Ultrasound Daily Digest Thu, 26 Aug 93 Volume 5: Issue 25 Today's Topics: .wav format Answers to Digest Can't understand why you complain Freeware Functionality (PowerChords) Midi Patch mixups MidiSoft Recording Session Difficulties MODs NT Ultrasound Daily Digest V5 #24 Standard Info: - Meta-info about the GUS can be found at the end of the Digest. - Before you ask a question, please READ THE FAQ. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1993 22:01:44 -0400 From: Martin Talbot Subject: .wav format Message-ID: <199308260201.AA13143@info.polymtl.ca> Does anybody know where I can find some info about the .wav format ??? Thank ! talbot@info.polymtl.ca ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1993 20:37:05 -0400 (EDT) From: CWSMART@delphi.com Subject: Answers to Digest Message-ID: <01H26BUMISUW99FEYO@delphi.com> nswers to Digest questions" I enjoy reading the questions asked and problems expressed--but I do not see very many answers being posted. Is there a reason for this. I sell the GUS boards and many of the questions asked and problems posed could and do come up at times I'd like to be able to provide answers. Do you provide the answers to the sender privately or can be subscribe to that side of the program? ------------------------------ Date: 25 Aug 93 09:02:15 EDT From: "Eric Bell, Howling Dog Systems" <71333.2166@CompuServe.COM> Subject: Can't understand why you complain Message-ID: <930825130215_71333.2166_DHQ37-4@CompuServe.COM> > From >> Come on Gravis, either include software that works and is well coded >> (not a quickly stripped down version of a commercial product), or don't >> include any at all. >> I'd like to echo this message and direct it to both MidiSoft and Howling >> Dog. Charging big bucks (I consider $75 to be big bucks) for the "Pro" >> version of your program when you've stripped out the more useful features >> in the "free" version, isn't exactly a cool thing. I've seen a few >> responses from Eric Bell saying basically, "Oh, you can't do that with >> PowerChords, get PowerChords Pro [out real soon now] for $75." Or the >> hacked up helpfile in Recording Session that lists options that don't >> exist. > DDA, this is not the first time you have leapt to incorrect conclusions. > The version of Power Chords bundled with the GUS was identical to the > full, regular version except for two things - we limited the instrument > config features, and we set it up so it could only use the GUS drivers. > This program has never been shareware, and was not stripped from the PRO > version. At the time we delivered the software to Gravis, version 1.0 was > all that was shipping, not 1.1 and not PRO. Version 1.0 listed for $85.00 > I'd say that GUS customers got a good deal. > Flaming companies when you don't know the facts is not a 'cool' thing > either. When someone wants to know how to do something using our software > and the GUS version doesn't have the feature, and the PRO version does, of > course I am going to point it out. I'm not forcing them to buy the darn > thing, am I? >> Either include full-featured versions of software that WORKS or don't >> include anything. Getting shareware (wconvert.exe) or "stripped" programs >> doesn't reflect well on anyone, especially Gravis... > Our software is not a 'quickly stripped down' version or poorly coded. > And it isn't 'free' either. Gravis has spent a lot of money to get these > bundled programs out to its users. > Eric Bell, Howling Dog Systems ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 93 10:22:21 MDT From: Stuart Yoshida Subject: Re: Freeware Functionality (PowerChords) Message-ID: <9308251622.AA17875@elektra.fc.hp.com> "Momentary language, sexual situations" writes: >[tale of woes using Recording Session deleted] >> Come on Gravis, either include software that works and is well coded >> (not a quickly stripped down version of a commercial product), or don't >> include any at all. > >I'd like to echo this message and direct it to both MidiSoft and Howling >Dog. Charging big bucks (I consider $75 to be big bucks) for the "Pro" >version of your program when you've stripped out the more useful features >in the "free" version, isn't exactly a cool thing. I've seen a few >responses from Eric Bell saying basically, "Oh, you can't do that with >PowerChords, get PowerChords Pro [out real soon now] for $75." Or the >hacked up helpfile in Recording Session that lists options that don't >exist. I have used both MidiSoft Recording Session and PowerChords, and I'd like to add my comments. * I agree that the included GUS freeware should have a certain level of functionality, and that some of the software does *NOT* meet that minimum level of functionality (MLF). * I think MidiSoft Recording Session in particular does not meet the MLF. The message from here is this: "EITHER IMPROVE MIDISOFT RECORDING SESSION OR LOSE IT ALTOGETHER!" * However, I believe that PowerChords has more than enough functionality in the GUS version for most musical hobbyists. And for $15 more, you can get v1.1 that has a slightly better and more robust interface. If you are a serious musician and are expecting PowerChords to be on the same level as Cakewalk Pro for Windows, then I think you have unrealistic expectations. PowerChords, as it is shipped with the GUS, has the MLF needed to successfully compose and sequence a song. Take a listen to the song I sequenced using PowerChords v1.1 (it's on EPAS in the MIDI song file directory archived in a file called toytrain.zip). I sequenced that song using PowerChords, and that was done *WITHOUT* a MIDI keyboard. All I used was my mouse. I was thoroughly impressed by the ease of use of PowerChords. In a couple of hours I had a