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_
/\\ _
\// OCTALYSER STE PD-PREVIEW 0.8 - User documentation /\\
\//
Coded in 1992 and 1993 by CODE/TBL, ALAN F./REWARD and BLADE/NEW CORE
Graphics drawn by CHAOS/REWARD and CODE/TBL
Manual written by ALAN F./REWARD
(C)opyright 1993, All rights reserved.
You can spread Octalyser STE 0.8NC (Non Commercial) freely as long as
these files, in their original lenght and checksums are included in the
archive.
OCTALYSE.PRG Octalyser 0.8NC program file
OCTALYSE.DAT Octalyser 0.8NC data file
OCTALYSE.DOC This file
ALINA.UMP UMP-module, 8 channels 25kHz (8MHz STE)
ALINAI.UMP UMP-module, 8 channels 22.3kHz (8MHz STE)
ALINA.TXT ALINA UMP-modules documentation
INTGRITY.MOD 4 channels demo module by ALAN F/REWARD
EUROBEAT.MOD Command 9 demo module by VIRGILL/SANITY
PSYKO3.MOD 6 channels demo module by MEPHISTO/DEAD MEAT
PIANO.MOD A small AmigaOctalyserModul
PIANO2.MOD Modul that uses command 9 for volumecontrol
(Song same as PIANO.MOD)
42550H.S A small playroutine (4 channels, 25 kHz)
42550H.TOS Assembled .S to a .TOS
REGISTER.FRM Registration form
. .
oOo INTRODUCTION oOo
O O
Octalyser STE is a powerfull music tool, that uses PCM samples and STEDMA
PCM sound chip to generate 4, 6 or 8 independent music channels with
adjustable sample volume on each channel indepentently. Octalyser uses
a typical tracker-style editor and can handle modules in these formats:
MOD-standard 15 instruments, 4 channels format
MOD-standard 31 instruments, 4 channels format
Octalyser STE 8 channels format
Amiga Octalyser 8 channels format
Amiga StarTrekker format (both 4 and 8 channels)
Please note that Amiga Octalyser format is not identical to Octalyser STE
format. Octalyser STE 0.8NC cannot handle 2, 4 or 6 channels modules
created by Amiga Octalyser. We are planning on including a TCB-tracker
support.
Octalyser STE has a built-in replay routine that allowds following modes:
4 channels, 6 channels and 8 channels.
12kHz, 15.5kHz, 18.9kHz, 25kHz.
Anti-alias OFF, Anti-alias ON.
More detailed description of the replay routine will be given later in
this documentation file.
Octalyser supports UMP-modules, thus giving you access to external replay
routines. UCDM 3 is used as a pipeline between the UMP-module and
Octalyser. The pipeline standard and UMP-format will be documented in
a separate textfile and in future releases of the Octalyser. A few
UMP-modules are already available and several are to be released soon.
(50kHz 4 channels, 50khz 6 channels, 25kHz 8 channels, for an 8MHz STE,
and 50kHz 8 channels for a MegaSTE) UCDM 3-format is made by
BLADE/New Core.
. .
oOo BOOTING UP oOo
O O
To be able to run Octalyser, a file called OCTALYSE.DAT MUST be present
in the current path. OCTALYSE.DAT must have the same CRC as the original
file that comes from the authors, otherwise you will not be able to
start the Octalyser. If this file gets damaged, or you didn't get it at
all, please contact the authors or a good Atari BBS.
Octalyser will accept command line that includes a name of the module
to be loaded automaticaly. With new versions of TOS, you can also drag
a module to the Octalyser icon to force the Octalyser to automaticaly
load the module.
Octalyser will NOT run as an ACCessory file, so don't try it. It does not
support MONO monitors, and it will only work in 50Hz mode, sorry
TT-owners...
The CPU-speed of your computer is being tested while the title-picture
is being shown. The number of NOP-commands used in the border routine
is adjusted then and number of pattern lines shown in different replay
modes is adjusted to what the machine is capable of showing. (You will
notice this when using modes that require more CPU-time)
Press any key or mousebutton and the Octalyser itself will appear on the
screen.
. .
oOo SEQUENCER, TRACKS, PATTERNS, SAMPLES oOo
O O
Octalyser uses the same tracker-principe used in ProTracker, NoiseTracker
and rest of the trackers. This means that different patterns are arranged
into a song. Patterns consist of 64 events and can be breaked at any time
by using a command D. (More about the effect-commands later). Note that
'TRACK' and 'PATTERN' are the same when using Octalyser.
Patterns are attached to song-positions, and a simple song could look
like this:
POSITION / 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
TRACK \ 0 5 1 2 3 4 4 6 6 7
The song will start with pattern 0, and then pattern 5 will be played.
