HOW TO (READ and TRY)
KEYBOARD
ARPEGGIATOR
KEYBOARD MODES
PLAYER
How to install Soundbank-deluxe?
Top How to play music with ARPTON?
You can play alone, play with any MIDI or Karaoke-MIDI accompanement, and sing into a microphone at the same time.
You can play using PC keyboard and/or a mouse.
You can play using any sound synthesizers available on your computer.
You can decide whether send the output from ARPTON™ to headphones or to a pair of speakers.
Top How to know which key corresponds to which note?
Press F1 to show, press F1 again to hide.
Top How to use MIDI Channels? 
Usually MIDI channels are used to control external MIDI devices to determine the recipients of all MIDI messages sent from ARPTON™ to the external MIDI system.
For example, if you select Channel 5, only an external device with the same Channel number will respond when you play ARPTON™.
If you do not use any external MIDI devices, the same buttons CHANNEL can be used as "preset" buttons for quick navigation between different INSTRUMENTS.
ARPTON™ starts with initial sound presets for all CHANNEL buttons just for your convenience. Since you have 16 different instrument GROUPS, each of 16 CHANNEL buttons gives you an access to the first INSTRUMENT in those GROUPS. It allows you to switch between GROUPS of the instruments by selecting the corresponding button CHANNEL. If you wish, you can change initial presets and assign any INSTRUMENT to any CHANNEL button to make your own set of 16 preselected INSTRUMENTS.
When ARPTON™ starts, it assigns different presets to all CHANNEL buttons.
Selected Channel becomes a current active Channel.
Active Channel always has a green light on its button. 

According to the MIDI Specification, Channel 10 is always used for playing drums.(Try it yourself). 
ARPTON™ uses an INSTRUMENT assigned to the Channel 2 to play chords (THRU ON) and an INSTRUMENT assigned to the Channel 3 to play SOLO (SP ON). 

NOTE: If you want to use different INSTRUMENTS for arpeggio, background chords, and solo, do not use (in this case) Channel 2 or 3 as a current active channel. Remember, arpeggio always plays using an INSTRUMENT assigned to the active channel.

Top How to select Instrument for MIDI Channel?
Select the desired MIDI Channel using a corresponding button.
Select Instrument using any of the following:
  • Group and Instrument selection buttons, located under the GROUP / INSTRUMENT display.
  • Arrow keys on a computer keyboard:
    • Left, Right - to switch a Group.
    • Up, Down - to select an Instrument.
  • Instruments Table, located in a HelpDesk area at the bottom of your screen.
Top How to play different Instruments at the same time?
With ARPTON™ you can play up to 3 different instruments at once.

For example:

  • Turn On ARPEGGIO, THRU and SPLIT.
  • Press "Channel 2" and select an instrument to play background.
  • Press "Channel 3" and select an instrument to play SOLO.
  • Press button for any remaining channel and select an instrument to play arpeggio.
  • If necessary, adjust settings for Arpeggiator and LFO.
Start playing and enjoy!
Top How to select a drum kit?
Drum Kit is always on a Channel 10.
According to the General MIDI Specification, every key on a keyboard is assigned to the particular instrument from a Drum Kit.
You cannot assigh to the Channel 10 any other instrument the same way you usually do that for other channels.
Top How to octave transpose the keyboard?
Use buttons "transp up"/"transp down" on a left side of ARPTON™, or keys "Page Up"/"Page Down" on your computer keyboard.You can change a pitch of all sounds in a range of +/- 3 octaves. Use red lights near the buttons to control a current position.
Top How to release all notes on the keyboard?
Press "Esc" on a computer keyboard, or click a button "Reset" on ARPTON™.
Top How to use SPLIT mode?
SPlIT mode divides the music keyboard into two sections: Lower and Upper. The split point is note F in a second octave from the left.
It makes possible to play with different Instruments for each section.
Upper section can be used for playing SOLO parts with selected Instrument on MIDI Channel 3.
Lower section always plays on an active channel (with green light) and can be used in different modes, with or without arpeggio, with different combinations of settings.
Top How to use HOLD mode?
In HOLD mode all previously pressed keys continue to sound if you hold at least one key.

ARPEGGIO OFF

  • If you continue to hold only 1 key, new pressed keys replace old notes.
  • If you continue to hold more than 1 key, new pressed keys are added to old notes.
ARPEGGIO ON
  • If you continue to hold at least 1 key,  new pressed keys are added to the playing arpeggio. It allows you to press any additional keys at any time and create unlimited number of amazing variations, which are recorded in "arpeggio.mid" file and can be used for your compositions later.
Top How to get PEDAL effect?
At any time you can press "Shift" on your computer keyboard, and all notes will remain pressed until you release "Shift".
Top How to use THRU mode?
This mode can work only with arpeggio.
Without THRU all pressed keys are used to create arpeggio only.
In THRU mode ARPTON™ uses the same pressed keys to create arpeggio, and to play them directly as a background.
Arpeggio always plays on a current channel (with green light on), background (THRU) always plays on Channel 2.
Top How to adjust a volume of the keyboard?
You can adjust a volume of the keyboard using a slider "MOD".

ARPEGGIO OFF

  • SPLIT mode OFF: Slider MOD affects the whole keyboard.
  • SPLIT mode ON: Slider MOD affects the Upper Section of the keyboard.

