REQUISCAT IN PACE (1997) (BellKit) for Yamaha FB01 FM Sound Generator or TX81Z Tone Generator and MIDI Controller in four parts Arthur B. Hunkins Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day. II Timothy 4:7-8 in memoriam Don W. Hansen GENERAL REQUIESCAT IN PACE is a live performance work for either Yamaha FB01 Sound Generator or TX81Z Tone Generator and MIDI controller. The controller may be any MIDI device (hardware or software) capable of producing melodic (i.e., one-at-a-time) MIDI "notes" within the range C2-C6 (MIDI C3-C7). This comprises the range of a four-octave (49-key) MIDI keyboard, or the bottom four octaves of a five-octave keyboard (the four octaves centered on "middle C"). In addition to keyboards, other modes of control include sequencer programs and "random" MIDI note generating routines, such as the simple Windows "Chimes" by David C. Elliott, a freeware program included with these materials. (This program was employed by the composer; details of his realization are included below.) Any controller must feature VARIABLE VELOCITY; thus any keyboard must be VELOCITY SENSITIVE. Musical results and performance are the same for both Yamaha synthesizers; only their software setup differs. An MPU-401 compatible computer interface and single MIDI cable are required to load software from this diskette into the selected Yamaha synthesizer. (If your MIDI interface is some other type, use another MIDI SysEx utility, such as MDF--which also handles SoundBlaster and Gravis Ultrasound; the accompanying Midiex only recognizes MPU-401-compatible interfaces.) The stereo output from FB01 or TX81Z is run to a stereo amplifier. REQUIESCAT IN PACE may be performed in either mono or stereo mode. If stereo is selected, place the speakers so that stereo imaging is only modest. (If such placement is not feasible, select mono mode.) Preset amplifier level to moderately soft (mp) at the generally low velocity level of the opening. Duration is a minimum of six to eight minutes. This work, as mentioned above, uses the four octaves from MIDI C3 to C7. Throughout these instructions, pitches refer to KEYS PLAYED or MIDI NOTE NAMES, not to sounding pitch which will usually be quite different, especially with respect to octave. Each "part" or section of the work uses a different set of eight bell tones, specified by four different "configurations" (for FB01) or "performances" (for TX81Z). The MIDI C3-C7 (49-key) span is divided into eight "ranges" (i.e., it is split eight ways). Each range except the last, spans the interval of a perfect fourth--either C to F or F# to B. Thus, range 1 is C3-F3; range 2, F#3-B3; range 3, C4-F4; range 4, F#4-B4; range 5, C5 (MIDI middle C and midpoint of the four-octave range) to F5; range 6, F#5-B5; range 7, C6-F6; and range 8, F#6-C7 (including the extra half-step on top). In the first three parts, the upper half of each "octave" duplicates, in sound, the lower half--except that the lower half is detuned one-quarter of a step down. As a result, each "octave" comprises only a half-octave in sound, and the entire C3-C7 span encompasses only two actual octaves. Only in part 4 is the span treated normally--as four actual octaves; however, each half-octave is slightly expanded so that the entire span is in reality a whole step greater than four octaves. It is a limitation of the synthesizers that only one note at a time can sound in each range (eight ranges and tones, eight notes total). This difficulty is managed by the hard-and-fast performance rule that ONLY ONE MIDI NOTE MAY BE "ON" AT ONCE. In addition, however, a bell RELEASE is truncated if another IN THE SAME RANGE is attacked before the previous one dies out. Thus another general performance norm: do not allow two successive notes in the same range. This is NOT an absolute rule, and is impractical to implement in certain situations, such as with "random" note- generating programs. It is simply desireable when possible. In keyboard performance, GENERAL adherence to this norm will produce better results. SETUP Software preparation of the two synthesizers is quite different. Each is described below. FB01-- First, prepare the FB01 to receive the "configuration" and "voice bank" files by "unprotecting" it as follows: Press the SYSTEM SETUP key (twice) until Protect ON appears; then press DATA ENTRY -1/NO one time (display changes to Protect OFF). Continue by pressing SYSTEM SETUP again (six times) until the original display reappears. Next, connect the MIDI cable between MIDI Out on the interface to MIDI In on the FB01. Get to the floppy drive directory (a: or b:) that contains this diskette and type MIDIEX . (MIDIEX is a shareware system EXclusive file transfer utility.) Choose T (for Transfer) then type the filename, BELLSCFG.FB1 , then again. (This loads the "ConFiGurations" for the four parts) In a moment, the display "dump/ received" should appear; if it doesn't, recheck these steps. Press SYSTEM SETUP once, then DATA ENTRY +1/YES. The display