***************************************** ********* C O M M A N D S *************** ***************************************** You can use the numbers next to each note to produce effects or control playing. The format of one note is: C-2 4C23 ^||| sample number||| command---^|| data byte (more information about the command) If the command and the data byte are zeros, nothing special will happen. Here's the list of all commands recognized by MED. Many of the commands are similar to SoundTracker. ---------------------------- Arpeggio (0) ------------------------------ You can use arpeggio to simulate chords or to produce interesting effects. The arpeggio is done by changing the pitch of the note rapidly (6 times in a note). In one chord there can be three different notes. The first if of course the lowest note in the example D-2. The next is four half steps from the lowest note (F#2) and the third is 7 half steps (A-2). So, this is the normal major chord. D-2 4047 This command doesn't work with MIDI-instruments. --------------------------- Slide up (1) ------------------------------ With this command, you can create smooth slides. The command raises the frequency of the note by decreasing the period, which is used by the Amiga audio hardware. The period will be decreased 6 * databyte steps. If you have chosen the sliding 5 in Playing-module, the period will be decreased 5 * databyte. For example: C-3 2103 decreases the period 3 * 6 = 18 steps. Here's a table of periods of the notes: Octave Note 1 2 3 C 856 428 214 C# 808 404 202 D 762 381 190 D# 720 360 180 E 678 339 170 F 640 320 160 F# 604 302 151 G 570 285 143 G# 538 269 135 A 508 254 127 A# 480 240 120 H 453 226 113 How to do smooth slides? Maybe you want to create a smooth slide from A-2 to F-3. A-2's period is 254, F-3's 160. So, you'll have to decrease the period 254 - 160 = 94 steps. Because the command will decrease the period 6 * databyte, the databyte has to be 94 / 6 = 15.666666... = appx. 16. If you wanted to do the slide in one note (fast), the databyte should be 10, because 16 = hex 10. Or slower: A-2 2110 A-2 2108 A-2 2104 --- 0108 --- 0104 --- 0104 --- 0104 With MIDI-instruments: When the note before this command is played through MIDI, the meaning of the command will change a bit. It turns the pitch bender up 48 * databyte. The pitch bender will stay in the new position. You can reset the pitch bender with databyte 0, e.g. --- 0100. --------------------------- Slide down (2) ---------------------------- This is exactly like Slide up except this slides down. Works with MIDI. --------------------------- Vibrato (3) ------------------------------- This is a quite simple implementation of vibrato: the period of the note is changed two times in a note. The databyte is the vibrato depth. Doesn't work with MIDI. --------------------------- Volume (C) -------------------------------- With this command you can 1) control the volume of played note or 2) change the volume of already played note. The databyte is BCD-number (00 - 64). Example 1, control the volume of played note C-3 5C30 F#4 KC64 Example 2, change the volume of already played note C-3 5000 F#4 K000 --- 0C30 --- 0C64 Only example 1 works with MIDI-instruments. ---------------------------- Crescendo, Decrescendo (D) ----------------- Command D can increase or decrease the volume of the note. crescendo--v decrescendo----v C-2 1D50 C-2 1D03 The first number of the databyte is the amount of crescendo (divided by 6). If this is zero, the second number is used for decrescendo (diminuendo). Example: crescendo decrescendo E-1 2000 E-1 2000 --- 0D20 --- 0D02 --- 0D20 --- 0D02 This command doesn't work with MIDI-instruments. ---------------------------- Filter (E) --------------------------------- This command can be used to switch the low-pass filter on/off. If the databyte is zero, filter off. If the databyte is one, filter on. off on --- 0E00 --- 0E01 ---------------------------- Tempo etc. (F) ----------------------------- This command can change the speed of playing. The speed is changed if the databyte is 01 - F0 (hex). Tempos 01 - 0A are SoundTracker-compatible. Example: --- 0F06 normal SoundTracker tempo --- 0FF0 the highest possible tempo (240 = hex F0) --- 0F24 tempo 36 ($24 = 36) If the databyte is zero, the playing will continue from the next block in the sequence list, or the beginning of this block if you are playing the block. --- 0F00 Other features: Especially with rhythm instruments (hihat, bassdrum...) it's sometimes useful to have a bit faster patterns. This can be done by Expanding the block (Transpose-module) and doubling the tempo. These commands can also offer some help: C-3 4FF1 play this note twice during one note D-2 DFF2 play this note in the second half of this note E-4 JFF3 play this note three times during the note Useful can also be the command FFF, which will turn off the previous note. It's possible to do this also with C00-command, but FFF works with MIDI- instruments too. So I recommend using it. D-2 G000 --- 0FFF note off The last command is FFE, which is needed quite rarely. It stops the playing of the song. So, you can create a song which is played only once. --- 0FFE the end.