lessen performance,
  regardless of what software you are running.

SUGGESTED READING:
-----------------
  If you are interested in learning more about how BLASTER Master works, you
  should read the following books:
  "Principles of Digital Audio" by Ken C. Pohlmann
     Howard W. Sams & Co., 1985, 1989 second edition
       This is an excellent introduction to everything from fundamental
       accoustic theory to the way compact disks work. Some chapters are
       relatively easy to understand and others are definitely NOT for
       the faint of heart.
  "Musical Applications of Microprocessors" by Hal Chamberlin
     Hayden Books, 1985, 1987 second edition
       This is absolutely the best edition ever published in the field
       of digital sound production and is universally considered a
       classic. This book is 800 pages long and an understanding of
       advanced mathmatics is required.
   "Elements of Computer Music" by F. Richard Moore
      Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1990
        This is also an excellent source of information about digital
        sound re-production. It is especially good for C programmers as
        all of the examples are working C routines.
   "An Introduction to Digital Signal Processing" by John H. Karl
      Academic Press, Inc. 1989
        This is a very good crash study course in DSP and assumes the
        reader is familiar with higher mathmatics.


Distribution BBS Numbers:
------------------------
  These BBS's should always have the latest release. BLASTER Master is also
  available on hundreds of other BBS's around the world.

   CompuServe       GO MIDI             Channel One     617 354-3137
   Data Dimension   404 921-1186        America Online  PC MUSIC
   New Dimension    408 274-5550        Rusty & Eddy's  216 726-3589
   User-to-User     214 492-6565        GEnie           IBMPC
   Music Connection 214 596-2827        EXEC-PC         414 789-4360





BLASTER Master is the result of many, many hours of programming, study and
experimentation (not to mention 6 years of college). If you find this program
to be interesting and of use to you, then please register BLASTER Master and
help support future development towards more applications of sound files. I
would like to take this opportunity to thank the individuals and institutions
that have already registered. Your support has made this version possible. As
long as you continue to support BLASTER Master, I will continue to release new
versions. All future updates are free. One registration will automatically
register future versions. Please mention the version number in your letter.
I would also like your telephone number and your computer system hardware.
I would also be interested in knowing which BBS you downloaded it from and
hearing any suggestions for future enhancements. Think of it this way, when
you register BLASTER Master, you aren't paying for the version you are cur-
rently using, you are helping to finance the next release. When I receive
your payment, I will send you your registration number and instructions on
installing it.

To Register, send $29.95 in US dollars to:
                            Gary Maddox
                            1901 Spring Creek #315
                            Plano, TX 75023
                            USA

Foreign orders mailed directly to me should include $5.00 for the extra
postage and PLEASE, send payment in US dollars only.

To Register in Germany, send 59 Deutche Marks plus handling fee to:
                            CDV
                            Ettlingerstr. 5
                            D-7500 Karlsruhe 1
                            Germany

I suggest you contact CDV to find out the current handling charges and to
obtain a catalog of their other excellent shareware offerings.

To Register in the U.K., send 16 pounds Sterling to:
                            Carl Ricketts
                            54 St. Anne's Road
                            Tankerton
                            Whitstable
                            Kent
                            CT5 2DR
                            England
SPECIAL OFFER!!!
Alot of people that register complain that they originally paid $79 for the
Creative Labs Editor, VEDIT and were disapointed. If you send along an orig-
inal copy of VEDIT with your registration, you can register for $25. This
does not include VEDIT2 that comes with the Sound Blaster Pro.

If you need to call me my number is [phone]. Please call at a
reasonable hour, I work for a living. Between 6-10 CST is an excellent
time to catch me at home. I get 30-40 calls every week, so it's not
possible for me to phone you back long distance.
You can also drop me a line on Prodigy at KTSM62A.

Thank you for using my Sound Blaster software.
* Sound Blaster is a registered trademark of Creative Labs, Inc
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 BLASTER Master Copyright (C) 1990, 1991 by Gary Maddox, all rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------