Experimental BBS Explossion 3/Experimental BBS Explossion III.iso/gus/digestv2.zip/V2N28M.TXT

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GUS Musician's Digest       Tue, 30 Nov 93  3:39         Volume 2: Issue  28

Today's Topics:
                        1st National GUS Bank
                         Answers re MIDI box
                     GUS Musician's Digest V2 #22
                      Help for Midi box builder
                            Ignored tracks
               Making a MIDI BOX - circuit confusion ?
                           MIDI File Format
                             MOD Tracker
                     Ultrasound MIDI box circuit

Standard Info:
    - Meta-info about the GUS can be found at the end of the Digest.
    - Before you ask a question, please READ THE FAQ.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 29 Nov 93 08:48:12 EST
From: "Eric Bell, Howling Dog Systems" <[e-mail]>
Subject: 1st National GUS Bank

Matthew M. Nordan writes

> How the hell does one use the patch banking feature of the new Windows
> drivers?  This is what i've been waiting for for close to a year now, and
> i have no idea how to make use of it.  Help!

I've spent the last little while working on this, because we are doing a minor
upgrade to Power Chords Pro, and I want to include GUS patch banks. It took my
a while to get it all sorted out.

Better have the latest drivers for this (GUS35.ZIP), the ultrasnd.ini file
spec is different now.

To create a 'bank' of sounds, you create a section in your ULTRASND.INI file
with a bank number, a directory, and the sounds in the bank:

[Melodic Bank 8]
PatchDir=C:\ULTRASND\MYBANK\
0=bosendrf
1=toypiano
33=mnstrbas
34=stolnpat
52=deckpat
57=heinzpat
69=dudes

The idea is that when bank 8 is active, patch numbers 0, 1, 33, 34, 57, and 69
will be loaded from the file names listed, in the directory listed. For
example, patch 1, will load C:\ULTRASND\MYBANK\TOYPIANO.PAT.

Any patch numbers selected that are not specified in bank 8 are loaded
according to the list in [Melodic Bank 0], the default.

Drum patches work in a similar fashion. Say you want to load up a couple of
Francois Dion's TR808 patches. You would add a section to the ULTRASND.INI that
looks like this:

[Drum Bank 8]
PatchDir=C:\ULTRASND\808\
35=808kick1
36=808kick2
37=808rim

I've been trying (and failing) to find out more about this scheme. Maybe I
shouldn't expect much on the holiday weekend.

One thing I don't know is, can more than one bank be active at a time? Today's
experimentation should tell the tale.

Also, here's a serious pitfall:

(*** GRAVIS, PLEASE READ THIS: ***)

If the driver encounters one bad patch (ie. name not found, or name misspelled,
or .pat stuck on end of name), it stops loading patches, instead of continuing
on as best it can.

This seriously wasted my time... Guess we should check more return codes.

All you Power Chords Pro users out there, get ready for some fun. The update
will ship in a week or two, automatically, and at no charge to all registered
users.

Eric

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 13:04:22 GMT
From: Clarke Brunt <[e-mail]>
Subject: Answers re MIDI box

I'm not an electical engineer either, but I have made a MIDI box using
the GUS circuit, and it works fine. If by 'the author' you mean
Paul Cunnell, I had mail returned from hos company, so he must have
left. I did get mail from him at the time I was making my box.

So on to your questions:

>1]  What part is this:   |\
>                         | o
>                         |/
>    Is this the 7407 he refers to ?, if so is that how I refer to the part
>    to buy it ?

This refers to one of the inverters on the 74LS04. You buy a 74LS04, and
use the pin numbers as on the second diagram. As the author says,
the 74LS04 has 6 inverters - you don't use all of them. Ignore 7407
on top diagram - I don't know what it is, probably another type of
inverter. You will notice the the circuit uses two inverters one
after another - I assume this to to clean the signal or something,
since two inversions is 'equivalent' to nothing.

>2]  Is the IN914/IN4148 the inverters he talks about in the last paragraph
>    if not where do they go ?

These are diodes. Get one or the other (or probably one of many other
equivalents).

>3]  Which circuit do I use ? - one above or first one ( I presumed the
>    first one was an explanation ?

Yes - first is just explanatory. The second is what you actually use.