Then pattern 1, 2, 3 etc. Patterns 4 and 6 will be played twice, and the
song will end with pattern 7. LENGHT is a variable that marks the end of
the song. The song will start to repeat when 'POSITION' has reached
'LENGHT', in other words, when the last pattern was played.
To loop the song, use RESTART. Just enter the position number from which
the song will restart from.
To make song editing easier and composing faster, we added two buttons
marked ± and put them in the POSITION display. When you click on +, the
LENGHT will be increased by one, and the current TRACK number will be
copied into the next POSITION. This means that you don't need to
rearrange the whole song if you want to expand it in the middle. The
effect when you press - is exactly the opposite.
Another editing options that tracker musicians often find useful is
the ability to adjust the number of lines that the patter editor will
jump over when a data is enter, so called STEP. You'll probably use this
when setting up a rhytm, or a baseline.
Patterns consist of events. Events can be notes, effect commands or both.
Format of the pattern data is:
XXY-ZZ-ABC
XX = Note. Examples: C, C#, E#, B etc...
Y = Octave from 1 to 3.
ZZ = Sample number. If 0, then the last sample played will be used.
A = ID-letter of an effect command. Examples: C, F, 9, 1...
B = DATA 1 for effect commands
C = DATA 2 for effect commands.
Example: C-2 AC20 means that the sample 'A' will be played with volume
$20. Note C, octave 2.
Keep in mind that all data is in hexadecimal format! Try to avoid stuff
like this: C40, C39, C38, C37, C36, C35, C34, C33, C32, C31, C30, C29...
It is very lame! It should look like: C40, C3F, C3E, C3D, C3C, C3B, C3A
C39, C38 etc... Keep this in mind and make us all a bit happier.
Protracker V2.3A Effect Commands. Commands marked with * are supported
by Octalyser 0.8NC.
* 0 - Normal play or Arpeggio 0xy : x-first halfnote add, y-second
* 1 - Slide Up 1xx : upspeed
* 2 - Slide Down 2xx : downspeed
* 3 - Tone Portamento 3xx : up/down speed
* 4 - Vibrato 4xy : x-speed, y-depth
* 5 - Tone Portamento + Volume Slide 5xy : x-upspeed, y-downspeed
* 6 - Vibrato + Volume Slide 6xy : x-upspeed, y-downspeed
* 7 - Tremolo 7xy : x-speed, y-depth
* 9 - Set SampleOffset 9xx : offset (23 -> 2300)
* A - VolumeSlide Axy : x-upspeed, y-downspeed
* B - Position Jump Bxx : songposition
* C - Set Volume Cxx : volume, 00-40
* D - Pattern Break Dxx : break position in next patt
* E - E-Commands Exy : see below...
* F - Set Speed Fxx : speed (00-1F) / tempo (20-FF)
Tempo NOT supported yet!
E-commands:
* E0- Set Filter E0x : 0-filter on, 1-filter off Hehe
* E1- FineSlide Up E1x : value
* E2- FineSlide Down E2x : value
E3- Glissando Control E3x : 0-off, 1-on (use with tonep.)
E4- Set Vibrato Waveform E4x : 0-sine, 1-ramp down, 2-square
E5- Set Loop E5x : set loop point
E6- Jump to Loop E6x : jump to loop, play x times
E7- Set Tremolo Waveform E7x : 0-sine, 1-ramp down. 2-square
E9- Retrig Note E9x : retrig from note + x vblanks
* EA- Fine VolumeSlide Up EAx : add x to volume
* EB- Fine VolumeSlide Down EBx : subtract x from volume
EC- NoteCut ECx : cut from note + x vblanks
ED- NoteDelay EDx : delay note x vblanks
EE- PatternDelay EEx : delay pattern x notes
EF- Invert Loop EFx : speed
More E-commands will be included in later versions of Octalyser. However,
you probably won't be needing E-commands not supported by the Octalyser
anyway.
To move between the channels and event data or up and down in the
pattern, you can either use arrow keys or mouse clicking. Both arrows
and mouse clicking will work while the Octalyser is playing too!
The MONITOR mode is activated by clicking on the button marked MONITOR.
When it's active, moving up and down thru the pattern data will play
the current pattern events on all selected channels. Used mostly when
composing. (Thanks to Elof/Unit 17 for the original idea!)
Real-time recording is available. Just active EDIT-mode and press PLAY.
Recording features yet another suggestion by Elof/Unit 17. While
recording, the events have a 50% delay compared to the active events
showed on the screen. This makes it easier and more natural to record
directly from the keyboard in real time.
