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1991-01-16
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(tm)
MUSIC PLAYER 2.1
The acclaimed music
playing software
(C)opyright 1990,1991
C&K Software Technologies
and Pacific Rim Development
FEATURES OF MP21
Music Player 2.1's main features are: The ability to play MP12 and MP20
files, a brand new title screen, the menu from MP20, and repeated
menu use.
MUSIC PLAYER 2.1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Features and Table of Contents ...................................... 1
Welcome! ............................................................ 2
Printing the Manual ................................................. 2
Installation (INSTALL.BAT, \CK\MP21\, true blue IBM's) .............. 2
Title (Problems with Hercules Mono) ................................. 3
Menu (Choices, Exiting/ESC) ......................................... 3
Making Music (Format, Commands, Sample, ASCII WP, DOS way) .......... 3
Bugs (RIFFRAFF.MUS, tempo, Hercules Title Screen) ................... 4
Revision History (1.0 to 2.0, Angry Sysops, 2.1) .................... 4
Share (Shareware, Address, Order Form, GST Free) .................... 4
Other Titles (MP12, MP20, Kids' Maze, Copycat, where to
find them, Nanaimo BBSes, Express BBS) ................. 5
Legal Stuff ......................................................... 5
Copyright Information (Don't change files) .......................... 5
Goodbye ............................................................. 5
- 1 -
WELCOME TO MP21
Hi! I'm Kevin Matz, I'm 11 years old right now, and I wrote
Music Player 2.1. Music Player 2.1 (MP21 or Musplayr for short) is a
simple, but advanced, software package that lets you play songs, tunes,
and melodies easily. You can even enter your own music, using just an
ASCII-output word processor. Just continue reading to find out how to
use, and enjoy, Music Player 2.1!
PRINTING OF THIS MANUAL
To print this manual for this reference, you'll need a
printer (of course?). At the DOS prompt, enter.... >COPY MP21.DOC PRN
and if your printer is on and ready, this manual will appear before
your eyes! (Boring stuff, eh?)
INSTALLATION
This must be the hardest part of using MP21. I've written a
short batch file, INSTALL.BAT, which should assist you in setting up
MP21. At the DOS prompt, type INSTALL <source-drive> <target-drive>,
like one of these examples:
If the disk with MP21 on it now is in A: and you want to install it on B:,
use this:
> INSTALL A: B:
If the disk is in B: and you want it on your hard drive C:, use this:
>INSTALL B: C:
Please note first: Install will make a directory \CK\MP21\ on
your <target drive>, and place the files there.
Then, (no, its not finished yet,) you'll have to copy GW-BASIC
to the \CK\MP21\ directory. It should be either in the \DOS directory
on a hard drive, or on the DOS disk that came with your system.
When you've finished all that, just enter MUSPLAYR at the DOS
prompt. If that doesn't work, there's something wrong (or else you must
have a true blue IBM, where you'll have to type BASICA MP21).
- 2 -
TITLE
After you've typed MUSPLAYR, you'll see a short display of
the copyright information, then you'll see the title screen flash up.
If you are using a Hercules Monochrome card, unfortunately you won't
get to see my exciting title screen, for reasons I am not sure of.
Anyway, just hit any key and WHOOSH! You're there at the menu screen.
MENU
Use the arrow keys to move the arrow over a selection. Hit
ENTER to pick one, and then MP21 will play it. When the song is
finished, you will go back to the menu to pick another. To exit the
program, just hit ESC.
MAKING MUSIC
By now, you're probably ready to start making your own music,
or typing in music that you've already heard. To make music in the MP21
format, you use the GW-BASIC PLAY command format. For details on every
single PLAY command, you might want to see your GW-BASIC manual, but I've
outlined the main ones you'd be interested in:
C D E F G A B - Notes on the piano. For sharps and flats, use #, like this:
C#, or G#. You can put a number after a note for the length (like this:
C16 or G8) or use the L command.
Lx - where "x" is a number between 1 and 64, representing the length of the
following notes.
Ox - where "x" is a number between 0 and 6, representing the octave number.
The default is octave 4.
Px - where "x" is the length (1-64) of a pause (rest).
Tx - where "x" is the number of L4's in a minute, a number between 32 and
255. The default is 120.
When you are writing music in this format, group everything together, like
this: O3L16CDEFGABO4C
- 3 -
You can have several lines, like this "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" song:
O3L16CCGGAAGFFEEDDC
GGFFEED
GGFFEED
CCGGAAGFFEEDDC4
Now, you enter your music in a word processor that can save in ASCII
format. Give it a name and a .MUS extension, and put it in the MP21
directory. Or, at the DOS prompt, type COPY CON <filename>.MUS, then
type in your music. When you're finished entering it, hit ENTER, F6,
and ENTER again. Then run Music Player and try listening to your music!
