             

             -------------------------------------------------

                             Oberheim Strummer                       
                         Editor/Librarian Tutorial
                               Version 3.14a

                             November 22, 2005
           
             -------------------------------------------------



-----------------------------
Strummer Heaven 3.14a Updates
-----------------------------

This version includes a couple of bug-fixes and improvements to the
Strummer Editor.

1. The following parameter settings are now displayed in the Editor with
   name/descriptions rather than numerical values.
       
       "Strum Direction"
       "Strum Mute"
       "Next Channel Assignment"

2. Several control-knobs in the Editor now "step" through their adjustable
   range rather than scroll rapidly for easier editing of those
   parameters.

3. A bug in the parameter named "Deviation" has been corrected. The
   range can now be set to: Off, or 1 through 24.

4. A bug in the parameter named "Velocity Threshold" has been corrected.
   The selectable range is now 01-99. There is no longer an "Off" setting.

5. "On-line Help" has been added in the Editor. Shift-Click on the
   parameter name for details on the parameter's function and/or parameter
   settings.

6. An XG and GS formated "Strummer Demo" in Standard MIDI File format has
   been added to the package. You will an XG or GS instrument for these
   sequences to play correctly.

7. Strummer Heaven now includes 64 new User Presets. The "TEMPOS" Library
   contains 10 different Presets with "variations", that will sync to MIDI
   Clock.  They are intended to serve as "sound templates" that can be
   modified to create additional "variations" on these Presets.
  
8. There has been a general re-write of this tutorial.



-------------------------------------
Design Concepts for 'Strummer Heaven'
-------------------------------------

The Oberheim Strummer Editor/Librarian was built from the documentation
supplied with Strummer OS version 3.14 dated 7/9/91. The following
considerations were taken into account when developing the Template:

1. Strummer has limited sysex capbility, IE; you can only dump 1 Preset
   at a time, and only from the front panel (there is no "dump request"
   protocol supported).

2. Front panel editing of Presets is relatively easy but very limiting.
   It is somewhat difficult to understand what each parameter does, and
   the relationship one parameter has to another.

3. There is no way to "see" the configuration of all parameters for an
   individual Preset with front-panel editing.

4. There is no way to compare the parameter settings of any 2 Presets
   with front panel editing.

5. A library would allow easy storage, retrieval and modification of
   factory and user Presets.

6. The ability to send Presets to Strummer on-the-fly using the SysXpress
   Desk Accessory would add versitility to the instrument.

Strummer Heaven was designed to overcome the front panel editing
limitations and tap the full capabilities of the instrument. The
Editor/Librarian can help you gain a better understanding of the
instrument's over-all design, and the function of each of its 28 editable
parameters, while at the same time, make editing and saving of custom User
Presets easier and much faster.



----------------------------------
How 'Strummer Heaven' is Organized
----------------------------------

Strummer Heaven includes the following Dump Utility, and Editor/Librarian
files.
    
    1. "Strummer Preset" dump utility (configuration for saving 1
       individual Preset)
    2. "1_PRESET" (an "initialized" single Strummer Preset) (editable)
    3. "ROM_LIB" (128 non-destructive) Presets Library (non-editable) 
    4. "FACTORY" Preset (RAM) Library (64 editable Presets)
    5. "HEAVEN" RAM library with 32 new "User" Presets (editable)
    6. "TEMPOS" RAM library contains 32 additional "User" Presets
    6. Several initialized "RAM" libraries 
    7. "Strummer Heaven" (the Editor)
    8. PC1600/PC1600x support (The 64 new User Presets can be
       loaded into the PC1600(x) for real-time control of Strummer)

Installation:
To use Strummer Heaven you must install the 2 Templates supplied with this
package. The "Strummer Preset" Configuration found in the STRUMMER.CNX
file is used to setup the Preset dump utility.  



------------------------------------------------
Preset Dump Utility and Editor for 1 Preset File
------------------------------------------------

The "Strummer Preset" configuration will allow you to dump 1 Preset to
GenEdit for editing, save to disk, or copy to a Library.

How to install the Strummer dump utility in a GenEdit Studio Setup:

1. Copy the 2 Strummer Templates into a folder where you normally keep
   your GenEdit Templates or if you currently do not have any other
   Templates, you can copy the TEMPLATS folder to your GenEdit directory.

