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BLASTER Master v6.2
for the Sound Blaster and compatibles
Copyright (C) 1993 by Gary Maddox
BLASTER Master is a program designed for serious PC
soundcard enthusiasts who are interested in getting the most
from their PC audio cards when sampling sounds and then
playing them back. A tool kit for working with Sound
Blaster type VOC, .WAV and .SND files, BLASTER Master offers
many features that are available on Digital Audio
Workstations which normally cost many thousands of dollars.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ---------------
Before running BLASTER Master on your PC, please check the system
requirements and user information listed below:
> This program requires EGA/VGA graphics, a mouse, a hard
disk and at least a 286 PC.
> NOTE: BLASTER Master will function without a soundcard
being present, but the PLAY, RECORD and SCOPE functions will
be disabled.
> BLASTER Master includes internal driver support for Sound
Blaster compatibles but most other sound cards can be used
by installing your cards DOS based player/recorder
utilities. See the section on Configuring External Players
for detailed information on this.
> Unregistered versions will only process a 25 second sound
file while the registered version will process any size
sound file.
More requirements and performance tips for using BLASTER Master can be
found in the section entitled "Performance Tips" (near the end of the
documentation).
OVERVIEW ---------------
One of the great features of the Sound Blaster and other PC audio cards
is the ability to sample sound and play it back. Now you can tailor
your own sound files using the BLASTER Master program, a very fast
EGA/VGA graphic editor. Useless and noisy sample data (at the beginning
and endings of VOC files) can be quickly removed and sections from
within the sample can be saved as a new sample file. A graphic of the
entire sample appears on your monitor along with a grid that divides
the sample into seconds to aid in selecting the "cut points". A zero-
crossing/phase approximation method allows you to select the displayed
bytes, helping you choose the "cleanest" points for processing. Cross-
fading is applied to splice points when needed.
During playback, a pulsing index line displays the position of the file
being played. The various digital processes can be selected using the
mouse, or in most cases, you can use ALT plus the first letter of the
option.
> Example: ALT-P (holding down the ALT key while pressing the
"P" at the same time) will "PLAY" the currently selected
sound file.
A color palette is also included in BLASTER Master's graphic
capabilities. Using your keyboard's function keys F1-F10, you can
control the colors displayed on the screen. Play around with the
available color combinations to find the one that best suits you! For a
listing of the function key color settings, refer to the section
entitled "Changing Screen Colors" .
Functions of a sound file -- SELECTing, RECORDing and EDITing -- are
covered in the following four sections.
SELECTING A SOUND FILE ---------------
If you don't specify a sound file when starting the editor, a file
selection dialog box will appear. The current path can be changed by
selecting the right selection box and selecting a new path. From this
dialog box, you can PLAY the sound file, RECORD a new sound file,
ACCEPT the file to process or QUIT the program, returning to DOS. You
can also display useful file information to audition a file by choosing
the PLAY option. The various options can be selected using the mouse
or, in most cases, pressing <ALT> plus the first letter of the option
as explained earlier. You can also select files with your mouse by
double-clicking on the file you want to access. If you accept a sound
file that is multi-blocked, BLASTER Master will allow you to remove the
blocks and convert to a RAW VOC file.
IMPORTING A SOUND FILE ---------------
Choosing certain sound files other than VOC files from the File
Selection Dialog Box will allow you to import WAV, NTI, 8SV, MOD, SAM,
VOX and SND format files into BLASTER Master.
> WAV files are the Microsoft Multi-Media format and are
supported by the Pro Audio Spectrum and the ATI Stereo F/X
sound cards and others.
> SND files: completely raw wave data files not including
header information.
> NTI & SAM files are Amiga sample files as used by MOD file
editors.
> VOC type files can also be saved in these three formats.
> 8SV: the extension normally used for Amiga IFF sound files.
You can import Amiga IFF sound files, but cannot currently
save files in Amiga IFF format.
> MOD: only the samples from a MOD file can be extracted for
editing.
> VOX files are sample files made by voice mail type cards. A
sample rate of 6750 is assumed. You can use the PITCH
function to quickly adjust this.
