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1995-12-20
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309 lines
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Sound Blaster AWE32 Module Player
Copyright (C) 1995 by B.Boer
All rights reserved
Documentation
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Contents:
---------
1. What is the Sound Blaster AWE32?
2. Is AWEMP freeware?
3. How do I use AWEMP?
4. Commandline options for AWEMP.
5. What keys can I use while AWEMP is playing?
6. Features of AWEMP.
7. Common Questions and Answers (Q&A).
8. Future plans.
9. About the author.
10. How can I contact the author?
11. Where can I get AWEMP?
12. I want to be a bèta-tester of AWEMP!
13. A final message to all GUS users.
1. What is the AWE32?
---------------------
AWEMP is a module player programmed for Creative Labs' Sound Blaster AWE32.
The Sound Blaster AWE32 (for short AWE32) is capable of mixing multiple (max.
30) channels by hardware, i.e. the EMU8000 chip. The AWE32 has 512 kb onboard
RAM, which you can upgrade to 28 Mb (unless you've got the VE version).
Music sounds very real with this card, because there are two LFO's, two
envelopes and a reverb & chorus effects processor for each of the 30 channels.
With these LFO's and envelopes you can create very special (and natural)
effects to the sound samples, and if you select one of the 16 effect types or
one of the 26 filters, you'll get superb sound!
2. Is AWEMP freeware?
---------------------
AWEMP is *cardware*, which means that if you like the program, you must send me
a nice postcard, so I can see how much it is used around the world. See the
section about how to contact the author for the mail address.
3. How do I use AWEMP?
----------------------
Well, this is very easy; just type AWEMP [module.ext]. AWEMP will give error
messages (if necessary) in case your module is not supported, or it doesn't
fit into your AWE32's memory (see below), or simply because it couldn't find
your module(s). If there are no error messages, AWEMP will load the samples
into the AWE32 and play the module.
For commandline options, type at the DOS prompt: AWEMP /?
While AWEMP is playing, press 'H' to display the helptext.
4. Commandline options for AWEMP.
---------------------------------
/Cxxx Sets chorus depth, range for xxx is 0-255.
/Exy Set reverb and chorus effect types, where x is the reverb effect and
y the chorus effect. Range for both x and y is 1-8;
/I Ignores all warning messages, that is, they don't appear at all.
/L Disables module looping, useful when using in combination with option
'/O'.
/O Plays the specified modules in a random order. Useful when you
specify more than one module at the DOS prompt, i.e. AWEMP *.S3M /O.
/Rxxx Sets reverb depth, range for xxx is 0-255.
/Vxxx Sets main volume, range for xxx is 0-255.
/X Don't use expanded memory (EMS). Expanded memory is used for storing
the patterndata.
/Zx Set screen size, valid values for x are 0, 1 and 2. 0 = 8 channels
shown, 1 = 16 channels shown, 2 = auto switch.
5. What keys can I use while AWEMP is playing?
----------------------------------------------
Following keys do something useful:
Esc Stop playing and exit AWEMP.
A Display the sample names of the current module. Use the cursor
keys to scroll through the sample names.
B Play the previous module in the play list.
D Shell to DOS while music keeps playing.
E Select reverb and chorus effects.
H Display the helptext.
L Enter play list, you can then select a module by moving the
selector bar over a filename and then press the Enter key.
N Play the next module in the play list.
P Pause the playing of the song.
Z Changes between 8 and 16 visual channels displayed.
- Decrease main volume by 8.
+ Increase main volume by 8.
[ Decrease reverb depth by 8.
] Increase reverb depth by 8.
{ Decrease chorus depth by 8.
} Increase chorus depth by 8.
Left Decrease song position by one.
Right Increase song position by one, at the end of the song, AWEMP jumps
to position 0 (unless option '/L' is used).
While in a DOS-shell you can use these key-combinations:
F11 Pause/unpause playing of the song.
F12 Stop playing of the song.
SHIFT-F11 Decrease main volume by 8.
SHIFT-F12 Increase main volume by 8.
CTRL-F11 Decrease song position by one.
CTRL-F12 Increase song position by one.
6. Features of AWEMP.
---------------------
AWEMP is capable of playing the following module formats:
- ProTracker, TakeTracker and FastTracker MODs (up to 32 channels)
- MultiTracker MTMs (up to 32 channels)
- ScreamTracker ]I[ S3Ms (up to 32 channels)
All effects are implemented except for the set glissando control (E3x) effect.
Effects supported: 0xy - arpeggio
1xx - portamento up
2xx - portamento down
3xx - portamento to note
4xy - vibrato
5xx - tone portamento + volume slide
6xx - vibrato + volume slide
7xy - tremolo
8xx - set pan position
9xx - sample offset
Axy - volume slide up/down
Bxx - position jump
Cxx - set volume
Dxx - pattern break
E1x - fine portamento up
E2x - fine portamento down
E4x - set vibrato waveform
E5x - set looppoint
E6x - jump to looppoint
E7x - set tremolo waveform
E8x - set pan position
E9x - retrig note
EAx - fine volume slide up
EBx - fine volume slide down
ECx - note cut
EDx - note delay
EEx - pattern delay
Fxx - set speed/bpm
Rxy - multi retrig note
Txy - tremor
Uxy - fine vibrato
X1x - extra fine portamento up
X2x - extra fine portamento down
7. Common Questions and Answers (Q&A).
--------------------------------------
Q: You said that 15-instruments MODs are supported, but AWEMP won't load my
MOD!!
