
8 The Windows

In this Chapter, we're going to describe the controls of the main screen windows.

The controls are listed below as numbered in the Screen Control Chart, found in the pocket of this binder.


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The Patterns Window

The Patterns window contains controls for creating and performing with Patterns, and for storing Patterns in groups.

The controls are as follows.


P1

MIDI-Thru Button.  When a MIDI-Thru Button is selected for a particular Pattern, your input from a MIDI keyboard is echoed to whatever output MIDI channel(s) are set for that Pattern in the Orchest variable.


P2

Transpose Button/Numerical.  When a Transpose button/numerical is selected for a particular Pattern, that Pattern can be transposed from a MIDI keyboard.  The numerical indicates the MIDI-In channel to which it is listening.  A means "all channels".


P3

Record Button/Numerical.  When a Record button/numerical is selected for a particular Pattern, that Pattern will record notes from a MIDI keyboard.  The numerical indicates the MIDI-In channel to which it is listening.  A means "all channels".


P4

Mute Button.  When selected, the muted Pattern will not sound.


P5

Pattern Type Icon.  This icon indicates the type of Pattern a Pattern is.  When selected, it identifies a Pattern for various operations, such as transposing, editing, cutting and pasting, etc.


P6

Note Counter.  This is an indicator to the number of steps in a Pattern.  It can also be used as a numerical to set the length of a Pattern.


P7

Time-Signature Numericals.  These numericals are used to set an individual Pattern's playback speed in relation to the system tempo.


P8

Feel Numerical.  This numerical is used to set a random deviation factor for Pitch Distribution, Step-Time Record and Drum Machine Record Patterns, and a playback quantization value for Real-Time Record and MIDI File Patterns.

P9

Offset Numerical.  This numerical delays the start of a Pattern, allowing you to create syncopated rhythmic counterpoint between Patterns.


P10

Pattern Group Bar.  This row of buttons is used to select a group of Patterns.


P11

Pattern-Group Arrow Button.  This arrow button enables the selection of Pattern groups by conducting and sets the axis for conducting.



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The Global Control Window

The Global Control window, which normally opens as Untitled, contains controls that apply to the entire program's functioning, such as tempo, start-stop, and sync.

The controls are as follows.


GC1 

Conducting Grid.  The field within which you move the mouse to "conduct".


GC2 

Start/Stop Toggle Button.  Click on this button to turn it to its opposite state, "on" or "off".  When it's "on", the music is playing.  When it's "off", the music is not playing.


GC3

Movie Button.  When this button is "on", and when the music is playing, M's output is captured as a Movie.  The Movie may then be saved as a MIDI File.


GC4

Echo Button.  When this button is "on", your input will be echoed to up to three MIDI channels, as specified by the Echo-Out Numericals.


GC5

Echo-In Numerical.  This Numerical specifies the channel(s) M listens to for echoing.  A means "all channels".


GC6

Echo-Out Numericals.  These numericals route an echo out to any of three channels.  


GC7

Ctrl Button.  This toggle button enables and disables the Input Control System.


GC8

Ctrl Numerical.  This numerical sets the channel to which the Input Control System listens.


GC9

Quantization Numerical.  Change this numerical to specify a Snapshot quantization value.


GC10

Sync Button(s).  Clicking on the principal Sync button resets all Patterns and cycles to restart together.  Clicking on a numbered Sync button resets that individual Pattern and its associated cycles to restart.


GC11

Tempo Range Bar.  The Tempo Range Bar allows you to set a system tempo or to set a range of tempos for conducting.  Click anywhere in it to set a specific tempo.  Drag the mouse in either direction to set a range for conducting.  Fine-tune the range by changing the numerical at either end of the range bar.  Note that if a range is set, the system tempo will default to a value in the middle of the range.

The Tempo Range Bar is linked to the Tempo numerical (GC13, described below).


