The Very Best of Atari Inside/The Very Best of Atari Inside 1.iso/sharew/musik/m_demo/manual.txt

Text File | 1988-05-28 | 19KB | 363 lines

                M for the Atari ST

    by Eric Ameres, David Zicarelli, Joel Chadabe,
        John Offenhartz, and Antony Widoff

        Instructions for Demonstration Disk

(C) 1987 Intelligent Computer Music Systems, Inc.

_________________________
Welcome to M!

Working with M is a three-stage process.  First, you input basic musical
material as notes or chords according to the formats of the different Pattern
types.

Then you specify ways in which ways your material will be varied.

Then you perform.  You can use the main screen as a control panel and
manipulate the screen controls with the mouse, using your MIDI keyboard to
transpose any or all Patterns while they're playing back.  And you can use the
Input Control System and control the program's functions by playing keys on
your MIDI keyboard.

_________________________
About the Main Screen

The main screen gives you a visual representation of all of M's operations.  It
consists of six windows, clockwise: the Patterns window, in which you create
Patterns and store them as groups; the Global Control window (which opens as
"Untitled"), which contains controls for the entire program's operations;
the Cyclic Editor window, which allows you to make cycles of accents,
legato-staccto articulations and rhythms;the MIDI Variables window, which
allows you to route your Patterns to MIDI channels, generate velocity signals
and choose sounds; the Note Manipulation window, which allows you to vary
the notes in your Patterns;  and the Snapshot window, which allows you to
store and recall configurations of screen controls.

Note that the Patterns window contains four horizontal rows of controls,
one above the other.  Each row represents one Pattern.

The controls (sometimes numbers, sometimes range bars or sliders, sometimes
grids) in the Note Manipulation, MIDI Variables, and Cyclic Editor windows
are also arranged in rows of four, one above the other.  Each control row
applies to one of the four Patterns.

Note also that there is a recurring theme of six throughout the screen.  There
are six Pattern groups, indicated by boxes with the letters A - F, in the
Patterns window.  And there are six boxes next to or under the arrows in the
Note Manipulation, MIDI Variables, and Cyclic Editor windows.  Each box
represents groups of stored control settings.  By clicking on a box during a
performance, you can instantly change from one group of control settings to
another.

You can also move from one box to another by "conducting", if the arrow next to
the boxes is selected.

There are other windows and dialog boxes for editing Patterns, selecting new
Pattern types, and performing other functions, which will open when the
appropriate menu or keyboard command is selected.  These windows and dialog
boxes allow you to perform specific operations which we'll discuss in context
throughout this manual.

_________________________
Windows and the Mouse

Unlike most Atari ST applications, windows do not need to be active to
activate controls in them. Whenever you click the left mouse button in an
inactive window the window will become active simultaneously with your
changing a control setting.

_________________________
The Screen Controls

Also the design of M's screen controls isn't quite the same as a typical
Atari ST program.  That's because a typical Atari ST program isn't intended
for interacting with an ongoing musical process.  M's user interface is
easy to learn, however, and once you spend a little time with the program,
you'll be working the controls with ease and using your computer as a
performance instrument.

The primary types of controls are:

- The Simple Button. It's something you click on to trigger an action, although
M's simple buttons do a variety of different things.  There's the Sync
button in the Global Control window, for example, the Group select buttons in
the Patterns window.  There are also the Variable Choice buttons (next to or
under the arrows) in the Note Manipulation, MIDI Variables, and Cyclic Editor
windows.

Try out a button.  Look in the Note Manipulation window to the right of "Note
Order" and click in one of the six buttons (arranged in a row) next to the
arrow.  Notice how it changes the settings in the Note Order display.
After you've done this, however, please reselect the first position, just
for purposes of this tour.

