The Game Master (3rd Edition)

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M I D I T O O N Plus M I D I T O O N Plus User's Guide Version 4.45 and Above Gary Brent 4829 W. Loma Ln. Glendale, AZ 85302 (602) 937-5208 MIDITOON MIDITOON User's Guide User's Guide by Gary Brent Contributors James Rhodes Elam Bill Belisle Ray McVay Mary Jane Brent Tracy Lodmell Clarissa Quoodalk TRADEMARKS MIDITOON is a trademark and tradename of Gary R. Brent. PC-DOS, IBM PC, XT, and AT are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation. MS-DOS is a registered trademark of Microsoft, Inc. Yamaha, DX27, DX100, DX21, DX7, TX-81Z and FB-01 are registered trademarks of Yamaha International Corporation. Casio and CZ-101 are registered trademarks of Casio, Inc. DISCLAIMER The author has made a sincere effort to ensure the accuracy of the material described herein; however, the author makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the quality, correctness, reliability, currentness, accuracy, or freedom from error of this document, the software programs supplied with it, or the products it describes. The author makes no representation or warranty with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of fitness for any particular purpose. The author disclaims all liability for any direct, indirect, incidental or consequential, special or exemplary damages resulting from the use of the information in this document or from the use of any products described in or supplied with this document. Mention of any product does not constitute an endorsement of that product. COPYRIGHT NOTICE This manual, and the software programs (including the audiovisual displays created therewith) and sample data files which accompany it, are protected by federal copyright law, and all rights are reserved by Gary R. Brent. No remuneration may be accepted for MIDITOON expect by the author, Gary R. Brent, 4829 W. Loma Ln., Glendale, AZ 85302. Copyright (C) 1986, 1987 by Gary R. Brent All Rights Reserved C O N T E N T S Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Using this Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 A Synopsis of MIDITOON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Description and Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 System Setup and Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Screen Information Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Data Entry Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Cursor Movement Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Voice Activation and Display Control Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Menu Selections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 A Brief Tutorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Demonstration Tune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Important Suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Appendix I: Outline of MIDITOON Menu Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Appendix II: MIDI Note Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Appendix III: Format and Contents of CONFIG.MID . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Appendix IV: Suggested Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Introduction Introduction MIDITOON was designed for home computer users who have a desire to create music, but perhaps have not had much traditional musical training. Experienced musicians interested in the potential applications of computers in music will also find some valuable and sophisticated features in MIDITOON. Novice musicians: please don't be alarmed by the use of musical terminology in this manual. Experimentation, and reference to music texts (see Appendix IV) will go a long way towards clarifying things. MIDI and MIDITOON allow the potential musician, who, for whatever reason, has not been willing or able to develop "chops" (musical instrument technique), to enjoy the creation and arrangement of music. With a relatively inexpensive synthesizer, such as a Casio CZ-101 or a Yamaha FB-01, the potential musician can, with the aid of the computer and MIDI interface, "play" an entire band's worth of instruments. MIDITOON displays music in PRN ("Piano Roll Notation"), which is a systematic and intuitive (though not conventional) method of representing layers of pitches. Only a minimal understanding of traditional music notation is required (for example, to understand the symbols on the keyboard template). MIDITOON is further designed so that the various attributes of a song--tempo, loudness, instrument assignment, etc.--are explicitly visible and under the full and easy control of the user. The designers of MIDITOON do not wish to discourage you from learning to play a musical instrument, or from learning more about traditional musical notation--the more you learn, the richer your use of MIDITOON will be. For trained and novice musicians alike, however, MIDITOON offers the chance to realize and experiment with musical ideas which may have otherwise been inaccessible. Appendix IV of this manual provides a selective bibliography which might help you in your exploration of music. Using this Manual Using this Manual You should read this manual straight through once; certain sections will be especially useful for repeated reference during your use of MIDITOON. The manual contains installation instructions as well as a brief tutorial. A few special typographic conventions are employed: First, bold print within a series of steps indicates some action you are bold print to perform. underlined text indicates something that you are to literally type. _______________ Special keys--those that do not print ordinary characters--are represented in angle brackets. For example, the "Enter" or "Return" key is represented as <Enter>. <Enter> 1 A Synopsis of MIDITOON A Synopsis of MIDITOON MIDITOON is a music composition system designed for use with an IBM or 100%- compatible computer, MS/PC-DOS 2.0 or higher, a Roland MPU-401 or Syntech MIDI interface, and a MIDI-capable music synthesizer. Your computer system should have a color monitor and a Color Graphics Adapter (CGA). Other color graphics cards which emulate CGA (such as the EGA card) can also work. MIDITOON will also work with Compaq monitors. At least 256 Kb RAM (memory) is recommended; 640 Kb is desirable. A hard disk is useful but not required. As with most software, MIDITOON will perform most efficiently on an IBM PC/AT or other "fast" machine. With MIDITOON, you can compose songs in up to eight parts (voices) and play the songs on a synthesizer. Each voice may be assigned a new timbre (patch, program) at any time during the course of the song. Note-on and note-off velocity may be set at any point for each voice. The tempo may also be changed at any point in the score. A host of advanced song-editing and modification commands are available. MIDITOON