Apple II Music & Sound Conference August 8, 1990 10:00 p.m. EDT Subject: Help Session Forum Leader: AFL JoyceM (Joyce Madden), assisted by AFA Gene TwoSpear I've got a question. I'm looking fora good keyboard 88 key, poly-phonic, with weighted keys, under $1000. Any ideas what's out there? (I've already got a d-50 so I don't need any of the fancy stuff). AFL JoyceM Actually, Two, we had a chat on that several weeks ago, with our resident keyboard expert, ELECTMUSIC, who is on vacation this week. You can check in our forum chat files and there is also another file on how to select a keyboard. Also...you can wait until we get started and AFA Gene will be able to help you too...besides me. Okay? TwoSpear Sure thing.. Thanks! AFL JoyceM Okay....I guess we will get started.....I have alot to say, so please hold your comments until I get thru....thanks :) AFL JoyceM Welcome to the Apple II Music & Sound Forum. Tonight is a Bring Your Own Subject...or a help session. And I note that some of you already have some questions. Before we get started, I believe that Gene has an announcement to make: AFA Gene We at the Music and Sound Forum are happy to sponsor a monthly contest in which we give FIVE (5) FREE hours of connect time to the user who uploads the file that we consider to be the most worthwhile addition to our vast library of music and sound-related software. Winners are announced on the first forum chat of each month. For details, visit our "From the Forum Leader..."area, accessible from the "Music and Sound Forum" menu. The winner's account will be credited within five business days. The credit applies to any five hours of non-prime connect time used during this month. And now... <<< drum roll >>> Our winner for July 1990 is.....GS Doctor! (aka Tony Ward). His winning file is the SoundSmith tutorial text file... it really makes life a lot easier for those people who yearn to write songs for SoundSmith. Along with Cappy's tutorial from last winter, one can easily grasp the basic concepts of song writing with the SoundSmith application. Congrats Tony! TwoSpear Though, MIDI input would even be easier still. MDW Flyer Very true AFL JoyceM Thanks, Gene...now I have some other announcements.... Bill Basham, author of DiversiTune is currently working on a major upgrade to this program. In order for him to satisfy the users, he is asking for input from you - the user. We have a special area here on AMS, under Let's Discuss/ IIGS/DiversiTune for you to post your ideas, comments about what you would like to see in the next upgrade. BTW, Version 1.1 is now available. Also note that there are several new DT songs in our library, with more to follow. AFA Gene (yay! an update! finally :) AFL JoyceM Regarding SynthLab - I am still awaiting release info from Apple and Mark Cecys and with MacFest in progress, I am sure it will be another week before Mark can get back with me. In talking with Applied Engineering today (Phil Montoya), the latest version of software for AA is 1.3 (disk) and 1.2 (software). Better sampling and MIDI on the latest release. Also the latest version of Master Tracks Pro (1.04) now supports other drivers and now supports AA. (AA =Audio Animator). As does DiversiTune and the latest version of SynthLab (MIDISynth) will allow one to use other drivers which makes it also compatible with AA. MusicStudio MIDI is still not compatible with AA - NOTE, this is not AE's fault, but Activision's or whatever they are called today. Okay....now for the questions... User7326 I'm trying to get Soundmaster to work. It works with a separate disk, but I'm trying to get it to work with the original AOL disk. AFL JoyceM Gene, I believe you have run into this problem, right? What is the solution? (Sorry, I run it from a HD). AFA Gene Well - Where is your Sounds folder? It should be located off the root directory. User7326 I have it on the sounds disk of AOL. I erased it from the boot-up disk. AFA Gene Oh... okay, well, I have had no success using a 'data' sounds disk, so what I do is put a Sounds folder on my AOL boot disk. I can fit all the standard online sounds with room to spare for some goodies like Burp. AFL JoyceM I believe it should be.../AOnline/Sounds, right Gene? AFA Gene Yep, Joyce, that's the right path. User7326 You and I are totally backwards from each other Gene. But, it doesn't work when I put it on that way. AFA Gene So you're saying that you have a separate disk for AO Sounds? User7326 Maybe I'm understanding you wrong....When I use the finder, and open the regular AOL disk, am I supposed to see the Sounds folder? AFA Gene Yes. Theoretically it should work with a separate disk as well, but for some reason it just