Menu structure

Song --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  
_New_
 
 Initializes Meridian for a new song. The existing song will be deleted. If the song has been modified, a confirmation will follow to save the changes. Properties, MIDI presets, track presets and drum keymaps will be reset. 
 
_Load_
 
 Load a song. Supported fileformats for loading are: Meridian (.MER), Standard MIDI file format #0 and #1 (.MID), Moonblaster (.MBM), Moonblaster for Wave (.MBW) and Soundtracker (.MUS). You can filter on a selected format, but it is also possible to let Meridian determine what format the file has. If the format is not recognized or not supported, an errormessage will follow. 

_Save_
 
 Save the song if the songname and fileformat are already known. Otherwise the songname and fileformat must be entered first in 'Save as'. 
 
_Save as_    

 Save the song. Formats for saving are: Meridian (.MER) and Standard MIDI file format #0 and #1. If the entered filename already exists in the current directory, a confirmation to overwrite the file will follow. 

_Properties_
 
 Display the songname, composer and copyrights of the song. 

_Quit_ 

 Quit Meridian and returns to BASIC. If the current song has been modified, a confirmation will follow to save the changes. 



Edit-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
_Insert new steps_
 
 Insert empty steps into the current step. You cannot insert steps after the last event. 
 
_Delete steps_
 
 Delete steps from the current step. You cannot delete steps after the last event. 
 
_Copy_ 

 Copy the selection to the current position. Conditions to copy a selection are: the events to copy must have the same type (MIDI events may not be copied to time events and vice versa), the events may not be copied after the last page and the current position may not be located in the selection. Pressing Ctrl+C will have the same effect. 
 
_Move_
 
 Move the selection to the current position. Conditions to move a selection are: the events to move must have the same type (MIDI events may not be moved to time events and vice versa) and the events may not be moved after the last page. Pressing Ctrl+M will have the same effect. 
 
_Exchange_ 

 Exchange the selection with the current position. Conditions to exchange a selection are: the events to exchange must have the same type (MIDI events may not be exchanged with time events and vice versa) and the events may not be exchanged after the last page. Pressing Ctrl+X will have the same effect. 
 
_Clear_
 
 Clear all events in the selection. Pressing Ctrl+W will have the same effect. 
 
_Hide_ 
 
 Clear the selection definition. Pressing the right mouse button or Ctrl+H will have the same effect. 
 
_Go to..._ 
 
 Jump to a specified location in the song. Possible locations to jump to are: first page, last page, end of song, begin of selection, end of selection or a specified page. 
 
_Find..._    
 
 Find specified events. You can look for all possilbe events. This function can be scoped to the current page, to the whole song or to the selection. 
 
_Find next_ 
 
 Repeat the previous findaction. 



Play ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
 

_Play song_ 
  
 Play the whole song. While playing the song or a part of it, a window is shown that contains information about the current play position. It also contains buttons for play, pause, backward and forward playing. Pressing left en right mousebutton simultaniously a popup menu will appear where you can select options to change MIDI presets, track presets, drum keymaps, etc. 
 
_Play page_
 
 Play the current page. 
 
_Play from position_ 
 
 Play from current position to the end of the song. 
 
_Play interval_
 
 Play a part of the song defined in 'Interval definition'. 
 
_Interval_ 
 
 Define the start and end position of the play interval. 
 
_Conductor_
    
 Change the initial tempo of the song and the timesignature. 
 
_MIDI interface & timer_
    
 Select MIDI interface en MIDI timer. Only the MSX-MIDI (in the Turbo-R FS-GT) and Philips Music Module are supported. 
 
_Emulate MIDI THRU_ 

 All MIDI data recieved from the MIDI-OUT will be send immediately to the MIDI-OUT to emulate a MIDI-THRU connection. 

   
Midi---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
 
_Midi_
    
 Set the controllers for the MIDI channels. The function contains 7 pages:
 Programs - Sets the instruments for the MIDI channels. A MIDI channel can be a voice channel or drum channel.
 General controllers - Sets volume, pan, pedal, modulation and expression.
 Send MIDI channels - Mutes a channel, play a channel solo, sets poly/mono and omni.
 Adjust MIDI channels - Sets the pitchbend, note correction, velocity correction and MIDI channel redirection.
 User controllers 1..5 - Sets the values for user controllers 1 to 5.
 User controllers 6..10 - Sets the values for user controllers 6 to 10.
 RPN controllers - Sets the pitchbend range, fine tuning and coarse tuning.
 Press F5 to enter this function.
 
_Tracks_
    
 Assign MIDI channels to the tracks. A MIDI channel can be assigned to several tracks. If no MIDI channel is assigned to a track, then this track will not be played. Press F10 to enter this function. 
 
_Drum keymap_
    
 Assign drums to drumkeys. Press SHIFT+F5 to enter this function. 
 
_User controllers_ 

 Define user MIDI controllers. These are extra controllers and can be selected for the specific synthesizer or keyboard to create special soundeffects. Only the controllers that are defined in the driver can be selected. 
 
