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FUNCTION.TXT
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Text File
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1997-01-04
|
19KB
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353 lines
Here is a small help file made in order to use more efficiently my
soundtracker. If some details lack, please contact me.
/-------------\
< DBE TRACKER >
\-------------/
I/ The Main Screen
--------------------
It is divided into 3 parts organized like this:
+---------+---------+------------------------+-------+
| | |
| | control block |
| static | |
+ +------------------------+-------+
| block |
| |
+----------------------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| work |
| |
| zone |
| |
| |
| |
+----------------------------------------------------+
* 1- the static block indicates various numeral datas, the title of the
soundtrack and the name of the current sample, and it allows changing
some parameters.
POSITION indicates the current position, PATTERN indicates the pattern
linked to POSITION. LENGTH is the number of postions. REPEAT POS is the
loop position called at the end of the tune. SAMPLE is the active sample
(0 n'existe pas). The next 7 datas are informations about the selected
sample. LENGTH est its length, RPT START and RPT LENGTH indicate the begin-
ning and the size of the looping (RPT LENGTH=0 if no loop). VOLUME is the
default volume for the sample (from 0 to 64), FINETUNE adjusts the Amiga
period, it is used to make a sample sound right. BASE is the reference fre-
quency of C_2 note (it is on 4 bytes but only 2 are drawn).
To modify these values, one can use the + and - buttons or click on the
value to set it manually. In manual edit, Escape cancels and Return/Enter
confirms (right side mouse button is interpreted as Escape).
WARNING: A POSITION higher or equal to LENGTH is ignored, and for a
| PATTERN higher than last existing pattern, it also concerns the
| samples.
**Special case:**
To add a sample, select the last one (its frequency is null, it's for an
easier identification) and load the sample or change its size.
To add a pattern, enter the number of the last existing one and click
on +. To change the position, use CONTROL with right/left arrow (on keyb).
VOICES is the number of voices, it is rounded to the higher power of 2. The
number of voices can only be modified with the +/- buttons. TUNE is the
soundtrack size in DBT format (unpacked) and FREE MEM is the amount of
available memory. KILL definitely destroys the active sample.
STEP the edit step, namely the number of lines skipped after each entry in
parttern editor, it ranges from 0 to F. BUFFER selects one of the 3 pattern
buffers for cut/copy/paste. BLK MODE configures the copymode of blocks by
clicking of the 3 letters and TRANSP does the same for transposition.
OCT is the down octave of the keyboard, the one at the top is the next
higehr one. 6 octaves can vbe accessed->5 states for OCT: V.LO(0/1),
LOW(1/2), MED(2/3), HIGH(3/4), V.HI(4/5). Octaves 1 to 3 are the standards
Protacker octaves. SWAP indicates the mixing order of the voices.
Multi-edit allows the automatic change of voice after an entry into the
partition. MESSAGE indicates informations about what the programme does.
* 2- The control block give access to many functions. PLAY launch the
scrolling of the pattern and the playing of the module, it cancels the
pattern mode. PATTERN does the same as PLAY however the position is not
modified. The played pattern is not the one indicated by PATTERN in the
static block but the one that is specified near the line numbers in the
pattern editor. One can play any pattern by using shift+left/right without
modifying the POSITION/PATTERN links. EDIT allows modification in the pat-
ern editor in both srolling and non-scrollingg modes. STOP cut the sound
and the pattern scrolling. QUIT calls the exit submenu (you need to confirm
before exiting,so as to avoid data losses). INS POS and DEL POS inserts or
deltes respectively one position at the current position. LENGTH is modified
automatically.
- CLEAR allows many kinds of clearing : -entire soundtrack
-all patterns
-current pattern
-unused samples
-all samples
- BLOCK brings the parameters/functions menu for blocks:
BLK MODE : selects area to consider for cutting
AFFECTS : fields to process for insert/paste
WITH : shrinks insert/paste to current sample
TRANSP : selects area to consider for transposing
WITH : shrinks transposing to currnet sample
All these parameters can be changed at any time within the static block
through some letters.
The possibles areas are:
C Block Current Track (lines selected with F1/F2, voix of the cursor)
A Block All Tracks (lines selected with F1/F2, all voices)
T Current Track (all lines, voice of the cursor)
P Pattern (all lines, all voices)
There are 2 other areas in case of transposing:
V Voice (voice of the cursor, all patterns)
S Song (all voices, all patterns)
PASTE MODE toggles between opaque and transparent insert/paste mode.
START/END keeps in memory the start/end lines of a block if one don't
want to process all lines. CLEAR erase the contents of the selected area.
CUT copy into buffer and clear. COPY just get a copy of the area in the
selected buffer. PASTE put back datas from buffer at the cursor position
(depending on the selected modes). INSERT does the same however it moves
lines before pasting. SWAP exchanges the contnet of the area and the buffer
but you have to set both to the same size ! (This function is not available
at the moment).
NOTE UP/DOWN OCT UP/DOWN are the transposing functions. Please note that
LINE INS and LINE DEL have been removed as the keyboard short cuts are much
more practicable for this kind of operation, use shift to act on all voices).
