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READ.ME
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1994-01-03
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WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN WITH THIS DISTRIBUTION PACKAGE
----------------------------------------------------------
WBTDEMO.EXE - The main WaveBlaster Tamer Working Demo program.
WBTAMER.CBK - A preset file for you to experiment with.
WBTAMER.INI - If you like, you can include this in your
Cakewalk Apprentice PATCHES.INI file to call
up your WBTAMER.CBK presets by name. DON"T
ATTEMPT THIS, unless you know what you are
doing.
WBTAMER.ICO - An icon for WaveBlaster Tamer running under Windows.
WBTAMER.PIF - A file to let you use WaveBlaster Tamer under Windows.
WBTAMER.MID - A special .MID file that WaveBlaster Tamer will play.
PRESETS.DOC - A text file on the free presets included with this file.
WBTDEMO.WRK - A Cakewalk demo song. Read WHATS.NEW for details.
READ.ME - This file.
ORDER.FRM - An order form.
FILE_ID.DIZ - A bulletin board information file.
WHATS.NEW - A history of additions and upgrades to
WaveBlaster Tamer. Be sure to view this.
WaveBlaster Tamer 1.0
----------------------
>> ReadMe Revision 12/12/93: This ReadMe file was created for
distribution with WaveBlaster
Tamer 1.0. It will give you a
basic introduction to the program,
but it may not contain information
about the latest upgrades. Be
sure to glance at the file named
WHATS.NEW for updates on any new
features.
INTRODUCTION
------------
Thank you for trying this working model of WaveBlaster Tamer.
In this working model, most every function is available. Only
a few key features and the ability to save files have been
disabled. I hope this will make it easy for you to see how the
WaveBlaster Tamer can expand your MIDI sound system.
READ THIS IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE
----------------------------------
If you want to play now and read later, here's how to set the
WaveBlaster Tamer up to demonstrate its maximum potential:
1. UnZIP these files to one directory. I recommend creating a
subdirectory under C:\WAVEBLST (assuming you followed the
Creative Labs recommended installation of the WaveBlaster
software) called C:\WAVEBLST\WBTAMER.
2. Make sure you have SBMIDI.EXE loaded--the version that came
with your WaveBlaster, not your SB16. If you used the default
installation parameters when you installed the WaveBlaster
software, it's located in the C:\WAVEBLST directory.
To make sure SBMIDI.EXE calls your WaveBlaster properly, enter
SBMIDI /2 on the command line. (You know, I find this little
TSR so useful that I put it in my AUTOEXEC.BAT file, and let
DOS's MEMMAKER put it in high memory. You might want to
consider that--in the complete WaveBlaster Tamer
documentation, I discuss different ways to make this utility
fill some very handy functions.)
3. Know where these files are located:
a. PLAYMIDI.EXE
b. SB16SET.EXE
c. WBTAMER.MID *
d. A directory where you keep .MID files (Possibly C:\WAVEBLST)
e. A directory where you keep .CBK files *
* In this working demo, you've been given a sample .MID
file and .CBK file (WBTAMER.MID and WBTAMER.CBK).
Assuming that you've put the working demo package in
its own directory, that's where these files will be.
You can substitute any .MID file of your choosing for
WBTAMER.MID, but see below. Since WaveBlaster Tamer
can't save .CBK files, you'll probably be working
exclusively with WBLAST.CBK.
4. Know what your WaveBlaster port address number is. It will be
either 330 (factory default) or 300. If you enter in the
wrong number here, WaveBlaster Tamer will crash the first time
you try to send it a command or play music. Ouch.
If you want to run this on a computer without a WaveBlaster
installed, enter a 0 when you are asked for an address. Then
the program won't try to send information out.
5. Run the program, and select CONFIGURE first. Enter the
information described in 2 and 3 above.
6. Have fun.
COOL THINGS TO KNOW
-------------------
While you are in the program, the following function keys work in
most places.
F1 Sends the current preset to the WaveBlaster and
plays a sound audition with the default note
sequence.
Shift-F1 Sends the current preset to the WaveBlaster,
but does not play the default note sequence.
F2 Plays a sound audition using WBTAMER.MID (or
whatever file you specified in CONFIGURE), played by
PLAYMIDI.EXE.
Shift-F2 Pulls up a directory of .MID files (in the
directory you specified in CONFIGURE), to be played
by PLAYMIDI.EXE.
F3 Panic! Turns off all notes.
F8 Pulls up SB16SET.EXE.
F9 Pulls up a menu of MIDI command options.
F10 Displays help.
THE REAL DEAL
-------------
Okay, so why isn't this shareware?
It's because I'm not sure if the shareware marketing system works
all that well when the market for a program is fairly small,
which is--compared to the market for word processors or
spreadsheets--what the market of people who want to edit patches
for their WaveBlasters probably is.