features an easy-to-use version of PRN ("Piano-Roll Notation") and has complete song editing facilities. (PRN has seen increasing use in modern texts on music theory and composition, and is used in a number of computer composition and MIDI sequencing systems.) MIDITOON is entirely oriented towards unidirectional, computer-to- synthesizer communication; it does not receive, record, or transcribe music played by a person on a synthesizer. It ignores all information sent from the synthesizer to the computer. Description and Specifications Description and Specifications Voices 8; numbered 1 through 8 and activated during editing by pressing the appropriate number key (not function key) on the top row of the keyboard. Maximum playing time (potential score capacity) Per song: 10 minutes, 50 seconds; varies with amount of main memory (RAM) in the computer. Timbres/Program (Patch) Changes Fully assignable for each voice at any mixel*. The effect, of course, depends on the synthesizer being used. Patch numbers 1 to 128 (i.e., MIDI program change codes 0 to 127) may be selected. ____________________________________ * Note: A mixel (cf. pixel) is a musical element. This is the minimum unit of resolution used in MIDITOON, and is defined as 1/3 of a 32nd note. The absolute resolution of MIDITOON therefore depends on the tempo selected. The absolute error of MIDITOON's placement of MIDI events within the mixel continuum is normally less than 10 milliseconds. 2 Description and Specifications (Continued) Variable Key Velocity Note-on and note-off velocity for any particular voice may be assigned freely at any mixel; these will have an effect only if the musical event at that mixel is a note-on or note-off event. Crescendo and decrescendo commands are also available. Tempo Assignable at any mixel. May range from 10 to 250 quarter notes per minute. Mixel Capacity 6900 maximum (with 640 Kb RAM), represented on 23 static score pages, numbered 0 to 22. Mixel positions are numbered starting with 0. The number of pages can vary with the RAM available. Musical Range MIDI key numbers 0 through 127 (i.e., the entire range supported by MIDI). A configuration option allows you to place markers indicating the actual playable range for your synthesizer. For your reference, the lines of the treble and bass clefs are marked on the left border of the score box. Channels Used By default, MIDI data is sent one voice per channel, using channels 0 through 7. A configuration selection is available which will force all voice data to be sent over a single channel (channel 0). System Setup and Configuration System Setup and Configuration You should obtain a version of MIDITOON appropriate for your MIDI interface. Note for users of the older "shareware" version: A program MIDICONV.COM is provided to convert tune files (extension .MIT) from the old MIDITOON to the new format (extension MDT). 3 Configuration Configuration MIDITOON uses a file called CONFIG.MID. (For a detailed description of the format and contents of this file, refer to Appendix III.) This file will contain information such as the name of your synthesizer, the synthesizer's musical range, the colors you wish to display by default (at start-up), and, most importantly, the names of each program (patch) you plan to use on the synthesizer and what the synthesizer's MIDI program code is for the patch. Several sample configuration files have been provided (for example, one is included for use with the Casio CZ-101) to help you get started. A program called INSTOON.COM is included which will copy an appropriate sample file to CONFIG.MID. INSTOON can then be used to further modify the file and customize it to your specific system. 1. To run INSTOON, first log on to the disk or subdirectory containing To run INSTOON, first log on to the disk or subdirectory containing your MIDITOON files. your MIDITOON files. 2. INSTOON <Enter> <Enter> _______ 3. If you're installing MIDITOON for the first time, go through each If you're installing MIDITOON for the first time, go through each option on the main menu. The INSTOON program will provide further option on the main menu. The INSTOON program will provide further explanations for each configuration option. explanations for each configuration option. INSTOON may also be used to make selective modifications to an existing CONFIG.MID file. You should make sure that your synthesizer is set up correctly for use with MIDITOON and your MIDI interface. The MIDI OUT of the interface should be connected to MIDI IN on the synthesizer. If you're using a Roland MPU-401 MIDI interface, you should unplug the cable connected to "MIDI IN" on the MPU-401. This is especially important if you have an "active sensing transmitted" synthesizer. If your synthesizer receives information on one channel only, you should set that basic channel to 0 (or the lowest available; often this is labelled 1 rather than 0 on the synthesizer's display panel). If your synthesizer receives on multiple channels, set it so that it responds to MIDI channels 0 through 7 (called, on most synthesizers, 1 through 8). Casio CZ-101 Casio CZ-101 To use the multi-timbral capabilities of this synthesizer, it should be set to its "MONO" mode with the basic channel as 1. Note that in multi-timbral mode, the CZ can play no more than four voices simultaneously. Yamaha FB-01 or TX-81Z Yamaha FB-01 or TX-81Z Many configurations are possible with these sophisticated sound sources. You should set up your configuration for MIDITOON so that each instrument is associated with one MIDI channel only. 4 Configuration (Continued) The FB-01 configuration memory 18 (called "mono 8") is suitable for use with MIDITOON. A sample configuration file (CONFIG.FB1, accessible through INSTOON) is available for "mono 8." Other interesting configurations are also possible (see below). If you use MIDITOON's samples "mono 8" configuration, you must set the FB-01 to use configuration memory 18. One useful setup is to copy your favorite selection of 48 preset voices to Voice bank 1. Then copy the same voices to Voice bank 2. Detune instruments 5 through 8 by -6 units, and associate instruments 5-8 with Voice bank 2. Associate instruments 1-4 with bank 1. In this way, if instruments from bank 1 are played in conjunction with instruments from bank 2, an acoustically richer chorus-like effect will be produced. Files Required for Everyday Operation Files Required for Everyday Operation Once you have completed SETUP and configuration with INSTOON, the only files you need to use MIDITOON are MIDITOON.COM, CONFIG.MID, and CGAEGAR.000 (or CGAEGAS.000). To run MIDITOON, simply log on to the disk or directory containing To run MIDITOON, simply log on to the disk or directory containing MIDITOON.COM, CONFIG.MID, and MIDITOON.000 and type MIDITOON <Enter>. MIDITOON.COM, CONFIG.MID, and MIDITOON.000 and type MIDITOON <Enter>. Function Key Template Function Key Template The function keys are used often in MIDITOON; their meanings are as follows: Key Meaning F1 Half note F2 Half rest F3 Quarter note F4 Quarter rest F5 Eighth note F6 Eighth rest F7 Sixteenth note F8 Sixteenth rest F9 Thirty-second note F10 Thirty-second rest If <Shift> is pressed in conjunction with a function key, the note or rest will be of 1-1/2 duration (i.e., it will be a dotted note or rest); if <Ctrl> is used, the duration will be 1/3 (e.g., for use as part of a triplet). 