Piano83 v2.1 10 August 2001 ============ for Ion on the TI-83/TI-83+ by Badja http://badja.calc.org badja@calc.org Bug fixes ========= * Left arrow key now works properly in A minor mode New features ============ * Access to 70 notes (G#1 to F7) * Tuning can now be done by octaves * Quick one-button access to true-pitch octaves * Ability to play two notes simultaneously through separate channels About ===== Piano83 is a progam which turns your TI-83 or TI-83+ into a musical keyboard. All you need are earphones or amplified speakers that can plug into the link port, or an AM radio. Standard 3.5mm audio plugs will not fit into the 2.5mm link port. You will need a 3.5mm-socket to 2.5mm-plug audio adaptor (Cat No. P6515 at Dick Smith Electronics, Australian residents). If you use the AM radio though, the sound quality will be awful. How to Run ========== Piano83 requires Ion to run. To run Piano83, make sure Ion is installed on your calculator. Send either PIANO83.83P or PIANO83.8XP (for the 83 and 83+ respectively) to your calculator and start Ion. Now you can run Piano83. If you have a TI-83+, you can run Piano83 by entering Asm(prgmPIANO83 Use the catalog to enter Asm( and the PRGM menu to enter prgmPIANO83. How to Use ========== Run Piano83, then plug in your earphones/speakers or hold your calculator near your AM radio's aerial. Tap the 2nd key a few times. You should hear a tone whenever the key is pressed. If you cannot hear the tone, please refer to the troubleshooting section below. Now we're ready to start playing. Turn your calculator sideways so that the 2nd key is nearest you. The progam begins in C major mode. Use the following keys to play: +----------------- Key to press ----------------+ | | | | | | | | v v v v +----------- +----------- 2nd | C _______ DEL | C _______ +----####### X,T,0,n +----####### <- ALPHA | D _______ STAT | D _______ +----####### MATRX +----####### VARS MATH | E PRGM | E +----------- +----------- X^-1 | F _______ COS | F _______ +----####### , +----####### ) X^2 | G _______ ( | G _______ +----####### 7 +----####### 9 LOG | A _______ 8 | A _______ +----####### 4 +----####### 6 LN | B 5 | B +----------- +----------- STO-> | C _______ 2 | C _______ +----####### 0 +----####### (-) ON(83)| D _______ . | D _______ +---- +---- ^ ^ | | +------- Note played --------+ Press the right arrow key to toggle between C major and A minor mode. In A minor mode, the 2nd and DEL keys are equivalent to the note A, rather than C. These are the keys for A minor mode: _______ +----####### MODE +----_______ 2nd | A _______ DEL | A _______ +----####### X,T,0,n +----####### <- ALPHA | B STAT | B +----------- +----------- MATH | C _______ PRGM | C _______ +----####### SIN +----####### TAN X^-1 | D _______ COS | D _______ +----####### , +----####### ) X^2 | E ( | E +----------- +----------- LOG | F _______ 8 | F _______ +----####### 4 +----####### 6 LN | G _______ 5 | G _______ +----####### 1 +----####### 3 STO-> | A _______ 2 | A _______ +----####### 0 +----####### (-) ON(83)| B . | B +----------- +----------- Pressing the up and down arrow keys changes the tuning of the keyboard by a semitone at a time. The plus and minus keys tune by octaves. The Y=, WINDOW, ZOOM and TRACE keys select different octaves such that the pitches match those of a real keyboard. Now try holding down two keys at once. Both tones should play simultaneously. Pressing the ^ key lets you specify how Piano83 plays simultaneous notes. It toggles between two chord modes, unison and arpeggio. In arpeggio mode, the chord is simulated by playing the tones in a fast arpeggio-like fashion. In unison mode, the tones are actually played simultaneously (in separate channels), but there is a limit of two notes at a time. If you can't hear both notes in unison mode, please refer to the troubleshooting section below. Summary of Keys =============== See the above two figures for which keys play which notes. Right Toggle between C major and A minor modes Up/Down Tune keyboard up or down a semitone +/- Tune keyboard up or down an octave Y=/WINDOW/ZOOM/TRACE Set tuning to an octave with true pitch ^ Toggle chord mode between unison and arpeggio CLEAR Exit Piano83 (unplug earphones/speakers first) Troubleshooting =============== Problem: I'm using a radio, and I can't hear anything. Solution: Make sure the radio is set to AM. Hold down a note (eg. 2nd) and change the tuning until you get a reasonbly clear sound. Problem: I've connected speakers through the link port, and I can't hear anything. Try this: The speakers must have an amplifier built in to them (ie. a power cord which plugs into a power point or the back of a computer). Make sure the power is on and the volume is turned up. If there's still no sound, refer to the next paragraph. Problem: I'm connecting through the link port, but I can't hear anything. Solution: The 2.5mm plug may be a bit loose in the link port. Wiggle it around a bit or hold it in different positions. If the sound keeps disappearing, the plug may not be staying in contact with the line 1 connector inside the link port. Try changing to arpeggio mode (press the ^ key), which plays the tones through both lines 1 and 2. Problem: I'm connecting through the link port, but when I press two notes, I can only hear one tone. Solution: The 2.5mm plug is only in contact with one of the connectors inside the link port. Wiggle it around a bit or hold it in different positions. If this doesn't help, change to arpeggio mode (press the ^ key), which simulates chords by rapidly alternating between each note pressed, playing them through both connectors (lines 1 and 2). Problem: My calculator's running incredibly slow. Solution: Unplug the earphones or speakers from the link port. Send any comments, ideas, or other feedback to badja@calc.org