FlamTastic Drumputer Exercise Generator

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Introduction

This application was written as a test for the FlamTastic Drumputer ActiveX DLL Engine. I've always wondered what it would be like to test myself with a random exercise. At first, the DLL Engine was written to just create MID files but after finishing work on the QuickLicks section of the Drumputer website, I realized it would be good if the DLL could also consolidate a lot of that functionality as well. So, once completed and sufficiently tested/debugged (and provided I design the thing right!?!), then I could simply use that library of routines ("DLL" is a Windows term that stands for "Dynamically-Linked Library") in various other ways.

Getting back to my idea of random exercises, you need a set of "things" from which to pick at random (52 cards, 6 sides of a die, etc.) so in this case I figured rudiments or patterns, each taking up the same amount of time, would work. Not too long into it I also realized that in order for the results to be legible, each of these patterns would need to take up the same amount of visual "space". At first I had a nice little list of simple rudiments but then I realized that people, mainly music teachers, may want to use this to help teach beginners how to read rhythm while others might want to jack up the complexity of the patterns to challenge themselves and so the ability to delete, edit and add patterns was brought in. This was followed by the ability to save/load entire groups of patterns for later re-use.

What's Installed?

Since you're reading this you've already installed the program. Upon first use, it will create an ExerciseGenerator.ini file which holds the program settings information (most of the items that can be changed on tab 2 and 3).

Files Installed (assuming Windows XP and default installation folder):

	C:\WINDOWS\System32
		MFC40.DLL
		THREED32.OCX
		TABCTL32.OCX
		MCI32.OCX
		MSCOMCTL.OCX
		scrrun.dll
		MSVCRT.DLL
		Drumputer.dll
	C:\Program Files\FlamTasticDrumputer\ExerciseGenerator
		Standard - Extended.dat
		Standard - Basic.dat
		Standard - QuartersThru16ths.dat
		ExerciseGenerator.exe
		ExerciseGenerator.html

TAB 1 - "Step 1 - Patterns to Use"



Here is where you design the patterns you want to be used in your exercises. If you don't want to use the default set, push the "Load Previously Saved Patterns" button. If you want to add or edit an existing pattern, push the appropriate button and that will popup the QuickLicks Editor screen. If you want a completely new set of patterns, push the "REMOVE ALL" button and then start adding patterns. But before you add any you may want to consider the following two questions: 1. What amount of time should each pattern take up? (quarter note=120 ticks, 8th note=60 ticks) and 2. How wide (in character spacing terms) should each pattern be since you'll want them (and the bar lines) to line up, presumably.

QuickLicks Editor - General

 The QuickLicks Editor, much like the online version, is primarily a character-by-character editing mechanism. You have your main pattern edit area where the characters are placed. The placement of characters is done in two primary ways; by character using Tab 1 "Single Character Selection" or by sub-pattern using Tab 2 "Single-Line SubPattern Selection". There are two editing modes: INSERT and OVERWRITE. In INSERT mode, everything from the insertion point is moved over, the new character (or subpattern) is inserted, and the excess is removed from the right. In OVERWRITE mode, the character (or subpattern) overwrites what was previously there. Also, subpatterns are always placed at the top row, regardless of where the cursor is, row-wise. The location of the next insert/overwrite is indicated by a blue outline cursor. The cursor moves as you place things in the pattern. Clicking anywhere within the pattern window places the cursor there.

There are 6 other buttons: "BACKSPACE", "DELETE", and "INSERT", one each for single-character editing and the other for entire column editing. "Backspace" and "Delete" work just like on your keyboard, and "Insert" inserts a space. In all 3(6) cases, either a space or staff line character is used to fill in "holes" as appropriate for that location in the pattern.

The "CLEAR ALL" and "UNDO" buttons are pretty self-explanatory I think. The "Pattern Width" dropdown box is disabled because the width is set elsewhere. Pushing the "Blocking Commands" button overlays the "Copy, Paste and Cut" options panel explained below. When you push the "OKAY" button the progam makes sure the pattern "fits" the time required, rhythm-wise.

Incidentally, if the ExerciseGenerator were the type of application that needed staff lines, there is a third, hidden tab that's much like the 2nd one that includes subpatterns that apply to a staff. It also allows you to move the noteheads up and down in the staff. But none of that applies in this application.



Here, you choose the characters to insert or overwrite into your pattern. Just click the character in the main grid on Tab1 and it get placed in the pattern where the cursor is.







TAB 2 - "Step 2 - MIDI file settings"

TAB 3 - "Step 3 - Generate results"

The Exercise Generator uses the FlamTastic Drumputer ActiveX DLL Engine to handle most of the imaging and music creation. This ActiveX DLL can be used freely from within MS Office applications (if you know how to write code using Visual Basic for Applications).

Once the Exercise Generator has been installed, the FlamTastic Drumputer ActiveX DLL Engine will be available for your use in those other programming environments. Instructions are (will be) available here.