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Sound effects?
#1
Can anyone suggest how I could make some half-reasonable beeper sound effects? My initial experiments with BEEP are.... uninspiring. :-D

I was wondering if there was a tool or something that I could use to create some snazzier effects and then somehow integrate those into my ZXBasic setup? Or are there any tricks that people use to get more out of BEEP?

Thanks!
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#2
For music, you could try beepola: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://freestuff.grok.co.uk/beepola/">http://freestuff.grok.co.uk/beepola/</a><!-- m -->

What are you looking for? Lasers zaps and bangs?
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#3
I'm not really sure, just anything that doesn't sound like 'beep'. :-)

I've seen Beepola before but never had a play with it. I'm not exactly 'talented' in the music department, but we'll see how it goes.
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#4
Beepola seems quite amusing, although I'm still not entirely convinced that I have any musical talent whatsoever! It would be nice to add a couple of little jingles to my game though, and the Special FX engine sounds quite nice even without any talent. :-)

Has anyone integrated Beepola output with ZXBasic before? Wondering if there any pitfalls to watch out for before I go too far. Some of the engines use IM2, for instance - any potential problems there? I think the best thing to do would be to make a tiny test tune and see if I can get it working in-game.

Still experimenting (and not having much luck) with sound effects.
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#5
I was trying some special effects using Beeps (fast constant beeps) or just OUT 254, x. These techniques were uses on earlier games for the ZX Spectrum. I think there are some beep tutorials in WOS (probably someone has already asked for this at the WOS forum). Have you looked in there?
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#6
Maybe that's my issue, I need to do more, faster beeps so that they sound less 'beep-like' - it's kind of tricky to do this by trial and error though, especially seeing as the same code sounds slightly different when compiled with ZXBasic than it does in proper Spectrum BASIC (I surmise Spectrum BASIC isn't quite fast enough to handle the very short beeps elegantly and it results in a slightly slower, lower-pitched sound).

I did do a search of the WOS forums but it's hard to know what to search for. I might pop a question into the development forum and see if anyone there has any pointers for either a tool or a tutorial. It seems strange that there are so many great tools for beeper music but very little for snappy little sound effects.

Is there any discernible difference between using BEEP or OUT 254 in ZXBasic, or are they ultimately different ways of calling the same code?
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#7
In case anyone was interested, Beepola music seems to integrate with ZXBasic just fine! Created a one-pattern ditty with the SpecialFX engine and got it working in my game with no issues. :-)
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#8
For those of us that haven't done it yet (and I've got some stuff I want to add into my game, space permitting) can you post source of how you put it in?
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#9
There's no real 'source' as yet, because I sort of hacked it in there to prove a point. :-)

Basically I created a tune and 'compiled' it from Beepola, then saved it as a .TAP file with a start address of 64000. I then added a 'randomize usr 64000' call into my game at the required point and compiled it to a low-enough address that I knew the game wouldn't overwrite the music. Then I loaded both the game code and the music code before starting the game.

This seems a little fiddly, but it works.

You can get Beepola to output an .asm file instead (which I think would be easier in the long run), but I've not had time to finish playing around with that method yet - it seems a neater way of including the music so that you can build the whole thing in one go.

The ASM *almost* compiles just by wrapping it in an asm/end asm block, there just seems to be a very slight incompatibility with how ZXBasic handles EQU. Beepola outputs this:

Code:
; *** DATA ***
VECTOR_TABLE_LOC:    EQU $FE00
BORDER_CLR:          EQU $0

But ZXBasic doesn't like the colons at the end of the label before the EQUs. Remove those and it compiles fine!

i.e.
Code:
; *** DATA ***
VECTOR_TABLE_LOC    EQU $FE00
BORDER_CLR          EQU $0
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#10
Good to know the asm can be levered in without too much trouble Smile
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#11
Just had a quick go at integrating it via the asm file and it's proving a little more problematic than I expected, I suspect because of the 'org 64000' at the start of the file. If I #include it at the end of my game's code I end up with a tzx which is over 60000 bytes long!

I think I need to fiddle some more. :-)
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#12
That would be fairly normal - it tries to make it one file, so there's a lot of zeroes along the way.

Might be easier to use align to push it there, or write a routine to relocate it to where you need it to be. (there's a block move routine in zx basic)

Or rewrite the code somewhat so it doesn't matter what address it's at - it doesn't care so long as it's placed > 32768 - but does need to be compiled correctly.

