-----------------------------------------
--== Zero-X ==--
DIGITAL SOUND PROCESSING SOFTWARE
for Atari
-----------------------------------------
Quick reference guide - 1995, October 5, 1995
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
! Zero-X is NOT FreeWare/PD/SW, !
! Zero-X is a copyrighted commercial product !
! Zero-X Demo version is FreeWare BUT any !
! magazine that would like to place this demo !
! on their cover disk/cd or similar must !
! first contact us. !
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Limitations of the demo:
========================
Please read the zx_demo.txt file.
Who has use for Zero-X
======================
Everybody who has access to a sampler/sample-player and/or
a harddisk-recording system and, of course, an Atari computer.
What is Zero-X?
===============
Zero-X is a Swedish developed GEM-based program, for
Atari ST/STE/TT/Falcon, with five main tasks:
1.Automatic find the optimum looppositions for you.
2.Powerful sample edit.
3.Drum loop functions, such as split drums, create midi file,
Calculate BPM, AutodrumLoop etc
4.Convert audio files of any size.
5.Transfer samples to and from samplers/sample-players etc
via Midi and SCSI.
Zero-X always works with 16-bit sound, stereo and mono.
8-bit sound may be loaded but will be converted to 16-bit
while loading.
When transferring via the MIDI-port 12-bit sound is also
handled via a real-time conversion.
We have tested and approved Zero-X together with the following add
on products: WINX/GEMRAM, NVDI, Warp9, Selectric, TCache,
Falcon 32MHz and Falcon BlowUp. Please use all of them,
especially WINX/GEMRAM and NVDI!
Zero-X works on ST/STE/TT/Falcon but for most optimum
performance we recommend a Falcon with TOS 4.04 and
a hard disc.
Zero-X requires ST High (640x400) or better/more. Zero-X does not
work in any True colour mode. Zero-X looks at its best in VGA 16
colour mode on TOS 4.04, but you will get the highest performance
in ST High.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Below is a short guide through Zero-X v1.04x.
Some knowledge in handling Atari computers, GEM and
sample devices is required.
Automatic loopsearch
====================
Zero-X has two completely automatic functions dedicated to find
the most optimum loop in your sample; AutoLoop and AutoSearch.
AutoLoop
AutoLoop compares all positions within your marked block with
your entered LoopEnd and return the best fitting LoopStart.
AutoSearch
If you choose AutoSearch, Zero-X compare all possible LoopStarts
with all possible loop-ends and then return the best/most fitting
couple (loop). AutoSearch searches only within your marked block.
You may also specify minimum loop width to avoid too narrow loops.
Zero-X has two functions dedicated to recalculate samples that
are extra hard to loop; Gate and XFade.
Gate
Gate changes a fading part (your loop) in the sample into equal
volume. This is very useful for e.g. bass sounds and
percussion sounds that often fades out too quickly and is
therefore impossible to loop (i.e. if you don't use Gate!)
XFade
XFade recalculates the loop, i.e. making loop-start and loop-end
look more alike.
This means that any eventual click sound in the loop will
disappear. You have full control over what part of the
loop XFade shall affect.
Loop control
============
In the Loop control you have access to all loop features.
Choose "Loop control" in the menu under "Edit".
- Minimum loop distance;
This is the place where you in percentage, of your marked block,
enters how close loop-start may be loop-end.
This is to force Autosearch/Autoloop not to choose a too narrow
loop and to speed up the search. The larger distance the faster
search but you may also miss a good loop...
- XFade Minimum
means to XFade as little as possible. No settings are required.
- XFade User
This is the user defined XFade. You may enter a value in
percentage of the loop distance or you may go to "Graphical edit"
and mark the distance with the mouse.
(Sample) Window
==============
This is where you can, directly in the sample, blockmark, set
the loop positions (loop start and loop end), set the size of
the User defined XFade, listen to the sound/sample, zoom in and out
and scroll the sample in the window. Scroll is also available from
the cursor (left/right) keys.
There are two different wavedisplays, one which is very quick but
don't show the sample accurate in overwiew mode, and the other
which is very accurate in showing the sample envelope, but is not
so quick (but still very quick compared to other programs!).
- Toolbar
Make sure that Toolbar is selected in the settings. You can select
most of the edit and play functions as well as all of the edit
modes from the toolbar. If you do not understand our icons,
do not panic, just whatch the help text in the upper right of
the screen as you place the mouse pointer on an icon.
There is a little delay before the help texts appears.
There are some icons for adjusting the markers position. To
speed up the movement, keep pressed as you select the
appropiate icon.
- Blockmark (mark a section)
"Block mode"
In this mode you may mark a section, i.e. blockmark, by pressing
the left mouse button, move the mouse pointer to the right and
then release the button. The section you have marked will be
inverted.
If you want to change the size of the block after you have marked it
you may do so with the Fine Adjust icons in the Toolbar or you can
keep the Shift key pressed while you click with left or right mouse key
before or after the block.
- Set the loop-positions
"Loop mode"
In this mode you may set the loop-positions, loop-start and loop-
end, by pressing the left or the right mouse button.
If not both of the loop-positions are displayed, you may alternate
between them by pressing or the appropriate icon in the Toolbar.