GC12

Metronome Numerical.  When Use Metronome is selected in the Options menu, this numerical will set its tempo.  It also sets the speed at which MIDI clock pulses are sent to an external device.


GC13

Tempo Numerical.  Change this numerical to change the system tempo.  The center-point of the range as set in the Tempo range bar will change accordingly.


GC14

Tempo Arrow Button.  Select this button to conduct tempo.  Hold either mouse button down while selecting this button to change the direction of conducting.


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The Cyclic Editor Window

The Cyclic Editor window contains controls that allow you to set cycles of durations, legato-staccato articulations, and accents for your Patterns.

The controls are as follows.


CE1

Cycle Grids.  These grids allow you to specify recurring rhythms, legato-staccato articulations, or accent cycles of up to sixteen steps for each of the four Patterns.  The top grid refers to Pattern 1, the second grid to Pattern 2, etc.  

The length of the cycle in each grid is set by clicking with the left mouse button in a column, counting left to right.  A cycle length of five, for example, is defined by clicking in the fifth column from the left.

The value of each column is set by clicking with the right mouse button at a level within a column.  The range of values can be set by selecting Set Cyc Levels in the Options menu.

CE2

Accents Button.  Select this button to use the grids to define accent cycles.


CE3

Articulation Button.  Select this button to use the grids to define legato-staccato articulation cycles.


CE4

Durations Button.  Select this button to use the grids to define cycles of durations.


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The Note Manipulation Window

The Note Manipulation window contains controls for varying the notes in your Patterns.

The controls are as follows.


NM1

Note Order Sliders.  These sliders allow you to set a mixture, in percentages, of the predictability, rescrambling, and randomness with which the notes of your Pattern will be played back.


NM2 

Note % Numericals.  These numericals allow you to set for each Pattern the probability with which the notes of your Pattern will be played back.


NM3 

Direct Numericals.  These numericals allow you to set the percentage of time that a Pattern will be played back in the order in which you played it, or backwards.


NM4

Transp Numericals.  These numericals allow you to set a degree of transposition for each Pattern, relative to the key in which it was originally recorded, as well as the octave in which a Pattern will play.


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The MIDI Variables Window

The MIDI Variables window contains control which allow you to define MIDI output channels for your Patterns, and to send MIDI program changes and MIDI velocity signals to your synthesizer(s).

The controls are as follows.


MV1

Velocity Range Bars.  By clicking anywhere in these range bars, you can set a specific value or a range of variation for the velocity (remember, MIDI "velocity" values refer to the velocity with which a key on a MIDI keyboard is depressed) with which a Pattern will be played back.


MV2

Orchest Numericals.  These numericals allow you to select up to three MIDI channels to which a Pattern's output will be sent.


MV3

Sounds Numericals.  These numericals allow you to select a program (or "patch", or "sound") number for the MIDI channels to which you're sending a Pattern's output.



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The Snapshot Window

The Snapshot window contains controls which allow you to take "snapshots" of any configuration of screen controls, to store and modify them, and to instantly recall them during performance.


S1

Camera Button.  The Camera button enables the recording and activating of a group of control settings.  Click on the camera icon, then on the boxes which represent the controls you want to store or activate.  To store the control settings, click on a Snapshot box.  To activate the group, click again on the Camera button.


S2

Globe Button.  The Globe button will cause all active control settings to blink.


S3

Snapshot Arrow Button.  This button enables the conducting of the first six Snapshots and sets an axis on which they're conducted.


S4

Snapshot Buttons.  The Snapshots are stored in the boxes labelled A - Z.  To recall a Snapshot, simply click on it.  If there's nothing in a Snapshot, nothing will happen.


S5

Edit Button.  Clicking on the Edit Button,  and then on a Snapshot, will cause all the control settings currently in that snapshot to blink so that they can be edited.


S6

Snapshot Erase Button.  Clicking on CLR and then on a Snapshot will clear that Snapshot.