Welcome to Composer's corner. As the name implies, we hope to get you involved in providing tips in composing music as well as how to effectively use Sound Fonts to add a new dimension to Computer Music. Don't be misled by the term "composing". With the Sound Blaster AWE32 and SoundFont technology, any creative music enthusiasts (even someone with no formal training in music) can "compose" desktop music.

To kick off this first issue, I'm going to make use of Creative's GS SoundFont Bank and TextAssist to create some cool stuff. Of course, I assume that you know how to use a sequencer - Cakewalk or MIDI Orchestrator Plus.

Now imagine if you are going to compose music for the sound track of a murder story. What you need are all the dramatic elements like screaming, gun fire, etc. These sound effects are easily available from Sound Libraries. Or you could record them as WAV files and then import them into an SoundFont bank file.

For the purpose of this demonstration, I am going to use sound effects that are found in the GS standard. You will need to set the synth in your control panel to GS Synth Bank (that will take up 512K of RAM).

• Now download the MIDI file that I've created and play it in your sequencer.

You will notice that the MIDI file is capable of producing sound effects besides MIDI musical instruments. Now, you may argue that these sound effects are part of GS. They are. But look at how GS is implemented on the AWE32. The sound effects are stored in a GS SoundFont bank (SYNTHGS.SBK). What this means is that you could put together your own SoundFont bank by assembling relevant sound effects that can be triggered at a touch of a key. And you are able to put together music tracks that do not only play MIDI instruments found on the ROM but any sound effect or other musical instruments using SoundFont technology. All these MIDI events can be recorded and played back on a regular MIDI sequencer and player. In the coming issues, we'll teach you how to do this step by step.

Meanwhile, let's go back and review the simple song I wrote:

• Track 1 contains all the dramatic sound elements. As you can guess, the story is about a psychopathisc killer that goes into a house and murders everyone. The police are unable to stop him. Observe how the sound elements tell the story. And let your own imagination run wild as to how you too can do your own tracks using Creative's SoundFont technology.
• Track 2 contains a simple melody that sets the stage for the sound track.
• Track 3 uses Ensemble Strings to introduce the events that follow i.e the killer opens fire.
• Track 4 includes a Bass Guitar. What I wanted to play this track and make it sound like a heart beat - the fear, the horror, the tragedy.

There you go... you could learn this song and impress your friends. As for sequencing the dramatic sound elements, It's a matter of triggering the sound effects that are assigned to the various keys in the right order and timing.

Wait... that's not all! Download this text file here. I am going to show you how you can have lots of fun combining Creative's SoundFont Technology with Creative's TextAssist.

• Step 1: Go to TextAssist and OPEN the file you have just DOWNLOADED. Yep, it contains text that tells a story.
• Step 2: Now CHOOSE HARRY as your TextAssist Voice
• Step 3: Task switch to your sequencer and play the MIDI file And then go back to TextAssist and PLAY the TextAssist File

Presto! This is how easy you can create your own music "movie" tracks and even get the Sound Blaster AWE32 to provide the narration.... Okay, I've started the ball rollin', what ideas have you got? Send your creations to me.

Cheers!! And Have Fun!