             

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

                         Oberheim Strummer 3.14                       
                        Editor/Librarian Tutorial
           
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-------------------------------------
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 made when developing its basic design:

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.
You cannot easily develop a conceptual understanding of what each parameter
does, or the relationship one parameter has to another.

3. There is no way to "see" the configuration of all parameters of 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.

The principle reason for creating the Editor was to overcome the editing
limitations noted above, and to fully implement the capabilities of
Strummer.  Strummer Heaven will help you gain a better understanding of
how the device was designed, and the function of each of the 28 editable
parameters, while making editing and saving of custom User Presets easier
and much faster.



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

Strummer Heaven comes with the following Preset-Dump Utility/Editor,
and Preset-Editor/Librarian (with multiple libraries).
    
    1. Dump utility for 1 individual Preset file
    2. ROM_LIB (96 non-destructive) Presets Library (non-editable) 
    3. FACTORY (64) Preset Library (editable)
    4. RAM libraries (initialized)
    5. The "Heaven" RAM library with 32 new "User" Presets for Strummer
    6. The Editor (Strummer Heaven)
    7. PC1600/PC1600x support (The 32 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. If you want to be able to dump a single Preset from the
Strummer, then you will also need to install the "Strummer Preset"
configuration found in the STRUMMER.CNX file, and create a dump utility
setup in the DEVICE list (described below).



---------------------------------------------------------------
1. Preset dump utility and editor for 1 individual Preset file:
---------------------------------------------------------------
 
The "Strummer Preset" utility allows 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 other GenEdit Templates or if you currently do not have any others,
you can copy the TEMPLATS folder to your GenEdit directory. 

2. The first thing you must do is install the "Strummer Preset"
Configuration in GenEdit. If you have no other configurations loaded
currently, you can simple re-name the Strummer Configuration file
(STRUMMER.CNX) to: AUTOLOAD.CNX so it will automatically load each time
your run GneEdit.

To add the "Strummer Preset" configuration to an exisiting CNX file, load
STRUMMER.CNX in GenEdit and drag the "Strummer Preset" configuration to
the Clip Board (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 clip board, load your regular AUTOLOAD.CNX file and copy the Strummer
Configuration from the clip board to any available location in the
Configuration list. Once this is done, you can create a "Strummer Preset"
dump utility in the "Device List" (displayed 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.

Once you have created a slot in your Studio Setup for Strummer you can
then drag the Strummer Preset dump 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 display of: "FROMMIDI.STR" in the Title Bar, and an
"initialized" preset name of 48 dashes (-) (the first 18 dashes are
visible in the window).  Long preset names are provided 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.

a. To name the preset, click once on the dashed-line to highlight, and
   select "Name" from the "Patches" Menu.
b. To re-name the "FILE" before saving, right-click on the Title Bar and
   type in a new name.
c. To edit the preset, right-click on the preset name to enter the Editor.
d. You can copy a single preset from a library to the initialized 1 Preset 
   that has been loaded into a Window, and then save it to disk. Individual
   Presets can be sent to Strummer with the SysXpress Desk Accessory. This 
   capability enables you to send presets to the Strummer's edit buffer
   on-the-fly.



---------------------------------------
2. ROM_LIB non-editable Preset Library:
---------------------------------------
  
Since it is a bit tedious to save the 64 presets (one at a time from the
front panel of Strummer), the 64 "Factory Presets" along with 32 new
"Strummer Heaven" Presets have been saved in a GenEdit file called
"ROM_LIB".  To use this library, you must install the STRUMROM.TEM
template in your GenEdit directory. The ROM_LIB Library is
"non-destructive" and uses a Template and Configuration that is different
than the regular Strummer editing Template and configuration. If you
attempt to edit a preset or send it to Strummer by dragging a preset to
the MIDI Icon, you will get a dialog box telling you that presets cannot
be edited or 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
cannot copy a preset "TO" the ROM library, if you try doing this, nothing
will happen.

Presets in the "ROM_LIB" cannot be edited, names cannot be changed, nor
can individual presets be sent over MIDI to Strummer. The purpose of this
library is to have a permanent archive of the factory ROM presets (1-64)
and the 32 new "Heaven" Presets (65-96) saved in GenEdit, that you can
copy to a RAM "User Library", where you can then Edit, Save and Send to
Strummer.  You should never have a need to "Save" a factory preset to
GenEdit in the future.  If you modify these presets in the FACTORY or
Heaven Libraries, you can restore them to their original parameter
settings by simply retrieving (copying) them from the ROM_LIB.

NOTE: When you copy from the ROM_LIB 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 other 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 as well as
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 further description of 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.



----------------------------------------------
3. Factory Presets in an editable Library:
----------------------------------------------

The "FACTORY" RAM Library contains the 64 factory presets in a format that
can be edited, saved, sent to Strummer or copied to another RAM "User
Preset" Library. You cannot send an entire library of presets to Strummer
because the device does not support this protocol.


-------------------------------
4. RAM "User Preset" libraries:
-------------------------------
  
Strummer Heaven comes with several "initialized", "User Preset" RAM
Libraries.  To make use of these libraries, you will need install the
STRUMMER.TEM template in your GenEdit directory. These files will hold 32
presets each. When you load one of them into a window you will see dashed
lines for each preset location where you can type in names for your new
presets. These initialized presets have all parameters set to minimum.
You can use these libraries in the following ways:

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


-------------------------
The "Heaven" RAM Library: 
-------------------------

Thirty two new Strummer User Presets have been created using Strummer
Heaven. 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 even one for techno music.

To audition these Presets quickly, you can drag them from a GenEdit Window
to the MIDI Icon. Doing this will load them into the Strummer edit buffer.
Each time you drag a preset to the MIDI Icon the next preset will replace
the previous preset in Strummer's edit buffer.

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


--------------
5. The Editor:
--------------

The editor is entered by right-clicking on a Preset name.  

- Page 1: Is the Strummer 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.

          NOTE: You should normally turn-off the "MIDI thru" in GenEdit.
          You can do this within 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 used as the "Title" or "Credits" Page for all GenEdit
          Templates.



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

The 32 new Strummer "Heaven" Presets have been individually saved as a
PC1600(x) preset file (.P16), and all 32 presets have been saved as an
"All Presets" bulk dump file (.A16), and the dump "Everything" file
(.E16), which also contains the global settings for using a sweep pedal
plugged into CV2 and a dual footswitch plugged into CV1. Once the 32
Strummer presets have 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 the fader or foot pedal connected to
the PC1600(x), will change a pre-defined parameter in the Strummer preset,
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 "Repear Rate" did not function.

This experiences 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 lay-person's 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 engineer(s) 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 to 32K
2. The operating system of your unit is not v3.14



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

Strummer Heaven is freeware and comes "as is" with no warranty. To my
knowledge, no harm to your Strummer unit can result from using Strummer
Heaven. This Strummer 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 do.

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

May 1, 2005