- Set the XFade User defined position
"XFade mode"
In this mode you may set the distance for the User defined
XFade, by pressing the left mouse button within or to the left of
the loop.
Two sections will then be marked by lines to show how the sample
affects.
The marked section within the loop, is the section that will be
affected by the XFade.
The other marked section (to the left of the loop) is the
section that will be used by Zero-X for the XFade.
- DrumSplit
"DrumSplitmode"
In this mode you may use the DrumSplit option to split up a
BeatLoop. Start with marking your BeatLoop with LoopStart and
LoopEnd. Select "DrumSplit". A grid will occur and specify
the different "drums" in your BeatLoop.
To listen to an individual drum, click at the drum with the
mouse and select "Play block" from the toolbar.
In the pro version, you have the option to create a
standard midi file out of the drum split.
This, together with "Send all Drums" in the TransferControl,
gives you the possibility to actually recreate the drum loop
in you sequencer, but with the great enhancement to change the
tempo without time-streching and to replace drums or
even quantize specific drums etc.
If you select "Save drums", all drums will be saved and
given names such as "drum1", "drum2" etc.
In the pro version you will also be able to select
"send all DrumSplits".
- Zoom,
There are several icons for zooming in and out.
You have also the possibility to give a user defined zoom value
to the program with the U.D.-button in the toolbar.
If you want to Zoom In on a specific area, keep the Alt key pressed
and "mark" that area.
- Playback a sample/sound
There are icons in the toolbar for all kinds of playback.
You may also press the Enter key for Play and the Zero key for Stop.
The sound quality on a Falcon is always 16-bit by using the
build in 16-bit D/AC. The closest sample rate available will be
chosen.
If you are using a STE there will be a short delay before
you can actually hear the sound. The sound quality is 8-bit by
using the build in STE D/AC. The closest sample rate available
will be chosen.
If you are using an ST there will be no sound.
We are currently working on an ST sound driver.
If your sample is being looped (loop = on), you can abort the
sample playback by selecting the STOP icon in the toolbar.
Convert Audio-files
===================
In the demo version you may only convert to .AVR.
Audio files of any size may be converted as long as you have enough
space left on you target drive.
Select "Convert..." from the "Edit" menu. Select source and target
file format.
Choose Convert.
Transfer samples
================
To enter the "Transfer control", select "Transfer" from the
"Edit" menu.
Zero-X is able to transfer your samples via MIDI, and SCSI.
Your sample device has to support the Standard Midi Sample
Dump format, SDS, or Ensoniq dump format. For the Roland
S-50 the version 1.01 works with receive and for Akai
SCSI the receive works.
If you have a 12-bit sampler you should select "12-bit" in the
"Transfer control" for the fastest and most secure transfer.
To transfer samples via SCSI your sample device has to support
SMDI (the, by Peavey invented, SCSI dump standard), or you
have to use an Akai S-1000 (or one which follows the same
protocol) to receive samples.
More features
=============
Fade
====
The volume in your marked section will smoothly be faded to
zero, i.e. silence, or faded from zero to full volume
depending on what you choose in the control dialogue.
You have three types of fade to choose from: Normal, Fast
and Slow. Fast is the linear type, Normal and Slow are
logarithmic types. Please use the Floating Point version
of the program if you own a Falcon with a 68882 FPU to
speed things up.
Silence
=======
The volume in your marked section will be set to zero,
i.e. silence.
Optimise
========
The sample will be volume optimised.
SmartCut
========
If you have noise in the sample before and/or after the actual
sound starts, or if you have several samples and want to cut out
a single one. Simply block mark the sound and some noise before
and or/after it and select SmartCut.
Only the sound within your block marked section will be kept.
Select "Noise Level" from the "Split Drum" menu specify the
maximum noise level.
Digital Noisegate
=================
If you have any noise in the sample before the sound actually
starts, Digital NoiseGate will remove it.
Select "Noise Level" from the "Split Drum" menu to specify the
maximum noise level.
Note, Digital Noisegate always works from the start of your sample.
Stereo support
==============
Different functions in Zero-X works different on stereo sounds.
All clipboard functions, Digital NoiseGate and SmartCut always
operates on both channels simultaneously.
AutoLoop and AutoSearch operates on one channel (i.e. left or right)
at a time. Note that there are icons for swapping the current channel
in the toolbar.
Silence, Fade, XFade and Reverse operates on either or both
channels (i.e. left or right) simultaneously.
To AutoLoop or AutoSearch a stereo sound, we recommend you to
run AutoLoop or AutoSearch in both channels. Use Compare Loop to
compare the result between the channels.
If neither result is good enough, XFade the channel who had the worst
looppositions.
More information
================
Read the news.txt file for information on the latest functions
and changes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information on Zero-X contact your local Atari dealer or:
Copson Data:
Conny Pettersson Ph. +46-13-16 41 04
Fax +46-13-16 41 04
Vinga System AB:
Peter Segerdahl Ph. +46-31-42 82 70 (office hours)
Ph. +46-31-42 55 28 (evenings/weekends only)
Fax +46-31-42 82 75
E-mail peter@vinga.se