A: AWEMP checks the module if it has some sort of identification (such as M.K.
or FLT8), if it hasn't, AWEMP assumes it's a 15-instruments MOD. Before
AWEMP loads the samples, a small check is processed on the module to see
whether it's a real 15-instruments MOD or not. AWEMP does this by comparing
the filesize with the total sum of <patterndata-offset + patterndatasize +
sampledatasize>. If this is not equal, the module will be discarded.
Q: I've got an AWE32 with 8 Mb onboard, but AWEMP tells me that there's only
512 kb onboard.
A: There is only one possible reason that AWEMP detects only 512kb: you did
forget to remove jumper JP7 on the card, which is necessary to use the SIMM
banks. See also the manual which came with your card.
Q: What about all those clicks? It sounds just like I'm listening to an old
gramophone.
A: Because of the high frequency rate (44.1 khz, 16 bit) the AWE32 is playing,
you will hear every small detail of the samples played. Because the AWE32
only accepts 16 bit samples, AWEMP must convert the 8 bit samples used in
MODs to 16 bit samples. The clicks you hear, are probably caused by badly
set looppoints. In the future I will use sample smoothing, so those clicks
will be gone.
Q: When will AWEMP support XMs?
A: XMs will be supported in one of the following versions of AWEMP.
8. Future plans.
----------------
Well, I decided to put in this subject because many people asked me what I'm
intended to do next. I'm either working on one of the following things or just
dreaming of having them implemented :)
* File browser/selector for creating your own playlist within AWEMP.
* XM support, volume and panning envelopes are quite a bit tricky, but XM
support *will* be implemented somewhere in the future.
* Graphical user-interface, mode will be 640x480x16c or 640x480x256c.
9. About the author.
--------------------
I am 17 years old and I attend the sixth class of a secondary school. I live
in the Netherlands, also known as Holland.
This program is my first real try to make a modplayer. I know it isn't perfect
yet, but it already sounds very nice. The future of this program depends on
how much reply I get and the difficulties I will encounter when implementing
new effects or improving the player.
Big thanks to: - Klaasjan Brand, for his marvelous 386 machine ;-)
- Gerard Veldman, for helping me out with coding troubles.
- Jean-Paul Mikkers, for his *great* frequency calculation
routine. AWEMP v1.40 wouldn't ever be released, if he
didn't help me out.
- Vince Vu, for sharing some thoughts about the AWE32.
- ...and you, for reading this doc!
10. How can I contact the author?
---------------------------------
If you experience problems when using AWEMP, or you have found bugs, or you
have some very nice ideas, or you know how to implement new effects, or
something else I should know, write to me:
Mail address : Bert Boer
Schapendrift 30
8091 GW Wezep
The Netherlands
Netmail : 15:1100/400 (Fido NL)
Internet : trigon@ddu.iwg.nl
Remember, AWEMP is cardware, so if you haven't sent your postcard yet, please
send one now. As soon as I receive your card (e-mail will do too), your name
will be added to the people-who-encouraged-me list (see the file SUPPORT.ERS).
11. Where can I get AWEMP?
--------------------------
AWEMP is spread across the world via the SDC, this net covers almost every
country in the world. In case there isn't any board in your country which has
access to SDC, you can always get the latest version of AWEMP on these boards:
Sound Distribution Channel (SDC) Dutch HQ
TH Rijswijk (THR)
+31(0)70-3401534 (speeds up to 28k8 V.34/V.FC)
DoomDark Universe (DDU)
+31(0)38-4600611 (speeds up to 33k6 V.Everything)
The filename of the archive looks like this: AWEMPxyy.RAR or AWEMPxyy.ZIP,
where x is the major and yy the minor version number, e.g. AWEMP131.RAR is
the archive of AWEMP version 1.31.
On DDU you can get AWEMP very easily; just type in when asked for name: AWEMP,
select language and the latest release of AWEMP can be downloaded immediately.
12. I want to be a bèta-tester of AWEMP!
----------------------------------------
If you want to become a bèta-tester, just mail me and I will decide whether
you become a tester or not (telling me some interesting things will usually do
the trick). Then I will give you access to an area on DDU (the BBS mentioned
above) which is reserved for AWEMP bèta-testers. Here you can get the newest
(bèta)version of AWEMP. To be a bèta-tester does not only mean testing but also
giving your opinions/experiences/troubles with new versions . . .
13. A final message to all GUS users.
-------------------------------------
I removed this subject because it seemed that nobody (read: GUS users) would
ever read this piece of text. If you think you've got a nice idea/subject I
should put in here, let me know!
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