But, on the other hand, you are getting a chance to review my
craft first-hand, and decide on the quality of my work before you
spend a dime. I think that's a pretty good system.
Best of all, when you want the real deal, you don't have to spend
an arm and a leg. Just drop $29.95 and applicable sales tax plus
$4.50 for shipping to:
Keith Cowgill
582 Thistle Avenue
Gahanna, OH 43230
And I'll send a completely working version, with complete docs,
and some other neat stuff, to you.
INCOMPLETE DOCS
---------------
Full documentation is given to WaveBlaster Tamer owners, but
this will get you started.
What this is
------------
The WaveBlaster Tamer is basically a patch editor. In E-Mu
(the company that's the brains behind the WaveBlaster) terms,
the WaveBlaster patches are called presets.
WaveBlaster presets are built using samples stored in ROM.
Each preset may be built from 1 or 2 samples, each of which
can be modified in an extraordinary number of ways. In
addition, each preset may be linked to up to 3 other presets,
which means that you can create some pretty dense sounds. If
you work carefully and diligently, you may find a way to chew
up your entire 32-voice polyphony with one preset!
Why you need it
---------------
If you own a professional-level sound module or keyboard, you
are probably used to creating and storing your patches in the
unit itself. With the WaveBlaster, all presets reside on your
hard drive. The WaveBlaster boots up in General MIDI mode--
the presets for which are stored in its ROM (although you also
received a GENMIDI.CBK file with your unit which are the same
presets). If you want to change your presets, you'll have to
download a new preset file. That's why WaveBlaster Tamer was
created--to modify those presets.
Getting around
--------------
The WaveBlaster Tamer has two editing options, one for presets
and the other for MIDI channels.
A. Preset editor.
The screen is divided into 5 areas, which you access by
pressing ALT and the highlighted letter for that area. For
example, to change a preset's name, you would press Alt and
N at the same time.
If you press Alt-O, you have three possible sub areas to
choose from. Use your cursor up and down keys to find the
one you want. Hit F10 for more help, if you need it.
B. Channel editor
The screen is divided into 16 areas, representing the 16
channels. Use your cursor or tab keys to find the channel
you want and press enter. Press Enter or ESC to quit that
channel. Press ESC again to leave altogether.
About Presets and Samples
-------------------------
The WaveBlaster and the preset file structure are based on
E-mu's Sound Engine and Proteus units. When I created
WaveBlaster Tamer, I made every single parameter specified in
the preset files available to you for your modification, even
though some of them may not be used by the WaveBlaster. Most
of them are useful. Trust me, you'll find the coolest ones
right off the bat.
There are 255 samples stored in the WaveBlaster ROM. They
sound pretty good, and you'll be surprised to discover that
you've never heard many of them coming from your WaveBlaster.
Only people with preset editors have complete access to these
sounds.
As you begin to use this program, you may find it helpful to
have your WaveBlaster manual open to the Appendix that lists
the stored samples. It will make it a little easier to get
around until you become more familiar with finding the ones
you want.
The structure of the preset file as used in General MIDI mode
is that there are 192 presets. The first 128 are instruments
available to all channels except 10. The latter 64 are drum
sets and drum preset links only for channel 10. You'll find
that my program will let you switch from GM mode to Proteus
mode, which is an entirely different arrangement. See below
for a couple more details on Proteus mode.
Your WaveBlaster also has enough RAM for two banks of presets,
which means you could have one bank containing General MIDI
presets, and another with completely different sounds. With
the commercial version of WaveBlaster Tamer, you can switch
banks and download different presets to each. If you have a
sequencer that sends SYSEX commands, you can easily switch
between the two in your sequences.
There's other neat stuff too. Explore.
OBSCURE INFORMATION THAT YOU'LL PROBABLY COME BACK TO THIS FILE
AND READ ONLY AFTER YOU'VE TRIED EVERYTHING ELSE.
----------------------------------------------------------------
1. I made a change to a patch, then called up a .MID file from
my directory, but I didn't hear my patch. Why?
When you are in patch creation and audition mode, your patch
is sent to the WaveBlaster on Channel 1, as Program # 1 (In
General MIDI, that's Acoustic Grand Piano). WBTAMER.MID,
which came with this program, has an instrument playing on
just that setting. If the .MID files you are playing have
some other instrument (i.e., program number) on Channel 1, or
don't use Channel 1 at all, then you won't hear your patch.
In the normal version of WaveBlaster Tamer, after you get done
creating your patches, you would save your file, send it all
to the WaveBlaster, and then go into your sequencer of choice
to begin composing with your new sounds.
2. When I establish a Preset Link to Acoustic Grand Piano
(General MIDI instrument #1), the Acoustic Grand Piano doesn't
play. Why not?
