



		       THE PURPOSE OF THE "READ.ME" FILE

This documentation contains additional information that	may be useful for
users to better	understand the PLAYREC program.	 We have also included some
corrections that should	be made	to the User's Manual supplied with the PLAYREC
product.

You can	print out this document	as suggested in	the user's manual, i.e,
from the DOS prompt (usually "A>", or "C>");

type		A>Ctrl-P   (hold the Ctrl key down while typing	the letter P),
and then type	A>type read.me

Note that the Ctrl-P turns on a	DOS function to	print whatever is being
displayed on your screen.

NOTE:  Don't forget to reset this printing option by issuing another Ctrl-P
       after printing is completed or everything else you display will be
       printed!
PLAYREC	version	1.0 / KAPI version 1.0	READ.ME	by YAMAHA		Page 2
								 14 March 1987


		    GETTING STARTED WITH PLAYREC

Prior to running the PLAYREC program, you must make a copy of the original
PLAYREC	program	diskette.  Follow the instructions in your manual with the
exception noted	below.

See note 1 below in the	section	called USER'S MANUAL UPDATES.

After installing your IBM PC Music Feature card(s), and	the PLAYREC program
following the instructions in the PLAYREC manual (AND NOTE 1 BELOW), users
should try the exercises below to gain quick familiarity with some of the
capabilities of	the PLAYREC program:

A.  Boot your machine with DOS (version	2.1 or higher).
B.  Load the PLAYREC program by	typing "PLR", and the Enter key	(RETURN).
    NOTE: the PLAYREC program should be	in drive A: or drive C:	depending on
	  where	you are	executing the program.
C.  When loading is complete, the PLAYREC main screen will be displayed.

Now try	the following steps to get started with	PLAYREC:

PLAY your MIDI keyboard	- the instrument you hear should be a
piano.	If not,	check your installation	and all	connections.

NOTE: MAKE SURE	YOUR MIDI KEYBOARD IS SET TO MIDI CHANNEL 1!

NOTE: MAKE SURE	THE CURSOR IS IN THE TOP LEFT POSITION ON THE SCREEN
      WHICH IS THE "SETUP NUMBER" POSITION.

SETUP 1)  PLAY your MIDI keyboard - WITH AN AUTOMATIC ACCOMPANIMENT!

	-  Depress the "+" sign	ONCE (to load setup number 1).
	-  Depress Function Key	9 to start (F9:Start).
	-  PLAY	your MIDI keyboard instrument (a piano)	in time
	   with	the automatic accompaniment!
	-  When	finished with playing along with the accompaniment,
	   press F10:Stop.

SETUP 2)  RECORD BOTH the automatic accompaniment, and YOUR melody!

	-  Depress the "+" sign	ONCE MORE (to load setup number	2).
	-  Depress Function Key	9 to start (F9:Start to	begin the
	   recording of	the music).
	-  PLAY	your MIDI keyboard instrument (a piano)	in time
	   with	the automatic accompaniment!
	-  When	finished with recording, press F10:Stop.
	-  When	F10:Stop is depressed, recording stops and a popup
	   window appears (MERGE/REPLACE/DISCARD); using the "arrow
	   down" key, move to the REPLACE OPTION and press Enter.
	   Answer the question "Are you	Sure? (Y/N)" by	typing y,
	   and your song will be kept in memory.

SETUP 3)  PLAYBACK the music YOU just recorded!

PLAYREC	version	1.0 / KAPI version 1.0	READ.ME	by YAMAHA		Page 3
								 14 March 1987


	-  Depress the "+" sign	ONCE MORE (to load setup number	3).
	-  Depress Function Key	9 to start (F9:Start to	begin the
	   playback of the music).
	-  You should then hear	the music that you recorded in setup 2.
	-  When	finished with playback,	PLAYREC	will display the
	   message, "End of Song"!

Note 1:	You may	repeat any of the above	steps; just remember to	press
	the "+"	or "-" keys with the cursor in the "setup" position to
	cause PLAYREC to set up	the step prior to trying them!	Check the
	top left cursor	position of the	PLAYREC	main screen to make sure
	that the correct setup is in place for the step	you wish to use!

Note 2:	If you have trouble with any of	the above steps, exit PLAYREC
	by depressing the key labeled "Esc" (Escape) and start over
	from setup 1.  If this process does not	help, check the
	installation process to	make sure everything has been properly
	installed.  Also see Note 3 below.

Note 3:	You should have	prepared your COPY of the PLAYREC programs on the
	floppy disk or hard disk.  Our factory set PLAYREC.STU file (one of
	the PLAYREC program files) has information to make the above exercise
	possible.  If you think	the contents of	PLAYREC.STU has	already	been
	updated, please	copy the original PLAYREC files	to your	system again.


If you succeeded in performing the above steps,	you have now been introduced
to PLAYREC, the	interactive music recording and	playback program for the IBM
PC Music Feature!

