Contents

Overview
   System Requirements
Getting Started
   Importing Sounds
   Playing Sounds
   Master Volume
   Emergency Kill Switch
Making a Custom Setup
   Default setup
   Selecting a key
   Changing the Sound
   Transposing the Pitch
   Fine-tuning the Pitch
   Using the Pitch Bender
   Changing the Pitch Bender Sensitivity
   Limiting the Pitch Bender
   Volume Control
   Mute Control
   Stereo Panning
   Selecting a Trigger Type
   Using the Loop Ranger
Recording and Playback
Saving a Setup
Opening a Setup
Managing Your Sounds
Troubleshooting
 

BackToBasics, developed at ORILab, is the premier digital sample triggering software for today's advanced computers. With BackToBasics you can turn your computer keyboard into a full-fledged real-time digital audio research, experimentation, and performance laboratory. Using BackToBasics, you can separately configure 47 keys on your computer keyboard to play up to 30 stereo sounds at one time (that's for MacOS, no limit for Windows) using an unlimited amount of imported sampled sounds while controlling sample pitch, volume, loop type, and more.

Let BackToBasics bring your audio presentation capabilities into the frontier of tomorrow!

Overview
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BackToBasics allows you to import sounds and assign them to the 47 alpha numeric keys on the standard computer keyboard so that they can be played in much the same way as a MIDI keyboard and sampler. Each of the 47 keys has its own settings for pitch, fine tune, volume, stereo pan, trigger type, pitch bender sensitivity, pitch bender limiter, and loop ranger (M).

• The Pitch control allows you to transpose the pitch over 10.5 octaves (M, 6 octaves on Windows). For a 44.1kHz sample that would be Zero to 2114.4 kHz.
• The Fine Tune control allows you to adjust the pitch by hundredths of a half-step.
• The Pitch Bender control allows even greater control over the pitch of the selected key's associated sound. Click and drag the cursor across the BackToBasics "Rumble Strip" for real-time pitch bending excitement.
• The Pitch Bender Sensitivity control allows you to control how quickly the bender.
• The Pitch Bender Limiter control
• The Volume control allows you to set the volume from 0-100%, but also allows you to overdrive the sound up to 400% of its normal level.
• The Mute control
• The Stereo Pan setting allows each key to play its sound through the left or right channels and anywhere in between.
• The 4 different Trigger Type controls: 1 Truncated Release, 2 Truncated Release Toggle Switch, 3 Full Release, and 4 Full Release Toggle Switch allow for instantaneous play/stop (1), continuous looping (2), attack, sustain & release (3), or continuous looping with attack, sustain & release (4).
• The Loop Ranger (M)

BackToBasics also lets you record your performances and play them back, and can save your recordings along with all of your key settings and a link to the sound suitcase (M) or directory (W) you were using in a BackToBasics Setup File.

System Requirements:

Macintosh
BackToBasics for Macintosh requires System 7+, Sound Manager 3+ and preferably a 68040 or faster processor.

Windows
BackToBasics for Windows requires Windows 95+ using DirectX 3+.

Unregistered copies of BackToBasics are only semi-functional. The "Save" and "Import" functions are disabled and become active upon entering your valid BackToBasics serial number.

Getting Started
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Importing Sounds:

To begin using BackToBasics you first need to load in the sounds you are going to play. If you have not already created a suitcase of sounds to use, see "Managing Your Sounds" later in this manual. From the File menu select "Import Sounds" and open the file (or suitcase) containing your sounds. In Windows, selecting any sound in a directory imports all of the sounds in that directory. The names of the sound files will appear in the BackToBasics sound name display list up in the top right corner of the BackToBasics display window.

Playing Sounds:

Once you have imported your sounds into the program, you should be able to hear them by pressing any of the alphanumeric keys on your keyboard. The keys are set up to correspond to the standard U.S. keyboard layout. Make sure your keyboard control panel is set to the U.S. keyboard layout. Also note that the keyboard display in the BackToBasics display window represents the U.S. extended keyboard (or 105/101 key) layout.