I mentioned this to some folks at E-mu. I think it's a bug in
their ROM. The WaveBlaster doesn't seem able to link to
instrument #1 in a preset bank. The other 191 are available,
however.
3. Hey! What happened?! One (or more) of my channels quit
working!
You probably got into the Channel Edit portion of the program
and turned the channel off. I made this available to you
because you may, like me, have an external MIDI module hooked
to the SB16 MIDI port. Unless you turn off channels that you
want your external module to use, both the WaveBlaster and the
module will play on those channels. Here, you can turn a
channel off (or back on) to the WaveBlaster, so that only your
external synth will sound on that channel during this session.
Above all, just remember that there really isn't much you can
do to the WaveBlaster that can't be undone by turning your
computer off and on.
4. I got into my sequencer, and discovered that my drums on
Channel 10 had been replaced by pianos and stuff. What gives?
You probably switched the WaveBlaster from GM to Proteus
mode. GM demands that drums be on Channel 10, but Proteus
mode has no restrictions. Proteus, through a channel mapping
scheme, allows any of the 192 presets to mapped to any
channel. If you switch to Proteus mode, the same presets
played by the other channels are played by channel 10.
5. I don't know what I did, but the WaveBlaster seems to have
locked up completely!
I hope this doesn't happen to you--and if it does, I hope
you'll let me know what you were doing when it happened. If
it ever should, just starting WaveBlaster Tamer again should
fix things, although you can always select "Reset WaveBlaster
to factory settings" from the MIDI Options menu to accomplish
the same task.
>> ReadMe Revision 12/12/93:
6. I know I can't save presets on the demo, but sometimes they
seem to sound a little different than others.
This will happen if you are playing with a patch that has
Preset Links. Preset Links represent the joining of two or
more presets. However, when linked presets are called, the
*currently downloaded* presets are the ones you will hear. If
you want to hear the WBTAMER preset demos precisely as I
programmed them, you must first download the WBTAMER.CBK file
from the file options menu.
7. In an editing session, I keep changing presets, but my
keyboard keeps playing the same sound. Why?
This happens--especially in Windows--if you are going back and
forth between programs that send out MIDI information. If your
sequencer sets your keyboard to some other channel or
instrument, then it will no longer be set at WaveBlaster
Tamer's editing area. This is an easy fix, though, just push
whatever buttons on your keyboard that will reset it to
instrument or patch 1. Then you'll be back in business.
This should point out to you, however, that WaveBlaster Tamer
responds to ALL MIDI In information, not just notes. You may
find that useful to know, because it means that you can call
up WaveBlaster Tamer, upload a .CBK file, and access all the
instruments in that file by changing patch numbers on your
keyboard.
>> End of ReadMe Revision 12/12/93:
THERE'S NO WAY YOU FIGURED THIS OUT ALL BY YOURSELF, IS THERE?
--------------------------------------------------------------
No. Most people who know me can assure you that I don't have the
brain power for that.
However, I did have...
-A document written by Daron Myrick called "WAVEBLASTER
Secrets," that alerted everybody to the potential in the
Creative Labs WaveBlaster. Well done, Daron.
-Extraordinarily patient and helpful technical advice from
Mark Camp and Dave O'Neal at E-Mu systems.
-Nice answers from some pretty smart people on CompuServe's
MIDI forum.
Thanks, everybody.
BUG REPORTS, COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, COMPLIMENTS
-----------------------------------------------
Bugs? In Version 1.0? How could such a thing happen?
>> ReadMe Revision 12/5/93: Yes, it did happen. That's why
Version 1.1 was distributed within
two days of Version 1.0.
Seriously, I would be thrilled to hear from you. Just not by
phone. Drop me a line at the address above or E-Mail me on CIS
at 73147,2253. I have plans in the making for Versions 2 and 3
of this program, but all of that may change depending on upcoming
technology changes with Creative Labs sound cards.
THE LEGAL STUFF I SWORE I'D NEVER PUT IN HERE
---------------------------------------------
But then again, paranoia strikes deep, as Stephen Stills used to
say.
I retain all copyrights to this program. You are entitled to use
this program any way you wish and distribute it to anyone you
wish, with the following restrictions:
- Don't change the WBTDEMO.EXE file in any way.
- Don't charge anything for distributing it other than a
nominal distribution-service fee.
- If you upload or distribute the program in any way, include
all of these files as you received them, with no
modifications.
WHO I AM AND WHY I INSIST ON WRITING PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION
LIKE SOME CHEESY ADVERTISING COPYWRITER
----------------------------------------------------------
It's because I am a cheesy advertising copywriter, by day. I
also play out and record with a rock band in Columbus, Ohio.
For some reason, that still doesn't make me feel enough like a
social misfit, so about once every couple years I get this urge
to be computer programmer, and this is the program I'm writing
this time around.
Hope you like it.