should now include the name "Bells." (If it doesn't, press one of the DATA ENTRY keys until it does.) Repeat the transfer process by choosing T again, typing the new filename, BELLSVB.FB1 then . (This loads the "Voice Bank," i.e., the instruments/tones for all configurations.) "Dump/received" should again appear. Then press SYSTEM SETUP. The display returns to configuration identifier "Bells" and the download procedure is complete. Hit ESC to exit from MIDIEX. The FB01 is now programmed; you have only to select the configuration number. This is done with the two DATA ENTRY keys. The configurations are indicated by the bracketed numbers 1 through 4 in the display, followed by their names (Bells1-4). Bells1 is used for part one, through Bells4 for the final part. Preselect Bells1 before beginning. In performance, advance the configuration between each part by pressing DATA ENTRY +1/YES once. TX81Z-- First, prepare the TX81Z to receive the "performance" and "voice bank" files by "unprotecting" it as follows: Press PLAY/PERFORM until it displays PLAY SINGLE (it may already do so); then press UTILITY. Press the PARAMETER keys until Mem Protect:on appears, then press the DEC button one time (the display changes to Mem Protect:off). Continue by pressing PLAY/PERFORM again. Next, connect the MIDI cable between MIDI Out on the interface to MIDI In on the TX81Z. Get to the floppy drive directory (a: or b:) that contains this diskette and type MIDIEX . Choose T then type the filename, BELLSPRF.TX , then again. (This loads the four "PeRFormances.") In a moment, the display "Midi Received" should appear; if it doesn't, recheck these steps. Press PLAY/PERFORM once; the display should now include the name "BELLS." (If it doesn't, press one of the DATA ENTRY keys until it does.) Repeat the transfer process by choosing T again, typing the new filename, BELLSVB1.TX , then . (This loads the "Voice Bank" of bell tones.) "Midi Received" should again appear. Then press PLAY/PERFORM twice to return to performance identifier "BELLS" and the download procedure is complete. Hit EXC to exit from MIDIEX. The TX81Z is now programmed; you have only to select the performance number. This is done with the two DATA ENTRY keys. The performances are indicated by the numbers PF01 through PF04 in the display, followed by their names (BELLS1-4). Preselect BELLS1 before beginning. In performance, advance the "performance" by pressing INC once between each part. PERFORMANCE--General One item must be verified on whatever controller the performer chooses: its MIDI Transmit Channel must be set to one. (If a keyboard, it probably already is.) If running a Windows program that uses the MIDI Mapper (such as Chimes, described below), make sure that channel one of the current MIDI map is set to the MPU-401 (or other external MIDI) driver. The Yamaha instruments are set to respond only on channel one. (There may, in addition, be other items on a keyboard that need to be set in order for it to ACT AS A CONTROLLER. For example, Yamaha 4-op FM keyboards require a MIDI On/Off setting to be ON. Check your keyboard documentation.) The performer constructs, in advance, his/her own realization of this work; alternately, he/she may do a real-time improvization. (See above for a list of suggested MIDI control/performance options.) In either case, the guidelines/norms listed in the following paragraphs (and above) apply. PERFORMANCE--Norms All parts are of approximately equal length except the last, which is considerably longer. Each of the first three should last at least one minute, preferably several. Pauses between parts should be brief, but not rushed. This is (at a minimum) where the performance/configuration number is incremented. Part one establishes a dynamic level of soft to moderately soft; it is moderate in activity and remains restrained, sober. Use either the entire range throughout or (optionally) work from the lower two "octaves" through to the entire span. Part two is more active rhythmically; its dynamics range from soft to moderate. It raises the textural intensity and becomes more insistent. (Employ the entire range throughout.) Part three achieves a relative climax in terms of activity; its dynamic range is soft to moderately loud. The full pitch gamut remains very active always. Part four returns to the relative peace of part one, with restrained dynamics and level of rhythmic activity. It opens with only the top half of the range (consisting of purer tones similar to those of part three), gradually adding the lower sonorities. It should be clear as each new half-octave (bell type) is introduced; do not add another until the previous low sonority is heard several times. At about the time the lowest half-octave makes its appearance, the pace of events slows further (to the slowest rate so far). Just prior to the end (30 seconds at least), it relaxes still more. The performance ends with one of the lowest half- octave bells, at a point of relative rest and sense