OPUS tm Music software User's Reference Manual Includes: OPUS tm COMPOSER OPUS tm TAPEDECK OPUS tm JUKEBOX Copyright (c) 1987, Cheetah International, Inc. 107 Community Boulevard, Suite 5 Longview, Texas 75602 phone (214)-757-3001 and Maranatha Systems, Inc. Opus tm is a trademark of Maranatha Systems, Inc. Cheetah-MIDI tm is a trademark of Cheetah International, Inc. Microsoft tm and Windowstm are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation OPUS COMPOSER OPERATION MANUAL INTRODUCTION The OPUS COMPOSER is a powerful music development tool. Every attempt possible has been made to permit its many features to be understood and used easily. This manual is intended to assist first time users in understanding the COMPOSER'S features. It is suggested that the reader use and experiment with the composer on a computer to really learn and understand it. RUNNING THE OPUS COMPOSER In order to run the OPUS COMPOSER it is necessary to have Microsoft's Windowstm program loaded. Please refer to the literature provided with Microsoft Windows for installation and operation of Windowstm. Once Windowstm is loaded, the OPUS program DEV.EXE should be run. DEV.EXE is the OPUS device driver. What's a device driver? Well, its a program which knows how to talk to a specific piece of hardware (such as the Cheetah-MIDI, or the IBM Music Feature). By structuring the OPUS software to employ a device driver, OPUS software such as the OPUS COMPOSER can operate without knowing what hardware is present. We call this hardware independent software. You can have the OPUS device driver program, DEV.EXE, automatically loaded each time you start Windows by editing the Window's file, WIN.INI. Simply type the line LOAD=dev.exe in the file WIN.INI and the device driver will automatically load when Windows initializes. Refer to the Windows documentation for more information about the WIN.INI file. SUMMARY * Under Windows, RUN the OPUS program DEV.EXE (a double click with the left mouse button while the arrow is at DEV.EXE will accomplish this). * Bring DOS back up (Using mouse, click on diskette icon & hold button down while moving icon to center screen and release button). * RUN COMPOSER.EXE. (A double click with the left mouse button while the arrow is pointing to COMPOSER.EXE will accomplish this). At this point your screen should show the OPUS COMPOSER display (A palette of music symbols and one staff - without clef). At the bottom of the screen, there should be the icon of the device driver (a MIDI plug) as well as the DOS icon (a diskette). PROBLEM? * In order to RUN the OPUS device driver, DEV.EXE, or the composer, COMPOSER.EXE; you must have the drive (A:, B:, C:, or D:) selected and the subdirectory or path (example: \WINDOWS\, etc.) identified which contains the OPUS software! Refer to the Windows manual on how directories and drives may be changed under Windows. USING THE OPUS COMPOSER Examine the COMPOSER's screen. Notice that across the top of the composer's screen are six headings: FILE, EDIT, THINGS, LENGTHS, OPTIONS, and MIDI. Clicking the mouse at each heading will produce a "pop-down" menu of choices under that catagory. The entries under each heading are explained below using the format HEADING [OPTION]. Example: File [OPEN] * FILE * FILE * FILE * FILE * FILE * FILE * FILE * FILE * FILE [OPEN] This option under the heading, FILE, allows you to load (open) a song file into the composer. Song files are those which have the extension .SNG. For example, the file MUSIC.SNG would be a valid name for a song file. FILE [SAVE] This option under the heading, FILE, allows you to save a song file using the name of your choosing. The composer automatically saves the previous version of the song file with an extension .BAK and saves your new version with the file extension of .SNG. When saving a song file you are limited to 8 characters. For example, MUSICBOX.SNG would be a valid song file whereas MUSICBOXES.SNG (10 characters!) would not. FILE [SONG TITLE] This option under the heading, FILE, allows you to title a song. Once a song is titled and saved, the proper title will be displayed when using the OPUS COMPOSER, JUKEBOX, or TAPEDECK. FILE [NEW] This option under the heading, FILE, causes the current workspace of the COMPOSER to be erased such that a "NEW" session can commence. FILE [GO TO MEASURE] (F4) This option under the heading, FILE, positions the screen display to a desired measure. The command may be invoked directly by depressing Function Key 4 (F4). FILE [PRINT] This option under the heading, FILE, permits the printing of the currently loaded composer song file. In order for this option to operate properly, it is necessary that the Window's printer driver had been specified for your printer during the installation of Windows. Depending on the size of the song file to be printed, large amounts of free disk space may be required for this feature to operate properly. FILE [PRINT PAGE] This option is similar to the FILE [PRINT] above, with the only difference being that only one page will be printed. The page to be printed will commence with that which is shown on the display. * EDIT * EDIT * EDIT * EDIT * EDIT * EDIT * EDIT * EDIT * Under the EDIT heading, two modes of operation are available: [INSERT] or [ADD]. The default mode is [ADD] and will be the one you will use most often. The difference between these two modes is described below. The other options under the EDIT heading can only be performed