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PAGE 5 (MIDI Advised)
MED FAQ - PAGE 1
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OUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION
When I add an extra track
to a block, no sound will come out
"It is an amazing program with a lot of flexibility, however I want to add 5 extra tracks
(which is easy to do), but when I place an instrument/sample into the new tracks
no sound will come out of them when I select play.
Everything still plays fine on the 4 basic tracks, it's just the added ones that
are the problem. Is there something I am missing??
Well yes :)
You need to add your new track to the max number of channels to enable it.
Go to the "Song" menu and select the "Song Properties" and in that window,
look for: "Max Num Of Channels" and then set the number of channels you want.
In your case, as you have added five new tracks, you need to set the Max Num of Channels to nine.
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Are there plans to port MED for
Mac/PPC/Linux/A\Box/whatever?
As soon as MED V2 has been released we intend to start
work on a MAC version. The windows V2 of MED must take priority as we
intend to add a great deal of new additions to the next Win V2 which
will satisfy not just the tracking enthusist but also those users who
want full sequencing facilities as well.
Eventualy, ( no timescale can be given ), we will also offer a Linux
version as well.
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Can I use the MED player routines in my own programs?
Yes, that's what they are for. MED routines may be freely used, without
a licence/payment etc., in public domain, (free) programs. A licence is
required from RBF Software only if MED routines are used in software
that is SOLD (see the documents accompanying the developer support
files).
Go to the Free Downloads
area of this web site and download the "Developers Kit" for full
details. ( in C++ format )
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OS and hardware requirements.
The PC version of MED Soundstudio is written for Windows
98 and the following releases, ME - Windows 2000 - XP.
For proper and BEST operation, the latest Windows version release is
always recommended with an absolute minimum P200 or equivalent, a
DirectSound supported sound card, (Soundblaster Live for instance),
also, whilst MED will run under the previous Windows 2000 version called
NT 4.0, it can only use DirectSound 'emulation' due to lack of directx
support and because of that, large latency times occur, which will make
it uncomfortable to use and MIDI output doesn't work properly.
( Additional Info ) The situation with the NT4 problems has been
eradicated with the release of Windows 2000 as just like the
Windows98/ME versions, it has the latest DirectX with support for native
DSound drivers instead of emulation and now runs smooothly.
A Windows-supported sound card (with good DirectSound drivers), an 8-bit
card should work, but a 16-bit one is recommended, 32MB is the ABSOLUTE
minimum memory anyone should contemplate and if using the latest Windows
releases, it would be best to have a minimum of 64MB!
More information about the sample side...
MED uses Microsoft's DirectSound API for achieving low-latency digital
sound output. It will support both 8 and 16 bit mono and stereo samples
with track panning. Audio mixing frequencies of 11, 22 and 44 kHz are
available with optional interpolation.
It's also possible to save the module as a large sample file for e.g.
direct transfer to CD. There are also optional DSP effects available,
which can be applied to groups of tracks or all tracks, the effects
include echo, stereo separation and LP/HP filters.
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Tell me about MIDI Support
I intend to give Midi priority as sound cards today have good Midi
support and using Midi takes a big load off the machine. MED requires
some rework to more completely support MIDI. These changes will be
implemented in the next Windows V2 due late 06 / early 07
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Does the PC version of MED support existing Amiga 'Octa'MED
files, (MMD0/1/2/ST etc) and IFF samples, with simple'CrossDOS'ing?
Yes. The PC version will load existing Amiga 'Octa'MED
modules directly and will also load MODs,S3Ms, IT (normal and compressed
), MIDI files, as well as XMs. it can also unpack meds that were saved
out with the Amiga versions 'powerpacker' compression. All significant
sample formats will be supported as well.
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Is there a FREE player?
Yes, the freeware player is on the site now It is limited to support of
the MED format as there are already lot of good players supporting the
.med file format , ( WinAmp, MidWavi, IrfanView), with more to come. If
you want your favorite player to include recognition of MED files you
are welcome to ask the author to download the "Developers Kit" with the
required libraries, from the
Free Downloads area of
this site.