5 Screen Information Display Screen Information Display A page of the musical score is displayed within a box centered on the screen. PRN (Piano Roll Notation) is used: musical notes are represented as horizontal lines, with the length of the line proportional to the duration of the note. A blank area indicates a period of silence. Half note (48 mixels) ________________ Quarter note (24 mixels) ________ Eighth note (12 mixels) ____ Sixteenth note (6 mixels) __ Thirty-second note (3 mixels) _ Notes of other durations--standard or non-standard--can easily be constructed by turning mixels on or off with the <Ins> and <Del> keys. The higher a line (the closer to the top of the box), the higher the pitch of the note. This corresponds to the traditional principles of staff notation. Notice again that the lines of the treble and bass clefs are displayed, for reference, at the left and right edges of the score page box. The top section of the screen contains information about the current voice and the current cursor position. 1. The note (vertical position) that the cursor is currently positioned on is indicated in the upper left corner of the display. The note name is given, along with the MIDI note number in parentheses (see Appendix II for more information on MIDI note numbers). For example, C (60) indicates that the cursor is positioned on the note C, MIDI number 60 (this is middle C). 2. The MIDI octave number of the note is indicated. The octave number may range from -2 (lowest) to 8 (highest). 3. The cursor's mixel position is indicated. This will range from 0 to a maximum of 6899 (the upper limit depends on your computer's RAM). 4. One the second line, the velocity value (ranging from 1 to 127) at the current mixel position is displayed. This value is significant only if the mixel represents a new musical event (i.e., the beginning of a new note or of a rest) in the currently selected voice. 6 Screen Information Display (Continued) 5. The time signature is indicated. This is simply for reference, and has no effect on the MIDI data produced or saved by MIDITOON. The beginning of each measure is indicated by a small dot displayed directly above the score box. 6. The current tempo setting is indicated. Tempo changes within the score are marked by small T's above the score box. 7. The score page (ranging from 0 to a maximum of 22) is indicated. 8. On the third line, the number of the current voice (1-8) is indicated. 9. The name or description of the active program (in MIDI usage, "program" is synonymous with "patch"), for the current voice, is indicated. The location of a patch change (for one or more voices) is indicated by a small P displayed directly below the score box. 10. The current output level (volume) for the current voice is indicated by a vertical bar. The height of the bar is proportional to the level. Level changes will have an effect on Yamaha synthesizers (e.g., the FB-01) and certain other synthesizers which use MIDI control change code 7 to represent volume. 11. The current measure number is indicated. The first measure is numbered 1. 12. The EOT (End-of-Tune) marker is indicated by an E displayed below the score box. 7 Data Entry Keys Data Entry Keys Key(s) Description <F1> - <F10> Notes and rests for the current voice are entered by pressing the appropriate function key (see your keyboard template). Dotted values (1.5 x) are obtained by using <Shift> with the function key; 1/3 values (for triplets) are obtained by using <Ctrl>. Observe that three eighth notes marked as a triplet (in traditional musical notation) are to sound in the time of two eighth notes, or one quarter note; in MIDITOON, therefore, <Ctrl F3> (i.e., <Ctrl Quarter-Note>) is used to produce each note of the triplet. <Ins> and <Del> The <Ins> and <Del> keys may be used to turn a note on or off, respectively, for a single mixel. As with the function keys, only the current voice is affected. <Ins> and <Del> do not expand or contract the score. Cursor Movement Keys Cursor Movement Keys Key(s) Description <Up> Moves the cursor up 1 semitone (half-step). <Down> Moves the cursor down 1 semitone. <Left> Moves the cursor 1 mixel to the left. <Right> Moves the cursor 1 mixel to the right. <Ctrl Left> Moves the cursor 12 mixels (an eighth note's length) to the left. <Ctrl Right> Moves the cursor 12 mixels to the right. grey * or - Moves the cursor up 1 octave (12 semitones). grey + Moves the cursor down 1 octave (12 semitones). <Home> Moves the cursor to the first mixel on the current score page, and positions it at Middle C (MIDI note number 60). <End> Moves the cursor to the last mixel on the current score page, and positions it at Middle C (MIDI note number 60). <PgDn> Moves to the next score page (if pressed when the current score page is the last page, then <PgDn> moves back to the first page). 8 Cursor Movement Keys (Continued) <PgUp> Moves to the previous score page. <Tab> Jumps to a specific score page (you will be prompted to type in the page number). <Shift Tab> Jumps to a specific measure number (you will be prompted to type in the measure number). During data entry or cursor movement, the score page will change automatically if the cursor crosses a page boundary. Voice Activation and Display Control Keys Voice Activation and Display Control Keys The current voice is by default displayed in magenta (violet); other voices are in cyan (blue). The display palette may be changed temporarily by pressing <Alt P>; the background by pressing <Alt B>. For your reference, after pressing either of these keys, the current background and palette numbers are indicated at the bottom of the screen. (The indicator will disappear when any key is pressed.) The background and palette settings may also be permanently changed by modifying the CONFIG.MID file with the configuration program INSTOON.COM. Activate a voice by pressing its number (from 1 through 8) on the top row of the keyboard. (If your keyboard has function keys along its top row, don't confuse these with the ordinary numeric keys.) Menu Selections Menu Selections Access the menu by pressing / (the slash key). Most menu options are then selected by pressing the first letter of the option name. You can back out of most menu selections by pressing \ (the backslash key) repeatedly. Play Play Sends MIDI data to the synthesizer. All voices, the current voice, or a selected combination of voices, for either a range (section of the tune) or the whole tune, may be played. Playing may be interrupted by pressing any key, in which case the cursor will position to the end of the last note played before interruption. Save Save Saves the tune on the disk. Tune files have an extension of MDT. Along with the note information itself, any tempo changes, program changes, level changes, and velocity changes are saved. Either a range or the whole tune can be saved. Retrv (Retrieve) Retrv (Retrieve) Recalls a tune from the disk. If "Whole-tune" is selected, then the current contents of the score will be erased and replaced by the recalled tune. If "Range" is selected, the recalled tune will overlay (replace) data for the current tune, starting at the current horizontal cursor position (vertical position doesn't matter). 