We now recommend that you read the PLAYREC User's Manual for complete details
on the program.	 Have fun, and great music!
PLAYREC	version	1.0 / KAPI version 1.0	READ.ME	by YAMAHA		Page 4
								 14 March 1987


			      SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

1.  Memory requirements

    -  PLAYREC's minimum memory	requirement is 256K bytes.
       However,	to enjoy its full capability, we recommend that	a minimum of
       384K bytes of memory be installed in your system.
    -  With a 256K byte	system,	you can	play (i.e, perform from	a MIDI
       keyboard) your system as	a basic	keyboard instrument.  However, the
       lack of extra memory will result	in some	limitations of performance.
    -  Major limitations due to	256K bytes:
	- MicroSoft mouse may not be usable (not enough	memory to load or use)
	- Recording and	playback of your performance may not be	possible
	  due to the lack of memory.


2.  Disk drives

    It is a good idea that you organize	your own directory system to hold
    PLAYREC program and	performance data files in an easy and systematic
    way.  The very first time when PLAYREC is booted up, PLAYREC makes
    the	following assumptions for your directory:

			     PLAYREC system	     Data files	(e.g., songs)
			     --------------	     ----------
	Hardfile system	    "current drive"		 C:

	2 floppy disks		  A:			 B:

	1 floppy disk	    "current drive"	    "current drive"


    Notes:

	1.  Default directory is assumed to be the "current" directory.

	2.  When the drive and path setting are	changed	in the Filer, they
	    are	remembered and used from the next time you start PLAYREC
	    from DOS.  The Filer is invoked by pressing	F4:File.

	3.  PLAYREC keeps PLAYREC.STU updated to contain various user default
	    information	and directory path information EVERY TIME PLAYREC IS
	    EXITED.  To	enable this to work, the system	diskette containing
	    PLAYREC should NOT be write-protected.

	4.  Again, a reminder:	Prior to running the PLAYREC program, you must
	    make a copy	of PLAYREC using the original write-protected 5.25" or
	    3.5" original master PLAYREC diskette.  See	note 1 below in	the
	    section called USER'S MANUAL UPDATES.

	5.  If you experience significant difficulty with any of PLAYREC's
	    functions, defaults, or any	other persistent problem, make another
	    copy of your master	PLAYREC	diskette and try again.
PLAYREC	version	1.0 / KAPI version 1.0	READ.ME	by YAMAHA		Page 5
								 14 March 1987


			     USER'S MANUAL UPDATES



1.  Page 6, item 3: under "Hard	disk"

	"copy a:*.*/c:\playrec"	 must be "copy a:*.* c:\playrec".
	(you must NOT type the forward slash, you MUST type a space!)


2.  Page 69, 4th paragraph; "The MIDI channel over which information will be
	recorded....." must be removed.

	The Recording MIDI channel is only changed in the MASTER CONTROL
	panel.
	It is indicated	at the bottom of the MTR panel as a reminder.
	It may be slightly difficult to	understand the concept of Recording
	MIDI channel. Please read Help for the Recording MIDI channel, and
	the PLAY/RECORD	section	of the PLAYREC USER'S GUIDE.


3. Page	61, Voice edit window, under "sustain"

	The sustain range of 0-31 should be 0-15.
	0 is short and 15 is the longest.


4. Page	77, MASTER CONTROL panel

	In "Voice bank file" and "Accompaniment	pattern	file", default file
	names are "vbank0.V48" and "user.ptn" respectively.  These should be
	"user.V48" and "user.ABC" respectively.	 Note that system default file
	names are initially brought up from the	PLAYREC	system directory which
	you can	of course change later.	 If new	default	file names are not
	found at the next bootup time, PLAYREC will again use these default
	file names from	the system (this is automatically done and NO MESSAGE
	is generated).	For details how	to change default file names, please
	refer to users manual and Help of the PLAYREC.
PLAYREC	version	1.0 / KAPI version 1.0	READ.ME	by YAMAHA		Page 6
								 14 March 1987


			USEFUL CLUES FOR ADVANCED USAGE



1. How to playback a song created in ABC mode in the MTR mode

   When	you load the song that was recorded in ABC mode, the Play MIDI channel
   of each track (1-4) is already assigned to the following:

	Track1:	Play MIDI ch=1
	Track2:	Play MIDI ch=12
	Track3:	Play MIDI ch=13
	Track4:	Play MIDI ch=M (containing data	for MIDI channels 14,15,16)

   According to	the above track	usage, the following is	a recommended MTR
   instrument usage to match the above track configuration:

	Inst1:	Keyboard1 voice		ch=1	notes (1 to n)
	Inst2:	Optional voice
	Inst3:	Optional voice
	Inst4:	Chord voice		ch=12	notes (3 to 4)
	Inst5:	Bass voice		ch=13	notes (1)
	Inst6:	HHt voice		ch=14	notes (1)
	Inst7:	SDr voice		ch=15	notes (1)
	Inst8:	BDr voice		ch=16	notes (1)

   Inst2 and Inst3 can be used if there	is more	than one IBM PC	Music Feature
   card	installed for extra instruments	and additional tracks or simply	used
   as an "in unison" instrument	of an existing track.

