A.C.E. 2/ACE CD 2.iso/FILES/DOCS/BP25BDOC.LHA/Bars&Pipes.doc

Text File | 1994-11-27 | 22.7 KB | 690 lines

                    Bars&Pipes Version 10.d

Welcome to Bars&Pipes, the Amiga's first object-oriented musical
composition environment.  In pages to come, you will understand why you've
made an important musical choice in purchasing this program.  With
Bars&Pipes, you're truly bound only by the limits of your own creativity.

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Bars&Pipes' Five Essential Components

Bars&Pipes' musical environment consists of four central parts:  the
Pipeline, the Toolbox, the Sequencer and the Editor.  Briefly, let’s go
over these elements...

1) The PipeLine

The Pipeline guides your musical input from conception to performance.  We
call it the Pipeline because it actually resembles the kind of plumbing
that exists beneath your dwelling.  By arranging the pipe and valve icons,
you can direct the flow of musical information on a track-by-track basis.
You can even connect two or more tracks by using special connector icons.
To each Pipeline, you assign a track name.  Also, no limit exists to the
number of tracks you may record.

Essentially, the Pipeline consists of two parts:  the Input side and the
Output side.  To understand the flexibility this offers, you first must
understand the Toolbox.

2)  The ToolBox

The Toolbox contains dozens of modules that process MIDI information as it
flows through the Pipeline.  We call these modules Tools.  Each Tool
functions by musically enhancing the notes you’ve input.  A few examples:

* UNQUANTIZE takes your input and randomly varies its timing.  This Tool is
especially handy when trying to attain a minimalistic or impromptu feel to
your composition.

* TRANSPOSE provides interval harmonies to a melodic line you’ve input.
Simply specify both the interval and key signature and this Tool will
embellish your composition.

* INVERT allows you to set high and low note boundaries and octaves.
Thereafter, you are able to play a series of chords in whatever way is
technically comfortable, yet the chords will sound as inversions with
proper voice leading.  This Tool is especially handy for those whose
primary instrument is not the keyboard.

(For you untrained musicians, here’s an explanation:  Harmonic chord
inversion occurs when the lowest note of a chord, the root, is in an upper
position instead of in the bass.  This is done so that one chord will
connect smoothly with the next.)

* KEYBOARD SPLITTER allows you to divide what you play on the keyboard onto
two different tracks.  For example, you could direct your right hand, which
typically plays the melody, onto the trumpet track and, your left hand,
which typically plays the accompaniment, onto the organ track.

As you can see, some Tools are musical in nature, while others perform more
technical tasks.  Some will provide graphic applications or act as hooks
into compatible programs.  Still others act as building blocks in the
design of Tools you create.  All Tools can be customized to your
specifications.

One of the most powerful aspects of the Toolbox is its open-ended nature.
You can program your own Tools or use Create-a-Tool to assemble MacroTools.
 Create-a-Tool allows you to combine any configuration of Tools into one,
in order to save time when using a common succession of Tools, or to create
a specialized Tool of your own design.  For example, you could assemble a
MacroTool which consists of a Tool that randomly selects and plays notes
and rhythms with a Tool that filters out all notes but those in a
pre-selected key.  In this way, you would achieve a random effect within
key and scale/mode boundaries.

Assembling a MacroTool is easy.  The Create-A-Tool Window allows your to
import your building-block Tools of choice directly from the Toolbox.  Drag
the appropriate icons onto the Pipeline template and place them in the
desired order.  Create-a-Tool lets you paint in your MacroTool icon by
using the Create-a-Tool easel and palette.  After you’ve painted, named and
assigned an identifier to your MacroTool, it automatically becomes part of
your Toolbox, to use as you would any other Tool.

3)  The Sequencer

Graphically, the Sequencer sits in the middle of each Pipeline, dividing
the input (left) side from the output (right) side.  Functionally, the
Sequencer records MIDI data which flows in from the left side of the
Pipeline and plays it back, passing it through the right side of the
Pipeline.  Among other things, the Sequencer allows you to view graphically
what you’ve recorded, as well as cut, copy and paste all tracks at once.
Its Looped-mode Recording option allows you to record one section of your
music repeatedly, until you arrive at your performance of choice.