SOUND FILE UTILITIES ---------------
When you select UTILITY from the File Selection Dialog Box, the File
Utility Dialog Box appears. This useful option will allow you to
DELETE, RENAME, COPY or MOVE the selected sound file. You can not
choose this option unless you have selected a file. When using the
RENAME, COPY or MOVE functions, you will need to supply a DOS path in
the TO: input box. You can not RENAME a sound file unless the new name
does not exist in the current path. COPY will warn you if you attempt
to over-write an existing file. The MOVE function is very handy in that
it will move the sound file from one path to another. The MOVE function
is particularly fast when the new path exists on the same disk drive.
RECORDING A SOUND FILE ---------------
When you select RECORD from the File Selection Dialog Box, the Record
Dialog Box appears. Here, enter the name of the VOC file you wish to
record.
> NOTE: If specifying a VOC file that already exists, it will
be overwritten!
Using a mouse, select the sample rate to use when recording-- 13,000-
4000 if using Sound Blaster or 44,000-4000 if using Sound Blaster Pro.
(The higher the sample rate, the better the file will sound.) When
using the various digital processes, a higher rate will produce much
better sounding file. Choose SCOPE to display a graphic scope, which is
very useful for setting the volume on a device from which you are
recording. Select RECORD when ready to begin recording and <ESC> when
ready to stop. Your file is then displayed on the Editor screen so you
can modify it.
> NOTE: Sound Blaster Pro and SB16 users will also select
the recording input source, input filter, and MONO or STEREO
recording. Users of CDROM drives need to read about Syncro
CD sampling.
USING SYNCRO CD ---------------
Anyone using a CDROM from Creative Labs MultiMedia can use BLASTER
Master to sample recordings directly from your favorite CDs! I have
gotten excellent (if not the BEST) recordings with the Sound Blaster
Pro using the CDROM.
If you are equipped with a CDROM, a standard CD player control bar will
appear on the RECORD dialog box you see on your monitor. BLASTER Master
currently supports the following CD player controls -- PLAY, PAUSE,
STOP, REWIND, FAST FORWARD, PREVIOUS TRACK and NEXT TRACK. To sample
from your favorite CDs, make sure you have selected "CD" as your input
source. You can either start the CD and then pick RECORD, or what I
have found works better is to use SYNCRO CD, as explained below.
If BLASTER Master detects that your CDROM is in PAUSE mode, you can
select RECORD to automatically synchronize the sampling and the CD
audio playback. When you press <ESC> to stop recording, the CD playback
will shut off automatically. Using this SYNCRO CD feature, your results
are a very precise, high quality sample that should require very little
editing.
EDITING A SOUND FILE ---------------
The EDIT option enables you to edit selected sections of a sound file.
When selecting a sound file section to edit (remove, save, hear or
zoom), position the cursor over the graph at the first desired cut
point and press the LEFT mouse button. Now, position the cursor over
the second cut point and press the LEFT button again. This marks a
section with a blue box, signifying that you can PLAY that section, CUT
it from the sample or SAVE it as a new file.
The ZOOM option displays the marked section so you can choose a new
block from the zoomed area, editing the sound file with surgical
precision. (You can zoom the file until the resolution reaches 1:1. The
current resolution is shown just above the options selection box.) The
UNZOOM option will back up to the last marked block. You can UNZOOM
upto 128 times or until the original BLOCK is once again reached.
> MOVE: allows a selected block to be moved to a new section
in the same file.
> COPY: (Vanishing Menu only) moves a copy of the selected
block to a new section of the same file.
> FULLVIEW: (Vanishing Menu only) displays the entire file
with the current block highlighted. This is very useful when
zoomed into a block and you need to view the entire
waveform.
SETTING A MARKER ---------------
BLASTER Master features a marker function which allows you to pre-
select a point in a sound ile. This function is especially useful for
mixing and inserting sounds in sound files. To set a marker, position
the mouse cursor at the appropriate spot on the blue bar just below the
sound file grid. Then, using the right mouse button, click on this
position to place a white arrow on this blue bar. The SPACEBAR and arrow
keys can also be used to position the marker. Pressing "M" sets a block.
TOOLS ---------------
This program includes special processes, called tools, that operate on
a block of data. When you select the TOOLS button, a selection menu
containing special block functions pops up on your screen. These tool
functions are listed below:
LOOP:
Repeats block up to 10 times, adding a Max Headroom-type
stutter to the file.