9 Menu Selections (Continued) Copy Copy Copies a range, for the current voice or all voices. If the target range contains data, it will be replaced by the copied data. (See "Special Suggestions" below.) Move Move Moves a range, for the current voice or all voices. The source range is erased (but not contracted); information in the target range is replaced. Insert Insert Inserts blank space (which indicates musical silence) for either the current voice or all voices. The location and size of the inserted space can be controlled. The score is expanded to accommodate the new blank mixels. This command is different from the <Ins> key. Delete Delete Removes tune data and contracts the score, for either the current voice or all voices. The location and size of the deleted space can be controlled. This command is different from the <Del> key. Erase Erase Replaces tune data with blank mixels. Affects either a range or the whole tune, for the current voice only or all voices. Does not contract the score. Program, tempo, level, and velocity changes are also erased. If /Erase All-voices Whole-tune is specified, the entire score is erased and all settings are returned to their default, start-up values. Transfrm (Transform) Transfrm (Transform) There are five options on the Transform menu: Transpose, Retrograde, Inversion, Generate, and Harmony-help. Transpose Transpose Transposes either the current voice or all voices, for either a range or the whole tune, up or down by any interval from one semitone to one octave. Larger transposition intervals may be achieved by multiple uses of the command. Retrograde Retrograde Produces the retrograde (reversal), for either the current voice or all voices, for either a range or the whole tune. 10 Menu Selections (Continued) Inversion Inversion Produces the melodic (exact) inversion, for the current voice only, for either a range of the whole tune. The inversion is exact, so a diatonic melody may no longer be so after inversion. The inversion can be thought of as a mirror-image of the original; the "axis of symmetry" is the first note of the sequence. Note: A melody has four fundamental forms: the original, the retrograde, the inversion, and the retrograde inversion. In MIDITOON, the retrograde inversion can easily be produced by successive applications of the Retrograde and Inversion commands. Generate Generate This command is a new addition to MIDITOON. The Generate command prompts you for various settings (generation parameters), then creates a melody in the current voice. Warning: the generated melody will start at mixel position 0 and will replace some portion of whatever note data the current voice contains. The Generate command is an example of CAC--Computer Aided Composition. Its purpose is to create melodic fragments, portions of which you may identify as "good" and then incorporate into a composition. The method used to create the melody is Voss's 1/f Noise Algorithm for fractal music, as described very clearly by Martin Gardner (see the Bibliography in this document). You can think of the melody generation method as one of throwing dice in a special way, to create a sequence of numbers (which are mapped to notes) that have a statistical "memory" of previous throws. The best way to learn about the Generate command is to experiment with it. The computer throws simulated dice for two song attributes: Melody and Rhythm. In each case it will ask for the number of dice, and the number of sides the dice are to have. The number of dice will affect the "period" (cycle) of the generated melody; the number of sides, as well as the number of dice, will affect the number of distinct notes that can be picked (mapped). You will be prompted for which notes to "map" the numbers to. You can try the chromatic scale (one-to-one mapping with no notes skipped), or some other scale--e.g., pentatonic, major, etc. Your specification of notes for mapping will have a profound effect on the resulting melody. If you wish the melody to have a strong tonal center, is important to map the notes so that the mean (average, middle) number to be mapped will be on the desired tonal center note. 11 Menu Selections (Continued) Following are some scales to try for note mapping; many other variants and formations are possible. The first note in each scale can be used as the tonal center. C Major (7 notes) C D E F G A B (C, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 D Dorian (7 notes) D E F G A B C (D, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 A Minor Natural (7 notes) A B C D E F G (A, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 D Pentatonic (5 notes) D E G A B (D, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 1 E Pentatonic (5 notes) E G A B D (E, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 1 A Pentatonic (5 notes) A B D E G (A, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 1 Ditonic (<> Diatonic) (5 notes) C E F G B (C, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 1 Russo's C Lixian (7 notes) C D E F# G A Bb (C, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 Stravinsky synthetic (5 notes) G A Bb C F (G, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 1 Bartok synthetic 1 (7 notes) E F# G# A B C D (E, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 Bartok synthetic 2 (7 notes) G A B C# D E F (G, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 Britten synthetic (7 notes) G Ab Bb C D Eb F# (G, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 "Gypsy" (7 notes) B C# D E# F# G A# (B, etc.) Scale note numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 You will also go through a similar mapping procedure for rhythmic values. It is suggested that you first use the same number dice for rhythm (i.e., establish the same period) as for the melody. You may wish to make a record of your settings (or do print-screens). 