Master Volume:

To control the master volume of all keyed sounds, use the Master Volume control located in the lower left corner of the BackToBasics display window. This control allows you to adjust the relative volume of all keys from 0 to 100% (in ten easy steps on the Macintosh). In Windows, right-clicking the control resets the value to 80.

Emergency Kill Switch:

A Kill Switch is provided in the lower right corner of the BackToBasics display window giving you the ability to stop all currently playing sounds at once. Also useful in the unlikely event that a sound stop command is missed, such as when switching to another application while holding a key down.

Making a Custom Setup
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BackToBasics allows you to customize the way the keys are setup to trigger sounds. Each alphanumeric key on the keyboard has a set of attributes associated with it that defines what kind of sound is made when that key is pressed.

BackToBasics key attributes are:

• Sound list index number (displayed on the key)
• Pitch
• Fine tune
• Pitch bender sensitivity
• Pitch bender limiter
• Volume
• Mute
• Stereo pan
• Trigger type
• Loop range

Default setup:

If no BackToBasics setup is currently open, the key settings will be set to the default BackToBasics setup. By default all keys are set to the Truncated Release trigger setting. The pitch is set to a scale from -12 half steps to 0 (normal) spread out over the top row of keys on the keyboard, a scale from 0 to +12 over the next row of keys, and each key thereafter is set to 0. The top row of keys is set to the first sound in the BackToBasics sound name display list, the next row is set to the second sound, and each key after that is assigned a sound from the list successively. The volume for every key is set to 100%, the fine tune is set to zero, the loop range (M) is set to 1x, the pitch bender sensitivity is set to 10 with no limit, and stereo pan is set to center.

Selecting a key:

To change the settings for a particular key, you must highlight that key by selecting it with the mouse; notice that this key will be the only one outlined in yellow in the BackToBasics display window. Once a key is highlighted, any changes to the BackToBasics settings will affect this key only.

The current settings for the highlighted key will be displayed by each of the settings controls in the settings controls section of the BackToBasics display window.

Changing the Sound:

To change the sound associated with the highlighted (selected) key, select a new sound from the BackToBasics sound name display list using the mouse. Be aware that this only changes the sound sample that the key triggers, it does not change any of the other settings for the selected key.

Transposing the Pitch:

To transpose the pitch of the selected key, use the frequency control buttons located in the BackToBasics frequency control section of the BackToBasics display window. These buttons affect the rate (frequency) at which the sample is played, which in turn alters the pitch of the sound. Decreasing the rate lowers the pitch, increasing the rate raises the pitch. Each increment changes the pitch by one half-step. Holding the command () key (or ctrl key in Windows) down while clicking on the frequency control buttons increases or decreases the pitch by 12 half-steps, or one octave. An increase of one octave has the effect of exactly doubling the rate of the sound and sounds will loop exactly twice as often. A decrease of one octave has the opposite effect and sounds will loop exactly half as often. In Windows, right-clicking the control resets the value to zero.

Windows note: DirectX does not currently support pitch shifting of sounds above 1 (ONE) octave!

Fine-tuning the Pitch:

To fine tune the pitch of the selected key, use the fine tune control buttons located in the BackToBasics fine tune control section of the BackToBasics display window. These buttons affect the rate the same way the frequency control does only on a smaller scale. Each increment changes the frequency by one-hundredth of a half step. Holding the command () key (or ctrl key in Windows) down while clicking on the fine tune control buttons increases or decreases the pitch by one-tenth of a half step. In Windows, right-clicking the control resets the value to zero.

Using the Pitch Bender:

The pitch bender allows you to transpose the pitch of the sound triggered by the selected key in real-time. To use the pitch bender, first highlight the key you would like to effect, then, while that key is playing, click anywhere on the pitch bender and drag the mouse right or left. Dragging to the right increases the pitch of the sound, dragging to the left decreases the pitch.

