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MidiPlay_v1.0
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1990-10-06
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310 lines
====================================
MidiPlay- Version 1.0 DOCUMENTATION
====================================
INTRODUCTION
MidiPlay is essentially a graphic oriented shell for Bill Barton's
"playmf" utility for his PD MIDI Library. It meets the need of a
general purpose player for Standard MIDI Format (SMF) type 0 files.
It is not intended to be used "live" because in this version external
MIDI start and control is not included. It IS hoped that this will
be used in the same way that people use SMUS players on the Amiga or
SID players on the C64, and that now people may have a MIDI player
that is relatively easy to use. There are lots of MIDI instruments
out there that are both powerful and inexpensive, and lots of music
to be heard.
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
MIDI Interface
MIDI Instrument (8 voice minimum recommended)
SOFTWARE REQUIRED BUT NOT INCLUDED IN NETWORK VERSION
Arp.Library Version 1.3
WHAT YOU'VE GOT AND WHERE IT GOES
DISK MIDIPLAY IS ON MUST BE NAMED MKS-1
Arp.library----SYS:libs/
mdrt.library---SYS:libs/
playmf---------c/
MidiPlay------- MKS-1:
MidiPlay.info-- MKS-1:
Disk.info-------MKS-1:
MUSIC(dir)----- MKS-1:
Files:
Wall_St._Rag
Magnetic_Rag
Pineapple_Rag
Elite_Syncopations
Text Files------MKS-1: (text files is not a directory-just put the next
two files on your MKS-1 disk)
LinerNotes
PlayList
WORKING WITH MIDIPLAY
=======================WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!====================
Do NOT click on the NEW gadget until you understand what you are
doing!!!!
Look for the section marked THE NEW BUTTON first.!!!!
===============================================================
1. Make sure your MIDI interface and MIDI instrument are connected.
It is suggested that you turn on your MIDI instrument AFTER you see
MidiPlay's Main screen.
2. Boot your system disk, open it, then click on MidiPlay's Icon. You
are now ready to rock.
THE MAIN SCREEN
The Main Screen consists of two portions. The top half consists of
fifteen gadgets with the titles of the MIDI format songs. Clicking on
any of these gadgets will play the titled song.
1.) In this version of MidiPlay your MUSIC directory may
only contain 15 titles and NO ".info" files.
2.) You must use only MSF type (0) files. Most sequencer programs
will save in this format.
3.) It is possible to click on the tunes in any order and
MidiPlay will play them in the order you click. This is
called the "Instant Programming Mode" (IPM).
THE NOTES BUTTON
Clicking on the Notes gadget brings up the LinerNotes Screen. There
is a file called LinerNotes. You may edit this
file to include notes on the songs in your MUSIC directory. The file
MUST be saved in ASCII format.
THE NEW BUTTON
This button puts the user into "Standard Programming Mode" (SPM). In
SPM your program is saved as a file to be used anytime you have
MidiPlay running. Clicking on NEW will ERASE your old program, so use
it wisely.
After you click on NEW all you have to do is click on the Panel
Buttons marked 1 through 15. You may repeat any button you like in
any order. When you are done click on the SAVE button and your "Play
List" will be ready every time you use MidiPlay.
To hear your play list click on the PLAY button.
You may move MidiPlay's screen to the back by pressing LEFT-AMIGA
and "N". Multitasking should pose no problem.
END OF DOCUMENTATION
===========
A PROPOSAL:
===========
With 16 MIDI channels there is much room for confusion on setting up
a MIDI instrument to play sequencer files. I would like to propose
the following system for people to use when uploading files to
networks or BBS's; this would be placed in the file comment area or
in doc files:
TITLE SMF (FORMAT) MODE CHANNEL #VOICES
Here is an example from a file in this release:
MAGNETIC_RAG SMF(0) OMNI OFF 1 8
In the abovel, Magnetic Rag is in Standard MIDI Format (0). The mode
is OMNI OFF and the file is sent on MIDI channel #1 with a total of 8
voices
If I had split my voices in to one channel for treble Clef and
another for Bass clef the file could read like this:
MAGNETIC_RAG SMF(0) OMNI OFF 1 4, 2 4
one further item to be added here would be the word "DRUM" to signify
what channel a drum machine receives on:
MAGNETIC_RAG SMF(0) OMNI OFF 1 4, 2 4, 4 DRUM
In the above example there are 4 voices each on channels 1 and 2 and
the drum machine is on channel 4. I hope this system is easy to work
with and will provide some standardization that I haven't seen with
other computers. Under this system you could even specify other
formats this way:
MAGNETIC_RAG MUSIC-X (PERF) OMNI OFF 1 4, 2 4, 4 DRUM
MAGNETIC_RAG KCS (WHATEVER) OMNI OFF.....ETC.......