12 Menu Selections (Continued) To experiment with Generate, try, for both melody and rhythm, 3 dice, 6 sides, mapped to the D Pentatonic scale. Start the note mapping at 45 A. For rhythm, choose mostly 8th and 16th notes, with a couple of rests. The system will not generate sequences longer than 200 notes. Harmony-help Harmony-help This is a small feature to help some users identify triads which share common note(s). Attrib (Attributes) Attrib (Attributes) There are ten options on the Attributes menu: Tempo, Meter, Note-skip, Velocity, Dynamics, Prog-Change, Level, Rep, End-mark, and Stats. Tempo Tempo The tempo, expressed in number of quarter notes per minute, may be set to any whole number from 10 to 250. The tempo can be changed at any mixel. The default tempo is 100. Tempo changes are marked with T's above the score box (do not confuse with measure markers, which are indicated by dots directly above the score box). The stems of the tempo-change T's line up with the location of the tempo change. Meter Meter A single time signature may be specified for the entire tune. This will have no audible effect; the feature is provided so that you may use the measure markers for reference. Meter specifications are not saved with the tune file. If you want certain notes specially accented, you should change the velocity settings for them. Note-skip Note-skip By default, Note-skip is on, and has the effect of reducing the duration of a note by one mixel. This produces what is usually a natural, brief period of silence between notes. For example, the full duration of an eighth note is 12 mixels. With Note-skip on, the eighth note will ring (play) for 11 mixels, followed by 1 mixel of silence. This note-skip effect is clearly verifiable on the display screen. For sequences of thirty-second notes, it is advisable to turn Note-skip off. Remember, however, that for a given mixel to be articulated as the beginning of a new note, the preceding mixel must represent either silence or a note of a different pitch. 13 Menu Selections (Continued) Velocity Velocity The velocity (ranging from 1 for "very soft" to 127 for "very loud"), for each voice, may be set at any mixel. The velocity setting will have an audible effect only if the mixel represents the first or last mixel of a note. (Your synthesizer must, of course, be able to respond to velocity data.) Dynamics Dynamics The Dynamics of a section of the tune may be affected using either velocity settings or level settings. Three choices in dynamics are possible: Crescendo, Decrescendo (same meaning as diminuendo), and Set. These commands affect the current voice only. Crescendo Crescendo A crescendo (notes increasingly louder) effect may be produced via this command. If MIDITOON uses velocity changes to produce crescendo, you specify the starting velocity, the final velocity, and the range of the score to be affected. In such a case only the note-on mixels for the current voice are changed. Decrescendo Decrescendo Same as above, except a decrescendo (notes becoming softer) effect is produced. Set Set Allows you to change the velocity of every mixel within a range to a specific value. Prog-Change (Program Change; Patch Change) Prog-Change (Program Change; Patch Change) The patch or program may be changed, for any voice, at any mixel. A "No Change" (NC) option is also available. Program changes should be made during a rest (i.e., on a blank mixel), or on the very first mixel of a note. P's appearing directly below the score page box indicate the presence of program changes at the corresponding mixel. The stem of the P lines up with the location of the program change. Level Level The output level (volume) may be set for each voice. This command is designed for use with Yamaha DX, TX, and FB-series synthesizers. Normally the Level command is used to help limit the loudness of an "instrument" so that it does not drown out other instruments. 14 Menu Selections (Continued) Rep (Replicate Program/Level/Volume changes) Rep (Replicate Program/Level/Volume changes) Used to copy the most recent program, level, and volume changes to the current cursor position. Since during leftward cursor movement, MIDITOON must search back to find the most recent changes, duplicating these settings can help improve cursor performance (see "Important Suggestions" below). The Rep command should be issued only when the cursor is positioned on a mixel where every note (for each voice) is off, or where for each voice a new note is just starting. End-mark End-mark MIDITOON indicates what it recognizes as the end of the tune by writing an E below the score box. With the End-mark command, you can manually adjust the mixel position to where the End-of-Tune marker should appear. Note that when the "Whole-tune" is manipulated or saved, information beyond the End-of-Tune marker may not be affected. Stats (Statistics) Stats (Statistics) Displays the amount of time (expressed as a percentage of the total number of sounding mixels) each note of the scale sounds (range or whole tune; current voice or all). This note usage information can help identify the scale employed in a tune. Note that if the range examined straddles a modulation point, then the statistics may be confusing or misleading. The Stats option also displays the proportion of various melodic intervals for the current voice. L-Copy (Line-Copy) L-Copy (Line-Copy) Copies data for the current voice, for either a range or the whole tune, to another voice. The target voice is specified by its number (1-8). This is a convenient way to set up voice-doubling and fugue-like structures. Output Output Prints out the tune (range or whole). This standard text output consumes a lot of paper, but does provide a detailed hard-copy version of the tune. You should set your printer, if possible, to compressed print (e.g., 16 characters-per-inch) and 8 lines-per-inch vertical pitch. If you have a graphics screen-dump program (such as GRAPHICS.COM, supplied with DOS), and a graphics-compatible printer which it supports, you may wish to use it with MIDITOON. Quit Quit Returns to DOS; prompts for confirmation. Does not automatically save the tune. 15 A Brief Tutorial A Brief Tutorial This section comprises a hands-on tutorial on some of the basic features of MIDITOON. The subject song will be "Row Your Boat" (which should be familiar to most users). Before you start, you should make sure that your synthesizer is powered-up and connected correctly, and that it is set for MIDI operation. CZ-101 owners should make sure that "MONO" mode is on; FB-01 owners should make sure that the proper configuration is active (configuration 18, "mono 8," if you're using the standard FB-01 CONFIG.MID file). 1. Log on to the disk or subdirectory containing MIDITOON; MPU-401 users Log on to the disk or subdirectory containing MIDITOON; MPU-401 users should unplug the cable to MIDI IN on the MPU before starting the should unplug the cable to MIDI IN on the MPU before starting the program. program. 