MUTE:
Replaces the block with silence bytes, which is very useful
for removing glitches and other undesirable noises without
effecting the playback time.
REVERSE:
Reverses the block to playback backwards.
PITCH:
Changes the pitch of the block (lowering/raising it); effects
playback time.
ECHO:
Adds echo to the block. Same parameters as in Echo function
for whole files.
VOLUME:
Adjusts the block's playback volume. Same parameters as in
Volume function
for whole files.
ACCELERATE:
Increases the playback speed of the block for a speeded up
effect.
DECELERATE:
Decreases the playback speed of the block for a slowed down
effect.
SPECIAL PROCESSES ---------------
BLASTER Master supports several special digital processes for modifying
your sound files: SCOPE, ECHO, REVERSE, INSERT, FAST, SLOW, RATE,
VOLUME, PITCH, PACK, FADE, VOCALS, PANNING, OCTAVIA and MIXER. The
processes are not all displayed at the same time on the Wave Edit
screen, so to display the next set of options, press the MORE button.
Once again, options here are selected using the mouse or, in most
cases, pressing <ALT> plus the first letter of the option you want.
> EXAMPLE: ALT-E (holding down the ALT and "E" keys
simultaneously) allows you to "ECHO" the currently selected
sound file.
You can use the NEW button to select a new file when in the Editor
screen or to unmark a block when in the Cut/Save/Zoom screen. The
special processes listed above are described in detail as follows:
SCOPE:
Graphically displays sample input real-time. To see this first-hand,
speak into a microphone and see what your voice looks like or play
music directly into the Sound Blaster. (This works particularly well on
faster machines and is an excellent way to check your system's
quality.) When there is no sound input, you should see a straight, flat
line that is exactly even with the white line on the sound file grid.
Any spikes you see above or below this white line indicate that your
system is registering noise of some kind. Pressing any key or either of
the mouse buttons will cancel the scope and return you to the editor.
ECHO:
Adds echo or delay to a VOC file to give it a richer, fuller sound.
This feature is also great for adding special effects. Two parameters
are used to determine the type of echo desired:
1) SIZE -- The "size" of the effect is determined by the
number of milliseconds before the echo starts. Delays of 60-
100 simulate a large room, while larger delays (up to 200
milliseconds) will sound like a cavern or canyon.
2) MIXTURE -- The mixture (how loud the echo should be mixed
in) has an effect on the type of echo desired. A 30-60%
mixture will sound more realistic than using a higher volume
for the delayed sounds. To determine how the echo will
repeat, select either INFINITE or FINITE.
REVERSE:
Reverses the playback of a VOC file, which is effectively the same as
playing a tape backwards. You older Beatles fans can see for yourself
if the song "Number 9" really says "turn me on, dead man" backwards.
This is also a great tool for televangelists to use in searching for
those pesky satanic references in rock & roll songs! Did you know that
the famous Tarzan yell sounds the same backwards as forwards? Try it!
INSERT:
Allows another sound file to be inserted into the sound file you are
currently editing. When you select INSERT, the File Select Dialog Box
will appear. From here, you can SELECT a VOC file, RECORD a new sound
file or CANCEL the INSERT process and return to the Edit screen. Once
you have selected a VOC file for insertion, the system will give you
the option of selecting the point in the original file for insertion by
using either the mouse pointer, the marker, a sample point in the file
or a point in time. If the sample rate of the new sound file does not
match the original file, the sample rate will be adjusted to blend in
correctly.
> NOTE: Use care when selecting a new sound file that is not
packed, contains silence compression or is a multi-block
file. The resulting sound file will not be usable!
SLOW:
Extends the time domain without effecting the frequency domain... or in
plain English, the SLOW process allows you to re-sample a VOC file that
will play back at the selected speed without effecting the pitch. This
function will double the size of the original sound file. Imagine you
are a guitar player and want to learn the latest white hot guitar licks
from Joe Satriani or Eric Johnson... SLOW makes listening and learning
MUCH easier! It is also very useful for preparing multi-media
presentations.
> HINT: Sound files with sample rates above 12khz produce a
more natural sound.
FAST:
I couldn't have a "slow down" process without a "speed up" one, too,
could I? Unlike SLOW, the FAST process includes a "slider" for
selecting how much of a speed increase you desire. This function will
decrease the size of the original sound file accordingly.
