Global Amiga Experience/globalamigaexperience.iso/compressed/music/bars&pipes25demo.lha/Bars&PipesProfessional/ReadMe

Text File | 1994-09-15 | 16KB | 338 lines

Bars&Pipes Professional 2.5 Demo (c) 1994
    We hope that this demo intrigues you to the
possibilities with Bars&Pipes Professional 2.5. B&P Pro is an
ever expanding environment. New Tools and Accessories are
continually forthcoming. Please call or write to us if you have
any questions or require further information.

    The Blue Ribbon SoundWorks, Ltd.
    Venture Center
    1605 Chantilly Drive
    Suite 200
    Atlanta, GA 30324
    USA
    (404)-315-0212 tel
    (404)-315-0213 fax
    (404)-315-0211 bbs
    [e-mail] (email)
    [e-mail] (email)

Welcome to the Bars&Pipes Professional 2.5 Demo!

    Bars&Pipes Professional 2.5, with multi-media support,
is the Amiga sequencer of choice for composing, playing back,
and syncing music to animations, slide shows, the Video Toaster
(tm), and various other third party software and hardware.
    Obviously, B&P Pro is a big program. It would be
impossible to include the contents of the 370+ pages manual
with this demo. We will try to point out some of the basic
features, but much of the exploration is left up to you.
Experiment! This demo incorporates most of the features of the
real program, with the exceptions of saving and printing.
    If you have questions, feel free to call the Blue Ribbon
SoundWorks at 404-315-0212.

Getting Started
    Double-click on the Bars&Pipes Professional icon.
You will need a MIDI interface attached to your serial port,
or the One-Stop Music Shop soundcard.
    B&P Pro starts with the Tracks window open so that you
can begin recording immediately.  Most windows can be opened by
selecting their title from the Windows menu or by clicking on
the their icons located at the right side of the screen.

    1)  If using MIDI, test whether or not you've
implemented MIDI properly. To test MIDI, do the following:
    Make sure that the Input Arrow (a red arrow) points to
the MIDI In Tool on Track 1 by clicking on the gray box to the
right of the words "Track 1."
    Make sure that your sound module or MIDI keyboard
receives on MIDI channel 1.  If not, change the Output channel,
the blue number on the far right side of a Track, to the
correct number by clicking on it and moving the mouse to the
appropriate channel. Also, if your keyboard supports local
on/off, turn the local to off.
    Play a note with your MIDI input device - typically a
keyboard. If a note sounds, then you're ready to try out the
demo.  If you hear nothing, check your MIDI set-up to ensure
that you've connected things correctly.

The Metronome

    2) Set up the Metronome so that you can hear the beat
as you record.  To access the metronome, select Metronome from
the windows menu.  The Metronome window opens.  Let's use the
Amiga's internal sounds as our click source.  Notice that the
Internal button is already depressed.  (In general, if a button
contains red type, it is active; if it contains blue type, then
it is inactive.)
    3) Change the click resolution from 1/4, or 4 clicks
per measure in 4/4 time, to 1/8, or 8 clicks per measure.  To
do so, click on the Note button and select an eighth note from
the pop-up menu.
    4)  Adjust the Lead In: slider to provide two measures
of beats before B&P Pro starts to record.  Use the arrows or
move the slider so that the number "2" displays.
    5)  Test the Metronome.  To do so, click on the Start
Button at the top of the Tracks window (the square and
triangle).  If your Amiga's internal sounds capability is
enabled, you'll hear the metronome.  The metronome conveniently
clicks in three different ways: loudest on the first beat of
each measure, softer and lower in pitch on each beat within the
measure and even softer still on each subdivision of the beat.
We designed this feature to enable you to "feel" the beat.  To
stop the metronome, click on the Stop Button (the solid
rectangle).
    6)  Close the Metronome window by clicking on the
"close window" button on the top left side of the window's
title bar.

Tempo

    7)  Set the tempo.  By default, B&P Pro sets the tempo
at 120 beats per minute.  In order to change it, click on the
Tempo Display, located on the upper half of the Track window,
with the mouse.  Drag the mouse up to raise the tempo, and down
to lower it. To select a tempo, do the following: Click on the
Start button (or press the 0 key on the Amiga's keypad.)
Immediately, you'll hear the internal metronome. (If you don't
hear it, make sure that the internal sounds capability is
enabled on your Amiga, your monitor has speakers, and the
volume is up.)  With the metronome clicking, use the mouse to
find a tempo to your liking.

Recording

    8)  Put Track 1 in Record mode. Do this by clicking on
the "P" button once, which causes it to display an "R."   Make
sure that the Input Arrow points to Track 1.
    9)  Click on the "R" button at the upper right of the
Tracks window.  This places the Sequencer into Record mode.
You're now ready to record.
    10)  Press the Start button to begin the metronome Lead
In. After two measures, B&P Pro will begin recording.
    11)  Play a few measures of music, then click with the
mouse on the Stop button (the red square in the upper right of
the Tracks window) to stop the recording process.  Once you've
recorded a few notes, B&P Pro displays them as small dots in
the Sequence Display.  (If the Track is highlighted, the dots
are blue.  If not, the dots are yellow.)
    12)  Press the Start button to hear your recording and
the Stop button to stop playback.

