**************T-StarCd V4.3 - WAVEFORM EDITOR - HOW TO USE***************
PLEASE NOTE: Tstar CD records, plays back, and masters using
CD quality 16 bit 44.1Khz. 
(PLEASE READ PARA 10 on using waveform displays to synch tracks.) 
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      FUNCTION                       BUTTONS TO CLICK
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1. Display a tracks waveform.        After recording a new track, and
( NOTE : make sure your display      clicking STOP to stop recording ;
  is set to 800 by 600 -             Click its Fnn button to display
  SMALL FONTS 96 dpi.)               the new tracks waveform.
                                     Each track has its own panel. 
                                     3 secs of audio are displayed
                                     at a time. 
                                     The waveform will provide a 
                                     guide as to level. If it is cut
                                     off too much by the top or bottom 
                                     of its panel - then the signal 
                                     is possibly too "hot".
                                     When you mix - this could mean 
                                     you get a "over level" master.
                                     So - when mixing a lot of tracks -
                                     best to lower their vol faders.
                                     You can use the MX-->1/2 to SPLIT,
                                     then see each mix channels waveform.
                                     by clicking the F01/F02 buttons, 
                                     to see if you mixed too "hot".
                                     OR - of course - use an external
                                     editor.                           
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2. Solo track part.                  Click tracks Fnn (solo waveform),
                                     and the 3 secs will play. 
                                     Automatic stop.
                                     (if wave not displayed - click
                                     Fnn button - hide/show waveform.)
                                     If you ever get a "param out of
                                     range" - it means there is not 
                                     3 secs to play. In this case use
                                     The 1 sec option(see para 7).
                                     
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3. Back & Fwd.                       Click these to go forward and
                                     back by 3 secs in wave displays.
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4. m+ and m- .                       Click these for longer tracks 
                                     you want to edit.
                                     You can advance or go back 
                                     one minute at a time.
                                     To get to a waveform FAST -
                                     click on P - in dialogue enter
                                     a time. Click show waves.
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5. Editing out noise.                I wrote the waveform editor 
 (NOTE : In previous version         in particular to be very fast in
  of T-star - i built in undo -      doing this function. eg : noisy 
  but due to PC architecture -       guitar amps, between sections.
  this meant longer display times,   When the waveform is displayed - 
  on big 4 minute files -            - use the FWD key and page through
  so - its taken out.                it. Where you see just a straight
  Now - its very fast on erase,      line - solo it - and you will 
  so - if you are not confident      hear any noise.  
  of your editing precision,         (Click Fnn to solo it). 
  use Windows explorer to copy       Particularly you'll hear any amp
  the track before editing,          noise. To silence the noise -
  in case you inadvertently          Just press and hold the left 
  erase some signal you did not      mouse button ,
  mean to !! To restore the          where you want to silence from,
  track - just delete the messed     and drag to the right.
  up one , and rename the copy       But not as far as the waveform -
  using explorer to a Tnn.)          otherwise you'll delete part of 
                                     audio you recorded. Let up the 
                                     left mouse button to end.
                                     ( A red box guides you !!)
                                     A TIP ! : to minimise any edit 
                                     "clicks" - if you can - start an
                                     edit in a waveform "valley".
                                     ie : near the centre line - where
                                     its low amplitude. You will hear 
                                     more clicks if you start the edit
                                     at the top of a waveform.
                                     
                                     It is very easy to use - as the 
                                     waveform is optimally zoomed.
                                     A TIP : if you want to assess
                                     your PC audio noise - easily.
                                     Just turn off the external device
                                     feeding the line in, 
                                     (NOT THE SOUND CARD !!) and record
                                     a blank track and stop. 
                                     Click on the tracks Fnn (solo),
                                     to hear for any noise.
                                     Also - there will be just a line
                                     for low noise.
                                     Having established you have a 
                                     low noise audio card. You can
                                     use the same trick to record a 
                                     blank track from an external 
                                     device, and test its noise.
                                     If you dont hear it, and there is 
                                     no waveform - you should be a 
                                     low noise recording environment.
                                     So dont worry !
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6. Editing out signal.               eg : say you hear a part of your
                                     track where one can hear a finger
                                     scratch on the strings. 
                                     And you want it gone.
                                     Same as before - just press down
                                     and hold left mouse button - and
                                     drag to the right to the end of
                                     the scratch then let up button. 
                                     Good editing is a really fine art.
                                     So - just record/edit some of your
                                     playing to get a feel for editing.
                                     Please note - your free to use a 
                                     more sophisticated editor if you
                                     want to. As mentioned in Help -
                                     just click on S - enter its full
                                     path - and then on O of song to 
                                     call it. I just wanted a feature
                                     in the app for quickly editing
                                     out noise or bad mistakes.
                                     I have some more "tricks" - i hope
                                     to make this editor perform as 
                                     time goes on.
                                     
