|Aͻͻ
|A |6Melody Machine|A  ^1Make-A-Melody |Aͺ |6Melody Machine|A 
|Aͼͼ
^Cby
^CChuck Fain

    ^1MAKE-A-MELODY^0 provides all the features you need to compose melodies 
 to play on your PC.  If you're not a composer, don't worry, you can also type 
 songs in from sheet music.  Once your musical masterpiece is complete, you 
 can play it with MAKE-A-MELODY or save it to disk and use PLAY-A-MELODY.  
 
    Make-A-Melody requires a graphics adapter.  If you are using a Hercules 
 or compatible adapter, you should load SIMCGA before running this program.  
 SIMCGA is available on the Big Blue Disk Video Utilities Disk.  For your free 
 copy, call 1-800-831-2694 and one of our operators will be happy to help you.
 

 ^1SOME USEFUL DEFINITIONS

    You will encounter certain musical terms using MAKE-A-MELODY.  While not a 
 requirement for using this program, you will probably find an understanding of 
 the following words to be helpful. 

    Note:     The printed representation or notation of a musical pitch upon 
              the lines or spaces of the musical staff.  

    Octave:   In loose terms, establishes the pitch at which a note is played.

    Pitch:    An aural musical sound, a visible representation which can be
              placed on the lines or spaces of a musical staff as a note.

    Rest:     A measured silence or pause in a composition equal in value or 
              duration to the note value it replaces.

    Staff:    A group of five horizontal lines and four spaces connected by 
              a brace upon which musical pitches are written.
             
    Flat,
    Sharp,
    Natural:  Terms used by musical convention to determine whether a note is
              to be raised or lowered by a half-tone.  A ^1Flat^0ted note is 
              played a half-tone lower than its corresponding ^1Natural^0.  
              A ^1Sharp^0ed note is played a half-tone higher than its 
              corresponding ^1Natural^0. 


 ^1MAIN MENU OPTIONS

    Once you press a key to get past the opening title screen, the music 
 editor is displayed.  Positioned approximately in the center of the screen is 
 the MAIN MENU box.  The available options are ADD, CHANGE, DELETE, and QUIT.
 Use the <UP> and <DOWN> arrow keys to move the flashing highlight box to the 
 option you wish to perform.  You may also press the first character of the 
 function (for example "A" for ADD) to position the highlight box.  Once the 
 function you want is highlighted, press <ENTER> to perform that option.  

    You will notice that a box, located near the bottom of the screen, contains 
 help information.  During your use of the program this information will change 
 to reflect the current options available for the function you are performing. 
 If you are not sure what to do next, look to this region of the screen for 
 help. 
 

 ^1ADDING NOTES

    The ADD NOTES function allows you to add musical information to either 
 an existing song or a new one you are creating.  You will only be prompted 
 for selecting a note placement position on an existing song.  If you are 
 creating a new song, you will skip this step and be prompted for Note or 
 Rest information first.
 
    Use the <LEFT> and <RIGHT> arrow keys to position the flashing Selector 
 Box on the Staff (located in the upper region of the screen).  You may move 
 the Selector Box to any location on the Staff that contains either a Note, a 
 Rest, or the next available position in the composition. Press <ENTER> to 
 designate the current Selector Box location as the point to add music.  If 
 that location is occupied, any additional musical information you enter will 
 be placed in front of that position.  You may return to the Main Menu at any 
 time by pressing <ESC>. 
 
    Select either a Note or a Rest by pressing the <UP> or <DOWN> arrow 
 keys.  Use the <LEFT> or <RIGHT> arrow keys to position the Selector Box 
 and press <ENTER> to register your selection.  At this point you have 
 established the length of time to hold the Note or Rest.  

    If you have selected a Rest, you will not be prompted for any additional 
 information associated with this position.  Once you press <ENTER>, the 
 selected Rest will be placed on the Staff and a new position to the right of 
 the current location will be opened.  You may return to the Main Menu at any 
 time by pressing <ESC>. 

    Use the <LEFT> or <RIGHT> arrow keys to position the Selector Box on the 
 Octave.  Keep in mind that the Octave establishes the Pitch.  The lower the 
 Octave value, the lower the Pitch.  Once you have positioned the Selector Box, 
 press <ENTER>.