after a portion of a given staff has been selected. If no areas of a staff are currently selected those options will be "grayed-out" (a lighter display of option words). EDIT [INSERT] When selected, this mode of composer operation will place notes or rests onto one staff at the position identified by clicking the mouse. All notes following this position are moved outward by the value (time) specified by the note or rest which was inserted. The [INSERT] mode will not permit the construction of chords! If you experience confusion when placing notes on a staff, check that the [INSERT] mode wasn't inadvertently selected! The [INSERT] mode can be a convienent way to add whole measures when accidently omitted during a previous session. EDIT [ADD] This mode of composer operation should be used when entering new compositions or constructing chords. Unlike the [INSERT] mode above, the position of notes following the added note are not altered. EDIT [CUT] (Del) This option of EDIT works only when an area of a given staff is selected. Once invoked, it will remove the selected area. The removed area may then be placed elsewhere using the EDIT [PASTE] option. The operation may be performed by clicking the mouse under heading EDIT [CUT] or by depressing the Delete (Del) key of the keyboard. EDIT [CUT] differs from EDIT [ERASE] in that it completely removes the section selected. EDIT [ERASE] would have left rests replacing erased notes. EDIT [COPY] (F2) The EDIT [COPY] operation takes the area selected and places it into a workspace which OPUS can use for subsequent EDIT operations. EDIT [PASTE] (Ins) The EDIT [PASTE] option allows you to place a previously copied section from a staff and place it (paste) wherever you wish. Including other staves. The difference between EDIT [PASTE] and EDIT [BOUNCE] is that with the paste, the section "pasted" is inserted, moving all following notes outward. EDIT [BOUNCE] The EDIT [BOUNCE] feature allows you take whole sections of a previously copied area (use EDIT [COPY] described above) and overlay it to another area starting at the note or place identified by the current position of the select icon. Invoke the EDIT [BOUNCE] and the portion previously copied will be placed in the position you've chosen. EDIT [ERASE] This option of EDIT works only when an area of a given staff is selected. Once invoked, it will remove the selected area. Unlike the EDIT [CUT] option above, a subsequent EDIT [PASTE] will not involve an erased section. EDIT [FILTER] (CTRL-F) This option of EDIT will perform filtering options on a selected area of a staff. The filtering function can accomplish such things as: MIDI channel changes, pitch transposition, volume modification or local changes in length. When invoked, a dialogue box will appear with all filter parameters presented for optional modification. For example, suppose you wish to make a passage louder without changing the local dynamics. First you would select the passage and then invoke the filter dialogue box (shown above). Once you've got the filter dialogue box, enter a number in the volume box. MIDI volumes range from 0 to 127, so if you want to make the selected passage a little louder, enter a small number, like 5, and that number will be added to the volume element of all notes within. Negative numbers make things softer. You can also change a passage to a specific volume by clicking on the box termed "Relative" and turning the Relative mode off. Enter the volume desired in the volume box or click one of the buttons (fff, ppp, etc.) To transpose a selected passage you enter the amount of semitones you desire to transpose in the "Transpose" box. The value you've entered is added to the pitch of all notes within the passage (Negative numbers will remove pitch that amount of semitones). Some useful values to transpose are shown below: Up Down Semitone 1 -1 Second 2 -2 Minor Third 3 -3 Major Third 4 -4 Fourth 5 -5 Fifth 7 -8 Octave 12 -12 The Filter operation allows you to modify notes within a passage to become staccato, legato, or plain. You can also make a selected passage longer or shorter by changing the "Time Change" field. This change is a percentage, so 100 means no change, 50 means make it half the length (turning quarter notes into eighth notes), 200 makes it twice the length (turning eighth notes into quarter notes). Two standard values; 67 fo thirds and 150 for dotted notes are available from the palette. Keep in mind that the "Time Change" operation will change the overall length of the passage. Notes that follow the operated passage will be moved earlier or later to compensate. Insert or delete rests to achieve your intended wish. EDIT [SUSTAIN] This option of EDIT will treat the notes selected or a staff as if the sustain pedal was depressed during their play. EDIT [CRESC/DIMIN] (<) The Crescendo/Dimenuendo option of EDIT is a method of controling a volume change for a selected area of a staff. The starting and ending volume are user specified through use of a dialogue box that appears when the command is invoked. EDIT [TIE] (CTRL-T) The [TIE] option of EDIT will connect notes of the same pitch over a selected area of a staff to be played as one, appropriately longer note. * THINGS * THINGS * THINGS * THINGS * THINGS * Under the "THINGS" heading only one "thing" may be selected at a time! Selecting a specific "THING" such as [NOTE] will unselect all other "THINGS". Some of the catagories under the THINGS heading