doesn't. User7326 Yes, Gene. It's the only way it works, and that's just backwards for me. AFA Gene Why "backwards?" AFL JoyceM Elie, are you running AO from a HD or from a disk? User7326 I use a disk. It doesn't work with the AOL disk but with a separate disk. AFA Gene Oh, so you want it to work from one disk but it doesn't? AFL JoyceM Why are you using the Finder then? Just boot the AO disk. User7326 Joyce, I'm speaking of what it will look like when you view the contents of the disk from the Finder. AFA Gene To answer what you were saying, yes, you should see the Sounds folder when you open the regular AO disk from Finder. (it should be somewhere in the root directory, along with AO.SYS16) User7326 Correct. But it didn't work like that. AFA Gene Are you sure the folder is called "Sounds" not "Sound" or something like that? User7326 This is the wierd part - When I decided to make a new sounds disk, I copied the defective folder directly to the new disk and has been working perfectly ever since. I just copied the folder with it's sounds in it and threw away the original to save disk space. But I would very much like to use the boot-up disk AFA Gene Are you sure the AOL disk's blocks are all okay? User7326 What blocks? AFA Gene i.e. are there any bad blocks on the AO disk that may be screwing up the folder? User7326 You mean, check for a virus? AFA Gene No, I mean, physically damaged blocks on the disk. This would cause SoundMaster to not recognize the sounds. User7326 I'm not farmiliar with what a block is. AFA Gene Okay, when you try to use the AOL boot disk, does the drive whir for a short time and then the program ignores the Soundmaster file? For example, If I did this: {S Hello} what happens? {S Welcome} TwoSpear Elie: Using the finder hilight your disk (click on it) and then go to the disk menu item and select verify. That will tell you if the blocks on your disk are ok or not. User7326 Nothing. Because I don't have that sound. But it did whir. AFA Gene Is your boot disk in the drive now? AFL JoyceM What sound do you have, Elie? So we can test it. User7326 No. There isn't anything on the boot disk anymore. Try dragnet. AFA Gene {S Dragnet - What happenned? User7326 It worked fine because I have the sound. AFA Gene This is with your data diskette in the drive? User7326 Yes AFA Gene I dunno, all I can say is to create a new Sounds folder on the root directory. TwoSpear If I may, what it sounds like to me is that you have a bad finder.data file in your folder. You could try deleting it with copy 2 plus or something that way the finder will create a new one. User7326 What time do you close? AFA Gene Soundmaster ignores Finder.Data. AFL JoyceM Elie, we will be here until 11:00 EDT...but you can always leave a note in our Let's Discuss area on the problem. TwoSpear Gene: Yes it does, and SoundMaster works, but when he uses the finder to list the files in the directory it screws up, right? User7326 Wrong. It lists but doesn't play I will try to be back by then. I will leave the note if I can't get back on. AFA Gene Elie, try making a Sounds folder on the AOL boot disk, throw some sounds on it, come online into an empty chat room and experiment. AFL JoyceM TwoSpear, you had a question on keyboards? TwoSpear Ah yes. I'm looking for an 88 key, polyphonic keyboard/sequencer with weighted keys. Cost range = under $1000. I have a d-50so I don't need any ofthe fancy stuff. Any ideas what's good out there? AFA Gene I noticed your postings in Let's Discuss. And you wanted a portable unit? TwoSpear It doesn't have to be portable, but it would be nice so that I can take it on the road with the D-50. AFA Gene Well, to be frank, there is very little out there with 88 weighted keys that's under $1000 unless you look at clearance specials of old proto-Clavinova type keyboards. AFL JoyceM He also wants a sequencer....and that's more $$$$ AFA Gene For $1500 you can get a new Clavinova, however. TwoSpear That's what I feared. I just spent $1600 on a d-50 only couple years ago (money is tight these days. AFC Joker Ain't it the truth! :) AFA Gene D-50 is a great synth, even with the D-70 out the D-50 is still tops in the biz AFL JoyceM I just priced a new keyboard...I want everything on it...and the cost came close to $3000....forget it. Will wait. I remember when one could buy a great auto for that price :) TwoSpear Gads for that kind of money, I'll just buy a nice Steinway. AFA Gene I think there's a company that can wire up MIDI out from an acoustic piano for about $1000. I read about it in a The Piano Book. AFL JoyceM TwoSpear, check with our local keyboard place, sometimes they have 'used' sales. TwoSpear Joyce: Thanks. FredChopin