MUSIC PROCESSOR

This is Just Like Music to Your Eyes

by Larry Konecky

The Music Processor, which was written as a visual aid for music
theory classes, could well become a valuable tool in the library of
the musically-inclined computerist.

Provisions are made in the program for saving and loading examples to
and from tape storage, and a screen print program may be used for
printing assignments or short music examples.

The Music Processor itself is menu based, but the menu is not
displayed on the screen. After the program is loaded and "RUN"
entered, all that will appear on the screen is the grand staff on a
black background. Upon the staff may be drawn notes, rests, time
signature, bar lines, accidentals, slurs, fermatas, and pointers.
Below the staff may be placed symbols for figured bass and roman
numeral identification of chords. Control for the placement of the
various symbols is obtained by positioning a blinking cursor with the
right joystick and pressing various keys. Figure 1 is a chart of the
menu and functions of the keys.

The main menu containes nine functions. "C" is the first function
listed. Position the cursor at the desired location by adjusting the
right joystick control and press "C." The cursor will stop blinking
and the functions within the chalk menu may now be chosen. (The keys
in the chalk menu will be discussed later.) Pressing "R" will pass
control to the erase menu. To ensure proper erases of previously
drawn symbols the cursor must be set as close as possible to the
original cursor position used for drawing the symbol to be erased.
Pressing "K" will save to tape all symbols that appear on the screen
and also any that have been improperly erased. Before pressing "K"
you must be sure that the tape is properly positioned, the recorder
set for record, and the volume level properly adjusted. Pressing "M"
will clear the screen and memory of present symbols, will load the
next example stored on tape, and will draw the example onto the
screen. Just as with "K" the tape must be properly positioned and the
recorder properly adjusted for loading of data. Pressing the up
arrow, down arrow, OR left arrow keys will allow drawing of stem up or
stem down notes or rests without having to press "C." Pressing
"CLEAR" erases the screen, erases memory, and redraws the grand staff.
Pressing "Z" provides a memory check and/or redraw function. The
screen is cleared and the musical symbols are redrawn as if they had
been loaded from tape. Remember to position the cursor before
pressing "C," "R," or any of the arrow keys. If the cursor is in the
incorrect location, press "ENTER" and control is returned to the
joystick and main menu.

The chalk menu consists of two parts (staff and below staff). Use of
either part is automatically selected by the position of the cursor.
If the cursor moves below the fourth ledger line below the staff
control is shifted to the below staff menu.

The staff keys, "S" for sharp, "F" for flat, "X" for double sharp, and
"N" for natural are used by placing the cursor on the desired line or
space and pressing the proper key. To place a bar line, position the
cursor in the desired horizontal position anywhere vertically on the
staff and press "B." For time signatures position the cursor in the
desired horizontal position anywhere vertically on the staff, then
press "T," following immediately with four numbers. The numbers will
be placed in the horizontal position of the cursor moving vertically
from the top of the grand staff to the bottom of the staff. The dot
will appear just above the present cursor position. The slur may be
used along with the dot to draw a fermata. The pointer right arrow is
provided for instructional purposes.

Each of the stem or rest keys moves control to a menu allowing
selection of whole, half, quarter, and eighth notes or rests.
Provisions are made to automatically draw up to three ledger lines
above or below both treble and bass staffs. Pressing "C" is optional
with either of these three arrow keys.

Below the staff, placement is limited to four vertical positions for
figured bass symbols and two for Roman numerals. Refer to Figure 2
for three examples of where symbols are placed. Markers are provided
at each side of the screen at the upper Roman numeral position for the
user's convenience.

The erase menu contains two parts (staff and below staff). To erase
stem up or stem down notes or slurs, use the corresponding arrow key
for the notes, and either one for the slur. "N" will erase
accidentals, rests, dots, and pointers. To erase the bar, position
the cursor in the original horizontal position and press "B." (Any
vertical position within the staff will work.) To erase the time
signature, follow the same procedure for positioning the cursor as in
erasing the bar and then press "T." Pressing "ENTER" will switch
control back to the main menu and joystick without making any erases.

Erasing below the staff is provided by pressing any one of the number
keys. In order that proper memory erases occur, position the cursor
in the original position that the particular symbol was drawn. It is
possible for the erases to overlap symbols not intended to be erased.
If this happens, press "Z,"and the example will be redrawn with the
present symbols contained in memory.

Remark statements have been left out of the program because it is
rather lengthy and uses up the majority of the memory of a 16K
machine. If you are not using a screen print program, the dimensions
in statement two of the statement outline may be increased to 70.

Music Processor Keying Chart

Main Menu

C = Chalk
R = Erase
K = Save
M = Load
UP = Stem Up
DOWN = Stem Down
LEFT = Rest
CLEAR = Erase Screen
Z = Memory Check & Redraw

Chalk Menu

STAFF BELOW STAFF (4 lines)
: = Slur 1-9 = Numbers
RIGHT = Pointer S = Sharp
S = Sharp F = Flat
F = Flat X = Double Sharp
X = Double Sharp N = Natural
N = Natural - = -
. = Dot + = +
B = Bar 0 = 0
T = Time Signature D = d
(Plus 4 numbers / = /
top to bottom) I = I
W = Whole V = V
H = Half L = i
E = Eighth U = v

ARROWS = Pointer
ENTER = Return to Main Menu

Erase Menu

STAFF BELOW STAFF (4 lines)
UP = Stem Up 1-9 = Any Erase
DOWN = Stem Down ENTER = Return to Main Menu
N = Accidentals (All erases must be as close to
T = Time Signature original cusror position as
B = Bar possible for proper erases.)