once they are executed reset back to the previous "THING" catagory. CONFUSING? Not really. For example, say we had THINGS [NOTE] selected and wanted to add a [BASS CLEF] to the middle of a staff. Using the mouse, we would select THINGS [BASS CLEF] then point the mouse to where we desired the BASS CLEF and click the mouse. The BASS CLEF would appear and without any further operation we could click notes in without going back to the THINGS menu. Tricky, eh? Whatever catagory is selected under "THINGS" is an indication of what operation will be performed when you click the mouse on a "clear" portion of a staff. What's a "clear" portion? A clear portion of the staff is one which the arrow is NOT pointing to an object you've already placed before! THINGS [NOTE] When the [NOTE] option of THINGS is selected, mouse click operations will add or insert notes on the staff. Should the mouse be "clicked" while pointing to an already placed note or clef, an edit dialogue box for that note or clef will appear. THINGS [REST] When the [REST] option of THINGS is selected, mouse click operations will produce a rest of the value specified in heading LENGTHS. Rests cannot be added to the end of a staff, rather, they can be inserted between notes. Often, when it is desired to place rests between notes, it may be convienent to "grab" a note with the mouse and slide the note left or right. The resultant rest will either be of equal value to the note (when no other staff is present on the display) or of a rest value appropriate to the new position of the note with respect to other notes present on other displayed staves. Another method of entering rests is possible by first entering in notes of equivalent duration and then removing them by either selecting and erasing the note, or "grabbing" the note with the mouse and placing it in the trash can. (The trash can is the object at the extreme lower right of the screen!) THINGS [LYRICS] The [LYRICS] portion of "THINGS" allows you to place song lyrics or instructions, appropriately placed with the notes on a given staff. Simply select THINGS [LYRICS] with the mouse or click on the BIG "T" of the palette and you are now in "Lyric" or "text" mode. Once in this mode, you need to click on the portion of the staff that you wish to align a word . . . or phrase . . . (or comment) and a dialogue box will appear soliciting your entry! THINGS [SELECT], [SELECT TO END], [SELECT TO START], [SELECT ALL] These "THINGS" are variations of selecting "elements" within a given staff for EDIT type functions. Should you wish to select a whole staff to change it to another MIDI channel, all you would do is: THINGS [SELECT ALL] "click" on desired staff Chose EDIT [FILTER] and FILTER that entire staff to output on the desired MIDI channel! Please remember, that the [SELECT ????] "type" option is nothing more than a precurser to some EDIT operation you intend to do!... The best instruction I can give you is to experiment with it! THINGS [DRAG STAFF] The [DRAG STAFF] option under "THINGS" is more convienent than you might initially realize! Often, when multiple staves are displayed, a note entry between staves can be confusing to our software! What you intended as a low note on staff #1 we might have interpreted as a high note on the staff below! How do we know? Well, one way would be to allow you to further separate the staves so there was no confusion. To "DRAG" a "STAFF" is a method to reposition its placement on the display. This way, all the nuances of a given staff may be fully displayed as well as eliminating any ambiguities as to note "ownership" of an entry to a given staff! THINGS [TREBLE CLEF], [ALTO CLEF], [BASS CLEF] These options under "THINGS" setup for the next mouse "click" on a staff to insert the desired clef. Once inserted, the "THINGS" catagory resets to its previous mode. THINGS [BEGIN REPEAT], [END REPEAT], [BEGIN ALTERNATE] These options under "THINGS" allow you to mark and initiate the points within a staff which signify the begining or end of a repeated passage within a staff. The [BEGIN ALTERNATE] selection will earmark a one-time, unique passage that will be played once. Each [BEGIN ALTERNATE] situation should be terminated in an [END REPEAT]. THINGS [VOICE CHANGE] With the OPUS COMPOSER, you can choose passages that you wish to change the voice. All you have to do is to select THINGS [VOICE CHANGE] and a pop-up dialogue box will appear soliciting the voice you wish! Once you've picked the voice you desire, "click" on the portion of the staff that you wish that voice change to execute. Its that simple. The only problem is that with so many synthesizers and so many voices capable of each . . . . the voice change capabilities may be limited to those you've got loaded in your synthesizer and that we can only command those that are directly accessable by standard MIDI commands! In any event, we're providing you with a tool to fully utilize your synthesizer.... Its up to you to MAP the voices with a given MIDI VOICE NUMBER! How else would we know? THINGS [TEMPO CHANGE] The TEMPO CHANGE option under "THINGS" allows you to pick positions within a staff at which the TEMPO will be CHANGED. Merely select THINGS [TEMPO CHANGE] and a pop up menu appears soliciting how you wish the tempo changed! Enter your desires and "click" on the position within a staff that you wish this change to be performed, and that's it. Tempo changes within a song are treated as relative changes, not