4]  Is says pins 2 you Ground - Ok fine but what do you ground it to -
    Pin-5 on the connector ?

That's right. The whole idea of 'ground' is that they all all connected
together, and so at the same voltage.

>5]  Has any one else succesfully used the 6N137 "High speed" chip instead
>    of the 6N138 - do it work as well - are there any other opto isolators
>    I can use

I used the 6N138. I'm not really knowledgable enough to answer this one.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 93 09:12:54 EST
From: "Burns Fisher, VMS Engineering  29-Nov-1993 0913" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: GUS Musician's Digest V2 #22

>A suggestion to Gravis (anyone listening?). Using the gus with patch
>caching applications is of course most convenient. But lots of programs
>don't do this. I don't think the conserve memory option combined with
>the load256.mid, load512.mid, or even load1024.mid is a really fancy
>solution (have you ever heard the replacement of the fret noise? it took
>me quite some time to find out where these weird notes came from...).
>Would it be possible to design a mode for the windows drivers in which
>the driver checks wether a patch is in memory, whenever it gets a
>program change message, and then subsequently loads it if necessary? Of
>course this would lead to substantial delay in playing a song the first
>time, but after that you would have all the necessary patches in
>memory. Using the Patch Manager only works fine if you happen to *know*
>which instruments and drum sounds are present in a song.

Yes!  Yes!  I've been whining about this for years.  Well, 1 year.

>  A different suggestion: I think it would be nice if the Patch Manager
>was able to export a midi file like load1024.mid, providing an easy way
>to restore your own favorite collection of sounds using the media player.
>Should be easy, I guess.
>
>Happy gussin' --Eric Meijer

A great idea, IMHO, especially in combination with patch loading as above.  What
I imagine PM doing is to write a midi file with patch changes to force a load of
all the patches currently in the GUS memory/driver.  Then you could run your
application, (which would work clunkily since the driver is loading patches as
they are used), and then extract a midi file so that you could preload patches
next time you run the application.

Burns

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 93 22:33:35 MST
From: Steve "Bongos" Larson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Help for Midi box builder

James (!EE) writes:

(mega stuff deleted so as to conserve BW)
#
# This is circuit from the GUS FAQ - I want to build a midi box and
# am confused with the circuit ( I am not an Electrical Engineer ! )
# I have mailed the author but got no reply.
    => Hmm... one too many liability claim? :)
#
# Hopefully someone here can help me ?
    => Sure, why not.
#
# 1]  What part is this:   |\
#                          | o
#                          |/
#     Is this the 7407 he refers to ?, if so is that how I refer to the part
#     to buy it ?

    => That is an inverter, it has a part # 74(LS)04. The notation
    is just a triangle with a bubble on one tip. The 7407 is a buffer
    which is related to the inverter but doesn't invert the logic level.
    BTW, "LS" just means "low power schottky".
#
# 2]  Is the IN914/IN4148 the inverters he talks about in the last paragraph
#     if not where do they go ?

    => These are diodes (these two are low-power) and are used mostly for
    rectifiers, circuit protection and dc blocking. In this circuit, I see
    only one diode and it's connected across pins 2 and 3 of the 6N138.

#
# 3]  Which circuit do I use ? - one above or first one ( I presumed the
#     first one was an explanation ?

    => If you're using a GUS only, why not try the Gravis circuit?
    The first one is only a generic circuit.
#
# 4]  Is says pins 2 you Ground - Ok fine but what do you ground it to -
#     Pin-5 on the connector ?

    => Perhaps you should read it again: Leave pin 2 unconnected...
#
# 5]  Has any one else succesfully used the 6N137 "High speed" chip instead
#     of the 6N138 - do it work as well - are there any other opto isolators
#     I can use

    => The 6N137 ought to work fine (I can't confirm this though). YOu
    can also use the 6N136; this is the opto Sound Galaxy and a few
    other cable makers use.

#
# Thanks for the help.
#
# James
# internet: [e-mail]

    => FWIW, you can buy a cable for about twenty Canada bucks here
    in the great white north-- Sound Galaxy. I don't have a US source
    so if some kind knowledgeable could look into it, I'm sure your
    efforts will be appreciated. The cable works excellent with the GUS
    as a connecter to a slave midi device or a midi input.