> HINT: Like SLOW, sound files with higher sample rates
produce better results.
RATE:
Allows a VOC file created with a high sample rate to be "down" sampled
to a lower sample rate. Some PCs have problems playing VOC files with
the higher sample rates, so this RATE process provides you with a way
to change the sample rate to something more compatible with your PC. It
is also a good way to make files smaller without the degradation
associated with compression.
> A VOC file recorded at 12,000Hz+ down-sampled to 8000Hz
will probably sound better than if it had been originally
recorded at the slower rate.
> Sound files originally sampled on the MAC at 22,000Hz can
be down-sampled to 12,000Hz or less with almost no loss in
clarity.
The RATE process is also capable of "up" sampling, although you WILL
NOT gain any noticable resolution. Approximating the "missing" byte is
just not the same as having the original bytes in all cases.
VOLUME:
Either increases or decreases the amplitude of VOC files. One way to
get a very clean sample is to make your sample at a fairly low volume
and then re-sample up to a higher volume. (The Sound Blaster has a
tendency to introduce distortion as you increase the volume used for
sampling.)
The VOLUME process works very well for sampling directly from a CD or
tape deck. Enter either "I" to increase the volume or "D" to decrease
the volume. The numeric value you enter after either "I" or "D" will
determine the amount of change in the resulting file.
> Increasing the volume: values of 10-50 have a subtle effect
on the resulting sound file. Values of 50-200+ will have an
even more dramatic effect.
> Decreasing the volume: values of 1-99 will cause the
resulting file to have approximately the same volume as the
percent of the number entered. Entering "50" will produce a
sound file that is only 50% as loud as the original. If a
value greater than 100 is entered, the effect will be to
INCREASE the volume, even though you selected to DECREASE.
MIXER:
Blends two VOC files into a single sample. There is also a volume mix
parameter that controls how loud the mixed-in sample will be. The
volume mix can be a number between 1 and 100; 50 to 60 is often a very
good mixing level. Before beginning the MIXing process, you can select
the point within your original file where you want to begin mixing. If
you want to start at the beginning of your file, choose the farthest
point to your left.
The Mixer is a great way to add special effects to your sound files.
This process does not try to adjust the sample rates if the files are
different.
PACK/UNPACK:
These processes will either pack or unpack a sound file, depending on
its current state. The previously-discussed functions only work on
unpacked files. Many of the available files come packed; once unpacked,
all of the special BLASTER Master features can be applied to the files.
PITCH:
Alters the sample rate value contained within the VOC file. If you want
to raise or lower the pitch, you can select the slider. Altering the
pitch will also effect the playback time, but not the size of the file.
This process comes in handy when importing a WAV or SAM file (for
instance) that does not quite sound right. Used with the FAST and SLOW
processes, you can produce some very interesting effects.
FADE:
Allows you to fade in or out on the volume of a sound file at the
file's beginning and ending points. When choosing this function, you
can specify the amount of time you want for the fade in and fade out.
Neither of these times can exceed 1/2 of the total time of the sound
file. If for instance, you wish to only fade out a sound file, use zero
as the fade in time. When combining multiple files, a little fading can
result in a smoother transition in the sound, making the switch between
sounds less abrupt. This can be especially effective when a sound file
has lots of background noise and the joining sound file does not.
SILENCE:
Inserts a period of silence into the sound file. This is very handy for
padding out multimedia sounds.
NOISE GATE:
Mutes background noise based on the Threshold value. This function is
very effective with speech only sound files, others may sound choppy.
OCTAVIA:
Mixes in a second waveform one octave above or below the current
waveform. This is a very interesting effect for both voice and music
sounds. It was named after the guitar effect that Jimi Hendrix used.
VOCALS: (Stereo files only)
"Removes" vocals from a stereo sound file. This process actually
inverts the left channel 180 degrees and mixes it back into the right
channel. This has a tendency to cancel out all the center waves where
vocals are often mixed in. The effect varies significantly from song to
song depending on how it was originally mixed. For example, "I Feel
Fine" by The Beatles will process out 99% of the vocal, whereas
"Eleanor Rigby" has the effect of enhancing the vocals and reducing the
cellos. You can also tweak the results by modifying the sampling SOURCE
-- that is, play around with the channel balance and use some EQ or
even stereo synthesis. In any case, VOCALS is lots of fun and works as
well as the $350 unit you see advertised.