BUGS
Every piece of software has a few bugs (okay, maybe its
just my software!), and Music Player 2.1 is no exception. Here are
the ones that are the most noticeable:
1. After you listen to RIFFRAFF.MUS, included with MP21, all of the
other songs are sped up when you play them. I think it has something
to do with the tempo in the song, but I'm not sure how to fix it.
(Update alert! Other songs like RAZMAJAZ.MUS change the speed, also.)
2. The title screen won't show up if you are running a Hercules Mono-
chrome card. There's a reason, but I can't remember what it is.
Oh well again, eh?
EARLY VERSIONS AND HISTORY
Version 1.0 was the very first and way about six lines long, and
was never distributed.
Version 1.2 was distributed, but you had to type in the name of
the music file manually. After the song was finished, you'd go right to
DOS.
Version 2.0 had a title screen, and the menu that you see in 2.1.
Just like 1.2, you'd go right back to DOS again. Sysops of the local
Nanaimo BBSes were really complaining about going to DOS right away.
Version 2.1 (this one!) has a better title screen, and after you
play a song, it returns you to the menu so you can pick another one.
Nanaimo Sysops, I hope you're happy now. At least I am!
- 4 -
SHARE!
Music Player 2.1 is Shareware, which means that you can make
copies and give them to your friends for their use, and its legal.
But if you continue using the software, you should make a small donation
of $5 to the author, Kevin Matz, to help pay for the expenses of develop-
ment and distribution. (Sorry, but it is illegal to change any of the
files, whether program, support, documentation, or music files.)
My address is: KEVIN MATZ (C&K/Pacific Rim)
99-12th Street
Site H1 R.R.#1
Nanaimo B.C.
V9R-5K1 Canada
To make it for you to register C&K programs, you type COPY ORDRFORM.CK PRN
at the DOS prompt to print out the order form. And it makes it easier and
faster for me to process your order.
And there's good news for Canadians: It's GST free!
(For non-Canadians, the GST is a new Goods and Services Tax that's
really annoying! It came to effect on January 1st, 1991, and almost
everything is taxed, although things like false teeth are exempt.
Nobody knows exactly how it works, but one thing's for sure- the only
GST you'll pay is on stamps (now 43 cents?) to mail your registration
to us! I'll pay the GST for the disk I send to you.)
OTHER TITLES I'VE WRITTEN
I've written some other software, too. If you want, you can
order the registered version of the software by filling out the
Order form, or get the non-registered versions from certain Nanaimo
BBSes. All of the titles are always available at the Express BBS,
in the C&K Software/Pacific Rim File List. Call 'em up at
(604)-753-0074, 3/12/2400 bps, 8/N/1.
MUSIC PLAYER 1.2, by Chris Addison and me. The original Music Player.
MUSIC PLAYER 2.0, by Chris Addison and me. Another version of Music
Player.
KIDS' MAZE, by Chris Addison and me. A REALLY simple maze game. Just
steer the * through the short maze.
COPYCAT, by me. Copy the chain of colors like the hand-held "Simon"
games.
TALK TO ME (Many Versions), by me. Have a conversation with your
computer! Like Joe Weizenbaum's Eliza. Version 3.0 expected to come
out around August 1991.
PEN 1.0 Triangle Version, by me. This very boring program shows a
triangle dancing around the screen, bumping into the sides.
- 5 -
LEGAL STUFF
Kevin Matz, C&K Software Technologies, and Pacific Rim
Development are not responsible for any damages to your computer
system, and cannot be held responsible. In any case, we will not
pay anyone more than the registration fee, $5, but only if they
have registered. Here's the full story:
C&K/Pacific Rim makes no warranty, either express or implied,
including but not limited to any implied warranties of merchantability
and fitness for a particular purpose, regarding the programs and makes
all programs available solely on an "as is" basis. In no event shall
C&K/Pacific Rim be liable to anyone for special, collateral, incidental,
or consequental damages in connection with or arising out of the purchase
damages in connection with or arising out of the purchase or use of the
programs and the sole and exclusive liability of C&K/Pacific Rim,
regardlessof the form of action, shall not exceed the purchase price of
the registered software package. Moreover, C&K/Pacific Rim shall not be
liable for any claim of any kind whatsoever by any other party against
the user of the programs.
COPYRIGHT AND GOODBYE
Music Player 2.1, its program files, support files, and documentation
are (C)opyright 1990 and 1991, Kevin Matz, distributed by C&K Software
Technologies and Pacific Rim development. (Sorry, but making changes to
any files of the program, in whole or in part, is illegal.)
See you later, (Please call the
Kevin Matz. EXPRESS BBS at
Sunday, January 13, 1991. 604-753-0074.)
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