The sound will "snap" back to its original pitch when the mouse button is released unless the command () key (or ctrl key in Windows) is held down. Holding the command (ctrl) key down while releasing the mouse button will temporarily lock the pitch at the "bent" rate for the duration of playback. Changes made using the pitch bender are not saved in the sound setup and last at most until the sound is triggered again.

Changing the Pitch Bender Sensitivity:

(affects the amount of pitch change relative to the distance dragged)

Limiting the Pitch Bender:

(restricts the total amount of pitch change, in half-steps)

Volume Control:

To change the volume of the selected key, use the volume control buttons located in the BackToBasics volume control section of the BackToBasics display window. Do not confuse this function with the Master Volume control located in the lower left corner of the BackToBasics display window (see "Playing Sounds" above). The volume control allows you to set the playback volume of the associated sound from 0-400% on the Macintosh or 0-100% on Windows, setting the volume above 100% on the Macintosh is likely to over-modulate the sound. Holding the command () key (or ctrl key in Windows) down while clicking on the volume control buttons increases or decreases the volume by increments of 10%. In Windows, right-clicking the control resets the value to 70 (the equivalent of 100 on the Macintosh).

Mute Control:

Clicking the mute control button located in the BackToBasics volume control section of the BackToBasics display window temporarily mutes the selected sound. Another way to mute keys is by holding down the ctrl key (Macintosh) or alt key (Windows) while pressing any key. Holding down the command () key (or ctrl key in Windows) while un-muting a key locks that key in mute mode. Mute and un-mute again to unlock the key.

Stereo Panning:

Use the stereo pan slide control located in the BackToBasics stereo pan slide control section of the BackToBasics display window to send a key's sound output to the left and/or right channels. Setting this control anywhere in between left and right sends a percentage of the sound to both channels. In Windows, right-clicking the control moves the pan to the center.

Selecting a Trigger Type:

To change the Trigger Type of the highlighted key, select one of the four Trigger Type Control Buttons located in the BackToBasics Trigger Type Control section of the BackToBasics display window.

The four trigger types are:

	Truncated Release This setting plays the sample from the from the beginning, loops the sound between the preset loop points (see "Managing Your Sounds") while the key is held down, and stops the sound immediately when the key is released.
	Truncated Release Toggle Switch This setting is the toggle switch version of the Truncated Release setting above. It functions the same way except that the sound continues to loop when the key is released. Pressing the key a second time stops the sound immediately. When a key is toggled "on" (the first time the key is pressed and released) it will light up red in the BackToBasics display window until the key is toggled off (the second time the key is pressed).
	Full Release This setting plays the sample from the beginning, loops the sound between the preset loop points while the key is held down, and plays the rest of the sound when the key is released.
	Full Release Toggle Switch This setting is the switch version of the Full Release trigger type above. It functions the same as the Full Release setting except that the sound continues to loop when the key is released. Pressing the key a second time plays the rest of the sound before stopping. Just like the Truncated Release Toggle Switch, when a key is toggled "on" (the first time the key is pressed and released) it will light up red in the BackToBasics display window until the key is toggled off (the second time the key is pressed).

Using the Loop Ranger: (M)

The Loop Ranger divides or multiplies the length of the loop associated with the highlighted key by the amount indicated. Holding the command key () down while clicking on the loop ranging buttons increases or decreases the loop length by multiples of 4.

Recording and Playback
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To make a recording, select "Record" from the Functions menu. This puts BackToBasics into a "recording standby" mode, BackToBasics will not actually start recording until you begin playing. Recordings can be any length and take up very little storage space on your computer because only your keystrokes (and on Windows, some mouse events) are recorded. The recording is saved with the setup file, and only one recording can be saved in a setup at a time-starting a new recording erases the previous one.

