Musicbox

Welcome to Musicbox v1.5 ------------------------ Introduction ------------ This musician's utility provides: a metronome a piano keyboard a note sounder a tempo measurer a timer Please distribute this shareware freely to others. Do send me any comments or suggestions; my address is given below. Installation ------------ Suggested file structure: Required files: \APP\Musicbox.opa This is the main program Optional files: \APP\MUSICBOX\Musicbox.rsc This contains text for the help screens \APP\MUSICBOX\Tock.wve Sample sound files for the metronome \APP\MUSICBOX\Click.wve ditto If you are short of memory, the optional files can be removed. Files created: M:\OPD\MUSICBOX.INI Your customised settings, saved on exit M:\OPD\TEMP.MU$ Copy of last tune to be used; preserved on exit \MBX\tunename.TUN By default, recorded tune files Usage ----- Most of the program functions are fairly obvious; do browse through all the menu options. Help screens explain all. A few things that may not be obvious: In the metronome section, you can change the metronome speed by just typing the number (eg 66 or 125). No need to press enter. When the metronome is off, you can measure the speed of some music by pressing Enter in time to the rhythm. The speed indicator sets itself to the speed. "How many times do I press it", I hear you ask: doesn't matter. Twice starts it, the more you press the more accurate it becomes. To hear a note, press that key letter. Shift and Control sharpens and flattens the note. A double press holds the note constantly until you press it again to stop it. If you've recorded a tune in the piano section, you play it back by pressing any cursor for each note. The rhythm is not stored. Low battery problem ------------------- Due to a bug(?) in the Psion operating system, the program can stop working if you are playing a sound when the batteries are low. You must go to the system screen, highlight "Musicbox" and press Delete to terminate the program. (For the technically minded: Anyone know a solution to this? If the voltage falls *during* an asynchronous call to the 2-voice tune function, it hangs the calling process) Metronome --------- Space turns metronome on and off Change speed by typing number (nothing is shown on screen). No need to press Enter Use cursor keys to change speed: Left, slower: Right, faster; Psion-Left, much slower; Psion-Right much faster You can adjust speed without stopping metronome Hold down Enter to pause metronome Next click happens as key is released Use this to advance or delay next click Delete turns sound on and off 'Set metronome preferences' customises metronome's appearance: 'Blinkers' for flashing arrows 'Slider' for progressive sliding line 'Sound type' for style of metronome click Use simple beep (Choose pitch and length of beep) or select pre- recorded wave file ('tock' is provided) Piano ----- Top two rows of keyboard play black & white piano keys 'Set piano preferences' customises piano settings: 'Sound style' chooses what piano sounds like 'Sustain' makes note sound for a little longer after key is released. (Good for legato) 'Transpose' moves pitch up or down in semitones (eg -4 for down major 3rd) 'Bottom note' sets which note is played by far left key (Tab) 'Show keyboard letters' for letter to be shown on screen Use 'Pitch' for finer tuning if needed Tempo measurer -------------- To measure a speed, turn off metronome and tap Enter at speed to be measured Metronome shows speed Recording --------- Rhythm is not recorded, only notes Tune is played back by tapping lower cursor keys (Left, Down, Right) in rhythm required 'Record new tune' starts recording To stop: Esc or 'Record new tune' again 'Up' deletes last note 'Add to current tune' starts recording, but notes are added to end of tune currently in memory 'Play from start' or Esc or Space goes back to beginning of tune When playing, 'Up' reverses back through tune Use 'Save tune' to save tune for later use, giving it a name Use 'Load tune' to select previously saved tune for playing Select 'Yes' to add tune to end of one currently in memory Use 'Transpose' in 'Set piano preferences' to play back tune in different key Timer ----- Tab switches timer on and off 'Reset' puts clock back to 0:00 Press Tab twice in quick succession to reset timer 'Adjust' lets you start timer from predetermined time 'Lap' halts displayed time, whilst leaving timer running in background. Use 'Lap' again to redisplay current time 'Format' selects whether hours are shown, or just minutes (eg 2:00:00 or 120:00) Note sounder ------------ Press a letter to play that note Control+letter adds flat (b) to note Shift+letter adds sharp (#) to note Note sounds until key is released Pressing key twice quickly makes note sound continuously. Press note again or Esc to release The overall pitch of all the notes can be changed with 'Pitch'. Enter the frequency (Hz) of a middle A (eg 440 for normal, 415 for baroque etc) (Pitch is unaffected by transpose setting in piano section) General ------- All settings are preserved on exit 'Reset parameters' restores metronome to default settings No sound: Is volume turned down or off? Does the wave file selected for the click still exist? Are the batteries low? This will make the sound switch off History ------- v1.4 Nov 96 First public release v1.5 Jun 97 Changing metronome speed made easier Full volume control implemented Piano recording improved Menus reorganised A few small bugs fixed Shareware registration ---------------------- To become a registered user please send œ10 (GBP) (or equivalent major foreign currency) to John Neale 62 Long Ashton Rd Bristol BS18 9LE Tel +44 (0)1275 392336 Please tell me the version number and where you obtaind your copy from. I will send you a code number which will remove the nag screen on entry and exit. Why should I bother? - You'll be treating me fairly - You'll have a clear conscience - I'll send you future improved versions - Trust is what makes the shareware system work. Why else did I make this software available?