2. MIDITOON <Enter> _________________ This notation means that you are to type MIDITOON and press <Enter>. The MIDITOON introductory screen will appear. Notice that the screen indicates the MIDI interface and configuration filename. (A "C" appearing by the revision number indicates that MIDITOON is set up for a color display adaptor.) 3. Y _ "Y" for "Yes, continue." After a brief delay, a blank MIDITOON score page should display. Notice that the cursor is by default positioned at vertical position 60 (middle C), horizontal position 0. The T, P, and E at the beginning of the score indicate placement of the default tempo, program, and end-mark settings. 4. Experiment with each of the following keys, noting how they move the Experiment with each of the following keys, noting how they move the cursor and how the affect the information display at the top of the cursor and how the affect the information display at the top of the screen. screen. <Right> <Ctrl Right> <Left> <Ctrl Left> <PgDn> <Right> <Ctrl Right> <Left> <Ctrl Left> <PgDn> <End> <Home> <PgUp> * + - <End> <Home> <PgUp> * + - 5. Use the <GoTo> key ( <Tab> ) to return to the first page (page 0): Use the <GoTo> key ( <Tab> ) to return to the first page (page 0): <GoTo> 0 <Enter> __________________ Now you will enter the melody to "Row Your Boat." Have your function key template handy. Note that the only cursor movements required for this section (unless you have to backtrack because of a mistake) are vertical-entering notes automatically advances the cursor horizontally. The melody will be written in the key of C Major. 1. Move the cursor (if necessary) to horizontal position 0; vertical Move the cursor (if necessary) to horizontal position 0; vertical position C (60). position C (60). 2. The first two notes of the melody are quarter notes, both C. So press The first two notes of the melody are quarter notes, both C. So press <F3> <F3>. ____ ____ 16 A Brief Tutorial (Continued) Two note lines should now be present, and the cursor should be at horizontal position 48. These first two notes correspond to "Row, row..." in the song. 3. The next note of the melody is a dotted eighth note, also on C. The next note of the melody is a dotted eighth note, also on C. Observe that the function key template indicates that dotted values Observe that the function key template indicates that dotted values may be obtained be pressing <Shift> simultaneously with the note key. may be obtained be pressing <Shift> simultaneously with the note key. <Shift F5> __________ The cursor should now be at horizontal position 66. This note corresponds to the third "...row..." in the song. 4. The next two notes are a sixteenth and a quarter; the sixteenth is on The next two notes are a sixteenth and a quarter; the sixteenth is on D and the quarter on E. D and the quarter on E. Move the cursor straight up to D (62); <F7> Move the cursor straight up to D (62); ____ Move the cursor straight up to E (64); <F3> Move the cursor straight up to E (64); ____ These two notes correspond to "...your boat..." in the song. The cursor should now be at horizontal position 96. Notice that you have also reached a measure marker (the default time signature is 4/4, and the measure boundary is indicated by a small dot at the top of the score box). 5. Now is a good time to check your work and hear the melodic fragment Now is a good time to check your work and hear the melodic fragment played: played: / Play All-voices Whole-tune lay ll-voices hole-tune ___ _ _ After a few seconds, the synthesizer should play what you've entered thus far. Note that since the other seven voices contain no information (i.e., are silent), it is irrelevant whether "All-voices" or "Current-Voice" is specified in the above command sequence. 6. The cursor should still be at horizontal position 96, vertical The cursor should still be at horizontal position 96, vertical position E (64). Follow the instructions below to enter notes for the position E (64). Follow the instructions below to enter notes for the next measure: next measure: <Shift F5> __________ Move straight down to D (62); <F7> Move straight down to D (62); ____ The two preceding notes: "...gent-ly..." Move straight up to E (64); <Shift F5> Move straight up to E (64); __________ "...down..." Move straight up to F (65); <F7> Move straight up to F (65); ____ "...the..." Move straight up to G (67); <F1> Move straight up to G (67); ____ "...stream..." 17 A Brief Tutorial (Continued) 7. Use the Play command (as in step 5 above) to listen to what you've Use the Play command (as in step 5 above) to listen to what you've entered thus far. entered thus far. The cursor should be on horizontal position 192, vertical position G (67). 8. The next measure ("...merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily...") is The next measure ("...merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily...") is composed entirely of triplets. Remember that a group of three eighth composed entirely of triplets. Remember that a group of three eighth notes sounding as a triplet has the duration of one quarter note; so notes sounding as a triplet has the duration of one quarter note; so you will want to use the <Ctrl> key to make each note in this measure you will want to use the <Ctrl> key to make each note in this measure the length of 1/3 of a quarter note. Follow the instructions below to the length of 1/3 of a quarter note. Follow the instructions below to enter the third measure: enter the third measure: Move straight up to C (72); Move straight up to C (72); <Ctrl F3> <Ctrl F3> <Ctrl F3> _______________________________ The first "...me-rri-ly..." Move straight down to G (67); Move straight down to G (67); <Ctrl F3> <Ctrl F3> <Ctrl F3> _______________________________ The second "...me-rri-ly..." Move straight down to E (64); Move straight down to E (64); <Ctrl F3> <Ctrl F3> <Ctrl F3> _______________________________ The third "...me-rri-ly..." Move straight down to C (60); Move straight down to C (60); <Ctrl F3> <Ctrl F3> <Ctrl F3> _______________________________ The fourth "...me-rri-ly..." The cursor should now be at horizontal position 288, vertical position C (60). 9. Use the instructions below to enter notes for the final measure. Use the instructions below to enter notes for the final measure. Observe that you will cross a score page boundary (from page 0 to page Observe that you will cross a score page boundary (from page 0 to page 1). 1). Move straight up to G (67); Move straight up to G (67); <Shift F5> __________ "...life..." Move straight down to F (65); Move straight down to F (65); <F7> ____ "...is..." Move straight down to E (64); Move straight down to E (64); <Shift F5> __________ "...but..." 18 A Brief Tutorial (Continued) Move straight down to D (62); Move straight down to D (62); <F7> ____ "...a..." Move straight down to C (60); Move straight down to C (60); <F1> ____ "...dream." This completes the entry of the melody. 