This system should make it a lot easier for a user to decide if he
has the right equipment to play the file in question, and will make
setting up the MIDI instruments a little bit easier.
===================
FUTURE ENHANCEMENTS
===================
Version 2.0 of MIDIPlay will only be available through the DBAL (see
below). Added features will include:
Room for 45 SMF files
multiple Playlists and LinerNotes
Undo in SPM
Ability to CD to different DIRS for "Albums" of music.
Ability to print LinerNotes from within the program.
Not in Version 2.0 but in the "real soon now" category:
external MIDI start and stop
Ability to show a graphic for each file
==========================================================
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING FOR SOME INTERESTING AMIGA MUSIC STUFF:
==========================================================
As an Amiga user I have sometimes been dismayed at the lack of
emphasis given to the music and sound capabilities of this machine. I
teach at a small High School in southern Ohio, and I use my Amiga for
lots of things, but mostly with a synthesizer ensemble that I have.
This group is very popular in our area and we play at many events,
the most recent being the Ohio State Fair in August 1990. We want to
do much more with the Amiga to "spread the gospel" so here is what we
are working on:
1.) In late January 1991 we will release the first disks of
the DAWSON-BRYANT AMIGA LIBRARY (DBAL). This library is
totally dedicated to Music, Sound, & Music-Education
using the Amiga. The library will consist of already
released PD software and our own original programming.
In what I believe is a first, any SHAREWARE programs we
select for the library will net the author a royalty
fee for each disk sold. Profits from the sale of
library disks will be placed in a special fund at the
school for the purchase of additional computer hardware
software, and music department equipment.
2.)
We have been working on this library for almost a year, and here is a
sampling of the original programming we have in the "almost ready to
release" category:
FB-01 TOUR-
A complete interactive exploration of the FB-01 synth module, with
side discussions of programming FM synthesis, and FB-01
configurations. This disk will also include the FB-01 Editor, over
100 patches, and several songs in DMCS format for playback through
the FB-01.
MIDI PERFORMANCE SERIES-
"Live" performances of piano music in an album format with extensive
liner notes on the pieces, featuring playback of major themes,
motifs, and development material.
TUTORIALS-
Interactive presentations on the following:
MIDI BASICS
AMIGA SEQUENCERS
WRITING DRUM MACHINE PARTS
DMCS TIPS AND TRICKS
AMIGA SOUND-
My crack team of student "sample artists" have been going out and
capturing some strange things to use as samples. We have some pretty
neat stuff now, but our Mimetics sampler is just a little too "dirty"
for my taste. If we get any money from the sale of disks, then one
of our first purchases will be the AMAS sampler.
MUSIC THEORY-
EAR TRAINING I-INTERVALS: This one has been hard to program and still
needs work, but here is what it has:
PLAYBACK THROUGH THE AMIGA OR MIDI
REMOTE CONTROL OF PROGRAM FROM A MIDI KEYBOARD
COMPLETE TESTING FACILITIES
PASSWORD PROTECTED FOR STUDENT AND TEACHER
SEVERAL DIFFERENT REPORT FORMATS
SPEECH FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
TEACHER TOOLS-
Music Library database for Music teachers
Testmaker program with answer key
3.)
If we ever make any money from the library our second step will be
the creation of a Multi-node BBS. We have been working on DOORS that
will allow interactive teaching programs for students and one that
essentially is our Testmaker program for teachers.
My dream is that schools would have USR Courier HST modems, and then
we could really fire some skypix over the lines and let students
control programs with the mouse.
If you have any ideas for our library or would like to be placed on
our mailing list for more information and catalogs send your name and
address to the following:
John Rappold
Music Department
Dawson-Bryant High School
Hornet Lane
Coal Grove, Ohio 45638
You may also contact me via E-Mail on PLink as Groovetone
Please specify that you want information concerning the DBAL, and
PLEASE....NEVER CALL THE SCHOOL! We are a teaching institution that
doesn't have time to answer phone calls on anything concerning the
DBAL, and besides, I HATE to be called out of class. I will be glad
to answer any questions you send by mail.
==============
SPECIAL THANKS
==============
BILL BARTON- MIDI Library and help with the "playmf" utility
CHARLIE HEATH et.al.- ARP library
JACK TAYLOR -Class of '89-The HORNET Disk icon.
=============
MidiPlay V1.0
=============
MidiPlay V1.0 is © 1990 John Rappold
released as FreeWare with the following provisos:
No part of the program code or documentation may be modified in
any manner. The original documentation must be included in any
release: BBS, Network, Disk Collections.
Any uploads must stay in the .LZH format with only the original
files included.
Programmed by John Rappold with CanDo
PLINK-Groovetone