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7. 1 sec                             
                                     This lets you edit one second
                                     at a time for more precise edits.
                                     In the normal tracks 3 sec panel - 
                                     just click on the waveform
                                     second you want displayed and 
                                     then click 1 sec.
                                     one second of audio is displayed.
                                     If you click on Fnn(Solo waveform)
                                     one second will play. 
                                     (Stop is automatic.)
                                     Once again - to edit - just
                                     hold down left mouse button and
                                     drag to the right, and let up. 
                                    
                                     Once again - try and start/end 
                                     edits at the lower end of the 
                                     waveform near the centre line
                                     which limits edit "clicks".
                                     To leave 1 sec function - 
                                     click the label that says 
                                     "Back to 3 secs display."
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10. Using waveform displays          You can easily check if a new 
    to synch tracks.                 track you just recorded or even
                                     a punch-in is synched properly.
                                     Click on tks Fnn button to 
                                     display the new recordings wave.
                                     eg : If T01 is the click track - 
                                     you will easily see if what you
                                     you just recorded (say T02 )
                                     is advanced or behind the beat.
                                     By clicking on wavelets the actual
                                     sample numbers are displayed in
                                     the user message line.
                                     You can then use the recently 
                                     recorded tracks Fnn (menu shift), 
                                     to align the track perfectly by
                                     inserting or deleting samples.
                                     This helps where either you 
                                     experience "latency" on your system
                                     or playing is not spot on.
                                     The waveform display updates 
                                     automatically. ie : you will 
                                     actually see the track move relative
                                     to the others as you add or delete
                                     samples !! This lets you synch 
                                     "purrrrfectly" !!
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Please note - the reason i put time limits like 1 minute on certain 
functions below is NOT to be user unfriendly. I did it because   
current PC architectures can take quite a time to process. 
Due to the no of samples to be processed. From exhaustive tests
1 minute seemed to be the most optimum for a quick PC response.
As PC's become faster - i hope to increase this to the length of your
typical song. Oh how i wish for 2ghz processing speeds, and 1 zillion
rpm drives storing terabytes !!
Please note - hover mouse over button for tips.
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11. V+/V- ( boost/cut amplitude).    After clicking at two points on
                                     the wavelet or range - just enter 
                                     the per cent of boost (V+) or 
                                     cut needed (V-). Click the label.
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12. Deleting a track from a point    Assuming the tracks waveform 
    to end of track.(DA button.)     is displayed ( Click Fnn ),
( eg : " oh drats i played ok        Left click on the waveform
for the first minute but then        where you want the cut to start.
totally mucked up,                   Then click DA.
I'll save wot i got but              You can override start sample.
record a new track from              
where i made the error." !!)         
                                     Note : T-star for other good
                                     technical reasons i wont bore you
                                     with actually adjusts to nearest
                                     second. If you dont want to hear
                                     this last second - just silence
                                     by holding down the left mouse btn
                                     and dragging to the right. 
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13. Delete a sample range.(DR).      Click twice on the waveform to 
( eg : " nah - dont like that        get the start sample and again
bridge idea - cut it out             for the end sample. If you notice
completely - and have verse 2        boxes are autofilled.
immediately after verse 1. " !!)     Click DR.
                                     To override - just type in box.
                                     
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14. Silence sample range.(SR).       as in 13. click twice.
( eg : " sheesh - first part of      Once for start and once for end
the lead break was awfull. " !!)     on waveform.
                                     Click SR. 
                                     In this case no cut is done.                                                                     
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15. Copy a range & paste to same tk. This time click on the 
( eg : " Boy i could use that        track at three different points.
great organ sound from song intro    Start, end , and paste to.
- after the bridge at a minute to    Click PR.
overwrite where i mucked up big      If you want multiple pastes
time. " !!) (PR).                    to same track enter no of 
                                     pastes and interval. 
                                     
