Nord Generator - Nord Lead (1 and 2) Patch Editor and Patch Generator

Version 0.65 Copyright 1999-2000 Lars Bjrndahl

Manual Revision by Mike Sharp

Contents:
1. Disclaimer, Notices, and Hints
2. Additional credits
3. Implemented functions and features
4. Algorithms to modify/create patches
5. Hot Heys
6. Menu Navigation
7. Bugs, ideas and suggestions
8. Revision History

*** Nord Generator User's Guide ***

1. Disclaimer, Notices, and Hints:

* Disclaimer:
This program is freeware. Use this program on your own risk. In no event shall
the author of this program be liable for damages from the use of this software.
By using this program, you are agreeing to this.

* Notice:
This program is a test version and there is no manual (yet). Play around with it.

* Hint:
A good thing to do when using this program for the first time, is to backup
the patches currently on your Nord Lead. Use this or another program to dump
them to disk. This program should always send to temporary memory on the Nord,
but you never know...

2. Additional credits:
* Some code and design elements were taken from other projects by Fredrik
Andreasson
and Lars Bjrndahl.
* MaxMIDI programmers Toolkit - Copyright(C) 1993-97 Paul Messick.

3. Implemented functions and features:

* 5 Patch bank availablity within program.

* "Unlimited" number of patches / bank.

* Loads raw sysex files and midifiles. More Patches and Performances available from
Clavia's webpage. See http://www.clavia.se

* Drag and drop works.

* Send and recieve patches to/from Nord Lead. Note: You have to manually dump
patches
from the Nord, no Dump Request is sent.

* Moving the mouse over a knob in the program will show it's current value.

4. Algorithms to modify/create patches:

* Random - Randomly generates a patch.
* Modify - Makes "small" changes to a patch.
* Invert - Inverts all parameter values. (ok, pretty useless but...)
* Procreate - genetic algorithm. (the resulting patches appear in the next
bank, you need 2 or more patches to use this algorithm). The
 program has its on file extension (.ngf), not to associate
.syx with this program.

5. Hot Heys:
* Up Arrow - Next patch
* Down Arrow - Previous patch
* Right Arrow - Next bank
* Left Arrow - Previous bank
* Page Up - Next Patch and send it
* Page Down - Previous patch and send it
* Return/Enter - Send current patch

6. Menu Navigation:

> File:
- Clear Banks - Clears the current Bank in the Editor.
- Open - Opens files with the .ngf extension.
- Save/Save As - Saves files with the .ngf extension.
- Explode function - Extracts all patches from the current bank and saves
them in separate files.
- Recent File - Opens last recent file.

> Edit:
- Undo - Undo last move
- Cut - Cut data to PC memory.
- Copy - Copy data to PC memory.
- Paste - Paste data from PC memory.
- New Patch - Initializes a patch in the editor.
- Clear Morph - Clears the morph settings.
- Configure - Procreate: Number of children, Chances of mutation.
- MIDI Channels
- Global MIDI Channel
- Explode to .syx option.

> Run:
- Procreate - Genetic generation algorithm. Output is in next bank.
- Evolve Patch -
- Invert Patch - Inverts settings in a Patch.
- Modify Patch - Alters a patch slightly.
- Random Patch - Generates a random Patch.
- Random Bank - Generates a random Bank

> Patch:
- Next - Increments patch number by one.
- Up - Decrements patch number by one.
- Next 50 - Increments patch number by 50.
- Previous 50 - Decrements patch number by 50.
- Next and Send - Send next patch.
- Previous and Send - Send previous patch.
- Next Bank - Increment to next Bank.
- Previous Bank - Decrement to next Bank.

> SysEx:
- Send - Send SysEx data to Nord Lead.
- Recieve - Recieve SysEx data from Nord Lead.

> Input Device - Configure your MIDI input port here.

> Output Device - Configure your MIDI output port here.

> Help - About Nord Generator.

6. To do:
* Save settings/preferences
* More algorithms.
* Undo function.
* Some kind of performance mode (the perf button does not work)
* Better 'explode' funcion. For now it uses the current path used by the program.
This function owerwrites files with names nordX.ngf (or .syx) without
notification. Be carefull with this one, you could end up with files all over
your HD. (I will try to improve this in the future). And remember, many small
files eats up HD memory.

7. Bugs, ideas and suggestions:

If you find any bugs or if you have any ideas how to improve this program,
please let me know at md5lb@mdstud.chalmers.se

8. Revision History:
* Version 0.65 - Released to Nord List 03/06/2000