What happens if you take out the org?
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#13
Interestingly, that seems to work okay. I'm not exactly a Z80 whizz, but a quick glance over the code seems to suggest that the vast majority of it doesn't care where it's loaded. Only the IM2 service routine has to be at a fixed location and that's hard-coded to $FE00 and above by the player itself. So I suspect that it'll all work fine without the ORG, providing you ensure that your compiled code doesn't exceed address 65024.

This is with the Special FX engine, of course - some of the other players don't use the IM2 table if I'm reading it correctly. But they don't sound as nice. :-)
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#14
Hmm... or maybe not. Something's not *quite* right still. The music will play once, but it doesn't exit properly at the end of the tune (or if you press a key) - the Spectrum locks up rather than ending play gracefully.

I'll paste what I've been messing around with, maybe someone else can see what the issue is:
Code:
cls
while(1)
    print "PRESS ANY KEY TO PLAY"
    while inkey <> "": end while
    while inkey = "": end while
    while inkey <> "": end while
    playmusic()
    border 7
end while

sub playmusic()
    asm
    ;                ORG 64000
    ; *****************************************************************************
    ; * Special FX Music Player Engine
    ; *
    ; * Based on code written by Jonathan Smith for the Special FX game, Firefly.
    ; * Modified by Chris Cowley
    ; *
    ; * Produced by Beepola v1.06.01
    ; ******************************************************************************
    
    START:          DI
                    EXX
                    PUSH  HL                    ; Preserve HL' for return to BASIC
                    CALL  PLAY_MUSIC
                    IM    1
                    POP   HL
                    EXX
                    EI
                    RET

    PLAY_MUSIC:
                    CALL  MAKE_VECTOR_TABLE
                    CALL  INIT_ISR
                    IM    2
                    LD    A,VECTOR_TABLE_LOC / 256
                    LD    I,A

                    LD    HL,MUSICDATA         ;  <- Pointer to Music Data. Change
                                               ;     this to play a different song
                    LD    E,(HL)
                    INC   HL
                    LD    D,(HL)
                    INC   HL
                    LD    (NEXT_PATT_PTR),HL
                    LD    (NEXT_PERC_PATT_PTR),DE
                    LD    (SAVED_SP),SP
                    LD    HL,PLAYER_ISR
                    LD    ($FFF5),HL           ; Set up the JP instruction to point
                                               ; to our player ISR
                    LD    A,BORDER_CLR
                    LD    (OUT_VAL1),A         ; Beeper out values for chan1
                    LD    (OUT_VAL2),A         ; Beeper out values for chan1
                    LD    (OUT_VAL3),A         ; Beeper out values for chan2
                    LD    (OUT_VAL4),A         ; Beeper out values for chan2
                    CALL  SET_NEXT_PATT
                    CALL  SET_NEXT_PERC_PATT
                    LD    C,$01
                    EXX
                    LD    BC,$0101
                    EI
                    HALT
    NEXT_NOTE:      CALL  C,LF02C
                    LD    A,B
                    OR    A
                    JR    NZ,LEF99
    LEF61:          DEFB  $21               ; LD HL,nn
    CURR_PATT_CH1:
                    DEFW  $0000             ; Current Pattern for chan1
    LEF64:          LD    A,(HL)
                    OR    A
                    JP    M,LEB9B           ; bit7 set - command (sustain, pattern end, etc)
                    CALL  LF0F6
                    LD    (LEFA2),A
                    SRL   A
                    SRL   A
                    SRL   A
                    LD    D,A
                    LD    (LEFAD),A
                    XOR   A
                    LD    (LF02D),A
                    INC   A
                    LD    (LEFA4),A
                    LD    A,(OUT_VAL1)      ; Adjust the EAR and MIC bits of this
                    OR    $18               ; port output value for the tone
                    LD    (OUT_VAL1),A      ; generator
                    INC   HL
    POST_MUTE1:     LD    A,(HL)
                    LD    (LEF96),A
                    INC   HL
                    LD    (CURR_PATT_CH1),HL
                    DEFB  $06               ; LD    B,n
    LEF96:          DEFB  $54
                    JR    LEF9E
    LEF99:          LD    A,$03
    LEF9B:          DEC   A
                    JR    NZ,LEF9B
    LEF9E:          DEC   D
                    JR    NZ,LEFB5

                    DEFB  $16               ; LD D,n
    LEFA2:          DEFB  $3B
                    DEFB  $3E               ; LD A,n
    LEFA4:          DEFB  $07
    LEFA5:          DEC   A
                    JR    NZ,LEFA5