Steve Larson, Computer Engineering, Univ. of Alberta
[e-mail] or [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 13:03:00 GMT
From: Clarke Brunt <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Ignored tracks

> The reason that those tracks are ignored is because the Windows
> multi-media spec is written such that MIDI channels above 10 are
> ignored!  Don't ask me why, but that's what is written.  Therefore, to
> get those tracks back, simply assign them to channels between 1 and 8.
> Strange but true...
>
> I had the same mysterious track disappearance on a song I was
> composing, and it completely frustrated me until I tried playing the
> song outside of Windows, where they suddenly appeared again.  I finally
> read about this MIDI channel restriction somewhere (you would think the
> people writing the standards would consider that MIDI supports 16
> channels!), and it all fell into place.

Oh come on! I have not seen these various specifications, so I can't
really argue. There are various 'standards' for MIDI files, e.g. extended,
general etc. which use various channels for various things. This is a
good thing, because a synthesizer can then conform with the one which
is nearest to its capabilities, and stand a chance of playing other
peoples MIDI files. But there is NO restriction built into Windows.
Sure, it is possible to disable channels 11-16 in MIDI mapper, and indeed
a midimap.cfg supplied with the GUS had them disabled, but the answer
then is just to enable them, not to start altering your MIDI files to
use different channels.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 93 12:40:37 EST
From: [e-mail] (Hansye S. Dulimarta)
Subject: Making a MIDI BOX - circuit confusion ?

   Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1993 16:38:23 +0200
   From: [e-mail]

   > --------------------------------------------------------
   > Generic Midi Out/In/Through Circuit
   > ===================================
   >
   > The following shows a typical OUT, cable, and IN circuit
   >
   >      MIDI OUT port ---->|<- cable ->|<---- MIDI IN port              +5V
   >                                                                 270   |
   >            +5V        DIN           DIN                     +--\/\/\/-+
   >             |  220    +-+ +-------+ +-+   220    +--------+ |
   >        |\   +-\/\/\/--|4|-|-------|-|4|--\/\/\/--|  OPTO  |-+-+- UART RXD
   > UART   | \            | | |       | | |          |ISOLATOR|   |
   > TXD ---|  \---\/\/\/--|5|-|-------|-|5|----------|        |-+ |
   >        |  /    220    | | +-------+ | |          +--------+ | |
   >        | /         +--|2|-+       +-|2|            6N138   GND|
   >        |/ 7407     |  +-+           +-+                       |
   >                   GND                                         |
   >                                                               |
   >                   +-------------------------------------------+
   >                   |
   >                   |      +5V        DIN
   >                   |       |  220    +-+
   >                   |  |\   +-\/\/\/--|4|
   >                   |  | \            | |
   >                   +--|  \---\/\/\/--|5|   MIDI THRU
   >                      |  /    220    | |
   >                      | /         +--|2|
   >                      |/ 7407     |  +-+
   >                                 GND
   >
   >         Note that when the UART TXD is high, no current flows through
   > the resistors and optoisolator's LED, causing the optoisolator's
   > phototransistor to remain off, allowing the UART RXD to be pulled high
   > by the 270 ohm resistor.  When the UART TXD is low, current flows
   > through the resistors and optoisolator's LED, turning on
   > optoisolator's phototransistor, grounding the UART RXD.  The voltage
   > drop across the optoisolator's LED is typically 1.5 volts, leaving 3.5
   > volts to be dropped across (3 times 220) 660 ohms, which allows about
   > 5 ma to flow.
   >
   >         The reason a current loop is used is that it allows an ground
   > isolated interconnection.  Note that the ground from the MIDI OUT
   > port's device is not connected to the ground of the MIDI IN port's
   > device.  This prevents ground loops in systems where appropriate
   > attention has not been paid to grounding issues, such as the case of
   > typical musicians in a typical club!
   >
   > Gravis Ultrasound Circuit
   > =========================
   >
   > 15 pin D connector
   >                                           220R
   > pin-1 +5v ----+--------------------------/\/\/\---------------\
   >               |                                                \ 4
   >               |                                          Gnd--2   MIDI OUT
   >               |      |\      |\            220R                / 5
   > pin-12 tr >---|------| o-----| o----------/\/\/\--------------/
   >               |    13|/ 12 11|/ 10
   >               |                            220R
   >               +---------------------------/\/\/\-------------\
   >              |                                               \ 4
   > pin-15 rx <---|--------------------+                    Gnd--2    MIDI THRU
   >               |      |\      |\    |        220R              / 5
   >               |   +--| o-----| o---+-------/\/\/\------------/
   >               |   | 1|/ 2   3|/ 4
   >               |   |
   >               |   +------+
   >               |   270R   |                       220R
   >               +--/\/\/\--+    +------+----------/\/\/\--------\
   >               |B         |C   |A     |                         \  4
   >             +-|----------|----|-+    |                             MIDI IN
   >             |  8        6     2 |  -----                       /  5
   >             |                   |   / \ IN914 or IN4148     +-/
   >             |      6N138        |   ---                     |
   >             |                   |    |                      |
   >             |           5     3 |    |                      |
   >             +------------|----|-+    |                      |
   >                          |    |K     |                      |
   > pin-5 Gnd  --------------+    +------+----------------------+
   >
   >        Inverters are 74LS04. (This is a 14-pin IC containing 6
   > inverters.  Connect pin 14 to +5V, pin 7 to GND)
   >
   >         Leave pin 2 of the MIDI IN unconnected (Don't connect to ground).
   > -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   This is circuit from the GUS FAQ - I want to build a midi box and
   am confused with the circuit ( I am not an Electrical Engineer ! )
   I have mailed the author but got no reply.