absolute. Should you increase or decrease the speed of a performance, the tempo changes within will adjust accordingly (proportionaly)! * * LENGTHS * LENGTHS * LENGTHS * LENGTHS * * The "LENGTHS" heading of the composer identifies or selects the current note or rest duration. That's all. Should you place a note with the LENGTHS heading positioned at [QUARTER], you'll get a quarter note. Select LENGTHS [EIGHTH] and place a note and you'll have placed an eighth note. Complex, huh? LENGTHS [WHOLE], [DOT HALF], [HALF], [DOT QUARTER], [QUARTER] [DOT EIGHTH], [EIGHTH], [DOT SIXTEENTH], [SIXTEENTH] [THIRTY-SECOND, [LENGTHEN] (+), [SHORTEN] (-) * * OPTIONS * OPTIONS * OPTIONS * OPTIONS * * OPTIONS [NOTE DEFAULTS] Selecting the [NOTE DEFAULT] entry under OPTIONS will cause a dialogue box to appear which will display the current settings (volume and length) that reflect note entries which follow. Please refer to the section MIDI MATH later in this manual for proper understanding of the numbers used for volume and length). OPTIONS [ADD STAFF], [DELETE STAFF] When these OPTIONS are selected a staff may be added or removed. OPTIONS [TIME GRID] The [TIME GRID] feature under OPTIONS permits you to control the spacing or increment in which notes are presented for display. It is often helpful to select the spacing (Quantization) that matches the shortest notes you plan to enter. When selected, this feature will provide a dialogue box soliciting the display spacing desired and whether you wish the grid to be displayed. The displaying of a grid (thin vertical lines separating each unique note position) can be very helpful when entering song containing several staves. OPTIONS [VOLUME THRESHOLDS] This is an advanced topic! You shouldn't need to adjust volume thresholds under normal circumstances. MIDI volumes (also called "velocities") are represented as numbers from 0 (silent) to 127 (as loud as possible). The OPUS Composer lets you set these in a way that approximates musical dynamics notation. The range of values is split into 8 groupings. The specific volume of each group can be established using the Volume Thresholds dialogue box (shown below). The values shown are the lowest volume for each range. When you enter a note with a volume selected from the palette (mf for example) the OPUS Composer uses the median value for that range (mf=[80+65]/2=72). The default values for volumes shown in the box below "fairly" evenly distributes the eight volume ranges over the 127 possible amounts. OPTIONS [PALETTE] Selecting the [PALETTE] choice under OPTIONS toggles whether the palette is to be displayed. If you select this while the palette is currently displayed, it will be removed. Select this option when the palette is not currently displayed and it will reappear. OPTIONS [NUMBER MEASURES] Each measure along the topmost displayed staff will be consecutively numbered when this option is selected. Reselecting this option toggles the feature ON/OFF. OPTIONS [CONNECT MEASURES] The [CONNECT MEASURES] option will produce a dark vertical line at each measure between all displayed staves. This feature toggles upon selection, ON/OFF. OPTIONS [ANIMATE PLAY] The [ANIMATE PLAY] feature permits the tracking of the screen display during MIDI [PLAY] operations. This can be a convenient method to locate and correct an error or mis-entered note. Additionally, this feature is an excellent way to become familiar with music notation and their corresponding sounds! This feature toggles upon selection, ON/OFF. * MIDI * MIDI * MIDI * MIDI * MIDI * MIDI * MIDI * MIDI * MIDI [PLAY], [PLAY ALL], [PLAY FROM START] The MIDI play operation requires the presence of hardware such as the Cheetah-MIDI and the corresponding OPUS device driver, DEV.EXE. Should the device driver not have been loaded prior to running the OPUS COMPOSER, then these three options under the MIDI heading will be "grayed-out". Invoking the MIDI [PLAY] option will start MIDI output of all displayed staves (staves not displayed won't be played). Begining with the current screen position and playing to end of the song. Invoking the MIDI [PLAY ALL] option will start MIDI output of all staves (displayed or not) commencing with the current screen position until the end of the song is reached. The MIDI [PLAY FROM START] will play the entire song from the begining regardless what position of the song the display is at. MIDI [STOP] MIDI [STOP] will terminate the MIDI play operatons above. MIDI [METRONOME] The [METRONOME] option under the MIDI heading will produce a dialogue box where the tempo for the entire song can be modified. The metronome's tempo can be changed while a song is playing. Pointing and clicking on the horizontal bar within the metronome's dialogue box will perform the speed change. The audio metronome output of the Cheetah MIDI can be turned on or off using this dialogue box. Another purpose of the metronome's dialogue box is to establish the number of pulses per quarter note, PPQN, to be used at the begining of a session. The default value is 48 PPQN. For further understanding of this number please refer to the section called "MIDI-MATH" within this manual. MIDI [COMPILE TO TAPEDECK] This operation produces a midi track stream from a composer staff (this is done automatically when MIDI[PLAY] is selected). Using the OPUS TAPEDECK, real-time performances can be added to the song initially entered with the OPUS COMPOSER. MIDI [TRANSLATE FROM TAPEDECK] The [TRANSLATE