Octext: The Octamed tutor textfile. This file is intended to be printed out and used in conjuction with the full Octamed tutor. It would be nice if you have seen the picture program, because it is easier to explain screen setups with diagrams than it is with a text file. However, if you don't have the picture program, don't worry, because with a little thought and application, you should be able to work your way through the simple step-by-step instructions which will lead to a small degree of competence when using Octamed. At the end of the file, I will give an address from where the samples, the picture program and the example module referred to in the instructions can be obtained, if they are not on the disc along with this file. The tutor is designed for those who are new to computing, and who would like to use a program such as Octamed for making music, but are having difficulty because of it's apparent complexity and the (sometimes) confusing docs. file that goes with it. If you are going to make the music module, then you will need the following items: 1) A copy of either Octamed or MED. Both of these programs have a similar layout and file handling method. I am using Octamed pro v3.0, and as far as I know this is not yet a PD program, although it has been on the cover of a magazine and appears to be widely available from the various PD houses. MED is a PD program, and the latest version that I have is v3.2. You could use either of these programs with this tutor. 2) Some samples. The music that we are going to make uses only five: a bass drum, snare, a bass guitar sound, strings, and a sound called "shamus" but any flutey, synthy sort of sound will do. 3) A blank, formatted disc upon which you can save your musical genius. How many times have you had to rummage through your disc-boxes looking for a blank? I know I have. So get one ready now then it's done. Right then, now for your first attempt at musical stardom.... The music that we are going to create is a piece that musicians call a 12 bar. Firstly, boot up your copy of Octamed and, after the copyright message you will be presented with the main screen. 1) Create the sample list. Look to the top right of the screen, at the boxes marked FILES MISC etc. Click on FILES. The screen will change. Look for the (Dir) Samples and click on it. The contents of the directory will now be displayed. Click on SLIST (top right). The screen will change again. Look in the middle row and underneath DIR click on ADD. The contents of your directory now form your sample list. 2) Load in your instruments. The instrument number is the one next to the box full of dots next to the box marked CHRD. Got it? To load in an instrument, you click on it's name in the sample list. The instrument is then loaded and the name appears next to the instrument number. Load in the Bass drum (BassoBass) as instrument number 01. Click on the instrument number to change it to 02, then load in the snare. Repeat for Bass (03) shamus (04) and strings (05). You can alter the instrument number downwards by clicking with the right mouse button. 3) Return to the editor window You do this by clicking on the box in the top right hand corner. The one with the dotted lines in it. Before we go any further it would be easier for me if I explained the keyboard layout for those who don't have the picture file. Octamed allows you to enter notes into the program through the typewriter keyboard. Musical notes are assigned to keys like this: Musical note Db Eb Gb Ab Ab Db Eb | | | | | | | Typewriter key S D G H J L ; Typewriter key Z X C V B N M , . / | | | | | | | | | | Musical note C D E F G A B C D E Octaves are switched using the "F" keys. Throughout the rest of the tutor, when you see this: Put in the following: G,C,E,G, etc: This means musical notes that should be inserted and not the typewriter keys that you should press. 4) Switch the editor on. Click on the box marked "E" (centre strip). The box will be highlighted, and you are ready to start putting in your song. The cursor is the red box; it can be moved around the edit window using the arrow keys. Now do this: Click EDIT, SPACE=CLEAR, then PLAY to take you back again. You have now set the space bar so that it will enter blank spaces under the cursor. Be careful. The space bar also now acts as a delete key. 5) Put in the drums. Press F3. This puts the octave selector (next to the "E") on 3/4. Enter an E every eighth line. (you can use the space bar or the arrow keys to advance the cursor) 6) Put in the snare drum. Select the snare using the instrument number, and, editing on the same track as the bass drum, put E-3 on every eighth line between the bass drum beats. You should have a track like this: 000 E-3 10000 001 --- 00000 002 --- 00000 003 --- 00000 004 E-3 20000 and so on.... Click PLAY BLOCK to hear your effort. But drummers don't play like that all the time, do they? Try this: put a bass in at 28, 32. Snare at 26, 30. Gives it a bit of a break doesn't it? Have a fiddle round and see what other ideas you can come up with, and then when you are happy with the drum track, move on. 7) Let's now form some more blocks. Click BLOCK, then when the screen has changed, click on NEW BLOCK. See that the block counter (centre strip) has increased by one. We want the drummer to carry on the same throughout the song, but we don't want the tedious task of typing it all in. So, whilst you are in the BLOCKS section, click COPY TRACK. Nothing will appear to happen, but the current track has been copied into a memory buffer. Now select to block 01. (Click on the number to the left of the set next to the octave selector) Got it? Now click PASTE TRACK. Your drum track will appear in the new block. Do this again so that you have a total of three blocks, all with the same drum track. 8) Click PLAY, this will take you back to the Play menu. We now want to tell the computer in which order it should play our blocks, so we go to the playlist. (On the left, above the edit window.) Click on the upside down triangle gadget and the 00 will move up one step. Click the "+", and another 00 will appear in the window. Click + again and we now have a playlist of 00, 01. Add another so that we have 00,01,02. Click PLAY SONG to see the effect. 9) Add the bass line. Move the cursor to track 4 (Left cursor arrow). Select inst 02, the bass guitar. Press F2, then enter these notes every 4th line: C,E,G,A,Bb (Ascending); A,G,E (Descending) Then repeat, and you should end up back at line 000 again. You will probably know the tune. Next block: F,A,C,D,Eb (up) D,C,A (down) then: C,E,G,A,Bb (up) A,G,E (down) Next block: G,B,D,E (up), F,A,C,D (up) C (bottom) then C,B,A,G,F,E,D from top C down. Got it? PLAY SONG to see what you have so far. 10) Add another rhythm. Move the cursor on to track 3, select inst 03, F2, and put the same notes as the bass line in, but with the following exception: Repeat each note on the line before the next note. Like this: 000 C-2 30000 001 --- 00000 002 --- 00000 003 C-2 30000 004 E-2 30000 005 --- 00000 and so on. Continue similar throughout the three blocks. 11) Add the strings Select inst 05, F2, Track 2, and enter: Block 00 line 000 C-2 Block 01 line 000 F-2 Block 01 line 032 C-2 Block 02 line 000 G-2 Block 02 line 016 F-2 Block 02 line 032 C-2 Block 02 line 048 G-2 Your module is now complete. PLAY SONG. What? Don't like it? Try setting the speed gadget to 033/04 or slightly faster. Better? Good. Now to save your masterpiece on to the blank disc that you prepared earlier. Click FILES. Insert your save disc. Set the module type to MOD1(+INSTR). Click in the filename requester to put a cursor there. Type whatever you are going to call your song in then click SAVE SONG. Your song will be saved complete with instruments, so that when you load it again you won't need a sample disc. The module can also be played using the freeware player Medplayer, and it is also compatable with most other types of player programs. I hope that now you have made this module and that you now have a idea of how to use this large program, you will persevere and read the docs. file to learn about effects, sample editing and creation and all the other functions that making computer music demands. Good Luck! If you have found this tutor useful, and would like the accompanying picture file program, samples and example tunes that go with it then send your shareware registration fee of five pounds to: Phil Cartwright, 10, Sherbourne Rd., Blackpool, Lancs, England. FY1 2PW. Also now available: Chord Directory, an indispensible guide for the keyboard musician. Lots of chords for keyboard shown as easy-to-understand pictures, along with a small musical theory lesson. Buy it today! Octext music lesson is (c) 1993 Is That It? Music Thank you for listening. Support your shareware authors! ***END OF FILE***