Bars and Pipes Professional

Author and Copyright

This documentation is based on the original copyrighted manual.
Copyright (c) 1993 The Blue Ribbon SoundWorks, Ltd.

The original documentation has been modified and enhanced where needed to reflect the changes made to the AmigaOS 4 specific port.

All changes and modifications are
Copyright (c) 2013 Lyle Hazelwood and Steven Solie.

Explicit written permission to copy and edit the original manuals has been secured.

Welcome Aboard!

These documents are for the AmigaOS 4 port of Bars&Pipes Professional. A few notes may be useful: The original program will be referred to as Bars&Pipes, the AmigaOS specific port will be called BarsnPipes instead.

This port is based on Bars&Pipes Professional version 2.5c. The AmigaOS 4 version was provided by Alfred von Faust, and he worked for many years to keep it alive. Lyle Hazelwood has recently taken the port over and is continuing to keep the program current.

Thank you for downloading BarsnPipes Professional. In the pages to come, you will understand why you've made an important choice. With BarsnPipes Professional, you're truly bound only by the limits of your own creativity. We encourage you to read this manual, since it contains thorough explanations of BarsnPipes Professional's wide array of features. BarsnPipes Professional is a high-end MIDI sequencing and composition package. In order to use it, you must have a MIDI sound module or keyboard connected to your Amiga via a CAMD supported MIDI interface.

Note
If you would like to use the Amiga's Internal sounds instead of MIDI, we suggest SoftSyn available at OS4Depot.

Everyone at The Blue Ribbon SoundWorks is dedicated to producing the highest quality software and software support in the industry. We have invested thousands of hours of research and development in our products. Much of that time is spent in listening to and learning from people like you. Blue Ribbon products are designed to be affordable, ongoing investments that are improved and expanded over time. We've provided expansion through program updates and add-on software, such as the Creativity Kit and the Pro Studio Kit. If you are a C programmer, with the Rules For Tools add-on, you can even create your own enhancements to BarsnPipes Professional!

Installation

Quick Installation

BarsnPipes Professional is easy to install on your AmigaOS computer.

To install Bars&Pipes Professional :

Make sure that you have at least two megabytes of space left on your hard disk.

Unarc BarsnPipes Professional archive to wherever you'd like to keep the program.

You'll also need camd.library which is already included with AmigaOS.

Run Bars&Pipes Professional from the BarsnPipes Professional drawer on your hard disk.

On the first run, BarsnPipes will ask you to select a screen mode. Please select an ARGB mode for best results. Once the program is open, under the "preferences" menu, select "environment" and then "save" to save your screen choice.

Touring the MIDI setup

Overview

BarsnPipes Professional works with any CAMD-compatible synthesizer, sound module or application. Let's look at some standard ways to connect MIDI instruments to your Amiga computer.

The MIDI Interface

In order to use BarsnPipes Professional, you must first own a MIDI interface. The MIDI interface serves as a translator between your MIDI instrument(s) and your Amiga.

Before using BarsnPipes Professional, first connect your MIDI interface to your Amiga. It may connect to a sound board joystick port, or to USB.

MIDI Interface Ports

Most MIDI interfaces feature one MIDI in, one MIDI out, and possibly one MIDI thru port. The MIDI in and MIDI out ports are the most important aspects of a MIDI interface.

Multiple MIDI In Ports

CAMD supports any number of MIDI Inputs and Outputs. While it is possible to set the input and output individually for each track, you can (and should) set a default input and output that will be used as defaults for every track that does not have an input or output specified. These are set and saved from the Preferences/Environment window.

Connecting MIDI Devices
Connect the MIDI OUT from your interface to the MIDI IN on your synth or sound module. Connect the MIDI OUT from your keyboard or other instrument to MIDI IN on your interface.

If your MIDI gear has a USB port, CAMD may be able to access it directly by using the USB Driver

(is the usb MIDI driver part of the OS??)

A Quick Tour

Introduction

Bars&Pipes Professional is an innovative composition environment with an extensive arsenal of features and options. Before exploring it in depth, let's take a quick tour!

Note
If you need help connecting your MIDI equipment to your Amiga, please read the previous chapter, Touring The MIDI Setup.

Running Bars&Pipes Professional

Before you run Bars&Pipes Professional, you must first install it. If you have not yet done so, please see Chapter 2, Installation.

Running From The Workbench Icon

You can run Bars&Pipes Professional from Workbench by double-clicking on its program icon.

Doing so opens Bars&Pipes Professional with an empty Song. Alternatively, you can double-click on a Bars&Pipes Song icon. Doing this opens Bars&Pipes Professional with the selected Song already loaded.

Running From A Shell

You can also run Bars&Pipes Professional from a shell. Make sure your stack size is at least 100,000 bytes when running the program this way.

The Default Screen Setup

When Bars&Pipes Professional first starts up, you'll see the Tracks window and a group of icons along the right side of the screen. These icons represent various unopened windows.

Double-click on any icon to open its associated window. Click on the close button in the top left corner of an open window to revert it to its associated icon.

The Tracks Window

The Tracks window represents the heart and soul of Bars&Pipes Professional. It is where multi-track recording takes place. It is also the primary place for organizing the PipeLines and Tools which give Bars&Pipes Professional so much of its power and flexibility. Let's take a brief look:

The PipeLine

The Tracks window contains individual Tracks, into which you will record your music. These Tracks run from left to right in rows, with measure and beat lines drawn from top to bottom.

Starting from left to right, each Track contains the following components:

• The Track Name, which identifies a particular Track;
• The Input Selector box, or Input Arrow, which selects which Track(s) are to receive incoming music;
• The Input PipeLine, which holds Tools that process the music as it flows into the Sequencer;

Note
When first running Bars&Pipes Professional, you will most likely see a MIDI In Tool in the Input PipeLine. This acts as the source for the Track's PipeLine, and, hence, the Track. This is further explained in Chapter 6, Basic Recording.

• The Play/Merge/Record Selector, which displays a blue letter P while the Track is in Play mode, a red letter M while the Track is in Merge mode, and a red letter R while the Track is in Record Mode;
• The Sequencer area, which holds and displays the MIDI events, or Sequence, that make up the recording;
• The Thru/Play Only/Mute Selector, or faucet, which switches the Track between Thru, Play Only, and Mute modes;
• The Output PipeLine, which holds Tools such as the MIDI Out Tool that process the music as it flows out of the Sequencer; and
• The MIDI Channel Selector, or Output channel, which displays the MIDI channel over which the final MIDI Out Tool sends.

Note
This selector is used by the standard MIDI Out Tool. Non MIDI-specific output Tools, such as most Multi-Media Tools, do not need MIDI channels.

The Flags Area

Above the Tracks area is the Flags area.

Bars&Pipes Professional uses these flags to mark specific points in music time for certain operations, such as punch in and auto-locate. It also displays the current time signature and measure numbers in this area.

Bars&Pipes Professional displays twelve Flag icons across the top of the Tracks. You can grab these with the mouse and drag them from left to right. Use the Flags to set positions in your music for editing, recording, looping, and more.

A Flag appearing during the displayed section has an attached vertical stem intersecting all of the Tracks. If you've placed the Flag in a measure which precedes the displayed section, it appears on the left side of the Sequencer. If you've placed it in a measure that follows the displayed section, it appears on the right.

To relocate a Flag, first scroll the Sequencer so that the desired location shows in the Sequencer. Then drag the Flag to its position. To move a Flag to the beginning of the Song, drag it all the way to the left side of the screen. To move it to the end of the Song, drag it all the way to the right. Flags snap to the alignment specified in the Align with... option in the Preferences menu.

The following Flags are found in the Flags area:

• The Position Marker Flag or Song Position Flag (the red triangle with the blue border) which shows the current position in your Song;

Note
If you press the Play button, your Song starts at this point.

• The two Edit Flags (solid purple triangles), which determine the part of your Song that is affected by Cut, Paste, and other editing operations;

The Auto-Locate Flags (blue rectangles marked M1 through M4), which mark important points in your composition;

Note
You can immediately move to these points by using the corresponding M1 through M4 buttons in the Transport Controls window.