A new function has appeared: BLK AUTO VOL. It allows autmoatic calculus of
volume variations. Just precise the concerned lines (using F1/F2) and put the
cursor in the right voice then click BLK AUTO VOL.
WARNING: If the start/end lines contains no informations on volume (sample,
number, data in volume field or effect number $C), this function won't work!
- PREFS brings the setup pages, there are 5 pages:
Page 1:
It contains volume control and bass/treble control on STE/MSTE/TT and on
Falcon, it controls volume, echo and reverb effects through the DSP. If it
is busy, this page has no effect.
Remark about DSP effect: the reverb only acts on the part reflected by the
| echo so if there is no echo, tthere is no reverb ! Both effects are stereo
| (the result of left side is mixed with right side and inversely).
Page 2:
This page contains various options:
SAVE DBT PACKED : YES to shrink file size (without losses)
ACTIVE DISPLAY : NO kicks the pattern display in order to gain some
| machine time in case of OVERRIDE...
AVR/SPL SIGNED: concerns the loading and the saving of *.SPL samples and
| the saving of *.AVR files. If a SPL sound completely wrong, try this !
TEMPO ACTIVE: NO kicks the BPM fine-control of scrolling speed
| (very little gain of machine time)
This page also contains the defaults mixing orders for all soundtrack for-
mats:
At each kind od soundtrack can be linked a default SWAP-mode : N/1/2
namely NORMAL/SWAP 1/SWAP 2.
Finally this page contains a toggle between german and french notes.
Page 3:
Again many opions:
PLAY AFTER LOADING : activate PLAY right after the loading of a soundtrack
ALLOW BIG SAMPLE : allow samples bigger than 64Kb. Be careful, this option
| requires machine time, so you may have to kick display on STE. This option
| is redefined after the loading of a soundtrack. For the loading of a
| single sample, you have to set it manually.
STOP WHILE SAVING : kick sound while saving a file in order to keep free
| from mistakes in the saved file. It concerns floppy drive, but it may be
| useful with hard drives too if a soundtrack often causes overrides...
| (unavailable at the moment)
There is also a DSP button:
| NO - no DSP found nor available - unactive button
| ON - found and active \ active
| OFF - found but unactive / button
There is also a speed selector. If you have a speed card active, select the
appropriate speed in order to improve quality. If you run at 25MHZ for example
select 16, if you have a 32MHz machine or higher, select 32...Please note that
a 68030 is required for 32MHz modus !
Nota: on a RGB Falcon, this option is not useful. On VGA, you'll get the
RGB quality if 32 is selected. I have not tested 60Hz display. If the Tracker
regularly displays OVERRIDE, then select 8MHz.
Page 4:
Setup of the MULTI-EDIT modus. Each line controls 8 voices (ordered from left
to right) so the voice number 0 is at the top left-hand corner and the voice
number 31 is at the bottom right-hand corner.
For each voice, the displayed number is the one of the voice where the cursor
will be set if you enter any data in the controlled voice.
Example: the cursor is in voice $17, you enter the effect $C (for ex)
if the case of voice $17 contains $E, the cursor will jump to voice $E (and
it still jumps the number of lines set in STEP if you are not in PLAY nor
in PATTERN modus).
- SAMPLE calls the sample editor (see below)
- DISK calls the fileselector (see below)
- MIDI will call the setup of the midi system (unavailable)
- SWAP sets the mix order of voices:
NORMAL (Protracker) : L-R-R-L (L=Left R=Right)
SWAP 1 (AudioSculpture) : L-R-L-R
SWAP 2 (rarement requis) : L-L-R-R
This pattern is repeated for each group of 4 voices. If you use Shift or
the right-hand mouse button to call SWAP, you will get into the extended swap
page. Select one voice on each side (one right voice and one left voice) to
exchange them. You can unselect by clicking the current select or selecting
another voice on the same side. The display will be SWAP:U (user).
Page 5:
You can change colours here: just select the colour and modify it with the 3
sliders below. You can also (de)activate the amiga modus which limits some
effects. The button for saving of preferences is here too. For Falcon, there
is the control of the micro-input amplification. Other buttons are inactive.
* 3 - The work zone has many different functions from pattern editing to file
selection. It is detailed in part II...
II/ The Work Zone
----------------------
* 1 - Pattern Editor
It is divided in 4 elements:
- 1 column on the left side showing line numbers
- 4 columns displaying 4 successive voices
- a number between the first 2 elements. It is the pattern number
- a control zone above the columns
The control zone has on each side 2 arrows: the smaller scroll of one voice
in the direction indicated by the arrow while the bigger arrow scrolls of 4
voices.
Above each column there are 3 buttons and an hexadecimal number which is the
voice number. The right hand button is an independent toggle for the voice.
The SOLO button sets to ON the voice and all other voices to OFF, and the MUTE
button sets the voice to OFF and all other voices to ON.
