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loopcart / paul slocum|
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http://qotile.net|
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loopcart is a simple music sequencer for the Atari 2600.

+----------+
| control: |
+----------+

to edit music data on the loopcart, you move a cursor around
the screen and edit values.  Use a joystick in the left controller
port to move the cursor.  To edit a value, hold the button and push
up or down.

the right difficultly switch is the play/stop control:
expert = play / novice = stop

+---------------------+
| sequencing overview |
+---------------------+

The top sequencing level on the synthcart is the song.  The song is 8 measures long,
and each measure is assigned to 2 patterns (one for each of the Atari 2600's two 
oscillators).  The next level is the pattern which is the equivalent of a measure, 
and is made up of 4 subpatterns.  The subpattern is the lowest level.  It's the 
length of a quarter note and is a list of 8 32nd steps.  Each step is assigned a 
pitch, sound type, and accent.  The sound type determines the waveform of the sound 
and affects the pitch range.  The accent is either on or off and affects the volume.

+----------------+
| editing screen |
+----------------+

move the cursor around this screen and edit values to make your sequence!

+------------+ \
| TMP=105.75 |  \____ general controls (not implemented yet)
| RUN   PLAY |  /
| SCALE=MAJ1 | /
| HAT PIT=00 | \__ high hat settings (not implemented yet)
| SD=0  VO=0 | /
| ====  ==== | \__ high hat pattern - each mark represents a 32nd note
| ====  ==== | /
+------------+
| SONG       | 
| 0000  0000 | >-- pattern order for oscillator 1.  (the song is 8 measures/patterns long)
| 0000  0000 | >-- pattern order for oscillator 2.  (setting to 0 will mute a measure)
| ----  ---- | >-- song loop setting (not implemented yet)
+------------+
| PAT0  PAT0 | >-- choose which patterns to edit.  there are 6 patterns and you can display/edit 2 at a time.
| 0000  0000 | >-- the list of 4 subpatterns for each of the 2 patterns you've chosen above.
+------------+
| SUBPATTRNS | 
|  +00000000 | >-- subpattern sound type list.  use the + symbol to set the sound type for the whole subpattern.
| 0+AAAAAAAA | >-- subpattern pitch list.  the number to the left selects which subpattern you're editing.
|  .-------- | >-- subpattern accent list.
|  +00000000 | \
| 0+AAAAAAAA |  |
|  .-------- |  |
|  +00000000 |  |
| 0+AAAAAAAA |  +- more subpatterns, you can display/edit 4 subpatterns at once.
|  .-------- |  |
|  +00000000 |  |
| 0+AAAAAAAA |  |
|  .-------- | /
+------------+