   Hopefully someone here can help me ?

   1]  What part is this:   |\
                | o
                |/
       Is this the 7407 he refers to ?, if so is that how I refer to the part
       to buy it ?

This is an inverter.  In a single 7407 chip, you'll find 6 of these.
Note the the two circuits are identical except for the diode
IN914/IN4148 connecting the Anote and Cathode of the optoisolator. In
the first circuit, a triangle mark '7407' is two inverter connected
together.

   2]  Is the IN914/IN4148 the inverters he talks about in the last paragraph
       if not where do they go ?

IN914/IN4148 is a diode.  As I mentioned above, the first circuit does
not use this diode.

   3]  Which circuit do I use ? - one above or first one ( I presumed the
       first one was an explanation ?

Both are the same, they are written in different layout.

   4]  Is says pins 2 you Ground - Ok fine but what do you ground it to -
       Pin-5 on the connector ?

Are you talking about pin-2 on the DIN connector (MIDI THRU / MIDI OUT)?
This pin should be connected to pin-5 of the connector from the GUS card.

   5]  Has any one else succesfully used the 6N137 "High speed" chip instead
       of the 6N138 - do it work as well - are there any other opto isolators
       I can use


   Thanks for the help.

   James
   internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 93 12:41:13 EST
From: [e-mail] (Hansye S. Dulimarta)
Subject: MIDI File Format

   Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 00:44:25 -0500 (EST)
   From: "Ryan C. Dirr" <[e-mail]>

   Where can I find the format definition for the MIDI File Format (DOS).
   Any books, ftp-sites, or e-mail full text will be GREATLY appreciated.

   I would like this information because:
      I want to write a program which will convert MIDI Files to text and
      vice versa.  This is a "pet project" for a friend so he can "see"
      MIDI files.  It's possible that there are programs out there that
      can do this, but I still want to do this for the experience...

   Thanks in advance. :)

   email address is: [e-mail]

Check ucsd.edu:/pub/midi/doc

Hans.

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 11:54 -0500
From: [e-mail]
Subject: MOD Tracker

OK, now I need to go to MOD files.  I haven't seen any MID to MOD conversions
out there (which should be fairly easy for 4-track MID files on a GUS) so I have
to find a MOD tracker.  Is there anything as easy to use as, say PowerChords?

Don't even bother to mention ULT or FAR files--or even DMP.  I need to produce
4-track MODs compatible with all the usual game drivers.  I hat having to go to
some other format--especially one with the limits of MOD, but it's necessary.
I hope there's something out there with piano-roll entry, etc.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Hal

------------------------------

Date: Mon, 29 Nov 93 09:17:45 PST
From: "alan chiu" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Ultrasound MIDI box circuit

     |\
     | o is an inverter.
     |/

     Alan.

------------------------------

End of GUS Musician's Digest V2 #28
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