- The Arrow Buttons. The Arrow Buttons are arrows in boxes in various places
throughout the main screen.  To select or unselect an arrow, click once on the
box and release the mouse button.  To change the direction of an arrow
clockwise, select it with the left mouse button and hold down. To change the
direction of an arrow counter-clockwise, select it with the right mouse
button and hold down.  Try out some of the arrow buttons.

- The Toggle Buttons.  These buttons turn a control to its opposite state.
There's the Start/Stop Button in the Global Control window, for example, which
will start the music if it was stopped, or stop it if it was going.  Or the
Mute box in the Patterns window, which will mute a Pattern if it wasn't muted
before, and let it play if it was.  Click on the Start/Stop button, and leave
it "on" for the rest of this tour.

- The Numerical is a box which contains a letter, a number or an icon that can
be changed up or down with the mouse.  To change a numerical to a higher value,
position the mouse cursor in the box and press the left mouse button.  To
change a numerical to a lower value, position the mouse cursor in the box and
press the right mouse button.  Try your hand at changing the Tempo numerical in
the Global Control window.  M's numericals can also be changed as faders.  To
change a numerical as a fader, position the mouse cursor in the box and, while
pressing either mouse button, move the mouse forward or backward.  Try the
Tempo numerical again.

- The Button/Numerical. This control is a combinationof the Button and the
Numerical.  The Record button in the Patterns window (under "R") is an example.
If you click on it quickly, it acts as a toggle button.  If you hold a mouse
button down, its value will change as a numerical.

- The Range Bar. The Range Bar is for defining a range within which a value
will automatically change.  The Tempo Bar (under the Tempo numerical) in the
Global Control window is an example.  To change the setting of a Range Bar,
position the mouse cursor at the high or low end of the range you want to
define and then drag to the left or the right.  To set the range of a Range Bar
to a single specific value, click anywhere on the bar and don't drag the mouse.
Try changing the range of the Tempo bar from 40 to 210.  Start at a position
roughly equivalent to 40 and drag the mouse right to 210.  Notice that there's
a number at each end of a range bar.  These numbers have two functions.  They
are indicators, giving you the exact value for the range bar setting.  They are
are also numericals which can be changed to fine tune the upper and lower
limits of the range bar.  Try changing the setting of a range bar by
changing one of these numericals.

- The Slider. The Slider lets you set a value by dragging a box to the left or right.
The Note Order bars in the Note Manipulation window are sliders.  To move a
slider, position the mouse cursor in a box and drag it to the left or the right
(note that the rightmost box cannot be moved).  Try it.

- The Baton. Move the mouse cursor into the conducting grid in the Global
Control window and notice that it changes shape to resemble a hand holding a
baton.  The Baton becomes active when you press either mouse button.  The
Baton is a special control associated only with the conducting grid.

The Baton allows you to conduct changes in control settings for any variable
that has an arrow box associated with it.

To conduct tempo, for example, click in the arrow box to the left of the
Tempo Bar, then move the mouse into the grid, make the Baton active by
pressing either mouse button, and move the baton along the axis indicated
by the arrow.  You'll see the tempo numerical change value.  When you're
done, click again in the arrow box to deselect it.

To change the direction of conducting, move the mouse into the appropriate
arrow box, this time holding the left mouse button down.  The arrow will change
direction clockwise.  If you hold the right mouse button down, the arrow will
change counter-clockwise.  Try it.  Change the direction of the tempo arrow,
for example to face upwards.  Then conduct again in the direction in which the
arrow is pointing.  Try to conduct with several arrows selected, all pointing
in different directions.

_________________________
Jumping Right In

We're going to jump right in.  We're going to guide you through making a
composition by creating two Patterns, varying them, and performing with them in
simple ways.  Before you begin, however, be sure that your synthesizers are
connected correctly and open the file called "TUTORIAL.MST".

_________________________
Creating a Pattern

We're about to play some notes into Pattern 1 and we want to echo those notes
out to whatever MIDI channel your synthesizer is receiving on.  Click on "Echo"
in the Global Control window.  Set the first (leftmost of the three) Echo
Out numerical (under "Echo") to the MIDI channel your synthesizer is receiving
on.