FROM TAPEDECK] feature converts MIDI song information originally recorded with the OPUS TAPEDECK to be represented in music notation with the OPUS COMPOSER. Once displayed with the composer, you may edit out mistakes or supplement the recorded passage with additional tracks. SCREEN "SENSITIVE-TO-CLICK" AREAS There are certain areas on the screen which are sensitive to the positioning and clicking of the mouse. Some of the following features can only be accessed through this method. THE PALETTE: The choices within the palette are selected by pointing and clicking the boxes within. The [SELECT] symbol is located at the upper left; [DRAG STAFF] below that; and the triplet length modifier beneath that. Accidentals, length modifiers, voice changes, key signatures, lyrics, and loudness can be quickly chosen from the palette. All of the selections within the palette (with the exception of triplets, accidentals and loudness) can also be invoked under the heading [THINGS]. NOTES: Point the mouse to the body portion of a note and click the left button. A dialogue box will appear with all the information OPUS maintains for that note. You may edit that note's position, pitch, loudness, sharpen or flatten it, make it a legato, stacatto or normal play. Typically, you'll use just the pitch modifiers (accidentals) and the play modifiers (legato, etc.). To change the position in this way requires knowledge of MIDI-MATH. See the section called MIDI-MATH in this manual. Another operation achieved by pointing, clicking and holding the body of a note is to move it within a staff. When this is performed, the pointing arrow on the screen changes to a small image of the note. The note may be moved vertically to change the pitch or horizontally to change its position within time. Should the note be moved to the symbol located at the extreme lower right corner of the screen (our trash can!), the note will be thrown away. The movement of the note will stop when the mouse button is released. It is important to know that you can't move a note from one staff to another! Notes can only be moved within the staff which they were first entered. CLEFS: If you point and click the mouse on a clef you'll obtain a dialogue box which will permit you to enter or change keys, transpose all notes following that clef, chose the time signature as well as select the clef type (Treble, Alto or Bass). The transpose number (default of zero) is the number of semi-tones to modify all following notes. For example, say there's a passage which signifies that it is to be played an octave higher (music symbol 8va). One way this can easily be entered is to place a clef at the begining of the passage and transpose all following entries by +12 semi-tones! At the end of the passage, simply enter another clef with the transpose box back to zero. The transpose box can be helpful when orchestral or band arrangements are entered for instruments of various natural keys. STAFF NUMBER: The numbers above each staff are sensitive to a mouse click. When selected a dialogue box will appear. This box has many powerful and varied features. For example, you can label the track (Piano - left hand, Oboe, etc.), select the default MIDI channel number that subsequent note entries are to be played for that staff, arrange which staves you wish displayed (mapping option) and other staff "housekeeping" operations. MIDI-MATH This section explains why many of the dialogue boxes represent such things as note position, length, pitch and volume as number values. Knowing how these numbers are treated will allow you to manipulate them to execute uncommon but necessary music situations! For example, grace notes can be placed by manipulation of MIDI-MATH by changing a note's position and length. First, lets explain some basic things. PPQN stands for Pulses Per Quarter Note. The OPUS COMPOSER allows you to select the values of 24, 48, 96 or 192 pulses per quarter note. The selection is performed under the MIDI heading [METRONOME] option. The default (power-up) selection for PPQN is 48. Once a song entry has begun at a selected PPQN this number must not be changed. Let's say we will work with the 48 PPQN for the sake of this example. Then a Quarter note will have a length of 48, an EIGHTH note length is 24, a SIXTEENTH note length is 12, a HALF note length is 96, a WHOLE note length is 192, a DOT-HALF note length is (96 + 48) = 144. Now that we have a representation for a note's duration we need to properly position where (when?) that note is to be played. At the begining of a song the start of the first measure is position zero. Using the 48 PPQN for our example the second measure begins after four quarter notes (4 times 48 = 192). The second measure would start with a note position of 192 (assuming we are using 4/4 time, 4 beats to the measure). Measure 100 would then start at position 192 times 100, or a location of 19,200 pulses (48 PPQN x 4 beats per measure x 100 measures = 19,200). TRIPLETS AND OTHER MULTIPLE NOTE GROUPINGS: MIDI-MATH can assist in the construction of multiple note groupings such as triplets (3 notes played in the time of one) or any number of notes forced within a given time period. For example, on an eighth note triplet that plays in a quarter note time (48 ticks), each note is of length 48 divided by 3. Select the OPTIONS [NOTE DEFAULTS] and enter in 16 for the note length (48/3 = 16). Now you can place the three notes in succession. Say you wish