Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    Can you use it even without a midi keyboard??
    
    matt
    

    
    It's not particularly useful, but you can play around with internally
    generated sounds, if you have some raw IFF sound files.
    
    Ed.

    
    
    This is a really nice piece of software . I've been interested in
    computer music and synthesisers etc for a long time before buying
    my amiga .I have a Yamaha DX100 ,DD5 and a Kawai R50 drum machine .
    My interest had dropped off since buying my amiga , but since getting
    the demo of Music-x i'm back  experimenting again long into the
    night .(thanx for uploading this Ed)
    
    Before using this demo I could not understand companies releasing
    these demos of very expensive pieces of software that were fully
    fledged programs with just the save option disabled .
    I figured there would be people who could easily circumvent the
    nosave limitation .(Especially with a program that multitasks) by
    either filezapping there own save code into the program or running
    there own program in parallel to dump the contents of memory etc...
    Or just lots of people who would use the demo program as is.
    
    But since using this demo I just have save the money and buy it
    , i'm really very impressed ...
    
    
    BTW anyone used the sample option ?? I can import IFF files but
    haven't figured how to play them back yet.
    
    Steve...
    

    I agree that the software seems really nice.  I have a Yamaha DX7 and
    some other goodies, so I was able to give it a bit of a workout.  With
    no documentation a lot of experimentation is needed, and there is no
    way to be sure that a feature is missing---you may just not have
    figured out how to invoke it.
    
    I also add my thanks to Ed for uploading it.
    
    To play an IFF sample, select sample 1 (the metronome) and do the IFF
    load (right-buckey I, I think).  When you play your new sample will
    replace the metronome.
    
    One of the fonts that comes on the demo disk is a bunch of music
    characters, but I haven't found a way to output sheet music.  Likewise
    there doesn't seem to be any way to read or SMUS or DMCS files.  I can
    live with that, but if they don't provide a way to read and write MIDI
    sequence files I'm going to wait for the next version: I don't like
    "closed" systems, and I don't want to re-keyboard the 1812 Overture.
    
    I get the impression that Music-X is approximately as powerful as
    Dr. T's KCS, and easier to learn to use.  However, that impression has
    been gained without reading the manual---it may have some critical
    features missing, for all I know.
        John Sauter  

    
    Even if you don't know diddly-squat about MIDI terminology, Music-X is
    worth the download just to see an impressive piece of Amiga
    programming.
    
    Music-X looks and feels the way Amiga software should.  Screens,
    windows and requestors just instantly 'appear' from nowhere.  The
    software is lightning fast and visually striking without being gaudy.
    
    Ed.

I said "MIDI? Sounds nice but I don't know one from the other", but I do
apprieciate a good Amiga program - whatever it does!

Joh

 I'll have to add my name to the list of people who are impressed by 
Music-X. The arc file that I copied came over partially corrupt so
I got  no docs at all - not even a readme on how to setup ( fonts devs etc.)
Despite that it only took a half hour to set up the disk and Within a 
half hour of starting music-x I managed to figure out how to record
a sequence, edit it, loop it, etc. From the original 8 notes I put in
I ended with a full blown 12-bar blues . ( a nice simple test of a sequencer)
Seems like they put just about everything in there - in fact some of
the screens are a tad busier than I'd like.    
    
 My personal opinion is that releasing Music-X in a demo form was an
EXCELLENT move. Most of the software stores by me are well stocked in
games but have nothing when it comes to the more "serious" or expensive
applications. This usually means I have to read the ad and drop 200 bucks
on some things sight unseen. Since I already have one sequencer there
is little motivation for me to blindly order another. Now that I have
used Music-X I can see features that I like/want and will be ordering it.

 Brien                                     

    I got Music-X to record from my SQ-80 but haven't been able to get it
    to play back.  I admit I haven't been able to spend much time with it
    and I suspect my MIDI channels (on the synth) aren't set up correctly.
    From what I have done so far, although I'm unable to hear it, this
    looks like a WINNER!
    
    md

> It's not particularly useful, but you can play around with internally
> generated sounds, if you have some raw IFF sound files.
    
>    Ed.
 
     Anyone think they could explain how to go about doing this?
     