To Record: Look in the Patterns window.  Click in the "R" box for Pattern 1 to
enable recording for Pattern 1.  Leave it at "A" (for "All MIDI channels").
The numerical function of this control specifies the MIDI channels to which the
Pattern is "listening".

Then play five notes on your MIDI keyboard, for example C-D-E-F-G.  When you've
finished recording the notes, click again on the Record button in the Patterns
window, turning it "off".  Notice that the Note Counter (under the ruler icon)
reads "5" for the number of notes that you've played.

Now click on the Start/Stop Button in the Global Control window, turning it
"on".  You'll probably be hearing the five notes you've just recorded.  If
you're not hearing the five notes, it could be that you're not sending the
MIDI information on your synthesizer's correct channel.

_________________________
Directing Your Output to a  MIDI Channel

Is your sound directed out to the MIDI channel you want?  If not, look under
"Orchest" in the MIDI Variables window.  The four boxes, one above the other,
refer to Patterns 1 - 4.  Since we're working with Pattern 1, we'll look at the
top box.  Be sure that the leftmost numerical is set to the MIDI channel to
which you want to direct your output.  If it's not, change it.

_________________________
Selecting a Sound

Are you hearing the sound you want?  If not, look under "Sounds" in the MIDI
Variables window.  Look at the leftmost numerical in the first row.  It's a
program (patch) number.  Change it to the sound you'd like.  Try for a sound
something like a double-bass.

_________________________
Setting the Tempo

Set the Tempo numerical, above the Tempo Range Bar in the Global Control
window, to 118.  Now look at the Time-Signature column in the Patterns
window, under the clock icon.  Change the denominator of the Pattern 1
Time-Signature numerical for Pattern 1 to 8.  You'll hear the notes played
much faster.

_________________________
Varying Your Pattern

We've created a Pattern with notes, speed, MIDI channel specification, and
sound.  Now we'll give it variety.  Look at the Velocity Range Bar
for Pattern 1 (the topmost) in the MIDI Variables window.  Experiment with
different range settings, but end with a large range, say between 48 and 110.
Now select the Accents button, at the bottom of the Cyclic Editor window.  When
the Accents Button is highlighted, it means that the grids can be used to
vary accents.  The grids represent the four Patterns, 1 - 4, top to bottom.
With the left mouse button, click in the fourth column of the grid for Pattern 1
(the topmost).  You've set a cycle length of four steps.  Now, with the right mouse
button, click in the top box of the first column, and in the second-from-bottom
boxes of the second, third and fourth columns.  You should be hearing an accent
cycle of one strong beat followed by three weak beats.  Remember, however, that the
effect of this change is dependent upon the sensitivity of your sound to MIDI
velocity signals.  If you don't hear significant changes in accent, experiment
with other sounds.  Experiment also with other accent cycles.  Try, for
example, a cycle length of 1.  Click with the left mouse button in the first
column.  All the notes will be of equal accent.  If you drag down the length of
the column from top to bottom with the right mouse button, so that the entire
column is selected, you'll hear random accents, because the program will
randomly choose from among the different levels selected.  If you select the
bottom level alone, your notes won't sound at that step in the cycle because
you'll be sending zero velocity.

_________________________
Creating Another Pattern

M contains five Pattern types, and each one lets you do different kinds of
things.  We've already created a Pitch Distribution Pattern (which was the
default Pattern type in TUTORIAL.MST) as Pattern 1.  This time we'll create a
Step-Time Record Pattern as Pattern 2, which lets us input chords.

Select the Pattern 2 (second from the top) Pattern Type icon under "TYPE" in
the Patterns window.  Then go to the Pattern menu and select "New
Pattern(s)...".  A dialog box will appear.  Click in the Step-Time Record box
and click OK.  Pattern 2's icon will change to resemble two feet.  Set the
Echo numerical in the Global Control window to echo your input out to a different
MIDI channel. Click on the Record Button for Pattern 2 and play some music.
You need not worry about playing it in rhythm because rhythm is determined
elsewhere.