There are several keyboard shortcuts, here is list of them included in
Octalyser 0.8NC:
Insert = Insert an event to the current channel
Delete = Delete an event in the current channel
Shift Delete/Control-Y = Insert an event to all channels
Shift Insert/Control-I = Delete an event in all channels
Control-B = Mark the start of a block
Control-K = Mark the end of the block
Control-C = Copy the block (if shift ALL channels, otherwise current)
Control-V = Move the block (if shift ALL channels, otherwise current)
Control-Z = Delete the block
F1 = Toggle octave (UPPER/LOWER)
F2 = Toggle write mode for block-functions (REPLACE / OR)
F3 = Delete current channel
shift-F3 = Delete all channels
F4 = Channel -> BLOCK
F7 = Position $00
F8 = Position $10
F9 = Position $20
F10 = Position $30
Return = Play
Shift Return = Play pattern
Tab = Jump to next channel
Shift Tab = Jump to last channel
Shift-right arrow = 8/6/4 channel
Shift-left arrow = Channel 1
Control-right arrow = Next pattern
Control-left arrow = Previous pattern
Space = Stop, or toggle EDIT-mode
Shift-Space = Stop, or toggle MONITOR-mode
ESC = Exit
CLR Home = Jump to channel 1, event 1
Down arrow = Event number + 1
Up arrow = Event number - 1
Shift-Down arrow = Event numner + STEP
Shift-Up arrow = Event number - STEP
THE ARROWS WILL WORK EVEN WHILE THE OCTALYSER IS PLAYING A SONG!
* NUMERIC KEYBOARD *
+ = Next sample
- = Previous sample
Shift + = Next position
Shift - = Previous position
Octalyser can handle up to 31 samples. If the selected sample is 0,
then the last sample played will be used.
Sample data consists of: Sample Volume, Finetune, Sample lenght, loop
start and loop end. Sample volume can have values from $00 to $40
(00-64 decimaly).
Finetune is used to finetune the sample frequency and is useful when
the whole rythm, baseline or another part of a song is sampled, to adjust
the speed of the replay.
Sample looping enables you to use chords, strings, chorus and another
voices that loop. This puts trackers a bit closer to real sample devices.
However, as trackers do not support NOTE OFF, there is no release-loop
mark.
You can select which channels are active by using the eight switches in
the upper part of the screen. Switching the channels off is achived
thru lowering the sample-volume to zero.
. .
oOo EDIT OPTIONS oOo
O O
The editing options can be reached by clicking on the EDIT button in the
right part of the screen.
_______________________
| option | midi |
| disk | EDIT |
|___info___|__sample__|
This box will be reffered as the menu selector, and buttons as menus.
(examples: Option menu, Disk menu, Info menu etc.)
Edit menu offers several options, described here:
Begin - Marks the start of the block
End - Marks the end of the block
Hide - Hides block marks
Copy - Copies marked block to current pattern position
Move - Moves marked block to current pattern position
Clear - Deletes marked block and block marks
Ins - Inserts a event to the current pattern
Del - Deletes a event in the current pattern
Load - Loads a block from a disk/partition
Save - Saves a block to a disk/partition
Two buttons on the right side of the Edit menu can be set to CURRENT or
ALL. When set to current, only the channels where the cursor is currently
at will be uses as a block. When set to ALL, all channels will be used
as a block.
Option KVANT is not available in 0.8NC. It will be used to quantitize the
pattern events.
. .
oOo OPTIONS MENU oOo
O O
Via the options menu you can access and adjust the parametres of the
PCM STE DMA soundchip, select the number och channels used, select the
replay frequency, toggle Anti-alias mode ON/OFF, adjust the number of
NOP-commands used in the border routine etc.
There are eight buttons that can be dragged up and down, marked with
letters and icons. The first five are: Bass, Treble, Main volume,
Left volume, Right volume. The last three are used to control the
repeat rate of the keyboard, the delay of the keyboard and the delay of
the mouse.
Replay frequency of the built-in replay routine can be choosed between:
12.5kHz, 15.5kHz, 18.9kHz and 25.0kHz. When using 15.5kHz and 18.9kHz,
the sample date is recalculated to 25.0kHz, so that it can be replayed
using the PCM DMA soundchip. The number of channels used can be
4, 6 or 8. Channels are mixed toghether by adding the channels. This
means that the loudness of the sound will be lower when more channels
are used.
Anti-alias mode doubles the replay frequency by doubling the sample data
and therefore improving the high pitched sounds like hi hats, snares etc.
(Please note that this is not the same thing as MULTIPLEX mode in
BackTrack 4.01 etc. This mode does not create background noise such as
MULTIPLEX does.) Anti-alias will improve the replay quality in most
cases, especialy with good samples.
Octalyser offers you a unique feature of being able to select the
base frequency of the samples. The default is 16kHz, and you can also set
it to 25kHz. By setting it to 25kHz, you can use samples that are
sampled at higher frequencies! A list of max. sample frequencies for
16kHz and 25kHz, with and without FineTune:
| 16kHz | 25kHz
----------------+-------------+-------------
FineTune +0 | 31.39 kHz | 47.68 kHz
FineTune +7 | 32.84 kHz | 49.89 kHz
So, when using 25kHz as a base frequency, you can actualy play hi hats
sampled at 49.89kHz! Pretty neat, eh?