• The Punch In and Punch Out flags (yellow rectangles marked IN and OUT), which allow you to record over a restricted part of your Song;
• The Loop Flags (red rectangles containing curved lines with arrows), which mark sections for use with Loop-Mode editing and the Loop Tool; and
• The Stop Sign (the red hexagon with the white border), which marks the point at which Bars&Pipes Professional is to stop playback.

Note
This feature is useful when you want to sit back and listen to part of a Song while you're away from the keyboard, or if you're performing live or recording a sequence to tape and want the Song to stop upon completion.

Control Buttons

The Tracks Window's control buttons are above the Flags area.

From left to right are the following buttons:

• The Solo button, which both chooses and displays whether the highlighted Track is soloed, muted, or neither;
• The ToolPad, which holds up to sixteen Tools to be used with the Toolize feature;
• The Group selector buttons, which identify combinations of Tracks;
• The Group button, which determines if clicking on a Track adds to a group or not;
• The Up/Down arrows, which move the highlighted Track up or down in the list of Tracks;
• The Tempo button, which chooses and displays the current tempo;
• The Start button, which starts the Sequencer from the beginning of your composition;
• The Play button, which starts the Sequencer from the current Song position, denoted by the red and blue triangular Song Position Flag, found in the Flags Area;
• The Rewind button, which moves the Song Position Flag to the left, toward the beginning of the piece;
• The Fast Forward button, which moves the Song Position Flag to the right, toward the end;
• The Measure display, which shows the measure number in which the Song Position Flag currently resides; and
• The Record button, which chooses and displays whether the Sequencer is in record or playback mode.
• Sizing And Scrolling The Tracks

Use the scroll bar and arrows on the right side of the Tracks window to scroll through the Tracks, in order to view those which don't fit in the display.

At the bottom of the Tracks window, you'll find a set of scroll bars, single arrows, and double arrows. Use the scroll bar and single arrows to search forward and backward. For example, to scroll the Track names from left to right, use the scroll bar and single arrows below the list of Track names.

Use the double arrows to resize sections of the display by dragging the arrows from left to right. With the double arrows, you can resize your display to show only what you want to view.

Note
You can control how much space is available by using different screen resolutions. Lower resolutions like 800X600 will make everything large and easy to read, while higher resolutions will provides plenty of room for additional Tracks.

The Main Menu

As you may know, in the Amiga's windowing environment each window can have a different menu. Some of the windows in Bars&Pipes Professional do have their own menus, however, most share one menu, the Main menu.

To access the Main menu, click on the Tracks window or the background with the left mouse button. Then, to select one of the Main menu options, click and hold the right mouse button, while moving the mouse pointer to your desired selection.

Window Icons and the Windows Menu

Several windows in Bars&Pipes Professional are accessible from both icons, located at the right side of the screen, and menu commands, located in the Windows menu found in the Main menu set.

Window Icons

To the right of the Tracks window, you'll see a column of icons. These icons represent various windows. Double-clicking on an icon opens the window, while clicking on the close gadget of a window turns it back into an icon.

Note
The Tracks window itself can be closed and turned into an icon. To do so, click on the close gadget in the upper left hand corner of the Tracks window. The close gadget looks like a square with a smaller square inside of it. Notice that the Tracks window turns into an icon of railroad Tracks. Double-click on the Tracks icon to reopen the window.

The Windows Menu

Each window can also be accessed from the Windows menu in the Main menu. This includes many additional windows that do not have icons. Let's take a quick tour of all the windows in the Windows menu. As we do this, we'll get a quick glimpse of the various capabilities of Bars&Pipes Professional. Open each window by selecting it in the Windows menu. If a window has an Icon, notice that the icon disappears. Close the window by clicking on its close button (top left.) You might also experiment with double-clicking on the window icons to become familiar with each.

Accessories

Accessories are separate modules that add new features to Bars&Pipes Professional. Use the Accessories window to install, use and remove your Accessories. The Accessory window may also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

ClipBoard

When the ClipBoard window is open, cut copy and paste editing operations store and retrieve from it. Use this to move music around between different parts of the program. The ClipBoard window may also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Define...

You can define your own Scales, Chords, Rhythms, and Patch Lists using the four Define windows opened from the submenu.

Edit PadTool Controls

If you have a Tool in the ToolPad, the Edit PadTool Controls command opens the Control window for that Tool.

Icons

The Icons window allows you to keep all of the window icons in their own separate window. Opening the Icons window automatically collects the window icons and places them inside the Icons window. Closing the Icons window causes the window Icons to return to their previous positions.

Information

The Information window provides useful information about the state of your project and computer. The Information window may also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Master Parameters

The Master Parameters window accesses a special master Track where you may set up global Time Signature, Lyrics, Scales, Chords, Dynamics, and Rhythm changes. The Master Parameters window may also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Media Madness

The Media Madness window brings multi-media production to Bars&Pipes Professional. With this window, you can place Multi-Media Tools in each Track, and edit a complete Multi-Media presentation. The Media Madness window can also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Metronome

Use the Metronome window to set up your metronome click - internal Amiga audio, MIDI or visual. The Metronome can also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Mini Transport

The Mini Transport window provides a subset of the main Transport Controls window (see below.) It's designed to be small and innocuous. You can open it from anywhere simply by pressing the 'M' key on your keyboard.

Mix Maestro

Use Mix Maestro to do a complete automated mixdown of your performance. Mix Maestro provides a volume slider and pan pot for each Track. As the Song plays, drag the slider to lower or raise the volume and turn the knob to rotate the sound left or right. Mix Maestro memorizes your moves and plays them back faithfully. The Mix Maestro window can also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Record Activation

By default, when Bars&Pipes Professional's Sequencer records into a Track, it erases all MIDI event types (note, pitch bend, etc.) and replaces them with the new. However, with the Record Activation window you can tell the Sequencer to ignore specific MIDI types. For example, you can set it to record over pitch bend while leaving notes intact. The Record Activation window may also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Set Flags

The Set Flags window allows you to position any Flag in the Track's window by typing in the location you want for the Flag, either in music or SMPTE time. Open the Set Flags window by choosing Set Flags from the Main menu's Windows menu, or double-click on the Set Flags icon.

To determine music time or SMPTE time, click on the SMPTE/Music Time button. To change the Flag, click on the numbers to the right of the Flag representation.

Song Construction

Edit your music at the highest level with the Song Construction window. Create, drag, duplicate and erase everything from individual measures to entire sections. The Song Construction window can also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Tempo Map

Use the Tempo Map window to create a graphical Tempo Map for your performance. With a Tempo Map, you can tell Bars&Pipes Professional when to speed up and slow down as it plays your music. The Tempo Map window can also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Tempo Palette

You may set four preset Tempos in the Tempo Palette window, and then switch instantly to anyone at any time. The Tempo Palette can also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Time Line Scoring

Connect several Songs into one performance on a SMPTE time line using the Time Line Scoring window. This is useful for laying out an extended piece where different Songs occur at different times. The Time Line Scoring window can also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

ToolBox

The ToolBox window displays several rows of square icons. These represent Tools. Each Tool can be placed in a Track's PipeLine where it performs a specific task to the MIDI music as it flows through the pipe. To place a Tool in a PipeLine, click on the Tool with the left mouse button, and, while holding the button down, drag the Tool to the destination Track's PipeLine. Although the ToolBox displays a palette of available Tools, you may install more Tools, create your own Tools, as well as remove Tools from Bars&Pipes Professional, thereby changing the collection of available Tools in the ToolBox. The ToolBox can also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Tracks

This command opens the main Tracks window, which is also accessed by double-clicking on its icon.

Transport

This window provides the complete set of commands to control the movement of Bars&Pipes Professional's Sequencer. Notice that the Transport window duplicates many of the commands found in the top of the Tracks window as well as all the commands in the Mini Transport. You may click on identical buttons to achieve identical results. The Transport Controls window displays the current time in music time (Measures, Beats and Clocks) as well as SMPTE time (Hours, Minutes, Seconds and Frames.) It also adds additional buttons for using the Punch and Loop Flags as well as setting and using all of the Flags. The Transport window can also be opened by double-clicking on its icon.