4)  The Editor

Bars&Pipes’ Editor was designed with amateur and professional musicians in
mind.  For those who can read music, a staff displays notes on a treble and
bass clef.  For those who do not read standard classical notation, a piano
roll displays the notes.  Regardless of which system you prefer, Bars&Pipes
provides full editing capabilities with each.  Our goal in designing the
Editor was to allow you, the composer, as much flexibility as possible in
editing your work.  We call this the "one-size-fits-all principle."  In
other words, if you want to draw in a note, we give you that option.  If
you want to type the note in the information window, we give you that
option.  Or, if you want to play in the note via your input device
(keyboard, wind controller, etc.), you guessed it, we give you that option,
too.

5)  Accessories

As you may already know, Bars&Pipes is an open-ended system.  The
advantages to this are numerous...flexibility, expandabilty,
affordablility.  By investing in Bars&Pipes now, you've invested in a
future of state-of-the-art musical components.  Currently available and
future Accessories will provide the link to the future by enhancing
Bars&Pipes built-in features.

Some examples of Accessories are Follow the Leader, which prints a
lyrics/chord change sheet, Triple Play, which loads three songs at once for
performance situations, Mix Maestro, which provides automated mixing right
on the screen, and Muffy,which converts Bars&Pipes song into MIDI File
Format.  Some of these are included with Bars&Pipes; others are available
to you as "add-ons."

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QUICK REFERENCE

** Please Refer to the screen shots included on this disk.**

The Main Screen Display

1)  STOP - stops the playback or recording process.

2)  START - starts playback or recording from beginning of song.

3)  PLAY - plays sequence from current position of song position pointer.

4)  REWIND - scrolls back the song pointer.

5)  FAST FORWARD - scrolls forward song pointer.

6)  RECORD - activates Record mode.

7)  LOOP - activates Looped mode.

8)  PUNCH IN/OUT - activates Punch In/Out mode.

9)  COUNTER - specifies place in song or current position of a flag while
    you drag it.

10)  AUTO-LOCATE REGISTERS - moves the Song Position Pointer to the
     locations set with the Memory Flags.

11)  TOOLBOX - opens ToolBox window.

12)  TOOLPAD - holds current Tool to be used on a song, sequence or
section.  Can hold up to 16 Tools at once.  To load, drag Tools from
ToolBox and place on pad.  Insert one at a time.  To select a Tool, click
and hold on ToolPad with mouse, then select from pop-up menu.

13)  TEMPO DISPLAY - controls the tempo.  To adjust, use up and down arrows
to scroll the numbers higher or lower.  Clicking twice on the Tempo Display
will bring up Tempo Map Window.

14)  GROUPS -   allows the categorization of several Tracks into one of
eight Groups.  This feature has two parts.  First select the Group number
by clicking on the black box and choosing from the pop-up menu, then click
on the icon to the left of the box to open the Groups requester.

15)  SOLO / MUTE / NORMAL - toggles between Normal, Solo and Mute function
for selected Track (or Group).  (The Track selected is highlighted in
white.)

16)  TRACK UP - moves Track up one "notch."

17)  TRACK DOWN - moves Track down one "notch."

18)  TRACK TO TOP - moves Track to top of pile.

19)  TRACK TO BOTTOM - moves Track to bottom of pile.

20)  A-B-A - allows you to assemble your song in sections.  Click once to
access this requester.

21)  PUNCH IN/OUT FLAGS - mark the boundaries of desired Punch In and/or
Out.  Drag and place these at the desired place on the sequence.

22)  LOOP FLAGS -  determine the area for Looped mode.  Drag and place
these on measure boundaries.

23)  MEMORY MARKER FLAGS - mark a place in your song.  Drag and place these
at the appropriate places in your sequence.

24)  EDIT FLAGS - establish an area within the Track or Song to edit.
Using the Solo button selects a single Track.  Dragging the Flags so that
one is on each end will affect the entire Track.

25)  MEASURE NUMBER - indicates the measure subdivisions of your music.

26)  TIME SIGNATURE - displays the current number of beats per measure.
This can be edited by clicking on it.  A different time signature can be
inserted for every measure.  To do so, click on the desired measure number
to access the requester.

27)  TRACK NAME - displays track name.  Click twice to edit name and store
notes.  In this requestor, you’ll see the Real-Time button.  Clicking on
this button synchronizes that Track to Real-time regardless of the song's
tempo.

28)  INPUT ARROW - indicates which Track is currently selected for keyboard
input.  The Multiple Input command in the Preferences Menu provides the
option of specifying a separate input for each Track.  In this case, the
desired MIDI channel is selected by clicking on it.