     I managed to load some instruments from an Amicus disk, but
     couldn't figure out what else to do. I know this is complicated
     software and I am not a midiot, but Ed said I could play around...;^}
     
     Someday I will be a midiot, so I welcome the chance to check out
     this software if I can do it with just an Amiga. I have read about
     MIDI and sequencers, so I am only as ignorant as someone who
     has never used them... %-}
                               
     Dave

This months Amiga Sentry (The one Wes Plouff spoke of for the nice WB1.4
update) also has a review of Music-X.

JOhn

    
    The Music-X demo comes without ANY docs, nut I've been able to do the
    following:
    
    1.  Load up the default performance.
    
    2.  Load a raw IFF sound file.
    
    3.  Replace the metronome sequence with various IFF sounds.
    
    4.  Modify the sequence by adding notes etc.
    
    Ed.

I bought Music-X and have had it for a few weeks.   I like it 
very well.  The manual for it is very complete and includes 
a large index.  A lot of things about this program aren't intuitive,
so the manual's valuable to have.

Here's one way to play internal Amiga voices:

o From the mode menu, choose Amiga Samples, which moves you to that screen.

o Click on channel 1, 2, 3, or 4.

o From the file menu, chose Load Sample ---> IFF; load a sample.

o From the mode menu, choose sequencer, which moves you back to that 
  screen.

o Click on an unused sequence number.

o Click the EDIT button.

o Click within the main window to "paint" some bars, which represent
  notes.

o If you want to change the so-called grid size, click on the word Grid.

o From the file menu, pick Exit.   In the resulting requester, click on
  the STORE button, which displays the Sequencer screen.

o In the sequence line that's highlighted, click on Ex1, which changes
  to INT.

o Click the PLAY button.

-- Joe Meyers

    re: .12--Joe, could you answer a couple of questions about Music-X's
    capabilities?
    
    Will it read or write SMUS files? (Dr. T will read but not write, DMCS
    	both reads and writes SMUS)
    
    Will it read or write standard MIDI files? (Dr. T does both, DMCS
    	neither)
    
    Will it display music using traditional notation?  (Dr. T does, rather
    	clumsily, at extra cost; DMCS does this reasonably well)
    
    Can you input music using traditional notation?  (Dr. T does, clumsily,
    	at extra cost; DMCS does this quite well)
    
    If the current version doesn't do some of these things, have they
    promised to do better in a future version?
        John Sauter

re .13:

Music-X seems to record sequences in its own format.  However, part of
the package is a utilities disk.   That disk includes two utilities that 
translate Music-X files to and from SMUS and MIDI files.  I haven't 
tried either of these utilities.  

Music-X does   nothing   in   traditional   notation.   However,   I   think
Microillusions is going to release a developer's package and will
encourage enhancements to the product.  Most, if not all, screens
in Music-X include a Modules menu.  Some of the modules that come with
the program are user installed.   Future modules, e.g. ones
that might generate music notation, could also be user installable.

Microillusions monitors mail directed to MICROILLUS on American People
Link and seems very responsive to bug reports and suggestions for 
enhancements.  I think they may release the developer's package there.

-- Joe

    Thanks for the information.  I can get to tranditional music notation
    by going through Dr. T, as long as I can get standard MIDI files into
    and out of Music-X.  I'm going to check this out!
        John Sauter

	Interesting that Music-X was done by David Joiner, whose name
	is on the package for Faery Tale Adventure...

    One of the "sample files" in Musix-X is the themes from Faery Tale
    Adventure.
    
    I picked up the package last weekend, and have been learning it since
    then.  It's got a very complete MIDI implementation; I was able to
    control it from my SBX-80.  In general, the sequencer works well,
    the major disappointment being the inability to output SMUS.  It will
    output MIDI files, and input both SMUS and MIDI files.  Unfortunately,
    Music-X and Dr. T won't read each other's MIDI files; I haven't yet
    figured out which is wrong.
    
    I haven't yet gotten anything out of filters.  I'm not sure if it has
    a bug or if I just haven't figured out how to use it.
    