to place 5 notes within a quarter note space. Divide the quarter note length (48 ticks for our example) by 5. You'll get the value of 9 with a remainder of 3. Add one to each note until the remainder is gone and you'll have note #1 = 10 ticks, #2 = 10 ticks, #3 = 10 ticks, #4 = 9 ticks, and #5 = 9 ticks. The total should add up to 48 (10 + 10 + 10 + 9 + 9 = 48). Don't let the 1 tick difference upset you, it is very rare for anyone to perceive the minute timing of 1 tick! If the above 5 notes were to be played with the PPQN set at 192 the problem remains the same: Divide 192 by 5 (answer is 38 with 2 remainder), add one tick to the first two notes (to eliminate the remainder) and you'd have two notes of 39 ticks each followed by three notes of 38 ticks each. The total should add up to 192 ticks (39 + 39 + 38 + 38 + 38 = 192). Use the OPTIONS [NOTE DEFAULTS] to set the length of the notes before placing them. Need a calculator while using the composer? Why not call up the calculator provided with Microsoft's Windows and place it on an area of the screen not in use! COMPOSER.INI FILE Provided with your OPUS software is a special file called COMPOSER.INI. This file is examined by the OPUS Composer when you first start the Composer and provides all the initial values to be used. The initialization parameters include: Voice Change Names, Volume Thresholds, Staccato and Legato lengths, and so on. The COMPOSER.INI file is a text file which you can edit. Any line which begins with a semicolon in this file is ignored (treated as a comment line so we humans can know what's going on!). Below is a partial listing of the COMPOSER.INI file. ; each voice consists of: ; voice_name channel : voice_number [voice] ; Synth 1 'Piano 1' 1:1 'E. Piano 1' 1:2 'Tremolo Organ' 1:3 ; Synth 2 'Strings' 2:21 'Pizziccatto Strings' 2:22 'Piano' 2:23 ; Synth 3 'Flute 1' 3:1 'Harpsicord 1' 3:2 'String Ensemble 1' 3:3 ; volume thresholds represent the low end of ; each volume displayed thus if f = 70 and ; mf = 60, any note with a volume between 60 ; to 69 (inclusive) will be displayed as mf [volume] fff 110 f 80 MP 50 ; volume sensitivity is the number of notes ; allowed to go above the threshold before being ; displayed as a new volume sensitivity=3 ; these things represent the interpretation of ; staccato and legato versus normal notes. ; these numbers are percentages--that is, ; legato = 110 represents a 10% overlap. legato = 110 staccato = 50 normal = 100 ; many synths interpret controller 64 (0x40) as ; sustain. sustain = 64 sustainlevel = 64 ; maximum number of print pages maxpages = 25 ; minimum size of grid elements on the score ; sheet. Allowable values: ; 0 = no grid quantization ; 1 = eighth note grid ; 2 = sixteenth note grid ; 3 = thirtysecond note grid ; 4 = sixtyfourth note grid grid = 1 SONG FILES (.SNG) An OPUS song file has two types of data in it: composer data and tapedeck data (as well as Song title and tempo and so forth). Only tapedeck data is playable. In order to play a song entered in via the composer it must first be translated to the tapedeck format. There are several mechanisms which accomplish the translation of composer data to the tapedeck format. One occurs automatically when you play the song (see MIDI [PLAY]). You can also translate, without playing, when you choose MIDI [COMPILE TO TAPEDECK]. Similarly, displaying of data originating from an OPUS tapedeck record session requires a translation from the tapedeck format to the composer format-- remember that both are kept in a .SNG file! When a .SNG file is loaded into the composer and that file has no composer format tracks in it, the composer will automatically translates all the tapedeck tracks to composer format tracks. Some MIDI data cannot be displayed in standard music notation. Two of these are Pitch Wheel changes and Aftertouch. This MIDI information will be lost when it is transfered to the composer format. Certain information is not available from a tapedeck record session. These include Clefs, Repeats, and lyrics. The composer can only treat these items as if they aren't there! The FILE [OPEN] and [SAVE] dialogue boxes of the composer allow you to load or store the tapedeck and composer tracks jointly or separately. The OPUS Tapedeck and Jukebox programs ignore the Composer format tracks and cannot destroy them. OPUS TAPEDECK OPERATION MANUAL INTRODUCTION The OPUS TAPEDECK provides you capabilities beyond those previously available in recording studios of years past! We've tried hard to make the features and use of our program straight-forward. Our best advice to our users is to "Experiment with the OPUS TAPEDECK, particularly with any features you don't fully understand". RUNNING THE OPUS TAPEDECK To operate the OPUS TAPEDECK, you'll need to have Microsoft's Windows (tm) program loaded. Please refer to the literature Microsoft provides for the installation and operation of Windows. USING THE OPUS TAPEDECK Examine the TAPEDECK's screen below. Notice that across the top of the composer's screen are five headings: FILE, TRACK , FILTER, CONTROLS, and OPTIONS. Clicking the mouse at each heading will produce a "pop-down" menu of choices under that catagory. The entries under each heading are explained below using the format: HEADING [OPTION]. Example: FILE [LOAD]. FILE [LOAD] Clicking the mouse under the heading FILE [LOAD] will produce a dialogue menu like the one below. Each song file (*.SNG) is displayed in alphabetical order. FILE [SAVE] With the FILE [SAVE] selected, you will be asked to name the file you wish your song saved. A dialogue box such as the one below will appear: TRACK [EDIT] The TRACK [EDIT] feature will first prompt you to select the track you wish to view. Upon selection you will be presented a list titled "Track Stream Editor". In version 1.0 of the OPUS TAPEDECK, the term "EDITOR" is misleading as only observation of the data is allowed. Future versions will permit the actual manipulation of MIDI stream data! Part 1 of the TRACK [EDIT] display: Select the Track, and hit "OK". You'll then be presented with the following. Part 2 of the TRACK [EDIT] display: TRACK [COPY] The TRACK [COPY] feature will take the track of your choosing and copy it to the first available empty track. TRACK [ERASE] The TRACK [ERASE] operation will prompt you to select the track you wish erased. Choosing a track and clicking on the OK box will perform the erase. TRACK [ERASE ALL] The TRACK [ERASE ALL] selection will clear all tracks. You may then commence a recording session of your first track. TRACK [INFO] First, TRACK [INFO] will ask you for the track which you wish information. Part 1 of TRACK [INFO]: Once you've chosen a track, you'll obtain the following display: Please note that this is the same information you would receive if you clicked the mouse on the "masking tape" area of the screen. See the section called "SCREEN-SENSITIVE-TO-CLICK" later in this manual. TRACK [UNDO] The TRACK [UNDO] command will cancel the last operation performed on a track (if possible!). Should you have accidentally erased a desired track, the UNDO option will put the track back as it was before. FILTER [FILTER MIDI] The [FILTER MIDI] option under the FILTER heading allows you to selectively remove data from a track. For example, an undesired patch change can be eliminated. Additionally, you may have certain data removed during the record operation (chose "Filter on Record" box below). FILTER [CHANNELIZE] The FILTER [CHANNELIZE] option allows you to modify a given track(s) as to the MIDI output channel. You can eliminate the presence of a given channel or convert the entire track to output on just a specific channel. The dialogue display you'll obtain upon invoking this feature is shown below: FILTER [QUANTIZE] The quantize filter operation adjusts notes which have been recorded with a MIDI keyboard to align with the timing boundaries that OPUS maintains internally. Often, the timing that OPUS uses is so fine that every imperceivable nuance imaginable will be displayed when converted to the music notation of the OPUS COMPOSER. Additionally, the music you recorded will be played back as recorded... mistakes and all! Quantize can remove some types of timing mistakes made during a recording session. The only stipulation for using the quantize to fix certain recording mistakes is this...."If you recorded using (listening to) the metronome, try the quantize to fix notes which were momentarily and mistakenly hit." "If you didn't use the metronome during record, you probably want to use the deflam option." FILTER [VELOCITY] The velocity element of MIDI NOTE-ON information pertains to the speed (velocity) in which a given note was hit on a keyboard. For most voices (piano for example) the harder (higher velociy) a note is played the louder that note sounds. Not all synthesizers and keyboards provide or utilize velocity information. The three choices: Absolute, Relative, and Quantize greatly influence this filter operation. When "Absolute" is chosen, all notes will be changed to the velocity (volume) selected in the Velocity Adjust "box". When relative is chosen, all notes will be adjusted (added) by the amount typed in the box. The "Quantize" choice will adjust all velocities to be "rounded" to the closest multiple of the amount entered in the velocity adjust box. FILTER [TRANSPOSE] The FILTER [TRANSPOSE] option can process any one (or all) of the tracks by a positive or negative amount of "semitones". In doing so, you are transposing the song. Singers will particularly find this handy! FILTER [DEFLAM] The FILTER [DEFLAM] operation is useful to align notes of a chord together. This process examines each note and the proximity of any following notes within the sensitivity value (ticks as in PPQN or Pulses Per Quarter Note). Should a note (ON or OFF) be found within the sensitivity area, that note is advanced in position. The DE-FLAM operation can "clean-up" a "sloppy" playing session! The CONROLS heading of the Tapedeck are identical in function to the keys below the "cassette tape" on the screen. The only difference between this section and the keys involve the operation of the [PAUSE]/[CONTINUE] feature and the absence of a 'Fast-Forward" command. CONTROLS [PLAY] Selecting this option will start the playing of the currently loaded song CONTROLS [RECORD] Selecting this option will begin a "record" session for the tapedeck. Once the record session commences, you'll see a dialogue box which states that all Windows functions are disabled - use "Shift Key" to stop the recording. When recording, all previously filled and enabled (enabled tracks are those with a Green Indicator Lamp Next to a track's masking tape) will be played back. The recording input will be placed on the first available empty track. CONTROLS [STOP] Stops a PLAY operation in progress. CONTROLS [PAUSE] The PAUSE will also stop a song's play (turning off any notes currently