***Program Submission***                    
The Antic Music Processor                   
Programmed By Steven Lashower               
(C) 1988 ArgoSoft Productions 
All Rights Reserved                         
USER MANUAL 5-30-88 
 
For use with the Atari 400/800/1200, XL or XE Series Computers 
 
 
-I. Introduction and Program Overview- 
 
     The Antic Music Processor [AMP] is designed to take full advantage of the sound producing hardware 
of the 8-bit Atari computer.  Written completely in assembly language, AMP can play up to four voices 
over a range of 5 1/2 octaves simultaneously.  AMP features a user friendly note entry system with an 
"intelligent" parser.  Songs with over 10,000 notes can quickly and easily be entered.  And because the 
editor is set up like a spreadsheet, any part of a song can be located within seconds.  In order to enter 
music, a knowledge of reading sheet music is desired.  Of course, the music files created with AMP can be 
saved to and loaded from diskettes.  AMP also includes a diskette management system so you never have 
to exit the program to go to DOS. 
 
     As a bonus, AMP comes with an "Advanced Music System to AMP" converter program.  Written in 
BASIC, this program automatically makes thousands of Advanced Music System II files which are 
available all over the Atari community instantly compatible with AMP. 
 
 
-II. Getting Started- 
 
     Check to see if all the cartridges are removed from your Atari computer.  Remember to make sure the 
computer is off before you remove any cartridges.  If disk drive #1 isn't already turned on, you may do that 
now.  Insert the diskette, label side up, and turn the computer on.  If you are using a XL or XE series 
computer, make sure you hold down OPTION as you turn the computer on.  The Main Menu should appear 
in about twenty seconds. 
 
 
 
-III. Using AMP- 
 
"P" Play Music 
 
     Pressing "P" will cause the music in memory to be played back through your TV or monitor's speaker.  
First though, AMP would like to know what voices and measures to play. 
 
     Select Voices: The highlighted (inversed) voice numbers are the ones that are going to be played.  
Defaults to: Voices 1,2,3, and 4.  If you do not want a voice to be played, type the number (1-4) of that 
voice.  Typing the number again will turn the voice back on. 
 
     Press RETURN when voices are selected. 
 
     Select Measures [x,y]: Measures to be played: starting at measure #x and playing through measure #y.  
Defaults to: Playing all measures. 
 
     Press RETURN when measures are selected. 
 
     Playback will now begin.  Pressing START before playback ends, will return you to the Main Menu. 
 
"E" Enter Edit Music 
 
     Pressing "E" brings you to the Music Editor.  At first appearance, the Editor seems rather complicated.  
But with a little practice, it will become second nature to you.  When entering the editor, the Voice #1 
column will be highlighted.  The first measure of each voice will be displayed. 
 
     At the very bottom of the screen are the status lines.  The status lines show: 
 
1) Number of beats in the present measure (e.g., Beats=0) 
2) The current Meter and Tempo (e.g., Meter=4/4 and 
   Tempo=100) 
3) The key signature (e.g., Key=0#) 
4) The amount of memory left for entering notes (e.g. 
   Mem=31250) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Music Editor Command Specifications 
 
 
"Backus-Naur Form" 
 
     The following command specifications are written in Backus-Naur Form, using the following symbols: 
 
  [ ] An optional construct 
 
  :   Separates alternative substitutions 
 
     All special keys found on the Atari keyboard are indicated in CAPITAL LETTERS. 
 
 
**Notes and Rests** 
 
  Note[Acc][Oct][Dur][Env][/Dyn] : Rest[Dur] 
    Note: A-G 
    Rest: R 
    Accidental (Optional): #:F:N  (1) 
    Octave (Optional): 1-6 (2) 
    Duration (Optional): D:D.:D..:D3:^X 
       (D=W:H:Q:E:S:T:Z; X=1-255) 
    Envelope: ):>:':" (3) 
    Dynamic: PPP:PP:P:MP:MF:F:FF:FFF:F1:F2:F3:F4:F5:F6:F7 
 
     If not specified, all optional items take on the values shown in the status lines at the bottom of the 
screen. 
 
(1) A note can be followed by an accidental ('#'-sharp, 
    'F'-Flat, or "N"-natural).  You don't have to enter 
    accidentals if they're in the key signature.  If you do 
    use an accidental, it carries through until the end of a 
    measure, or until you specify a new accidental (e.g. C# 
    remains sharp until you enter CN).  AMP does not 
    understand double sharps or flats, but Dbb (double flat) 
    can be entered as CN or B# (the equivalent pitch.) 
 
(2) Note C, octave 4 (C4) is middle C.  If you do not specify 
    the octave, the octave number of the note nearest the 
    previous note is used.  For example, a C followed by a B3 
    is interpreted as C4, not C3.  Of course, you can always 
    specify the octave number. 
 