29)  MIDI IN/OUT - bring the flow of MIDI data in and out of the PipeLine.
Because these are Tools, you can remove them by clicking on them, then
pressing the Delete key on your keyboard.  Edit by clicking twice on them.

30)  INPUT PIPELINE - directs the flow of MIDI information.  Drag and place
Tools here.  Tools on this side affect notes upon input.

31)  RECORD/PLAY SELECT - toggles between Play and Record modes.  Click
once to activate.

32)  SEQUENCER - records input MIDI data.  Displays  for each Track a
graphic musical representation.  Click twice on each Track to access its
editor.

33)  NORMAL/MUTE/THRU FAUCETS - changes Tracks between Normal, Thru and
Mute modes.

34)  OUTPUT PIPELINE - Same as INPUT PIPELINE except that Tools placed here
affect notes on playback instead of upon input.

35)  OUTPUT SELECTOR - accesses a palette of MIDI channels.  Select a
channel to determine a sound for each Track.

36)  SONG POSITION POINTER - determines at what measure the counter
currently displays.  Click here to access the Set Flags window.

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Main Screen Menus

The SONG Menu

NEW - clears the Sequencer to start a new Song.

LOAD... - loads in a previously recorded Song.

REVERT - restores Sequencer to its last saved version.

SAVE AS... - saves a Song under a new name.

SAVE - saves Song to disk.

TITLE/AUTHOR... - opens a requester for input of a Song title and author.

DISABLE/ENABLE MIDI - disconnects or reconnects MIDI so that other programs
that use MIDI can access the serial port.

PROPAGATE - copies all changes made to the first instance of each A-B-A
section to all other instances of those sections in the song.

ABOUT... - information about the designers of this system.

QUIT -  terminates use of the program.

The TRACK or GROUP Menu

NEW - creates a new Track.

COPY - copies a Track.

MERGE... - calls up a requester which allows Tracks to be merged together.

DELETE - erases the Track.

LOAD TRACK... - loads in a track from disk.

LOAD GROUP... - loads in a group from disk.

SAVE TRACK or GROUP - saves a track or group to disk.

ERASE - deletes contents of a track or Group without deleting the track or
Group itself.

TOOLIZE - activates a Tool on a Track or Group.

TIME-SHIFT... - calls up a requester for input of time-shift information.

PROPAGATE - copies all changes made to the first instance of each A-B-A
section to all other instances of those sections within the Track (or
Group).

SHARE INPUT - connects all tracks in a specific group such that they share
an input.

GATHER GROUP - collects all Group members  so that they are side by side.

The EDIT Menu

CUT - cuts out a marked-off section of a song or sequence.

COPY - copies a section of a song or sequence.

PASTE - inserts a cut or copied section of a song or sequence.

ERASE - deletes notes from a section of a song or sequence.

INSERT - places a blank space in a section of a song or sequence.

TOOLIZE - activates a Tool on a section of a song or sequence.

REPEAT - duplicates a section of a song any number of times.

PROPAGATE - copies changes made to the first instance of an A-B-A section
to all remaining sections of the same name, in conjunction with the left
Edit Flag.  Using the solo button with this command propagates one specific
section to all other like sections within the Track (or Group).

UNDO - reverts back to the status of a song prior to an edit or recording.

The PIPETOOL Menu

MOVE RIGHT - moves selected Tool over to the right of the PipeLine.
(Select a Tool by clicking on it.)

MOVE LEFT - moves selected Tool over to the left of the PipeLine.

EDIT - allows the parameters of selected PipeTool to be edited.

REMOVE - removes a Tool from the PipeLine.

CONNECT - connects one Tool to another vertically. The TIMING Menu

SOURCE... - allows the selection of either Internal clocks, MIDI Time Code
or MIDI clocks.

SEND MIDI CLOCKS - activates the output of MIDI clocks through the MIDI
connector for external synchronization.

SMPTE... - allows for the selection of frames per second.

The WINDOWS Menu

A-B-A - accesses the A-B-A Editing feature.

ACCESSORIES - contains ancillary feaures such as Follow the Leader, the
lead sheet print function, and the MIDI File Format Converter.

DEFINE... - opens your choice of the Define Scales, Define Chords, or
Define Rhythms windows.