10. Play the completed melody (as in step 5 above). Play the completed melody (as in step 5 above). There are many commands in MIDITOON, most of which allow you to affect a range (section) of the tune or the whole tune, for either the current voice only or all voices. (So far there is only one voice in this tune.) In the remainder of this tutorial, a few of the commands will be illustrated. It is important to save your work periodically. The following step illustrates how to save the entire tune. The name ROWBOAT was chosen arbitrarily. / Save Whole-tune ROWBOAT <Enter> ave hole-tune ___ _ ________________ In the next series of steps you will use the Copy command to duplicate the melody in the same voice. 1. Move the cursor to horizontal position 0 (the beginning of the tune). Move the cursor to horizontal position 0 (the beginning of the tune). 2. / Copy Current-voice opy urrent-voice ___ _ 3. You are now prompted to indicate the range to copy from. The various You are now prompted to indicate the range to copy from. The various cursor movement keys and function keys may be used to "paint in" the cursor movement keys and function keys may be used to "paint in" the range to be copied. range to be copied. Use <PgDn> and <Right> to paint to the end of the tune; then press Use <PgDn> and <Right> to paint to the end of the tune; then press <Enter>. <Enter>. 4. You must now specify the target range (at what mixel location the copy You must now specify the target range (at what mixel location the copy is to be placed). Note carefully the message "Target range begins at is to be placed). Note carefully the message "Target range begins at lower address"--this means that after you move the cursor to the lower address"--this means that after you move the cursor to the desired target start mixel, you should "unanchor" so that the lowest desired target start mixel, you should "unanchor" so that the lowest address will be the target. address will be the target. "Paint" to two mixels past the end of the last note of the tune, press "Paint" to two mixels past the end of the last note of the tune, press <BackSpace> to unanchor, then press <Enter>. <BackSpace> to unanchor, then press <Enter>. 19 A Brief Tutorial (Continued) In the next steps you will use the L-Copy command to copy the melody from Voice 1 to Voice 2. Voice 2 will then be transposed down by an octave. The Insert command will then be used to delay the start of the copied voice so that a "round" (canon) will be created. 1. / L-Copy Whole-tune 2 <Enter> -Copy hole-tune ___ _ __________ Voice 2 now exactly overlays Voice 1. 2. 2 _ This makes Voice 2 active. 3. / Transform Transpose Current-voice Whole-tune Down ransform ranspose urrent-voice hole-tune own ___ _ _ _ _ 12 <Enter> ___________ Voice 2 should now appear below Voice 1. Notice the blue color of Voice 1--indicating that it is not the currently active voice. 4. Make sure the cursor is at horizontal position 0. Make sure the cursor is at horizontal position 0. / Insert Current-voice nsert urrent-voice ___ _ 5. You are prompted to indicate the range to insert. Paint from 0 to You are prompted to indicate the range to insert. Paint from 0 to horizontal position 95 (i.e., to the end of the first measure) and horizontal position 95 (i.e., to the end of the first measure) and press <Enter>. press <Enter>. 6. Play the tune (all voices). Play the tune (all voices). You can save this version if you want; in the remaining steps, the original melody will be retrieved and inverted. / Retrieve Whole-tune ROWBOAT <Enter> etrieve hole-tune ___ _ ________________ Just for fun, try the Inversion command on the tune. This produces a "mirror image" reflection of a melody. 1. / Transfrm Inversion Whole-tune <Enter> ransfrm nversion hole-tune ___ _ _ _______ 2. Play the inverted melody. Play the inverted melody. Experiment with other commands--tempo change, program change, crescendo, etc. Remember that most of these commands take effect at the current cursor position--so make sure you have the cursor placed where you want the effect to begin. Demonstration Tune Demonstration Tune Two demonstration tunes, TANTZ.MDT and CLAUDEL.MDT, are included with the MIDITOON package. This first is an arrangement of the first part of "Ein Welscher Tantz Wascha Mesa," a 16th century lute piece by Hans Newsidler. The second is "En forme d'Ouverture" from Henri Sauguet's "Musiques pour Claudel." If you wish, retrieve and play the tunes. They have been set for all voices to play on program 1; you may want to change these and other settings. 20 Important Suggestions Important Suggestions Before you enter new data or use a command, make sure the voice you wish to affect is active. Similarly, pay attention to the cursor's horizontal position: this is the position where such marks as program changes, tempo changes, etc., will be placed. When you mark ranges, use the <BackSpace> to "un-anchor." You may need this more often than you might think. When the program says "Target range begins at lower address," it means it. As you paint in a range, you may notice that blank mixels sometimes cause the top margin of the score to become highlighted at each corresponding point. Referring to these "rest marks" will make it easier to paint in groups of notes. You will also notice a small blinking pixel at the top of the score; this indicates the cursor position during range painting. <Ins> and <Del> on the keyboard are not the same as the Insert and Delete menu commands. <Ins> and <Del> do not affect the length of the tune, whereas the Insert and Delete menu commands expand and contract the tune, respectively. You'll notice that in long pieces, leftward cursor movement is slower if the cursor is towards the end of the tune. This is because MIDITOON must search back through the tune to find the last effective program, level, and tempo changes. You can duplicate these changes periodically (with the /Attrib Rep command) in such pieces if you want to increase the speed of leftward cursor movement. After the last notes of a song, you should probably put some "blank space" (e.g., a quarter rest) to move the tune end-marker over. On some synthesizers, this will allow for a more natural note die-out effect. As a general aesthetic rule, use MIDITOON to vary such attributes as the velocity, tempo, etc., of the tune so that it is more "musical." For example, if a portion of a song is repeated, it should be repeated with some variation--perhaps with a slight change in tempo or note velocities. This will make the music sound less like it is being played by an automaton! When keying-in a multi-voice piece (especially if transcribing from staff notation), complete entering notes for a particular voice and then return to the beginning of the piece before entering data for another voice. (This has simply been found to be easier and less confusing.) If you use shorter note values, you can fit more in the mixel space. For example, if you're transcribing a piece consisting of half notes and quarter notes, enter them in MIDITOON as quarter notes and eighth notes. Save your work often, and make backup copies of disks containing important compositions! 