 
 
(3) -)- Ties notes together 
    ->- Normal note envelope (not printed on screen after 
        each note entered) 
    -'- Slightly faster decay than ->- 
    -"- Fastest note decay (stacatto) 
 
 
**Measures** 
 
  M: Insert measure marker at cursor 
 
 
**Tempo** 
 
  Tx: Change Tempo to x (x=30-290) at cursor 
 
 
**Cursor Control Commands** 
 
  CTRL+Up Arrow: Move cursor up 
  CTRL+Down Arrow: Move cursor down 
  CTRL+Left Arrow: Move to voice edit column on the left 
  CTRL+Right Arrow: Move to voice edit column on the right 
  SHIFT+Up Arrow: Move cursor up to previous measure 
  SHIFT+Down Arrow: Move cursor down to previous measure 
 
 
**Control Commands** 
 
  Mx: Display measure x 
  MET=x/y: Change meter (x=1-32, y=1:2:4:8:16:32) 
  KEY=na: Change key signature (n=0-7, a=#:F) 
  P: Play Notes in current edit column 
 
 
**Delete and Undelete** 
 
  DELETE: Delete last character in data entry line 
  CTRL+DELETE: Delete note at cursor 
  CTRL+INSERT: Undelete note at cursor 
 
 
**Cut and Paste** 
 
  SHIFT+DELETE: Place note at cursor in buffer 
  SHIFT+INSERT: Place notes in buffer at cursor 
  SHIFT+CLEAR: Clear out all data in the buffer 
 
**Miscellaneous** 
 
  ESC: Returns to Main Menu  (1) 
 
(1) Escape can be used at any point in the program (except 
    during playback) to return you to the Main Menu. 
 
 
"C" Clear Music 
 
     Typing "C" will clear all of the notes that currently reside in the computer's memory.  Answering "Y" to 
the prompt will carry out the function.  Pressing any other key will return you to the Main Menu. 
 
 
"T" Tempo 
 
     Tempo is the speed of playback.  Tempo can be selected using this function from the main menu, or 
embedding tempo commands in with the notes.  Tempo can range from 35 (slowest) to 290 (fastest), 
inclusive.  Also, the most recent tempo change (if any) encountered during playback will be displayed here. 
 
 
"L" Load File 
 
     Type "L" Load a music file from drive #1.  Type in the file name and press RETURN. 
 
 Format: filename.EXT 
 
     If wildcards are used, the first file found will be loaded.  Use '?' to substitute for single characters.  An 
asterisk (*) can stand for any valid combination of characters.  Please refer to your DOS manual for 
information on valid filenames and DOS I/O error messages. 
 
 
"S" Save File 
 
     Typing "S" will save a music file to drive #1.  Type in the file name and press RETURN.  Should a file 
with the same selected already exist, the old file will be erased and replaced with the new file. 
 
 
"D" Disk Directory 
 
     A directory, showing the files in Drive #1 is available with this menu selection.  Pressing RETURN 
without specifying a file name will list all of the files on the disk.  Wild card can be used. 
 
     Once the directory has been displayed, you have the option to Lock, Unlock or Delete a file, selected by 
L, U, or D, respectively, followed by a file name.  Lock is used to write protect a single file.  A locked file 
cannot be written over or deleted.  It is designated by an asterisk (*) in a directory.  Unlock removes the 
write protection.  Delete erases a file from the disk and the directory.  Wild cards can be used, but be 
careful when using them with Delete! 
 
 
"F" Format Disk 
 
     To initialize a disk for the storing of data, it must be formatted.  After typing "F", a prompt will then be 
displayed asking you to confirm whether or not you wish to format the diskette.  If confirmed, the AMP 
will then proceed and format the diskette in drive #1.  ALL previous information on it will be lost, 
including locked files. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-IV. Musical Demonstrations- 
 
     AMP includes six demonstration pieces (located on the back side of the AMP diskette.)  They'll give 
you an idea of the power and versatility of AMP. 
 
     To load and play a song type "L" followed by one of the filenames listed below.  When the song is 
loaded, type "P" and press RETURN twice.  To prematurely stop the playback, press START. 
 
BEE 
     This piece is "Flight of the Bumblebee", by Rimsky-Korsakov.  Try playing BEE at different tempos. 
 
COMESAIL 
     This piece is "Come Sail Away", by the rock group, STYX.  This top-ten single appeared on their Grand 
Illusion album.  Contains the instrumental solo found only on the album.  This file uses short notes with 
different dynamics tied together to create custom envelopes. 
 
FANTIMP 
     This is Fantasy-Impromptu in C# minor, Op.66, by Chopin. 
 
GRNDDSGN 
     This file is "Grand Designs", by the rock group, RUSH.  Notice the heavy percussion AMP is capable of 
producing using very short low notes.  AMP creates a nice visual display when playing this song. 
 
MUNSTERS 
     The theme from the "Munsters" television series.  This piece shows off the built-in envelope capabilities 
of AMP. 
 
NUT 
     This is the Overture to The Nutcracker, by Tchaikovsky.  Notice the different degrees of articulation 
used. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
-V. AMS File Translator- 
 
     A special program is included on your AMP diskette: an AMS II to AMP file translator.  With this 
program, you can convert any Advanced Music System II file to a file that will work with AMP. 
 
     Load the Translator using BASIC.  Type RUN"D:CONVERT" to use the program.  Type in the source 
and destination files when prompted.  Be sure to include the device specification (e.g. "D1:" or "D2:".)  
Depending on the length of the file, the translation process may take quite a long time.  Once finished, load 
AMP.  Then, load in the converted file by typing "L" and then the destination file name you used in the 
translator program.  And last, but not least, play it! 
 
     PLEASE NOTE: Duration errors may be encountered through the conversion process.  Notes longer 
with durations longer than 255 clocks (e.g. W.,W..) will be interpreted differently by AMP.  These notes 
should be deleted using the AMP Music Editor and re-entered using shorter durations and ties.  This 
process can be used to create notes of any length.