Can anybody give me tips on writing an Etude for Soundsmith? AFA Gene Original or transcribed, Fred? FredChopin Original User7326 I'M BACK User7326 I just copied transporter sound. Could someone play it for me? AFA Gene {S Transporter - (is that it?) User7326 IT WORKS :) AFL JoyceM Great, Elie :) AFA Gene Dude, most excellent! User7326 Why didn't it work before though. I did the same thing exept color the folder? AFA Gene Again, Finder.Data means diddly to Soundmaster. I bet you named the folder Sound instead of Sounds. User7326 Possible. Now that it works I will be able to send in the Shareware fee AFL JoyceM Nice to see a satisfied customer :) AFA Gene Shareware... most bodacious, Elie. AFA Gene Do you have any other music programs, Fred? FredChopin I mean transcribed AFA Gene Oh..... that makes it a lot easier :) AFL JoyceM Fred, there is a great article on how to Composewith SoundSmith...in fact is is our July winner....check our New Files for the download, it is a text file. FredChopin Anyone know when synthLAB is coming out?? AFA Gene Soon.... could be any day now actually, Fred :) User7326 Gene, by the way, when will Cosmocade be out? AFL JoyceM Fred, I am waiting word on SynthLAB. FredChopin great! AFA Gene Once Joyce gets the okay from the powers that be, that is. AFA Gene Cosmocade should be out in the stores by Christmas time. User7326 Exellent. I'll be the first coustomer. TwoSpear Does anyone know when Huibert Aalbers will release version 1.0 of SS? I heard from Parik that it should be sometime soon, (that was a while ago) - but so far, nada. AFA Gene Who knows, TwoSpear. The implentation of MIDI is the hardest part, and that is all that's left before the big one-o. User7326 Is there anything here that is downloadable to create sounds for Soundmaster? AFL JoyceM Elie, the best is HyperStudio, which is not a freeware or shareware program. AFL JoyceM Next week we will be discussing MusicStudio with Gene Koh (AFA Gene) and I hope he will give us some secrets on how he gets those great sound on SoftDisk-GS. User7326 Darn, I'm trying to save up to buy Diversitune anyway. AFA Gene hehehe AFL JoyceM Also.....we still have a couple of weeks left in our August contest. On the 22nd, Gene will discuss SoftDisk-GS, etc. User7326 About that contest...what does the program have to be, Joyce? AFL JoyceM Gene, do you want to explain to Elie. AFA Gene Okay, the easiest way to explain is read "From the Forum Leader." Nuzz Can I sneak in a little announcement? AFL JoyceM Sure, Mike....go ahead. Nuzz Triad Venture will be releasing a MidiSynth song disk along with Xcmds to play them for Hyperstudio and HyperCard. AFC Joker Awsum! sooper! :)) AFA Gene Wow! Most excellent! AFL JoyceM When, Mike? AFA Gene Just wondering, this is not in conjuction with Roger Wagner, is it? AFC Joker How soon, Mike and how much? Nuzz You are the first to know officially AFL JoyceM Thanks, Mike....great place to make such an announcement. If you will give me the particulars, I can post it. Nuzz Gene, I have told Roger of this, and I still have to call him back. User7326 How much memory does it require? AFL JoyceM When released? Cost? Etc? Nuzz Well besides the memory needed for HYper-whatevers, not too much more. Price is still undecided, but we won't soak you for it, that's for sure. AFC Joker :) AFL JoyceM So there is a Hypercard-GS? Presuming that it will eventually work with HS? Nuzz Release should coincide with MidiSynth or slighly later. AFC Joker Great, Mike! I'll be looking for it! :) Night all! :) Nuzz There will be different Xcmds for the 2 programs AFL JoyceM Mike, I am still waiting word from Mark on MIDISynth and its release. Nuzz I had a nice conversation with Mark while I was in Kansas City. AFA Gene So I assume you've been developing in the HyperCard-GS enviroment? How is it? Nuzz Gene, I am under non-Disclosure.. User7326 I gotta go. Bye all. Thanks for your help Gene, Joyce. AFL JoyceM Come back and visit us again, Elie AFL JoyceM Mike, great news. When you get all the info on your release, send it to me, so I can get it posted in the right area. And get it announced here in AMS. AFA Gene Mike, without going into the gray area of non-disc, is HCGS thumbs "up" or "down" would you say - or "thumbs in limbo?" Nuzz Sure thing Joyce. I'm looking forward to it. AFL JoyceM Also, Mike....we can have you as a guest to discuss it and other music oriented stuff Triad is doing.....just let me know, we are flexible :) AFL JoyceM Oops...Mike got dumped AFL JoyceM Well, I guess we had better close this chat. Thanks for coming and next week is a discussion, hints, etc on using MusicStudio. Thanks for coming....good night. America Online - 1990