PANNING: (Stereo files only)
Adds left channel to right channel stereo panning or right channel to
left channel stereo panning. In other words, it allows a sound file to
sweep from one speaker to the next.
MAKEMONO: (Stereo files only)
This process converts a stereo file to monophonic. The two channels can
be mixed together to form a single channel or either the left or right
channel can be selected to form a mono soundfile. This is very useful
for people with soundcards that are MONO only or to reduce the size of
large stereo files.
USING THE VANISHING MENU ---------------
The system reveals a drop-down bar menu when, during file editing, you
move the mouse cursor to the top of the screen or hold down the <SHIFT>
key. All of the button functions are available from the Vanishing Menu.
Many other useful functions are also available, as explained below.
FILE MENU:
> SAVE -- Save the current sound file. If the current sound
file is UNTITLED, you will be prompted for a file name.
> SAVE AS -- Save the current sound file by a new name or
file format.
> QUIT -- Quit to DOS immediately. If the current sound file
is UNTITLED, you will be prompted for a file name.
OPTIONS MENU:
> LOOP PLAY ON/OFF -- Causes playback to be single or looped.
> SAVE SCREEN COLORS -- Saves the current screen colors. For
more details, see the sections about Changing and Saving
Default screen colors.
> BLOCK PLAY ON/OFF (block edit only) -- Plays either the
whole sound file or selected block. This function is not
supported in ZOOM.
> UNDO LAST EDIT/RETURN TO ORIGINAL -- This function undoes
the last edit.
>VOLUME MIXER -- Sound Blaster Pro and SB16 users will be
able to set their mixer controls using this option.
HELP:
Displays a short help file that briefly details the
various functions.
You can access these menus quickly from the keyboard by using <SHIFT>
and the first letter of each option: Shift-F for FILE, Shift-H for
HELP, etc.
CONFIGURING EXTERNAL PLAYERS ---------------
Many compatible soundcards only support the original Soundblaster.
Often these cards sound better in native mode and offer better playback
support like stereo and 16bit files. Cards like the Pro Audio Spectrum
and Advanced Gravis Ultrasound (GUS) are good examples of cards with
advanced features that seldom get support outside of Windows.
SB16 users can also take advantage of the VOC and WAV file utilities
that are included with the bundled software.
Selecting the CONFIG option from the File Select dialog box allows you
to set up four external options: a WAV file player, SND file player,
VOC file player and a recorder program. You are not required to use ANY
external players if you do not want to. All soundcard users can take
good advantage of the WAV and SND players. Only SB16 and non-
Soundblaster users should consider using the VOC file player option.
The external players are set up exactly as if you were running them
from the DOS command line, with exception that BLASTER Master supports
several "variables" for including information about the file being
played. These variables will be filled in at the time the external
player/recorder is accessed by BLASTER Master.
Variable List:
%F = File Name
Use this variable to insert the selected file name.
%R = Sample Rate
Use this variable to insert the sample rate
%S = Recording Source (CD/MIC/LINE)
Use this variable to insert the RECORDING source
%M = Mode (STEREO/MONO)
Use this variable to insert the RECORDING mode (STEREO or MONO)
%M1 = Mode (-s)
Use this variable to insert an "-s" if the file is
STEREO (PAS-16 and GUS users, etc...)
%M2 = Mode (S)
Use this variable to insert an "S" if the file is STEREO (PAS-16 users, etc...)
These variable options should allow you to support most external
player/recorders such as WPLAY, VPLAY, PLAY, PLAYFILE, RECFILE, VREC,
etc...
Here is an example for setting up WPLAY for the SB16:
C:\SB16\VOCUTIL\WPLAY %F /Q
This setting includes the full path name, the %F file name variable and
the WPLAY command like switch "/Q" to suppress screen output. Sound
Blaster Pro users would change the \SB16\ to \SBPRO\ or whatever the
appropriate path is to WPLAY.EXE. You could also set up a .BAT file to
run the program as well. Once properly set up, using the PLAY option
from the File Select dialog will now allow you to audition WAV files!