ARPEGGIO ON

  • Slider MOD can be used for a volume control if the LFO is turned off (horizontal line on a display).
  • Slider MOD affects the volume of arpeggio only.
Top How to use the Arpeggiator?
  • create arpeggios and loops,
  • record them to MIDI file and play back,
  • use them with your composers,
  • play multipart songs using THRU and SPLIT,
  • create arpeggios and sequences for future use in your compositions,
  • play songs with MIDI files and add arpeggio.
Top How to change a range of arpeggio?
You can change the range of arpeggio from 1 to 4 octaves, using a button "oct", located in the "ARP" section of ARPTON. Display above the button shows the current range.
Top How to change a direction of arpeggio?
You can select one of the following directions to play your arpeggios: UP, DOWN or UP/DOWN, using a button "dir", located in the "ARP" section of ARPTON™. Display above the button shows the current direction in a graphic form.
Top How to change a speed of arpeggio?
You can change a speed of arpeggio with a slider "SPD", located in the "ARP" section of ARPTON™. When you click on a slider, or change its position, display shows you a speed in beats per second (BPS). The red light on a slider blinks on every beat. Arpeggiator plays four notes per every beat.
Top How to save arpeggio for playback or for a future use?
You do not need to do anything!
Every cycle of arpeggio is automatically saved in a standard 'arpeggio.mid' file on your hard drive.
Recording starts when you press a first note and stops after you release all notes and arpeggio cycle finishes.
If you press new key before arpeggio finishes, recording will continue.
If you press new key after arpeggio finishes, recording will start again, and file "arpeggio.mid" will be replaced with new version.
Top How to replay a last saved arpeggio?
You can start listening the last recorded arpeggio by pressing a button PLAY (red light on), and stop listening by pressing the button again (red light off).
Every time when you turn the button PLAY ON, a saved arpeggio starts playing from the beginning.
You can replay the saved arpeggio as many times as you wish. If you like the result, you can rename the "arpeggio.mid" file and save it for a future use.
During next arpeggio cycle ARPTON will create this file again.
Top How to adjust a volume of arpeggio?
When LFO is turned off, use the slider "MOD" to adjust a volume of arpeggio.
Top How to use LFO?
ARPTON™ uses LFO (Low Frequency Generator) in ARPEGGIO mode for periodic changing of arpeggio volume only.
You can select any of 4 waveforms: UP, DOWN, UP/DOWN, SQUARE, or turn it off (horizontal line on a display).
You can adjust a duration of every phase of the waveform using a slider "TIME" and controlling its value on a display.
You can change a level of modulation using a slider "MOD" and controlling its value on a display.
Top How to use the Player?
To play MIDI or MIDI-Karaoke files do the following:
  • Select the tab 'PLAYER' or select item 'Open' from a 'File' menu.
  • Press button 'Select music file'.
  • Select a file and click the 'Open' button to load selected file into the PLAYER.
    (You can navigate through all your file system, select any drive, any folder, and any file.)
    If the file contains lyrics they will be extracted and displayed in the text area.
  • To start a file playback, push a button PLAY on ARPTON (red light on).

    • Pushing button PLAY ON from the tab 'PLAYER', always starts the last loaded MIDI or MIDI-Karaoke file.
    Consecutive pushing of button PLAY stops or starts playing the file from the beginning.
    Moving from the PLAYER to another tab in a HelpDesk during a file playback does not affect the playback.

    NOTE: Pushing button PLAY ON from any tab except PLAYER, starts playback of the last saved arpeggio.

Top How to play MIDI and MIDI-Karaoke files?
Using a PLAYER included with ARPTON™, you can play any MIDI files and MIDI-Karaoke files (with lyrics).
  • Select a "Player" tab on a HelpDesk, and click a button "Select Music File", (or use MENU File/Open).
  • Select and Open a file you want to play, and click a button "PLAY" on ARPTON™.
  • Consecutive pushing of button PLAY stops or starts playing the file from the beginning.
If you push the button from another tab but PLAYER, ARPTON™ plays the last saved arpeggio ('arpeggio.mid' file).
Pushing the button from a PLAYER tab, always results in playing the last loaded MIDI or MIDI-Karaoke file.

If your computer is connected to the Internet you can find and download MIDI and MIDI-Karaoke files by clicking on a link below.

Search Yahoo for MIDI files
Top How to play on the keyboard with any MIDI/Karaoke file?
You can play on a keyboard at the same time when the PLAYER plays MIDI or Karaoke files. It's really FUN!!! It's like playing with the real orchestra!!!
You can change PLAYER's Tempo using slider 'Player Tempo', and set the PLAYER's volume using slider 'Player Volume'.
You can use all ARPTON's features without any restrictions.
Top How to sing Karaoke with ARPTON?
Connect a microphone to the jack 'mic' of your soundcard.
Set desired microphone level using 'Volume Controls' of your Windows OS.
Load PLAYER with your favorite MIDI-Karaoke song.
Start PLAYER and sing using the lyrics on your screen.
Top How to change a volume balance between the PLAYER and ARPTON?
You can adjust the volume of the PLAYER using a slider 'Player Volume' located on a PLAYER tab panel.
You can adjust the total volume using your speaker controls, or 'Volume Controls' of your Windows OS.
Top How to adjust a volume for a microphone?
Set desired microphone level using 'Volume Controls' of your Windows OS.
Top How to install Soundbank-deluxe?
You can download 'soundbank-deluxe' from http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/sound/soundbanks.html.
You can download and unzip this file in any folder, and install it following instructions.
NOTE: You can copy this file 'soundbank-deluxe.gm' directly into ARPTON™ installation folder (usually 'C:\Program Files\Arpton', where 'soundbank.gm' is located), and it will be installed for you automatically. You do not need to rename this file, because ARPTON™ always uses the best soundbank available.
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