Playing a Demo Song File

Chapter 5

Getting Ready to Play

In this chapter, we'll play one of the demo Songs provided on your Bars&Pipes Professional disk. Before we play the Songfile, however, let's make sure that Bars&Pipes Professional is set up properly.

Note
Make sure that your MIDI equipment is setup properly.

The MIDI Out And Quick Patch Tools

The MIDI Out Tool must be loaded in order for Bars&Pipes Professional to play music via a standard MIDI interface. The MIDI Out Tool's job is to send notes out of the Sequencer to your MIDI instrument.

When you first run Bars&Pipes Professional, you should see a MIDI Out Tool at the end of each and every PipeLine, unless you've set up your environment differently (more on this later).

Note
You'll probably also see the MIDI In Tool at the beginning of each PipeLine. We won't need the MIDI In Tool until we're ready to record MIDI In the next chapter. It doesn't hurt to have it in the PipeLine, though.

We also recommend using the Quick Patch Tool when playing a Songfile.

The Quick Patch Tool allows you to easily change patches, or sounds, on your MIDI instrument.

The demo Songfiles provided with Bars&Pipes Professional already contain this Tool in their PipeLines. Please refer to the Tools chapter of this manual for more information on the Quick Patch Tool.

Installing The MIDI Out And Quick Patch Tools

If you don't see the MIDI Out Tool at the end of every PipeLine, open your ToolBox by either double-clicking on the ToolBox icon, or choosing ToolBox from the Windows menu.

Do you see the MIDI Out Tool in the ToolBox? You can click down on the Question Mark button to bring up a pop-up list of Tool names. Is the MIDI Out Tool listed?

If not, you need to install the MIDI Out Tool. Follow these steps to load the MIDI Out Tool:

1. If the ToolBox window isn't open, open the ToolBox.
2. With the ToolBox window still active, use the right mouse button to access the ToolBox menu and select Install Tool....
3. A file requester will appear. You should see a list of Tool names. If not, there should be a Tools directory in the Bars&Pipes Professional directory. Direct the file requester to this directory to find all of the Tools.
4. Once inside the Tools directory, find the MIDI Out Tool. Click on MIDI Out once and select Load, or just double-click on MIDI Out.

The MIDI Out Tool will appear in your ToolBox. From now on each time you run Bars&Pipes Professional, it will automatically load the MIDI Out Tool into the ToolBox. You won't have to perform these steps again unless you Remove the Tool from your ToolBox.

Note
Bars&Pipes Professional keeps Track of which Tools are in the ToolBox by a text file called Tools. This file resides in either your S: directory on your WorkBench disk or System partition, or, if the directory "Support" exists in your Bars&Pipes Professional directory, in the Support directory.

As you did with the MIDI Out Tool, look in the ToolBox for the Quick Patch Tool. If it isn't in your ToolBox, install it as you did the MIDI Out Tool.

The Song Menu

The Song menu is the first menu in the Main menu set. Activate the Tracks window by clicking within it to access the Main menu set.

Although we won't be using most its commands right away, now is a good time to introduce the Song. The Song menu contains commands that create, load, and save entire compositions, as well as exit Bars&Pipes Professional. The Song menu commands are:

New

The New command begins a new composition. If you have made any changes to the current composition, Bars&Pipes Professional will ask if you'd like to save them before closing. Choosing Yes saves the current Song, while choosing No disregards any changes you have made since the last save. Choosing Cancel cancels the New operation and returns you to the current Song.

If a 'New.Song' files exists, Bars&Pipes Professional loads it. Otherwise, Bars&Pipes Professional create its own default blank Song.

Note
Use the Save As Default command {see below) to create and update the 'New.Song' file.

Load...

The Load... command loads a previously saved Song. If the Song's Tracks, ToolTrays, or ToolPad contain Tools that aren't loaded in the ToolBox, Bars&Pipes Professional attempts to load the missing Tools. If Bars&Pipes Professional can't find a Tool, a requester appears to give you the opportunity to load the Tool manually.

Revert

The Revert command returns the Song to its condition at the most recent save, by loading the last Song saved to disk. Think of Revert as a powerful Undo command. At regular intervals during the composition process, save your Song with the Save command. Then, if you make a mistake, you can use the Revert command to return to an earlier version of your Song.

Save As...

The Save As... command either saves your Song for the first time or saves it as a different file name. When you select this command, a file requester opens, which enables you to create a new file or to select an old one to overwrite. Once you save a Song with the Save As... command, Bars&Pipes Professional recognizes the file name. From then on, you can use the Save command instead.

Save

The Save command saves your Song to disk. This command works only if a file has been previously saved or loaded from disk. Once you load a Song or save it with the Save As... command, you can use the Save command without bothering with the file requester.

Save As Default

The Save as Default command saves the current Song as the default Song. Whenever you run Bars&Pipes Professional, this Song automatically loads as your initial blank Song. Also, whenever you choose New from the Song menu, this Song loads as the initial template.

Print

The Print command prints your Song. When you select Print, Bars&Pipes Professional opens the Print requester that allows you to print the entire score. (Please refer to Chapter 11, Printing Notation)

Title/Author

The Title/ Author command opens a requester into which you can enter the Song's title and author.

Length...

The Length... command sets the overall length of your Song. Bars&Pipes Professional sets all of its scroll bars to accommodate the new length.

Disable/Enable MIDI

When MIDI is enabled, the Disable/Enable command displays as "Disable MIDI" in the Song menu. When you select Disable MIDI, Bars&Pipes Professional disconnects the MIDI In Tool from the Amiga's internal serial port, so that another program can access the port. When MIDI is disabled, this command displays as "Enable MIDI" in the Song menu. Choose Enable MIDI to reconnect the MIDI In Tool.

Propagate

The Propagate command, in conjunction with the Song Construction window's A-B-A feature, copies changes made to the first instance of each section to all other instances of those sections. The Propagate command is ghosted if the A-B-A feature has not been utilized.

About

The About command brings up a requester with version and copyright information.

Quit

The Quit command exits Bars&Pipes Professional and returns to Workbench. Bars&Pipes Professional will ask you if you'd like to save your file before exiting.

Loading an Example Song

Let's load the Brandenburg Demo and play it.

1. Select Load... from the Song menu. The file requester appears.
2. Find the Song titled "Brandenburg Demo". It's in the Example Songs directory.
3. Load the Song by either double-clicking on its file name, or clicking once on its file name and selecting Load. Bars&Pipes Professional loads the Song.
4. Notice that the Tracks window displays seven Tracks. The Track names correspond to the name of the instrument that each Track plays.

Note
If you can't find the Song menu, it is probably because another window's menus are active. Click on the Tracks window to activate the Main menu set.

Look at the Output PipeLine of each Track:

You'll see the Quick Patch Tool, followed by the MIDI Out Tool, followed by the MIDI Channel number.

Setting Your MIDI Channel Numbers

On the far right of each Track, notice a blue number denoting the MIDI Channel number for the Track. This number tells Bars&Pipes Professional though which MIDI Channel to play the Track.

The Brandenburg Demo performs on MIDI Channels one through seven; each Track is associate with a different MIDI channel. The result is a multi-timbral performance, since each Track plays with a different sound, or timbre.

Note
Please check your synthesizer manual to make sure that it is capable of playing multi-timbrally and receiving on these seven MIDI channels simultaneously. Also, please refer to the chapter "Touring the MIDI Setup" for more information on MIDI channels and MIDI synthesizers.

If your synthesizer isn't able to play multi-timbrally, all seven Tracks will sound like the same instrument. If your synthesizer can play multi-timbrally, but can't receive on MIDI channels one through seven simultaneously, you'll need to change the MIDI channel number for each Track:

To change a Track's MIDI channel, click on the MIDI channel number. A pop-up grid appears. Highlight the MIDI channel on which you want the Track to output MIDI, and then lift the mouse button.

Selecting Your Patch Changes

The Quick Patch Tools at the end of each Track send out Program Changes, or patches, to your MIDI instrument. These patches set up your synthesizer to play the correct sound on each MIDI channel. Each Quick Patch Tool in the Brandenburg Demo ia configured to send patch changes that will sound correct on General MIDI instruments.