Here in an example for setting up PLAYFILE for the PAS-16 to play
either WAV or VOC files:
C:\PROAUDIO\PLAYFILE %F %M2
This setting includes the full path name, the %F file name variable and
the PLAYFILE command line switch to play the file as a STEREO file (S).
The "S" will only be added if the file being played is a stereo file.
If PLAYFILE does not reside in the \PROAUDIO\ subdirectory, substitute
the correct path. GUS users would call their PLAYFILE utility using a
similar set up. I have found PLAYFILE great for playing all WAV files,
but PLAY will handle VOC files better. PLAYFILE does not seem to
understand stereo VOC files or the newer VOC format supported by the
most recent Soundblaster utilities.
Here in an example for setting up VREC for the SB16:
C:\SB16\VOCUTIL\VREC %F /S:%R /M:%M /Q /B:2
This setting includes the full path name, the %F file name variable,
the %R sample rate variable, the %M mode variable, VREC's switch for no
screen output and buffer size to 2K.
If you are using a soundcard that is not compatible or has difficulty
using external players, you also have the option of starting BLASTER
Master with the "/I" command line switch. This switch causes the
initialization and driver phase to be bypassed. You will have to use
external players exclusively if you choose this option.
CHANGING SCREEN COLORS ---------------
BLASTER Master's graphic screen colors can be changed via these
function keys:
[Default colors are given as <color> after each function key
description.]
F1: Background <Cyan>
F2: Fileselect Playbox <Red>
F3: Time Grid <Brown>
F4: File Info text, Highlighted text, Vanishing Menu text<White>
F5: Field labels, backgrounds of Vanishing Menu & Dialog Box<Blue>
F6: Vanishing Menu Bar background, Pipe shading <Bright Blue>
F7: Button Highlights, Pipe shading <Bright Cyan>
F8: List Box Highlight, Fileselect Playbox text <Yellow>
F9: Wave Tip Highlight <Bright Red>
F10: Wave Background <Cyan>
CTRL-F2: Wave <Red>
If you have color VGA graphics, you can choose from 256 colors. EGA
users can choose from 64 separate colors. Keep in mind that the way
certain colors interact with each other should effect your color
choices. A poor choice of screen colors (the poor interaction between
F4 and F5, for example) could result in unreadable dialog boxes and
help screens.
SAVING SCREEN COLORS ---------------
To save your current screen colors, select the Options Menu available
via the Vanishing Menu, which saves the colors in a file named
BMASTER.CFG. Return to the Default screen colors by renaming or
deleting this file.
SETTING BLASTER MASTER DEFAULTS ---------------
SB Pro and SB16 card users can set certain recording parameter defaults
by using the SET BMDEFS environment parameter.
Input Source Input Mode Filter Rate CDROM F/X FUNCTIONS
SET BMDEFS= {CD/MIC/LINE} {STEREO/MONO} {LO/HI} {NN} {ROMx:} {NOFM} {MORE}
To set BLASTER Master's default recording parameters to stereo line
input with lo-pass filter and a sample rate of 22khz, use settings like
the one shown in this example:
SET BMDEFS= LINE STEREO LO 22
The order of the parameters does not matter. Use the SET command alone
at the DOS prompt to check your environment. Users of the Multimedia
upgrade CDROM may find a long pause on the Fileselect Dialog Box when
an Audio CD is in the drive. Use the ROMx: parameter to skip verifying
that drive.
To skip CD ROM drive F:, use ROMF:. You may skip upto 2 CDROM drives.
Use NOFM to turn off the sound F/X. MORE will select secondary DSP
functions.
SETTING THE BLASTER ENVIRONMENT ---------------
Users of compatible soundcards and 1.0 Sound Blasters can skip the
port/IRQ/DMA scanning by using the SET BLASTER environment parameters
supported by the 2.0 and Pro versions of the Sound Blaster.
> Example: SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1
(A = the port address; I = the interrupt; and D = the DMA
channel.
If you have problems with BLASTER Master executing on your machine, try
using this setting. It will also make the program boot up quicker!
REPORTING TROUBLE ---------------
If you find a bug in BLASTER Master, please report it in as much detail
as possible so that I can fix it in the next version. I need to know
which specific function you were using, where the VOC file originated
from and the sample rate. If the problem is hardware-related (i.e.
video display, mouse functions), please include information about the
system you are using. Support beyond that will only be provided to
registered users.