    Select either Natural, Sharp, or Flat by pressing the <UP> or <DOWN> arrow 
 keys.  Use the <LEFT> or <RIGHT> arrow keys to position the Selector Box and 
 press <ENTER> to register your selection.  While you are establishing the 
 Natural, Sharp, or Flat you may also adjust the Note and Octave values.  A 
 complete outline of those editing keys is included in the Help Box located at 
 the bottom of the screen. 
    
    Once you press <ENTER> the selected Note will be placed on the Staff and 
 a new position to the right of the current location will be opened and you 
 will be prompted to enter Note information.  While in the ADD function, you 
 can repeat this process of adding information as many times as you like.  You 
 may return to the Main Menu at any time by pressing <ESC>. 
 

 ^1CHANGING NOTES

    Similar to the ADD function, use the <LEFT> and <RIGHT> arrow keys to 
 position the flashing Selector Box on the Staff.  Move the Selector Box to any 
 location on the Staff that contains either a Note or a Rest and press <ENTER> 
 to edit the contents.  Return to the Main Menu at any time by pressing <ESC>. 
    
    Select either Natural, Sharp, or Flat by pressing the <UP> or <DOWN> arrow 
 keys.  Use the <LEFT> or <RIGHT> arrow keys to position the Selector Box and 
 press <ENTER> to register your selection.  While you are changing the Natural, 
 Sharp, or Flat you can also adjust the Note and Octave values.  A complete 
 outline of those editing keys is included in the Help Box located at the 
 bottom of the screen. 

    Once you press <ENTER>, the edited information will be placed on the Staff 
 and you will be prompted to select another Note or Rest.  While in the CHANGE 
 function, you can repeat this process as many times as you like or press <ESC> 
 to return to the Main Menu. 
 

 ^1DELETING NOTES

    Just like the CHANGE function, use the <LEFT> and <RIGHT> arrow keys to 
 position the flashing Selector Box on the Staff.  Move the Selector Box to any 
 location on the Staff that contains either a Note or a Rest and press <ENTER> 
 to delete the contents.  You can repeat this process as many times as you 
 like or press <ESC> to return to the Main Menu.  
 

 ^1FUNCTION KEYS
 
    There are numerous additional functions available in Make-A-Melody.  
 Located on the center righthand side of the screen is a list of these 
 functions.  The following list is a description of each: 

     <F1>  --  Note Help

        Displays information describing the various Notes, Rests, Tempos, 
        and Durations.


     <F2>  --  Set Duration/Tempo

        Use the <LEFT> and <RIGHT> arrow keys to move the Selector Box to 
        the Duration setting of your choice.  Press <ENTER> to register your 
        selection.  Repeat the process for setting Tempo. 


     <F3>  --  Play Song

        Plays the entire song currently loaded into memory.


     <F4>  --  Play: Mark to Note
        
        Plays a song from a note you specify (see <F6>) to the current 
        position of the Selector Box.


     <F5>  --  Load Song
 
        Use the <UP>, <DOWN>, <LEFT>, and <RIGHT> arrow keys to move the 
        highlight box to the name of a file you wish to load.  Press <ENTER> to 
        load the file.


     <F6>  --  Mark Position
        
        Marks the current position of the Selector Box as the position to 
        start playing from when Play: Mark to Note.  The "Marked" Note will 
        have a set of parenthesis around the Octave value. 


     <F7>  --  Save Song

        Use the <UP>, <DOWN>, <LEFT>, and <RIGHT> arrow keys to move the 
        highlight box to the name of the file you wish to save.  If you wish 
        to store the song with a new name, move the cursor to file name box and 
        enter the new name (exclude the extension).  Remember, a DOS file name 
        is limited to eight characters.


     <F8>  --  Play Last 10 Notes
        
        Plays the ten notes prior to the current Selector Box position.  This 
        function is extremely useful while composing and editing a song.  


     <F9>  --  Erase Song 
        
        Allows you to erase the current song from memory.  NOTE: This function 
        only erases the song from memory not disk. 

^C^1MAKE-A-MELODY requires a Graphics Adapter.^0

       To run this program outside ^1Big Blue Disk^0, type:  ^1MAM^0.   
 
 DISK FILES THIS PROGRAM USES:
^FMAM.EXE
^FREST.SPT
^FNOTES.SPT

