path: root/tk707.help

@C0@t   The TK-707 Rhythm Composer@t











@C1@tGetting started@t

@C2@tTerminology@t



	Four song @htracks are available. 
You can think of a track as a song.
Tracks are labeled by roman numbers: I, II, III and IV.

	Each track is made of @hpatterns, each with 16 @hsteps.s
 You could think of
a pattern as a bar of music. At each step in a pattern, any of the available
instruments can be set to play. Once you've made the patterns you want to
use, you can combine them in any order into any of the four available
tracks. Any particular pattern can be used in any of the tracks as many
times as desired.


	There are 64 patterns available in 4 @hgroups of 16 each.
Pattern groups are labeled by letters: A, B, C and D.
The 4 groups are not at all related to the 4 tracks. Patterns from any group are
available to any track.

@C2@tDemonstrations@t


	Some sample patterns and tracks are in `demo.dat' which can be
loaded from the @cFile@c-@c>@cDemo menu. Something exists in each track of this
file so click the @cSTART button and you should hear something if your
hardware is set up correctly. Part of this set up is the @hmidi @hchannel;
the default midi channel is 10 (the default for D-110 drum sounds). You can
change the output midi channel via the Midi menu or Shift-click on the
@cMIDI @cCH button; a new window will appear for midi channel selection.

 	A second demonstration file shows the alternate @h7@h2@h7 latin sound
map. With this sound map, the software emulates a Roland @h7@h2@h7
latin percussion rhythm composer.
Loaded from the @cFile@c-@c>@cDemo menu the file `son-montuno.dat',
and then load the latin percussion sound map `727.map' from
the @cMap@c-@c>@cLoad @cStandard @cSound @cMap menu.
Set also the tempo to 200 bpm.
Then, click the @cSTART button.

	An alternate sound map for latin percussion is `7c7.map'.
The @cc in @c7@cc@c7 stands for cuba (
An excellent introduction to afro-cuban rhythms can be founded in
'Les tumbaos de la salsa', by Daniel Genton, Editions
Musicales Francaise, 2000. email: Topdjembe@@ hotmail.com.'.
can be loaded in the @cMap@c-@c>@cLoad @cStandard @cSound @cMap. 
This file has no Roland latin percussion rhythm composer equivalent,
and has been designed for our pleasure. Click the @cSTART button
and you will hear the file `son-montuno.dat' with another feeling.


Finally, a brazilian sound map `7b7.map' is presented.
The @cb in @c7@cb@c7 stands for brazil (
This sound map is indented for batucada music for carnaval.' and
can be loaded together with the `carioca.dat' demonstration.
A good tempo is 220 bpm for the samba carioca.

There is no more demonstration file for these sound maps, since 
it is time for you to compose your music !

@C2@tCreating patterns@t


@C2@tWriting pattern@t


	Shift-click the @cPATTERN button to enter Pattern Write mode. While
@cSTART is not pressed, the 16 instrument/step keys at the bottom of the
interface are dual purposed.

	Clicking on a key changes which pattern, 1-16, (within the current
group) is selected for writing. A small lamp above one of the @hgroup @hpattern
buttons indicates the current group. The current group may be changed by
clicking group pattern button @cA, @cB, @cC or @cD.


	Shift-clicking on the @hinstrument@h/@hstep keys selects which instrument
is selected to be written into the current pattern. Click the @cSTART
button; now as you click of the instrument/step keys, the selected
instrument, e.g. @cCowbell, will be added at that step. If the selected
instrument has already been set at that step, then clicking there will
remove it. To select another instrument, press the @cSTOP@c/@cCONT button
then select another instrument using Shift-click on the appropriate
instrument/step key.

	Continue adding instruments at the required steps to complete the
pattern. Make all the patterns you will need for a new song.

	A pattern may be cleared of all notes while in Pattern Write mode;
clicking on the @cCLEAR button will raise a dialog window to confirm
clearing of the current pattern.