COMMON PROBLEMS ---------------
ERROR 5:
This is a DOS error meaning Illegal Function Call, which
could signify just about anything. The most common
occurrence of this is when try to run BLASTER Master on a PC
with a graphics card that does not properly support
640x350x16 HI-RES EGA graphics mode. If you get this error
immediately after typing BMASTER, then the problem is
probably with your graphics card. The only fix in this case
is to change your graphics card.
MOUSE CURSOR ERASE SYNDROME:
I have recently heard of three or four instances of the mouse
cursor seeming to erase the screen when it is moved. This is
a problem with your mouse driver. I only make calls to the
Mouse API; I don't re-paint the screen. Switching mouse
drivers has fixed this problem in every case so far.
PERFORMANCE TIPS ---------------
BLASTER Master works best on a very fast PC -- fast processor, fast
graphics and fast hard drive. I use mostly floating point operations
for accuracy. A Math Co-Processor speeds up most of the functions by as
much as 40%. For example, mixing two 50K files requires over 1,000,000
calculations. A slow graphics card can cause wait states on your
processor. That bargain-priced VGA system may not be such a bargain if
you saved a mere $50 yet slowed your PC down by 40-60% in graphics
mode. BLASTER Master is based on using "virtual memory", i.e., using
your hard drive wherever possible. While this is slower, it is much
more reliable and supports a wider system base. It also easily supports
HUGE file sizes. If you are lucky enough to have several megabytes of
RAM, try running from a RAM Disk or at least use an extended/expanded
memory Disk Cache. It makes a big difference in performance. Disk
fragmentation can also lessen performance, regardless of what software
you are running.
USING BLASTER MASTER WITH OS/2 ---------------
The following settings are required to run BLASTER Master from OS/2:
full screen
audio_adapter_sharing ON
hw_timer ON
int_during_IO ON
USING BLASTER MASTER WITH THE PRO AUDIO SPECTRUM -----------
----
BLASTER Master works very well with the Soundblaster mode of the PAS-16
and PAS+ soundcards by Media Vision. The Logitech Soundman 16 should
also work just the same as the PAS cards. You may need to set the
BLASTER environment to insure that you will be able to use the PLAY
functions. The main point needed in the SET BLASTER environment is the
card type parameter. Be sure to use "T0" (Tee Zero) as the card type.
See more about this under the section about setting the BLASTER
parameters. This is a minimal example of using the SET command for the
PAS:
SET BLASTER=A220 D1 I5 T0
{where A=address, D=DMA channel, I=IRQ and T=card type zero}
PAS users also have the option of calling PLAYFILE.EXE and
RECFILE.EXE during playback and recording. The advantage to
this is the PAS cards are only stereo in native mode, not in
Sound Blaster emulation mode. Using these DOS utilities
should sound better and give you stereo VOC and WAV file
support. See the section on Configuring External Players for
detailed information on this.
SUGGESTED READING ---------------
If you are interested in learning more about how BLASTER Master works, I
suggest you read the following books:
> "Principles of Digital Audio" by Ken C. Pohlmann
(Howard W. Sams & Co., 1985, 1989 second edition)
An excellent introduction to everything from fundamental acoustic theory to
the way compact disks work. Some chapters are relatively easy to understand &
others are definitely NOT for the faint of heart.
> "Musical Applications of Microprocessors" by Hal Chamberlin
(Hayden Books, 1985, 1987 second edition)
Absolutely the best edition ever published in the field of digital sound
production and is universally considered a classic. This book is 800 pages
long and you really must have an understanding of advanced mathematics to
read it.
> "Elements of Computer Music" by F. Richard Moore
(Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1990)
An excellent source of information about digital sound reproduction.
Especially good for C programmers; examples are working C routines.
> "An Introduction to Digital Signal Processing" by John H. Karl
(Academic Press, Inc. 1989)
This is a very good crash study course in DSP and assumes the reader is
familiar with higher mathmatics.
> "The Ultimate Sound Blaster Book" by Martin L. Moore
(Que, 1993)
A shareware copy of BLASTER Master is included with this book along with other
interesting programs. The information about FM music is particularly good.