If your synthesizer or sound modules supports the General MIDI patch list, then skip to the next section, Playing the Songfile.

If your synthesizer isn't set up to play General MIDI patches, the Brandenburg Demo might sound funny. To make it sound better, you'll need to change the patch numbers in the Quick Patch Tool. To do so, double-click on the Quick Patch Tool in one of the Tracks.

The Control window for the Quick Patch Tool opens:

As with all Tools, each Quick Patch Tool has its own Control window, so that you can set up different patches for each one. Drag the slider to change instruments and Quick Patch plays test notes so you can hear how each instrument sounds.

Above the slider, Quick Patch displays the name of the currently selected patch. This name is only valid for a General MIDI synthesizer. If you have a different configuration, you can change the names in the Patch List by using the Define Patch List window.

Note
We'll learn about defining Patch Lists later. For now, don't worry, just drag the slider until you get an appropriate sound.

Once you've selected the instrument of your choice, close the Control window to get it out of the way, or leave it open in case you'd like to continue trying different instruments while the music plays.

At this point, you may have a few questions:

• What if more than one Track is set to the same MIDI channel? If that's the case, will both Tracks play?
• And, if there is a Quick Patch Tool on every Track, which patch will be selected for that MIDI channel?

Good questions!

First of all, Bars&Pipes Professional plays both Tracks. They'll be performed by the same instrument, since they share the same MIDI Channel.

Second, only one Quick Patch Tool can determine what instrument your synthesizer will use. Since Bars&Pipes Professional performs the Tracks in order from top to bottom, the Quick Patch on Track 2 will override the Quick Patch one Track 1.

Note
Remember, we're referring to two Tracks that share the same MIDI channel number. Quick Patch will not override any other Tracks.

Playing the Songfile

If you've followed along from the beginning of this chapter, loaded the Brandenburg Demo, and set channel numbers and the Quick Patch Tool for each Track, then it's time to hear the Brandenburg Demo!

To start the sequence from the beginning, click on the Start button (blue square followed by a triangle) at the top of the Tracks window or in the Transport Control window:

Another way to start the sequence from the beginning is to press the 0 (zero) key on your numeric keypad.

You should hear your synthesizer playing the music. Notice a blue vertical line scrolling across the Tracks in the Tracks window. This is the Song Position Line.

NOTE-> As the Song Position line passes over the beginning of a note, that note sounds. As it passes over the end of a note, that note becomes silent.

If your synthesizer does not play, check your cables, amplifier, and MIDI interface. Refer to Chapter 3, Touring The MIDI Setup if you need more help. Also, review the beginning of this chapter to make sure that you didn't miss a crucial step.

Saving Your Changes

If you've made any changes to the Brandenburg Demo, for example the MIDI channel numbers or the Quick Patch settings, you should save the Brandenburg Demo so that it will play the same way next time.

Select the Save command from the Song menu. This tells Bars&Pipes Professional to update the Brandenburg Demo with your new changes.

Sections

Bars & Pipes Professional: Recording

Bars & Pipes Professional: Tools

Bars & Pipes Professional: MIDI Event Editing

Bars & Pipes Professional: Note Editing

Bars & Pipes Professional: Editing Song Parameters

Bars & Pipes Professional: Printing Notation

Bars & Pipes Professional: The List Editor

Bars & Pipes Professional: System Exclusive

Bars & Pipes Professional: The Metronome

Bars & Pipes Professional: The Transport Controls

Bars & Pipes Professional: Timing, Syncing and Tempo

Bars & Pipes Professional: Tempo Mapping

Bars & Pipes Professional: Advanced Sequencing

Bars & Pipes Professional: Multi-Track Editing

Bars & Pipes Professional: Song Construction

Bars & Pipes Professional: Mix Maestro

Accessories

Accessories can be loaded by openeing the accessories window and selecting "load" from the menu. At this time SmerFF is the only accessory available. It allows loading and saving MIDI files.

Time Line Scoring

Chapter 23

Overview

When you create a soundtrack for a movie, video, or multimedia production, you often need to synchronize several disjointed sections of music with specific points in the movie.

Bars&Pipes Professional's Time Line Scoring feature gives you a high-level view of your soundtrack, and allows you easily to position any number of music sections in SMPTE time. Each of the music sections is actually a full-fledged Bars&Pipes Professional Song, complete with multiple Tracks and its own Tempo Map.

Use the Time Line Scoring window to load multiple Songs and position them relative to each other. Time Line Scoring adds each Song's Tracks to the Track list and recomputes the master Tempo Map to include the time period of each Song.

• TIP * You can access other Songs' Tracks by scrolling the Track display down below the current Song's Tracks.

Before you use Time Line Scoring, you must first create, edit, and save each section as a separate Song. Once you add a Song to the Time Line Scoring window, you can still perform all the standard Bars&Pipes Professional editing operations on the Song.

Accessing

Open the Time Line Scoring window by double-clicking on the Time Line Scoring icon, or using the menu option in the Windows menu.

The Scoring Grid

The Scoring Grid occupies most of the Time Line Scoring window. Rectangular colored areas with Song titles display in the Scoring Grid. These represent the Songs in memory.

The numbers above the scoring grid represent the time in minutes and seconds. By looking at the position of the Song rectangles, you can see at what time a Song begins and ends. For more exact information, click on the Song rectangle with the Magic Wand (please see below).

Note
Only the horizontal (side-to-side) placement affects the Songs' start time.

Adjusting The Zoom

The Zoom In button is the large note. Click on it to enlarge the display by one step. This gives you finer control, but shows fewer measures. The Zoom Out button is the small note. Click on it to reduce the display by one step. This allows more measures to be displayed, at the loss of fine editing control.

Using Time Line Scoring

Adding A Song

To add a Song to the Time Line Scoring window, select the Pencil (or F1 key) and click in the Time Line window. Bars&Pipes Professional opens the File Requester.

When you select the Song you want to include in the soundtrack, Bars&Pipes Professional loads the Song and inserts a colored bar in the Time Line window with the Song title inside. The Song starts at the point at which you clicked with the Pencil. Each Song has a different color, so that you can easily see where one Song ends and another begins.

When you add a Song with Time Line Scoring, the Tracks of the Song are appended to the Tracks that already exist in the Tracks window.

Adjusting The Song's Start Time

One way to adjust the Song's start time is to drag the Song rectangle with the Hand. To do so, click on the Hand button (or choose the F3 key). Then click and drag the Song forward or backward in time.

You can also adjust the Songs start time by entering a start time. Click with the Magic Wand (F2 key) on a Song rectangle to bring up the Song Start Time requester.

The Song Start Time requester shows you the current start time of the Song, in SMPTE time and Song time. Click in either field to enter a new starting time for the Song.

Note
Tempo changes, Time Signatures, and the SMPTE Global Offset affect the SMPTE starting lime of the selected Song.

You can use the Lock to Measure button when you want to move the start time of the Song to the nearest measure boundary when inserting a tempo change. This is handy since the Song Time rarely lands on the beginning of a measure.

To use align your Song with a measure boundary, click on the Lock to Measure button. Bars&Pipes Professional calculates a tempo change and inserts it into the measure immediately before the selected Song. The measure number designated by the Starting Time: prompt equals the sum of all measures in the soundtrack up to this point.

• TIP * When you first create a Song, notes are generally lined up with measures. However, when you connect multiple Songs in the Time Line Scoring window, note can be shifted in time, relative to their original measure positions. If you need to edit a Track, use the Lock to Measure button, then deselect Lock to Measure when you're finished editing.

Combine TimeLine Options

Each Song maintains its own A-B-A section list, Tempo Map, and Song Parameters. Every time you reposition a Song in the TimeLine, Bars&Pipes Professional must recalculate the complete performance's A-B-A section list, Tempo Map, and Song Parameters from the component parts. As such, it's desirable to control which portions get recomputed and which are left alone.

