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Amiga Notes

Article from Sound On Sound, December 1993


Paul Austin points out the best selection of cheap software and explains how to add a hard disk to an A1200.

Whether you're a dedicated muso or just an interested bystander with a new machine, getting into Amiga music can be much cheaper and easier than you might first imagine. As you've probably guessed we're talking PD (Public Domain) and more precisely MED — a program that's been the premier PD soundtracker clone for longer than most would care to remember.

Due to the program's prolific success and countless updates, the PD libraries are literally fit to burst with countless revisions of the aforesaid MED. However, if you're after the very latest offering — alias OctaMed v5 — Seasoft Computing is the first place to look. Unfortunately, this latest 8-track Licenceware version has only a distant memory of its PD past and now retails at a rather pricey £30 a time. For more information contact Seasoft Computing on: (Contact Details).

Although eight channels may sound more attractive than the program's 4-track Shareware alternative, the additional tracks do not play samples but merely sequence Commodore 64 style sounds. For the beginner these additional tracks aren't essential, and as a result, the 4-track variant is perhaps the ideal beginner's choice for testing the water prior to the larger investment in the Licenceware alternative.

As mentioned above, almost all the major libraries carry the 4-track version for around £2. When ordering be sure the software on offer is at or around version 3.20.

Like all the soundtracker clones, MED employs standard 8-bit samples as its primary sound source. These can be either created yourself or, alternatively, there's a wide selection of pre-recorded effects and instruments that can be bought direct either on disk or CD from PD libraries or dedicated sample suppliers.

If you're happier with pre-recorded sounds, quality commercial sources include Zero-G Datafile, which carry both CD and disk-based collections and are available direct from Time and Space (see box).

Although excellent quality, the vast majority of the Zero-G samples are heavily dance orientated with assorted scratches and popular hook lines. For any would-be DJs or rave fans the collection is ideal; however, if you're planning to build original tracks from the ground up, the next collection is probably a more attractive proposition.

If you fancy an alternative to rave tunes, the Sample Series from those Gajits Music Software people could be ideal. Unlike the Zero-G collection, the Sample Series is comprised entirely of sounds borrowed from the latest synths. If you're interested in a more purist approach to audio plagiarism, you can obtain the aforesaid collection from Gajits Music Software [don't forget to mention SOS when calling].

ULTIMATE ACCOMPANIMENT



If you're still undecided as to the filling for your musical stocking this Christmas, Blue Ribbon can supply an intermediate package which allows the user to employ their own or pre-recorded samples as part of an automated 6-part accompaniment.

The software, entitled SuperJam 1.1, allows you to begin building a bridge between the internal sounds of the machine and the world of MIDI. It works by allowing you to assign any number of styles, which then form the framework within which your five automated musicians will literally jam along... All you need do is add the basic melody and play your part as the lead soloist. No matter what chord progression you add, the other members will automatically play a suitable accompaniment.

OK, nobody said the package is perfect, but with a bit of practice you can generate perfectly acceptable 'elevator music' very easily — which can then be worked into a pseudo-original masterpiece or perhaps employed directly as backing music on various multimedia/video productions.

EASY MIDI



If you're looking to sidestep the internal talents of the Amiga altogether, there's a whole selection of budget-conscious sequencers waiting in the wings. Although all of the programs listed are primarily aimed at MIDI, they also all fully support the Amiga's internal talents with equal enthusiasm. Although not a particularly strong selling point for serious users, this does mean that if MIDI music is your goal but finances mean a wait for the necessary hardware, you can still come to terms with the software in the meantime.

Ideal choices for any potential investor include: Sequencer One Plus, MusicX, Bars & Pipes Pro2 and TigerCub. The first of these is perhaps the ideal choice, boasting an extremely user-friendly editing system and intuitive design. On the downside, Sequencer One Plus isn't the cheapest sequencer — MusicX easily lays claim to that particular title.

In its day, MusicX was easily the hottest item on the Amiga music scene, and it still remains a viable option — especially if you're prepared to shop around.

In an ideal world the best option is to throw caution to the wind and invest in Bars & Pipes Professional version 2 (reviewed SOS June 1993; back issues £2.50 each). Although far from cheap it offers a degree of expandability that remains unequalled — even by the likes of Dr.T's KCS 3.5.

Bars & Pipes Pro2.


If you think that you may be in the market for a real power package in the future, it could be worth tracking down a copy of TigerCub. This is basically a very cut-down version of its big brother, KCS. However, it does provide a great opportunity to familiarise yourself with the KCS environment prior to taking the plunge into KCS 3.5 later on.

DIY HARD DISK UPGRADE



If you're one of the thousands who bought an Amiga A1200 minus a hard disk over the last year or so, the yuletide spirit is probably already urging you to add a hard disk. If so, here's how to save some cash and do it yourself — believe me, it's a lot easier than you might imagine.

Q: Which type of hard disk do I need?

A: In the case of an Amiga 1200, you'll require a 2.5 inch IDE drive which has been approved for use with the machine.

Q: Are there major differences between the various hard disk models on the market?

A: Although some appear faster than others during benchmark tests, the actual speed difference is minute during normal operations.