song sequenced with rhythm, bass, and melody tracks. I spent the next couple of hours tweaking little bits of the song, basically polishing it up. REMEMBER: PowerChords is a simple four-track sequencer that was designed to quickly and easily create a song. It's very basic, but it does its intended job quite well. I perceive MidiSoft Recording Studio to be the sequencer that you use to really flesh out the song you created with PowerChords, and MidiSoft has failed in this respect. Not so for PowerChords. Keep on GUS'ing, -- Stuart Yoshida Internet: yoshida@elektra.fc.hp.com Voice: (303) 229-2324 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1993 12:41:04 -0700 (PDT) From: Seymour Subject: Midi Patch mixups Message-ID: Lately, as I have been playing my midi files, there seems to have been some, er, confusion. What happens is when a file is playing and a new instrument is used, almost always in the rhythm section, it is not the correct instrument. For example, in jonbgood right after the intro when the bass comes in, the bass doesn't come in. What _does_ come in is this really annoying dog bark and later on a whistle joins the fray. Originally, I thought it was just the composer having a little fun with the tune. However, since that time it has happened quite a bit. Today, for example, while playing Bach's Fugue in Dminor, the same thing happened (the dog bark, that is). Ugh. So basically I have two questions: 1.) Why? 2.) How can I fix it? (I tried disabling the tracks, but to no avail) Thank you all for any help in advance! Chris yaga@u.washington.edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 93 13:20:11 GMT From: aswani@sound.demon.co.uk (Robert Aswani) Subject: MidiSoft Recording Session Difficulties Message-ID: <746310011snx@sound.demon.co.uk> In reply to Bob Schmanski's letter regarding Midisoft Recording Session: If you've only got one meg of ram left in Windows, you should be getting out of memory problems. If you've got a 386, create some virtual memory. Use the 386 enhanced option in the control pannel to do this. As for your other problems in MRS, they are all to do with your system, your system configuration and Mircrosoft's Windows. So don't blame Gravis and Midisoft, they have supplied a perfectly good peice of software. | Robert Aswani | | | | Aswani@Sound.Demon.Co.Uk | ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1993 15:50:07 -0400 From: Alex Harden Subject: MODs Message-ID: <199308251950.PAA23925@lictor.acsu.buffalo.edu> i've had my GUS for a while, but have just recently gotten into the composition of MODs and am interested in composing some. is there a MOD creator/composer that has a decent user interface; i ask this because, as a newbie, when i tried the "ripper" mod editor i didn't understand how to do one thing. i truly am clueless about this, so if anyone would point me toward better info and tools than the modform.zip text file that didn't do me a whole lot of good, i would be in their debt. what i would define as a "decent user interface" given my glimpse at the scrolling info that Gusmod gives would be one where one could first create a table of patches ("samples" in this genre?) and then edit each "piece" of music (the 4-channel scroll) in a spreadsheet format. are there different MOD formats that use more than 4 channels? doesn't the GUS have 32 channels? any info greatly appreciated... thanks, alex -- alex harden-------------- "if we forget yesterday, we're bound to repeat it university at buffalo---- tomorrow; it's not too late to start today, harden@acsu.buffalo.edu-- better off safe, than sorry." v409epk3@ubvms.bitnet---- - extreme, "stop the world" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1993 14:04:19 -0700 From: Steve Smoot Subject: NT Message-ID: <199308252104.OAA08084@roger-rabbit.cs.berkeley.edu> So, has anyone installed NT with the GUS in the machine? For me (on two radically different computers) the GUS crashed setup while it was looking for network cards... Reinstalling with the GUS removed worked. -s ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 25 Aug 93 12:46:22 BST From: James Andrews Subject: Re: Ultrasound Daily Digest V5 #24 Message-ID: <21057.9308251146@euclid.vortex1.exeter.ac.uk> > From: jericho!gord (Gord Wait S-MOS Systems Vancouver Design Center) > Subject: MidiSoft Recording Session Difficulties > > I too had lots of problems with MRS, I stopped using it. Too bad, > cause it looks like a decent user interface. I'll be spending my > cash on PowerChords Pro in a few weeks. > > My message to Midisoft is that I won't be purchasing their > "full blown" version based on my experience with the freebie version. > I think the demo version kind of backfired... For me too. Its learning curve is something like: 'agggh this is too slow to run' 'oh I see thats how you put notes in' 'ah thats an easier way to cut and paste' 'out of memory? why?' 'I give up. Wheres that copy of winjammer?' Midisoft studio doesnt have *any* killer features and crashes all the time. At least Powerchords has a good drum rhythm thing. Mr. Howling Dog should write a big list of all the features that his new 'Pro' version has and post it on here. Im a bit dubious about buying software that I havent even seen described. For instance if Im going to pay out even a small amount of cash like $75 the flippin' midi import-export had better be a bit more flexible and even user friendly than in the version bundled with the GUS. Will the string bending on the instrument be recordable? I could go on.... -- James Andrews, Computer Development Officer, Exeter University Maths Dept ------------------------------ End of Ultrasound Daily Digest V5 #25 *************************************