If the amount of memory is your problem, than you can lower the maximum
number of patterns by pressing the SM button in the Option menu. A
small box will pop up and the current max. amount of patters will be
shown. The default is $80 patterns.
Octalyser supports the UMP-modules, and four of them can be loaded
directly into the Octalyser. To be able to do this, press the
UCDM 3 button in the Option menu. A smaller menu will appear on the
screen. There are four slots available for UMP modules. Select one of
them and use LOAD to load an UMP into the Octalyser. The lenght of
the UMP module is shown, and you can switch onto the UMP module in the
selected slot by pressing the USE button. If you want to use the
built-in replay routine, press the USE button again. The UMP standard
will be documented as soon as possible, stay in touch. The BP button
in the UCDM 3 menu allows you to choose the number of pattern lines
showed. You'll often need to adjust the number of pattern lines when
using the UMP modules. The UMP module might be faster or slower than the
built in routine, so finetuning is often necessery. By default, when
pressing the USE-button, the number of lines is set to 1.
. .
oOo SAMPLE MENU oOo
O O
Version 0.8NC contains no real sample edit function. Basically, the only
thing you can do is to show the sample wave. However you can select
between 3 different modes: True, Fast and Plot. Note that when playing a
UMP you cant enter this menu.
There are several sample effects under the development and few of them
are already finished. Here is a list of effects that we are planning to
include. * marks the effect that is already developed:
* Fade In
* Fade Out
* Hall Echo, with and without sample resizing
Different Reverb-effects
Sample Normalize (recalculates sample volume and finetune)
Zero-Looping
Spectrum Analyzer
We will of course include all normal copy/paste functions too. At this
very moment, we have some problems with memory resizing, but that is due
to be solved soon.
Please contact us, or your nearest elite Atari BBS for latest updates of
Octalyser STE.
. .
oOo DISK MENU oOo
O O
Disk menu offers you options to load and save samples and modules. You
can also delete files from the Disk menu. Note that when playing a UMP
you cant enter this menu.
As we assume that Octalyser users can handle loading and saving, these
functions will not be commented any further, however the time I'm writing
this, the load routine cannot handle TCB-modules, but we are hoping to
recieve the documentation upon the TCB-format before the 0.8 is being
released.
. .
oOo MIDI SUPPORT oOo
O O
Octalyser 0.8NC offers no MIDI support. Future version will support
polyphonic MIDI input and recording.
The MIDI menu will be used to select which channels the Octalyser will
take data from. Rest of the channels will be passed thru, meaning that
you could for instance use channels 1, 2 and 3 for drums via the
Octalyser and send the rest of the channels to your Kurzweil K2000 (if
you have one, I don't, snyft).
The Octalyser will probably support pitch bending and volume control via
the MIDI.
. .
oOo REGISTRATION oOo
O O
Full version will be available in the nearest future. To recieve a
copy of it, you must fill in the registration form (enclosed separately)
and print it out (or write it down if you don't have access to a printer)
Include 100skr if you live in Sweden. If you live in Europe, include one
of the following currencies (registration + Post and package):
£12 (England), 25DEM (Germany), 110dkr (Denmark), 110nkr (Norway)
If you live in a European country others than those listed above, then
please excange your local currency to either pounds, german marks,
danish crowns or norweigian crowns.
If you live in the US of A, then send $18.
Rest of the world should exchange their local currencies to one of those
listed above.
Registration forms should be sent to:
Octalyser support c/o Davor Slutej (ALAN F/REWARD)
Södra Allégatan 18/3
722 14 Västerås
Sweden
. .
oOo CONTACT ADRESSES, BBSes, PHONE NUMBERS oOo
O O
Official Octalyser SUPPORT BBSes:
Vodka BBS - 2:206/209 - +46-(0)21-112076 - 00-24 - Sysop Alan F/Reward
Chaotic BBS - +46-(0)456-25134 - 22-07 - Sysop Chaos/Reward
Contact addresses:
CODE of TBL:
Christian Dahl
Fotbollsvägen 11
735 37 Surahammar
Sweden
Telephone: +46-(0)220-36380
Alan F. of REWARD:
Davor Slutej
Södra allégatan 18:3
722 14 Västerås
Sweden
NetMail: 2:206/209
Telephone: +46-(0)21-135980
Blade of New Core:
Tord Jansson
Telephone: +46-(0)431-65055
Thanks to our beta-testers: Martin Larsson, Per Flygare, Jason/Unit 17
Elof/Unit 17, Håkan Bratt, Mephisto/Dead Meat
The Team of Octalyser, We Make You A Beliver
"Live long and prosper"