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16. Copy part of a track but         As in 14 - 3 clicks.
    paste to a different recorded    First two on source tracks waves.
    track.(PR).                      But third  click on the  
( eg : " I like that chorus on T03   destination tracks wave at the
- think i'll copy it to track 5 -    point you want to paste to. 
and sit it just behind track 3 to    If you want ONE PASTE only.
get a bit of doubling. " !! )        Leave BPM, no of pastes, and 
( eg : " i need a click track        interval blank. 
- think i'll use a hi-hat sample".)  If you want MULTIPLE PASTES OF
                                     THE SAME COPY - enter the no
                                     of pastes, and the interval 
                                     between each in samples.
                                     If you want the interval auto
                                     calcd - just enter the no of 
                                     pastes you want in a minute
                                     in the BPM box -
                                     and leave no of pastes, and 
                                     interval blank.
                                     Click PR.
                                      
                                     The source track box is auto 
                                     filled for you as are the start,
                                     end, destination track, and 
                                     paste start sample as you  
                                     click on the waveforms. 
                                     All boxes can be overridden by 
                                     typing in them except for track
                                     numbers for obvious reasons.
 
                                     Its S M A R T !!
                                     In fact once you get adept - 
                                     you'll only look at the bottom
                                     after 3 rapid fire clicks.
                                     And you'll see actions reflected.
                                     EXPERIMENT !! Its very powerfull !
                                     Examples of use include -
                                     repeating rhythm tracks, sounds
                                     cueing at different times eg : 
                                     a lion roar between two guitar 
                                     licks , techno , soundtracks, 
                                     and many others. See Tips.txt 
                                     for more examples.
** OTHER TIPS**
Sometimes I firstly record a click track - on T01.
Then a TRICK i use is to connect a midi synth or drum machine with
pads to the sound card - then record on a track - say T02 - 
the beat eg : bom, chaka, bom, chaka - in free form with my fingers
hitting the keys of the synth or drum pads in time with the click.
ie: recording actual drum samples for a bar or two. Then on STOP - 
Fnn (waveform) to display the waveform. Click Fnn to solo - so i can 
listen to my free form playing with my fingers on the keyboard or pads.
I then get the best bar - edit it if need be using bottom buttons
 - making sure its in beat with the click -
Then i copy this one bar for the times i need to the same track.
eg : using PR. 
Another trick is to use a drum machine to record a track.
Then replace the wavelets with other samples you want to use - but
at the same time points. Any old drum machine will do - as you are 
replacing the samples anyway with say a CD of magnificent drum 
samples you bought. Recording a drum machine will also give you a good
idea of interval sample numbers between pastes when building your
own drum tracks, and using the interval box in the range dialogue.
And what intervals you need for different time signatures.
For example - what intervals between samples do you need for a 
cha cha, or tango feel ?? A drum machine will help you.
For example pasting 4 short hi-hat taps with an interval of 1000 will 
give you more of a rat-a-tat sound. Whereas an interval of 20000
will give you a click track feel. Leaving longer intervals
will then leave spaces for you to fill with different samples.
Shorter interval will give you a faster sounding drum track - longer
will give you slower - depending where you put the samples and how many. 
In summary - i've built a drum machine in SOFTWARE into Tstar.
I did this as i like to use real samples versus midi.
If you want to build quickly a click track - this is where BPM can
help you. Lets say you have a hi-hat sample on T03 , and T02 is already
set up as a blank track of a length greater than a minute.
Try this - click 3 times - at beginning and end of hi-hat 
wavelet, then on 0 sample point (extreme left) of T03.
In dialogue enter say a bpm 0f 180. 1 in mins. Now click PR. Done.
You now have a click track. Now you can start replacing hi-hat
samples with others like kick, snare etc etc. using SP buttons.
Just the other day i heard a new click track - and voila -
gave me a new song idea. 
REALLY TAKE THE TIME TO EXPERIMENT WITH THE FEATURES - and you'll 
learn lots of neat tricks to do. ie : go more deeply than just a 
quick look. DA,SA,DR,SR,PR,BPM etc and the SP buttons are VERY
POWERFULL, and VERSATILE !!
Also - sometimes - by accident - i create a great rhythm just by
pasting in the wrong place ! A Tip :  use PR plus interval
to get say 10 pastes in 2 secs of a drum - then start silencing 
individual wavelets to see what rhythms you get. 
Over time - there are more tricks i hope to add for us 
"two fingered drummers" !! I would also like to get feedback from 
musicians on whether they would like an automatic drum fill with
samples feature which i've been working on. ie : as the multi-track
is playing when you hit a key on the PC keyboard a neat drum fill 
is auto created for you - all in real time. Please give me feedback !!


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