   E.g., if ch=1 is assigned to	inst2, then Inst1 and Inst2 are	played
	 simultaneously	by track 1.


2. Note	for percussive voices used by accompaniment

   For the accompaniment voices, percussion sounds (HHt, SDr, BDr) are the
   hardest kind	of voices to synthesize.  Using	the IBM	PC Music Feature Card,
   we prepared custom percussive voices	for voice 33 to	48 of Bank 2.

   Generally speaking, the percussive voice has	no pitch.  Voices (33-48)
   of Bank2 are	assumed	to be played at	a predetermined	pitch which we think
   best	represents their intended sound	and we therefore attached the intended
   pitch name to the voice name.  Because of this, when	you select these
   voices PLAYREC automatically	uses the pitch stated by the selected voices.

   This	is true	even if	you try	to use voices 33-48 in another bank for
   accompaniment.  Voices numbered between 1-32	are assumed to be used at the
   pitch of C3 (middle C).  You	could use any voice of any bank	as a
   percussive sound but	be prepared for	the special pitch considerations
   above.

3. Connecting percussion to an external	rhythm machine

PLAYREC	version	1.0 / KAPI version 1.0	READ.ME	by YAMAHA		Page 7
								 14 March 1987


   If you turn the percussion volume "off", the	notes that would normally be
   played by the IBM PC	Music Feature card will	be fed out (via	the MIDI OUT
   connection) to any attached external	MIDI device on MIDI channel 14.
   (This is true even in SINGLE/DUAL/SPLIT mode).

   For example,	if you have a YAMAHA RX17 or RX21 rhythm machine, turn off the
   internal PLAYREC percussion volume (if in SINGLE/ACC	mode), set the MIDI
   channel of the rhythm machine to MIDI channel 14, set OMNI mode OFF to the 
   rhythm machine, and set note	(pitch)-instrument assignment to the factory
   default setting for the rhythm machine.  You	will hear the percussion
   accompaniment on the	RX machine with	the corresponding RX voices instead
   of the PLAYREC voices.

   In ABC SINGLE mode, you have	8 notes	assigned to keyboard1 and still	enjoy
   the rhythm peformance via the RX machine.  If you have other	RX machines,
   you need to match note assignment of	voices of the RX to the	pitches	found
   on the voice	names 33-48 in PLAYREC.


4. Optional arguments to PLAYREC.EXE

   Although PLAYREC program can	run perfectly fine with	its default
   parameters, you can also change some	useful program parameters via
   optional command line arguments to PLAYREC.EXE.

   The general format for parameter specification is;

   At the DOS prompt: PLAYREC -x1 -x2 ...

	 where -x1, -x2, ...  are parameters whose functions are explained
	 below.	 When errors are detected in the command line, the bad
	 parameter and any succeeding parameters are ignored.
	 Please	exercise caution when entering parameters.

   -s	 (silent echo)

	 Inhibits echoing of parameters	prompt from being displayed when
	 PLAYREC command is executed.

   -m	 (monitor type=monochrome)

	 When specified, color selections for the screen is forced to use
	 monochrome set.  This is useful to explicitly set monochrome color
	 set if	the machine is equipped	with monochrome	display	but used as
	 CGA mode.

	 If not	specified, PLAYREC automatically judges	monochrome/CGA mode by
	 hardware status.

   -fnnn (fill-in MIDI control number)

	 This allows you to select the control number of MIDI control change
	 to be assigned	to the ABC Accompaniment mode "fill-in"	control.

PLAYREC	version	1.0 / KAPI version 1.0	READ.ME	by YAMAHA		Page 8
								 14 March 1987


	 The control change message is

		Bxh nnn	7Fh

	   Bxh is control change message byte in hex, and
	   nnn is control number (0 - 127) to be assigned.
	   Default setting by PLAYREC is,

	       nnn=67 (43h)    soft pedal

	 If your keyboard does not have	a soft pedal, suggestions are;

	       nnn=64 (40h)    sustain pedal or
		  =66 (42h)    sostenute or
		  =96 (60h)    DX7 increment switch or
		  =97 (61h)    DX7 decrement switch

   -tnnn (MPU busy threshold)

	 This argument controls	the period between MPU "gets" by the MIDI
	 processing module and the timing that MPU slows down the tempo	to
	 30 BPM.  nnn=1	to 32767 and, length of	the period is,

	       nnn*40 ms.

	 nnn=125 (125*40=5sec) is used as the PLAYREC default.

   -n	  (number of cards limit)

	 This number n = 1, 2, 3, or 4 limits the number of useable cards by
	 PLAYREC to the	specified number, even if there	are more cards
	 installed.

   Example usage;

   At the DOS prompt: PLAYREC -s -t100 -m

	I.E., MPU busy threshold 4 sec,	monochrome mode, and do	not echo
	      prompts for arguments.


THIS IS	THE END	OF THE READ.ME FILE!