@C2@tCopy/paste and copy/merge @t


	Another method of creating new patterns is to copy an existing
pattern and pasting it to a new location, then modifying the new version.
This is an efficient method of creating a number of patterns which are
small variations of each other. Select the pattern to be copied and press
@cCRTL-@cC (@cCONTROL key and @cC key together). 

	Now select a new (empty?)
pattern location and press @cCtrl-@cV or @cCtrl-@cB 
to @hpaste in the copied notes.

Using @cCtrl-@cV will clear the destination location of any notes it already
contains whereas @cCtrl-@cB will @hmerge its current contents with the new note
information.

@C2@tThe pattern display grid@t


	The third method uses the pattern display grid. Double-click near
an instrument/step intersection to add the instrument at that step. If
the instrument already exists at that step then it is deleted. This is
probably the easiest way of creating patterns.

@C2@tPlaying patterns@t


        Click the @cPATTERN button to enter Pattern Play mode.
While the @cSTART button is depressed, the currently selected pattern will play.
Clicking on different pattern keys at the bottom of the interface will
select a new pattern (@c1,..,@c1@c6) in the current group. If not currently playing,
the new pattern is displayed immediately. If a pattern is already playing,
the new pattern will play when the current pattern is finished.

        Selecting a different group also changes the current pattern,
i.e. if pattern 7 in group I is selected, then when group 2 is selected
the new pattern will be pattern 7 in group II. Sixteen patterns are
available in each of the four groups for a total of sixty-four patterns.

@C2@tCreating tracks@t


        Shift-click the @cTRACK button to enter Track Write mode.

        To start from an empty track, delete anything already there (Shift-click
on the @cCLEAR button) if necessary. Now select a pattern to add to the track
and click on the enter key as many times as that pattern is required. Then
select the next pattern to add and click on the enter key as many times as
that pattern is required.

        E.g., selecting pattern 3 and clicking on the @cENTER button 4 times,
then selecting pattern 9 and clicking on the @cENTER button 2 times will
result in a track of six measures - 4 of pattern 3 followed by 2 measures
of pattern 9.

        Changes to a track being created can be made.
.

        The currently selected pattern can be heard playing if the @cSTART button
is clicked. This enables an audible preview of selected patterns prior
to adding them to the track.


@C2@tEditing tracks@t


        Shift-click the @cTRACK button to enter Track Write mode.

        Track editing is only possible in Track Write mode.

        Deletions of tracks (or parts of them) require confirmation (via a
dialog window).

        Shift-click on the @cCLEAR button deletes all of the current track.

        Ctrl-click on the @cCLEAR button deletes the current measure from the track.

        Shift-Ctrl-click on the @cCLEAR button deletes the rest of the current track,
including the current measure. On some systems (including mine!) this
actually requires the @cCtrl key as well i.e. @cShift + @cCtrl keys 
+ mouse click.
Consider this a minor bug to be fixed sometime.

        Adding patterns to a track involves selecting a pattern then a click or
Shift-click on the @cENTER button. Think of Shift-click on @cENTER as an insert
operation into the track before the current measure. An ordinary click on
@cENTER is actually a replacement operation i.e. it will replace the current
measure with the currently selected pattern. However if you're at the end
of the current track this behaves like an append operation - it adds new
measures to the end of the track.

        The currently selected pattern can be heard playing if the @cSTART button
is clicked. This enables an audible preview of selected patterns prior
to adding them to the track.

        Different parts of the track can be accessed by clicking on the @cBACK
and @cFWD buttons. Shift-click on the @cLAST @cMEAS button to go to the end of
the track. Note that this goes to the measure just past the end of the
track (ready to write the next measure). An ordinary click on the @cLAST @cMEAS
button will momentarily show the last (+1) measure while the button is
held down.

@C2@tPlaying tracks@t



Click on the @cTRACK button to enter the @cTrack @cPlay mode.
Then click on the @cSTART button and the current track will be
played.

Select another track, e.g. track IV, by
Shift-clicking a the corresponding track button:
@cShift-@cIV. Then enter @cSTART for playing the song.