Use the Combine TimeLine... options in the Preferences menu to control how Bars&Pipes Professional recomputes each of the following parameters:

Sections If the Sections option is enabled, Bars&Pipes Professional computes a new A-B-A section list out of the component parts. Otherwise, it uses the A-B-A section list that existed before the repositioning of a Song portion required recalculating the A-B-A section list.

Tempo Maps If the Tempo Maps option is enabled, Bars&Pipes Professional computes a new tempo map out of the component parts. Otherwise, it uses the tempo map that existed before.

Song Parameters If the Song Parameters option is enabled, Bars&Pipes Professional computes a new set of Song Parameters out of the component parts. Otherwise, it uses the Song Parameters that existed before. Remember, the Song Parameters include Lyrics, Time Signature, Chord Changes, Dynamics, Rhythms, and Key Signature.

Removing A Song

Use the Eraser (F5 key) to delete a Song from the soundtrack. Click on the Song you want to delete. A requester asks you to confirm your decision.

Create-a-Tool

Chapter 24

Overview

You can create and edit your own MacroTools in the Create-A-Tool window. A MacroTool is a Tool created by combining several Tools into one. Like the Tools provided with this program, a MacroTool has one input, one output, and an icon representing it. Not only is the use of MacroTools a convenient way to keep your PipeLines from overcrowding (you can take a string of commonly used Tools and create a MacroTool to replace them), but it's a very potent method for making specialized Tools of your own design.

The Create-A-Tool Window

The Create-A-Tool window enables you to design your own MacroTools. Access the Create-A-Tool window from the ToolBox by choosing the Create MacroTool... option from the ToolBox window.

If you'd like to edit an existing MacroTool, choose the Edit MacroTool... option after you've highlighted an existing MacroTool in the ToolBox. Alternatively, you can double-click on an existing MacroTool in the ToolBox to open its Create-A-Tool window.

MacroTools: A List of Ingredients

Each MacroTool contains several important parameters:

A Unique Name

Each MacroTool has a unique name and a four-letter identifier.

For example, a Tool that creates random harmonies could be called "Split-Quant-Counterpoint" and the identifier could be "SQCP." You use the full name, "Split-Quant-Counterpoint," to describe the Tool for your reference. Bars&Pipes Professional uses the identifier, in this case "SQCP," for internal operations that require speed and compact size.

If you choose not to give an identifier a name, Bars&Pipes Professional automatically assigns one.

An Icon

Each Tool must have an icon to display in the ToolBox, PipeLine and/or ToolPad. In addition, if the Tool has a branching output and can send data two places at once, it requires two icons: one for when the Tool is above the receiving Tool (the connector is on the bottom of the Tool) and one for when the Tool is below the receiving Tool. (The connector is on the top of the Tool.)

Tools

A MacroTool consists of a collection of interconnected Tools. You arrange these Tools on a grid of PipeLines, much like the PipeLines in the Main Screen.

For example, our Split-Quant-Counterpoint MacroTool feeds notes to a Keyboard Split Tool, which sends notes below the split point to an Echo Tool. The notes at or above the split point enter the Quantize Tool, then, the CounterPoint Tool.

Input And Output

A MacroTool can have only one input; therefore, you must identify the Tool that accepts incoming notes as the input of the MacroTool. Also you must label the last Tool in the MacroTool as the output. In addition, if this MacroTool is capable of sending a branched output, you must identify the Tool that sends notes down the branch.

Tool Parameters

Some of the Tools in the MacroTool may have parameters that can be preset.

For example, you might, in your MacroTool, use a Transpose Tool that always shifts a note by a predetermined interval. This requires presetting that component Tool in your MacroTool.

Constructing Your MacroTool

To construct a MacroTool, open the Create-A-Tool window by selecting Create MacroTool from the ToolBox menu. This menu is only available from the ToolBox window. The Create-A-Tool window opens with a new, blank MacroTool, ready to assemble.

Naming Your Macro Tool

Across the top of the window are two text entry fields, Tool Name: and Tool ID:. Bars&Pipes Professional automatically supplies a default name and a unique default ID. To name your Tool, click on the Name: field and enter a description of your Tool.

Note
Changing the ID is optional.

Painting The Macro Tool Icon

On the left side of the Create-A-Tool window is a box with an enlarged icon in it. Since a Tool can have two icons, both are displayed at their normal size to the left of this box. To choose which icon is enlarged, click on one of the two.

Below the box is a Palette of eight colors. To paint the icon, select the paint color by clicking on it in the Palette and draw your icon in the box. Like any other paint program, you draw by clicking down with the mouse and dragging it. The MacroTool window displays the selected color in the tall box to the left of the Palette.

From the Paint menu, you can choose from the following commands:

Clear

Clear sets the entire icon to the color currently selected in the Palette.

Copy

Copy duplicates your MacroTool icon. Bars&Pipes Professional needs the extra icon for MacroTools that branch off to Tools above or below. Alter the duplicate so that the placement of the output Pipe inverts. If you've created a branching MacroTool, draw your main icon, then duplicate it with the Copy command and edit the position of the outgoing Pipe to go up.

Flip...

Flip... turns your icon around an axis. To flip from top to bottom, choose Flip Vertically. To flip from left to right, choose Flip Horizontally.

Start With...

Start With... provides a choice of four pre-defined icons. To select a pre-defined icon (a time-saver), drag the mouse over your icon of choice and lift up. That icon now appears in the Paint Box.

Flood Fill

Flood Fill paints an entire area of the icon with the selected color. To use the Flood Fill command, first select the fill color and the Flood Fill command. Then, with the mouse, touch the area to be painted and click the mouse. For instance, if you have a red shape you'd like to make yellow, select yellow from the Palette, select Flood Fill from the menu, then click on the center of the shape. It's now filled with yellow.

Undo

Undo reverts the icon to the state that existed prior to your most recent action.

Adding And Connecting Tools

Once you've set up your MacroTool icon, you're ready to build your MacroTools using existing Tools.

Adding

In the large box on the right half of the Create-A-Tool window sit six PipeLines. To construct your MacroTool, drag your Tools of choice from the ToolBox and place them on any one of the PipeLines. Determine which PipeLine is the input line and place the first Tool there. Continue by placing the Tools that follow it to the right of the input Tool on the PipeLine. To reposition the placement of a Tool in the PipeLine, select it by clicking on it once. A red box appears around it. Then press either the Left or Right Arrow keys to move it.

Duplicating

To duplicate a Tool already in the Create-A-Tool window, drag the Tool to a new location. Bars&Pipes Professional creates an exact copy of the Tool, including its parameter settings.

Removing

To remove a Tool, select it, then press the Delete key.

Connecting

If a Tool has a branching output, place a Merge In Tool on another PipeLine. (The Merge In icon looks like a Pipe with another Pipe feeding into it above from the left.) This second PipeLine is now active and Tools can be placed in it as well. When you first place the Merge In Tool in the second PipeLine, it may not line up with the source Tool because they have not yet been connected. To connect a Merge In Tool with another Tool, click on the source Tool (the Branching Tool,) select Connect (Right Amiga - K) from the PipeTool menu, then click on the target Tool (the Merge In Tool). The two icons are now connected and the display is redrawn with everything positioned appropriately.

If your PipeLine is long and you start running out of room, scroll it forward by using the slider and arrows at the bottom of the display. Your MacroTool can be as long as you need.

Determining The Input And Output(s)

To the right of the PipeLine grid are three arrow-shaped icons. Drag these onto your Tool layout to specify the input and output(s).

Input

The top icon, the In arrow, is a blue arrow that selects the input. Drag and place it to the left of the first Tool in your MacroTool lineup. All notes coming into the MacroTool pass through here first. You cannot delete the input arrow. If you want to send the input to a different PipeLine, drag another blue arrow to it; the arrow to your previously selected PipeLine automatically disappears.

Normal Output

The middle icon the Out arrow, is a red arrow that represents the Normal Output. Drag it to the right of the last Tool in your Macro sequence. Whatever comes out of that last Tool comes out of the MacroTool as a whole. Unlike the Input arrow, you can have more than one Normal Output per MacroTool because you can use several PipeLines in your design. The MacroTool merges notes coming out of all Normal Output icons. If you want to remove a Normal Output icon, select it, then hit the Delete key.