    I'm currently working on the Librarian section.  I have a "special
    edition" DX7, which transmits 16 extra messages after a voice dump.
    I was able to modify the DX7 parameters to accept the additional
    16 messages.  I have not, however, been able to send a voice back to
    the DX7's internal memory (I can send it to the DX7's editing buffer).
    I suspect I am running into a limitation of the DX7.  I'm going to 
    try to use the bulk dump feature instead.  I'll also try the TX802,
    a similar but newer device.
    
    The sample songs are nice to listen to.  They were composed for an
    MT-32, which I don't have, so I start with piano patches, and adjust
    to taste.  Helix sounds good on a piano, with the "frills" part on
    a piccolo.
    
    I haven't even thought about the Amiga samples section yet.
        John Sauter

    
    I was just thinking that when you fill out the warantee card for a
    software package that you bought after getting a demo version, it would
    be a good idea to note that you had seen and tried the demo version.
    
    This is a nice trend that I'd like to see continue, so we should
    encourage the publishers to distribute demos as frequently as possible.
    The warantee card is a good feedback mechanism for this purpose.
    
    Ed.

    I agree; I wouldn't have considered it, after all the hype for so many
    months before it was ready, had it not been for the demo.  The demo,
    plus the answers I got in this conference, convinced me to construct
    some files and take them to the store, where I read the manual and
    tried the real thing, then bought it.
    
    If I can find a place to credit the demo on the warrantee card I will
    certainly do so.  Providing a demo is a fairly inexpensive way to get
    a credible advertisement into a potential purchaser's home.
        John Sauter

    
    can anyone tell me what the following does in Music-x ?
    
    "Snap" in the bar edit screen
    "Lock" in the bar edit screen
    
    Can someone give a quick explanation of the options after pressing
    record .
    
    
    
    Is it possible/how do you do the following
    
    1. Delete blank spaces between notes/sections of music (without having 
       to select all the notes from the current position and move them to
       the left)
    
    2. Set start and end points (I can move the dotted green lines which
       I thought were start and end points but they have no effect)
    
    3. When adding or inserting notes in the bar-edit screen do you
       have to use the mouse to initially add the note ? can this be
       done from the midi keyboard.
    
    4. Also when adding notes of different lengths on the bar edit screen
       do you have to go into "params" each time to set a new note length
       or is there some way of setting the note length by how long you
       keep the key depressed on the midi keyboard.
    
   
    Thanx
    Steve...
    
    

    snap in graphics s/w usu. means put objects on a grid.  in music
    x
    perhaps it is a graphics grid or a musical time grid, also called
    quantization, which is usually done after recording.
    tom

     Thanks to Joe in .12, I got to play around with the Amiga voices.
     This program does indeed have some nice features! Using different
     colors for different instruments, leaving a faint colored bar
     behind while you are moving a note, being able to move about
     from screen to screen without worrying about "finishing"
     a task. If the move is harmless, you can do it; if it might
     not be, you get a requester. Of course I immediatedly
     wanted more than the four Amiga voices.
     
     re:-.2 & -.1   I think snap is used to move notes so that
     they are on the beat. Just as Tom said, it is like the snap
     in a drawing program, and is related/equal to quantizmumble
     which tends to be used in a more global way. That is,
     you set quant to correct your less than perfect timing
     during keyboard entry of notes. Since I have never
     entered notes into a sequencer with a MIDI keyboard,
     and there are far more qualified people in the neighborhood,
     I'll go away now... 
     
     Dave                                   

    
    MicroIllusions has made a few sample performances for Music-X availble
    in freely distributable form.  MXPERFS.ZOO has been uploaded to
    NORSE""::AMIGA:[UPLOAD] and is in Stream_LF format for Xmodem
    transfer.
    
    The performances included are
    
    * FaeryTaleThemes.Perf
    * Imagine.Perf
    * Demo1.Perf
    
    Ed.
    	
    

    re: .23---These demos are on the (non-demo) Music-X kit.  I
    particularly liked the Fairy Tale Adventure music.
        John Sauter

    Has anyone heard of librarians for MusicX other than the ones shipped
    with the package?  Namely, Ensoni.  I am attempting to write a protocol
    for Ensoniq machines but it is turning out to be more complex than I
    thought.  Back to "F0...F7"!
    
    
    mark