                    DEFB  $3E               ; LD A,n
    OUT_VAL1:       DEFB  $0
                    OUT   ($FE),A
                    DEFB  $3E               ; LD A,n
    LEFAD:          DEFB  $01               ; frequency counter for CH1
    LEFAE:          DEC   A
                    JR    NZ,LEFAE

                    DEFB  $3E               ; LD A,n
    OUT_VAL2:       DEFB  $00
                    OUT   ($FE),A
    LEFB5:          LD    A,C
                    OR    A
                    JR    NZ,LEFEF

                    DEFB  $21               ; LD HL,nn
    CURR_PATT_CH2:  DEFW  $0000             ; Current pattern for CH2
    LEFBC:          LD    A,(HL)
                    OR    A
                    JP    M,LEBA6           ; bit7 set - command (sustain, pattern end, etc)
                    CALL  LF0F6
                    LD    (LEFF9),A
                    SRL   A
                    SRL   A
                    LD    (LF004),A
                    LD    E,A
                    XOR   A
                    LD    (LF045),A
                    INC   A
                    LD    (LEFFB),A
                    LD    A,(OUT_VAL3)
                    OR    $18
                    LD    (OUT_VAL3),A
                    INC   HL
    POST_MUTE2:     LD    A,(HL)
                    LD    (LEFEC),A
                    INC   HL
                    LD    (CURR_PATT_CH2),HL
                    DEFB  $0E               ; LD C,n
    LEFEC:          DEFB  $0E
                    JR    LEFF4

    LEFEF:          LD    A,$03
    LEFF1:          DEC   A
                    JR    NZ,LEFF1
    LEFF4:          DEC   E
                    JP    NZ,NEXT_NOTE

                    DEFB  $1E               ; LD E,n
    LEFF9:          DEFB  $3B
                    DEFB  $3E               ; LD A,n
    LEFFB:          DEFB  $02
    LEFFC:          DEC   A
                    JR    NZ,LEFFC

                    DEFB  $3E               ; LD A,n
    OUT_VAL3:       DEFB  $18
                    OUT   ($FE),A
                    DEFB  $3E               ; LD A,n
    LF004:          DEFB  $0D               ; ch2 note frequency
    LF005:          DEC   A
                    JR    NZ,LF005

                    DEFB  $3E
    OUT_VAL4:       DEFB  $0
                    OUT   ($FE),A
                    JP    NEXT_NOTE

    LF00F:
                    POP   HL
                    LD    A,(HL)
                    LD    (LF033),A
                    INC   HL
                    JP    LEF64

    LF018:          POP   HL
                    LD    A,(HL)
                    LD    (LF04B),A
                    INC   HL
                    JR    LEFBC

    MUTE_CH1:       POP   HL
                    LD    A,(OUT_VAL1)
                    AND   $07
                    LD    (OUT_VAL1),A
                    JP    POST_MUTE1

    MUTE_CH2:       POP   HL
                    LD    A,(OUT_VAL3)
                    AND   $07
                    LD    (OUT_VAL3),A
                    JP    POST_MUTE2
    NULL_NOTE1:     POP   HL
                    JP    POST_MUTE1
    NULL_NOTE2:     POP   HL
                    JP    POST_MUTE2

    LF021:
                    POP   HL
                    CALL  SET_NEXT_PATT
                    JP    LEF61

    LF02C:          DEFB  $3E
    LF02D:          DEFB  $00
                    INC   A
                    LD    (LF02D),A
                    DEFB  $FE               ; CP
    LF033:          DEFB  $02
                    JR    C,LF044
                    XOR   A
                    LD    (LF02D),A
                    LD    HL,LEFAD
                    DEC   (HL)
                    JR    Z,LF043
                    LD    HL,LEFA4
    LF043:          INC   (HL)

    LF044:          DEFB  $3E               ; LD A,n
    LF045:          DEFB  $00
                    INC   A
                    LD    (LF045),A
                    DEFB  $FE               ; CP
    LF04B:          DEFB  $04
                    RET   C
                    XOR   A
                    LD    (LF045),A
                    LD    HL,LF004
                    DEC   (HL)
                    JR    Z,LF05A
                    LD    HL,LEFFB
    LF05A:          INC   (HL)
                    RET

    LF0F6:          PUSH  HL
                    PUSH  DE
                    LD    HL,FREQ_TABLE
                    LD    E,A
                    LD    D,$0
                    ADD   HL,DE
                    LD    A,(HL)
                    POP   DE
                    POP   HL
                    RET

