From: djg0@aber.ac.uk (Dean John Garraghty)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.8bit
Subject: I'm back! New deal on Digi-Studio!!
Date: 28 Sep 92 15:05:35 GMT
Organization: University of Wales, Aberystwyth


 Hello everyone! I'm back at university after my summer break, so I can now
accept email again. Over the summer I was working on package 2 for Digi-Studio.
But, due to various problems, it is not quite ready for release. This is the
info on it so far:

Package 2 is being developed in the form of a language called LIDS (Language
for Instructing Digitizes Sound).  LIDS is really easy to use, because I've
made all the commands relate directly to sheet music. Here is a typical LIDS
program:

START TEST
SPEED .7
RS
C3 Q
D3 M
C3 DQ
TS
A2 Q
M
C
TF
RF

START is always the first line. The name following is the name of the tune
file to create.

SPEED is a facility for using time signitures like 6/8. Basically you can
speed up or slow done the tune. SPEED can appear any number of times during
the program, just in case the music changes tempo.

RS/RF all music in between these two commands will be repeated.

TS/TF this is used for tied notes.

The notes themselves are just made up of the pitch/octave followed by the
duration (in English notation). E.g. D3 M means play a D in octave 3 for a
Minim (1/2 note in US music). Q is a quaver (1/8 note), S semibreve (whole
note), and so on. Sharps and flats are also available.

A text editor has been written, and this will be part of the LIDS compiler.
You will be able to compile straight from RAM or from disk. The LIDS compiler
then turns your progam into a .DMS file for use with the tune player on package
1, and the tune compiler (for Basic) on 1.5.

This is the special deal for people in the US who might want Digi-Studio.
You can just pay for packages 1 and 1.5 now (which will be mailed straight
to you) and get a FREE copy of the new LIDS system when it is avalable. Also,
to make it easy for you, I will take payment in cash in US$. The cost will be
$25 (which is going to get you everything). Just complete the order coupon and
send it to me with $25 to the address given. Please insure your letter at the
post office. This costs $3, and if your money goes missing, you will get it
back. I can't be held responsible for lost monies if you didn't insure it.
Hopefully this new deal with promote a bit more enthusiasm for Digi-Studio
in the US. I hope to see YOUR order soon!!

Also during the holidays, I built a musical keybaord which plugs into the
joystick ports, which allows you to play music using a real piano style
keyboard rather than the computer keyboard. However, this cost a small
fortune to make, and took a lot of hard work, so they won't be built as a
product. I just built a prototype for my own use, and for giving demos at
shows.

I also built something which I'm calling Digi-Stix. This is a drum stick
with a difference, because you don't hit anything with it! Just tap the
rythym out with it in the air and the computer will play the drums to your
rhythym! The 8 drums available are selected by pressing 1-8 on the keyboard
as you are playing the drums. These will be released as a product in about
6 weeks time. Cost in the UK will be 12pounds for 1 stick and software/manual.
They will cost more for US orders because of the extra postage costs. More
details when they're ready for sale.

I have attached a copy of the Digi-Studio information, just in case you
haven't seen it before. I hope to see you all order your copy!

Big thanks to Mike Todd for buying Digi-Studio, and also for sending me
lots of disks with the digests on.

Dean Garraghty.
djg0@aber.ac.uk


                         Digi-Studio Information
                         -----------------------

Digi-Studio is a new piece of software for the Atari XL/XE series.

It allows you to play music using real sounds which have been digitized.

Digi-Studio comes with a keyboard player and tune player. The keyboard
player lets you use your computer keyboard like a piano keyboard to play tunes,
but using real sounds, rather than computer-generated noises as is usually the
case with this type of program. You can have 3 sounds in memory and can quickly
change between them while playing tunes.The keyboard player has responsive keys
so that the sound will only play for as long as you hold the key down.Just like
a synthesizer!! The Digi-Studio disk contains many sounds for use with the
keyboard player, ranging from church bells, to pig grunts, to a baby crying, to
screams, and lots of synthesizer sounds. In fact around 25 sounds in all. Why
buy a synthesizer when your Atari can do the same?!