EDIT PADTOOL CONTROLS - allows the parameters of a selected PadTool to be
edited.

INFORMATION - provides numerical data for the following areas: Total Free
Memory, Free Chip Memory, Notes Allocated, Free Notes, Song Length in
Beats, Measures and Clock, and Song Length.  Also provides the currently
selected Tool and Track Name.

MASTER PARAMETERS - enables the input of Lyrics, Chords, K&S/M, Rhythm, and
Dynamics for the Song as a whole.

SET FLAGS - allows for the numerical setting of the Edit, Loop, Punch
In/Out and Memory flags.

SMPTE TIME - displays the time in hours, minutes, seconds and frames.

TEMPO MAP - accesses the Tempo Mapping function, which allows for the input
of tempo changes throughout your Song.

TEMPO PALETTE - allows you to input four separate tempos per Song so that
you can quickly go from one tempo to another during the compositional
process.

TOOLBOX - contains a palette of all currently loaded Tools which can be
dragged onto a PipeLine or ToolPad.

The PREFERENCES Menu

ALIGN WITH... - provides the choice of having marker flags align on
measure, beat or unspecified boundaries.

INTERLACED - sets display to interlace mode, which doubles vertical
resolution.

METRONOME... - gives you the option of an audible, visible, or MIDI-based
click to the chosen tempo.

LEAD IN - counts down two measures before the recording process begins.

MULTIPLE IN - allows for a separate MIDI In to be determined for each
Track.

CLEAN CUTS - slices a note on measure boundaries so that a cut and paste
will not affect parts of notes that lie outside of cut and paste
partitions.

REMOTE CONTROL... - allows you to assign a note on your MIDI keyboard for
each Transport Control.

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Sequence Editor Display

1)  MAGNIFYING GLASS - opens an information window about whatever feature
you’re editing.  In this window, you can edit numerically.

2)  PENCIL - draws in information such as notes and song parameters
(lyrics, time signature, notes, velocity, pitch bend, mono after-touch,
poly after-touch, program change, key&scale/mode, rhythm, dynamics and
chord information).

3)  MAGIC WAND - lengthens or shortens the size of a note and also changes
song parameters.

4)  HAND - grabs and drags notes and song parameters. 5)  ERASER - deletes
notes and song parameters.

6)  TOOLIZER - holds up to 16 Tools.  To load, drag Tools from ToolBox and
place them on the pad.  To use on a note, press the pad, which illuminates
it, and touch the note with the mouse.

7)  BOUNDING BOX - draws a box around a group of notes to edit more
quickly, drag or use a Tool.

8)  STEP-ENTRY KEYBOARD - activates Step Entry mode.

9)  OCTAVE - provides an extra octave above and below the staff.

10)  NOTE VALUE - establishes what length value the note you draw will be.

11)  NOTE MODIFIER - determines whether the note will be dotted, a triplet
or normal.

12)  ARTICULATION - establishes whether an entered note will have staccato
(short), normal, portato (long) or legato (slurred).

13)  VOLUME - determines the dynamic level of the note being entered.

14)  EDIT FLAGS - marks off an area to be affected by commands in Edit menu
such as cut, paste, copy, mix, etc.

15)  TOOLPAD - holds current Tool to be used on a song, sequence or
section.  Can hold up to 16 Tools at once.  To load, darg Tools from the
ToolBox and place on pad, inseting them one at a time.  To select a Tool,
click and hold on ToolPad with mouse, then select from pop-up menu.

16)  TREBLE CLEF

17)  BASS CLEF

18)  PIANO ROLL

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Sequence Editor Menus

The EDIT Menu

CUT - cuts out a flagged-off area of the sequence.

COPY - copies a flagged-off area of the sequence.

PASTE - inserts a previously cut or copied area of the sequence.

ERASE - removes a flagged-off area of the sequence.

MIX - integrates a previously cut or copied area of the sequence into
another area of it.

INSERT - adds a specified blank space into a flagged-off area.

TOOLIZE - affects a flagged-off area with the selected Tool.

REPEAT... - duplicates a flagged off area a specifies number of times.

LISTEN - plays back the area marked by the Edit Flags.

UNDO - reverts to the situation prior to the most recent edit operation.

BOUNDARIES... - allows for the numerical input of Edit Flag placement.

UPDATE - sends changes to Sequencer so that you can hear changes played
back, without having to close the Sequence Editor.