2. Then install the "Strummer Preset" in GenEdit's Configuration list.
   If you have no other configurations currently installed, you can simple
   re-name the Strummer Configuration file (STRUMMER.CNX) to: AUTOLOAD.CNX
   so it will automatically load each time your run GenEdit.

To add the "Strummer Preset" configuration to an exisiting CNX file, load
STRUMMER.CNX in GenEdit then select "Edit  Configuration" from the Menu.
Once in the configuration list, drag the "Strummer Preset" configuration
to the Clipboard (you do not need to load the other configurations to use
the Strummer Libraries, these configurations are stored in each library
file that comes with Strummer). Once you have copied the configuration to
the Clipboard, load your regular AUTOLOAD.CNX file and copy the Strummer
Configuration from the Clipboard to any available location in the
Configuration list, then save your Configuration file.

Now you can create a Strummer Preset dump utility in the "Device List"
(located in the center column of the main GenEdit screen). Right-Click
on an empty slot in the center column, the list of configurations will
appear. Select "Strummer Preset", then type in a name or use the default
name assigned by GenEdit, then save your studio setup as AUTOLOAD.STU or
by some other name if you do not want GenEdit to load the file at bootup.

Once you have installed the dump utility in your Studio Setup, you can
simply drag the Strummer Preset configuration from the "DEVICES" column,
to the "Title Bar" at the top of either Window.  GenEdit will then wait
for you to implement a front panel dump from Strummer. When GenEdit has
received the sysex dump, the chime will sound and you will see the generic
file name of: "FROMMIDI.STR" displayed in the Title Bar, and an
"initialized" Preset name of 48 dashes '-' will appear in the Window (the
first 18 dashes are visible without using the horizontal scroll bar).
Long Preset names are supported so you may include a description of
parameter settings as part of the name. You need not use all 48 characters
for a name if 16 or 18 will do.

Note: You can cancel the dump operation at anytime by pressing Control-A
on the keyboard.

a. To name the Preset, click once on the dashed-line to highlight, and
   select "Name" from the "Patches" Menu, or press the "N" key on your
   keyboard.

b. To name the FILE before saving, right-click on the Title Bar and
   type in a new file name.

c. To edit the Preset, Right-click on the Preset name to enter the Editor.

d. You can copy a Preset that has been dumped using the utility to a
   library for storage. You can also copy a Preset from a library to an
   initialized "1_Preset" file that has been loaded into a Window. This
   allows individual Presets to be saved to disk and sent to Strummer
   using the SysXpress Desk Accessory, allowing you to send Presets to the
   Strummer's edit buffer "on-the-fly".



-----------------------------------
ROM_LIB Non-editable Preset Library
-----------------------------------

Since it is a bit tedious saving Presets one at a time from the front
panel of Strummer, 128 Presets have been saved in a GenEdit file called
"ROM_LIB".  Presets in the "ROM_LIB" cannot be edited and names cannot be
altered. The purpose of this library is to have a permanent archive of the
64 "Factory" ROM Presets, the 32 "Heaven" Presets, and the 32 "Tempo"
Presets in their original form. You can copy Presets from the ROM Library
to a RAM Library or single Preset file, where they can then be edited,
saved and sent to Strummer.

To use this library, you must install the STRUMROM.TEM Template in your
GenEdit directory. The ROM_LIB Library uses a Template and Configuration
that is different than the regular Strummer editing Template and
Configuration. If you attempt to send a Preset to Strummer by dragging it
to the MIDI Icon, you will get a dialog box telling you that Presets
cannot be sent from the ROM Library. If you attempt to send the entire
library over MIDI by dragging the Title bar to the MIDI Icon, you will get
a dialog stating that you cannot send an entire library to strummer. You
can copy a Preset "FROM" this library, but cannot copy a Preset "TO" the
ROM library, if you try doing so, nothing will happen.

These 128 Presets are also be found in "RAM" Libraries where they may be
freely edited. If you modify Presets in the "FACTORY", "HEAVEN" or "TEMPO"
Libraries and save your changes, you can always restore any Preset to its
original parameter settings by getting a copy from the ROM_LIB Library.