The tune player allows you to play pre-programmed tunes using any of the
available sounds on the disk. Five tunes have been included on the disk for you
to play.

Digi-Studio comes on a DS/SD disk, and includes a printed manual. It is
aimed at everyone, whether musically inclined or not! You may just want to use
it for fun, or compose a tune with it! The comprehensive user manual makes it a
joy to use!

Digi-Studio will only work on XL/XE computers with 64K RAM. No extra
hardware is required. The sound samples just play through your TV speaker!

Package 1.5 for Digi-Studio is now also available offering more features
for Digi-Studio and loads more samples and tunes. This extra pack is available
with package 1 only. Check the next section for details of this new package.

                        Digi-Studio Package 1.5

     Digi-Studio Package 1.5 is a new set of programs which form part of the
     Digi-Studio suite of programs and utilities. It is NOT an upgrade to
     package 1. It is intended to be used in conjunction with package 1.

     Package 1.5 contains two new programs for Digi-Studio: The Sample
     Editor and the Tune Compiler. Also included are 26 new samples and 18
     new tunes for use with Digi-Studio.

     The Sample Editor allows you to edit existing Digi-Studio samples, and
     also allows you to create your own by using a joystick. The Sample
     Editor has facilities for reversing samples (playing them backwards),
     copying pages of sample to other pages of sample, and also contains
     facilities to edit samples very accurately using a joystick. This edit
     facility also allows you to create your own samples. By using all the
     supplied facilities, you can create some very weird sounds! You can
     then save your samples to disk and use them in the Keyboard and Tune
     Players in package 1.

     The Tune Compiler creates stand-alone Basic program modules for
     including Digi-Studio tunes in your own Basic programs. The resulting
     modules are output in LIST format for merging into your own Atari Basic
     or Turbo-Basic programs. The modules are self-contained and do not
     require any Digi-Studio program to play. Just imagine your game
     starting with a chorus of God Save the Queen in pig grunts, church
     bells, electric guitar, ..., or your own sounds created using the
     Sample Editor!

     Also included on the disk are 26 new samples, including pan pipes,
     various guitars, dog woof, organs, synth sounds, and lots of effects!
     Also, 18 new tunes are supplied for playing with the Tune Player, or
     for compiling using the Tune Compiler. These include: Yesterday, Hey
     Jude, View to a Kill, God Save the Queen, Happy Birthday, This Old Man,
     and many classics.

     The manual is in A5 booklet format, and has been typeset using LaTeX,
     and printed using an Agfa Laser printer. The clear instructions make
     the software a joy to use!

     THIS IS THE NEW DEAL: BUY PACKAGES 1 AND 1.5 NOW FOR US$25, AND GET
     A *FREE* COPY OF PACKAGE 2 (TUNE CREATION SYSTEM) WHEN IT IS READY.
     YOU MAY NOW PAY IN CASH. JUST COMPLETE THE FORM BELOW, AND SEND IT
     WITH $25 TO THE ADDRESS SHOWN. PLEASE INSURE YOUR LETTER IF YOU ARE
     USING CASH (THIS COSTS $3 TO DO - ASK AT YOUR POST OFFICE). ORDERS
     CAN ALSO BE PAID FOR IN OTHER CURRENCIES. PLEASE CONTACT ME BY EMAIL
     FIRST FOR A QUOTE.


                                  -----CUT-----
                                  Please send me:
                  PACKAGES 1 AND 1.5 NOW, AND 2 WHEN IT'S READY 
                             I ENCLOSE US$25 IN CASH 
     
     NAME:______________________________
     ADDRESS:________________________________________________
     ________________________________________________________
     STATE/ZIP CODE:______________

Dean Garraghty, 23 Ystwyth Close, Penparcau, ABERYSTWYTH, SY23 3RU, WALES,UK.