of completion. PERFORMANCE WITH DAVID ELLIOTT'S CHIMES AS MIDI CONTROLLER The composer has used David Elliott's Windows Chimes MIDI-player as the performance controller for REQUIESCAT IN PACE. Chimes is a random, one- event-at-a-time MIDI note generator. Though a bare-bones program with limited features, it nonetheless meets the requirements outlined above and functions well. The only program "bug" that affects this piece is that the "Lowest Note" of the permitted range must be specified ONE-HALF STEP LOWER than the intended limit. To use Chimes, you must copy certain materials to hard disk and install it in Windows. After creating a directory on hard disk to hold Chimes, copy the following files to the new directory: chimes.zip, pkunzip.exe (if not already available), and--if you wish to work from the composer's realization of this work--bells.ini. From the hard disk, "unzip" chimes.zip (in DOS type: pkunzip chimes.zip ) and, in Windows, "run" chimes.exe. Doing so will create an icon that you double-click to launch Chimes. To work with Chimes from the composer's setup, copy the file bells.ini to your WINDOWS directory, renaming it chimes.ini in the process. (Prior to doing this, you may want to RENAME the ORIGINAL chimes.ini in the WINDOWS directory, so as to return to it easily later.) You may wish to study David Elliott's brief but complete documentation for Chimes contained in chimes.txt. In addition, you might view bells.ini (also a text file) to examine the composer's specification of specific "note probabilities." It is easiest to manipulate these probabilities DIRECTLY IN BELLS.INI (indeed they are nearly impossible to control precisely otherwise). Unfortunately, the values are easily corrupted during program operation by inadvertently pressing the space bar or ENTER over the default-highlighted RESET button! (Be prepared to recopy bells.ini, as outlined above, a number of times!) Incidentally, Chimes saves the then-current settings to chimes.ini on exit. You should probably return your settings to whatever you wish them to be at startup, before leaving Chimes. A SAMPLE REALIZATION IN CHIMES Following is a description of the composer's realization of REQUIESCAT using Chimes. (Please note that ANY realization meeting the criteria outlined above is valid; the realization described here is presented as an example and for documentation purposes only. Independent co-creativity in the performance process is highly encouraged.) His initial settings are listed in bells.ini. The passage of time, in the realization below, is indicated by several dots. Basically, the performer interacts with the program only periodically--mostly BETWEEN parts; Chimes itself randomly generates all the "details." The several interactions immediately AFTER the parts begin, dealing with changes less crucial to essential contrast, cut down on the length of pauses between parts. In this realization, the only real-time variables are the following (they are at a minimum to "keep things simple"): on synthesizer--configuration/ performance selection (changed once per part, necessarily BETWEEN parts); in Chimes--Maximum Volume, Maximum Length, Rest Probability, and Lowest Note. All other Chimes sliders/values are preset to those in bells/ chimes.ini (which include specific values not apparent from the performance interface). Of course, other realizations are free to use different presets or to vary these values. Note that since the synthesizers are set (by the composer) to receive on channel one, this channel must remain the "send" channel; and the MIDI Map in Windows (which Chimes uses) must be set to "external MIDI" on channel one. Also, no program change information may be sent (Program: none, in Chimes), as the synthesizer must not have its programming altered. The composer's realization is documented on the following page. Initial Chimes Settings: those of bells.ini (copied to chimes.ini) Return variable settings to: Maximum Volume: 40 Maximum Length: 1000 Rest Probability: 40 Lowest Note: B2 Synth Configuration/Performance: Bells1 (cfg/prf mode selected on synth) Return to Bells1 (cfg/prf) to start Amplifier Level: preset for soft-moderately soft during Part 1 Part 1: (click) PLAY . . . (click) STOP Rest Probability: 15 synth: +1/DATA ENTRY (Bells2) Part 2: (click) PLAY Maximum Volume: 65 . . . (click) STOP Maximum Length: 600 synth: +1/DATA ENTRY (Bells3) Part 3: (click) PLAY Maximum Volume: 85 Rest Probability: 10 . . . (click) STOP Lowest Note: B4 Rest Probability: 35 Maximum Volume: 40 synth: +1/DATA ENTRY (Bells4) Part 4: (click) PLAY Maximum Length: 1000 . . Lowest Note: F4 . . (wait for several tones in lowest range) Lowest Note: B3 . . (wait for several tones in lowest range) Lowest Note: F3 . . (wait for several tones in lowest range) Maximum Length: 1200 Lowest Note: B2 . . (wait for at least one tone in lowest range) Rest Probability: 50 . (.) (click) STOP--ending on a note in the lowest range, at a point of relative rest and completion