    ; ** Reads and sets up the next melody pattern to play
    SET_NEXT_PATT:
                   DEFB  $21   ; LD HL,nn
    NEXT_PATT_PTR: DEFW  $0000              ; holds a pointer to the
                                            ; next pattern in the patter list
    GET_PATT_ADDR: LD    E,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    D,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    A,E
                   OR    D
                   JR    NZ,STORE_NEXT_P
                   JP    ISR_KEY_PRESSED
    STORE_NEXT_P:  LD    (NEXT_PATT_PTR),HL
                   EX    DE,HL
                   LD    E,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    D,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    (CURR_PATT_CH1),HL
                   LD    (CURR_PATT_CH2),DE
                   RET

    ; ** Reads and sets up the next percussion pattern to play
    SET_NEXT_PERC_PATT:
                   DEFB  $21   ; LD HL,nn
    NEXT_PERC_PATT_PTR:
                   DEFW  $0000
    GET_PERC_ADDR: LD    E,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    D,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    (NEXT_PERC_PATT_PTR),HL
                   LD    (PERC_PATT),DE
                   LD    A,E
                   OR    D
                   RET   NZ
                   LD    E,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    D,(HL)
                   EX    DE,HL
                   JR    GET_PERC_ADDR
                   CALL  SET_NEXT_PERC_PATT
                   JR    PLAY_PERC

    LEB9B:
                   INC   HL
                   PUSH  HL
                   AND   $7F
                   CALL  JUMP_PERC_ADDR
                   DEFW  LF021
                   DEFW  LF00F
                   DEFW  MUTE_CH1
                   DEFW  NULL_NOTE1

    LEBA6:         INC   HL
                   PUSH  HL
                   AND   $7F
                   CALL  JUMP_PERC_ADDR
                   DEFW  LF021
                   DEFW  LF018
                   DEFW  MUTE_CH2
                   DEFW  NULL_NOTE2

    PLAY_PERC:
                   DEFB  $21                   ; LD HL,nn
    PERC_PATT:     DEFW  $0000                 ; Address of the percussion data
                   LD    A,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    C,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    (PERC_PATT),HL        ; Point PERC_PATT at next datum
                   AND   $7F
                   CALL  JUMP_PERC_ADDR
                   DEFW  DRUM00                ; F094
                   DEFW  DRUM01                ; F09A
                   DEFW  DRUM02                ; F0AC
                   DEFW  DRUM03                ; F0BB
                   DEFW  DRUM04                ; F0D4
                   DEFW  DRUM05                ; F07C

    JUMP_PERC_ADDR:
                   POP   HL                    ; F0ED
                   ADD   A,A
                   ADD   A,L
                   LD    L,A
                   LD    A,(HL)
                   INC   HL
                   LD    H,(HL)
                   LD    L,A
                   JP    (HL)

    DRUM00:        CALL  SET_NEXT_PERC_PATT
                   JR    PLAY_PERC

    DRUM01:        LD    E,$0A
                   LD    A,BORDER_CLR
                   LD    HL,$0100
    DRUM01NOISE:   XOR   $18
                   OUT   ($FE),A
                   LD    B,(HL)
    DRUM01LOOP:    DJNZ  DRUM01LOOP
                   INC   HL
                   DEC   E
                   JR    NZ,DRUM01NOISE
                   RET

    DRUM02:        LD    HL,$005A
    DRUM02LOOP:    LD    A,(HL)
                   OR    A
                   RET   Z
                   AND   $18
                   OR    BORDER_CLR
                   OUT   ($FE),A
                   INC   HL
                   JR    DRUM02LOOP

    DRUM03:        LD    HL,$0F18
                   LD    D,$0A
    DRUM03LOOP3:   LD    B,(HL)
    DRUM03LOOP:    DJNZ  DRUM03LOOP
                   LD    A,$18
                   OR    BORDER_CLR
                   OUT   ($FE),A
                   INC   HL
                   LD    B,(HL)
    DRUM03LOOP2:   DJNZ  DRUM03LOOP2
                   LD    A,BORDER_CLR
                   OUT   ($FE),A
                   INC   HL
                   DEC   D
                   JR    NZ,DRUM03LOOP3
                   RET

