Recording
a sound-object
Restart
BP2 or, at least, type cmd-n or select "New project" in the "File" menu in
order to delete any previously loaded alphabet and grammar and reset all
settings to default. Type cmd-h or select "Alphabet" in the "Windows" menu.
So far we have not used any alphabet because the first experiment was on
simple
notes
using a predefined alphabet, i.e. C, D, E... and octave numbers in English
convention. Let us now create a very simple alphabet of
sound-objects.
Clear the window and type:
a
b c
(You
may save it as "-ho.MyAlphabet" if it is too much work!) Now type cmd-e
('edit') or select "Edit prototypes" in the "Windows" menu. This takes you to
the
sound-object
prototype editor.
BP2 asks you whether you want load an existing file. Answer 'No'.
The
main dialog in the sound-object prototype edito
r
is shown Fig.2. (Here you'll be in trouble if your screen is smaller than 640
x 480!)
Fig.2
The sound-object prototype editor
(main dialog)
Left
and right arrows or the "Go to..." button are used to display other
sound-object prototypes.
We
will now create a sound-object prototyp
e
named 'a'. Click "Edit/record MIDI prototype". A new dialog appears. Click
"Record". Ticks are played to the MIDI output at metronome speed mm = 60.
Play a short phrase on the MIDI keyboard and click the mouse. The sound-object
prototype appears on the graphic.
Fig.3
A sound-object prototype
has been recorded
Vertical
lines in the rectangle indicate MIDI events. If the pitch bender was moved or
volume and channel pressure were changed many lines will be visible.
A
red vertical line indicates the
insertion
point.
It shows a location that has been clicked on the graphic. This insertion
point may be adjusted precisely using left/right or up/down arrows with the
command key down.
To
hear the prototype
from
the insertion point
click "Play" in the same dialog, or press the command key and space bar
together. The "Play" button plays the entire prototype only if no insertion
point is visible.
Since
trailing silences in the beginning and at the end of a sound-object prototyp
e
cannot be recorded, you may want to insert or append them afterwards. "Append
silence" prolongates the prototype with a silence. This is sometimes more
convenient than using ordinary silences (notated"-") because, for instance,
this prolonged part may be "protected" if property "Never cover end" has been
set. If the object is a bell sound, the silence could for instance allow its
resonance to be heard fully. In other words, a sound-object may not terminate
on the last MIDI message whenever the sound "goes on", or it is to be followed
by a certain amount of silence. Similarly, you may want a silence to precede
the sound-object, perhaps to enhance its impact. Click "Insert silenc
e".
(Note that if an insertion poin
t
is marked insertion will be attempted at the specified point.)
All
buttons in the sound-object prototype edito
r
are documented on-line: type cmd-? and click a button to get related
information. Don't hesitate to play around with these editing procedures.
Also try to modify ticks (saved along with the "-mi.<name> " file) and
the value of 'tref' which determines the
reference
tempo
of a sound-object prototyp
e.
Click
"Duration/pivot/location" to modify properties of the sound-object prototype.
Change the
pivot
location
and watch the effect on the graphic display. The pivo
t
is used for placing the object on
time
streaks,
e.g. metronome beats. If you inserted a silence in the beginning of the
sound-object it may be a good idea to locate its pivot on the first NoteOn. If
you are using plucked or drum sounds on a MIDI sampler you may enter precise
locations forcing pivots to coincide with the climax of each object rather than
the beginning of the sample.
Users
of old versions of BP2 will notice that sound-object propertie
s
have been refined: properties such as "OK Rescale", "Expand at will", etc., are
still there with the same meanings. But now it is possible to define a range
of acceptable dilation rati
os.
As to location, rather than stating that the sound-object is relocatable or
unrelocatable, it is possible to define its maximum acceptable shifts either in
relative (a percentage of its duration) or absolute value (milliseconds).
If
BP2 is controlling a synthesiser it is generally convenient to define
sound-objects with property "OK Rescale": MIDI messages contained in the
prototype will be spaced according to the metronome value and the
symbolic
duration
of the corresponding sound-object (see §4.2). On the other hand, if BP2
is connected to a MIDI sampler then this rescaling might better be disabled.
Since the rich musician's environment often comprises several synths and
samplers on various MIDI channels, it is convenient to set these properties
separately for each sound-object prototype.
In
the same context (several MIDI devices) it is also necessary to declare the
MIDI channel of each sound-object prototype: click "Channel/Instrument" in the
main dialog (see Fig.2). Changing the channel is self-explanatory.