_System exclusive_
    
 Editor for System Exclusive (SysEx) messages. SysEx messages are synthesizer specific: only the adressed MIDI device will act on the message, other MIDI devices will ignore these. The size of a message is limited to 1MB, depending on how much memory is reserved for SysEx. SysEx messages can be loaded from or stored in .SYX, .MID, .DRV and .MER-files. 
 
_Load driver_
 
 Load a driver for a specific MIDI device. 
 
_Edit driver_
    
 Edit a driver for a specific MIDI device. Items that can be edited are: Device name, instrumentbank name, drumbank name, instrument name, drum name, bank controller data, RPN controller data, extra controllers and comment for the driver. After the driver is edited, it can be stored in a .DRV file. 

_Driver information_
 
 Display the MIDI devicename, programbanks, drumbanks and comments in the driver. 



Opl4--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


   
_2-Operator FM tones_ 
   
 Tone editor to create FM tones that use 2 operators. A lot of parameters can be set for each operator: attack, decay, sustain, release, waveform, vibrato, tremolo, feedback, envelope scaling, brightness, key scale level and synthesis type. Editfunctions to store, copy and restore a tone are available. Tones can be saved and loaded. A testfunction can be applied using F4 and a random generator is built in to create unpredictable tones. Up to 200 2-operator FM tones can be created. 
 
_4-Operator FM tones_
    
 Tone editor to create FM tones that use 4 operators. The same parameters as descibed above (2-operator FM tones) can be set, but now for 4 operators. Up to 100 4-operator FM tones can be created. 
 
_PCM tones_
    
 Tone editor to create PCM-USR tones and adjust PCM-ROM tones. Parameters to edit a PCM tone are: sample adresses (start, end, loop), attack, decay 1, decay 2, decay level, release, LFO frequency, vibrato, tremolo and envelope scaling. PCM tones can be loaded and saved. For PCM-USR tones, the wavetable can be loaded en saved as well. Editfunctions to store, copy and restore a tone are available. A testfunction can be applied using F4 and a random generator is built in to create unpredictable tones. 
 
_Opl4 programs_
    
 Opl4 program editor. An Opl4 program is a combination of 2-FM, 4-FM and/or PCM tones and is the instrument on the MIDI channel that is used when playing. For each tone a volume correction, pan position, transpose, fine tuning and keywindow can be set. A testfunction can be applied using F4 
 
_Opl4 drums_
    
 Opl4 drum editor. An Opl4 drum is a combination of 2-FM, 4-FM and/or PCM tones. For each tone a volume correction, pan position, transpose and fine tuning can be set. 
 
_Load opl4 soundbank_
 
 Load an Opl4 soundbank. An Opl4 soundbank contains the 200 2-FM tones, 100 4-FM tones, 330 PCM-ROM tones, 128 PCM-USR tones including wavetables, 2 Opl4 programsbanks (128 programs each) and 2 Opl4 drumkits (64 drums each). 
 
_Save Opl4 soundbank_ 

 Save an Opl4 soundbank. See 'Load Opl4 soundbank' for more info about an Opl4 soundbank. 
 
_Opl4 global settings_    

 Sets several parameters for the Opl4: FM-PCM mix (output balance), FM channel select, FM tremolo depth and FM vibrato depth. 



Tools---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

  
_Transpose_ 

 Transpose notes. The transpose range is limited to 99 semitones up or down. The function can be scoped to the whole song, current page, selection or a specified MIDI channel. 
 
_Velocity_
 
 Change the velocity of note events. The change of the velocity can either be relative or fixed. In case of a relative velocitiy change, the entered velocity will be added to the current velocity. If the velocity change is fixed, the current velocity will be replaced by the entered velocity. The function can be scoped to the whole song, current page, selection or a specified MIDI channel. 
 
_Clear events_
 
 Clear specified events. The function can be scoped to the whole song, current page, selection or a specified MIDI channel. 
 
_Order tracks_

 ort the tracks, sequenced by the assigned MIDI channel. 




Option------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

 
_Directories_
 
 Define the location for the workdirectory, helpdirectory and systemdirectory. 
 
_SMF filters_
 
 Define which MIDI events and MIDI channels will be used when loading or saving a Standard MIDI file. 
 
_Play filters_
 
 Define which MIDI messages will be send while playing the song. 
 
_Display colors_ 

 Window to change the displaycolors. 
 
_Attach mouse_ 

 Rescan the mouse. If you plugged a mouse into one of the ports, use this function to attach it to Meridian. 
 
_Save configuration_ 

 Save the current configuration of Meridian in the file MERIDIAN.INI. 




Help-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   


_Index_    

 Display helpindex. Pressing F6 will have the same effect. 
 
_What's this_ 

 Display context sensitive help. Pressing F1 will have the same effect. 

_About_    
 Display the current versionnumber of Meridian. 