In one of the 4 columns there is a cursor between 2 horizontal lines. It
can be moved with keyboard arrows. The vertical move is possible only if the
pattern is not scrolling automatically. It can be moved by clicking with the
mouse on the destination. The vertical move has the same conditions than with
keyboard. If the cursor is on a screen border, an outside move will scroll
of one voice (it acts like the thin arrow button).
The cursor indicates the places where data entries will be put. If it is
on the left border of a column, you'll get a note, on the contrary it is an
hexadecimal number (from 0 to 9 and from A to F).
* WARNING: notes and ascii inputs are independent from the keyboard type, but
hexadecimal values are based on AZERTY keyboard so press Q for hexadecimal
number A. I will try to correct this as soon as possible.
* NOTA: all numbers have to be entered on the main keyboard except for ascii
inputs. In non ascii, numeric pad is used for sample selection.
The RETURN key jumps to the next line (in fact it jumps the number of line
defined by STEP) and eventually changes the column (in MULTI EDIT modus).
BACKSPACE clears the field under the cursor and then moves the cursor like
the return key. All data entries causes this move, even if the data is not kept
(EDIT off).
Warning, if you press Shift with Backspace all fields of the entry under the
cursor are cleared.
Please note that the clearing of the note clears also the sample number (but
the contrary is wrong). In the same way, the clearing of the effect clears its
parameter.
In PLAY modus, the pattern number showed is the same that the one indicated
by PATTERN in the static block. In STOP or PATTERN modus this number can be
different: Use Shift + right/left arrows on keyboard to change it without
modifying the pattern/position links.
* 2 - The File Selector
It is divided in 2 parts:
- the disk explorer which displays drives, directories and files in the cur-
rent path.
- the disk gestion, not very powerful (and not finished)
The leftmost field is the drive list, by clicking one of the letters, the
root directory of this drive is displayed. The next area on the right is
directory list. Please note that a name made of 1 or 2 points allows to exit
the current directory. A small slider on the left side of this window allows
a quick move in the list in addition of the arrowed buttons (double arrows
scroll of one page, one item only for single arrow).
The next window is the file list (with size). It runs in the same way than
the directory list. In addition, pressing Shift+character jumps to the first
filename that begins with this character. By using Control, you do the same
in the directory list. Shift + up/down arrows scrolls the file list (+Ctrl for
directories). Shift+Return selects the first file of the window but doesn't
do anything on the file whereas (with Control) the 1st directory is opened.
The disk gestion is quite simple as it only contains LOAD and SAVE buttons.
The SAVE NEW button does nothing...just press Ctrl+N to enter a name and use
Ctrl+S to save file. (It will be renamed and used by other functions)
Please note that using the upper arrow while entering a filename brings back
the name there was before you edit it.
The DELETE button kills the specified file. It is only possible to kill one
file at a time and it is impossible to erase a directory. By pressing Shift
you can erase read-only files.
COPY, MOVE and RENAME are not available.
WARNING: There is no confirming prompt before saving and deleting so be very
careful !
The upper panel shows a format list. Click one of them to specify the saving
filetype and the mask of files in the selector (not for directories).
If you want to load a soundtrack, please specify one of the soundtrack for-
mat (and eventually use FREE TYPE button for *.* mask). If you have selected
a sample format, you'll get a wrong file type if you try loading something else
than a soundtrack.
The selected format tells to the tracker what kind of files it has to expect
and the format that will be used for SAVE. Selecting FREE TYPE shows all files
but the selection is kept. The program keeps separate paths for each kind of
files with the extension and the save type. Just click on the kind of file you
want on the left of format-list or simply select a new format of the kind you
want (the change is taken, the first method doesn't).
* 3 - The Sample Editor
This part is now ready for use... ZOOM functions now work right and have
their own short-cuts. A left click defines a beginning of block and a right
click sets the end. COPY/CUT/INSERT/PASTE/REMOVE/DELETE are OK (if you have
enough memory of course for the wanted operation). There is no UNDO function.
It is possible to apply a FADE to a sample, just precise the area and the
start/end rates (in hexa) and click FADE. NORM button calculates the maximum
possible rate before saturation. NONE, MAX, IN and OUT are predefined rates.
Please note that a left click gives even values and a right clic gives odd
values. It is also true for mixing operations.
MIX is nw operative. Just specify the start samples, the target one and the
rates applied to each sample during mix calculus. It is also possible to de-
fine an offset which the distance between the start of the first (upper) sample
and the second one. It can't be negative (exchange sample numbers).
A percentage of 64 (in hexa, which is 100%) doesn't modify a source sample.
That comes from the algorithm which a bit slower but which gives good results.
III/ That's all...
------------------
Many functions are still not implemented, others have to be modified or
debugged... However, this program has enough functions for listening and
composing in good conditions.
And please do not criticize the sound quality in 16 or 32 voices on STE be-
cause all machine time is used and for an 8MHz machine, it remains a very good
result. The PC version will not be available before a (quite) long time.
If an essential function lacks, I am ready to add it if you explain me what
it is supposed to do...
STGHOST/SECTOR ONE