Q: What size drive should I get?

A: Probably the best way to decide on a size is to add up all the software you'd like to install and then pick the next size up from that — under no circumstances consider anything less than a 40Mb drive.

THE BIG DECISION



Before you start unscrewing your A1200, please bear in mind that if your machine is still within its warranty period, it will be invalidated by adding a hard disk under your own steam. Consequently, the following procedure is best attempted on machines that are over one year old. This isn't to say the process is difficult; in fact, the A1200 is probably the easiest of all the Amiga range to upgrade. However, if a Commodore engineer spots that a new machine has been opened, for whatever reason, you'll be out in the cold — end of story. Even if the problem has nothing to do with the installation of the hard disk, the end result will remain the same and you'll be forced to pay for any subsequent repairs.

If you're still interested in installing your own hard drive then, before wielding a screwdriver, please read the following instructions very carefully and do not proceed unless you are completely sure of what you're doing. At this point it must be stressed that Sound On Sound will not be held responsible for any damage to you or your machine.

INSTALLATION



First disconnect everything from the machine, paying special attention to the power supply. Under no circumstances attempt any maintenance while the machine is plugged into the mains.

First flip the machine over and undo the screws which hold the casing together, then slice open the warranty seals. Now hold the machine together and carefully turn the machine right-side up. You should be able to remove the lid, revealing the hard drive cradle. You may notice that the top of the casing presses against the metalwork — this is normal and is done to keep the drive from sliding around inside the machine.

At this point you are ready to install, so ensure that the drive and its associated connecting cable are at hand, then follow these five easy steps.

1. Disconnect the disk drive LEDs.

2. Slide the keyboard back and free from its catches, placing it behind the body of the machine.

3. Now fit the drive into the cradle — the cradle can be temporarily removed from the machine if necessary.

4. Connect the cable to the drive, then replace the cradle and drive combination back into the machine. Now connect the other end of the cable to the interface on the motherboard of the machine.

5. Now simply replace the keyboard and reassemble the machine.

Believe it or not, the physical installation is now complete and we can move on to the preparation and partitioning of the drive.

DRIVE PREPARATIONS



With novice users the temptation to over-partition a drive, or worse still to make DHO: too small, is a fairly common mistake. If this happens you may soon face requesters which read 'cannot copy fonts, libraries' or, indeed, anything else that newly installed software has a habit of adding to DHO:.

At this point there's no alternative but to start moving vital directories around your system, using the Assign command to bring order to the partitioning madness you've created. In short, don't be tempted to over-partition and never make your system disk too small. On a 40Mb drive make the DHO: partition at least 10Mb.

Assuming the A1200 is firmly screwed together — complete with mouse, monitors, and all other essential peripherals — it's time to reboot the machine using either the HDToolbox disk or Amiga Computing magazine's December CoverDisk, featuring RDPrep. If neither are available, try contacting The First Computer Centre on (Contact Details) — I'm sure they'll supply a copy of RDPrep for a couple of pounds at the most. If you have a choice between the two programs opt for RDPrep, as this is by far the simplest method of preparing a hard drive.

USING RDPREP



First boot from the RDPrep disk and run the software — the program will now automatically search for a standard Commodore SCSI device, at which point your new drive should be located and its name will pop up.

Although both HDToolbox and RDPrep describe your new drive as a 'SCSI', it's just a charade to make life simpler for them — and mildly confusing for you.

Anyway, leaving the idiosyncrasies of the installers aside, the drive should be spotted and will appear in the RDPrep screen. Now simply select it and click on the button marked 'Screen 2 Partitioning'.

At this point you should define the size of your partitions and return to screen 1. Now write the Rigid Disk Block and save a copy of the mountfile, prior to quitting the package. Your new hard disk will now appear on the Workbench screen as something like DH0:NDOS, DH1:NDOS and so on...

This simply means that the drive is on-line but as yet has not been formatted. To format the drive, click once on its disk icon and select 'Format' from the pull-down menu. The usual requester box will now appear , asking you to name the drive and select whether or not to have a Trashcan. Before clicking on 'Format', ensure that Fast File System is activated — repeat this process for each partition on your system.

At this point you'll be happy to know that the process is almost complete; all that remains is to copy Workbench onto the drive. To do this, reboot the machine using a copy of your original Workbench disk and copy all of the necessary files to your system partition. To do this, open a Shell window and type in the following line:

copy df0:#? [drive name:]Workbench all clone

Now simply repeat the process for each disk supplied with the machine, replacing Workbench with Storage, Locale and so on. After you've done this for each disk, make sure that df0: is empty and reboot the machine. If all is well your machine will now boot up from the hard disk and you're in business. Have fun...

USEFUL CONTACTS

Time and Space (Contact Details).
Gajits Music Software (Contact Details).


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Publisher: Sound On Sound - SOS Publications Ltd.
The contents of this magazine are re-published here with the kind permission of SOS Publications Ltd.


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Sound On Sound - Dec 1993

Donated by: Rob Hodder

Topic:

Computing


Feature by Paul Austin

Previous article in this issue:

> Apple Notes

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