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update.txt
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1989-12-08
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The following enhancements have been made to the Polyphonic Music package
version 1.0:
Playing routines:
Version: Date: Description:
-------- --------- ------------
1.01 6/15/89 Relative tempo change implemented. Starting tempo
is modified in the text file by the 'T'
command:
Syntax:
Tn -- Changes starting tempo value:
where n = a number between 1 and
8191. n consists of a sum of numbers:
n = REFVAL + CHANGEVAL
REFVAL = 0 or 4096 only.
CHANGEVAL = 1 to 4095 inclusive.
How it works:
To add an absolute value to current tempo,
call Tn with n = 4096 + amount you
want to add (amount is CHANGEVAL).
To subtract an absolute value from current
tempo, call Tn with n = 0 + amount
you want to subtract (amount is
CHANGEVAL).
I know this causes crude coding, but it works
well! A MakePoly update for Tn and T-n (Tempo
Add and Subtract) is in the works.
1.02 6/15/89 Tempo value now entered in maximal range.
The second parameter to playpoly can now have
a value in the range of 1 (way too fast) to
65535 (or maxint) (way too slow). This addition
allows faster computers to use the play
routines with no problem. When using the poly()
routine from inside C programs, the first value
of the array (whether a command or not) is
assumed as a tempo. DO NOT OR (|) the TEMPO value
(previously defined in POLY.H) with your tempo!
This will create a tempo which is too long!
Notice the change in POLY.H (and the chord
arrays in POLYCHRD.H). TEMPO define is now
TCHANGE and this command only changes the
starting tempo as decribed above. Note: you must
OR (|) the value of n described above with
TCHANGE (in C programs) to change tempo
effectively. When using the playpoly()/looppoly()
functions the second parameter sent can have
the value 1-65535 described above. You only
need to alter your programs if using the poly()
function.
1.10 6/19/89 Eureka! This is, what I believe to be, a major
breakthrough in the three voice world!
By re-vamping the play routine, voice 1 has
been diminished in strength greatly. Its volume
difference above the other two voices is now
only slight, if detectable.
The sound quality also turned out incredibly
better, as there is minimal "sqwak" (peculiar
beeps, buzzes, and hums).
The playing routines of Polyphonic Music 1.0
(as well as VMUSIC, I believe) used this code
almost verbatim. Unfortunately his code
(usually) produces a high pitched tone during
playing. This can be distracting, as it
diminishes the music quality signifigantly.
This version's (1.10) technique seems to
have only a dull hum sound every once in a
while and few (if any) beeps or high pitched
tones in the background. See for yourself!
(Compare the sound quality of the old routines
- in PlayPoly 1.0 or VMUSIC - to the new one
by playing the PACHCAN.SNG. You'll notice the
difference).
With the improved sound and voice volume
qualities, these play routines have gained a
greater capability for good use in the PC world.
Note: Tried four voices. The noise level
increased signifigantly (so much it distracts!).
I have discovered how to possibly allow for up
to five voices (if I was using a 386 machine
I could do this without noise!). I may implement
it, attempting to obtain minimal noise, although
updating the MakePoly routine for 4 or more
voices may not appear so quickly!
P.S. Have discovered an avenue to play
up to 16 different voices with little
loss to sound quality
1.20 7/11/89 The playpoly routines (based on poly())
are now accessable in Turbo Pascal (4.0 and
greater).
Also some memory allocation bugs fixed.
Added the polykb() function which checks
for a keypress after each note and
continues playing only if no keypress
was detected.
MakePoly:
Version: Date: Description:
-------- --------- ------------
1.01 6/14/89 An allowance has been made for RELATIVE
change of tempo (see Playing routines update
1.01 above). No specific interpretation
(i.e. T-n) of the text music file has been
implemented yet; only the crude implementation
described above.
1.02 6/15/89 To add compatability with the VMUSIC software,
MakePoly now allows comments to be delimited
by the '!' character. MakePoly interprets this
character in an identical fashion as the '*'
character. Unlike VMUSIC however, the beginning
and ending comment delimiters need not be
on the SAME line. Comments can go on for several
lines. Note: You must use the same closing
character as the opening one for comments, i.e.
the comment '* voice 1: !' is invalid because
the '!' is not recognized as the close of a '*'
comment.
Example:
v1o3 eefg bcdef a2g2
*
then it repeats
*
v1o3 eefg bcdef a2g2
1.03 6/16/89 Again to add compatability with VMUSIC, MakePoly
now supports the printable comment feature which
prints the text delimited by '$' characters to
screen while compiling to a ".ply" file. Again,
unlike VMUSIC, the starting and ending '$' need
not be on the SAME line (but MakePoly will still
print a line feed at the start of a printable
comment if they are).
To further compatability with BASIC (the
language which MakePoly's commands were derived
from), the '?' character also will delimit
printable comments. Since, in BASIC, the '?'
represents "print", it is suggested to use
the '?' character in the music text file
for clarity.
Example:
v1o3 aagg fefe a2a2
$
Line One: la la so so fa mi fa mi la.. la..
$
v1o5 ccdd eeff g2g2
?
Line Two: do do re re mi mi fa fa so.. so..
?
1.04 7/9/89 Bug fixed in MAKEPOLY. It wouldn't provide
for one voice songs (the bug caused notes of
indefinate length). One voice songs can now
be played (any voice) [I thought I fixed this
bug once before!].
1.10 7/9/89 Relative pitch values implemented! Now when
a song is compiled, the 'frequency' of the
Middle C note can be set (in the MAKEPOLY.EXE
command line) and all other 'frequencies' are
derived from this value (these are not true HERTZ
frequencies, only computer values).
It is implemented as follows:
MAKEPOLY <textfile> [<polyfile>] [/nval]
where: <textfile>,<polyfile> are unchanged
(see POLY.DOC).
nval = 'frequency' to set middle C at.
nval can be in the range of 1
to 8191 although, nval values at
the extremes (1-150,7000-8191)
may produce crude sounds when
playing other octaves than the
middle one. If this parameter is
not specified nval = 390 is assumed.
This value is the true HERTZ value
of middle C on a Turbo XT.
Higher values produce higher
pitches; lower values produce lower
pitches.
So if pitches seem too high on your machine,
try halving 390 (195). If too low, try doubling
390 (780). Try using this function and let me
know how it works and next update I can implement
the processor check to return a ballpark value
for this parameter.