< 4/ 7>SGL Sound Tutorial/2. Create a song

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SOUND TUTORIAL/2. Create a song

2-3. Assign sounds to keys

Next, we'll use the waveform we created to actually assign sounds to the keyboard. At the same time, set the strength of the key touch and change in sound.

1) Target initialization

To use the Tone Editor, you must initialize the target with a sound simulator. Start the sound simulator and open the map.
The map that opens at this time can be a sample map file that comes with Sega Sound Tool.

Figure 2-10 Opening the map

Then select "Start Sound System" from the File menu. The sound system will start up.

Figure 2-11 Selecting “Start Sound System”

The target initialization is now complete.

2) Launching Tone Editor

Start the Tone editor.

3) Creating voice data

When creating a new voice, the default number of voices will be 15, but let's start with about 2.
You can add or remove the number of voices later.
If you created the sequence data first, make settings for the number of instruments.

Figure 2-12 Setting the number of voice data

Once you have completed the steps up to this point, the voice window will appear.

Figure 2-13 Voice window

There are numbers and names in this window.
Later, when you set the voice name using the pop-up menu, it will be difficult to understand if the voice name is untitled, so it is a good idea to give it a name such as the instrument name.
Next, set each tone.

Double-click the numbered part on the left. As with the number of voices, you will be asked for the number of layers, so please set it to about 4.
The number of layers sets how many sound waveforms are assigned to a certain key range.

Normally, if you attached a different waveform to each key, you would get exactly the same sound, but that would run out of memory.
Deciding how many waveforms to use and reducing the size of the waveforms without degrading the sound quality is quite a difficult task, but this is the most important part, so try different things and try again and again.

Figure 2-14 Setting the number of layers

A layer window will appear.

Figure 2-15 Layer window

4) Creating layer data

Various settings can be made by double-clicking within each frame.

Figure 2-16 Layer data settings

If an AIFF file is selected and the set AIFF file is changed, first set another AIFF file and then select the file again, or change the file name. Please select the file.
Please note that if you do not do this, the modified file will not be loaded into the Tone Editor.

After that, try adjusting each setting while checking the sound with the keyboard.
The most important settings are explained below.

Also, it is a good idea to set each setting by referring to those included in the SEGA Sound Library.

If you would like to know more, please refer to books on DTM.

●Waveform information settings

If you use commercially available waveform editing software, be sure to check the "waveform looping method" and basic key settings.

Figure 2-17 Waveform information settings

●EG (envelope generator)

The volume of the sound of an acoustic instrument decreases over time after it is first produced, and the timbre changes accordingly. EG sets such temporal changes.

Figure 2-18 EG (envelope generator) settings

A : Time from when the sound starts until it reaches the maximum volume
D : Time required for the maximum volume to decay to a sustained volume
S : How long the key lasts while being pressed
R : Time from when the key is released until the sound disappears

●Velocity

Velocity is the speed at which the keyboard is struck, and has 127 levels of precision.
This creates a volume change when you play strongly or softly.
The standard sound settings are roughly as follows.

Figure 2-19 Velocity settings

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