Other ways of creating sound-object prototypes

Importing a MIDI file

This process is self-explanatory: click the button "Import MIDI file" on the dialog shown Fig.2 to import the content of a file to the MIDI stream of a sound-object. If you are using Csound the next comprehensive step would be to click "Convert to Csound" (see §17.8).

Although BP2 recognises type 0, 1 and 2 MIDI file formats, it expects the file to contain a single musical item. Consequently, it will display a warning message if requested to import from a type-2 file containing more than 2 tracks.

Capturing from text

Any " BP2 score", i.e. a string of symbols that BP2 is able to interpret as a musical item, may be captured as a MIDI stream and then pasted to a sound-object prototype. Examples are shown in the data file "-da.makePrototypes".

Select the text score and choose "Capture selection as..." in the "Action" menu, or click the button with the same label on the Control panel. If the MIDI output is active the item is played while it is being captured.

The captured content may then be pasted to a sound-object prototype. If the selection point (the vertical red line) is active, several options are offered:

• "Delete and replace" erases the MIDI sequence of the sound-object prototype and replaces it with the MIDI stream.
• "Insert at insert point" inserts the MIDI stream at the insert point marked by a vertical red line on the sound-object prototype.
• "Replace from insert point" replaces part of the MIDI sequence of the sound-object prototype, starting at the insert point marked by a vertical red line, with the MIDI stream.
• "Merge from insert point" merges MIDI messages in the MIDI stream with the ones contained in the sound-object prototype, starting at the insert point marked by a vertical red line.
• "Insert before" inserts the MIDI stream before the MIDI sequence of the sound-object prototype.
• "Append" appends the MIDI stream after the MIDI sequence of the sound-object prototype.

Capturing from a tick cycle

A tick cycle programmed in the "Time base" dialog (see §4.3) may be captured as a MIDI stream. Click button "Capture" in the "Time base" dialog (see Fig.18) and paste the result as indicated §2.3.1.

Note that a new sound-object prototype captured from a tick cycle is automatically declared periodical (see §2.5).