ABORT - cancels all editing activity and reverts to the condition of the
sequence prior to opening the Sequence Editor.

The SHOW Menu

The Show Menu displays the following for entry and editing:

LYRICS

CHORDS

KEY & SCALE/MODE

RHYTHM

DYNAMICS

TIME SIGNATURE

STAFF

PIANO ROLL

NOTE VELOCITY

PITCH BEND

MONO AFTER-TOUCH

POLY AFTER-TOUCH

CONTROL CHANGE

PROGRAM CHANGE

The DISPLAY OPTIONS Menu

BACKGROUND... - displays key and/or rhythm in background.

SIZING... - displays the Sequence Editor in sizes ranging from Very Large
to Very Small.

NOTE RANGE... - sets the range of notes displayed by either centering the
staff or adjusting the piano roll bounds.

CONTROL CHANGE #... - selects the currently displayed control change
information. EDIT PADTOOL... - opens edit window for currently selected
Tool.

The DEFINE Menu

SCALES&MODES ...- opens Define Scales window.

CHORDS ...- opens Define Chords window.

RHYTHM - ...opens Define Rhythms window.

The MASTER PARAMETERS Menu

IMPORT - sends selected Master Parameters information to a particular
Tracks Song Parameters.

EXPORT - sends selected Song Parameters for a particular Track to the
Master Parameters window.

The PREFERENCES Menu

LOCK TO DEFAULT NOTE - permits movement on specified note boundaries only.

LOCK TO KEY - prohibits the entry of notes which fall outside of selected
key.

LOCK TO RHYTHM - conforms all entered notes to the current Rhythm template.

PLAY NOTES - sounds the notes as you edit them.

USE CLIPBOARD - activates the ClipBoard option.

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The ToolBox

The TOOLBOX Menu

SAVE TOOL... - saves the selected to disk.

LOAD TOOL... - loads a Tool from disk.

REMOVE TOOL... - removes the selected Tool from the ToolBox so that it will
no longer be loaded.

Create MacroTool... - Opens the Create-A-Tool window, which enables you to
create your own MacroTools.

Edit MacroTooL - opens the currently selected MacroTool's Control window.

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Create-A-Tool

The PAINT Menu

Clear - fills the entire icon with the currently selected color.

Copy - duplicates the top icon to the bottom icon.

Flip... - flips the icon over a horizontal or vertical axis.

Start With... - presents you with "stock" icons on which to develop your
design.

Flood Fill - fills the selected area of the icon with the current paint
color.

Undo - reverts to the situation prior to the last paint action.

The PIPETOOL Menu

MOVE LEFT  - Moves the selected Tool to the left.

MOVE RIGHT - Move the selected Tool to the right.

EDIT  -  Opens the selected Tool's Control window.

REMOVE  - Removes the select Tool from the PipeLine.

CONNECT - Connects the Source Tool (the selected Tool) to the Target Tool
(the one which is subsequently selected.)

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The ClipBoard Window

The CLIPBOARD Menu

Load Clip... -  loads a Clip from disk.

Save Clip... - saves the selected Clip from disk.

Clear All Clips - clears all Clips in the ClipBoard.

The INCLUDE Menu

Check off the Parameters to be included in a Clip from the following list:

Lyrics

Chords

Key & Scale/Mode

Rhythm

Dynamics

Time Signature

Notes

Pitch Bend

Mono After-Touch

Poly After-touch

Control Change

Program Change

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Accessories

The ACCESSORIES Menu

Load... - loads an Accessory from disk.

Save... - saves the selected Accessory to disk,

Remove... - removes selected Accessory.

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A Few Notes:  If you're using the Amiga's internal sounds capability
instead of MIDI, please do the following:  Replace the MIDI In Tool (on the
far left side of each PipeLine) with the Spare Keys Tool.  Click twice on
Spare Keys to access a keyboard which can be used with either the mouse or
bottom two rows of your Amiga keyboard.  Replace the MIDI Out Tool (on the
far right side of each PipeLine) with the AmigoPhone Tool.  Click twice on
the AmigoPhone to access the AmigoPhone's Control Window.

To edit a Tool's Controls, click twice on the Tool's icon in the PipeLine
or use the Edit PadTool Controls... option in the Windows menu to edit a
Tool in the ToolPad.

To access the Sequence Editor for each Track, double-click on the gray area
of the PipeLine.

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