NOTE: When you copy a Preset from the ROM_LIB Library to a RAM library,
you will get a dialog stating that the "Window Configurations are
Different".  Select the "Go for it" option. The Preset will copy to the
RAM Library Window correctly.  This happens because the "Put Patch"
segment in the ROM_LIB configuration has been removed. (The Put Patch
segment is the portion of the configuration file that allows copying "TO"
a GenEdit Window, and the naming of patches in a Window).

Some names in the ROM_LIB, FACTORY and HEAVEN libraries have a plus (+) to
the right of the name indicating there is a name extension, or
description of the Preset's parameter settings.  These extended name-
descriptions can be read by using the horizontal "Scroll Bar" at the
bottom of the GenEdit Window in the same manner as the vertical Scroll Bar
is used. You can also enter the "Name Patch" dialog to view the full name
of the patch.



-----------------------------------------
64 Factory Presets in an Editable Library
-----------------------------------------

As stated above, the "FACTORY" RAM Library contains the 64 factory
Presets in a format that can be edited, sent to Strummer, or copied to
another RAM "User Preset" Library, or a 1_Preset file loaded into the
second Window. As with the ROM Library, you cannot send an entire RAM
Library of Presets to Strummer, but you may send any one Preset at a time
to Strummer from a Library that is loaded in a GenEdit Window. As noted
above, the "1_Preset" file is used to store individual Presets on disk so
that they can be sent to Strummer with the SysXpress Desk Accessory at any
time.



----------------------------------
64 New User Presets in 2 Libraries
----------------------------------

The "HEAVEN" RAM Library 

Thirty two new Strummer User Presets created using Strummer Heaven
provide a variety of musical expressions. These Presets demonstrate that
the Strummer is not just for guitar patches.  Included in this library are
Presets for use with electric and acoustic guitar (including a rythym
guitar sound), orchestral harp, banjo, mandolin, bells and vibes patches,
and electric piano. There is a Preset that creates an echo effect, and one
with a techno beat.


The "TEMPOS" RAM Library

The 32 Presets in this library center around the use of the "Arpeggio
Pattern", "Repeat Rate", "Decay Rate" and "Max Repeat" parameters. These
Presets will sync to Strummer's internal clock, and will automatically
sync to an external MIDI clock from a sequencer, controller keyboard or
drum machine when present. The Presets in the TEMPOS Library were created
as starting points, or "sound templates" that may be modified to suite the
user's needs. The TEMPOS Presets work particularly well with guitar
sounds, electric pianos, vibes, marimbas, pizzicato strings, bells amd
kalimbas.  The setting of the "Repeat Rate" works in conjunction with the
Tempo setting. Changing the Repeat Rate or Tempo will effect how each of
these Presets plays.  Experimentation with this Preset library may bring
some surprizing results.

To audition Presets in any of the libraries, simply drag a Preset from a
GenEdit Window to the MIDI Icon. Doing this will load it into the
Strummer's edit buffer.  Each time you drag a new Preset to the MIDI Icon,
it will replace the previous Preset in Strummer's edit buffer.

I encourage you to experiment with all 64 new Presets using synth leads,
ethnic instruments and other types of electronic synth sounds. I think you
will discover new musical expressions using your Strummer, made possible
by the editing capabilities of Strummer Heaven.



---------------------------
RAM "User Preset" Libraries
---------------------------

Strummer Heaven comes with several initialized, RAM Libraries.  To make
use of these libraries, you must install the STRUMMER.TEM template in
your GenEdit directory. These files will hold 32 Presets each. When you
load an initialized library into a window you will see dashed lines in
each Preset location where you will type in names for your new Presets.
Initialized Presets have all parameters set to minimum values. You can
use the RAM libraries in the following ways:

a. Create new Presets from scratch.
b. Copy a single Preset to it that was dumped using the "Strummer Preset"
   utility, and edit it.  
c. Copy a Preset from the "ROM_LIB library and edit it.
d. Copy a Preset from the "FACTORY", "HEAVEN" or "TEMPOS" libraries and
   edit it.
e. Copy a Preset from another RAM Library and edit it.



----------
The Editor
----------

To enter the Editor, Right-click on a Preset name.  

- Page 1: This is "Strummer Heaven", the Editor. This is where all
          parameters can be modified. If your MIDI setup is configured
          correctly, you can play Strummer and to listen to your edits as
          you make changes to the Strummer parameters.

          For On-Line Help, Shift-Click on the parameter name for details
          on parameter function and settings.

