playing multi-sounds

[J. Landman Gay]

Judy Perry wrote:
> Scott,
> 
> Was that really the case for 2.4?
> 
> I have a vague recollection of a SNDChannel external but don't recall coming
> across it in HC 2.4.  But I could be wrong.

Sound channels were implemented directly into the HC engine sometime 
after the 2.0 release (can't remember exactly when.)

The advantage of this approach was that some very complex music could be 
created on the fly, using scripting only, without the need for large 
sound files. Similar to MIDI notation, long or complex music could be 
generated using only a short script, and the only resource necessary was 
a small sampling of an instrument sound file. The resulting music 
probably wasn't good enough for commercial work (with the exception 
possibly of some children's software,) but it was wonderful for dynamic 
music generation.

The very best use of sound channels I ever found in HC was a rendition 
of a Bach Chorale. It employed 4-part synchronized harmony, played by 
the embedded "flute" sound that shipped with HyperCard, using a small 
and compact little script. I'm sorry I don't know who transcribed it. 
I'm also sorry that none of my emulators will play all the sound 
channels any more, as it was a beautiful little thing. :(

-- from Bach, Choral(Cantata Nr.39, "Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot")
-- 1-4
put the soundChannel into originalLevel

set the soundChannel to 4
play flute tempo 80 b3bq a bb f g ae bb c4 c3 fq g a bb g fe eb fq b2bh
set the soundChannel to 3
play flute tempo 80 dq c b3b a bb c4 ce b3b aq d4 c b3be a bbq bb a fh
set the soundChannel to 2
play flute tempo 80 fq f f f fe e fq e c g f f eb f fe eb dh
set the soundChannel to 1
play flute tempo 80 bbq c5 d c b4b a g f bb c5 d eb d c b4bh
-- 1-4repeat
set the soundChannel to 4
play flute tempo 80 b3bq a bb f g ae bb c4 c3 fq g a bb g fe eb fq b2bh
set the soundChannel to 3
play flute tempo 80 dq c b3b a bb c4 ce b3b aq d4 c b3be a bbq bb a fh
set the soundChannel to 2
play flute tempo 80 fq f f f fe e fq e c g f f eb f fe eb dh
set the soundChannel to 1
play flute tempo 80 bbq c5 d c b4b a g f bb c5 d eb d c b4bh
-- 5-8
set the soundChannel to 4
play flute tempo 80 bb2q  c3  d  ebe  f  g  f  ebq  dh  d4q  bb3  eb  f 
ge  a  bbq  fh
set the soundChannel to 3
play flute tempo 80 fq  eb  a3e  b  c4q  bb3  eb4  a3h  bbe  c4  dq ebe 
  d  cq  bb3e  c4  d  e  fh
set the soundChannel to 2
play flute tempo 80 bbq  ae  g  f  gs  ab  gq  g  g  gbh  fq  bb  bb  a 
g  fe  g  ah
set the soundChannel to 1
play flute tempo 80 d5q  eb  f  eb  d  c  dh  fq  f  g  f  eb  d  ch
-- 9-13
set the soundChannel to 4
play flute tempo 80 b3bq b2b c3 d3 ebe d cq b2be c3 dq g2h g3q d eb e fe 
eb d b2b f3h b2bh.
set the soundChannel to 3
play flute tempo 80 fe eb dq c f3 g a bb a gh bbq b c4 g3 a bb bb a fh.
set the soundChannel to 2
play flute tempo 80 bbq bb bbe a bb a g f ebq de e f#q gh gq ab ge a bbq 
ae g fq fq. ebe dh.
set the soundChannel to 1
play flute tempo 80 d5e eb fq eb de c b4bq c5 dh b4bh d5e eb fq eb d c d 
ch b4bh.
set the soundChannel to originalLevel


-- 
Jacqueline Landman Gay         |     jacque at hyperactivesw.com
HyperActive Software           |     http://www.hyperactivesw.com