To play back a recording, select "Play Recording" from the Functions menu.

Saving a Setup
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Once you have your sounds loaded and the keys setup the way you want them, you should save your setup. BackToBasics saves all of your settings for all of the keys and a link to the imported sound suitcase (Macintosh) or directory (Windows) in a BackToBasics Setup File. BackToBasics does not save a copy of the sounds themselves, so it is a good idea (although not necessary) to save your BackToBasics setup file in the same location as the sound suitcase or directory it uses. From the File menu select "Save As..." and save your setup in a convenient place. You will notice that BackToBasics has its own document type and icon to make BackToBasics setup files easily recognizable in the Finder or Explorer.

Opening a Setup
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You can open a BackToBasics setup file either by double clicking on the document in the Finder/Explorer, dragging the document to the BackToBasics icon in the Finder/Explorer, or by selecting "Open Setup" from the File menu in BackToBasics. BackToBasics changes all of the settings to those saved in the setup file and automatically loads the associated sounds for you.

Managing Your Sounds
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BackToBasics supports sound resources or System 7 sound files on the Macintosh, wave (".wav") files in Windows at sample rates anywhere up to 64 kHz and any sample size from 1 to 32 bits. BackToBasics does not allow you to make or edit the sounds themselves; this has to be done with an application such as SoundEdit 16 or SoundForge.

BackToBasics on the Macintosh currently does not automatically loop sounds. Loop points must be set in your sound editing program and saved in the sound file itself. Most Macintosh sound editing/recording programs allow you to save sounds as sound resources or System 7 sounds, but it may also be a good idea to purchase a program like SndConverter Pro 2.0 which lets you convert batches of files to many different formats.

BackToBasics on Windows currently does not support loop points sound
files, it instead loops the entire sound.

Macintosh NOTE: The best way to manage your sounds (system 7 or sound resources) is to save them in a sound suitcase. BackToBasics loads in multiple sound files only if they are stored in a suitcase file. Use the BackToBasics Suitcaser to create a suitcase to save your sounds in. BackToBasics can also open the sound resources from any Macintosh file (such as most games).

Troubleshooting
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The problem may also be that some sound editors do not save System 7 sounds correctly. System 7 sounds must be saved with a creator type of 'movr' to function correctly in the Finder. Many sound editors do not comply with this requirement, and set the creator type to their application type. A work-around for this is to save your sounds directly into a sound suitcase. It is a good idea to let the makers of your sound editing software know about this problem.

Keyboard limitations
Unfortunately computer keyboards are not designed for the kind of use that BackToBasics puts them through, so even though BackToBasics can play up to 30+ sounds at one time, your keyboard may not be able to recognize that many keys down at one time. Some keyboards can only accept 2 keys down at once, most can handle 4, and many keyboards can read more than that, but sometimes in an unpredictable way. On the Macintosh, a good way to test your keyboard is to open the Key Caps desk accessory from the Apple menu and try pressing as many keys as you can.

Some keyboards also have different key response sensitivity. This response time is the product of many factors, from the drivers that handle communications between the keyboard and the computer to the mechanics of the key switches themselves. The best thing to do is try out different keyboards and test their responsiveness.

AV pitch problem (Macintosh 660 AV and 840 AV machines)
Transposing the pitch above 50 (or so) can cause BackToBasics to stop processing sound or even freeze up. We have no idea why this happens.

Not enough memory to load some sounds
BackToBasics loads all imported sounds into RAM. Because of this, you need to have enough free RAM to cover the size of the sounds you are loading in.

On the Macintosh, allocate as much memory to BackToBasics as the size of your sound suitcase, plus 500K for BackToBasics to use. To do this, in the Finder, select the BackToBasics icon and choose "Get Info" from the File menu. Set the "Preferred size" field to the amount of RAM needed. This setting takes effect the next time you start BackToBasics.

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(M) This feature is currently MacOS only