Tools

    13)  Open the ToolBox.  Do so by double-clicking on the
ToolBox icon, a hammer, located on the right side of the screen.
    14)  Get the Echo Tool.  Do this in one of two ways:
    Click on the "?" button in the ToolBox and select Echo
from the scrolling pop-up menu.
    Find the Echo Tool icon among the other Tools in the
ToolBox, click the mouse button down, and hold it.
    15)  Drag the Echo Tool to Track 1's Output PipeLine,
located to the right of Track 1's Sequence Display.  To drag
this Tool, hold it with the mouse while moving the mouse over
to Track 1's Output PipeLine.  Lift up with the mouse once
you've reached your destination.
    16)  Open the Echo Tool's Control window.  To do so,
double-click on the Echo Tool in the PipeLine.
    17)  Change the Echo Tool's delay to "000.00.96" by
moving the Delay: prompt slider to the left or right until the
number "000.00.96" appears in the display.
    18)  Change the Echo Tool's repeat to "1."  Do so by
dragging the Repeat: prompt's slider until the number "1"
appears in the display.
    19)  If you like, close the Echo Tool's Control window
or drag it to another location.
    20)  Click on the Start button to hear the effect of
the Echo Tool on your pre-recorded Track.  Notice that, even
though nothing has changed in the Sequence Display, your Track
now plays back with an echo effect.
    21)  Move a copy of Track 1's Echo Tool to Track 2's
Input PipeLine.  To do so, click down on Track 1's Echo Tool
with the mouse and drag it to Track 2's Input PipeLine.
    22)  Rename Track 2.  Do this by double-clicking on the
words "Track 2," deleting the words "Track 2" from the Name:
prompt and entering a new name.  You may also enter something
in the Notes: prompt.  Once you've entered a new name, click on
Okay to accept your changes.
    23)  Move the Input arrow to Track 2.  Do so by
clicking on the gray box to the right of "Track 2."
    24)  Record on Track 2.  (Follow the same instructions
as in steps 8 through 11.)  Notice that this time, the notes
you play pass through the Echo Tool and into the Sequence
Display.  The Sequence Display actually shows the echo
graphically.  Tools placed on the Input PipeLine affect notes
upon recording. Tools placed on the Output PipeLine effect
notes upon playback only.
    25)  Remove the Echo Tool in Track 1's Output PipeLine.
To do so,  click on the Tool with the mouse, then press the
Delete key on your Amiga keyboard.

Basic Editing

    26)  Open Track 1's Edit window.  You can do this in
two ways:
    Double-click on Track 1's Sequence Display.
    Click once on Track 1's Sequence Display, then press
the Return key on your Amiga keyboard.
    27)  Use the Expansion Gadget to expand the Sequence
Editor window.  Do this by clicking on the gray triangle on the
Sequence Editor window's title bar.
    28)  Look at a note on either the Piano Roll or Hybrid
Staff with the Magnifying Glass.  To do so, click on the
Magnify button located on the Command buttons strip at the top
of the window, which causes the mouse pointer to take the shape
of a Magnifying Glass.  Pass the Magnifying Glass over a note.
As you do so, the note turns red and the Magnify window reveals
statistics about that note.
    29)  Change the velocity of your selected note.  Do
this by entering a new number (between 0 and 127) after Velo:.
    30) Draw a new note. To do so, access the Pencil by
clicking on the Pencil button, located to the right of the
Magnify button. The mouse resembles a pencil when you select
the Pencil button. Select the note value, modifier,
articulation and dynamic level by choosing from the four Note
buttons across the top right of the window, then click on the
area in which you want to draw the note.
    31) Lengthen a note. Do so by selecting the Magic Wand
from the Command buttons. This causes the mouse to resemble a
Magic Wand. Click down on the note, then drag the mouse to the
right which stretches the note in length. When used in
conjunction with the Bounding Box button, the Magic Wand ties
two notes of the same pitch together.
    32) Erase a note. To do this, select the Erase button
from the Command buttons. Using the Erase pointer, move the
mouse over the note you wish to erase. When used in conjunction
with the Bounding Box button, the Erase pointer erases a group
of notes.
    33) Load a Tool into the ToolPad. To do this, first
reduce the size of the Sequence Editor window by either:
    pressing the Contraction Gadget, the triangle located
in the Sequence Editor window's title bar, or
    using the window sizing gadget located in the bottom
right corner of the Sequence Editor window.
    Then, open the ToolBox and drag the Echo Tool into the
ToolPad, found in the Command button strip, to the right of the
Eraser.
    34) Edit the Echo Tool's parameters. To access the Echo
Tool's Control window, either:
    hold down the Amiga's shift key while clicking on the
Echo Tool in the ToolPad with the mouse, or
    use the Edit PadTool Controls... command found in the
Display Options menu of the Sequence Editor.
    35) Adjust the Echo Tool in whatever manner suits you.
Then, if you like, close the Echo Tool's Control window.
    36) Toolize a note. To do so, click on the ToolPad with
the mouse. As a result, the mouse will resemble a wrench with a
note in its "mouth." Then touch a note with the mouse. Notice
that you've created an echo with the notes you've touched.