          NOTE: You should normally turn-off the "MIDI thru" in GenEdit.
          You can do this in the Globals settings, or within the Editor.
          In the Editor, the MIDI channel set to "echoed-back", is
          displayed between "Play" and "Send" at the top of the Editor
          screen. Setting the thru channel to "--" will disable the MIDI
          thru. A setting of 01-16 may cause strange things to happen or
          unwanted sounds to play on your keyboard or sound module.

- Page 4: Info page and instructions for Strummer Heaven.

- Page 5: Illustrates how to configure your MIDI system to enable you to
          play Strummer, and listen to your edits as you make them.

- Page 6: Illustrates how to configure your MIDI system to play Strummer
          and sequence on your Atari computer at the same time.

- Page 7: Illustrates configuring your system with the Peavey PC1600(x)
          for real-time control of Strummer Presets.

- Page 8: Is the "Title" or "Credits" Page for all GenEdit Templates.



---------------------- 
PC1600/PC1600x Support
----------------------

Each of the 64 new Presets in the HEAVEN and TEMPOS Libraries have been
individually saved as a "PC1600(x) Preset" file (.P16). Bulk dumps of each
library has been saved in 2 different formats, as an "All Presets" dump
(.A16); and as an "Everything" dump (.E16). The E16 files includes global
parameter settings for using a sweep pedal plugged into CV2, and a dual
footswitch plugged into CV1. Once a set of 32 Strummer Presets has been
loaded into the PC1600(x) memory, each Preset string is automatically sent
to Strummer's edit buffer whenever a Preset is selected on the PC1600(x).
Moving fader 16 or the foot pedal connected to the PC1600(x), will change
the "Strum Rate" or some other pre-defined parameter in the Strummer
Preset selected, providing dynamic control over Strummer that was simply
not possible before now.



---------------
RAM Upgrade Bug
---------------

Not all SRAM chips are equal. Although the Strummer manual indicates that
any "generic" 32K SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) "62256" chip will
work to upgrade from 8K to 32K of memory, problems may be experience in
the performance of the Strummer.

Three attempts to upgrade my own Strummer unit verified this fact. Upon
installing one chip in particular, Strummer started transmitting
continuous pulses (notes) over MIDI which sounded very similar to the
effect produced by the new Preset named "Techno Robo".  Two other chips
that were installed, seemed to operated ok at first, but "Techno Robo" and
"Echo Effect" did not work properly. The "Repeat Rate" did not function.

This experience leads me to the conclusion that Strummer units with memory
upgrades may not perform exactly the same as those with the factory stock
8K SRAM chip, and further suggests that, Strummers with operating systems
other than 3.14, may not perform correctly with Strummer Heaven.

I offer below, a humble explanation for the RAM upgrade problem:

RAM chips have "blocks" of memory. Each block of memory has "addresses"
assign to it (like houses along a street). Software (which includes the
Strummer operating system) accesses memory randomly (first come, first
served). The software is written according to the technical specifications
of the memory chip(s). If the upgrade chip in Strummer is not identical in
its "leg" assignments (which are connected to the internal memory blocks)
things can get strange and there could be malfunctions. It appears that
the Oberheim engineers designed Strummer to access certain blocks of
memory for certain functions (or to implement certain editable
parameters). If the technical specs of the upgrade chip do not match the
original chip exactly, then Strummer acts-up.

It is a possible that at least some of the 32 new Presets may not play
correctly on your Strummer unit if:

1. Your Strummer has been upgraded with a 32K SRAM chip

2. The operating system of your unit is not version 3.14



----------
Disclaimer
----------

Strummer Heaven is freeware and comes "as is" with no warranty. To my
knowledge, no harm can come to your instrument by using Strummer Heaven.
This Editor/Librarian package may be distributed freely, but must include
all files contained herein in their original unaltered form.


Final Note:  I hope other Strummer owners will enjoy this Editor, and find
it as useful as I have in exploring the capabilities of the Oberheim
Strummer.

Please report any bugs related to the operation of the Editor or use of
the libraries.  Also feel free to offer ideas on how Strummer Heaven might
be improved, including the information provided in this tutorial.

Send all comments to: jhlifka@yahoo.com

Cheers,

Joe Hlifka
Albuquerque, New Mexico 
USA