@C2@tTempo changes@t



	The tempo may be changed in either Track or Pattern mode. The tempo
is lowered by Clicking in the tempo dial and then Click-Dragging around.
It  its increased by Click-Dragging to the left from the tempo dial; its increased
by Click-Dragging to the right.


	Tempo changes can't be written into a track. If saving a track as an
midi file, the whole track will have whatever tempo is selected at the
time of saving.

@C1@tMidi files and sounds@t

@C2@tMidi files@t



	Currently only single track Midi files can be exported. When the
@cMidi @cFile@c-@c>@cSave is selected a file browser appears into which the name
of the file is entered. Its not crucial but it is a convention to
have a `.mid' ending on the filename. When a name has been nominated,
the current track will be exported, including midi channel and tempo
information i.e. make sure these have the values you want first.


	Tempo changes can't be written into a track. If saving a track as an
midi file, the whole track will have whatever tempo is selected at the
time of saving.


	Volume controls are used when saving a midi file:
master, accent and volume controls associated to instruments.

@C2@tSound maps@t


	TK-707 @hsound @hmaps are mappings of the 16 instrument keys to
descriptions of their long names, short names, abbreviate name and midi note values.
The first (longer) names are used in the pattern grid display, while the
second (shorter) names are used under the 16 instrument keys
and abbreviations are used under the volume controls. The midi
note values need to correspond to values recognized by the sound module
being used with TK-707 (either external or built into a sound card).
Appropriate values will need to be gleaned from your hardware documentation,
however the built in values should work on any module conforming to
the General Midi standard.


The built-in sound map is supplied as an example in the `707.map' file.
A second file, `727.map', is supplied and can be loaded to play with
the sounds of Roland's TR-727, the latin percussion counterpart of the
TR-707. Note that the 727 mapping won't work on a 707 because it doesn't
recognize the necessary range of midi note values. It will work on
modules (such as Roland D-110) which do recognize the necessary range.


Files with similar layout to the supplied `.map' can be constructed using a
text editor and loaded into TK-707 from the @cMap@c-@c>@cLoad @cLocal @cSound @cMap menu.


Alternatively, the currently loaded sound map can be edited via an editing
interface which is accessed from the @cMap@c-@c>@cEdit @cSound @cMap menu. Just change
the name, short name and midi note values as required and press the @cAPPLY
button to apply the new settings to TK-707. The Cancel button will revert
sound setting to whatever they were before the editing window was started.
The @cOK button will apply the currently edited settings and close the
editing window.

As new midi note values are entered for an instrument, the sound that they
access in the midi sound module can be previewed using the @cTEST buttons.
To speed the process of finding suitable sounds, three keyboard/mouse
shortcuts are provided:

	* 	@cShift + @cMouse @cbutton @c1 in the "Note" widget
	increments the value by 1 and test plays the new sound;

	* 	@cCtrl + @cMouse @cbutton @c1 in the "Note" widget
	decrements the value by 1 and test plays the new sound;

	* 	@cMouse @cbutton @c2 in the "Note" widget and dragging up or down
	continuously decrement or increments the note value and test plays.
the new sound.


Any editing of sound maps are lost if TK-707 is closed down without saving
the sound map. A sound map can be saved using the @cMap@c-@c>@cSave @cSound @cMap menu
item. A file suffix of `.map' is recommended (but not absolutely required).

@C1@tTernary feelings and poly-rhythms@t

@C2@tScale changes@t



	This feature is related to fast figures and 6/8 figures.

	Four scales are available on each pattern.
Click on the @cSCALE in Pattern Write mode for changing the scale
of the current pattern.
A small lamp on the left of the musical score score
indicates the current scale. For each scale, a vertical bar
indicates the duration of a whole note.

@C2@tBinary 4/4 measures@t

	On the first scale, the whole note duration is 
	decomposed into sixteenth. Each sixteenth is associated to the
	a step of the pattern. 
	There is 16 sixteenth in the pattern
	if the last step is set to 16, and then
	the total duration of the pattern is those of a whole note.

