 ===========================================================================
                            
                                           
                                    
                                       
                       3.00
 ===========================================================================
                     Copyright 2002, Sebastian Mate

                    - the Real way for MIDI in DOS -

   ---=====  R E A D   T H I S   F I L E   C A R E F U L L Y ! =====---


 Program:     RealMIDI 3.00 (sequencer)
 Author:      Sebastian Mate (sebmate@arcor.de)
 Version:     3.00 (4)

 Disclaimer
 ----------
 The programmer assumes no responsibility for any harm or costs
 that comes from using the material contained in these files and to
 you, your computer, or anything relating to your existence. No
 warranty is provided or implied on these files!
 These files are provided as they are (as if you have written them on your
 own).
 All names and trademarks belong to their owners.

 -> You can use this program in any way you want, however, please
    give me credits.

 Credits
 -------
 This program would not be possible without using parts from to two
 other great programmers:
 -> Luke Erren wrote a program that could play MIDI-files using the
    MPU404-interface. You have to connect your computer to a MIDI-keyboard.
 -> Davey W. Taylor, he wrote a FM-Tracker from which I used the support
    for the FM-Synthesis.
 -> Matthias Becker, he told me some stuff on MIDI so I could develop
    RealMIDI 2.0 faster. Thx!
 -> Annica Maria Toresson (is it his/her true name???), who helped me
    very much with the OPL3 stuff. Mainly by him (her?).

 Features
 --------
 Nearly all disadvantages of RealMIDI 1.0 and 2.x have been removed:

 -> 16-track support (more are possible, requires modifications)
 -> full OPL3 support
    -> Up to 18 voices at one time in stereo (!)
    -> "Intelligent" OPL3-engine
 -> Built-in Software Synthesis: MIDI-to-Wave conversation
    -> Handles attack, decay, volume, waveform (sine and rectangle, drumset)
 -> Very experimental TTS (Text-To-Speech) support: Your computer can sing!
 -> Internal Speaker support ("BEEP"-play and 6-Bit Wave playback!)
 -> Nearly 100% MIDI 0-format compatibel
    -> 128 nice voices (1), FM-Synthesis
    -> full drumset (2) on track 10, FM-Synthesis
 -> Plays all MIDI-files, even files bigger 64k

 (1) RealMIDI is using 71 different voices for the 128 General-MIDI
     voices. You will see the output-sound on "OUTPUT" on the screen.
 (2) Not all drumset-sounds are supported. RealMIDI is using sounds
     which are similar the the General-MIDI sounds.

 System Requirements
 -------------------
 -> A fast CPU (486 with at least 50 MHz), for software synthesis even more
    (1000 Mhz or above for fast conversation)
 -> Soundcard optional (you can use your internal speaker!), but recommended!
 -> about 15 Mb additional space on your harddisk for software synthesis (MID2WAV)
 -> HVSS for Text-To-Speech (see below)

 Installation and Configuration
 ------------------------------
 UNZIP all files to a directory. Then run CONFIG.EXE to setup up RealMIDI.
 Choose your configuration.

 Notes: -> How to use TTS see below.
        -> When selecting "Internal Speaker Optimized", the wave output is louder
           and uses only rectangle waves.

 Playing a MIDI file with RealMIDI
 ---------------------------------
 RealMIDI can only play MIDI files in MIDI format 0! If you have a MIDI 1 or 2 file
 you need to convert it to format 0 first. There are some converters out there. I
 use "Magix Music Painter", a Windows 3.11 MIDI Sequencer (really great!).
 MIDI files are files which end with ".MID" or ".KAR".
 To play it, simply type
  
   REALMIDI.EXE FILE.MID


 Using the Software Synthesis
 ----------------------------
 RealMIDI 3 has an algorithm that can ouput the MIDI music into a wave file (*.WAV).
 However, this ouput sounds very simple and even more synthetic than the FM
 synthesis (reminds me on my old Nintendo GameBoy :-) . If you like electronic sounds
 you will like RealMIDI's software synthesis ...
 RealMIDI will ouput the data to OUT.WAV in your directory. The wave is 8 Bit, mono,
 22050 Hz, PCM format.

 If you have no soundcard, you can use PLAY.EXE (see PLAY.TXT) to play OUT.WAV with
 your internal speaker. Sounds even better as many may think! 

 Using the experimental Text-To-Speech (TTS)
 -------------------------------------------
 RealMIDI 3 has experimental TTS support. That means, if a MIDI file contains lyrics
 RealMIDI attempts to sing them.

 Please go to http://www.sm-gimi.de or http://www.realmidi.de.vu and download
 "HVSS" (Human Voice Speech System). This is a DOS TTS system I wrote some time ago.
 RealMIDI needs it because it uses it's databases.

 Install and configure HVSS as described in it's documentation!
 To play a MIDI file with lyrics you must type:

   REALMIDI.EXE FILE.MID n

 where "n" is the MIDI channel (1-16) which contains the tunes of the voice.

 Compiling the Source
 --------------------
 If you want to compile the source, do the following:
 -> Copy all files from the scr-directory into you QuickBasic 7.1 (other versions
    should work as well)
 -> Run COMPILE.BAT in your QuickBasic directory

 Contact
 -------
 Please feel free to contact me!

 www.sm-gimi.de
 www.realmidi.de.vu

 sebmate@arcor.de

 Your Sebastian Mate