Branching Output

The bottom icon, the Branch arrow, is a purple arrow that represents the Branching Output. This arrow is optional. Whereas every MacroTool requires an Input and an Output, a MacroTool requires a Branching Output only when the MacroTool needs to send events off to a second PipeLine. Install the Branching arrow in the same way that you install the Output arrow.

Once you have a Branching Output, the alternate icon, on the left of the Paint Box, comes into play. This alternate icon behaves identically to the original, except that it branches off in the opposite direction. In this way, you can have a MacroTool that connects to a Tool above and to a Tool below.

Setting The Tool's Controls

Many of the Tools that constitute your MacroTool have parameters that you can preset. For example, the Triad Tool uses two Transpose Tools to shift the input note up a third and up a fifth. It is an example of a MacroTool. If you load the Triad Tool into the ToolBox and then double-click on it, Create-A-Tool shows the structure of the MacroTool. You can then open the Control window of each Transpose Tool to see its parameter settings.

As an example, you can edit the parameters to create a chord inversion by changing the second Transpose Tool from shifting up a fifth to down a fourth.

Making Macro Tools Out Of Macro Tools

Like any other Tool, you can place a MacroTool in any other MacroTool you build; however, you cannot place it inside itself. Nor can you place it within another MacroTool that is contained within it. The Create-A-Tool Editor makes sure this doesn't happen. If you drag a MacroTool into the definition of itself, it won't stay there.

Installing, Removing, Using, Altering, and Testing

Installing

Once you have created a MacroTool, you must save it to disk. If you fail to do so, the MacroTool will be deleted when you exit Bars&Pipes Professional.

To save a MacroTool, click once on the MacroTool in the ToolBox, then select the Save option from the ToolBox menu. Bars&Pipes Professional opens its file requester. Create a new file name for your Tool.

Note
If you use the name of an existing Tool, Bars&Pipes ProfessIonal overwrites the older Tool.

Bars&Pipes Professional saves your MacroTool to that file. From now on, when Bars&Pipes Professional runs, it automatically loads your MacroTool.

Removing

If you don't like what you've created, you can remove your MacroTool by clicking on it in the ToolBox and selecting the Remove option from the ToolBox menu. Bars&Pipes Professional removes the MacroTool from the ToolBox, removes all copies of it from your composition, and no longer loads this MacroTool. The MacroTool, however, is still on your disk; you can leave it there or delete it by using the Workbench or CLI (Command Line Interface.)

Using

Use your MacroTool just as you would a normal Tool. You can place it in a PipeLine to process notes in real-time, or in a ToolPad, to process notes in a section, or on a note-by-note basis.

Altering

You can always go back and edit your MacroTool. To do so, double-click on the MacroTool's icon in the ToolBox. The Create-A-Tool Window opens with your MacroTool, and you can edit it in any way you'd like. If you have already used this MacroTool, versions that are in use are not affected by editing the master. Once you are satisfied with the changes you have made, you must once again save the MacroTool to disk.

Testing

To audition a MacroTool before saving it to disk, drag the Test Tool at the bottom right of the Create-A-Tool window into a PipeLine in the Sequencer window. If you don't like the results, you can continue editing the MacroTool. The Test Tool automatically incorporates the changes, so that you can quickly edit, test, and re-edit until you're satisfied with the MacroTool.

Tool Trays

Chapter 25

ToolTrays

ToolTrays offer a convenient method for organizing your Tools. Bars&Pipes Professional includes eight ToolTrays, each of which can hold up to sixteen Tools. You can define a Tools parameters by double-clicking on the Tool in the ToolTray, and give each instance of a Tool an original name.

Bars&Pipes Professional integrates ToolTrays into your Song. When you save a Song, Bars&Pipes Professional saves your ToolTrays along with it.

To set up a default environment with ToolTrays, select New from the Song menu, arrange your ToolTrays, and then select Save As Default from the Song menu. Please see the chapter, Customizing Your Environment, for more information.

The ToolTray Windows

Open a ToolTray from the ToolTray menu in the ToolBox or the Tool menu in the Main screen. Choose the menu option corresponding to the particular ToolTray that you'd like to open. By default, ToolTrays are named numerically, however, you can rename a ToolTray however you'd like.

The ToolTray window is divided into two areas by a horizontal grey line. Above the grey line is space for the names of Tools. Below the grey line is room for up to sixteen instances of Tools.

Placing A Tool In A ToolTray

To install a Tool in a ToolTray, grab a Tool from the ToolBox, PipeLine, or other ToolTray, and drag it to a space beneath the gray line. When you release the mouse button to drop the Tool into the ToolTray, the name of the Tool appears in the space above the grey line.

Note
By dropping a Tool into a ToolTray, you create a unique instance, or copy, of the Tool,just as you do when you drop a Tool Into a PipeLine.

Editing A Tool

If the Tool has a Control window, double-click on the Tool's icon to open it. Then edit the Tool's parameters as you desire. Once you've changed a Tool, the changes stay with the Tool when you copy it into a PipeLine, ToolPad, MacroTool, or another ToolTray.

Naming A Tool

Once you've edited a Tool, you can rename it for easy reference. Click once on the Tool to select it, then enter the new name above the gray line.

Note

When you click on a Tool in a PipeLine, the name of the Tool is displayed in the Title bar of the Tracks window. Even though you can rename Tools in the ToolTrays, Tools in the PipeLine are still displayed as their original names in the Tracks Title bar. This is because only the ToolTray knows about the names that you've given the instances of the Tools within it. The Tracks window has no access to this information.

Using The ToolTray Tools

You can work with ToolTrays as you do the ToolBox. Copy Tools from ToolTrays into PipeLines, MacroTools, and ToolPads by clicking and dragging them to their appropriate destination. Unlike Tools from the ToolBox, the Tool copies retain the settings that you provided in the ToolTray.

Copying Tools In ToolTrays

Copy a Tool by grabbing it and dropping it in an empty space in the ToolTray. This is similar to copying a Tool in a PipeLine by picking it up and dropping it in another PipeLine. Because you can have several copies of Tools in ToolTrays, renaming Tools help you avoid confusion. For instance, you can have a ToolTray that you call "Quantize Tools.", In this ToolTray, you might have one Quantize Tool that you call "Sixteenth Notes," that quantizes to sixteenth notes, and one called "Eight Notes" that quantizes to eight notes.

If you drag a Tool and place it on top of an existing Tool in the ToolTray, it replaces the Tool beneath it.

Loading ToolTrays

The Load ToolTray option in the ToolTray menu allows you to load in previously saved ToolTrays. If there are any Tools in the ToolTray that are not in the ToolBox, Bars&Pipes Professional automatically loads them into the ToolBox. If the Bars&Pipes Professional is unable to find a Tool, it asks you to load it manually.

Saving Tool Trays

The Save ToolTray command in the ToolTray menu allows you to save your ToolTrays to disk. The Load ToolTray command allows you to load ToolTrays from disk.

Renaming ToolTrays

The Rename ToolTray menu command in the ToolTray menu allows you to rename the ToolTray. When you select this option, a requester appears, displaying the ToolTray name.

Enter the new name and click okay. The new name displays not only in the ToolTray window, but in all menus that refer to the ToolTray as well, such as the menu options in the Main menu's Tool menu.

Loading Instances Of Tools Into ToolTrays

The Load Tool command in the ToolTray menu allows you to load a Tool into the ToolTray that was previously saved with the Save Tool command from a ToolTray. Each Tool loads with its parameters set to the values they had when it was saved.

Saving Instances Of Tools From ToolTrays

Use the Save Tool command in the ToolTray menu to save the Tool. Doing so saves the Tool, along with the parameters you've set.

Removing Tools From ToolTrays

Use the Remove Tool command to remove a Tool from a ToolTray. Do to so, activate the Tool by clicking on it, then select the Remove Tool command in the ToolTray menu.

If you drag a Tool from any source and drop it on a Tool in a ToolTray, it replaces the Tool beneath it, effectively removing that Tool.