Updating

    37) Save your editing. Do this by either:
    clicking on the close window button located on the left
side of the title bar, or
    selecting Update from the Edit menu of the Sequence
Editor window. (This updates the Sequence Display without
closing the Sequence Editor window.) If you are unsatisfied
with the changes you've made, select Abort from the Edit menu
and the Sequence Editor will close without keeping your changes.

Playing the Demo Songs

    Now that we have gone through some of the Bars&Pipes
environment, let's load one of the demonstration songs.
    To load a song, choose Open... from the Song menu. The
file requester opens. You should see several songs listed. If
you do not, you need to tell the file requester where the songs
are. The songs are located in the Bars&Pipes Pro Demo/Songs/
directory.
    If you wish to hear a song that uses the Amiga's built
in internal sounds, load in the Internal song. Otherwise, if
you wish to hear a song that uses MIDI, choose one of the other
songs.
    Click the Start button to listen to the song.

Playing MIDI Files

    You can also play MIDI files. First, you need to install
the sMerFF Accessory. From the main Bars&Pipes Professional
screen, choose the Windows/Accessories menu command to open the
Accessories window.
    Then, choose the Accessories/Install menu command. Load
the sMerFF Accessory from the Bars&Pipes Pro Demo/Accessories
drawer. You'll see the sMerFF icon appear in the Accessories
window.
    Double-click on the sMerFF icon. Click the Load MIDI File
button to load a MIDI file.

Media Madness

    B&P Pro 2.5's Media Madness concept provides a platform
for multi-media presentations. The easiest way to get to
understand Media Madness is to use it, so let's create a simple
multi-media track that performs a slide show. (You will need
your own IFF slides to create this track.)
    Close the main Tracks window by clicking on the close
gadget in the upper left hand corner. Open the Media Madness
window by double-clicking on the icon that looks like a film
strip, or choose Media Madness from the Windows menu.
    Open the ToolBox by double-clicking on the icon that
looks like a hammer. Drag a copy of the Last Slide Show tool
from the ToolBox and put it after the faucet of an empty track
in the Media Madness window.
    Double-click on the Last Slide Show tool. The control
window opens. Click on the "No Slide" button after the C0:
prompt. The Last Slide Show "Load Slide" file requester opens.
    To load a slide, click on the volume name of the disk
or partition that contains your slides. Then, find the
directory that contains your slides. Click on a slide and then
click the Load button.
    The C0: prompt advances to the next note, C#0:. You
will notice that your slide name appears after the C0: prompt
in the list of slides.
    Continue loading as many slides as you wish in this
manner. When you finish, close the Last Slide Show control
window.
    Click on the Pencil in the Media Madness window. With
the Pencil, click in the Track that contains the Last Slide
Show Tool. If you have loaded several slides into the Last
Slide Show Tool, a scrolling list pops up. Select one of the
slides from the list.
    The name of the slide appears in the Media Madness
Track. This name has a line beneath it that signifies how long
to display the slide. To change this length, or the position of
the slide, click on the Hand button.
    With the Hand, grab the end of the line beneath the
slide name. Drag the line to the right to lengthen the amount
of time that the slide will be displayed.
    Click on the left side of the line to reposition the
slide name, if you wish.
    Use the Pencil and Hand to input and adjust your other
slides so that they play in sequence. For more specific
editing, double-click on the track to open the List Editor. Or,
click on the Magnifying Glass and then click on a slide name to
see and adjust its parameters.
    When you are ready to play back your slides, press the
'M' key on your Amiga keyboard to open the mini-transport.
These controls are the same ones that are in the upper right
hand corner of the main Tracks window.
    Click on the Start button to watch the show.

Installing Tools and Accessories

    The Bars&Pipes Professional 2.5 Demo comes with many
Tools and Accessories that are not automatically installed.
This is to save memory and loading time. You can install these
Tools and Accessories, and they will then automatically load
each time you run the Demo.
    To install a Tool, open the ToolBox. Choose the install
command from the ToolBox menu. Find the Tool that you wish to
install. Tools are stored in the Tools/ directory on your hard
drive or second floppy disk.
    To install an Accessory, open the Accessories window.
Choose the install command from the Accessories menu. Find the
Accessory that you wish to install. Accessories are stored in
the Accessories/ directory on your hard drive or second floppy
disk.