    DRUM04:        LD    E,$3F
                   LD    D,$05
    DRUM04LOOP3:   LD    B,E
    DRUM04LOOP:    DJNZ  DRUM04LOOP
                   LD    A,$18
                   OR    BORDER_CLR
                   OUT   ($FE),A
                   LD    A,E
                   RRCA
                   LD    E,A
                   LD    B,A
    DRUM04LOOP2:   DJNZ  DRUM04LOOP2
                   LD    A,BORDER_CLR
                   OUT   ($FE),A
                   DEC   D
                   JR    NZ,DRUM04LOOP3
    DRUM05:        RET

    ; ** Creates a vector table of 257 0xFF bytes at the location specified
    ; ** by VECTOR_TABLE_LOC
    MAKE_VECTOR_TABLE:
                    LD    HL,VECTOR_TABLE_LOC
                    LD    DE,VECTOR_TABLE_LOC + 1
                    LD    BC,$0100
                    LD    (HL),$FF
                    LDIR
                    RET

    ; *** The IM 2 service routine active throughout the life of the player
    ; *** updates counters, plays any active percussion sounds, and checks for
    ; *** keypresses or Kempston joystick fire button to terminate
    PLAYER_ISR:
                    PUSH  AF
                    PUSH  DE
                    PUSH  HL
                    DEC   C
                    DEC   B
                    EXX
                    DEC   C
                    CALL  Z,PLAY_PERC          ; EBB1
                    ; Read keyboard
                    XOR   A
                    IN    A,($FE)
                    CPL
                    AND   $1F
                    JR    NZ,ISR_KEY_PRESSED
                    XOR   A
                    IN    A,($1F)
                    BIT   5,A
                    JR    NZ,END_PLAYER_ISR
                    BIT   4,A
                    JR    NZ,ISR_FIRE_PRESSED
    END_PLAYER_ISR: EXX
                    POP   HL
                    POP   DE
                    POP   AF
                    SCF
                    EI
                    RETI
    ISR_FIRE_PRESSED:
    ISR_KEY_PRESSED:
                    DEFB  $31                  ; LD SP,nn
    SAVED_SP:       DEFW  $0000                ;
                    EI
                    RETI

    ; ** Sets up everything for our IM2 service routine. Specifically, copies a JR
    ; ** instruction to $FFFF and a JP $F0FF to $FFF4
    INIT_ISR:
                    LD    HL,$FFFF
                    LD    (HL),$18               ; Copies in our JR for JR FFF4
                    LD     HL,$FFF4
                    LD    (HL),$C3               ; JP (jump address filled-in
                                                 ; during player initialization)
                    RET


    ; *** DATA ***
    VECTOR_TABLE_LOC    EQU $FE00
    BORDER_CLR          EQU $0
    FREQ_TABLE:          DEFB $FD,$EE,$E1,$D4,$C8,$BD,$B2,$A8,$9F,$96,$8E,$86,$7E
                         DEFB $77,$70,$6A,$64,$5E,$59,$54,$4F,$4B,$47,$43,$3F
                         DEFB $3B,$38,$35,$32,$2F,$2C,$2A,$27,$25,$23,$21,$1F
                         DEFB $1D,$1C,$1B,$19,$17,$16,$15,$13,$12,$11,$10,$0F
                         DEFB $0E,$0D,$0C,$01,$00


    MUSICDATA:        DEFW      PERCSTART
    SONGSTART:        DEFW      PAT1
                      DEFW      $0000
                      DEFW      SONGSTART

    PAT1:     DEFW  PAT1C2
         DEFB 6,14
         DEFB 10,14
         DEFB 8,7
         DEFB 10,7
         DEFB 11,7
         DEFB 8,7
         DEFB 6,14
         DEFB 10,14
         DEFB 8,7
         DEFB 10,7
         DEFB 11,7
         DEFB 8,7
         DEFB $80
    PAT1C2:
         DEFB 23,7
         DEFB 22,7
         DEFB 20,7
         DEFB 22,7
         DEFB 23,7
         DEFB 23,7
         DEFB 22,7
         DEFB 20,7
         DEFB 23,7
         DEFB 22,7
         DEFB 20,7
         DEFB 22,7
         DEFB 23,7
         DEFB 23,7
         DEFB 22,7
         DEFB 20,7
         DEFB $80
    PERCSTART:   DEFW      DRM1
                 DEFW      $0000
                 DEFW      PERCSTART

    DRM1:
         DEFB 129,28
         DEFB 131,28
         DEFB 129,28
         DEFB 131,28
         DEFB $80
    end asm
end sub
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#15
Hi all

LTee, How a song created with Beepola can be integrated in ZX Basic? I don't know how to handle the .bbsong format in Basic.

Thanks and regards
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