Scales, Chords, Rythms and Patches

Chapter 30

Overview

This chapter focuses on defining Scales, Chords, Rhythms, and Patch Lists in their respective Define windows. Many Tools and Sequencer functions use these items to produce customized results. For instance, the Quick Patch Tool and the Program Change area use Patch Lists, so that you can choose program changes by name. The CounterPoint Tool uses Scales to compose and the Accompany B Tool uses Chords and Rhythms to create auto-accompaniments.

Bars&Pipes Professional stores Scale, Chord, and Rhythm information in each Track's Song Parameters. To choose a particular Scale, Chord,or Rhythm, use the Pencil in either the Master Parameters or a specific Track's Song Parameters.

Bars&Pipes Professional saves your Scales, Chords, Rhythms, and Patch Lists with each Song. When Bars&Pipes Professional loads the Song, these additional items load with it.

Tip
To include new Scales, Chords, Rhythms and Patch Lists in your New environment, select New from the Song menu, add the new items, then select Save As Default in the Song menu.

The Define windows can be reached from either the Define... option in the Main menu set's Windows menu, or the Edit window's Define menu.

Define Scales Window

To create your own Key & Scale/Modes, use the Define Scales window.

The Define Scales window has a keyboard area, a name area, three buttons, and two menu options.

Adding And Subtracting Notes From Scales

On the right side of the Define Scales window is a one-octave keyboard. Active notes are highlighted in blue, while inactive notes are white. To include a note in the scales, click on a white note, thereby turning it blue. Click on a blue note to exclude it from the Scale, thereby turning it white.

Creating A New Scale

Click on the Add button to create a new Scale. Then, enter a name after the Name: prompt. Click and highlight the notes you want include in your Scale. Once you've defined your scale, you must save your Song. If you do not save your Song, you will lose your Scale upon exiting Bars&Pipes Professional. You can also use the Save Scale... menu option to save your Scale (please see below).

Selecting From Existing Scales

To bring up a pop-up list of existing Scales, click on the Select button. Once you've chosen from the list, you can rename it or add and subtract notes from it.

Removing An Existing Scale

To remove the selected Scale from your list, click on the Remove button . A requester asks you to confirm your decision. Once you Remove a Scale, you cannot retrieve it, unless you load a previously saved version of the Scale from disk.

Changing The Name Of A Scale

After the Name: prompt, you'll find the name of the selected Scale. Click in this area to modify the name or enter a new one. Use the backspace and delete keys if necessary.

Loading A Previously Saved Scale

To load a previously saved Scale from disk, choose Load Scale from the Define Scales window menu.

Saving A Scale

To save a Scale to disk, select the Save Scale option.

Define Chords Window

Use the Define Chords window to create your own Chords.

The Define Chords window has a two octave keyboard area, control buttons, a name area, and menu options.

Adding And Subtracting Notes From Chords

On the lower right side of the Define Chords window, you'll find a two- octave keyboard. Active notes are highlighted in blue, while inactive notes are white. When you click on a white note, it turns blue. This indicates that the note is included in the Chord. When you click on a blue note, it turns white again, thus indicating that the note is no longer a member of the Chord.

Creating A New Chord

Click on the Add button to create a new Chord. Then, enter a name after the Name: prompt. Click and highlight the notes you want include in your Chord.

Once you've defined your Chord, you must save your Song. If you do not save your Song, you will lose your Chord upon exiting Bars&Pipes Professional. You can also use the Save Chord... menu option to save your Chord (please see below).

Selecting From Existing Chords

To bring up a pop-up list of existing Chords, click on the Select button. Once you've chosen from the list, you can rename it or add and subtract notes from it.

Removing An Existing Chord

To remove the selected Chord from your list, click on the Remove button. A requester asks you to confirm your decision. Once you Remove a Chord, you cannot retrieve it, unless you load a previously saved version of the Chord from disk.

Changing The Name Of A Chord

After the Name: prompt, you'll find the name of the selected Chord. Click in this area to modify the name or enter a new one. Use the backspace and delete keys if necessary.

Loading A Previously Saved Chord

To load a previously saved Chord from disk, choose Load Chord from the Define Chords window menu.

Saving A Chord

To save a Chord to disk, select the Save Chord option.

Define Rhythms

Use the Define Rhythms window to create your own Rhythms.

By definition a Rhythm includes three elements:

1. A sequence of notes which defines the timing, emphasis, and length of each rhythmic event;
2. A loop length that determines the length of the pattern; and
3. A name for the Rhythm.

Creating A New Rhythm

To create your own Rhythms, open the Define Rhythms Window from the Define... Rhythms option of the Windows menu. Or, from the Graphic Editor window, use the Define menu.

Note
If you want to import a Rhythm from the Main Screen, open the Define Rhythms window from the Main Screen. If you want to import a Rhythm from the ClipBoard, or if you are currently in a Track's Sequence Editor window, open the Define Rhythms window from the Sequence Editor window.

To create your own rhythm from scratch, first record a sequence of notes that the rhythm uses to define its timing, emphasis, and length. To do so, tap out any notes on your instrument keyboard, as if you were playing the drums. The actual notes you play don't matter, since the rhythm just uses only the start time, velocity, and duration of the notes to define the rhythm pattern.

Adding A New Rhythm

To add a new Rhythm to the list, click on the Add button. This creates a blank Rhythm with no pattern and a loop length of zero.

Selecting An Existing Rhythm

To access a scrolling list of all available Rhythms, click and hold on the Select button. Then drag the mouse to the desired Rhythm. If you cannot see the Rhythm you want, use the arrows above and below the list to scroll the menu up or down. You can change the name, length, and patterns of any existing Rhythm.

Removing A Rhythm

To remove a Rhythm from the list, select it and press the Remove button.

Grabbing Clips As Rhythms

Because the Rhythm Pattern consists of a sequence of notes, you can record it the same way you would a Track Sequence. For example, you can record your Rhythm in real-time, step-enter it, or draw each note with the Pencil.

Tip
Often, sections of previously recorded Songs make great Rhythm templates.

Once you've created a pattern of notes and activated the Add button, you're ready to pull the pattern into the Define Rhythm window. Do so by clicking on one of two command buttons: Grab Clip from ClipBoard or Grab Clip from Track.

The Grab Clip from ClipBoard button copies the currently selected Clip from the ClipBoard window to the Define Rhythm window. Use this command if you have saved your rhythm template to the ClipBoard. By default, the loop length is the length of the Clip, however, you can edit the loop length as needed.

The Grab Clip from Track button copies the notes from the section bounded by the Edit Flags of the selected Track and copies these notes into the Rhythm. This button provides the mechanism for tapping a Rhythm into a Track and quickly transferring it into a Rhythm.

Replacing A Rhythm

If a Rhythm has an existing pattern of notes, you can change it by replacing the existing pattern with a new one. Do this by executing either of the Grab commands.

Setting The Loop Length

Once a pattern has been transferred to the Define Rhythms window, the length of the loop appears after the Loop Length: requester. To change this value, assign the Rhythm a loop length in measures, beats, and clocks.

For example, a two measure loop would be entered as "2.0.0", two measures, zero beats and zero clocks.

Changing The Rhythm Name

Give your Rhythm a name by entering it after the Name: prompt.

Loading A Previously Saved Rhythm

To load a Rhythm from disk, use the Load Rhythm... command in the Define Rhythms menu.

Saving A Rhythm

To save individual Rhythms to disk, use the Save.., command in the Define Rhythms menu. Selecting this command opens the file requester from which you can create or select a file name.

Define Patch List

The Define Patch List window allows you to create Patch Lists for your synths. A Patch List contains the name and its associated Program Change number (between 0 and 127) for each of your synth's instrument sounds.

In addition to using the Define Patch List window to create Patch Lists, you can use it to access Patch Lists from disk.

Tip
You can also load lists created with The PatchMeister and SuperJAM!

The Define Patch Lists Window

The Define Patch List window contains three buttons: the Add, Select, and Remove buttons. These button allow you to create a new Patch List, choose a Patch List from the ones which are loaded, and remove a Patch List, respectively. Above the Add button is the Synth: prompt and Patch List name area. To the right of the Add button is the number prompt and the program change name area. To the right of the Select and Remove buttons is the scrolling Patch List. Use the scroll bar and scroll arrows to scroll through the list.