on). CONTROLS [CONTINUE] The CONTINUE selection will resume a play operation which was suspended by activation of a PAUSE. CONTROLS [REWIND] The REWIND choice will position the song back to the begining. (Measure #1, beat #1, tick #0). OPTIONS [METRONOME] The [METRONOME] option heading will produce a dialogue box where the tempo for the entire song can be modified. The metronome's tempo can be changed while a song is playing. Pointing and clicking on the horizontal bar within the dialogue box will perform the speed change. If you wish the song to be stored with the new setting you'll have to perform a FILE [SAVE] operation. The audio metronome output of the Cheetah-MIDI can be turned on or off using this dialogue box. Another purpose of the metronome's dialogue box is to establish the number of pulses per quarter note, PPQN, to be used for a session. The default value is 48 PPQN. For further understanding of the meaning for this number please refer to the section called MIDI-MATH within the OPUS COMPOSER manual. OPTIONS [SYNC] Invoking the SYNC option will produce the dialogue box below: This feature is helpful when used to transfer MIDI music data between computer systems or for certain MIDI devices such as drum machines, external multi-track tape machine synchronizers, etc. OPTIONS [SPEAKER] The PC's internal speaker can be used to produce one, single-note-at-a-time "noise". You may elect which MIDI channel the speaker is to output. OPTIONS [COUNTER] The counter option (default's in the on state) produces the display below: This display is a convenient way to position to a desired portion of a song. The counter may be moved anywhere on the screen by clicking and holding the top band. SCREEN "SENSITIVE-TO-CLICK" AREAS There are certain areas on the screen which are sensitive to the positioning and clicking of the mouse. Some of the following features can only be accessed through this method. FFWD, or Fast-Forward is one feature only accessed through use of the Tape Cassette buttons. The song title and length is another feature you can only invoke through use of the mouse. THE TAPE CASSETTE BUTTONS: The Tape Cassette Buttons are shown below: Pointing and clicking the mouse at any of these buttons will cause the operation listed on the button to be performed. The description of each function is identical to the heading CONTROLS listed earlier in the manual. There are two major differences, however. First, there is no "continue" option after a pause. Instead thr Pause button toggles in shading (as if it were mechanically held in). Hitting the Pause button again is identical to "continue". Second, the Rewind Button is able to position the counter incrementally backwards, or with a double-click, position the counter instantly back to the begining. The Fast-Forward button will advance the position within a song. This button can be used both while playing a song or while stopped. THE TRACK ON/OFF INDICATOR: To the left of each of the 24 tracks' "masking tape" is a track enable indicator. Clicking on the indicator toggles the enable/disable of playing that track. On a color display, tracks containing any data will have their indicator light colored green. Empty tracks will have no light, where the track which is used during a record session will have a red indicator. THE TRACK MASKING TAPE: Point and click the mouse on the white area representing a track's masking tape and the following display will appear: In the display, you'll be provided information as to the length in bytes for that track as well as the MIDI channel used by that track. Voice changes will be identified along with the state of the play enable indicator. Click on the masking tape text area and you may type whatever you wish as a memo or reminder of what you've placed on that track. THE CASSETTE LABEL: Point and Click on the cassette label and you'll be able to type in the song's title. In addition to the song's title you'll be provided the actual playing time for the piece. MIDI-MATH II *** PPQN versus Tempo *** We've explained PPQN to some extent in the OPUS Composer portion of our manual (Section called "MIDI-MATH"). Here we'll expalin the relationship between PPQN (Pulses Per Quarter Note) and Tempo. This section could be called MIDI-MATH II (the sequel!). When you select 48 PPQN we maintain 48 "timing counts" per quarter note. What's a "timing count"? We'll that depends! Should you have the metronome set at 120 beats per minute our internal "timing count" treats 1 beat equal to 1 quarternote or 120 Quarter Notes Per Second. Since we maintain 48 (or 24, or 96, or 192) PPQN's per quarter note that means 120 times 48 = 5760 pulses per minute ... or 96 Pulses Per Second. What this means to you, the musician, is that for this example we're dividing one second into 100 (1/96) pieces for our timing information. Almost limitless other combinations for our internal timing are possible. When you select 192 PPQN and 200 BPM (beats per minute), we would be operating with an internal timing "granularity" of (192 x 200 = ) 38,400 pulses per minute. This is equivalent to dividing a second by 640 counts! [38,400 counts per minute divided by 60 seconds per minute = 640 counts per second]. It is worth noting that whatever the PPQN selection you've chosen for your song file, your choice will not consume any more or less memory. The only constraint we place on the selection of PPQN is that once you've selected a PPQN .... you can't change it!.