New waveforms via AMPLE BCE

Ian Guinan of Music City

If you upgraded to the Studio 5000 software from the Music 500's AMPLE BCE I am sure you are very happy with the improvement, but not with the loss of the ability to program your own waveforms and envelopes. All is not lost however. With a little effort you can reclaim the programmable waveform feature from BCE whilst enjoying the programming ease and improved sound of the Studio 5000.

First, backup your Studio 5000/4000 system disc, and on your new copy alter the !BOOT file to remove the */C.PREPARE statement. Now, dig out your old AMPLE BCE disc, start up AMPLE BCE with

*/AMPLE

and load in the preset waveforms with

"Preset1" LOAD RUN

Once these are loaded, press CTRL-BREAK and then !BOOT up your modified Studio 5000/4000 disc. Load in a favourite tune, and just hear the difference!

I am sure you will agree that the results leave a lot to be desired (the Metal waveform has been replaced by a delta wave hence the very weird drums etc.), but it should by now be apparent that you have supplied Nucleus with a whole new set of waveforms.

What has happened requires a little further explanation. The waveforms used by the 500 and 5000 are stored in the synthesiser hardware and with the Studio 5000 software they are set up by the */C.PREPARE command in the !BOOT file (which also reclaims memory from the DFS - see page 89 of the Studio 500 User Guide).

In AMPLE BCE, however, the waveforms are defined and written to the hardware using the AMPLE words WMOD, WH!, WG!, WG?, WHG and WGC. The file 'Preset1' sets up the 13 default waveforms.

Therefore by running 'Preset1' in AMPLE BCE and then taking out the */C.PREPARE step in the Studio 5000 !BOOT file we have allowed the AMPLE BCE waveforms to remain in the synthesiser for use in the Studio 5000 environment.

The waveforms in AMPLE BCE are accessed by number (1 WAVE, 3 WAVE, etc.) whereas the Studio 5000 waveforms are referred to by name (Bright, Broad, etc.). The list below shows which Studio 5000 waveforms (in alphabetical order) relate to which BCE waveforms.

Bright = 1

Broad = 2

Clear = 3

Hard = 4

High = 5

Hollow = (see note below)

Metal = 6

Pipes = 7

Pure = 12

Reedy = 8

Round = 3

Syncer = 10

Sharp = 11

Watery = 13

So, using AMPLE BCE to program a square wave into wave number 8, will result in Reedy having that waveform in the Studio 5000 environment. The names of the Studio 5000 waves are unalterable, so I am afraid you will have to keep the above list handy!

The Nucleus waveform Hollow is slightly strange, but I presume that this is the extra 14th waveform and is preset by the Nucleus ROM - any ideas anyone?

Using this method you may now produce BCE files to program slightly different waves for your Studio 5000 programs. To get you started I have produced a BCE version of the standard Studio 5000 waveforms using the harmonic amplitude graphs on p127-129 of the Studio 5000 User Guide. The program is included on this disc in text format (not as an AMPLE BCE program) in order that members who have not got a copy of AMPLE BCE can see its format. It should therefore be *EXECed into AMPLE BCE from the '%' prompt and then RUN.

I am sure this will provide some quite interesting extra sounds for those of you who have reached the limits of the Nucleus presets.

Have fun!

Related file on this disc:

U.Preset2 - AMPLE BCE version of the Studio 5000 waveforms. In text format, to be *EXECed into AMPLE BCE.

Unfortunately for those members who are interested in the above utility but who have not got a copy of AMPLE BCE, the software is no longer available from Hybrid Technology. It may, however, be possible to purchase the software second-hand from a lapsed Music 500 owner.