> "The Sound Blaster Book" by Axel Stolz
(Abacus, 1992)
The first comprehensive book dedicated to the Sound Blaster. It covers DOS,
Windows, MIDI, programming, and shareware.
> "Sound Effects Playhouse" by Kevin Weiner
(Waite Group Press, 1993)
This is a neat little book with some good explanations on digital audio and FM
basics. It includes two 3.5" discs of programs, including a shareware copy of
BLASTER Master.
Distribution BBS Numbers ---------------
These BBS's should always have the latest release. BLASTER Master is also
available on SBCnet and hundreds of other BBS's around the world.
CompuServe GO MIDIFORUM Channel One (617) 354-3137
Data Dimension (404) 921-1186 Hacker Box (49) 2153-800252
Blue Flame (214) 573-3649 Rusty & Eddy's (216) 726-1804
User-to-User (214) 492-6565 GEnie MIDI
Music Connection(214) 491-2149 EXEC-PC (414) 789-4360
The Pier (716) 875-3130 TeleGraFX Net (816) 221-6378
Eleutheria (606) 223-1853 The Navigator (061) 243-7676
Detroit D/L Center(313) 885-3956 oak.oakland.edu ftp site
BLASTER Master is the result of over four years of programming, study and
experimentation (not to mention 6 years of college). If you find this program
to be interesting and of use to you, please register BLASTER Master and help
support future development towards more applications of sound files. I would
like to take this opportunity to thank the individuals and institutions that
have already registered. Your support has made this version possible. As long
as you continue to support BLASTER Master, I will continue to release new
versions. All future updates are free. One registration will automatically
register future versions. Please mention the version number in your letter and
include your telephone number and computer system hardware. I will also be
interested to hear which BBS you downloaded it from. Please tell me of your
suggestions for future enhancements, too! Think of it this way... when you
register BLASTER Master, you aren't paying for the version you are currently
using; you are helping to finance the next release! When I receive your
payment, I will send you your registration number and instructions on
installing it.
Due to dozens of requests, I am now offering two registration levels: the
regular, $29.95 registration that provides a re-usable unlock code for all
versions of BLASTER Master, and a NEW Deluxe registration for $49.95. With the
deluxe registration, you will receive the latest version along with several
other extras, including a 64 band graphic equalizer, VOC compiler, CD player,
bulk MOD sample extractor, Windows Write formatted documentation file,
tutorial and other surprises. The deluxe registration is only available from
the author and also only available on a 1.44m 3.5" disk.
To register, send $29.95 (Standard) or $49.95 (Deluxe) in US dollars to:
Gary Maddox
210 Camelot Drive
Weatherford, TX 76086
USA
Foreign orders mailed directly to me should include $5 for the extra postage.
I CAN ACCEPT PAYMENT IN US DOLLARS ONLY! PLEASE NO EUROCHEQUES OR CREDIT
CARDS!!!
CompuServe users can register online! GO SWREG to register online and receive
your registration code within 24 hours or less! The registration cost will be
billed to your CIS account.
To register in Germany, send 59 Deutche Marks plus handling fee to:
CDV
Ettlingerstr. 5
D-7500 Karlsruhe 1
Germany
I suggest you contact CDV to find out the current handling charges and to obtain
a catalog of their other excellent shareware offerings.
To register in the U.K., send 16 pounds Sterling to:
Carl Ricketts
54 St. Anne's Road
Tankerton
Whitstable
Kent
CT5 2DR
England
Danske brugere kan henvende sig til:
Pro Soft Phone 53 61 90 42
Benloese Skel 4 G Fax 53 61 93 91
4100 Ringsted BBS 57 67 17 47.
Paa BBS kan den sidste nye version hentes gratis.
To register in Switzerland, contact:
Software News! Phone (061) 313 45 45
Sissacherstr. 57 Fax (061) 313 42 02
4052 Basel CIS 100042,1105
Switzerland
>> You can drop me a line on CompuServe at 76711,547.<<
>> InterNet users can email me at 76711.547@compuserve.com.<<
Thank you for using my digital sound software.
* Sound Blaster is a registered trademark of Creative Labs, Inc
BLASTER Master Copyright (C) 1990-1993 by Gary Maddox, all rights reserved