	This is the default scale when creating pattern
	associated to a 4/4 measure.

@C2@tBinary 2/4 measures@t


	For the second scale, the whole duration is
	decomposed into eighthes. Each eighthes is associated
	to a step of the pattern. When the last step is set to
	16, there is 16 eighthes in the pattern, and the total duration
	of the pattern is those of a half whole.
	When playing such pattern, lamps associated to steps
	are turning twice faster !
	The pattern is then a 2/4 measure.
	The whole duration should be recovered in a song by
	inserting two of such patterns.

	This scale is designated for fast schemes on binary
	songs.

@C2@tTriplets and composed 12/4 measures@t


	On the third scale, the whole duration is decomposed into
	four third of a quarter. Each third of a quarter is
	associated to a step of the pattern. 

	When the last step is set to 12,
	the total duration of the pattern is those of a whole note .
	The pattern is then a 12/4 measure.

 	Alternatively, the last could be set to 9 or 15 and then
	the pattern is a 9/4 or a 15/4 measure, respectively.

	This pattern is designated for ternary-based measures or
	for inserting ternary feelings (triplets) into
	a binary song.

@C2@tSextuplets and composed 12/8 measures@t

	Finally, the fourth scale decomposes the whole duration 
	into two sextuplets (12 times 1/6 of a quarter sextuplets).
	Each 1/6 of a quarter is associated to a step of the
	pattern.
	When the last step is set to 12. ,
	the total duration of the pattern is those
	of a half whole note.
	The whole duration should be recovered in a song by
	inserting two of such patterns.
	The pattern is then a 12/8 measure.


	Since each quarter is represented by 6 steps on
	the pattern, we are able to superpose binary and ternary
	schemes, i.e. poly-rhythmic effects.

	The `son-montuno.dat' demonstrates such effects.

	This pattern is designated for fast schemes on
	ternary based measures or
	for inserting ternary feelings (triplets) into
	a binary song.


@C2@tLast step changes@t



Remarks that the last step is not automatically
changed from 16 to 12 when changing the scale of a pattern. 
It could be chosen to 15 for the scale 3, for instance.

Click on the @cLAST @cSTEP in Pattern Write mode for changing the scale.
A new window will appear for last scale
selection of the last step associated to the current pattern.

@C1@tAccents and flam@t

@C2@tAccents@t


@C2@tInserting accentuated notes@t



There is two available accents: a weak and a strong one.
Use the weak accent 
by clicking on the @cACCENT button in Pattern Step Write 
or Pattern Tap Write modes. 
The "accent" text at the bottom of the button becomes orange.
Enter then notes as usual: notes are @hweakly @haccentuated and
the circle marker is orange, instead of the usual grey.


Use the strong accent by clicking a second times on the @cACCENT 
button.
Now, the "accent" text becomes red.
Then, enter notes: they are @hstrongly @haccentuated
and the circle marker is red too.

Then, click a third times on the @cACCENT button.
The "accent" text at the bottom of the button comes back to
the initial foreground color. 
When you insert notes, they will be no more accentuated.

In Pattern Step Write mode, you could also insert notes
by using the @c1,..,@c1@c6 step touchs.
Conversely, in Pattern Tap Write, you could also 
use the instrument keys, e.g. @cCowbell.

@C2@tControlling the accent intensity@t



The weak and strong accent intensities could be
modulated by using the volume control labeled "AC".
Moves the label control up and down. 
When up, accent effects are maximum while when down,
there is no more perceptible accent effects.
The volume control of accents is global.

@C2@tFlam@t



@C2@tInserting flams@t

 
Flam is a kick note written ahead of the main beat,
and takes on the effect of a @hgrace @hnote.
Control-double-click 
(@cControl-@cButton@c-@c1 two times)
near an instrument/step intersection
to insert a flam note for this instrument at that step.
Instead of the circle marker, a star marker represents the flam note
at the selected intersection .