Creating A New Patch List

To create a new Patch List, click on the Add button. Then, enter a Patch List name by clicking in the space to the right of the Synth: prompt, and entering the name. To enter the actual Patch List, click after the number prompt and enter the Program Change's name. When you press the return key on your Amiga keyboard, the number prompt automatically increments to the next Program Change.

Choosing A Patch List

To choose a Patch List, click and hold the Select button. A pop-up list appears where you can select the Patch List you want to use.

Note
If there are no Patch Lists loaded, the pop-up list does not appear.

Editing A Patch List

To edit an existing Patch List, choose it with the Select button. Change the name of the Patch List after the Synth: prompt; change the names of the individual program changes by clicking on the name in the scrolling list, then changing the name after the number prompt.

Removing A Patch List

To remove unused Patch Lists, click on the Remove button. This removes the selected Patch List from the loaded list of Patch Lists. A requester asks you to verify this operation.

Loading A Patch List

To load Patch Lists previously saved with Bars&Pipes Professional, SuperJAM! or The PatchMeister, use the Load Patch List... command found in the Define Patch Lists menu.

Tip
You'll find the SuperJAM! Patch Lists in the SuperJAM!/Bands directory.

Saving A Patch List

Choose the Save Patch List... option in the Define Patch Lists menu to save the selected Patch List.

Tip
You can use Patch Lists created in Bars&Pipes Professional for your Super JAM! Bands.

You can find out more about Patch Lists in the chapter on Customizing Your Environment.

Customizing your Environment

Chapter 31

Overview

In this chapter, we'll learn how to customize your Bars&Pipes Professional environment, so that it automatically sets up the system to your liking. We'll also discuss the disk files that Bars&Pipes Professional uses to keep track of your preferences.

The Environment Preferences

In the Main menu, the Environment.., option in the Preferences menu opens the Environment Preferences requester. This requester controls various aspects of Bars&Pipes Professional's appearance as well as some memory-saving options:

Interlace Screen

Select the Interlace Screen option to double the vertical resolution of the Bars&Pipes Professional environment.

Use Workbench Pointer

If you'd rather use the Workbench mouse pointer instead of the Bars&Pipes Professional saxophone, enable Use Workbench Pointer.

Exploding Windows

The Exploding Windows option causes windows to open with an expanding rectangle and close with a contracting rectangle.

Windows To Front

Normally, use the standard Window To Front/Back button on the top right of each window to bring a window to the front If you'd like any window to come immediately to the front no matter where you click in it, select Windows To Front.

Save Icons

Bars&Pipes Professional will only create an icon for a song file if the Save Icons option is enabled.

WB 2.0 File Requester

If you're running Bars&Pipes Professional under Workbench 2.0 or later, you may optionally use the Workbench file requester for selecting files.

Double Width Screen/Double Height Screen

Under Workbench 2.0, Bars&Pipes Professional can display its screen at double width and/or double height, providing much more room to drag and place windows. When in this mode, certain hotkeys make navigating this huge screen easier:

The Alt key, in conjunction with the arrow keys moves the screen by one screenful. The window icons always appear in the current screen for easy access.

Holding the Shift key causes the currently active window to move into the new view area. Hold down both the Shift and Alt keys while pressing the arrow keys.

These features can make it seem like Bars&Pipes Professional is four screen instead of one! For instance, you could open Mix Maestro in one quadrant, the Track window in another, and still have two full screens for other windows. Keep in mind, however, that open windows consume CPU and memory resources

68000 Optimization

If you are running Bars&Pipes on an Amiga using a 68000 processor, such as the A500 or A2000, setting this option will enable Bars&Pipes to run slightly more efficiently.

Workbench Screen Mode

Also under Workbench 2.0, Bars&Pipes Professional can adopt the current screen mode used by Workbench. This is particularly useful with the new AGA chipset machines (the Amiga 4000 and 1200) because it provides an automatic method for supporting the new graphic modes.

Close Workbench

To save memory, Bars&Pipes Professional can attempt to close Workbench. This only succeeds if no programs have windows open in Workbench.

Disable Undo Buffer

When the Bars&Pipes Professional sequencer records a Track, it automatically backs up the entire performance in an Undo buffer. Although this provides an easy way to recover from a poor recording, it doubles the memory provided for MIDI events. Disable the Undo buffer to double the number of notes you can record in low memory situations.

Use Grey Scale

Bars&Pipes Professional normally displays in eight colors. Use Grey Scale halves the color count to only four, saving graphics memory.

Disable Fast Refresh

Bars&Pipes Professional's windows keep their images intact, even when behind other windows. This results in very fast refresh, but eats memory. Disable Fast Refresh saves memory because it no longer stores hidden imagery, but the drawing time can become painfully slow.

Save

Select the Save button to implement the changes and permanently save your choices in the "Bars&Pipes Professional.info" file. Whether run Bars&Pipes Professional from its icon or the Shell, the program still looks at the "Bars&Pipes Professional.info" file for these preferences. If the .info does not exist, Bars&Pipes Professional chooses its default preferences.

Use

To use the changes without making them permanent, select Use.

The Support Drawer and Support Files

Bars&Pipes Professional must keep its control files in a support directory: If a drawer named "Support" exists within the same directory as the Bars&Pipes Professional drawer, Bars&Pipes Professional places its support files there.

If there is no drawer named "Support" located within the same directory, Bars&Pipes Professional places the support files in the S: directory. This is the same directory that contains your startup-sequence.)

• TIP * If you are using Bars&Pipes Professional without a hard drive and want to boot with a Workbench disk, create a Support drawer on your Bars&Pipes Professional program disk Then move the files, Tools, Accessories, and BPPDirs from the & directory on your WorkBench disk to the Support drawer created on your program disk.

The Tools File

Bars&Pipes Professional uses the Tools file when customizing your environment. This text file contains the names and path names of the Tools currently loaded in the ToolBox. Bars&Pipes Professional updates the Tools file whenever you Install or Remove a Tool in the ToolBox.

The Accessories File

Bars&Pipes Professional also uses the Accessories file when customizing your environment. This text file contains the names and path names of the Accessories loaded in the Accessories window.

Bars&Pipes Professional updates the Accessories file whenever you Install or Remove an Accessory

BPPDirs

The BPPDirs file, another environment file, is a binary file that contains the path names of files that you load and save, such as Song files, Patch Lists, and Chords.

Whenever you load or save a file, Bars&Pipes Professional refers to the Bppdirs file to determine the last place you loaded or saved a similar type of file. Bars& Pipes Professional then directs the file requester to this location.

When you change directories with the file requester and select Load or Save, Bars&Pipes Professional looks to the new directory. Bars&Pipes Professional updates the BPPDirs file whenever you exit Bars&Pipes Professional.

Settings in Song Files

Bars&Pipes Professional saves many settings in each individual Song file, including which windows are open and closed, the color palette as defined by the True Colors Accessory, the position of window icons, Patch Lists, Chords, Scales, Rhythms, Metronome settings, Tool Trays, the ToolPad, Tools in PipeLines, the status of Thru faucets, MIDI channel selectors, the status of Edit windows and all other musical information.

Creating a Preset Environment With New.song

If you prefer a particular configuration of Tools, Tracks, Tempos, etc., you can set your preferences, then save them as a Song,. This way, you'll have a preset environment each time you begin a new Song.

To do so, first set up your Tracks, MIDI channels, Tool placements, etc., and then use the Save As Default command found in the Song menu. This saves your settings to a file called "New.song." Each time you run Bars&Pipes Professional or select New from the Song menu, Bars&Pipes Professional automatically loads this file.

Tip
When you load another Song, Bars&Pipes Professional overrides your "New" settings with those in the currently loaded file. To impose your new environment on old Song files, load your old Song. Then make a Group out of all of the Tracks contained in the old Song file. Next, save the Group to disk and select New from the Song menu. After you delete all the Tracks in the New Song, load in the Group!