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Why no external sync?
Cuz' it wasn't designed in from day 1. Sync is derived from the output
sound device, rather than from an external source. Only a complete
overhaul of the sound driver routines can remedy this. ( intended for
the next V2 release )
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What is wrong with XM format, they don't always play
properly
XM's use features that are not supported by the basic MED engine and
it is impossible to accurately reproduce all XM's without extending the
MED format itself and we hope to sort this problem by the time V2 is
released.
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Why doesn't MED have all sorts of flashy gizmos?
MED SoundStudio isn't intended to be a toy, the emphasis
is on adding features that are needed, not on eye-candy. Having said
that I do intend to put a lot of work into improving the UI, making it
more standard and easier to use.
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Reverse Drum Loops.
Creating a reverse drum loop in time with the rest of
the beat is quite simple. Getting the timing right is sometimes the
hardest part. To do this in MED I simply loaded in a loop (at 100bpm's),
changed the tempo to 100bpms and then placed one at every quarter (1 -
16 - 32 - 48) and then on track two at 15, I inserted the same loop but
then put the reverse command on it (the reverse command is 20):
Note: the reverse command does not work when you use the
'44k', '22' and the '11k' commands. So until V2 arrives, down tune the
loop by minus 2 to compensate by going into the samples properties.
 (
zipped MMD file - 332 KB)
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Beef Up Your Drums.
Using your BPM, calculate the fastest echo then enter it
into your FX (all will be explained in the demo) Now, select 2 tracks.
Leave one track unadulterated but assign the other track with the fast
echo.
Enter the loop on BOTH tracks and listen to how they now sound 'more'
alive. Easy, and simple.
*(
zipped MMD file - 122 kb)
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Filter Effects.
Getting to grips with the filter on Sound Studio has baffled a lot of
people. It's actually quite simple though. Once mastered, the effects
that can be gained are pretty cool to say the least.
It is easier if you set up "2" tracks for the filter effect and a third
for the sample that you wish to use (or loop). If you prefer to skip
this and go straight to the demo (downloadable MMD file - A MED file) to
see how it works, then download the zipped MMD file below.
First, decide what tracks you want to filter (in this case, tracks 3 and
4), enter the notes to play a basic pattern.
Now go to "Song>>>Effects" and selected "Append" (this gives you another
assignable effect because it's best to leave the original "Global"
effect alone).
Select "Echo Type" as "Cross Echo", changed the "Echo Rate" to suit the
BPM (which is 140bpm) and then chang the "Echo Depth" to "50%" (max).
The final selection is the "Stereo Separation" put it at "4" (max). Give
it a name, say, "Echo for Filter". This gives that effect a stereo delay
which enhances the sound. Now for the tricky bit. After clicking "OK",
return to the tracker page and then go to the small box at the top of
tracks 3 and 4 and select "Echo for Filter" and on tracks "4 and 5".
On track 5, select 0000 to 0032
-[[**Quick tip - at 0000, hold the left mouse button down to select and
then press F7 - this will take you half way down the pattern]].
For this example use filter number 24 (go to "Tools>>>Generate
Slides>>>[24]Set Filter Cutoff Freq and entered in the start "800" and
to finish at "001".
Now do the same routine from 32 to 64 but reverse the settings "001" to
"800".
This creates a low frequency build up to about 25% then decreases again
at the halfway point.
Next, on the next track use filter number 25 (go to "Tools>>>Generate
Slides>>>[25]Set Filter Cutoff Freq and entered in the start "3000" and
to finish at "001".
Change the effect type to "1" and do the same routine as before (select
halfway etc and then reverse the settings), this creates a "reso" filter
effect and that's basically it.
Feel free to experiment with the settings.
