miniMusic BeatPad
1.0 Demo Version
05/15/00

This is a full featured demo of miniMusic BeatPad. It is limited to 20 minutes of use, at which time it will quit and all patterns will be erased.  Please visit our website to get the full application:
http://www.5thwall.com/minimusic

This demo will let you create a melodic and drum pattern on your Palm handheld.  The melodic pattern can be played on the Palm built-in speaker, or both the melodic and drum pattern may be played on a MIDI device connected to the serial port on the base of your handheld computer.  You can make changes to the patterns while they are playing (Palm OS 2.0 devices such as the older Palm Pilot Professional, or Palm Pilot Personal will only let you manipulate the pattern while playing to a MIDI device, NOT when playing on the built in speaker).

Choose "Instructions" in the "options" menu of beatpad for basic explination of the features.  You can also see the full documentation for the application at:
http://www.5thwall.com/minimusic/beat_doc/

**CONNECTING MIDI HARDWARE**

When you set the BeatPad demo to play MIDI (check the MIDI checkbox in the MIDI preferences screen), valid MIDI data is being sent to the serial port on the base of the device (where the HotSync cradle connects to it).  Using the HotSync cradle that came with your Palm handheld computer, or the much more convenient HotSync cable (by itself for the Palm III or VII series, or sold in the "travel kit" for the Palm V), you can connect to a MIDI keyboard, synthesiser, sound module, sound card or MIDI software on your desktop computer.  

Some MIDI devices have a "to host" serial port on the back.  This will usually be a small round serial port next to the larger 5 pin MIDI in and out ports.  To connect to these devices you simply need the Mac version of the HotSync cable (a small "mac adapter" is included in the Palm MacPac, or can be purchased seperately for about $5 US).  The "to host" port will have a switch next to it with "MIDI", "PC1", "PC2", and "Mac" settings.  You should set this switch to "Mac" when connected to your Palm.

With the HotSync cradle/cable connected to your computer you should be able to play patterns on your sound card or record the MIDI data with you desktop music software.  Consult the instructions that came with these devices and treat the Palm as though it were a simple MIDI keyboard plugged into a MIDI interface that is in turn plugged into the serial port on your computer.  You may have to disable your Palm desktop software for this to work.  On some computers a MIDI interface is required for your desktop computer to correctly capture the MIDI data, or the data must first pass through another MIDI device that is connected to the desktop computer.

You can also use a Palm MIDI interface to interact with devices that do not work as described above.  Our website has a references page with links to instructions for building an interface, or to people who will build one for you.  

A hardware company, Swivel Systems, is designing a MIDI tone module that will clip onto the base of the Palm, and they will also sell a Palm MIDI interface cable.  We will have information on our website when these products are available.

* For more information about MIDI, see our "MIDI page" at
http://www.5thwall.com/minimusic/midi.html

**MINIMUSIC**

Please visit our website or contact us about purchasing the miniMusic BeatPad application or for free demos of our other music software for the Palm OS, like NotePad or BugBand. 

www.5thwall.com/minimusic/

miniMusic
P.O.Box 210761
San Francisco, CA 94121-0761
e-mail: support@5thwall.com