There's no need to stop Pattern 1 from playing, but if you want to stop
hearing it, click on its Mute Button, under the speaker icon.

Change the Pattern 2 Time-Base denominator numerical to 16.

Following the same routines we described above for Pattern 1 (but remembering
that we're now working with Pattern 2, which will always be the second from the
top in any column), set the MIDI Channel Numerical (under "Orchest" in the MIDI
Variables window)) and the Sounds Numerical to whatever you'd like.

_________________________
Varying the Second Pattern

We're now going to add variety to the second Pattern, giving it an
improvisational feel.  Try the following.

Change the Direct (for Direction) Numerical in the Note Manipulation window
to about 80%, this sets the probability of the pattern playing forwards or
backwards.  Make sure you're changing the numerical that corresponds to
Pattern 2.

Move the leftmost (of the three) Note Order sliders, in the Note
Manipulation window, to the left.  Move the next slider also the left.
Experiment with the specific settings.  What you're doing is scrambling and
randomizing the order of the notes in the Pattern.

Change the Note Density Numerical, under "Note %" in the Note
Manipulation window, to about 30%.  This sets a probability for each note to
sound.  Change the Pattern 2 Direct Numerical to about 50%.  This sets a
probability for the amount of time that the Pattern will play forwards and
backwards.

Change the right (of the two) Transp numerical from 3 to 4.  This
will transpose the Pattern up an octave.

Change also the left Transp numerical.  It will change the "key" of your
Pattern.  Experiment.  Make sure you can hear Pattern 1 so that you can
hear both Patterns together while adjusting their keys and octaves.  C3
represents the key and octave in which a Pattern was originally recorded, and
any change from that setting will change your Pattern's relative
transposition.

Following the routines described above for Pattern 1, go to the Cyclic Editor
window and set an accent cycle of 3 for Pattern 2, with one strong and two weak
beats.  Experiment.  Then select the Durations icon, with the 16th-note and the
whole note.  Select a cycle length of one, and set random durations by dragging
the height of the column from top to bottom with the right mouse button.
Experiment.  Then select the Articulate icon, with the slurred notes.  Select a
cycle length of one, and set random legato-staccato note articulations by
dragging the height of the column from top to bottom with the right mouse
button.  Experiment.

Finally, click on the Sync button in the Global Control window to restart both
Patterns together, putting them in sync.  Experiment with the controls you've
used until you're pleased with the music.

_________________________
Performing

As the Patterns are playing, you can change virtually any controls on the
screen using the mouse.  You can also memorize overall settings of the screen
in "snapshots" by using the camera button.

You can also transpose your music with your MIDI keyboard by clicking on
the transpose buttons, under  "#b" in the Patterns window, for Patterns 1
and 2, leaving them set to "A".  Then play different notes on your
MIDI keyboard.  Remember that middle-C is the key in which you originally
recorded.  When you've finished transposing, don't forget to deselect the
Transpose buttons.

You can also use the Input Control System, which is a way to control the
program's functioning from your MIDI keyboard.  Click on the Ctrl button, in
the Global Control window, to activate the system. Then, for example, play
middle-C on your MIDI keyboard.  The music will stop.  Play middle-C again and
the music will start again.  It's a simple example of using the Input Control
System, but there's lots more you can do.

_________________________
Experiment

We've taken you through recording and varying two Pattern types and some simple
examples of performance.  There's lots more to do.  Experiment as you go.  Try
things out.  You'll find that M is the ideal environment for coming up with
fascinating musical ideas.

We hope you enjoy using M!

_________________________
For Further Information

                Intelligent Music
                PO Box 8748
                Albany, NY 12208 USA
                Tel: [phone]