*(
zipped MMD file - 231 kb)
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MED Filter Command 19 Sample Start offset:
(Can only be used on Samples, not with Midi nor Synthsounds)
Explanation: Normally, when MED plays a sample, it is played from the
0 (the start) position of the sample. But with the use of the Command
19, the user can alter the starting position of any given sample. The
Command parameters: Pos Note Inst CMD Value 01 C-5 01 19 0012 (this
value is in HEX form) the Value can be from 0000 to FFFF (depending on
the actual length of the sample). Value : Unlike some of the other CMD's,
this doesn't use a level 1 & 2 value, but instead it uses all the 4
digits as its total value. As in the example case, it uses a value of
0012. To find the relative position in the sample itself, the sample
start offset value has to be multiplied by 256. i.e.12x256=3072, this
will give the true sample starting offset on that note position, now
starting at 3072 bytes into the sample, instead of 0. So if the sample
length is 64300 long, then, MED will play this sample at 3072 to the end
of the sample at 64300. (the sample offset cannot be larger than the
sample length! or unhappy things happen lol) How to use: To get a nice
sweeping sound, choose a sample that starts with a lowpass filtered
sound and that ends with a highpass (in otherwords, dull, muffled sound
to a bright, sharpened sound), Insert the notes you wish to use as
normal and then, enter the type 19 CMD onto each of the notes,
increasing or decreasing the Value for each note. To get a sweeping up
effect, start with a low value and increase the value up with each note,
to get a sweeping down effect, start with a high value and decrease the
value down. To control the speed of the sweep, depends on the value
between each note, for faster sweeps, use a larger value between each
note and, for longer sweeps, use a shorter value between each note. To
add life to the sample: Add a touch of delay and/or to add panning to
the note on the track!
*(
zipped MMD file - 265 kb)
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Stereo Panning
(This is the easy way)
Select two tracks (1 and 2) and then go to "Song>>>Track Properties"
(brings up all the tracks in a new window with volume and panning
sliders).
Now use the "Pan" slider on track 1 and slide it all the way to the left
hand side.
Do the same to track 2 but take the slider across to the right hand
side.
After returning to the tracker page enter a sound on track 1 at 0000 and
the on track 2 at 0002 (just to show the effect).
*(
zipped MMD file - 1.75 kb)
Panning with the "2E" effect.
(Note that Using stereo panning can create dynamics within a song or
tune!)
This demo is a basic little tune with a stereo panning
effect on the bass line and also includes another filter (number "24")
to reduce clicks on the sample (reduces the band pass to a lower shelf),
more about this later, including how to use it to full effect.
First, enter the bass line onto track one, then select "0000" to "0008"
(holding down the left mouse button and keeping it held whilst using the
down arrow key until I got to 0008).
Now go to "Tools>>>Generate Slides" and select the last one "[2E] Track
Pan".
In the "Start" side, enter "-16" into the "Pan Position" box and then in
the "End" side, enter "16" then click on "Generate Slide".
Select "0008" to "0016" but enter the opposite ("16" in the start -
"-16" in the end) and repeat these two steps until the end of the block.
What this does is to create a stereo panning effect.
Notes:
1) This works better with Mono sounds
2) Using the stereo command can inadvertently increase the samples
volume and it is recommend that you adjust the samples volume level
before doing this.
*(
zipped MMD file - 64.2 kb)
Multi tap delays
Use the 'pan' (2E) and 'volume' (0C) commands to generate panned
multi tap delays. It goes faster then to tweak the effects processor to
get it in the rhythm when you add a slight little "hall or room effect"
to it, then you have the same as a real multi tap delay . Once this is
done I mix down the whole thing into one huge sample (the length of a
block) and repeat that note as long as it has to play!
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Why no MP3?
We have been inundated with requests for MP3 encoding to
be included within the program, however, due to the present high licence
fees requested by the copyright owners it would put the price of our
program out of the reach of the majority of our potential users and this
is just not acceptable.
We are hoping that by the time V2 is released, the MP3 copyright owners
will have come to an arrangement with RBF Software and we will be in a
position to offer this feature without having to pass the
copyright/royalty fees onto the customers. However, note that as of
V1.4, MED offers the ability to make use of the WinAmp MP3 *out* plugins
instead. On top of that, the MED menu also points you to a download
link, 'dbpoweramp' which is a very good MP3 encoder and is truly easy to
use.
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