21 Appendix I: Outline of MIDITOON Menu Commands Appendix I: Outline of MIDITOON Menu Commands Play All-voices Range Whole-tune Current-voice Range Whole-tune Selected-voices Range Whole-tune Save Range Whole-tune Retrieve Range Whole-tune Copy All-voices Current-voice Move All-voices Current-voice Insert All-voices Current-voice Delete All-voices Current-voice Erase All-voices Range Whole-tune Current-voice Range Whole-tune Transform Transpose All-voices Range Whole-tune Current-voice Range Whole-tune 22 Appendix I: Outline of MIDITOON Menu Commands (Continued) Transform (continued) Retrograde All-voices Range Whole-tune Current-voice Range Whole-tune Inversion Range Up Down Whole-tune Up Down Generate Harmony-help Attributes Tempo Meter Note-skip Velocity Dynamics Crescendo Decrescendo Set Prog-Change Level Rep End-Mark Stats L-Copy Range Whole-tune Output All-voices Range Whole-tune Current-voice Range Whole-tune Quit 23 Appendix II: MIDI Note Numbers Appendix II: MIDI Note Numbers Octave Note Name MIDI Note Number -2 C 0 C# / D- 1 D 2 D# / E- 3 E 4 F 5 F# / G- 6 G 7 G# / A- 8 A 9 A# / B- 10 B 11 -1 C 12 C# / D- 13 D 14 D# / E- 15 E 16 F 17 F# / G- 18 G 19 G# / A- 20 A 21 A# / B- 22 B 23 0 C 24 C# / D- 25 D 26 D# / E- 27 E 28 F 29 F# / G- 30 G 31 G# / A- 32 A 33 A# / B- 34 B 35 1 C 36 C# / D- 37 D 38 D# / E- 39 E 40 F 41 F# / G- 42 G 43 G# / A- 44 A 45 A# / B- 46 B 47 24 Appendix II: MIDI Note Numbers (Continued) Octave Note Name MIDI Note Number 2 C 48 C# / D- 49 D 50 D# / E- 51 E 52 F 53 F# / G- 54 G 55 G# / A- 56 A 57 A# / B- 58 B 59 3 C 60 Middle C C# / D- 61 D 62 D# / E- 63 E 64 F 65 F# / G- 66 G 67 G# / A- 68 A 69 A 440 Hz (Concert Pitch) A# / B- 70 B 71 4 C 72 C# / D- 73 D 74 D# / E- 75 E 76 F 77 F# / G- 78 G 79 G# / A- 80 A 81 A# / B- 82 B 83 5 C 84 C# / D- 85 D 86 D# / E- 87 E 88 F 89 F# / G- 90 G 91 G# / A- 92 A 93 A# / B- 94 B 95 25 Appendix II: MIDI Note Numbers (Continued) Octave Note Name MIDI Note Number 6 C 96 C# / D- 97 D 98 D# / E- 99 E 100 F 101 F# / G- 102 G 103 G# / A- 104 A 105 A# / B- 106 B 107 7 C 108 C# / D- 109 D 110 D# / E- 111 E 112 F 113 F# / G- 114 G 115 G# / A- 116 A 117 A# / B- 118 B 119 8 C 120 C# / D- 121 D 122 D# / E- 123 E 124 F 125 F# / G- 126 G 127 26 Appendix III: Format and Contents of CONFIG.MID Appendix III: Format and Contents of CONFIG.MID Unless you plan to manually modify the file CONFIG.MID, you do not need to read this section. For those users who wish to modify the file using a text editor, a description of the file format follows. The file CONFIG.MID is read by MIDITOON at program startup. The contents of the file may be modified by using the installation program INSTOON.COM, or by using a text editor. Do not attempt to use a word processor to modify the file unless the word processor has a "non-document" or "ASCII text" mode. Note that sample configuration files (e.g., CONFIG.GEN, CONFIG.FB1, CONFIG.CZ1, etc.) are supplied on the MIDITOON disk. CONFIG.MID is an ASCII text file. Each distinct item occupies its own line (i.e., is terminated by a CR/LF). Line Line Number Number Description Description Format/Comments Format/Comments 1 Synthesizer name Up to 20 characters. 2 Highest MIDI note number Indicates upper range of synthesizer. 2 or 3 characters; no leading or trailing spaces. 3 Lowest MIDI note number Indicates lower range of synthesizer. 2 or 3 characters; no leading or trailing spaces. 4 Level Control Code Indicates MIDI control code for level (volume) changes. Synthesizer dependent. Up to 3 characters. 5 Background color 1 or 2 characters; no leading or trailing spaces; must be in range 0 to 15. 6 Color palette number 1 character; no leading or trailing spaces; must be in range 0 to 3. 7 Channel Mapping 1 character; no leading or trailing spaces; must be either 1 or 8. 1 indicates all data is to be sent over 1 channel (channel 0); 8 indicates data is to be sent over 8 channels (channels 0-7). 27 Appendix III: Format and Contents of CONFIG.MID (Continued) 8 1st Program Name Up to 10 characters. 9 Program Code Number MIDI program code to be associated with MIDITOON program name #1 (line 7, above). 1 to 3 characters; no leading or trailing spaces; must be in range 0-127. . . . 262 128th Program Name Up to 10 characters. 263 Program Code Number MIDI program code to be associated with MIDITOON program name #128 (line 261, above). 1 to 3 characters; no leading or trailing spaces; must be in range 0-127. 28 Appendix IV: Suggested Reading Appendix IV: Suggested Reading For Beginners: Harder, Paul. Harmonic Materials in Tonal Music: A Programmed Course. Harder, Paul. ______________________________________________________ Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1985. Howard, Bertrand. Fundamentals of Music Theory: A Program. New York: Howard, Bertrand _______________________________________ Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1975. Jones, George Thaddeus. Music Theory (A Barnes & Noble Outline). New York: Jones, George Thaddeus _______________________________________ Barnes & Noble Books, 1974. Russo, William. Composing Music: A New Approach. Englewood Cliffs, New Russo, William _______________________________ Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1983. For More Advanced Users: Brindle, Reginald Smith. Serial Composition. London: Oxford University Brindle, Reginald Smith __________________ Press, 1966, 1977. Dallin, Leon. Techniques of Twentieth Century Composition. Dubuque, Iowa: Dallin, Leon ___________________________________________ Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers, 1974. For Reference: Appel, Willi. Harvard Dictionary of Music. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Appel, Willi ___________________________ Harvard University Press, 1972. On 1/f Fractal Music (as used in Transform Generate command): Gardner, Martin. 1978. "White and Brown Music, Fractal Curves, and 1/f Gardner, Martin Fluctuations." Scientific American 238(4):16-31. ___________________ Gardner's article is an excellent introduction to the subject. Bolognesi, Tommaso. 1983. "Automatic Composition: Experiments with Self- Bolognesi, Tommaso Similar Music." Computer Music Journal Spring, 1983:25-37. ______________________ Dodge, Charles and Bahn, Curtis R. 1986. "Musical Fractals" BYTE June, Dodge, Charles Bahn, Curtis R. ____ 1986:185-196. Voss, R. F. and Clarke, J. "1/f Noise in Music: Music from 1/f Noise." Voss, R. F. Clarke, J. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 63:258-263. ____________________________________________ 29