There is another way for inserting flams:
In Pattern Step Write mode, click the @cSTART button; 
Select an instrument by shift-clicking on an instrument/step key,
e.g. @cShift-@cSnare.
Now, as usual, as you click on the instrument/step keys, the selected
snare will be added at that step 4.
Instead of this, if you control-click on the instrument/step keys, 
e.g. @cCtrl-@c4, then a snare note with a flam is inserted
at step 4.

Conversely, in Pattern Tap Write mode, enter a flam by 
using the @cCtrl-@cCowbell.
 

Flam could be combined with accents, and the associated
star marker becomes orange or red, depending on the weak or strong accent.

@C2@tControlling the flam interval@t


The time between the grace note and its following main note
can be varied in the range 0:4.
The default value is 2.
A zero value means that flam is off.
Each pattern has an associated flam interval value.

Click on the @cFLAM@c/@cSHUFFLE button in Pattern Write mode
for changing the flam interval of the current pattern.
A new window will appear for the flam interval selection.

@C1@tCommand line options@t


@C2@tSynopsis@t

   @ctk@c7@c0@c7 @coptions@c.@c.@c.


@C2@t Options@t

 
	-l
	List the available sound ports
 
	-p @var{port}
	Use this port
 
	-small
 
	-medium
 
	-normalsize
	Set the size of the window, since some screens are too small
   	for the whole window.
 
	-display @var{screen id}
	Display to use.
 
	-use @var{window id}.
	Id of window in which to embed application.
	See @cxwininfo.
 
	-geometry
	Initial geometry for window
 
	-colormap
	Colormap for main window
 
	-name
	Name to use for application
 
	-sync
	Use synchronous mode for display server
 
	-visual
	Visual for main window.
 
	-h
 
	-help
	Print short help.

@C1@tConverting MIDI to audio WAV and MP3::@t


This small annex explain how to convert your output
midi file to formatted audio file (ex. RIFF WAVE)
and compressed MP3 audio files. We assume your have
converted your file `salsa.dat' into MIDI format `salsa.mid'
in the @ctk@c7@c0@c7 environment .

Then enter the commands:
        @ctimidity @cbolero@c.@cmid @c-@cOw @cbolero@c.@cwav
        @clame @c-@cb@c1@c2@c8 @cbolero@c.@cwav @cbolero@c.@cmp@c3

and compare the file sizes:
        @cls @c-@cal 
	@c-@crw@c-@cr@c-@c-@cr@c-@c-   @c1 @cmaria @cmartinez     @c1@c0@c5@c1 @cMar  @c9 @c0@c9@c:@c2@c0 @cson@c-@cmontuno@c.@cmid
	@c-@crw@c-@cr@c-@c-@cr@c-@c-   @c1 @cmaria @cmartinez  @c3@c9@c3@c7@c3@c2@c4 @cMar  @c9 @c0@c9@c:@c2@c2 @cson@c-@cmontuno@c.@cwav
	@c-@crw@c-@cr@c-@c-@cr@c-@c-   @c1 @cmaria @cmartinez   @c4@c9@c3@c0@c5@c6 @cMar  @c9 @c0@c9@c:@c2@c2 @cson@c-@cmontuno@c.@cmp@c3

The MIDI file does not contains the sounds. It contains only the score
of your music and a MIDI render is required to heat it.
The audio WAV and MP3 contains the complete sound and are suitable
exports, such as CD-ROM writers.
Moreover, the MP3 file is compressed by rougthly a factor ten.
The MP3 audio files can be played back by popular mp3  players  such
as  mpg123.

The @ctimidity tool is a midi-to-wav converter available
at @chttp@c:@c/@c/@cwww@c.@cgoice@c.@cco@c.@cjp@c/@cmember@c/@cmo@c/@ctimidity.

The @clame tool is a wav-to-mp3 convarter available
at @chttp@c:@c/@c/@cwww@c.@csulaco@c.@corg@c/@cmp@c3.